Abstract: Following the analysis of the complexity of the throughput-allocating issue in the group techndogy (GT)-based manufacturing processes, a virtual approach for through-put-allocation is proposed based on the concept of cumulative average turnoff ratio. The approach is then implemented in the Similar Semi-finished products (SFP) delivery planning module of an automatic order-tracing system. A case study illustrates that the module, on one hand, can virtually allocate reasonable similar SFP throughputs to every order in the GT-based manu-facturing processes to facilitate automatic order-tracing, on the other hand, can guide the division of a group of similar SFP throughputs into small sections according to the needs of dif-ferent orders at the customer-order decoupling points, which, therefore, can largely improve the rationality of the delivery plans and can effectively avoid the adverse consequences from unwise throughput-allocating decisions made by human dis-patchers, such as the supplementary production and the delay of the deliveries of some customer orders.

Key words: Cumulative average turnoff ratio, Group technology, Mass customization, Order-tracing, Throughput-allocating