Manufacturing
Clear to build
Clear to build is the condition in which every component required for a planned build is available or firmly committed, so production can start without a shortage. It is a binary state per build: one missing line makes the whole kit not clear.
Also known as: CTB, kit complete
Why one line decides the whole kit
Clear-to-build is unforgiving arithmetic. An assembly needing 400 parts with 399 available is not 99.75% ready — it is not ready. This is why component-level availability percentages can look excellent while build readiness is poor.
It also explains why low-value parts cause disproportionate damage. A connector costing pennies holds the same veto over a build as the most expensive component in it.
Commitment quality determines forecast quality
Clear-to-build for a future build depends on incoming supply, which means it depends on how much the supplier commitments can be trusted. A CTB forecast built on requested dates rather than confirmed ones is optimistic by construction.
Improving CTB forecasting therefore usually has less to do with better analytics and more to do with knowing what suppliers have actually committed to — and how many times each of those commitments has already moved.
How Evolinq handles it
Evolinq feeds clear-to-build calculations with confirmed supplier commitments instead of requested dates, which removes the built-in optimism from readiness forecasts.
Frequently asked questions
What does clear to build mean?
Clear to build means every component needed for a planned production build is on hand or firmly committed, so the build can start without a shortage. It is assessed per build and is binary: a single missing part makes the kit not clear to build.
How is clear to build calculated?
By comparing each line of the bill of materials against available inventory plus incoming supply within the required window. Its accuracy depends heavily on whether incoming supply reflects confirmed supplier commitments or merely requested dates.