Scheduling & Planning
AI-powered Gantt scheduling built for the realities of SLS production — changeovers, cooldown chambers, shift windows, and multi-order build plates.
The Problem with Spreadsheet Scheduling
Most additive manufacturers schedule builds using spreadsheets, whiteboards, or generic MES systems that don't understand AM-specific constraints. This leads to missed changeover windows, idle machines on weekends, and constant manual re-planning when priorities shift.
SLS scheduling is uniquely complex: builds run 20-30 hours unattended, cooldown chambers have limited capacity, and changeovers must happen during operator shifts. A build that finishes at 2 AM Saturday means your $200/hr machine sits idle until Monday — unless you planned for it.
Visual Gantt Scheduler
Drag-and-drop production scheduling across all your machines with real-time timeline visualization. Every build, every stage, and every dependency visible at a glance.
- Drag builds between machines or reschedule with a click
- Shift-period shading highlights off-hours and weekends automatically
- Changeover segments show directly on build bars
- Real-time "now" indicator tracks current production position
- Multi-machine view with downstream stage dependencies (depowder, EDM, CNC)
- Zoom and scroll through days or weeks of scheduled production
Next Build Advisor
Stop spending hours manually composing build plates. The Next Build Advisor analyzes your open demand and recommends optimal plate compositions based on real production constraints.
- Aggregates unfulfilled demand across all open work orders
- Groups parts by material compatibility and build approach
- Evaluates single, double, and triple stack configurations
- Calculates print duration changes for each stacking option
- Prioritizes parts with the earliest due dates
- Recommends the plate composition that maximizes throughput while meeting deadlines
Changeover Analysis
The #1 cause of unplanned SLS downtime: a build finishes when no operator is available to remove the previous plate from the cooldown chamber. Vectrik prevents this automatically.
- Predicts exactly when each build will finish based on print duration
- Checks if the changeover falls within an operator's shift window
- Flags risky sequences with a clear "Machine DOWN until shift" warning
- Suggests schedule adjustments to align changeovers with operator availability
- Accounts for cooldown chamber capacity (2 plates per EOS M4)
- Models auto-changeover timing (~30 min) in all calculations
Connected Scheduling
Scheduling doesn't happen in isolation. Every build connects to downstream operations.
Demand-Driven
The scheduler pulls unfulfilled demand from work orders so you're always building what matters most. Due dates drive priority automatically.
Downstream Aware
When a build is scheduled, downstream stages (depowder, EDM, CNC) cascade automatically based on configured durations and machine availability.
Shift Integrated
Operator shifts, machine operating hours, and maintenance windows are all factored into scheduling decisions. No more planning in a vacuum.