A practical heuristic for effective buffer management
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 1 October 1996
Abstract
Buffers of work throughout a manufacturing facility enhance throughput. They protect a workstation against variations in processing times and against machine breakdowns of upstream workstations. However, buffer management is still thought to be an open problem: first there is no algebraic way of representing the relationship between buffer size and throughput, and second, the combinatorial nature inherent in the buffer design problem makes it difficult to develop an exact solution. These problems still exist today, as evidenced by the number of research papers that present sophisticated mathematics to solve this complex problem. Refutes all the above points. The buffer management method detailed does not use sophisticated mathematics impenetrable by the average production manager. Presents a heuristically‐based buffer management method effective at protecting throughput. The method will have advantageous effects on the size of buffers and the length of the production lead times, while still providing protection of the throughput rate.
Keywords
Citation
Hurley, S.F. (1996), "A practical heuristic for effective buffer management", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 16 No. 10, pp. 89-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579610130718
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 1996, MCB UP Limited