Scheduling &
Job Sequencing
(Reference: Chapter 17- Scheduling from
Russell & Taylor)
Topics
• Scheduling
• Shop Floor Control
– Loading
– Sequencing
– Monitoring
• Employee Scheduling
What is Scheduling?
• Last stage of planning before
production occurs
• Specifies when labor, equipment, and
facilities are needed to produce a
product or provide a service
Objectives in Scheduling
• Meet customer due dates
• Minimize job lateness
• Minimize response time
• Minimize completion time
• Minimize time in the system
• Minimize overtime
• Maximize machine or labor utilization
• Minimize idle time
• Minimize work-in-process inventory
Terminology
• Flow time: the time it takes a job to
flow through the system.
• Makespan: the time it takes for a
group of jobs to be completed.
• Tardiness: the difference between
the late job’s due date and its
completion time.
17-5
Shop Floor Control (SFC)
• Scheduling and monitoring of day-to-day
production in a job shop
• Also called production control and
production activity control (PAC)
• Usually performed by production control
department
• Steps:
1. Loading: Check availability of material,
machines, and labor
2. Sequencing: Release work orders to shop and
issue dispatch lists for individual machines
3. Monitoring: Maintain progress reports on
each job until it is completed
1. Loading
• Process of assigning work to limited
resources
• Perform work with most efficient
resources
• Use assignment method of linear
programming to determine allocation
2. Sequencing
Prioritize jobs assigned to a resource
If no order specified use first-come first-
served (FCFS)
Other Sequencing Rules
FCFS - first-come, first-served
LCFS - last come, first served
DDATE - earliest due date
SLACK - smallest slack
SPT - shortest processing time
LPT - longest processing time
2. Sequencing
Simple Sequencing Rules
PROCESSING DUE
JOB TIME DATE
A 5 10
B 10 15
C 2 5
D 8 12
E 6 8
2. Sequencing
Simple Sequencing
Rules: FCFS
FCFS START PROCESSING COMPLETION DUE
SEQUENCE TIME TIME TIME DATE TARDINESS
A 0 5 5 10 0
B 5 10 15 15 0
C 15 2 17 5 12
D 17 8 25 12 13
E 25 6 31 8 23
Total 93 48
Average 93/5 = 18.60 48/5 = 9.6
2. Sequencing
Simple Sequencing Rules:
DDATE
DDATE START PROCESSING COMPLETION DUE
SEQUENCE TIME TIME TIME DATE TARDINESS
C 0 2 2 5 0
E 2 6 8 8 0
A 8 5 13 10 3
D 13 8 21 12 9
B 21 10 31 15 16
Total 75 28
Average 75/5 = 15.00 28/5 = 5.6
2. Sequencing
SLACK considers both work and time remaining
SLACK = (due date – today’s date) – (processing time)
2. Sequencing
A(10-0) – 5 = 5
Simple Sequencing B(15-0) – 10 = 5
Rules: SLACK C(5-0) – 2 = 3
D(12-0) – 8 = 4
E(8-0) – 6 = 2
SLACK START PROCESSING COMPLETION DUE
SEQUENCE TIME TIME TIME DATE
TARDINESS
E 0 6 6 8 0
C 6 2 8 5 3
D 8 8 16 12 4
A 16 5 21 10 11
B 21 10 31 15 16
Total 82 34
Average 82/5 = 16.40 34/5 =
6.8
2. Sequencing
Simple Sequencing Rules: SPT
SPT START PROCESSING COMPLETION DUE
SEQUENCE TIME TIME TIME DATE
TARDINESS
C 0 2 2 5 0
A 2 5 7 10 0
E 7 6 13 8 5
D 13 8 21 12 9
B 21 10 31 15 16
Total 74 30
Average 74/5 = 14.80
30/5 = 6
2. Sequencing
Simple Sequencing Rules:
Summary
AVERAGE AVERAGE NO. OF MAXIMUM
RULE COMPLETION TIME TARDINESS JOBS TARDY TARDINESS
FCFS 18.60 9.6 3 23
DDATE 15.00 5.6 3 16
SLACK 16.40 6.8 4 16
SPT 14.80 6.0 3 16
2. Sequencing
Sequencing Jobs Through Two Serial
Process
Johnson’s Rule
1. List time required to process each job at
each machine. Set up a one-dimensional
matrix to represent desired sequence
with # of slots equal to # of jobs.
2. Select smallest processing time at either
machine. If that time is on machine 1,
put the job as near to beginning of
sequence as possible.
3. If smallest time occurs on machine 2,
put the job as near to the end of the
sequence as possible.
4. Remove job from list.
2. Sequencing
Johnson’s Rule
JOB PROCESS 1 PROCESS 2
A 6 8
B 11 6
C 7 3
D 9 7
E 5 10
E A D B C
3. Monitoring
• Work package
– Shop paperwork that travels with a job
• Gantt Chart
– Shows both planned and completed
activities against a time scale
• Input/Output Control
– Monitors the input and output from each
work center
3. Monitoring
Gantt Chart
Job 32B
3 Behind schedule
Job 23C
Facility
2 Ahead of schedule
Job 11C Job 12A
1 On schedule
1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 Days
Today’s Date
Key: Planned
activity Completed activity
3. Monitoring
Input / Output Control
Input/Output Report
PERIOD 1 2 3 4 TOTAL
Planned input 65 65 70 70 270
Actual input 0
Deviation 0
Planned output 75 75 75 75
300
Actual output 0
Deviation 20 10 5 0 0
3. Monitoring
Input/Output Control
(cont.)
Input/Output Report
PERIOD 1 2 3 4 TOTAL
Planned input 65 65 70 70 270
Actual input 60 60 65 65 250
Deviation -5 -5 -5 -5 -20
Planned output 75 75 75 75
300
Actual output 75 75 65 65 280
Deviation -0 -0 -10 -10 -20
Employee Scheduling
• Labor is very flexible
resource
• Scheduling
workforce is
complicated,
repetitive task
• Assignment method
can be used
• Heuristics are
commonly used
Employee Scheduling
Heuristic
1. Let N = no. of workers available
Di = demand for workers on day i
X = day working
O = day off
2. Assign the first N - D1 workers day 1 off. Assign
the next N - D2 workers day 2 off. Continue in a
similar manner until all days are have been
scheduled
3. If number of workdays for full time employee <
5, assign remaining workdays so consecutive
days off are possible
4. Assign any remaining work to part-time
employees
Employee Scheduling
DAY OF WEEK M T W TH F SA SU
MIN NO. OF
WORKERS REQUIRED 3 3 4 3 4 5 3
Taylor
Smith
Simpson
Allen
Dickerson
Employee Scheduling
(cont.)
DAY OF WEEK M T W TH F SA SU
MIN NO. OF
WORKERS REQUIRED 3 3 4 3 4 5 3
Taylor O X X O X X X
Smith O X X O X X X
Simpson X O X X O X X
Allen X O X X X X O
Dickerson X X O X X X O
Completed schedule satisfies requirements but has no
consecutive days off
Employee Scheduling
(cont.)
Employee Scheduling
(cont.)
Automated Scheduling Systems
•Staff Scheduling
•Schedule Bidding
•Schedule Optimization
Thank You!
