How to Reduce Scheduling Problems?

Reducing Scheduling Problems

Scheduling is a complex activity as there are too many variables. Systematic analysis of these variables followed by sincere efforts to restrict their effect is usually rewarding. It pays to consider the following:

1. Product Simplification

The total sales of an organization follows a ‘ABC’ distribution with 20% of the products contributing 80% of the total sales. The exclusion of products which produce little income and makes a little contribution is unlikely to change the above ratio, affecting adversely the profit of the company. Yet simplifying the scheduling problems.

2. Job Enlargement Programme

Unauthorized employee absenteeism is one of the factors which puts the scheduling of the company out of gear. Abnormal absenteeism tends to delay the timely completion of the jobs. This enables the foreman to shift any employee from lesser important job to the critical job.

3. Sub-contracting

Sub-contracting is another effective way of reducing an organization’s scheduling problems. Components consisting of simple operations and less liable for rejection, etc., could be entrusted to a subcontractor.

4. Reallocation of resources to suit work content

A company generally has big jobs which consume a great deal of labour and small jobs which require few men or mechanical hours. To process big and small jobs on the same machine is usually uneconomical as well as difficult. If separate machines are reserved for small and big jobs, not only it simplifies scheduling but also reduces manufacturing cycle time of the jobs.

5. Minimization of Rush orders

Occasional rush orders to accommodate customers are welcome. But too many of them cause disturbance, loss of productive capacity, failure of delivery of other jobs on time, etc.

6. Creating controlled work-in-process blanks

Starting every job from the beginning and processing through all the operations during the period of review usually requires priority over others. This causes job split ups and last minute rush up. Creating controlled or floating work-in-process blanks cause scheduling problems.

7. Reducing job split-ups

Job split-ups are always associated with large set-ups which consume quite a chunk of company’s productive capacity. Minimization of job split-ups generally creates lot of capacity.

8. Simplifying available resources

Many machines are apparently complex. Uniformity in machine types substantially ease scheduling problems.

9. Improving Progress Chasing

Improved progress chasing simplifies scheduling problems.