Some simple, but efficient, push and pull heuristics for production sequencing for certain flexible manufacturing systems

We describe three simple rules for sequencing production in a small cell. The system of interest is one where parts of several different types are first processed on a common machine, then on separate, type-specific, production lines. The objective is to maximize the throughput rate, measured in parts produced per hour. Two of the rules (e.g. random, rotation) push parts into the cell, the last rule (cards) uses circulating cards to pull parts into the cell. We show that the resulting performance is close to, and sometimes better than, the one observed for an ‘optimal’ state-dependent push strategy.