A method for aligning serial batching decisions in a two-level organization of factory and distributed workstations

Yon-Chun Chou (), Yue-Lan Lin and King-Fai Chun
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Yon-Chun Chou: National Taiwan University
Yue-Lan Lin: National Taiwan University
King-Fai Chun: National Taiwan University

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 2016, vol. 27, issue 6, No 10, 1287-1297

Abstract: Abstract Large factories that manufacture high mixes of complex products are usually composed of a number of workstations and the manufacturing control function is divided between a factory and a workstation level. While the management of individual workstations tends to focus on efficient machine utilization, the top-level factory management is usually concerned with job flow control. Integration of operation decisions between the two organization levels can recover productivity loss stemming from disparate objectives. This paper presents a method for aligning the job batching decision for serial-batch machines that require machine setup to serve stochastic arrivals of multiple job types. The effect of batching on flow time is first analyzed and closed-form formulas for the probability of setup are derived for a time-based batching policy. The misalignment in batching decisions at the two organization levels is next illustrated. Finally, a state-based performance measure is designed for decision integration. Numerical simulation and regression are used to test the proposed method. The main contribution of this paper is on developing a distributed vertical alignment method which compliments the approaches of horizontal coordinated scheduling and vertical functional decomposition in architecture design of distributed manufacturing control.

Keywords: Distributed manufacturing control; Setup reduction; Job batching; Serial-batch production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1007/s10845-014-0951-2

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