Time-interval balancing in multi-processor scheduling of composite modular jobs (preliminary description)
This addresses scheduling inefficiencies in modular construction and similar domains, but it appears incremental as it builds on existing just-in-time planning concepts.
The paper tackles the problem of time-interval balancing in multi-processor scheduling for composite modular jobs, such as modular home-building, by proposing a framework that clusters detail types, designs assembly plans, detects imbalances, and modifies schedules using a metaheuristic approach.
The article describes a special time-interval balancing in multi-processor scheduling of composite modular jobs. This scheduling problem is close to just-in-time planning approach. First, brief literature surveys are presented on just-in-time scheduling and due-data/due-window scheduling problems. Further, the problem and its formulation are proposed for the time-interval balanced scheduling of composite modular jobs. The illustrative real world planning example for modular home-building is described. Here, the main objective function consists in a balance between production of the typical building modules (details) and the assembly processes of the building(s) (by several teams). The assembly plan has to be modified to satisfy the balance requirements. The solving framework is based on the following: (i) clustering of initial set of modular detail types to obtain about ten basic detail types that correspond to main manufacturing conveyors; (ii) designing a preliminary plan of assembly for buildings; (iii) detection of unbalanced time periods, (iv) modification of the planning solution to improve the schedule balance. The framework implements a metaheuristic based on local optimization approach. Two other applications (supply chain management, information transmission systems) are briefly described.