Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains, 12th Edition

Job Shop Scheduling

Operations schedules are short-term plans designed to implement the sales and operations plan. Often, several jobs must be processed at one or more workstations. Typically, a variety of tasks can be performed at each workstation. If schedules are not carefully planned to avoid bottlenecks, waiting lines may develop. For example, Figure J.1 depicts the complexity of scheduling a manufacturing process. When a job order is received for a part, the raw materials are collected and the batch is moved to its first operation. The colored arrows show that jobs follow different routes through the manufacturing process, depending on the product being made. At each workstation, the next job to process is a decision because the arrival ...