Single machine scheduling for powder coating aluminium profiles

Abstract

Scheduling is one of the most important issues in the planning and operation of manufacturing systems (Hoitomt, Luh, & Pattipati, 1993). It is becoming crucial for businesses to be able to schedule effectively. This is due to the effective management of time and money which is now more important to maintain a successful business. This document describes the proposed final year project that will be performed at Wispeco Pty (LTD). Wispeco is a company extruding aluminium profiles. The project was executed at the powder coating department of the Alberton plant. The project aims to find an effective scheduling system, considering customer service and the cost of the different sequences that can be scheduled for the aluminium profiles that must be powder coated. The document contains the preliminary concepts which will be used in the final deliverable. This document defines the problems at the powder coating department and motivates the need for this project. A literature study and a basic solution are also enclosed with an analysis done on these different solutions. This project will cause the scheduling of the aluminium profiles which must be powder coated to be more cost-effective and customer-orientated. Providing Wispeco with this scheduling program will be a significant contribution to the powder coating department.