After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Meaning of Dispatching 2. Functions of Dispatching 3. Procedure 4. Forms.
Meaning of Dispatching:
Dispatching is the routine of setting productive activities in motion through the release of orders and necessary instructions according to pre-planned times and sequence of operations embodied in route sheets and loading schedules.
In other words, once a job is in an area where an operation is to be performed, it has to be determined when and by whom the job will be processed and also the sequence of waiting orders to be processed. The decision of assigning the various jobs to different machines and equipment is called Dispatching.
The final decisions of dispatching are to be taken within the constraints set up by scheduling function.
Functions of Dispatching:
(i) To check the availability of input materials and ensure the movement of material from store to first process and then from process to process.
(ii) To ensure the availability of all production and inspection aids.
(iii) To obtain the requisite drawings, specifications and material lists.
(iv) To assign the work appropriate machine, workplace and men.
(v) The issue of job orders authorising operations in accordance with dates and times previously planned and entered on load charts and route sheets.
(vi) The issue of time tickets, instruction cards and other required items to the workers who are to perform the various activities.
(vii) The issue of inspection orders after each operation in order to determine result regarding the quality of products if excessive spoilage occurs, to find out its causes.
(viii) Clean up on jobs, collection of time tickets, blueprints and instruction cards and their return to appropriate section of production control deptt.
(ix) To ensure that the work is forwarded to next deptt. or storeroom etc.
(x) To record the beginning and completion times of jobs on time tickets for calculation of time interval. To forward time ticket to accounts deptt for preparing wages.
(xi) To record and report idle time of men and machines and request for corrective action required.
Centralized V/S Decentralized Dispatching:
In the decentralized dispatching, the manufacturing orders are issued in blanket way to the Engineer/Foreman/Supervisor. He must then determine the relative sequence in which these orders will be taken up within the department.
It is the duty of the person (may be Foreman/Supervisor) concerned to dispatch these orders and to ensure that the required material is available at each machine and operator. In such cases the dispatch of material must be completed in the department on or before the prescribed date.
Chart in Fig. 7.14 illustrates the sequence of dispatching operation for intermittent manufacturing system from the issue of manufacturing orders to the end of dispatching operation.
From the manufacturing order list of assemblies, sub-assemblies and parts is prepared. Route sheets are prepared for various components/parts and assemblies etc.
These route sheets indicate the input materials operation to be performed and their sequence. Further the time allowances are entered against each operation along with the date when it should start and finish. Along-with details of tools, jigs and fixtures required.
The blue prints supplies the limits and tolerances for the purpose of inspection. In order to give effect to this information, required materials, tools, job orders, inspection tickets and move orders are prepared. So all working papers should be ready a day or two before the job should start.
These are further made available to the various persons concerned by the dispatcher. The material, tools and jigs & fixtures will be issued to the machine operators.
Inspection shall be performed after the first operation is over and the part shall move to next work station for second operation if it passes inspection.
The purpose of decentralized dispatching is to minimize the duplication of postings and elaborate reporting etc. In centralized dispatching which is applicable for continuous manufacturing system that involves a single standardized product and no assembly, dispatching requires that the concerned shops be informed about the decided rate of production.
The routine of dispatching under these circumstances shall be quite different from decentralized dispatching discussed earlier. This is called centralized control.
This system involves the dispatching orders from the central dispatching division directly to work stations. The working capacity & other characteristics of the machines/equipment as well as the back log and work ahead of it are known and recorded in the central dispatch office. In this case the whole dispatching is controlled from that point.
In both types of dispatching, it is traditional for the departmental supervisor or his clerk to keep themselves informed about the starting date and progress of each order by means of various dispatching displays.
Forms used in Dispatching Department:
1. Tool Order:
It is normal practice to specify the tools, jigs and fixture for each job. The function of the tool order is to ensure the availability of these tools at right time when the job is scheduled to start. A typical tool order is shown in Fig. 7.15.
2. The Job Order:
The main function of this order is to provide authority for starting operation. In general this order is combined with some other forms like; the job card, production ticket, time ticket, inspection order and move ticket.