Batch balancing is a process where the amount of ingredients to use in a production batch
is calculated from the concentration of active ingredients in selected product batches.
To get an understanding of this, let’s take a closer look at a formula that has been set up for batch balancing.
This formula consists of 4 ingredients A, B, C and D.
For making 100 liters of a finished product, 20 liters of ingredient A is needed,
30 liters of ingredient B, 10 liters of ingredient C, and 40 liters of ingredient D.
Each line has an ingredient type. The Active type indicates that the ingredient,
in this case item number B, is set up to have a concentration of an active ingredient.
Let’s navigate to the product to see how the active ingredient is set up.
The active ingredient is modelled with the use of a product-specific attribute.
A product-specific attribute has a minimum, a maximum, and a target level.
The target level represents the estimated concentration of the active ingredient in percent.
The maximum and the minimum value represent the accepted deviation from the target
and can, for example, be used as an accepted tolerance at product receipt.
A product can only have one active ingredient, so after defining the product-specific batch attribute,
it needs to be classified as the active ingredient of the product.
This is done by associating the product-specific batch attribute as a base attribute to the product.
Here is the base attribute for the product.
Here it is also set up how the batch attribute value is typically recorded;
as part of the purchase receipt process or as part of the quality order management process.
I will now navigate back to the formula to explain the use of the remaining ingredient types.
The type Compensating compensates the quantity of the active ingredient.
The relationship between an active ingredient and a compensating ingredient is set with a compensating principle.
The relation between an active ingredient and a compensating ingredient is set with a compensating principle.
As you can see, you need to point to the active ingredient you want to compensate. In the compensating principle, you also specify a factor.
If the factor is positive, it is indicated that a higher quantity of the compensating ingredient is needed,
if the active ingredient has a higher concentration than the target value.
This is called a compensating principle with a complementary effect.
If the factor is negative, it is indicated that a lower quantity of compensating ingredient is needed
if the active ingredient has a higher concentration than the target value.
This is called a compensating principle with an opposing effect.
The Filler type is used for an ingredient that is neutral.
This type is typically used to reach the desired output quantity of the finished product.
Adjustments to the filler quantities are calculated based on variations in the active and compensating ingredients.
The type None indicates that the amount of ingredient used in a production batch will be independent
of the concentration of the amount of active ingredients in the selected batches.
In this example, ingredient B, C, and D are all set up for the warehouse management processes, whereas ingredient A is not.
Now, let’s go to a batch order and go through batch balancing process.
Here is a batch order for making 100 liters of a finished good.
The batch order formula shows the ingredients.
The batch order is in the Estimated status.
I'm now going to release the order.
After the batch order is released, an infolog indicates that no materials were released to the warehouse.
This is because the batch order is applicable for batch balancing.
A batch order is applicable for batch balancing when it has at least one item in the formula with the ingredient type Active.
These types of orders are released to warehouse as part of the batch balancing process.
When starting the batch order, the menu item for batch balancing is enabled.
When selecting Batch balancing, the Batch balancing page is opened.
This page gives an overview of the formula ingredients.
When I select the row for the active ingredient B, I see the available batches in the inventory in the lower section of the page.
In this case there are two available batches that are on-hand.
Batch B1 has a concentration of 35 percent, which exceeds the target value of 30.
Batch B2 has a concentration of 25 percent and is lower than target.
I can select the batches I want to use for the batch order.
Let’s try to select batch B1;
After I have selected the batch, I can now select the Batch balance ingredients menu item and make the batch balancing calculation.
The balanced quantities for the ingredients have now been calculated.
The balanced quantity for the active ingredient B is 25.71, which is lower than the estimated quantity of 30.
Because batch B1 has a higher concentration than the target value, a lower quantity is needed.
The balanced quantity of the compensating ingredient is 14.72, and higher than the estimated quantity of 10.
This indicates that the compensating principle between the active and the compensating ingredient is complementary.
A higher concentration than target requires more compensating ingredient.
The quantity of the filler ingredient is a little less than the estimated amount. The quantity of the filler ingredient is adjusted so the sum of the balanced quantities
for the ingredients equals the batch size of 100 liters.
After the calculation of the balanced quantities has been processed, the ingredients can now be released to warehouse. I do that by selecting
the menu item Confirm and release to warehouse.
The ingredients enabled for the warehouse management processes will be released to warehouse.
For the ingredients not enabled for the warehouse management processes, a picking list journal will be created. I can now confirm the dialog box.
Let’s first look at the resulting warehouse work.
Here is the work for the three ingredients B, C, and D.
Notice, that the work contains the batch number that was selected in the batch balancing process for ingredient B.
Now let’s look at the picking list journal for ingredient A.
Here is the picking list journal created for the non-warehouse enabled
item for ingredient A.
The batch balancing process has been completed and the batch order can now be processed.