A novel dispatch algorithm reducing adjustment rate in processing a product-mix: comparison of FCFS, SPT, and new algorithm

A new dispatch algorithm for dynamic allocation of resources-named pseudo-periodical priority dispatching (P3D)-has been developed. The performance parameters of the new algorithm were studied by Monte Carlo simulation and compared with two conventional allocation algorithms, FCFS and SPT. In the case of a bottleneck processing step, the adjustment rate for P3D is the lowest; as a result, the P3D throughput is the highest. Moreover, the response time for P3D is about 65% shorter than that for FCFS, and the tardiness for P3D is about 28% less than that for SPT. In the case of a non-bottleneck processing step, SPT and P3D produce almost equal average response times, and FCFS and P3D produce almost equal tardiness. It is thus concluded from these simulation results that P3D is an effective dispatch algorithm that satisfies low adjustment frequency, short response time, and fair dispatching simultaneously in the case of a broad product-mix.