title = "Production Scheduling and Workflow Optimization"

content = """
Efficient production scheduling maximizes machine utilization, meets delivery
dates, and minimizes work-in-progress inventory. Balancing these factors
requires systematic planning and real-time adaptation.

**Scheduling Methodologies:**
- **First-Come-First-Served (FCFS):** Simple but may delay urgent jobs behind
long-running operations.
- **Earliest Due Date (EDD):** Prioritizes jobs with closest deadlines. Effective
for meeting commitments but may create bottlenecks.
- **Shortest Processing Time (SPT):** Runs quick jobs first to clear the queue.
Reduces average flow time but may starve complex jobs.
- **Critical Ratio (CR):** Calculates time remaining divided by work remaining.
Jobs with CR < 1 are behind schedule and receive priority.

**Capacity Planning:**
Match workload to machine capacity considering cycle times, setup times, and
available hours. Overloading causes delays and overtime; underloading wastes
capital investment. Use historical data and forecasting to balance load across
work centers.

**Setup Reduction Strategies:**
Setup time is non-productive capacity. Reduce through:
- **SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Dies):** Separate internal (machine stopped)
and external (machine running) setup activities. Convert internal to external
where possible.
- **Quick-Change Tooling:** Preset tools offline, use quick-change workholding.
- **Standardized Fixtures:** Modular systems reduce custom setup requirements.
- **Batch Sizing:** Balance setup cost against inventory holding cost.

**Machine Load Balancing:**
Distribute work across available machines to prevent some machines from being
overloaded while others sit idle. Consider machine capabilities (5-axis for
complex parts, high-speed for aluminum) when assigning jobs.

**Priority Management:**
Hot jobs, customer expedites, and rework requirements disrupt normal schedules.
Establish clear rules for priority overrides to prevent constant schedule changes
that create chaos. Maintain buffer capacity for predictable emergencies.

**Just-In-Time (JIT) and Lean:**
Produce parts as needed rather than building large batches. Reduces inventory
carrying costs and work-in-progress. Requires reliable processes and quick
changeover capability. Kanban systems signal when to produce next batch.

**Digital Scheduling Tools:**
ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning) and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems)
automate scheduling, track progress, and provide visibility. Real-time machine
monitoring feeds actual status into the schedule for dynamic adjustments.

**Performance Metrics:**
Monitor On-Time Delivery (OTD), Machine Utilization, Overall Equipment
Effectiveness (OEE), and Work-in-Progress (WIP) levels. Use metrics to identify
bottlenecks and improvement opportunities.
"""

version = "0.0.1"
