Sequencing Rules and Due-Date Assignments in a Job Shop

Recent research studies of job shop scheduling have begun to examine the interaction between sequencing priorities and the method of assigning due-dates. This paper surveys the tactical aspects of this interaction, focusing primarily on average tardiness as a measure of scheduling effectiveness. The discussion highlights several factors that can affect the performance of dispatching rules, such as the average flow allowance, the due-date assignment method, and the use of progress milestones. A set of simulation experiments illuminates how these factors interact with the dispatching rule, and the experimental results suggest which combinations are most effective in a scheduling system.