A dynamic scheduling method for painting process with JIT production system

Scheduling method has been investigated for Just-In-Time (JIT) production systems with painting process that has longer lead time than the planning period of assembly line, followed by the painting process. In such JIT production systems, it is difficult to keep stable production between painting process and assembly line. Therefore, it is necessary that painting process has independent production schedule forecasted on the processing requirement jobs of assembly line. However, when multi-volume production is done or defective jobs occur in painting process, production balance between painting process and assembly line is destroyed, and then delays of due dates often occurred. To cope with this difficulty, we propose a scheduling method based on heuristic algorithm for painting process in the JIT production system in order to prevent delays of due date and to keep the smallest inventory in buffer of painting process. We have evaluated the scheduling method by computer simulation.