A rework-based dispatching algorithm for module process in TFT-LCD manufacture

This paper presents development of a scheduling methodology for module processing in thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) manufacturing. The problem is a parallel machine scheduling problem with rework probabilities, sequence-dependent setup times and due dates. It is assumed that rework probability for each job on a machine can be given through historical data acquisition. The dispatching algorithm named GRPD (greedy rework probability with due-dates) is proposed in this paper focusing on the rework processes. The performance of GRPD is measured by the six diagnostic indicators. A large number of test problems are randomly generated to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Computational results show that the proposed algorithm is significantly superior to existing dispatching algorithms for the test problems.