An evaluation of scheduling policies in a dual resource constrained assembly shop

Research in job shop scheduling has concentrated on sequencing simple, single component jobs that require no coordination of multiple parts for assembly. However, since most jobs in reality involve some assembly work, scheduling multiple component jobs through an assembly shop, where both serial and parallel operations take place, represents a more realistic and practical problem. The scheduling environment for multiple component jobs in terms of routing, sequencing, and the pacing of common components may be quite complex, and, as such, requires special scheduling considerations.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate scheduling policies for the production of assembled products in a job shop environment, termed "assembly shop". The specific scheduling policies examined include duedate assignment procedures, labor assignment procedures, and item sequencing rules. The sensitivity of these policies to product structure is also addressed.