Bead production scheduling with setup time: a case study of a truck tire factory

Abstract

This research studies and compares mathematical models for production scheduling of bead production in truck tire factory. The objective is to reduce excessive inventory and improving labor efficiency, both of which are critical factors influencing overall production cost. The bead production process involves three stages, with 23 workers. The process produces six types of bead with a total of 13 machines. Three operational workers are responsible for managing inventory and production scheduling separately in each process. Scheduling is based on customer demand and current stock levels which aim to prevent shortages, but it often leads to overproduction and inefficient use of labor. To address these challenges, three mathematical models were developed: 1) minimizing machine setup frequency, 2) minimizing machine operation days, and 3) minimizing the number of storage carts. A comparison between model outputs and actual production data shows that all three models can reduce inventory levels. However, labor costs remain a major concern. Among the models, the second demonstrates the most promising results by reducing labor usage by 14.13 percent and machine setups by 27.23 percent. Thus, the second model is selected as the most suitable for production planning in the case study factory.