Planning of an aeronautical structural assembly of jets using project scheduling approach with constrained resources and multiple modes

This paper studies a production planning problem of an aircraft structural assembly line. The assembly line is dedicated (i.e., only one type of product is assembled during the planning time horizon), the work-in-process cost is not differentiated by structural segment neither by workstation, and the use of overtime to meet the plan deadline and the learning curve effect are disregarded. This study analyses the application of project scheduling models with limited resources and one or multiple execution modes for each activity. We also assessed the impact of the assembly leadtime on the total amount and level of workers, for instance, if for different values of leadtimes, it is possible to decrease the total amount of required workers and the effects of this change in the work-in-process. Several computational experiments were made using real problem instances of structural assembly of jets in an aeronautics company.

Production scheduling; Aeronautic industry; Aircraft structural assembly; Manpower leveling; Work in process; Leadtime