Computer-aided prototyping of production flows for a virtual enterprise

This paper presents a logistics framework to cope with the problem of planning and control of production flows processed on a set of work cells distributed among component firms of a virtual enterprise (VE). The constraints theory framework is employed to study constraint-based production flow coordination rules. The article discusses relationships linking structural parameters (e.g. buffer capacity, machine tool efficiency, and automated storage/retrieval systems) of VE components with material flow control guaranteeing efficient completion of work orders, and specified by such parameters as batch delivery periods, work-in-process (WIP) and make-span. The results are summarized in the form of a performance evaluation scheme. Examples using a software package that implements the proposed flow coordination methodology are provided.