An extended model of ATP to increase flexibility of delivery

Abstract

With reference to former approaches of the so-called available-to-promise (ATP), this approach is extended by the flexible use of reserved stocks. The advantages of this approach consist of the reduction of stocks within the value chain and the capital commitment. Furthermore, the flexibility of an enterprise for accepting short-term customer orders and thus the customer-orientation are increased. The precondition for the presented model is that an enterprise has a stock of finished products and is responsible for them. A decision support system (DSS) calculates the quantity, which can be taken out of the safety stocks for fulfilling long-term master agreements. In addition, the uncertainty resulting from the approach is evaluated. Therefore, investigations were made concerning the initial variables for that estimation. The article introduces a DSS for the application of the extended ATP approach. Fuzzy logic enables expert knowledge to be considered, but a fuzzy inference system needs a high expenditure to be adapted to the specific enterprises. A kind of adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) as a hybrid system enables the fitting of parameter values such as a neuronal network and thus the adaptation of the DSS to the specific enterprise environment.