Parallel-machine scheduling with non-simultaneous machine available time

We consider a problem of scheduling n independent jobs on m parallel identical machines. The jobs are available at time zero, but the machines may not be available simultaneously at time zero. We concentrate on two goals separately, namely, minimizing a cost function containing total completion time and total absolute differences in completion times; minimizing a cost function containing total waiting time and total absolute differences in waiting times. In this paper, we present polynomial time algorithm to solve this problem.     

Minimizing maximum completion time in a proportionate flow shop with one machine of different speed

A flow shop with identical machines is called a proportionate flow shop. In this paper, we consider the variant of the n-job, m-machine proportionate flow shop scheduling problem in which only one machine is different and job processing times are inversely proportional to machine speeds. The objective is to minimize maximum completion time. We describe some optimality conditions and show that the problem is NP-complete. We provide two heuristic procedures whose worst-case performance ratio is less than two. Extensive experiments with various sizes are conducted to show the performance of the proposed heuristics.     

Online scheduling with general machine cost functions

For most scheduling problems the set of machines is fixed initially and remains unchanged for the duration of the problem. Recently online scheduling problems have been investigated with the modification that initially the algorithm possesses no machines, but that at any point additional machines may be purchased. In all of these models the assumption has been made that each machine has unit cost. In this paper we consider the problem with general machine cost functions. Furthermore we also consider a more general version of the problem where the available machines have speed, the algorithm may purchase machines with speed 1 and machines with speed s. We define and analyze some algorithms for the solution of these problems and their special cases. Moreover we prove some lower bounds on the possible competitive ratios.     

Complexity results and approximation algorithms for the two machine no-wait flow-shop with limited machine availability

The scheduling problems studied in this paper concern a two-machine no-wait flow shop problem with limited machine availability. In this model, we assume that machines may not always be available, for example because of preventive maintenance. We only consider the deterministic case where the unavailable periods are known in advance. The objective function considered is the maximum completion time (C_max). We prove that the problem is NP-hard even if only one non-availability period occurs on one of machines, and NP-hard in the strong sense for arbitrary numbers of non-availability periods. We also provide heuristic algorithms with error bounding analysis.     

Parallel machine covering with limited number of preemptions简

In this paper,we investigate the i-preemptive scheduling on parallel machines to maximize the minimum machine completion time,i.e.,machine covering problem with limited number of preemptions. It is aimed to obtain the worst case ratio of the objective value of the optimal schedule with unlimited preemptions and that of the schedule allowed to be preempted at most i times. For the m identical machines case,we show the worst case ratio is 2m.i.1 m,and we present a polynomial time algorithm which can guarantee the ratio for any 0 ≤ i ≤ m. 1. For the i-preemptive scheduling on two uniform machines case,we only need to consider the cases of i = 0 and i = 1. For both cases,we present two linear time algorithms and obtain the worst case ratios with respect to s,i.e.,the ratio of the speeds of two machines.     

Two meta-heuristics for parallel machine scheduling with job splitting to minimize total tardiness

Parallel machine scheduling is a popular research area due to its wide range of potential application areas. This paper focuses on the problem of scheduling n independent jobs to be processed on m identical parallel machines with the aim of minimizing the total tardiness of the jobs considering a job splitting property. It is assumed that a job can be split into sub-jobs and these sub-jobs can be processed independently on parallel machines. We present a mathematical model for this problem. The problem of total tardiness on identical parallel machines is NP-hard. Obtaining an optimal solution for this type of complex, large-sized problem in reasonable computational time by using an optimization solver is extremely difficult. We propose two meta-heuristics: Tabu search and simulated annealing. Computational results are compared on random generated problems with different sizes.     

Two-stage open shop scheduling with a bottleneck machine

It is known that for the open shop scheduling problem to minimize the makespan there exists no polynomial-time heuristic algorithm that guarantees a worst-case performance ratio better than 5/4, unless P≠NP. However, this result holds only if the instance of the problem contains jobs consisting of at least three operations. This paper considers the open shop scheduling problem, provided that each job consists of at most two operations, one of which is to be processed on one of the m⩾2 machines, while the other operation must be performed on the bottleneck machine, the same for all jobs. For this NP-hard problem we present a heuristic algorithm and show that its worst-case performance ratio is 5/4.     

Two-machine flowshop scheduling problems involving a batching machine with transportation or deterioration consideration

This paper considers two scheduling problems for a two-machine flowshop where a single machine is followed by a batching machine. The first problem is that there is a transporter to carry the jobs between machines. The second problem is that there are deteriorating jobs to be processed on the single machine. For the first problem with minimizing the makespan, we formulate it as a mixed integer programming model and then prove that it is strongly NP-hard. A heuristic algorithm is proposed for solving this problem and its worst case performance is analyzed. The computational experiments are carried out and the numerical results show that the heuristic algorithm is effective. For the second problem, we derive the optimal algorithms with polynomial time for minimizing the makespan, the total completion time and the maximum lateness, respectively.     

Parallel machine scheduling with a convex resource consumption function

We consider some problems of scheduling jobs on identical parallel machines where job-processing times are controllable through the allocation of a nonrenewable common limited resource. The objective is to assign the jobs to the machines, to sequence the jobs on each machine and to allocate the resource so that the makespan or the sum of completion times is minimized. The optimization is done for both preemptive and nonpreemptive jobs. For the makespan problem with nonpreemptive jobs we apply the equivalent load method in order to allocate the resources, and thereby reduce the problem to a combinatorial one. The reduced problem is shown to be NP-hard. If preemptive jobs are allowed, the makespan problem is shown to be solvable in O(n²) time. Some special cases of this problem with precedence constraints are presented and the problem of minimizing the sum of completion times is shown to be solvable in O(n log n) time.     

Approximation schemes for parallel machine scheduling with availability constraints

We investigate the problems of scheduling n weighted jobs to m parallel machines with availability constraints. We consider two different models of availability constraints: the preventive model, in which the unavailability is due to preventive machine maintenance, and the fixed job model, in which the unavailability is due to a priori assignment of some of the n jobs to certain machines at certain times. Both models have applications such as turnaround scheduling or overlay computing. In both models, the objective is to minimize the total weighted completion time. We assume that m is a constant, and that the jobs are non-resumable.For the preventive model, it has been shown that there is no approximation algorithm if all machines have unavailable intervals even if w_i=p_i for all jobs. In this paper, we assume that there is one machine that is permanently available and that the processing time of each job is equal to its weight for all jobs. We develop the first polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS) when there is a constant number of unavailable intervals. One main feature of our algorithm is that the classification of large and small jobs is with respect to each individual interval, and thus not fixed. This classification allows us (1) to enumerate the assignments of large jobs efficiently; and (2) to move small jobs around without increasing the objective value too much, and thus derive our PTAS. Next, we show that there is no fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) in this case unless P=NP.For the fixed job model, it has been shown that if job weights are arbitrary then there is no constant approximation for a single machine with 2 fixed jobs or for two machines with one fixed job on each machine, unless P=NP. In this paper, we assume that the weight of a job is the same as its processing time for all jobs. We show that the PTAS for the preventive model can be extended to solve this problem when the number of fixed jobs and the number of machines are both constants.     

A column generation based decomposition algorithm for a parallel machine just-in-time scheduling problem

We propose a column generation based exact decomposition algorithm for the problem of scheduling n jobs with an unrestrictively large common due date on m identical parallel machines to minimize total weighted earliness and tardiness. We first formulate the problem as an integer program, then reformulate it, using Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition, as a set partitioning problem with side constraints. Based on this set partitioning formulation, a branch and bound exact solution algorithm is developed for the problem. In the branch and bound tree, each node is the linear relaxation problem of a set partitioning problem with side constraints. This linear relaxation problem is solved by column generation approach where columns represent partial schedules on single machines and are generated by solving two single machine subproblems. Our computational results show that this decomposition algorithm is capable of solving problems with up to 60 jobs in reasonable cpu time.     

Optimal on-line flow time with resource augmentation

We study the problem of scheduling n jobs that arrive over time. We consider a non-preemptive setting on a single machine. The goal is to minimize the total flow time. We use extra resource competitive analysis: an optimal off-line algorithm which schedules jobs on a single machine is compared to a more powerful on-line algorithm that has ? machines. We design an algorithm of competitive ratio , where Δ is the maximum ratio between two job sizes, and provide a lower bound which shows that the algorithm is optimal up to a constant factor for any constant ?. The algorithm works for a hard version of the problem where the sizes of the smallest and the largest jobs are not known in advance, only Δ and n are known. This gives a trade-off between the resource augmentation and the competitive ratio.We also consider scheduling on parallel identical machines. In this case the optimal off-line algorithm has m machines and the on-line algorithm has ?m machines. We give a lower bound for this case. Next, we give lower bounds for algorithms using resource augmentation on the speed. Finally, we consider scheduling with hard deadlines, and scheduling so as to minimize the total completion time.     

Iterated greedy local search methods for unrelated parallel machine scheduling

This work deals with the parallel machine scheduling problem which consists in the assignment of n jobs on m   parallel machines. The most general variant of this problem is when the processing time depends on the machine to which each job is assigned to. This case is known as the unrelated parallel machine problem. Similarly to most of the literature, this paper deals with the minimization of the maximum completion time of the jobs, commonly referred to as makespan (_Cmax)$(C_{\text{max}})$. Many algorithms and methods have been proposed for this hard combinatorial problem, including several highly sophisticated procedures. By contrast, in this paper we propose a set of simple iterated greedy local search based metaheuristics that produce solutions of very good quality in a very short amount of time. Extensive computational campaigns show that these solutions are, most of the time, better than the current state-of-the-art methodologies by a statistically significant margin.     

Single machine common flow allowance scheduling with controllable processing times

In this paper, we consider single machine SLK due date assignment scheduling problem in which job processing times are controllable variables with linear costs. The objective is to determine the optimal sequence, the optimal common flow allowance and the optimal processing time compressions to minimize a total penalty function based on earliness, tardiness, common flow allowance and compressions. We solve the problem by formulating it as an assignment problem which is polynomially solvable. For some special cases, we present an O(n logn) algorithm to obtain the optimal solution respectively.     

On scheduling an unbounded batch machine

A batch machine is a machine that can process up to c jobs simultaneously as a batch, and the processing time of the batch is equal to the longest processing time of the jobs assigned to it. In this paper, we deal with the complexity of scheduling an unbounded batch machine, i.e., c=+∞. We prove that minimizing total tardiness is binary NP-hard, which has been an open problem in the literature. Also, we establish the pseudopolynomial solvability of the unbounded batch machine scheduling problem with job release dates and any regular objective. This is distinct from the bounded batch machine and the classical single machine scheduling problems, most of which with different release dates are unary NP-hard. Combined with the existing results, this paper provides a nearly complete mapping of the complexity of scheduling an unbounded batch machine.     

A branch and bound algorithm for the two-stage assembly scheduling problem

This paper develops a branch and bound algorithm for the two-stage assembly scheduling problem. In this problem, there are m machines at the first stage, each of which produces a component of a job. When all m components are available, a single assembly machine at the second stage completes the job. The objective is to schedule the jobs on the machines so that the maximum completion time, or makespan, is minimized. A lower bound based on solving an artificial two-machine flow shop problem is derived. Also, several dominance theorems are established and incorporated into the branch and bound algorithm. Computational experience with the algorithm is reported for problems with up to 8000 jobs and 10 first-stage machines.     

Parallel machines scheduling to minimize job tardiness and machine deteriorating cost with deteriorating jobs

This paper studies the parallel machines bi-criteria scheduling problem (PMBSP) in a deteriorating system. Sequencing and scheduling problems (SSP) have seldom considered the two phenomena concurrently. This paper discusses the parallel machines scheduling problem with the effects of machine and job deterioration. By the machine deterioration effect, we mean that each machine deteriorates at a different rate. This deterioration is considered in terms of cost which depends on the production rate, the machine’s operating characteristics and the kind of work done by each machine. Moreover, job processing times are increasing functions of their starting times and follow a simple linear deterioration. The objective functions are minimizing total tardiness and machine deteriorating cost. The problem of total tardiness on identical parallel machines is NP-hard, thus the problem with machine deteriorating cost as an additional term is also NP-hard. We propose the LP-metric method to show the importance of our proposed multi-objective problem. A metaheuristic algorithm is developed to locate optimal or near optimal solutions based on a Tabu search mechanism. Numerical examples are presented to show the efficiency of this model.     

Bicriteria scheduling on a series-batching machine to minimize maximum cost and makespan

This paper studies the bicriteria problem of scheduling n jobs on a serial-batching machine to minimize maximum cost and makespan simultaneously. A serial-batching machine is a machine that can handle up to b jobs in a batch and jobs in a batch start and complete respectively at the same time and the processing time of a batch is equal to the sum of the processing times of jobs in the batch. When a new batch starts, a constant setup time s occurs. We confine ourselves to the unbounded model, where b ≥ n. We present a polynomial-time algorithm for finding all Pareto optimal solutions of this bicriteria scheduling problem.     

One-dimensional machine location problems in a multi-product flowline with equidistant locations

An assignment of machines to locations along a straight track is required to optimize material flow in many manufacturing systems. The assignment of M unique machines to M locations along a linear material handling track with the objective of minimizing the total machine-to-machine material transportation cost is formulated as a quadratic assignment problem (QAP). The distance matrix in problems involving equally-spaced machine locations in one dimension is seen to possess some unique characteristics called amoebic properties. Since an optimal solution to a problem with large M is computationally intractable (the QAP is NP-hard), a number of the amoebic properties are exploited to devise heuristics and a lower bound on the optimal solution. Computational results which demonstrate the performance of the heuristics and the lower bound are presented.