A model for estimating the workload generated by “Non-Standard” products

Workload control (WLC), considered as a control of the number of work orders simultaneously present in shop floor, has become increasingly important in Make-to-Order (MTO) production environments. This is due to the fact that it fights the vicious circle of production control and also positively affect operators performance. To effectively use the load-oriented methods it is necessary to know the load generated by a production order. However, this is often not simple to do, especially for NonStandard products (i.e.: specific for the customer) which are often manufactured by companies at the same time as standardised products. Based on these considerations, this study focuses on planning short-term capacity in job shop companies. Specifically, it deals with the problem of determining workloads resulting from Non-Standard product manufacturing in order to permit a better implementation of WLC and offer a tool for a more effective estimate of production costs.