The performance of workload control concepts in job shops: Improving the release method

A specific class of production control concepts for job shops is based on the principles of workload control. Practitioners emphasise the importance of workload control. However, order release methods that reduce the workload on the shop floor show poor due date performance in job shop simulations. This paper traces the reasons behind the poor results of release methods that subject the workload to norms. An alternative release approach is proposed which improves the due date performance significantly. Simulation results show that the method is able to maintain the control of workload without the use of rigid norms.