Abstract
Abstract Paper aims POLCA is a production control system that forwards to gateway manufacturing cells jobs that arrive to a manufacturing system. However, Workload Control literature shows benefits from using a centralized release pre-shop pool. Thus, the paper aims at investigating the performance impact of incorporating centralized job release into POLCA, in high-variety make-to-order production. Originality This has not been investigated before. Research method Simulation was used for experimentation. Main findings In the case of the general flow shop, a manufacturing system configuration aligned with many real-world production systems, the investigation shows that adding centralized job release to the POLCA system, together with job release based on job workload, leads to a markedly improvement of job delivery performance. Implications for theory and practice The results show theoretical and practical relevance of applying central job release to POLCA system, in high-variety production, due to its markedly positive impact on delivery performance.
Highlights
POLCA stands for Paired-cell Overlapping Loops of Cards with Authorization and refers to a card-based production control system designed for low-volume, high-mix and custom-engineered products (Suri, 2018)
In the study presented in this paper we changed the POLCA framework to accommodate centralized job release
We have done this by a centralized release function implemented through card loops between a central release station, i.e. a pre-shop pool of jobs, and the gateway manufacturing cells
Summary
POLCA stands for Paired-cell Overlapping Loops of Cards with Authorization and refers to a card-based production control system designed for low-volume, high-mix and custom-engineered products (Suri, 2018). Cards provide capacity signals between each pair of cells in the routing of the job, ensuring that upstream cells use their capacity effectively by working only on jobs that are needed downstream (Suri, 2018). In this way, POLCA synchronizes the processes between manufacturing cells, reducing the waiting time between the completion of a job in one cell and its start in the cell (Riezebos, 2010).
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have