Scheduling paths for merged manufacturing and distribution networks in supply chain management

This paper presents scheduling paths for manufacturing and distribution networks in supply chain environment, based on unitary structure. Two algorithms are proposed for scheduling paths in individual networks (manufacturing and distribution) and thereby scheduling paths for components in the integrated network. The integrated network of manufacturing and distribution networks is developed and is the basis for scheduling paths in supply chain environment. The proposed algorithms are tested using a numerical example based on individual and integrated networks with many components ranging from suppliers to customers. The first algorithm is developed for backward and forward scheduling of all components of manufacturing networks (material, activity, supplier and resource) while the subsequent algorithm is to schedule components in distribution network. It is expected that proposed algorithms could be incorporated in an existing supply chain management system such as Advanced Planner and Optimiser (APO) of popular ERP system: SAP R/3, as a custom module.The algorithms developed allow for all possible combinations of parent-component and component-component relationships. The scheduling paths of manufacturing network are linked with scheduling paths of distribution network through the central warehouse, to arrive at the scheduling paths of the integrated network. The integrated network along with scheduling paths provide a basis for further improvements in the supply chain environment such as optimisation and performance measurement.