A support vector machine model for due date assignment in manufacturing operations

ABSTRACT The relationship between product flow times and manufacturing system status is complex. This limits use of simple analytical functions for job shop manufacturing due date assigning, especially when dealing with orders involving multiple-resource manufacturing systems in receipt of random orders of different process plans. Our approach involves developing a Support Vector Machine classifier to articulate job shop manufacturing due date assigning in heterogeneous manufacturing environments. The emergent model allows not only for the complex relationships between flowtimes and manufacturing system status, but also for the prediction of random order flowtime of manufacturing systems with multiple resources. Our findings also suggest that service levels play a major role in negotiated due dates and eventual customer propensity to place manufacturing orders. In emphasizing negotiated due dates as against exogenous assigned due dates, the study focuses scholarly attention toward the need for participative, open and inclusive due date assignments. Graphical abstract