Multi-Job Production Systems: Definition, Problems, Analysis, and Product-Mix Performance Portrait of Serial Lines

Published

May 15, 2018

Author(s)

Peter O. Denno, Pooya Alvian

Abstract

Multi-job production (MJP) is a class of flexible manufacturing systems intended to produce different products (job-types) according to a given product-mix and build-schedule. In MJP systems, all job-types are processed by the same sequence of manufacturing operations, but with different processing times at some or all machines. To characterize MJP, we introduce the work-based (rather than the traditional part-based) model of production systems, which is "insensitive" to whether a single- or multi-job manufacturing takes place. Using this model, we develop a method for performance analysis of MJP serial lines with the emphasis on their throughput and bottlenecks as functions of the product-mix. We show, in particular, that for the so-called conflicting job-types, there exists a range of product-mix, where the throughput of MJP is larger than that of any individual job-type involved. To characterize the global behavior of MJP systems, we introduce the notion of Product-Mix Performance Portrait, which represents the system throughput and bottlenecks for all feasible product-mixes. Finally, we apply the results obtained to a section of the underbody assembly system at an automotive assembly plant, calculate its performance portrait, and evaluate the efficacy of potential continuous improvement projects.

Citation

International Journal of Production Research

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Multi-product manufacturing, Flexible production systems, Product-mix, Serial lines, Exponential machines, Finite buffers, Work-based model, Throughput, Bottleneck, Performance portrait, Automotive assembly.

Citation

Denno, P. and Alvian, P. (2018), Multi-Job Production Systems: Definition, Problems, Analysis, and Product-Mix Performance Portrait of Serial Lines, International Journal of Production Research, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=922143 (Accessed April 30, 2026)

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