Processing system having a scheduling system based on a composite ratio of process scheduling factors

A manufacturing system comprising:

• a scheduling system to schedule processing of n lots L1:Ln by stations at which the lots are queued, wherein the process scheduling order of a lot Ly precedes all lots of lots L1:Ln that are queued at the same station as lot Ly, said lots L1:Ln having a composite ratio indicating a lower processing priority than a composite ratio, COMPRLy, of lot Ly, wherein the composite ratio of the lot Ly includes a hunger ratio, HRLy, and the hunger ratio of lot Ly is the ratio of the approximate time the lot Ly is needed at a next constraint resource of the lot Ly to the approximate time for a select lot Ls to arrive at the next constraint resource of the lot Ls;
• means for manufacturing a product based on said processing schedule.

A scheduling system comprising:

• computer readable media;
• a scheduling module stored on the computer readable media to determine the sums, ΣPTBNSL1:ΣPTBNSLn, wherein ΣPTBNSLy includes the sum of all process times of a next constraint resource BNi of a lot Ly of lots L1:Ln which have planned cycle times less than a planned cycle time, PCTLy, of lot Ly to the next constraint resource BNi of lot Ly, to add the process times, ΣPTWIPQi, of any work in process, WIP, at the next constraint resource BNi of lots L1:Ln, respectively, to ΣPTBNSL1:ΣPTBNSLn, respectively, to determine the times, TNBNL1:TNBNLn, needed at the next constraint resources of L1:Ln, respectively, and to schedule processing of lots L1:Ln queued among a plurality of stations at which each of lots L1:Ln is scheduled to be processed prior to all lots at the same station having a respective composite ratio that corresponds to a lesser need for such lots, wherein the composite ratio for each lot Ly comprises a respective hunger ratio HRLy, and HRLy comprises a quotient of TNBNLy and PCTLy.