A review of scheduling rules in flexible manufacturing systems

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Abstract
In this paper, the literature dealing with the parts scheduling problem in flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) has been reviewed. Although the parts scheduling problem is only part of much larger decision-making process, it has fundamental implications on the overall performance of the system: internally by affecting the utilization of expensive resources (e.g. machine tools and fixtures), and externally by affecting its responsiveness to meet the changing customer demands. This paper has two objectives: (1) to develop a framework within which to discuss the current literature on dispatching rules; and (-2) to compare the developed list of dispatching rules and performance criteria from the surveyed literature with that desired by the FMS operators. The research findings are critically reviewed and. analysed according to various two-dimensional classifications. The results from real-life case studies of FMSs are also discussed. Finally, the results are summarized to present suggestions for future research efforts