The effect of batch sizing and customer pressure (order modification) on a hybrid assembly job shop

A hybrid assembly job shop is studied to determine if dividing an order into batches can improve shop performance measured by the criteria of flow time, lateness, tardiness, staging time, per cent tardy, time tardy/unit, inprocess inventory, total number of late units and maximum tardiness. It was found that there is an optimal subdivision of orders that will improve performance relative to some of the above criteria. These shops allow customers to modify their orders on demand. It is shown that optimal policies obtained when order modification is not allowed remain optimal when customers are allowed the flexibility of modifying their orders.