Patent ID: 7860737

Claim:
A computer implemented method for optimally scheduling manufacturing resources and selecting scheduling opportunities to fulfill customer orders based on user-defined goals, comprising the steps of: defining at least one human resource and at least one non-human resource, wherein said at least one human resource and said at least one non-human resource are divided into periods of common working time; receiving an order having an objective; generating using a computer a production method based on said objective, said at least one human resource and said at least one non-human resource, wherein each said at least one non-human resource is associated with a generated priority; generating using a computer a plurality of routes and scheduling opportunities based on said production method, wherein said plurality of routes is generated based on the priority of said at least one non-human resource, and wherein the priority of said at least one non-human resource is determined with consideration of a setup time for said at least one non-human resource; selecting one of said plurality of routes and said scheduling opportunities based on a scheduling goal and a routing goal; releasing said at least one human resource at an end of each of said periods of common working time; generating using a computer a plurality of revised routes and revised scheduling opportunities at an end of each of said periods of common working time including after at least a first period of common working time and after releasing said at least one human resource, wherein said first period of common working time includes a period during which said at least one human resource and said at least one non-human resource are used in conjunction with one another to achieve a first user-defined goal; and selecting one of said revised routes and revised scheduling opportunities and applying said scheduling opportunity to said manufacturing resources.