Integrations / ERP / DELMIAWorks
Does DELMIAWorks Have Finite Capacity Scheduling? DELMIAWorks APS vs SkyPlanner APS
Yes. DELMIAWorks, the former IQMS, has a finite schedule in its Advanced Planning and Scheduling module. Auto Load places work orders on work centers by priority and the best-running machine, and the planner handles tool and material problems from exception lists. Plants that want every press, mold, operator and material scheduled finitely in one optimized plan run SkyPlanner APS beside DELMIAWorks.
This article covers DELMIAWorks as described in Dassault’s current product pages and the DELMIAWorks training material, up to the 2026 release. Older pages that rank for IQMS scheduling show EnterpriseIQ screens, which carry the same scheduling concepts under the old name.
How DELMIAWorks plans capacity, step by step
1. Work centers and the Shop Calendar
Each press, extruder or assembly cell is a work center. The Shop Calendar sets shifts, holidays and days off, and Standard Labor Capacity sets the labor available per shift (DELMIAWorks training).
2. The Bill of Manufacturing
The Bill of Manufacturing (BOM) holds the item, its operations, the tool or mold, cavities and cycle time. DELMIAWorks has dedicated Injection BOM and Extrusion BOM types for plastics. The BOM also carries the rules that tell Auto Load which work centers can run the part and which one “runs the best.”
3. Work orders from MRP or by hand
Work orders come from running Update Schedule, or the planner creates one and places it “on a work center in the Finite Schedule, RealTime Production Monitoring or Assembly Track” (DELMIAWorks training).
4. Auto Load: the finite part
Auto Load fills the Finite Schedule. Dassault describes “Automatic loading of the manufacturing schedule – work orders based on priority and “runs the best” machine information” and an “auto-finite scheduling option” that works “by delivery date, most efficient work center, and more” (DELMIAWorks APS). Auto Load can run by hand or as an IQAlert action.
5. Exception lists for tools and material
Tool and material constraints show up in “Exceptions lists to quickly identify materials and tools or other constraints associated with a work order that will be unavailable or need to be expedited.” The Material Exception List is the planner’s daily worklist.
6. Time fences, drag and drop and capacity views
“User-defined “time fences” protect the current schedule against repositioning.” Inside and outside the fence, the planner moves work orders between work centers by drag and drop to level the load. Rough Cut Capacity Tools and Whiteboard Capacity compare required hours to available hours by day and week.
7. Adjusting after events
Machine downtime, slow cycles, missing resin and new customer dates change the plan. DELMIAWorks lists “Automatic Schedule Adjustments” for these events, and the planner reruns Update Schedule and Auto Load and fixes the board by hand.
What stays with the planner
DELMIAWorks gives the planner a finite board. These decisions still sit with a person:
- The sequence across presses. Auto Load follows priority and best-machine rules. Trade-offs between presses stay with the planner.
- Tool conflicts. A mold needed by two work orders appears as an exception to resolve.
- Material timing. Late resin, colorant or inserts appear on the Material Exception List to expedite or work around.
- Replanning. After a breakdown or rush order, the planner reruns Auto Load and repairs what moved.
When DELMIAWorks’ native scheduling is enough
The built-in schedule works well when:
- One planner knows every press and mold and has time to maintain the board.
- Most presses run long jobs with few mold or color changes.
- Material is stocked, so the exception list stays short.
- Crews are fixed per press and rarely limit output.
- The plan changes once a day, not several times a shift.
When you need a finite capacity scheduler
You have outgrown the board when several of these are true:
- Delivery dates slip although Whiteboard Capacity shows enough hours.
- The planner spends hours each day moving work orders after Auto Load.
- Changeover time depends on which mold or color ran before.
- Family tools and shared molds create conflicts every week.
- Operators and setters limit output as much as presses do.
- Late resin or inserts decide which job can start.
What to look for
- Every resource finite at once: presses, people, molds and material, at real clock times.
- Whole-plan optimization, not rule-based loading one work order at a time.
- A setting time matrix with sequence-dependent, directional changeover times.
- Molds as finite shared resources and multi-operator jobs.
- Material-aware scheduling that checks stock and incoming purchase orders.
- Automatic rescheduling when production progress or orders change, with a lock on the next hours.
- A clean DELMIAWorks data path. Reads and writes through the DELMIAWorks WebAPI. Ask every vendor how dates reach your work orders and who supports it after go-live.
The options fall into four groups:
- DELMIAWorks APS loads work centers by rules inside the ERP.
- Enterprise APS suites such as Dassault’s DELMIA Ortems are connected through an implementation project and run by a planning team.
- Priority-based execution tools rank a dispatch list by order risk instead of building a timed schedule.
- Cloud APS with shop-floor execution, where SkyPlanner sits, optimizes every resource automatically beside DELMIAWorks and puts the plan in operators’ hands.
For the method behind it, read the finite capacity scheduling guide and the job shop scheduling guide.
Where SkyPlanner fits
SkyPlanner APS takes over every decision listed above. Every press, person and mold is finite. Arcturus optimizes the whole plan in seconds, sequenced by work order priority, completion date, customer priority, Fast Track and Dynamic Priorities.
The setting time matrix holds the changeover time between each pair of products in both directions. Blue to red takes 30 minutes and red to blue takes 60, and the engine picks the order with the least total setup. Molds are finite shared resources, a job that needs three operators gets three people with free shifts, and work moves to an alternative press when the first choice is busy.
Material-driven scheduling simulates future inventory from stock and incoming purchase orders, so a work order is planned when its resin is there. Autopilot reschedules automatically when production changes, and Running Time Lock freezes the next hours of work so molds already hung stay put. Operators log work on phone or tablet with Mobile Confirmations, Production Timer and Quick Log Mode, and users are unlimited.
Choose SkyPlanner over DELMIAWorks APS when:
- You want an optimized plan, not a loaded board. Auto Load places work orders by rules (DELMIAWorks APS). Arcturus sequences all presses together and Autopilot keeps the plan current.
- Changeovers decide your output. The setting time matrix sequences mold and color changes for the least total setup.
- Tools and material should shape the plan, not fill a list. Molds, crews and incoming material are solved in the same run.
- Every operator should see the plan. Mobile Confirmations put the queue on every phone or tablet, with unlimited users.
Start with an Excel export of open DELMIAWorks work orders in the 30-day free trial (up to 20 workstations, all Basic features, no credit card). After that, pricing is from 199 € per month with 5 workstations included, billed monthly. The integration is quoted up front for your process and needs, together with your plan.
SkyPlanner integrates with DELMIAWorks in both directions through the DELMIAWorks WebAPI. The SkyPlanner team configures it during onboarding, and your partner or developers can work on the documented REST API. See the SkyPlanner for DELMIAWorks page, the DELMIAWorks integration guide or all ERP integrations.
SkyPlanner reviews from manufacturers
2 hsaved every week
“SkyPlanner has taken our production planning from Excel spreadsheets to real-time production optimization.”
Kalle Kalliomäki, Supply Chain Specialist
UTU · Electrical switchboards and switchgear
Production planning saves 2 hours of working time every week, and a new work queue reaches the line in seconds.
+90%production efficiency
“Efficiency has gone up 90% in production.”
Abdul Rucyinga, Head of IT
Laboratory & Allied · Pharmaceutical manufacturing
Production efficiency is up 90%, and a three-month optimized plan across all workstations takes under 30 minutes.
99.2%delivery reliability
“SkyPlanner has brought visibility to identifying bottlenecks and clarified production management.”
Toni Tuori, Production Manager
Piristeel · Roof safety and rainwater systems
Delivery reliability reached 99.2% this year, and scheduling saves up to four hours of working time per day.
Fewerstoppages from material shortages
“The value SkyPlanner brings us is that it is a tool that works in daily use, especially for setting delivery dates.”
Tommi Männistö, Production Planning Manager
Eskomatic · Contract machining
Automatic load scheduling gives more accurate delivery dates, and production stoppages caused by material shortages have fallen sharply.
FAQ
Is DELMIAWorks scheduling finite or infinite?
Both. DELMIAWorks APS has a Finite Schedule filled by Auto Load and an infinite scheduling option for dispatch lists. Rough Cut Capacity Tools compare required and available hours by day and week.
What does Auto Load do in DELMIAWorks?
Auto Load places work orders on work centers by priority, delivery date and the machine that “runs the best,” using rules on the Bill of Manufacturing. It can run by hand or as an IQAlert action.
How does DELMIAWorks handle molds and material?
Tools, molds and materials that will be unavailable appear on exception lists for the planner to resolve or expedite. SkyPlanner books molds as finite resources and plans each job after its material arrives.
Should we use DELMIAWorks APS or SkyPlanner?
SkyPlanner, when you want the whole plan optimized and kept current automatically. DELMIAWorks APS loads by rules and leaves tool and material exceptions to the planner. SkyPlanner solves them in one run, replans on every change and gives every operator their queue. Test it on your own work orders in the free trial.
Does SkyPlanner replace DELMIAWorks?
No. DELMIAWorks keeps items, BOMs, MRP, purchasing, quality, RealTime and accounting. SkyPlanner schedules the work orders and sends planned dates, work centers, production and labor back.
