Time-based, demand-pull production

A method for managing time-based demand-pull production of work orders, the method comprising:

• identifying, by a processor at a server, a plurality of connections between the server and a plurality of electronic devices, each of the electronic devices respectively corresponding to a work center from among a plurality of work centers, each work center having a corresponding work order queue;
• and
• controlling, by the processor, authorizing new work orders at the work centers by:
• storing, by the processor, status information from the electronic devices regarding the state of each of the work centers and work orders, the status information comprising a remaining clear time for the work center to complete one or more operations in a sequence of operations of the work order and an amount of time to clear the corresponding work order queue of the work center;
• querying, by the processor, data from a database to determine a next work order to be authorized based on a priority-setting rule, the next work order being queued in an upstream work center and to be authorized for work within the upstream work center;
• calculating, by the processor, for each work center, an amount of time until the work center is available to start work on the next work order in accordance with the remaining clear time for the work center, the amount of time to clear the corresponding work order queue of the work center, and an amount of time to clear authorized work orders of work centers that are upstream-adjacent of the work center;
• comparing, by the processor, for each work center, an amount of time for the next work order to arrive at the work center with the amount of time until the work center is available to start work on the next work order;
• determining, by the processor, for each work center, in accordance with time-based demand pull authorization, whether the amount of time for the next work order to arrive is greater than the amount of time until the work center is available to start work on the next work order;
• transmitting, by the processor, an authorization signal to initiate the next work order at the upstream work center in response to determining that the amount of time for the next work order to arrive at a downstream work center is greater than or equal to the amount of time until the downstream work center is available to start work on the next work order;
• modifying, by the processor, the corresponding work order queue of the upstream work center in response to the authorization signal;
• and
• transmitting, by the processor, a signal for moving a work piece to the upstream work center in accordance with the modified corresponding work order queue of the upstream work center.

A system for managing time-based demand-pull production of work orders, the system comprising:

• a server comprising a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• identify a plurality of connections between the server and a plurality of electronic devices, each of the electronic devices respectively corresponding to a work center from among a plurality of work centers, each work center having a corresponding work order queue;
• and
• control authorizing new work orders at the work centers, such that the instructions further cause the processor to:
• store status information from the electronic devices regarding the state of each of the work centers and work orders, the status information comprising a remaining clear time for the work center to complete one or more operations in a sequence of operations of the work order and an amount of time to clear the corresponding work order queue of the work center;
• query data from a database to determine a next work order to be authorized based on a priority-setting rule, the next work order being queued in an upstream work center and to be authorized for work within the upstream work center;
• calculate for each work center, an amount of time until the work center is available to start work on the next work order in accordance with the remaining clear time for the work center, the amount of time to clear the corresponding work order queue of the work center, and an amount of time to clear authorized work orders of work centers that are upstream-adjacent of the work center;
• compare for each work center, an amount of time for the next work order to arrive at the work center with the amount of time until the work center is available to start work on the next work order;
• determine for each work center, in accordance with time-based demand pull authorization, whether the amount of time for the next work order to arrive is greater than the amount of time until the work center is available to start work on the next work order;
• transmit an authorization signal to initiate the next work order at the upstream work center in response to determining that the amount of time for the next work order to arrive at a downstream work center is greater than or equal to the amount of time until the downstream work center is available to start work on the next work order;
• modify the corresponding work order queue of the upstream work center in response to the authorization signal;
• and
• transmit a signal for moving a work piece to the upstream work center in accordance with the modified corresponding work order queue of the upstream work center.