Mathematical models for job-shop scheduling problems with routing and process plan flexibility

As a result of rapid developments in production technologies in recent years, flexible job-shop scheduling problems have become increasingly significant. This paper deals with two NP-hard optimization problems: flexible job-shop scheduling problems (FJSPs) that encompass routing and sequencing sub-problems, and the FJSPs with process plan flexibility (FJSP-PPFs) that additionally include the process plan selection sub-problem. The study is carried out in two steps. In the first step, a mixed-integer linear programming model (MILP-1) is developed for FJSPs and compared to an alternative model in the literature (Model F) in terms of computational efficiency. In the second step, one other mixed-integer linear programming model, a modification of MILP-1, for the FJSP-PPFs is presented along with its computational results on hypothetically generated test problems.     

A multi-objective hot-rolling scheduling problem in the compact strip production

This paper addresses a hot-rolling scheduling problem from compact strip production processes. At first, a mathematical model that consists of two coupled sub-problems is presented. The first sub-problem is the sheet-strip assignment problem that is about how to assign sheet-strips to rolling-turns with the objective of minimizing virtual sheet-strips. The second is the sheet-strip sequencing problem that is about how to sort the sheet-strips in each rolling-turn with the objective of minimizing the maximal changes in thickness between adjacent sheet-strips and the change times of the thickness so as to ensure high quality sheet-strips to be produced. And then, an improved hot-rolling scheduling heuristic is proposed to solve the sheet-strip assignment problem. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is developed to find the Pareto optimal or near-optimal solutions for the sheet-strip sequencing problem. Besides, the problem-specific knowledge is explored. The key operators including crossover operator, mutation operator and repair operator are designed for the multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. At last, extensive experiments based on real-world instances from a compact strip production process are carried out. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms for solving the hot-rolling scheduling problem under consideration.     

A multi-objective production scheduling case study solved by simulated annealing

During several decades, research in production scheduling mainly concerns a single criterion to optimize. However, the analysis of the performance of a schedule often involves more than one aspect and therefore requires multi-objective analysis. Such situation appears in the real case study considered here.     

Solving multi-objective production scheduling problems using metaheuristics

Most of research in production scheduling is concerned with the optimization of a single criterion. However the analysis of the performance of a schedule often involves more than one aspect and therefore requires a multi-objective treatment. In this paper we first present (Section 1) the general context of multi-objective production scheduling, analyze briefly the different possible approaches and define the aim of this study i.e. to design a general method able to approximate the set of all the efficient schedules for a large set of scheduling models. Then we introduce (Section 2) the models we want to treat––one machine, parallel machines and permutation flow shops––and the corresponding notations. The method used––called multi-objective simulated annealing––is described in Section 3. Section 4 is devoted to extensive numerical experiments and their analysis. Conclusions and further directions of research are discussed in the last section.     

Industrial petrochemical production planning and expansion: A multi-objective linear programming approach

This paper considers a strategic model planning for the petrochemical industry. It concerns with the expansion in a firm producing multiple products in several regions of a country. The expansion of the existing facilities and the new ones are considered. It also exists a large amount of interdependencies among the firm’s products, because the output of one particular plant can be used as an input to the production of another plant in the same or different regions and to satisfy the final demand. The decision makers involved in the planning process should identify several objectives. Then, multiple objective programming is used for making trade-offs among the economic and operational factors considered. To define the interval criteria weights into the model we utilized the Analytic Hierarchy Process to bring them closer to the decision makers preferences. This work was sponsored by the Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France, when the author was Associate Professor at the Département Génie des Systèmes Industriels.     

A multi-stage stochastic programming approach in master production scheduling

Master Production Schedules (MPS) are widely used in industry, especially within Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. The classical approach for generating MPS assumes infinite capacity, fixed processing times, and a single scenario for demand forecasts. In this paper, we question these assumptions and consider a problem with finite capacity, controllable processing times, and several demand scenarios instead of just one. We use a multi-stage stochastic programming approach in order to come up with the maximum expected profit given the demand scenarios. Controllable processing times enlarge the solution space so that the limited capacity of production resources are utilized more effectively. We propose an effective formulation that enables an extensive computational study. Our computational results clearly indicate that instead of relying on relatively simple heuristic methods, multi-stage stochastic programming can be used effectively to solve MPS problems, and that controllability increases the performance of multi-stage solutions.     

A simulated annealing approach to mine production scheduling

Increasing global competition, quality standards, environmental awareness and decreasing ore prices impose new challenges to mineral industries. Therefore, the extraction of mineral resources requires careful design and scheduling. In this research, simulated annealing (SA) is recommended to solve a mine production scheduling problem. First of all, in situ mineral characteristics of a deposit are simulated by sequential Gaussian simulation, and averaging the simulated characteristics within specified block volumes creates a three-dimensional block model. This model is used to determine optimal pit limits. A linear programming (LP) scheme is used to identify all blocks that can be included in the blend without violating the content requirements. The Lerchs–Grosmann algorithm using the blocks identified by the LP program determines optimal pit limits. All blocks that lie outside of the optimal pit limit are removed from the system and the blocks within the optimal pit are submitted to the production scheduling algorithm. Production scheduling optimization is carried out in two stages: Lagrangean parameterization, resulting in an initial sub-optimal solution, and multi-objective SA, improving the sub-optimal schedule further. The approach is demonstrated on a Western Australian iron ore body.     

Setup coordination between two stages of a production system: A multi-objective evolutionary approach

This paper describes the application of evolutionary algorithms to a typical multi-objective problem of serial production systems, in which two consecutive departments must organize their internal work, each taking into account the requirements of the other department. In particular, the paper compares three approaches based on different combinations of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms and local-search heuristics, using both small-size test instances and larger problems derived from an industrial production process. The analysis of the case-studies confirms the effectiveness of the evolutionary approaches, also enlightening the advantages and shortcomings of each considered algorithm.     

A Pareto-based search methodology for multi-objective nurse scheduling

In this paper, we propose a search technique for nurse scheduling, which deals with it as a multi-objective problem. For each nurse, we first randomly generate a set of legal shift patterns which satisfy all shift-related hard constraints. We then employ an adaptive heuristic to quickly find a solution with the least number of violations on the coverage-related hard constraint by assigning one of the available shift patterns of each nurse. Next, we apply a coverage repairing procedure to make the resulting solution feasible, by adding/removing any under-covered/over-covered shifts. Finally, to satisfy the soft constraints (or preferences), we present a simulated annealing based search method with the following two options: one with a weighted-sum evaluation function which encourages moves towards users?? predefined preferences, and another one with a domination-based evaluation function which encourages moves towards a more diversified approximated Pareto set. Computational results demonstrate that the proposed technique is applicable to modern hospital environments.     

Machine scheduling in production: A content analysis

This paper presents the results of a content analysis on a comprehensive and systematically generated sample of 132 literature surveys on machine scheduling problems in production (MSPP). The paper identifies the main attributes of MSPP by analyzing these surveys and proposes a classification scheme for MSPP consisting of seven main groups with several subgroups. The reliability of the results of the content analysis is examined in a sensitivity analysis. A close analysis of the results unveils several research gaps in the literature and enables us to propose promising avenues for future research.     

A partial enumeration heuristic for multi-objective flowshop scheduling problems

This paper addresses the flowshop scheduling problem with multiple performance objectives in such a way as to provide the decision maker with approximate Pareto optimal solutions. It is well known that the partial enumeration constructive heuristic NEH and its adaptations perform well for single objectives such as makespan, total tardiness and flowtime. In this paper, we develop a similar heuristic using the concept of Pareto dominance when comparing partial and complete schedules. The heuristic is tested on problems involving combinations of the above criteria. For the two-machine case, and the pairs of objectives: (i) makespan and maximum tardiness, (ii) makespan and total tardiness, the heuristic is compared with branch-and-bound algorithms proposed in the literature. For two and more than two machines, and the criteria combinations considered in this article, the heuristic performance is tested against constructive heuristics reported in the literature. By means of an illustrative example, it is shown that a genetic algorithm from the literature performs better when starting from heuristic solutions rather than random solutions.     

Solving a multi-objective multi-skilled manpower scheduling model by a fuzzy goal programming approach

Manpower scheduling is an intricate problem in production and service environments with the purpose of generating fair schedules that consider employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences as much as possible. However, sometimes, vagueness of information related to employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences leads to the fuzzy nature of the problem. This paper presents a multi-objective manpower scheduling model regarding the lack of clarity on the target values of employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences. Hence, a fuzzy goal programming model is developed for the presented model. Afterwards, two fuzzy solution approaches are used to convert the fuzzy goal programming model to two single-objective models. Finally, the results obtained by both single-objective models are compared with each other to select the solution that has the greatest degree of the satisfaction level of employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences.     

A green train scheduling model and fuzzy multi-objective optimization algorithm

Train scheduling model is traditionally formulated to minimize the energy consumption for reducing the operation cost. As the European Union formulates the first carbon emission trading scheme in the world, it is necessary to extend the operation cost to include the expenses for buying/selling the carbon emission allowances. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective train scheduling model by minimizing the energy and carbon emission cost as well as the total passenger-time, and named it as green train scheduling model. For obtaining a non-dominated timetable which has equal satisfactory degree on both objectives, we apply a fuzzy multi-objective optimization algorithm to solve the model. Finally, we perform two numerical examples to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed model and solution methodology.     

A multi-objective genetic algorithm for robust flight scheduling using simulation

Traditional methods of developing flight schedules generally do not take into consideration disruptions that may arise during actual operations. Potential irregularities in airline operations such as equipment failure are not adequately considered during the planning stage of a flight schedule. As such, flight schedules cannot be met as planned and their performance is compromised, which may eventually lead to huge losses in revenue for airlines. In this paper, we seek to improve the robustness of a flight schedule by re-timing its departure times. The problem is modeled as a multi-objective optimization problem, and a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) is developed to solve the problem. To evaluate flight schedules, SIMAIR 2.0, a simulation model which simulates airline operations under operational irregularities, has been employed. The simulation results indicate that we are able to develop schedules with better operation costs and on-time performance through the application of MOGA.     

A dispatching rule-based approach to production scheduling in a printed circuit board manufacturing system

This paper focuses on a production-scheduling problem in a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing system that produces multiple product types with different due dates and different manufacturing processes. In the PCB manufacturing system, there is a number of serial workstations, and there are multiple parallel machines at each workstation. Also, setup operations are required at certain workstations or machines, and some product types have re-entrant flows. We develop new dispatching rules for scheduling at each workstation, considering the special features of PCB manufacturing. With the dispatching rules, we determine not only the start time of each lot at a machine but also the batch size of each product at each machine. Simulation experiments are carried out to test the performance of the production-scheduling method and dispatching rules devised in this study. Results show that the production-scheduling method suggested in this study performs better than methods with well-known dispatching rules and heuristic algorithms for lot sizing in terms of the total tardiness of orders.     

Multi-level lot sizing and job shop scheduling with compressible process times: A cutting plane approach

This paper proposes an integer linear programming formulation for a simultaneous lot sizing and scheduling problem in a job shop environment. Among others, one of our realistic assumptions is dealing with flexible machines which enable the production manager to change their working speeds. Then, a number of valid inequalities are developed based on problem structures. As the valid inequalities can help in reducing the non-optimal parts of the solution space, they are dealt with as some cutting planes. The proposed cutting planes are used to solve the problem in (i) cut-and-branch, and (ii) branch-and-cut approaches. The performance of each cutting plane is investigated with CPLEX 12.2 on a set of randomly-generated test data. Then, some performance criteria are identified and the proposed cutting planes are ranked by TOPSIS method.     

带有运输且加工具有灵活性的无等待流水作业排序问题

研究一类带有运输且加工具有灵活性的两阶段无等待流水作业排序问题, 其中每阶段只有一台机器, 每个工件有两道工序需要依次在两台机器上加工, 工件在两台机器上的加工及两道工序之间不允许等待. 给出两种近似算法, 并分别分析其最坏情况界. 第一种算法是排列排序, 证明了最坏情况界不超过5/2; 第二种算法将工件按照两道工序加工时间之和的递增顺序排序, 证明其最坏情况界不超过2. 最后, 通过数值模拟比较算法的性能. 对问题中各参数取不同值的情况, 分别生成若干个实例, 用算法得到的解与最优解的下界作比值, 通过分析这些比值的最大值、最小值和平均值来比较上述两个算法的性能.     

A multi-objective mixed integer linear programming model for thesis defence scheduling

In this paper, we address the thesis defence scheduling problem, a critical academic scheduling management process, which has been overshadowed in the literature by its counterparts, course timetabling and exam scheduling. Specifically, we address the single defence assignment type of thesis defence scheduling problems, where each committee is assigned to a single defence, scheduled for a specific day, hour and room. We formulate a multi-objective mixed-integer linear programming model, which aims to be applicable to a broader set of cases than other single defence assignment models present in the literature, which have a focus on the characteristics of their universities. For such a purpose, we introduce a different decision variable, propose constraint formulations that are not regulation and policy specific, and cover and offer new takes on the more common objectives seen in the literature. We also include new objective functions based on our experience with the problem at our university and by applying knowledge from other academic scheduling problems. We also propose a two-stage solution approach. The first stage is employed to find the number of schedulable defences, enabling the optimisation of instances with unschedulable defences. The second stage is an implementation of the augmented $ϵ$-constraint method, which allows for the search of a set of different and non-dominated solutions while skipping redundant iterations. The methodology is tested for case-studies from our university, significantly outperforming the solutions found by human schedulers. A novel instance generator for thesis scheduling problems is presented. Its main benefit is the generation of the availability of committee members and rooms in availability and unavailability blocks, resembling their real-world counterparts. A set of 96 randomly generated instances of varying sizes is solved and analysed regarding their relative computational performance, the number of schedulable defences and the distribution of the considered types of iterations. The proposed method can find the optimal number of schedulable defences and present non-dominated solutions within the set time limits for every tested instance.     

A tabu search experience in production scheduling

During the last four years, tabu search has been shown to be a remarkably effective method in solving difficult combinatorial optimization problems. Nowhere has this success been more marked than in the timely and very important area of production scheduling. In this paper, we review some of the research that has contributed to that success. We also give a synthesis of the various tabu search mechanisms that have been employed, giving special attention to advances that have led to major improvements. In the final section of the paper, we suggest directions for future research.     

International portfolio choice and political instability risk: A multi-objective approach

The benefits derived from international portfolio diversification into foreign nations (including the less developed countries) are well documented, yet this practice is discouraged due to market imperfections such as political instability. In practice, nations may be differentiated further by many aspects, such as border controls or political and social trends, which constrain private transactions and financial decisions. This paper attempts to examine (1) whether the home asset bias in a portfolio holding is associated with higher political instability risk, and (2) to what extent international diversification among stocks, in the presence of such risk, outperforms domestic stock portfolios. Using alternative instability risk proxies in the context of a discrete-time version of mean–variance framework, we corroborate the impact of this type of risk on international portfolio investment decisions.