Key tasks: Set up a production flow

Article
11/29/2021

Important

This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, see Microsoft Dynamics 365 product documentation. For the latest release plans, see Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

This topic describes the tasks that you must complete to create and configure a production flow that can be used in lean manufacturing production or replenishment activities. The subtasks are listed in sequential order.

The Microsoft Dynamics AX lean manufacturing framework is based on production flows that describe production processes from the material stage through the finished product stage. A production flow consists of one or more activities that define the flow of material and products through a production or supply scenario. You can map business processes for products, product families, and services by modeling them as production flows. Before you can set up a production flow, the following master data must be configured in Microsoft Dynamics AX:

The inventory infrastructure must be configured for sites, warehouses, and locations.
Resource groups must be configured to function as work cells that run process activities for lean manufacturing. For more information, see Key tasks: Set up a work cell for lean manufacturing.

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Create a production flow

Create a production flow version

Create an activity for a production flow version

Relate the activities

Validate the production flow version

Activate the production flow version

Deactivate the production flow version

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About lean manufacturing

Create a production flow

Click Production control > Setup > Lean manufacturing > Production flows.
Click New to create a production flow.
Define the parameters that identify and describe the production flow. These parameters include the legal entity, value stream, and production group that the production flow is assigned to.
On the Financial dimensions FastTab, you can select the financial dimensions to assign to the production flow.

Create a production flow version

After you create a production flow, you can create multiple versions of the production flow. A version defines the following information:

The validity dates of the production flow
The takt and cycle parameters that are used to calculate the cycle times of the production flow
The activities that define the kanban jobs that must be performed for the production flow
The activity relations that define the sequence of activities in the production flow

In the Production flows form, select the production flow to create a version for.
On the Versions FastTab, click Add.
In the Create new production flow version dialog box, select the effective and expiration dates to apply to the version, and then click OK. The new version appears in the grid on the Versions FastTab.

Tip

You can also create a production flow version that copies an existing version and the activities that are configured for the version. In the Create new production flow version dialog box, the fields in the Copy from version field group are populated by default. Select the effective and expiration dates to apply to the new version, and then click OK.
On the Versions FastTab, click Details.
In the Production flow version details form, define the cycle times and takt times to use for the version.
Click OK.

Create an activity for a production flow version

A production flow consists of one or more activities. An activity defines the detailed requirements of a kanban job. An activity should accurately describe the actual production conditions and lead times.

In the Production flows form, select the production flow to create an activity for.
On the Versions FastTab, select a version, and then click Activities.
In the Production flow activities form, click New version activity, and then select Create new plan activity.
In the Create new plan activity wizard, on the New activity page, select the type of activity to create. A process activity describes a value-adding operation. A transfer activity describes the transfer of material or products to support process activities in a production flow. Some of the pages in the wizard vary, depending on whether you create a process activity or a transfer activity.
If you create a transfer activity, complete the following pages in the wizard:
- Create transfer activity – Define the parameters that are used to control inventory transactions for the activity.
- Assign transfer locations – Define storage dimensions for the activity. You can also define settings for activities that are subcontracted.
If you create a process activity, complete the following pages in the wizard:
- Create process activity – Define the main parameters for the activity. These parameters include the work cells, vendor account information, and settings that are used to control inventory transactions for the activity.
- Assign picking activities – Define the parameters that are used to register material consumption of the activity.
For both transfer and process activities, complete the Assign activity time page to define activity time components for an activity. Activity times are used to determine the due dates of the corresponding kanban jobs that are generated, and the issue times for material in the picking list. Activity times can also be used to calculate service times for subcontracted activities.
Click Finish to create the activity.

Relate the activities

If there are multiple activities in a production flow version, you must define the sequence of the activities by creating activity relations. An activity relation relates two activities by defining one activity as a predecessor activity, and the other activity as a successor activity. After you define an activity relation, you can configure a constraint that defines a period between the end of a predecessor activity and the start of a successor activity. The time constraint is used to calculate the scheduling of a kanban flow.

Note

If cumulative update 6 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 or later is installed, you can later modify the constraint value and the cycle time ratio for the production flow version. Changing the activity constraint time does not affect existing kanban jobs. The change is effective when new kanbans are created that have activity dependencies.

If you change the constraints, you must recalculate the cycle times for the production flow version.

In the Production flows form, select the production flow to relate the activities for.
On the Versions FastTab, select a version, and then click Activities. In the Production flow activities form, the existing activity relations are displayed.
Select an activity, and then click the Predecessors or Successors FastTab.
Click Add predecessor or Add successor. In the Create activity relation form, the Predecessor or Successor field group is enabled, depending on how you open the form. The selected activity is displayed.
In the Activity field, select the activity to create a relation to, and then enter additional detailed information.
Click OK.

Validate the production flow version

Validate a version of a production flow to perform the following tasks:

Ensure that the activities are configured correctly, and that the production flow version is ready to be activated.
Calculate the cycle times for all activities in the production flow.

You can perform this task manually. The task is also performed automatically when you activate a version of a production flow.

In the Production flows form, select the production flow to validate.
On the Versions FastTab, select the version to validate, and then click Validate.
In the Validate production flow form, click OK.

If the validation is successful, a message is displayed. If the validation fails, a message lists the reasons for the failure.

Activate the production flow version

When a version of a production flow is activated, it is ready to use in production or replenishment activities.

Only one version of a production flow can be active at a time. There can be multiple versions that are activated, but the validity dates cannot overlap.

In the Production flows form, select the production flow to activate.
On the Versions FastTab, select the version to activate. Click Activation, and then click Activate.
In the Activate production flow form, click OK.

If the activation is successful, the value in the Plan status field is Active. If the activation fails, a message lists the reasons for the failure.

Deactivate the production flow version

When a production flow version becomes obsolete, you can deactivate it if no active kanbans are outstanding.

Warning

When you deactivate a version of a production flow, all active kanban rules that reference the version expire on the date and time of the deactivation.

In the Production flows form, select the production flow to deactivate.
On the Versions FastTab, select the version to deactivate. Click Activation, and then click Deactivate.
In the Deactivate production flow form, click OK.

If the deactivation fails, a message lists the active kanbans. If the deactivation is successful, the value in the Plan status field changes to Draft.