Job shop

Job shop is an organization made of a number of work stations which are capable of performing operations on objects in many specific and different ways. It shows that job shop is not a company which is specialised in one type product. Job shops are receiving orders from other companies to produce objects by putting them through several series(number of series depends on object) of operations.

The process of scheduling the day-to-day workings of a job shop is critical. The scheduling process means specifying which work station is to perform operation, from which contracts, and on which objects. Bad scheduling process may impact on:

• work stations standing idle;
• deadlines;
• quality of objects which may be unacceptable.

Copanies have to use universal machinery and other equipment because they are used to variety of different operations. As well as workers who have to have high technical qualifications because of the wide range of products.

Definition by Cambridge Business English Dictionary

By this popular and well known dictionary Job shop normally is more often a small than a big company which makes a single, specific product or sometimes some part/number of products for one customer at a time. The dictionary indicates that employees of that kind of companies have to be multi-skilled because the work treats it as a significant and relevant feature.

Main constraints on jobs and machines

As mentioned job shop is created by a set of different machines which perform on jobs. There are 4 main constraints on those jobs and machines:

• there is no specific rule in relation to sequences of the operations
• no signal that the operation can be interrupted
• each machine can be used only to one job at a specific time
• each job can be done only on one machine at a specific time

See also:

• Job shop production

Job shop scheduling as the most problematic feature

Job shop scheduling problems are most visible in the production environment which is characterised by high variety and low volume. The classical job shop scheduling problem is to determine an optimal schedule. An optimal and possible schedule which is able to achieve at least one of several possible objectives. In general, it is very difficult to do because often the problem is large and more complex. To reach this assumption, manufacturing layout is needed such as the flow shop.

The flow shop is a processing system where every single task is fully specified by a unique sequence. All the jobs visit the task stations in the same, repetitive order.

Examples of Job shop

• A Machine shop: A machine shop is a job shop in which metal parts are machined and manufactured. This includes operations such as turning, drilling, boring, milling, grinding, tapping and honing. These operations are performed using specialized machines such as lathes, milling machines, drill presses, etc.
• An Automotive Service Center: An automotive service center is a job shop that performs a variety of repair and maintenance services on automobiles. This includes services such as oil changes, brake repairs, suspension repairs, tire balancing, transmission repairs, and more.
• A Fabrication Shop: A fabrication shop is a job shop that specializes in fabricating metal parts and components. This includes operations such as cutting, bending, welding, and forming metal pieces into the final product.
• A Woodworking Shop: A woodworking shop is a job shop that specializes in the fabrication of wooden objects. This includes operations such as sawing, planing, sanding, gluing, and finishing wood pieces into the final product.

Advantages of Job shop

Job shop offers a number of advantages to companies. These include:

• Flexibility: A job shop offers a lot of flexibility in terms of production and can quickly adapt to changing customer demands. This is especially important in industries that require custom-made products.
• Cost-effectiveness: Job shops are often more cost-effective than other production methods, allowing companies to produce high-quality products at lower costs.
• Variety: Job shops can produce a wide variety of products, making them ideal for companies that need to make products with different shapes, sizes, and specifications.
• Speed: Job shops can produce products much faster than traditional production methods, allowing companies to get their products to the market faster.
• Quality: Job shops ensure that products are of the highest quality by using highly skilled and experienced workers. This ensures that the end product meets the customer's expectations.

Limitations of Job shop

• Job shops are often limited by the number of work stations available, and the number of operations that can be performed on the objects. This can limit the number of objects that can be produced at a single time, and the kind of objects that can be produced.
• Job shops also have limited space and resources available, which can limit the types of operations and processes that can be performed.
• Job shops are limited by the lead time they have to produce the objects. This can make it difficult to meet customer demand and keep up with market trends.
• Job shops may also be limited by their technology capabilities and the availability of specialized tools and machines. This can make it difficult to produce complex objects or those with multiple components.
• Finally, job shops are limited by the skill and expertise of their staff. This can limit the types of operations that can be performed, as well as the quality of the finished product.

Footnotes

Job shop — recommended articles

Unitary production — Production rhythm — Line production — Mass production — Serial production — Group technology — Custom production — Nested production — Production line

References

• Błażewicz, J., (1996)., Wolfgang Domschke b, Erwin PeschThe job shop scheduling problem: Conventional and new solution techniques, "European Journal of Operational Research"
• Emmons, H., (2013)., Flow Shop Scheduling, Springer
• Grefenstette, J., (1985)., Proceedings of the first international conference on genetic algorithms and their applications, Psychology Press Taylor & Francis Group
• Kuhpfahl, J., (2015)., Job Shop Scheduling with Consideration of Due Dates, Springer Gabler
• Pinedo, M., (2005)., Planning and Scheduling in Manufacturing and Services, Springer

Author: Rafał Gamrat