EVALUATE FEASIBILITY OF HEURISTIC CONTOL ALGORITHMS FOR FACTORY CONTROL OF ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING

THE NEED EXISTS FOR SIMPLE, POWERFUL, COST-EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR PLANNING AND MANAGING HIGH TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING, WHICH CAN EFFECTIVELY BRIDGE THE CURRENT GAP BETWEEN PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES ENGINEERING RESEARCH REQUIRED TO DEVELOP CONTROL ALGORITHMS TO SUPPORT MODERN "PULL" BASED MANUFACTURING PLANNING AND SCHEDULING, AND TO DEFINE COMPUTER SOFTWARE TOOLS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THESE ALGORITHMS FOR FACTORY MANAGEMENT. ONCE THE TOOLS CONTAINING THESE CONTROL ALGORITHMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO MODERATE SIZED ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY MANUFACTURING FIRMS, THESE COMPANIES WILL REALIZE DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN INVENTORY REQUIRED TO MEET CUSTOMER DEMAND. THEIR IMPROVED RETURN ON ASSETS, AND BETTER RESPONSE TIMES, WILL MAKE THESE MANUFACTURERS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE COMPETITIVE, RESULTING IN LOWER DOMESTIC CONSUMER PRICES, AND IN IMPROVED MARKET SHARE ABROAD.