Scheduling optimization of optical lens polishing

Abstract Optical systems have achieved notable progress in focusing and imaging technologies; however, manual grinding remains indispensable, resulting in elevated costs, extended timelines, and inefficiencies. These difficulties are compounded by operational constraints, uneven machine utilization, and risks of order delays and escalating expenses, which threaten customer trust and business stability. Fine grinding, a vital stage in lens manufacturing, includes trial processing testing, and mass production, with setup time identified as a major determinant of production efficiency. This study integrates setup times into scheduling decisions to enhance monthly order fulfillment. The objectives are to reduce tardiness costs and optimize both machine utilization and overall efficiency. Three approaches are examined: manual scheduling, dispatching rules, and an integer programming model. Results demonstrate that the mathematical model achieves dominant efficiency when order volumes match capacity and reduces tardiness penalties to one‐fourth of those under manual scheduling when capacity is exceeded, underscoring its practical relevance for lens manufacturers.