Materialbehovsplanen

Materialbehovsplanen is a planning approach used in manufacturing to determine the quantities and timing of material orders needed to support a master production schedule. The aim is to ensure material availability for production while minimizing inventory and reducing the risk of production stoppages. The method translates the planned production into concrete material requirements by taking into account the bill of materials, current inventory levels, lead times, and procurement constraints.

The core elements of the materialbehovsplanen are the bill of materials, inventory records, and the master production schedule. The output is a material requirement plan that specifies what materials are needed, in what quantities, and when they should be ordered or produced. The typical process involves checking on-hand inventory, calculating net requirements after considering lead times and safety stock, and generating planned orders for purchasing or manufacturing. These planned orders are then released to suppliers or to the manufacturing floor as procurement or work orders.

Materialbehovsplanen is closely related to other planning concepts such as Material Requirements Planning (MRP), MRPII, and ERP systems. It is commonly used in discrete manufacturing environments, including electronics, automotive, and machinery industries, where clear bill of materials and lead times enable precise scheduling. The approach supports improved delivery reliability and reduced stockouts, but it relies on accurate data and relatively stable demand. Limitations include sensitivity to demand variability, changing lead times, and the need for ongoing data maintenance and coordination across procurement, production, and logistics.

See also: Material Requirements Planning, MRPII, ERP, BOM, inventory management.