Abstract:
Thai research focuses on a reduction of the customer response time in a foods architecting factory being considered as a case study. The total span of the customer response time consists of the time for ordering, waiting and preparing of raw materials, producing, quality inspecting and delivering of an order, respectively. The analysis of the process was performed and it indicated that the preparing process had been planned and executed ineffectively which led to 4.06 day, on average, or 29% of the total span. Consequently, it caused to the average customer response time per of 14 days. The preparing process was conducted by preparing all ingredients to fulfill all orders which directly caused the delay in individual orders. This study, thus proposes a countermeasure technique by applying the simple heuristics for scheduling of the ingredient producing processes of orders. Four experiments were trialed using the Earliest Due Date (EDD) and the Least Slack First (LSF) heuristics, each with two options, individual order and group of orders scheduling. The try out was conducted with a series of 4 different products, each with 10 orders during the period of March 6, 2007 to march 29, 2007. Results indicated that the LSF with individual orders was best scheduling plan. It resulted in 19.53 and 35 hours of the order average waiting time and the total span for preparing and producing process, respectively. Consequently, the customer response time could be reduced to 11 days, on average, or 21% compared to that of how it was done previously. Therefore, it can be concluded that the LSF heuristics with individual orders should be continued to apply in scheduling of order at the preparation and production processes. Apart from reducing the customer response time which will directly affect the level customer satisfaction, the application should also help in improvement of machine, equipment and labors utilization, less storage space required, reduction of cost, easier but more effective planning and control of the process.