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Control over production is one of the most effective forms of resource management and ensures a global understanding of the products, services, and goods of a company, industry, or clothing. 

However, efficiently controlling the various processes of a production chain involves the development of efficient, agile strategies and tactics that work for the specific context of each business. 

In this context, PCP (production planning and control) presents itself as one of the solutions to this problem, since it is a tool specifically aimed at control and planning in the production chain. 

Want to know more about it? Keep reading and learn more about the concept of PCP, its functions and benefits, and how to apply it in clothing in a practical and efficient way. 

What is PCP (Production Planning and Control)?

PCP is an acronym used to name Production Planning and Control, a set of tools, systems, and instructions used to coordinate production operations in industries. 

This planning system involves several sectors of the industry – from finance, logistics, planning, production, distribution, etc. This is because, in order to have control over production, it is necessary that all production areas are involved in the process. 

What is the role of PCP?

The primary function of the PCP is to ensure the proper flow of production processes through the management, monitoring, and control of procedures, people, machines, and technologies involved in them. 

In fashion making, PCP ensures that the sector and its stylists create a new range of products in a very well-defined way and establish exactly the volume of fabrics and accessories that will be used in the production process, in addition to the time that will be spent in each step. 

Many companies use the MPC strategy. Medium and large companies structure a sector responsible for production planning and control because of the large volume to be produced and also due to the usually tight deadlines. 

It is important to understand that, as in any type of industry, in fashion making, the PCP covers the entire production process, from creation to the development of new collections, to the dispatch of products.

What are the objectives of the PCP? 

As a management process that involves the entire production chain, the PCP has some very well-defined objectives, the main one, of course, is to make sure that the operational flow is according to schedule. In addition, other goals include: 

Schedule production 

This objective answers the question “when to produce?” and involves assessing production demand and determining when each of the products involved in the demand will be produced. 

In clothing, this means evaluating the total pieces of a collection and when each one of them will go through the technical, cutting, manufacturing, and distribution stage. 

Determining the resources to be produced

In the same way that the first objective answers a fundamental question of production, the second objective of the PCP answers the question “how much and where to produce?”. In industries, this control is important because it determines the allocation of inputs, the productive capacity of each machine, and the number of employees involved in the process. 

Organize the production order

The production order, that is, “in which order to produce?” is also one of the objectives and functions of production control and planning. This type of control is essential because, in the case of industries and clothing, the order of factors significantly alters the final result. 

Monitor production

Finally, the PCP also seeks to clarify the question “is the execution following the initial plan?”, after all, as important as determining what the production flow will be is making sure that it is in accordance with the plan. 

Thus, it is possible to make clear and assertive last-minute decisions, in addition to identifying bottlenecks and obstacles in production. 

What are the benefits of adopting PCP?

• As a methodology and a tool specifically aimed at the control and management of production, PCP provides several advantages for the industrial segment and for the fashion industry. Check out the main ones: 

• Effective production planning and control; 
• Control and organization of the production flow in the production chain; 
• Organization of raw materials and inputs necessary for production; 
• Contributes to decision making, especially last-minute ones; 
• Reduces expenses with process errors and reworks; 
• Accelerates the production and assertiveness of the operation; 
• Provides metrics and indexes about productivity; 
• Optimizes management processes in general. 

Know the steps of the PCP

As it is a complex and comprehensive methodology, production control and planning take place in several stages. Do you know what they are? To help you understand exactly how the PCP works, we have summarized them all below: 

Demand forecast 

As its name suggests, the first stage of the PCP involves creating a production estimate based on previous data from the sales and logistics sectors and also on the purchase behavior of customers. 

Based on this, we have the first stage of a well-structured PCP, because, from there, it is already possible to organize itself based on productive capacity. 

Definition of productive capacity

The definition of productive capacity is important for the PCP because it is precisely its relationship with the demand forecast that influences the order, sequence, and volume of production, one of the objectives of the PCP. 

Therefore, the second step consists of defining the production capacity of the industry/clothing so that there is control over the amount of raw material, inputs, operation, time, people, and other factors involved in the production line. 

Aggregate Production Planning (PDP)

• This is a more technical step, which involves defining production strategies for a certain period of time. The PAP is a document that contains information such as: 
• volume of stock and monthly production; 
• productive capacity of the period; 
• processes based on the industry’s production chain; 
• financial information (unit value, contracts with suppliers and logistics). 

Master Production Schedule (PMP)

The PMP is another strategic document, but its role is to organize short-term production. It is through it that the clothing company analyzes and directs its resources to meet the demand of the period, with emphasis on priority demands. 

Detailed production schedule (PDP) 

factors such as: 

• the necessary materials; 
• the organization of the stock; 
• define the production sequence and order; 
• release of resources when available. 

Production Control 

Finally, once all the planning is complete, it is time to control the production, verifying that everything is according to what was planned. Efficiency analyzes are also essential at this stage since the analysis of the generated data can point to important decisions for production. 

How does PCP work in fashion making

Many believe that fashion PCP just means writing down everything that happens with the production of each product and then transmitting this data to a query spreadsheet. 

PCP is much more than that! Planning and controlling production in fashion making is designing, organizing, and ordering all resources, machines, tools, and products involved in the production process. 

From the moment an order is placed, a delivery date is set. Then, the requirements analysis is done according to the checklist below: 

What is the project for this demand? Is there any defined? 

What kind of raw material will be needed to make the products? What is the deadline? 

Will outsourced labor be required? Cut? Settings? What is the delivery time for these suppliers? 

Who will be responsible for each stage? 

Which machine/tool will be used at each stage? 

How long will the product spend on each of these pieces of equipment? 

Are there pre-finalization processes? Coating? waterproofing? Labeling? 

Will these processes be done inside or outside the company? How long does this procedure take? 

After the product is made and services are completed, how will it be packaged and shipped? 

It is always important to take into account, when defining the time of each step of the process, an extra tolerance time. This period is nothing more than a safety zone to correct possible production errors. 

Each and every step of the process indispensably needs a time projection. Only in this way will it be possible to convey a realistic delivery time that is free from unforeseen circumstances. 

In short, the PCP in fashion making, designs, organizes, and orders all the processes, resources, machines, and people involved in the production of its collections. 

How can technology help in production planning and control? 

The volume of information related to the production process that is worked on in the PCP is enormous. It is practically impossible to manage production without the help of intelligent software and applications. 

These tools are indispensable to maintain an effective, streamlined and agile organization. Deadlines are getting tighter every day. You can no longer waste time with mistakes and, therefore, it is vital to plan and manage your production with assertiveness. 

To ensure good performance in the entire creation and development process, the Audaces 360 multi-solution is indicated, as it presents exact solutions for the fashion professional. 

In addition to assisting in the creation of 4D clothing, Audaces 360 enables the development of high-quality and extreme precision patterns and fittings with surprising fabric yields. 

Discover the Audaces 360 multi-solution: 

Audaces Idea 

The idea lets you draw with specific features or create directly on top of a 3D mannequin. In this way, it is possible to materialize your creations in an instant with a three-dimensional printer. 

Audaces 4D 

The tool used in the initial phase, that is, in creation. 4D is responsible for approving models for the next stages of production, creating a datasheet, developing the modeling and pilot part. In addition, it also stimulates the parts in a 3D environment. 

Audaces Pattern

Another tool from the creation step. Moldes dynamically develop high-quality and extremely accurate molds. This software also digitizes and extracts the pre-modeling made in the 4D tool. 

Audaces Marker 

Fitting is used to increase profitability, optimizing the use of raw material, an item of relevant weight in the cost of parts. Through it, it is also possible to generate a cut order report and calculate fabric consumption by color, facilitating the process of separating material for cutting. It also includes cutting detail tools, line suppression, and digital stamp configuration. 

Audaces Supera

A management tool for processing docking queues sent by one or more computers across the enterprise, allowing the system and operator to be free to perform other processes. This precise control increases fabric utilization saves process time and boosts business productivity. 

Audaces Isa 

The platform that allows the management of each of your collections, step by step, from production. This facility connects the entire company and allows its style teams to work focused on the development process to achieve greater assertiveness and increase brand profits. 

Conclusion 

Planning and controlling production is a complex process that involves several steps, but which, in the end, guarantees a more efficient, assertive, and profitable production. For this to develop efficiently, it is essential to work with intelligent tools adapted to each reality. 

Working with Audaces 360 means making sure you have a complete ERP for planning and controlling all your resources and processes. For all stages and all processes of the production chain. 

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