Simulation modeling and analysis of due-date assignment methods and scheduling decision rules in a dynamic job shop production system

This paper presents the salient aspects of a simulation study conducted to investigate the interaction between due-date assignment methods and scheduling rules in a typical dynamic job shop production system. The due-date assignment methods investigated are dynamic processing plus waiting time, total work content, dynamic total work content and random work content method. Seven scheduling rules are incorporated in the simulation model for the scheduling of jobs on machines. The performance of the system is evaluated using various measures based on flow time and tardiness of jobs. Simulation experiments are carried out for the different scenarios that arise out of the combination of due-date assignment methods and scheduling rules. The simulation results are subjected to statistical analysis. It is found that dynamic due-date assignment methods provide better performance. Regression-based metamodels are developed using the simulation results. These metamodels have been found to be valid analytical models of the simulation model.