Author Description

Dynamic Bottleneck-oriented Manufacturing Control (DBNO) is a hybrid manufacturing control system focusing on discrete manufacturing systems with routing flexibility in a Make-To-Order environment. It has been developed for the simultaneous achievement of conflicting logistic objectives, such as short throughput time, low WIP, high schedule reliability and high output rate, while effectively coping with production disturbances, including internal disturbance and external disturbance. In order to verify the DBNO, discrete simulation experiments are conducted by using industrial data from a German manufacturer and the results are then comprehensively assessed. This is done by comparing it with well-known existing control methods including Constant WIP control, Load-oriented order release and Autonomous Control. Multiple key logistic performance measures are also considered in this assessment. The simulation results indicate that the proposed DBNO is both an effective and efficient manufacturing control system for simultaneously achieving the conflicting logistic objectives. Moreover it contains also immense potential for coping with production disturbances.