On-Line Production Control of Tandem Systems with Finite Inter-Stage Storage, Using a Dynamic Maximum Cycle Time Algorithm

For a tandem manufacturing system with finite interstage storage and asynchronous operations, stage cycle times are allowed to vary from cycle to cycle and from stage to stage. Owing to the nature of the operation and the occurrences of blocking and starvation, the relationship between the time each stage spends on each job and the output rate of the system is not directly observable. In order to operate the system so that it meets the demand …