OPT scheduling performances: A case study

A deep insight into Optimized Production Technology (OPT) is sought for by analysing a case study regarding a leading producer of high quality acetate yarns for the textile market. The case study highlights the importance of setting proper values for OPT management parameters in order to achieve desired performances in terms of both system efficiency as well as system effectiveness. A suitable experimental design and a statistical analysis framework allowed the recognition of the impact of single OPT management parameters. Furthermore, the optimal set-points of these parameters were determined in order to cope with resource constraints in a critical manufacturing department. Scheduling performances achievable as output of 'computeraided' scheduling with OPT were confronted with traditional 'man-made' scheduling on the basis of due date performances and setup-related parameters. The results achieved allowed to avoid problems due to a scheduling procedure that underutilized OPT scheduling characteristics.