Inventors:
Craig M. Weaver - Boise ID
Ruth A. Allison - Kuna ID
Grace G. Metsker - Boise ID
Jeanne M. Clemons - Boise ID
Douglas S. Durham - Boise ID
Gary A. Sabin - Cupertino CA
Keven A. Hope - Boise ID
Assignee:
Micron Semiconductor, Inc. - Boise ID
International Classification:
G06F 1760
Abstract:
This invention is a look-ahead method for determining optimum production schedules for each production step based on factory-wide monitoring of in-process part queues at all potential production bottlenecks. For each product having associated therewith a throughput bottleneck, a maximum queue quantity Q. sub. MAX and a minimum queue Q. sub. MIN quantity are assigned. When a machine completes a lot of a particular product at a production step P that proceeds the bottleneck step B, the look-ahead method is initiated. The queue at step P is searched and the next lot to be processed is selected. If that lot is a product for which Q. sub. MAX and Q. sub. MIN values have been assigned at step B, then the queue quantity at step B is determined. If, on one hand, the queue quantity at step B is less than Q. sub. MAX, or between Q. sub. MAX and Q. sub.
