작업완료시각 추정을 활용한 배치 스케줄링 및 사례 연구

Batch Scheduling Algorithm with Approximation of Job Completion Times and Case Studies

Many small and medium-sized manufacturing companies process various product types to respond different customer orders in a single production line. To improve their productivity, they often apply batch processing while considering various product types, constraints on batch sizes and setups, and due date of each order. This study introduces a batch scheduling heuristic for a production line with multiple product types and different due dates of each order. As the process times vary due to the different batch sizes and product types, a recursive equation is developed based on a flow line model to obtain the upper bound on the completion times with less computational complexity than full computation. The batch scheduling algorithm combines and schedules the orders with same product types into a batch to improve productivity, but within the constraints to match the due dates of the orders. The algorithm incorporates simple and intuitive principles for the purpose of being applied to small and medium companies. To test the algorithm, two case studies are introduced; a high pressure coolant (HPC) manufacturing line and a press process at a plate-type heat exchanger manufacturer. From the case studies, the developed algorithm provides significant improvements in setup frequency and thus convenience of workers and productivity, without violating due dates of each order.