Materialebehovsplanlegging

Materialebehovsplanlegging, often abbreviated as MRP, is a production planning and inventory control system. It is used to manage manufacturing processes, specifically the procurement and scheduling of materials. The core function of MRP is to ensure that materials are available when they are needed in the production process, while also minimizing the amount of inventory held.

MRP systems typically take into account the master production schedule (MPS), which outlines what finished products need to be produced and by when, and the bill of materials (BOM), which details the components and subassemblies required for each finished product. By analyzing the MPS and BOM, an MRP system can determine the gross material requirements. It then subtracts any existing inventory on hand and any outstanding purchase or production orders to calculate the net material requirements.

These net requirements are then translated into planned orders for raw materials, components, and subassemblies. The system also specifies the timing of these orders, taking into account lead times for both purchasing and manufacturing. The primary goals of implementing an MRP system include reducing inventory costs, improving production efficiency, meeting customer demand more reliably, and optimizing resource utilization. MRP has evolved over time and is now often integrated into more comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.