Synchronized Scheduling Method in Manufacturing Steel Sheets.

An efficient two-stage algorithm has been developed to solve a large-scale multiobjective scheduling problem in steel sheets production. The heuristic algorithm is a blend of operator's know-how and a mathematical solution. The two-stage procedure consists of a rough and detailed scheduling step based on order groping. It enables us to do synchronized scheduling for a multistage manufacturing process as well as to reduce the number of combinations. In addition, the dynamic programming supports efficient calculation. The scheduling system contributes to better-designed schedules and drastic reduction of scheduling time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]