RBD-rule based job dispatching software for implementing production plans

The final step in the production planning process that converts demand into production activity is the dispatching decision. In the job and flow shop environment, it keeps work flowing on the factory floor by answering the question `What job should be processed next?´. A good answer must be timely, do-able and reflect the balance between customer service and production cost goals that has been adopted by the manufacturer. Rule Based Dispatch (RBD) is an expert system designed to meet these criteria. It answers the dispatch question by using sequencing rules that represent company knowledge to draw conclusions from real-time factory floor status data. The authors´ experience with RBD shows that expert system concepts can be successfully applied to the dispatching problem and that there is need for further investigation in this area