15 to 16.

Operations Scheduling
and Control
By Prof. N. Narayanan

In
“OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT – I”
(WMP, Term I, Part B, July – Sep 2010)
Reference: 2009)
Ch 14: Short Term Scheduling (pp 563 – 601)
In: J. Heizer B. Render and J. Rajashekhar, Operations
Management, 9th Edition, Pearson Education, 2009
 Sessions Plan – Part B (Continued)
Sn.
Date Topic Text ; Exercise/ Case
Nos.
15 – 14 Aug. Operations Ch. 14: Short Term Scheduling (pp 563 – 601)
16 (Sat) Scheduling 1.First Printing and Copy Centre – Assigning jobs to typesetters
& Control •Problem No.: 14.6 (pp 597): Clair Consultants (Asgnmt. prob.)
2.Avanti Sethi Archtects: Sequencing Using Priority Rules (pp 576)
•Problem No. 14.11 (pp 598): Avianic Engine Repair Inc.)
21 Aug. (Single Machine Sequencing problem)
(Sat) 3.La Crosse, Wisconsin’s Tool and Die Shop: Johnson’s Rule
Example (pp 580 -81)
•Problem No. 14.17 (pp 599): George Heinrich’s printing co.
(Two m/c Flow Shop Seq. prob.)
4.Problem: Cyclical scheduling of service employees at Oncology
Ward (pp 588)
5.Case: Scheduling Workers Who Fall Asleep is a Killer–Literally (pp
568)
6.Case: Scheduling Aircraft Turnaround (pp 586)
7.HBSP 9-699-154: The Patient Care Delivery Model at the
Massachusetts General Hospital, 23pp.
 Answers for the problems in ‘Operations Scheduling and Control’
• Problem No.: 14.6 (pp 597): Clair Consultants (Asgnmt. prob.)
The minimum-cost solution =
Chris Finance $120
Steve Marketing $20
Juana Human Resources $45
Rebecca Operations $25
$210
• Problem No. 14.11 (pp 598): Avianic Engine Repair Inc. (Single Machine
Sequencing problem)
Jobs should be scheduled in the sequence 517, 103, 309, 205, 412, if scheduled by the
critical ratio scheduling rule.
• Problem No. 14.17 (pp 599): George Heinrich’s printing co. (Two m/c Flow
Shop Seq. prob.)
(a, c) The jobs should be processed in the sequence:
V–Y–U–Z–X–W–T, for a total time of 57.
(d) Binding is idle from 0 to 4 and from 51 to 54 for a total of 7 hours.
 Answers for the problems in ‘Operations Scheduling and Control’
• Problem: Cyclical scheduling of service employees at Oncology Ward (pp 588)
• Case: Scheduling Workers Who Fall Asleep is a Killer–Literally (pp 568)
• Case: Scheduling Aircraft Turnaround (pp 586)
• HBSP 9-699-154: The Patient Care Delivery Model at the Massachusetts
General Hospital, 23pp.
Overview: (Operations Scheduling and Control)

1. Introduction to Short Term Scheduling

Global Company Profile: Delta Airlines
2. Scheduling Approaches for Different
Processes
3. Machine Loading Methods (OMIT)
3a. Assignment Method
3b. Input-Output Control
3c. Gantt Load Chart
[Continued]
 Overview: (Operations Scheduling and Control)

4. Sequencing for Scheduling

4a. Use of ‘Priority Dispatching Rules”
4b. Sequencing for 2-Machine Flow Shop, using
Johnson’s Rule
5. Cyclical Scheduling for Service Employees
6. Problems/ Cases in Operations Scheduling
 1. Introduction to
Short Term Scheduling
Global Company Profile:
Delta Airlines
(p 564 – 565)
 Global Company Profile:
Delta Airlines (p 564)
1. About 10% of Delta’s flights are
disrupted per year, half because of
weather.
2. Cost is $440 million in lost revenue,
overtime pay, food and lodging
vouchers.
3. The $33 million Operations Control
Center adjusts to changes responsively,
and keeps flights flowing.
 Global Company Profile:
Delta Airlines (p 564)
(Continued)

4. It must adjust to the changes continually

by
– Maintaining valid a tentative schedule,
by
– Having a ‘rapid rescheduling capability’
and by
– Taking specific ‘dispatching1’ decisions at
various points in time, on the immediate
actions to be taken.
5. Saves Delta $35 million per year.
 “Dispatching”
in Operations Scheduling and Control
• ‘Dispatching’ is a decision made just ahead of an intended
action, with an explicit purpose to execute the decision
through the intended action, immediately.
• The dispatching decision is generally a part of a larger plan
or schedule, over a planning/ scheduling horizon ahead, that
has recently been updated.
• Dispatching as a process allows a supervisor or manager to
utilize scheduling as a way to develop a perspective at various
points in time, but actually confine his immediate
commitment to just the single decision that enables his
immediate action.
• Further actions in the future would again be subject to similar
dispatching process.
The Role of Short Term Scheduling in
the Integrated OPC
Examples of Scheduling Decisions in Different Companies
Organization Managers Must Schedule the Following
Arnold Palmer Operating room use
Hospital Patient admissions
Nursing, security, maintenance staffs
Outpatient treatments
University of Classrooms and audiovisual equipment
Missouri Student and instructor schedules
Graduate and undergraduate courses
Lockheed-Martin Production of goods
factory Purchases of materials
Workers
Hard Rock Cafe Chef, waiters, bartenders
Delivery of fresh foods
Entertainers
Opening of dining areas
Delta Airlines Maintenance of aircraft
Departure timetables
Flight crews, catering, gate, ticketing personnel
Strategic Importance of Short-Term Scheduling
 Effective and efficient scheduling can be a
competitive advantage
 Faster movement of goods through a facility
means better use of assets and lower costs
 Additional capacity resulting from faster
throughput improves customer service through
faster delivery
 Good schedules result in more reliable
deliveries
 The detailed ‘Operations Scheduling’ serves as
the vital link from the higher level plans to
‘execution’.
 Scheduling Issues

 Scheduling deals with the timing of

operations
 The task is the allocation and
prioritization of demands—from the
higher level plans
 Significant issues are
 The type of scheduling, forward or
backward
 The criteria for priorities
 Forward and Backward Scheduling
Forward Scheduling (Looks from ‘Resources’ Point of View):
 Forward scheduling starts as soon as
the requirements are known
 Produces a feasible schedule though it
may not meet due dates
 Frequently results in
excessive work-in-
Due
process inventory Now Date1

1
The ‘Due dates’ may have been determined by higher level
planning, such as the ‘Material Requirements Planning’
‘MRP’ itself is a result of the backward scheduling logic, applied
from the ‘Master Production Schedules’.
Forward and Backward Scheduling (Continued)
Backward Scheduling (Looks from ‘Requirements’ Point of View):
 Backward scheduling begins with the
due date and schedules the final
operation first
 Schedule is produced by working
backwards though the processes
 Resources may not
be available to
accomplish the Due
Now
schedule Date

1
The ‘Due dates’ may have been determined by higher level
planning, such as the ‘Material Requirements Planning’
2. Scheduling Approaches for
Different Processes
 Scheduling Approaches for Different Processes
1. Process- Forward-looking schedules
focused MRP due dates
facilities Finite capacity forward scheduling

2. Work cells Forward-looking schedules

MRP due dates
Detailed schedule done using work cell priority
rules

3. Repetitive Forward-looking schedule with a balanced line

facilities Pull techniques for scheduling, to meet the
requirements of the next stage ‘customer’.

4. Product- Forward-looking schedule with stable demand

focused and fixed capacity
facilities Capacity, set-up, and run times known
Capacity limited by long-term capital investment
 Scheduling Process-Focused Facilities
Maximum of complexity in short term scheduling of
operations is involved in the case ‘Process Focused
Facilities’. Toward simplifying the problem, following
broad policies are generally employed:
1.Schedule incoming orders without violating capacity
constraints
2.Check availability of tools and materials before
releasing an order
3.Establish due dates for each job and check progress
4.Check work in progress
5.Provide feedback
6.Provide work efficiency statistics and monitor times
 Production Database:
Planning and Control Files
For Scheduling Process-Focused Facilities

Planning Files
1. An item master file contains information about each
component
2. A routing file indicates each component’s flow
through the shop
3. A work-center master file contains information
about the work center

Control Files
Track the actual progress made against the plan
3. Machine Loading Methods
3a. Assignment Method
3b. Input-Output Control
3c. Gantt Load Chart
– OMIT
 Loading Jobs

 Assignment of jobs to work or processing

centers, so that costs, idle time, or
completion time are minimized
 Two forms of loading
 Assigning specific jobs to work centers
(based on relative efficiencies of different
machines for a job) – This can be a long-to-
medium term decision.
 Capacity oriented – This is generally a
medium-to-short term decision.
3a. Assignment Method
(P 573 – 575)
 Assignment Method
(Employed when routing a job through
different alternative machines is possible)

 A special class of linear programming

models that assign tasks or jobs to
resources
 Objective is to minimize cost or time
 Only one job (or worker) is assigned
to one machine (or project)
1.

Assignment Method

 Build a table of costs or time associated

with particular assignments.

Typesetter
Job A B C
R-34 $11 $14 $ 6
S-66 $8 $10 $ 11
T-50 $9 $12 $ 7
 Assignment Method
1. Create zero opportunity costs by
repeatedly subtracting the lowest costs
from each row and column
2. Draw the minimum number of vertical
and horizontal lines necessary to cover
all the zeros in the table. If the number
of lines equals either the number of rows
or the number of columns, proceed to
step 4. Otherwise proceed to step 3.
 Assignment Method (Continued)

3. Subtract the smallest number not covered

by a line from all other uncovered
numbers. Add the same number to any
number at the intersection of two lines.
Return to step 2.
4. Optimal assignments are at zero locations
in the table. Select one, draw lines through
the row and column involved, and continue
to the next assignment.
 Assignment Example
The Problem:
Typesetter
A B C
Job
R-34 $11 $14 $ 6
S-66 $ 8 $10 $11
T-50 $ 9 $12 $ 7

Step 1a: Subtract smallest from rows Step 1b: Subtract smallest from columns
Typesetter Typesetter
A B C A B C
Job Job
R-34 $ 5 $ 8 $ 0 R-34 $ 5 $ 6 $ 0
S-66 $ 0 $ 2 $ 3 S-66 $ 0 $ 0 $ 3
T-50 $ 2 $ 5 $ 0 T-50 $ 2 $ 3 $ 0
 Assignment Example

Step 2: Draw minimum number of Step 3: Subtraction: The smallest

vertical and horizontal lines to cover uncovered number is 2 so this is
all zeros subtracted from all other uncovered
numbers and added to numbers at the
Typesetter
intersection of lines
A B C
Job Typesetter
A B C
R-34 $ 5 $ 6 $ 0
Job
S-66 $ 0 $ 0 $ 3
R-34 $ 3 $ 4 $ 0
T-50 $ 2 $ 3 $ 0
S-66 $ 0 $ 0 $ 5
Because only two lines are needed T-50 $ 0 $ 1 $ 0
to cover all the zeros, the solution is
not optimal
 Assignment Example
Step 4: Assignments:
Start by assigning R-34 to worker C
Return to Step 2: Draw the lines - Lines as this is the only possible
Typesetter assignment for worker C.
A B C Job T-50 must go to worker A as
Job worker C is already assigned.
R-34 $ 3 $ 4 $ 0 This leaves S-66 for worker B
S-66 $ 0 $ 0 $ 5
Typesetter
T-50 $ 0 $ 1 $ 0 A B C
Because three lines are needed, the Job
solution is optimal and assignments
can be made R-34 $ 3 $ 4 $ 0
S-66 $ 0 $ 0 $ 5
T-50 $ 0 $ 1 $ 0
 Assignment Example
The Problem: Step 4 - Assignments
Typesetter Typesetter
A B C A B C
Job Job
R-34 $11 $14 $ 6 R-34 $ 3 $ 4 $ 0
S-66 $ 8 $10 $11 S-66 $ 0 $ 0 $ 5
T-50 $ 9 $12 $ 7 T-50 $ 0 $ 1 $ 0
Problem No. 14.6 (p 597)
Claire Consultants:
The Assignment Problem
 Problem No. 14.6: Claire Consultants (pp 597)
Time Taken (minutes): After deducting smallest number from each row:
Marketi Operatio Marketi Operatio
Finance HR Finance HR
ng ns ng ns
Chris 80 120 125 140 Chris 0 40 45 60
Steve 20 115 145 160 Steve 0 95 125 140
Juana 40 100 85 45 Juana 0 60 45 5
Rebecca 65 35 25 75 Rebecca 40 10 0 50

After deducting smallest number from each col.:

Marketi Operatio Marketi Operatio

Finance HR Finance HR
ng ns ng ns
Chris 0 0 15 25 Chris 0 30 45 55
Steve 0 55 95 105 Steve 0 85 125 135
Juana 30 50 45 0 Juana 0 50 45 0
Rebecca 70 0 0 45 Rebecca 40 0 0 45
After subtracting the smallest number from all uncovered Three red lines, which is less than the smaller of
numbers, adding the same to the numbers at the intersections. the number of rows and columns.
 Claire Consultants (pp 597)
(Continued)

The minimum-cost solution is

• Chris Finance $120
• Steve Marketing $20
• Juana Human Resources $45
• Rebecca Operations $25

Total $210
3b. Input-Output Control
 Input-Output Control

 Identifies overloading and under-

loading conditions
 Prompts managerial action to resolve
scheduling problems
 Can be maintained using ConWIP
cards that control the scheduling of
batches
 Input-Output Control Example
– Figure 14.2 (pp 571)

Work Center DNC Milling (in standard hours)

Week Ending 6/6 6/13 6/20 6/27 7/4 7/11
Planned Input1 280 280 280 280 280
Actual Input 270 250 280 285 280
Cumulative –10 –40 –40 –36
Deviation
Planned Output1 320 320 320 320
Actual Output 270 270 270 270
Cumulative –50 –100 –150 –200
Deviation

Cumulative 0 –20 –10 +5

Change in Backlog
1
The ‘Inputs’ to the Work Centers can arise from either the ‘Order Point Inventory
Control Systems’, or from the ‘Material Requirements Planning Systems’.
 Input-Output Control Example
Work Center DNC Milling (in standard hours)
Week Ending 6/6 6/13 6/20 6/27 7/4 7/11
Planned Input 280 280 280 280 280
Actual Input 270 250 280 285 280
Cumulative –10 –40 –40 –36
Deviation
Planned Output 320 320 320 320
Explanation:
Actual Output
Explanation: 270 270 270 270 250 input,
270 input,
Cumulative –50 –100 –150 –200 270 output implies
270 output implies
Deviation –20 change
0 change
Cumulative 0 –20 –10 +5
Change in Backlog
Input-Output Control Example (Continued)

Options available to operations

personnel include:
1. Correcting performances
2. Increasing capacity
3. Increasing or reducing input to
the work center
3c. Gantt Load Chart
 Gantt Charts

 Load chart shows the loading and idle

times of departments, machines, or
facilities
 Displays relative workloads over time
 Schedule chart monitors jobs in
process
 All Gantt charts need to be updated
frequently
 Gantt Load Chart Example

Work Day
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Center

Metalworks Job 349 Job 350

Mechanical Job 349 Job 408

Electronics Job 408 Job 349

Painting Job 295 Job 408 Job 349

Processing Unscheduled Center not available

 Gantt Schedule Chart Example

Start of an
Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day activity
Job
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
End of an
activity
A Scheduled
activity time
allowed
Maintenance Actual work
B progress

Nonproduction
time
C
Point in time
when chart is
reviewed
Now
4. Sequencing for Scheduling
4a. Use of ‘Priority Dispatching Rules”
4b. Sequencing for 2-Machine Flow Shop,
using Johnson’s Rule
 Using Priority Dispatching Rules – An Example
Consider 5 Jobs, A, B, C, D and E, arrived at the shop in that order:
Proc. Due Date
Time (Days FCFS SPT EDD Critical Ratio
Job (days) Hence)
Seq. Seq. Seq. CR Seq.

A 3 5 1 3 3 5/3 3

B 6 8 2 5 5 8/6 2

C 2 6 3 2 4 6/2 5

D 4 4 4 4 2 4/4 1

E 1 2 5 1 1 2/1 4
A ‘Bar Chart’ can now be drawn, using the above job sequences, and the ‘schedule performances’
achieved can accordingly be determined.
 Scheduling Criteria
1. Minimize ‘completion time’ or ‘flow time’.
2. Maximize utilization of facilities
3. Minimize work-in-process (WIP) inventory
(e.g., “Number of jobs in the system”)
4. Minimize customer waiting time

Optimize the use of resources so that

production objectives are met
4a. Use of ‘Priority Dispatching
Rules”
– In ‘Sequencing’ and Scheduling’
(and Evaluations of ‘Schedule Performance’
arising from Using the Priority Rules)

Total flow time

Average completion time =
Number of jobs
Total job work time
Utilization =
Total flow time
Average number of Total flow time
jobs in the system =
Total job work time
Total late days
Average job lateness =
Number of jobs
 Sequencing Jobs

 Specifies the order in which jobs should

be performed at work centers
 Priority rules are used to dispatch or
sequence jobs
 FCFS: First come, first served
 SPT: Shortest processing time
 EDD: Earliest due date
 LPT: Longest processing time
2.

Example 5 (pp 576):

Avanti Sethi Associates
Sequencing Using Priority Rules
(pp 576 - 579)
 Sequencing Example (pp 576)
Apply the four popular sequencing rules
to these five jobs
Job Work (Processing)
Time Job Due Date
Job (Days) (Days)
A 6 8
B 2 6
C 8 18
D 3 15
E 9 23
 Sequencing Example

FCFS: Sequence A-B-C-D-E

Job Job Work Flow Job Due Job

Sequence (Processing) Time Time Date Lateness
A 6 6 8 0

B 2 8 6 2

C 8 16 18 0

D 3 19 15 4

E 9 28 23 5

28 77 11
 Sequencing Example
FCFS: Sequence A-B-C-D-E
Jobtime
Work Total flow time
Average completion = = 77/5 = 15.4 days
Job (Processing) Number Flowof jobs Job Due Job
Sequence Time Time Date Lateness
Total job work time
A Utilization = 6 6 = 28/77
8 = 36.4% 0
Total flow time
B 2 8 6 2
Average number of Total flow time
jobs C
in the system = = 77/28 = 2.75 jobs
8 Total job work
16 time 18 0
D 3 19 days 15
Total late 4
Average job lateness = = 11/5 = 2.2 days
E 9 Number 28 of jobs 23 5
28 77 11
 Sequencing Example
SPT: Sequence B-D-A-C-E
Job Job Work Flow Job Due Job
Sequence (Processing) Time Time Date Lateness
B 2 2 6 0

D 3 5 15 0

A 6 11 8 3

C 8 19 18 1

E 9 28 23 5

28 65 9

Note:
Job Tardiness for job i = Ti = Max {0, Li}, where Li = Lateness of job i
can also be computed.
 Sequencing Example
SPT: Sequence B-D-A-C-E
Job time
Work Total flow time
Average completion = = 65/5 = 13 days
Job (Processing) Number Flow of jobs
Job Due Job
Sequence Time Time Date Lateness
Total job work time
B Utilization = 2 2 = 28/65
6 = 43.1% 0
Total flow time
D 3 5 15 0
Average number of Total flow time
jobs A
in the system = = 65/28 = 2.32 jobs
6 Total job work
11 time 8 3
C 8 19 days 18
Total late 1
Average job lateness = = 9/5 = 1.8 days
E 9 Number 28 of jobs 23 5
28 65 9

Note:
As another measure of schedule performance,
Job Tardiness for job i = Ti = Max {0, Li}, where Li = Lateness of job i,
and accordingly, ‘Average Job Tardiness’ = T, can also be computed.
 Sequencing Example
EDD: Sequence B-A-D-C-E
Job Work
Job (Processing) Flow Job Due Job
Sequence Time Time Date Lateness
B 2 2 6 0

A 6 8 8 0

D 3 11 15 0

C 8 19 18 1

E 9 28 23 5

28 68 6
 Sequencing Example
EDD: Sequence B-A-D-C-E

Jobtime
Work Total flow time
Average completion = = 68/5 = 13.6 days
Job (Processing) Number Flowof jobs Job Due Job
Sequence Time Time Date Lateness
Total job work time
B Utilization = 2 2 = 28/68
6 = 41.2% 0
Total flow time
A 6 8 8 0
Average number of Total flow time
jobs D
in the system = = 68/28 = 2.43 jobs
3 Total job work
11 time 15 0
C 8 19 days 18
Total late 1
Average job lateness = = 6/5 = 1.2 days
E 9 Number 28 of jobs 23 5
28 68 6
 Sequencing Example
LPT: Sequence E-C-A-D-B

Job Job Work Flow Job Due Job

Sequence (Processing) Time Time Date Lateness
E 9 9 23 0

C 8 17 18 0

A 6 23 8 15

D 3 26 15 11

B 2 28 6 22

28 103 48
 Sequencing Example
LPT: Sequence E-C-A-D-B

Job Work Total flow time

Average completion time = = 103/5 = 20.6 days
Job (Processing) Number Flow of jobs Due
Job Job
Sequence Time Time Date Lateness
Total job work time
E Utilization = 9 9 = 28/103 23 = 27.2% 0
Total flow time
C 8 17 18 0
Average number of Total flow time
jobs in = = 103/28 = 3.68 jobs
A the system 6 Total job work
23 time 8 15
D 3 26 days 15
Total late 11
Average job lateness = = 48/5 = 9.6 days
B 2 Number 28 of jobs 6 22
28 103 48
 Sequencing Example
Summary of Performance Under the Various Priority Rules:
Average Number of
Average Average
Completion Utilization Jobs in System Lateness
Rule Time (Days) (%) (a measure of WIP) (Days)
Desired kind of
LOW HIGH LOW LOW
performance
FCFS 15.4 36.4 2.75 2.2
SPT 13.0 43.1 2.32 1.8
EDD 13.6 41.2 2.43 1.2
LPT 20.6 27.2 3.68 9.6

Conclusion: SPT rule has performed best on the first three measures,
and is reasonably good on the fourth measure also.
Note:
As another measure of schedule performance,
Job Tardiness for job i = Ti = Max {0, Li}, where Li = Lateness of job i,
and accordingly, ‘Average Job Tardiness’ = T, can also be computed.
Comparison of Priority Sequencing Rules
 No one sequencing rule excels on all criteria
 SPT does well on minimizing flow time and
number of jobs in the system
 But SPT moves long jobs to the end which
may result in dissatisfied customers
 FCFS does not do especially well (or poorly)
on any criteria but is perceived as fair by
customers
 EDD minimizes lateness
 Another Priority Dispatching Rule:
Critical Ratio (CR) Rule
 An index number found by dividing the time
remaining until the due date by the work time
remaining on the job
 Jobs with low critical ratios are scheduled
ahead of jobs with higher critical ratios
 Performs well on average job lateness
criteria

Time remaining Due date - Today’s date

CR = =
Workdays remaining Work (lead) time remaining
 Critical Ratio Example
Currently Day 25

Due Workdays Priority

Job Date Remaining Critical Ratio Order

A 30 4 (30 - 25)/4 = 1.25 3

B 28 5 (28 - 25)/5 = .60 1

C 27 2 (27 - 25)/2 = 1.00 2

With CR < 1, Job B is late. Job C is just on schedule and Job A has
some slack time.
 Critical Ratio Technique

1. Helps determine the status of specific jobs

2. Establishes relative priorities among jobs
on a common basis
3. Relates both stock and make-to-order
jobs on a common basis
4. Adjusts priorities automatically for
changes in both demand and job progress
5. Dynamically tracks job progress
3.

4b. Sequencing for a

2-Machine Flow Shop,
using Johnson’s Rule

– A ‘Sequencing Algorithm’ for Scheduling

 Sequencing N Jobs on Two Machines:
Johnson’s Rule
 Works with two or more jobs that pass
through the same two machines or work
centers
 Minimizes total production time (also often
called the ‘makespan’) and idle time.
 It is based a property of a 2-machine flow
shop problem that, for the criterion of
minimizing ‘makespan’, that, for the optimal
solution, the sequence of jobs will be the
same on both the machines.
 Johnson’s Rule
1. List all jobs and times for each work
center
2. Choose the job with the shortest activity
time. If that time is in the first work center,
schedule the job first. If it is in the second
work center, schedule the job last.
3. Once a job is scheduled, it is eliminated
from the list
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 working toward the
center of the sequence
 La Crosse, Wisconsin’s Tool and Die Shop
Johnson’s Rule Example (pp 580 -81)

Work Center 1 Work Center 2

Job (Drill Press) (Lathe)

A 5 2

B 3 6

C 8 4

D 10 7

E 7 12
 Johnson’s Rule Example

Work Center 1 Work Center 2

Job (Drill Press) (Lathe)
A 5 2
B 3 6
C 8 4 B E D C A

D 10 7
E 7 12
 Johnson’s Rule Example
Work Center 1 Work Center 2
Job (Drill Press) (Lathe)
A 5 2
B 3 6
C 8 4 B E D C A

D 10 7
E 7 12
Time 0 3 10 20 28 33

WC
1 B E D C A

WC
2
 Johnson’s Rule Example (p 580 – 81)
Work Center 1 Work Center 2
Job (Drill Press) (Lathe) Sequence as determined
A 5 2 by Johnson’s Rule:
B 3 6
B E D C A
C 8 4
D 10 7
E 7 12

‘Bar Chart’ drawn for the Johnson’s Sequence for the ‘Two Machine Flow Shop’:
Time 0 3 10 20 28 33

WC Legend:
1 B E D C A
: Job
WC completed
2 B E D C A

Time 0 1 3 5 7 9 10 11 12 13 17 19 21 22 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

B E D C A
The ‘Makespan’ realized with the above schedule = 35 hours
One More Example -- Johnson’s Rule – 5 Jobs
Proc. Time
(days) Seq.

Job WC1 WC2

A 5 3 5

B 6 8 4

C 3 6 2

D 4 5 3

E 1 2 1
A ‘Bar chart’ can be drawn for this sequence, and the minimum
‘makespan’ determined.
 Limitations of Priority Rules-Based
Dispatching Systems (p 582)
1. Scheduling in practice needs to be dynamic,
and so the scheduling rules need to be
revised to adjust to changes.
2. The Rules are based on local information at
a work centre, and do not look upstream or
downstream, to consider information from
other work centers.
3. Rules do not look beyond ‘due dates’, etc.,
to consider other intangible information that
may be available.
4.

5. Cyclical Scheduling for

Service Employees
(p 587 – 589)
 Development of Weekly Staffing Plan at
Oncology Ward of Doris Laughlin’s Hospital (p 588)

• Staffing requirements for the Oncology Ward vary

over the week. (Doctors tend to work early during
the week, and patients tend to peak on Wednesday,
and then taper off.)
• Staffing to be with the standard 5-days work week,
with two consecutive days off for every employee,
while meeting the needed staffing requirements for
all the 7 days of the week.
• Also, need to minimize the total staff employed.
 Development of Weekly Staffing Plan at
Oncology Ward of Doris Laughlin’s Hospital (p 588)
Staffing Requirement:
Day Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Staff
5 5 6 5 4 3 3
Requirement
Staff Requirement before assigning ‘work days’ and ‘off-days’ for an employee:

The ward requires 6 full time employees, and also one employee to work on Saturday:

One employee may work overtime on Saturday, or a part-time employee may be hired for Saturday.
 Cyclical Scheduling – Some Observations
1. The ‘weekly cyclical scheduling’ takes advantage
of the fixed length of a week (7 days).
2. There can also be ‘daily cyclical scheduling’ in
terms of scheduling staffs in different ways during
a. Each of the ‘2-Production shifts’, or the ‘3-Production
shifts’, operations for the operations staff,
b. The ‘General shift’ for the office staff, and
c. The ‘Maintenance shifts’ for the maintenance staff, and
so on,
with appropriate planned roles and interactions
between the staffs working in the various shifts.
 Cyclical Scheduling – Some Observations
(Continued)

3. ‘Cyclical scheduling’, as a practice, enables setting/

development of a rhythmic pattern in work, which can be
– Highly acceptable and enjoyable to people because of the
simplicity and predictability that they provide, and
– Improved, through ‘continual improvements’ over time,
to make an operation ‘uniformly highly efficient operation’.
4. In ‘Lean Operations’, the concept of ‘cyclical scheduling’
is often taken to further detailed levels, of
a. Hourly cycles of production schedules over the day, and
b. Takt time, ‘τ’, that becomes the common target cycle time
for all operations throughout the organization.
 Cyclical Scheduling – Some Observations
(Continued)
5. In general, ‘order’ is characterized by simplicity, which is
further characterized by periodicity’ or ‘cyclicity’ present
in the associated processes. On the other hand ‘chaos’ is
characterized by absence of such patterns of simplicity.
6. Thus, in scheduling, every effort should be made,
wherever possible, to introduce cyclicity in scheduling.
7. ‘Lean’ is about
a. First making cyclicity possible (through introduction of
‘leveled production’, etc., through process improvements), and
then accordingly, also
b. Introduce the cyclicity (in terms of ‘Takt time’, τ) in
scheduling.
 6. Cases in ‘Operations
Scheduling
1. Problem No.: 14.6 (pp 597): Clair Consultants (Assignmnt. prob.)
2. Problem No. 14.11 (pp 598): Avianic Engine Repair Inc.)
(Single Machine Sequencing problem)
3. Problem No. 14.17 (pp 599): George Heinrich’s printing co.
(Two m/c Flow Shop Seq. prob.)
4. Problem: Cyclical scheduling of service employees at Oncology
Ward (pp 588)
5. Case: Scheduling Workers Who Fall Asleep is a Killer–Literally
(pp 568)
6. Case: Scheduling Aircraft Turnaround (pp 586)
7. HBSP 9-699-154: The Patient Care Delivery Model at the
Massachusetts General Hospital, 23pp.
 1. Problem:
Problem No.: 14.6 (pp 597):
Clair Consultants (Assignment
Problem)
 2. Problem:
Problem No. 14.11 (pp 598): Avianic
Engine Repair Inc.) (Single Machine
Sequencing problem)
 3. Problem:
Problem No. 14.17 (pp 599):
George Heinrich’s printing co.
(Two m/c Flow Shop Seq. prob.)
 4. Problem:
Problem: Cyclical scheduling of
service employees at Oncology
Ward (pp 588)
 Assignment x
Case: Scheduling at Hard Rock Café (pp 600)
•At Hard Rock, the ‘weekly cyclical scheduling’ process
starts by “examining the last year’s sales at the café for
the same day of the week.”
•However, there may also be some observable seasonal
pattern over a year (from the sales data), in addition to
the weekly sales pattern. This may point to a need also
for a cyclical scheduling process that covers a whole
year.
Answer the four discussion questions at the end
of the case, taking the above points into
consideration.
(Submission date: x August 2010)
5.

5. Case:
Scheduling Workers Who Fall
Asleep is a Killer—Literally (pp
568)
 Case:
Scheduling Workers Who Fall Asleep is a Killer—Literally (pp 568)
1. Three case histories: Nuclear plants at (a) Three Miles Island,
Pennsylvania, (b) Chernobyl, Russia, and the disaster at (c) Union
Carbide, Bhopal—all occurred between midnight and 4.00 AM.
2. Similar case histories, of pilots involved in air crashes,
and of workers in the night shifts.
3. Firms with 24/7 operations have a major problem.
4. Motorola, Dow Chemicals, Detroit Edison, Pennzoil, and
Exxon give workers several days off between shift
changes.
5. Shift work can be made less dangerous, with shifts that
a. Do not exceed 12 hours,
b. Encourage 8 hours of sleep each day, and
c. Have extended time off between shift changes.
6.

6. Case:
Scheduling Aircraft Turnaround
(pp 586)
 Case:
Scheduling Aircraft Turnaround (pp 586)
1. The importance of efficient scheduling of ground
turnaround activities for flights.
2. ‘Scheduling turnarounds in 20 minutes’ has been
standard policy for years, for low-cost, point-to-
point carriers like Southwest Airlines.
3. However, for others like Continental, United, and
US Airways, the approach is new.
4. US Airways have been able to increase the average
number of trips for an aircraft from six to seven, by
cutting the turnaround time from 45 minutes to 20
minutes, using an improved six step approach
7.

7. Case:
HBSP Case: 9-699-154:
The Patient Care Delivery Model
at the Massachusetts General
Hospital, 23pp.
 Case: ‘The Patient Care Delivery Model’
at the Massachusetts General Hospital, 23pp.

1. What are the goals of the ‘Patient Care Delivery Model’

at MGH, as proposed by the consulting firm, and how
is it supposed to accomplish them? What are the
potential risks of the model?
2. Is the PCDM working? If not, what evidence do you
have to prove it? How would you evaluate the results
of the PCDM thus far?
3. What do you recommend that Jeanette Ives Erickson do
next?
 The End
Any Questions?