Performance of Hierarchical Production Scheduling Policy

Abstract

The performance of Kimemia and Gershwin's hierarchical scheduling scheme for flexible manufacturing systems, as enhanced by Gershwin, Akella, and Choong, is described. This method calculates times at which to dispatch parts into a system in a way that limits the disruptive effects of such disturbances as machine failures. Simulation results based on a detailed model of an IBM printed circuit card assembly facility are presented. Comparisons are made with other policies and the hierarchical policy is shown to be superior.