Auto-MPS: an automated master production scheduling system for large volume manufacturing

The Automated Master Production Scheduler (Auto-MPS) is a hybrid expert scheduling system which performs production scheduling of thousands of assemblies in a high-volume manufacturing environment. It generates schedules based on a set of rules and constraint satisfaction algorithms which reflect the scheduling strategies created by management to meet their customer demand while still controlling inventory and shipping costs. The Auto-MPS also identifies the existence of significant situations which need to be analyzed by management. A graphical user interface that includes sophisticated graphical displays and hypertext based editors allows the user to easily understand the status of the current production schedules and rapidly identify and analyze potential problems. The Auto-MPS has been in production for nearly two years and has significantly improved the scheduling processes at AlliedSignal Safety Restraint Systems