JIT Mixed-Model Sequencing Rules: Is There a Best One?

Abstract

This research effort compares four sequencing rules intended to smooth production scheduling for mixed-model production systems in a Just-in-Time/Lean manufacturing environment (“JIT” hereafter). Each rule intends to schedule mixed-model production in such a way that manufacturing flexibility is optimized in terms of system utilization, units completed, average in-process inventory, average queue length, and average waiting time. A simulation experiment, where the various sequencing rules are tested against each other in terms of the above production measures, shows that three of the sequencing rules essentially offer the same performance, whereas one of them shows more variation.