Configuring Setup Elimination in MxAPS

Setup operations often consume valuable production time without directly producing finished goods. In many manufacturing environments, consecutive production orders can be processed without performing a full setup if they share common characteristics such as material, tooling, or product family.

MxAPS supports this through Setup Elimination, allowing the scheduling engine to intelligently reduce unnecessary setup operations while still respecting production constraints.

What is Setup Elimination?

Setup Elimination allows MxAPS to determine when two consecutive operations can share the same machine setup.

Rather than performing a complete setup before every production order, MxAPS compares the setup characteristics of adjacent operations. When they are compatible and meet the configured scheduling rules, the scheduler can eliminate the intermediate setup, reducing downtime and increasing machine utilization.

Typical manufacturing examples include:

• Running multiple stainless steel jobs before switching to aluminum.
• Producing several products that use the same tooling.
• Scheduling products with the same paint color together.
• Manufacturing multiple non-allergen products before performing a cleaning cycle.

The result is a schedule that minimizes unnecessary changeovers while still producing feasible production plans.

When multiple production orders utilizing identical routings run back-to-back, the MxAPS scheduling engine can completely eliminate successive setup segments. This ensures the first production run pays the configuration cost, while subsequent adjacent blocks are recognized as pre-configured.

Also refer to https://kb.dmsiworks.com/knowledge-base/how-to-use-setup-eliminations-to-reduce-setup-time/

How Setup Elimination Works

Setup Elimination is controlled by three primary settings:

• Setup Elimination Code
• Default Idle Allowance
• Absolute Allowance

Together, these settings determine whether an existing machine setup can be reused for the next operation.

Setup Elimination Code

The Setup Elimination Code identifies operations that can potentially share the same setup.

Operations assigned the same code are considered compatible from a setup perspective. When MxAPS schedules consecutive operations with matching codes, it evaluates whether the setup can be reused.

For example:

Production Order	Setup Elimination Code
Job 1001	Stainless Steel
Job 1002	Stainless Steel
Job 1003	Aluminum

In this example:

• The transition from Job 1001 to Job 1002 may not require another setup.
• The transition from Job 1002 to Job 1003 requires a new setup because the setup codes differ.

Choose codes that represent the characteristic driving your setup time, such as:

• Material
• Tooling
• Paint Color
• Product Family
• Alloy
• Machine Configuration

The codes should reflect what actually requires a machine changeover in your manufacturing process.

Default Idle Allowance

Machines do not always operate continuously. Operators may take breaks, completed jobs may wait for material, or production may pause for other reasons.

The Default Idle Allowance defines how long a machine may remain idle while still preserving its current setup.

For example:

• Idle Allowance: 30 minutes
• Job A finishes at 10:00 AM
• Job B begins at 10:20 AM
• Both jobs have the same Setup Elimination Code

Because the machine was idle for less than 30 minutes, MxAPS can continue using the existing setup.

If the idle time exceeds the configured allowance, the scheduler assumes the setup is no longer preserved and schedules a new setup operation before production resumes.

Absolute Allowance

The Absolute Allowance places an upper limit on how long a setup may be continuously reused.

Even if consecutive jobs share the same Setup Elimination Code, many manufacturing processes require periodic cleaning, calibration, inspection, or maintenance.

For example:

• Absolute Allowance: 8 hours
• Eight consecutive stainless steel jobs are scheduled back-to-back.

Although every operation uses the same setup code, MxAPS forces a new setup once the configured continuous runtime exceeds eight hours.

This helps model manufacturing requirements such as:

• Mandatory sanitation cycles
• Tool inspections
• Preventive maintenance
• Equipment calibration
• Safety requirements

When Setup Is Eliminated

MxAPS can eliminate a setup when:

• Consecutive operations use the same Setup Elimination Code.
• The idle time between operations does not exceed the Default Idle Allowance.
• The continuous runtime does not exceed the Absolute Allowance.
• No other scheduling constraint requires a setup.

When these conditions are satisfied, the scheduler reuses the existing machine configuration and avoids inserting another setup operation.

Example Scenarios

Metal Fabrication

A fabrication shop manufactures both stainless steel and aluminum components.

By assigning separate Setup Elimination Codes for each material, MxAPS automatically groups similar work together, reducing cleaning and tooling changes between jobs.

Food Manufacturing

A bakery produces several non-allergen products followed by products containing allergens.

All non-allergen products share one Setup Elimination Code, allowing them to run consecutively without repeated cleaning. When production switches to an allergen-containing product, MxAPS schedules the required setup and sanitation before production continues.

Paint Operations

A finishing department paints products in multiple colors.

Jobs sharing the same paint color use the same Setup Elimination Code, allowing MxAPS to schedule similar colors together before changing the spray equipment for the next color.

Best Practices

When configuring Setup Elimination:

• Choose Setup Elimination Codes that reflect actual manufacturing changeovers.
• Configure an Idle Allowance that matches how long a setup realistically remains intact.
• Use the Absolute Allowance to model mandatory cleaning, inspection, or maintenance intervals.
• Validate your configuration using representative production schedules before deploying it to production.

Properly configured Setup Elimination can significantly reduce unnecessary changeovers while still maintaining realistic production schedules.

Step-by-Step Configuration

Phase 1: Define Setup Elimination Codes

1. In Business Central, navigate to the MxAPS drop-down menu and select Setup.

2. Click on Setup Elimination Codes.

3. Create a unique Code identifier and assign a recognizable Description (e.g., NON-ALLERGEN, STEEL-THICKNESS).

4. Set the time rules for elimination blocks:

   • Default Idle Allowance: Define the maximum allowed idle duration gap between order blocks before a setup is re-forced (leave blank for zero allowed idle delay).

   • Absolute Allowance: Enter a maximum aggregate timeframe during which consecutive configurations remain continuously eliminated before explicitly forcing a clean setup reset (e.g., 6H to break for cleaning shifts).

Phase 2: Link the Rules to Items & Capacities

1. Return to the MxAPS Setup area and select Setup Eliminations.

2. Create a new line configuration with the following fields:

   • Alternate Reference Number: Always select Alt A.

   • Item Number: Input the target item identifier.

   • Work Center / Machine Center Code: Specify where this group rule applies.

   • Segment: Choose Setup to instruct the system to target the routing’s setup block.

   • Setup Elimination Code: Connect the code card configured during Phase 1.