A review and comparison of hybrid and pull-type production control strategies

In order to overcome the disadvantages of Kanban Control Strategy (KCS) in non-repetitive manufacturing environments, two research approaches have been followed in the literature in past two decades. The first approach has been concerned with developing new, or combining existing, pull-type production control strategies in order to maximise the benefits of pull control while increasing the ability of a production system to satisfy demand. The second approach has focused on how best to combine Just-In-Time (JIT) and Material-Requirements-Planning (MRP) philosophies in order to maximise the benefits of pull control in non-repetitive manufacturing environments. This paper provides a review of the research activities in these two approaches, presents a comparison between a Production Control Strategy (PCS) from each approach, and presents a comparison of the performance of several pull-type production control strategies in addressing the Service Level vs. WIP trade-off in an environment with low variability and a light-to-medium demand load. Correspondence to: John Geraghty