1 Introduction.- 1.1 Preface.- 1.2 Changes in the Manufacturing Environment.- 1.2.1 Productivity.- 1.2.2 Flexibility.- 1.2.3 Attractiveness of the Workplace.- 1.3 Shifting Objectives of Manufacturing Control.- 1.4 Scheduling in Practice.- 1.5 The Weak Points of Conventional Manufacturing Control.- 1.6 References.- 2 Conventional Production Scheduling and Control.- 2.1 Abstract.- 2.2 Survey.- 2.3 Lead Time Scheduling and Capacity Scheduling.- 2.3.1 Single Steps in Lead Time Scheduling.- 2.3.1.1 Determining Lead Times.- 2.3.1.2 Interoperation Time Reduction.- 2.3.1.3 Operation Overlapping.- 2.3.1.4 Operation Splitting.- 2.3.2 Single Steps in Capacity Scheduling.- 2.3.2.1 Finite Loading.- 2.3.2.2 Capacity Adjustment.- 2.3.2.3 Capacity Alignment.- 2.4 Evaluation of Conventional Lead Time Scheduling.- 2.5 Requirements for New Methods of Production Scheduling and Control.- 2.6 References.- 3 Lead Time - A Key Term in Manufacturing Control.- 3.1 Abstract.- 3.2 Introduction.- 3.3 Lead Time Components.- 3.4 Simple and Weighted Mean Lead Time at a Work Center.- 3.5 Order Lead Times.- 3.6 Statistical Evaluation of Work Center Lead Times.- 3.6.1 Absolute and Relative Frequency Distribution of Simple and Weighted Lead Time.- 3.6.2 Simple and Weighted Mean Operation Time.- 3.6.3 Simple and Weighted Mean Operation Time Percentage.- 3.6.4 Median of Simple and Weighted Lead Time.- 3.6.5 Standard Deviation of Simple and Weighted Mean Lead Time.- 3.6.6 Coefficient of Variation of Simple and Weighted Lead Time.- 3.6.7 Median, Standard Deviation, and Coefficient of Variation of Simple and Weighted Order Time.- 3.7 Work Center Lead Time in the Shop Calendar.- 3.7.1 Transformation of Throughput Elements.- 3.7.2 Frequency Distribution and Statistical Evaluation in the Shop Calendar.- 3.8 Uncertainty of Measurement and Accuracy of Computed Lead Time Values.- 3.9 Examples of Authentic Lead Time Measurements.- 3.9.1 Work Center Lead Times.- 3.9.2 Operation Lead Times.- 3.9.3 Order Lead Times.- 3.10 References.- 4 The Throughput Diagram - A General, Realistic Model of the Manufacturing Process.- 4.1 Abstract.- 4.2 Historical Evolution.- 4.3 Basic Form of the Throughput Diagram.- 4.4 The Work Center Throughput Diagram and its Basic Data.- 4.4.1 How to Produce a Work Center Throughput Diagram.- 4.4.2 Mean Inventory.- 4.4.3 Mean Time Data.- 4.4.3.1 Mean Range.- 4.4.3.2 Mean Advance Time.- 4.4.3.3 Weighted Mean Lead Time.- 4.4.4 Relationships between Mean Range, Mean Advance Time, and Weighted Mean Lead Time.- 4.4.4.1 Inventory Trend Component of Lead Time.- 4.4.4.2 Sequence Component of Weighted Lead Time.- 4.4.4.3 Short- and Long-Term Relationships between Time Quantities.- 4.4.5 Mean Performance, Mean Capacity, and Mean Utilization.- 4.4.6 Relationships between Mean Inventory, Mean Performance, and Weighted Mean Lead Time.- 4.4.7 Weighted Mean Lateness.- 4.5 Order Throughput Diagram.- 4.5.1 Extended Work Center Throughput Diagram.- 4.5.2 How to Produce the Order Throughput Diagram.- 4.6 References.- 5 Analysis, Monitoring, and Diagnosis of the Manufacturing Flow.- 5.1 Abstract.- 5.2 Manufacturing Flow Monitoring.- 5.3 Manufacturing Flow Analysis.- 5.3.1 Procedure Outline.- 5.3.2 Forms of Evaluation and Representation.- 5.3.3 Representation of the Results.- 5.3.4 General Rules and Possibilities for Improving Manufacturing Flow.- 5.4 A Continuous Monitoring System for Manufacturing Flow.- 5.4.1 Objectives and Concept.- 5.4.2 Example of a Continuous Monitoring System.- 5.4.3 Results and Use of a Continuous Monitoring System.- 5.5 Diagnosis of the Manufacturing Flow in the Throughput Diagram.- 5.5.1 Breaking down Inventories.- 5.5.2 Breaking down Lead Times.- 5.5.3 Measures to be Deduced from Monitoring and Diagnosis Results.- 5.6 Use of Graphics for the Representation of Throughput Diagrams and Key Data.- 5.6.1 Representation of the Results of Manufacturing Analyses.- 5.6.2 Graphics for Medium-Term Manufacturing Flow Monitoring.- 5.7 Implications for Manufacturing Control.- 5.8 References.- 6 Load-Oriented Order Release.- 6.1 Abstract.- 6.2 Fundamental Relationships.- 6.3 Procedure.- 6.4 Conversion of the Orders to be Loaded.- 6.5 Sample Demonstration of the Release Process.- 6.6 How to Choose the Load Limit and Loading Percentage Values.- 6.7 Interlinking Order Control with Manufacturing Control.- 6.8 Effects of the Load Limit and Time Limit Parameters in Simulation and in Practice.- 6.8.1 Simulation of Manufacturing Processes as an Aid in the Testing of Control Algorithms.- 6.8.2 Effects of the Load Limit.- 6.8.3 Effects of the Time Limit.- 6.9 Controller Analogy of Load-Oriented Order Release.- 6.10 Priority Rules and Order Sequencing in Load-Oriented Order Release.- 6.11 References.- 7 Schedule-Oriented Capacity Planning and Control.- 7.1 Abstract.- 7.2 The Problem and the Method.- 7.3 Defining the Load Centers.- 7.4 Schedule-Oriented Capacity Planning Procedure.- 7.5 References.- 8 Implementation of Load-Oriented Manufacturing Control.- 8.1 Abstract.- 8.2 Prerequisites.- 8.2.1 Influence of the Lot Size on Inventories and Mean Lead Time.- 8.2.2 Orders Must Have a Due Date.- 8.2.3 An Operation Sheet with Standard Times Must Exist.- 8.2.4 Material, Tooling, Fixtures and NC Programs Must Be Available.- 8.2.5 Machine Availability and Personnel Capacity Must Be Known.- 8.2.6 Operation Feedback Must Be Complete and Sufficiently Accurate.- 8.3 Program Modules of Load-Oriented Manufacturing Control.- 8.3.1 Overview.- 8.3.2 Capacity Planning.- 8.3.3 Release Planning.- 8.3.4 Sequencing.- 8.3.5 Calculation of Monitored Data.- 8.4 System-to-User Interfaces and Hardware Configuration.- 8.5 Implementation Strategies.- 8.6 Load-Oriented Manufacturing Control in Automated Production Sites.- 8.6.1 Controlling Flexible Manufacturing Systems.- 8.6.2 Integration into CIM Concepts.- 8.7 Effects of Load-Oriented Manufacturing Control.- 8.7.1 Cost Effectiveness.- 8.7.2 Qualification and Motivation.- 8.8 References.- 9 Comparison of Load-Oriented Manufacturing Control with Other Methods.- 9.1 Abstract.- 9.2 Overview.- 9.3 The Kanban Principle.- 9.4 The Job-Progress Number System.- 9.5 Finite Control with a Graphic Control Unit (Electronic Leitstand).- 9.6 Queueing Models.- 9.7 The OPT System.- 9.8 References.- 10 Summary.- Appendix A.- Appendix B.