EVOLVING COORDINATION SCHEMES IN REAL-TIME PRODUCTION SCHEDULING

The authors have developed a real-time production scheduler which will permit existing scheduling technologies to interact with other functional entities within the manufacturing system. This paper concentrates upon the evolving coordination schemes that will be implemented within the proposed algorithm. In particular, the consequences derived from the consideration of multiple-criteria decision-making within a manufacturing hierarchy are explored. Methodologies to address all forms of uncertainty are discussed. The experimental testing of the coordinating procedures using hierarchical simulation are outlined.