Rough-Cut Capacity Check Agent

Each month the demand plan lands and someone has to check whether the plant can actually build it, usually by hand in a spreadsheet. This agent converts the plan into hours on each key work center using routings, then loads available capacity after maintenance stops and holidays. It compares load with capacity in weekly buckets, because a center that looks fine for the month can be overloaded in one week. Where load is too high, it tests options in order of cost: pulling volume into a quieter week, an alternate work center, then overtime. After each option it recalculates and checks every week again. If a gap remains after all options, it marks it clearly for the sales and operations meeting. It drafts a summary with costed options. The plant manager approves overtime and any change to customer volumes.