Production planning and control

Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: ANTONIO COSTA

Expected Learning Outcomes

Gaining specific competencies on both development and implementation of solving methods for short- and medium-terms production planning problems:

- Solving short-terms production planning problems

- Designing and implementation of optimization algorithms

- Development of mathematical models regrading production systems

- Planning on production and assembly systems

Course Structure

- Frontal lessons

- Practical applications 

Required Prerequisites

- Basic knowledge concerning MS Excel and programming languages


- Matlab editing 

- Development and implementation of Mathematical programming models

Attendance of Lessons

Frequency is mandatory

Detailed Course Content

Introduction to scheduling. Scheduling theory. Single machine problem: problems with no due dates, problems with due dates. Optimization methods for the single machine scheduling problem. heuristic methods for the single machine problem. Earliness and tardiness costs. Mathematical programming models for the single machine problem. Stocastic scheduling problem. Extensions of the single machine basic problem. Parallel machines scheduling problem. Flow shop scheduling.  Flowshop stochastic scheduling problem. Classification of assembly lines manufacturing systems. Single model assembly lines. Mixed-model assembly lines. Sequencing in assembly lines. VBA based procedures for evaluative and generative methods. 

Textbook Information

1Production Scheduling and heuristic optimizationPrinciples of Sequencing and scheduling, K. R. Baker and D. Trietsch, Wiley, New Jersey, 2009, ISBN 978-0-470-39165-5.
2Medium- and short-term production planningBalancing and sequencing of assembly lines, A. Scholl, Physica-Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-7908-1180-7.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Production scheduling1
2Blanacing and sequencing assembly lines2

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Students whose course attendance is higher than a certain threshold will be allowed applying a preliminary exam, at the end of the course. During the course, a series of practical applications will be executed and the students will be invited to develop and solve a specific project work inspired to a real-world case study. Whether a student passes the final exam mentioned above, he/she can discuss his/her project work at the earliest session to improve the score obtained so far. Despite the preliminary exam, only written exams will be carried out and the project work discussion is not mandatory. However, a maximum score equal to 28/30 can be reached if the student refuses to develop the project work. 

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, the Interested students can request a personal interview in order to schedule any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on educational objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP reference teacher (Centre for Active Integration and Participated - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) of your Department. 

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

- Defining the difference between exhaustive and heuristic methods, also through a series of practical examples.

- Drawing the simulated annealing algorithms flow chart

- What is a "feasible line balance" in a single model assembly line?