Status Quo on Production Planning and Control

What is the status quo in production planning and control (PPC)? This question is the recurring basis for the PPS Report, which has now been initiated for the sixth time by the following four German institutes in the field of production technology: Institute of Production Systems and Logistics (IFA) at Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Production Management and Technology (IPMT) at Hamburg University of Technology, Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) at RWTH Aachen University and Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology (IGCV). The aim of this survey is to regularly establish a picture of current approaches and challenges companies face in relation to PPC. The current report focuses on the areas of data collection, logistic objectives and sustainability in PPC. The results of the report show the approaches and challenges of the companies surveyed in achieving logistic objectives, such as schedule reliability, and in digitization, especially with regard to collecting and using data from production processes. Furthermore, the report highlights the challenges that prevent companies from implementing a circular economy, namely high complexity and uncertainty. Additionally, the report addresses how companies deal with high and volatile energy prices, which most of the companies surveyed have not yet taken into account in their PPC.