I'm trying to model a metal treatment process to improve its efficiency. We have 11 different components that all have to flow through the same process, but each component spends a different amount of time in each process. We are noticing a lot of downtime for certain machines, as components are going in at a random order, so we want to figure out the optimal order to put each component through the process. A flowchart for the process is shown below.
Ideally, we'd start one component on step 1 as soon as the previous component left step 1, so we'd have 6 components going at once, all on different steps. Most steps, as shown in the flowchart, can only be done on a single component at once. The complicating factor is that the treatment oven is used in both steps 2 and 5. There are two ovens, however 4 of our components will only fit in oven 1, while the other 7 fit in either oven. I have a model I developed that works on a process where each machine is only used in 1 step, but having the same machines used for 2 steps complicates this. I need to do this in MATLAB if at all possible.
Any suggestions on how to go about modeling this would be much appreciated!
