Operations Scheduling Methods

Scheduling Operation

• Scheduling assigns start dates to individual component batches and designates work centers for each operation.
• Objectives include minimizing time delays, reducing costs, optimizing resource utilization, and ensuring timely product delivery.
• It involves systematic planning and coordination of tasks, resources, and timelines to optimize production efficiency and meet customer demands.

First Come, First Serve

• Jobs are prioritized based on the order of receipt.
• It is more effective for single-product operations than for multiple product operations.

Short Processing Time

• Jobs that take the least time to complete are prioritized.
• This reduces machine idle time and overall production time.

Earliest Due Date

• Jobs are scheduled based on their due dates.
• Suitable for operations with varying deadlines.

Johnson's Rule

• Method to find the best job order in two work centers.
• Aims to reduce completion time and waiting time between work centers.
• Steps include:
  • List jobs and their times at each work center.
  • Find the job with the shortest time at the first work center and schedule it first.
  • Find the job with the shortest time at the second work center and schedule it last.
  • Remove the scheduled job from consideration and repeat the process until all jobs are scheduled.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

• Identifies the longest stretch of dependent tasks to determine the shortest time to complete a project.
• Used for analyzing, planning, and scheduling large, complex projects, determining the critical path.

Queuing Analysis

• Manages and optimizes the flow of jobs through a system by analyzing waiting times and resource utilization.
• "Queuing analysis" applies queuing theory to study and optimize waiting lines within a system.
• It Analyzes customer arrival rates, service times, number of servers, and queue discipline to improve operational efficiency and customer service by minimizing wait times and resource utilization

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• ERP integrates critical business operations into a unified database, streamlining the business environment.
• Manufacturing ERP systems plan, oversee, and support functions within manufacturing enterprises.

Material Requirements Planning (MRP)

• MRP is a technique for resource planning and inventory control.
• MRP systems gather data from customer demand and the bill of materials for specific product, using this information to develop purchasing plans and basic production schedules.
• It is widely used for production planning and scheduling.

Forward Scheduling

• Starts as early as possible.
• If a job is completed early but the customer wants the product on a specific day, the product will be held in inventory, increasing inventory levels.

Backward Scheduling

• Schedules as late as possible.
• It lowers inventory but increases the risk of delays; urgent orders may compromise existing orders.

Line Balancing

• Work is evenly distributed across workstations.
• Aims to avoid bottlenecks and maintain a smooth production flow.

Infinite Loading

• Jobs are assigned to work centers without regard for capacity constraints.
• It helps identify potential bottlenecks.

Finite Loading

• It considers the capacity of each work center.
• Ensures the processing time does not exceed available capacity.

Loading

• Assigns jobs to work centers and machines.
• Determines distribution across resources for efficient capacity utilization.
• Purpose: Focuses on the allocation of jobs to available resources, ensuring effective utilization of work centers and machines without overloading.
• Process: Assigns jobs to work centers and machines based on capacity and availability, using methods like infinite loading or finite loading.
• Impact on Production: Affects the overall distribution of work and can impact the balance of workload across different resources. Proper loading ensures resources are neither idle nor overloaded.

Sequencing

• Establishes the order jobs are processed at each work center.
• Based on priority rules to optimize workflow and minimize idle time and delays.
• Purpose: Determining the order of job processing to minimize setups, reduce waiting times, and improve overall efficiency.
• Process: Use priority rules like Shortest Processing Time (SPT), Earliest Due Date (EDD), or Critical Ratio (CR) to manage job flow.
• Impact on Production: Affects the flow of jobs through the production process. Effective sequencing can reduce idle times, minimize setup times, and improve the overall throughput of the system.

Job Assignments

• Matching the right technician to the right job based on skills, availability, and location.
• Ensures efficient job completion to the highest standard.

Route Planning

• Optimizes routes to minimize travel time and fuel consumption.
• It Uses mapping tools or GPS tracking software to identify the most efficient paths.

Time Management

• Allocates appropriate time slots for each job based on complexity and duration.
• Helps effectively manage the workload and avoid overbooking.

Last Minute Changes

• Handling last-minute changes in customer requirements can disrupt schedules.
• Requires quick adjustments to minimize the impact on service delivery.