Production smoothing in just-in-time manufacturing systems: a review of the models and solution approaches

Production smoothing is one of the most important tactical planning activities for the efficient operation of mixed-product just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing systems. As a result, increased research attention has focused on this topic. However, a closer examination of the analytical literature reveals that the majority of the existing work concentrates on synchronized assembly line systems, which is, in part, due to the fact that JIT philosophy originated in an assembly line environment. This limits the applicability of the results of the analytical research in practical settings. Although a relatively recent line of work considers alternative manufacturing environments, an incomplete understanding of the practical and modelling challenges associated with production smoothing hinders the wider adoption of JIT philosophy in a variety of manufacturing environments. Therefore, this paper first discusses the practical and modelling challenges that arise in production smoothing in the context of JIT manufacturing. Then, an extensive review of the existing literature that focuses on analytical models and solution algorithms developed in the field is given. Finally, the gaps in the current body of knowledge are highlighted and several areas where further research is needed in production smoothing are identified.