Operator allocation is a key aspect of
manufacturing with both direct and indirect implications on
system performance. Resource capacity must be managed
carefully while still considering human factors like
probability of operator error, job satisfaction, and worker
(and skill) retention. In many cases human resources are
flexible in their ability to handle various types of jobs, and
this condition is favorable because it makes the system more
robust in the face of disruptive events. Unfortunately, the
benefits of worker flexibility may not be fully understood or
utilized on account of the many sources of variability that
exist and confuse the outcome of worker allocation decisions.
The purpose of this work is to quantify the effect of varying
rework rates of differently-trained employees working on
multiple products. Subsequently, the time that inventory
spends waiting in queue is minimized through optimization
of worker placement.