Group scheduling and order releasing: review and foundations for research

Abstract

As more batch manufacturers implement cellular manufacturing to enhance their productivity and efficiency, cell management is becoming a critical research issue. One of the most important elements of cell management is the decision concerning how parts should be loaded and dispatched in the cell (group scheduling). This paper describes the characteristics of an effective group scheduling system and proposes a system that encompasses those characteristics. The purpose of the proposed system is twofold. First, the system can be used as a logical basis for developing effective scheduling procedures. Second, it serves as a framework within which to organize and discuss previous research, focusing on identifying the aspects of the problem that have not been adequately covered. The relevant literature is broken down into three areas: order releasing, group scheduling, and scheduling in a sequence-dependent setup environment. Special attention is given to the similarities between group scheduling and scheduling with sequence-dependent setup times areas. Finally, suggestions for further research are presented.

Notes

FARZAD MAHMOODI is Assistant Professor of Management at Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Dr Mahmoodi's areas of interest are production scheduling, production planning and control, cellular manufacturing, and quality management. He has published in the International Journal of Production Research, Decision Sciences, and Journal of Operations Management and has presented papers at various international and national conferences. He is a member of TIMS, DSI, APICS, and ASQC.

KEVIN J. DOOLEY is Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He received a B.S. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr Dooley's areas of interest are quality management, production control systems, applied statistics, TQC in academe, and product development. He has published in the Journal of Engineering for Industry, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Operations Management, Engineering Management Journal, and Quality Progress.