Lead time instability and its mitigation in production work systems

Adjusting planned lead times when order due dates are missed is an intuitive reaction, but these adjustments can be counterproductive when inherent order lead time instability endangers achievement of logistic targets. In this paper, dynamic models are used to characterize lead time instability in two approaches to work system lead time adjustment. Minimum damping is calculated as a function of lead time adjustment parameters. Industrial data are used to illustrate how the approach provides guidance in selecting production planning and control parameters, with the goal of ensuring stability as a key dynamic foundation for satisfying work system logistic performance targets. (C) 2016 CIRP.