Some scheduling problems with sum-of-processing-times-based and job-position-based learning effects

In this paper we introduce a new scheduling model with learning effects in which the actual processing time of a job is a function of the total normal processing times of the jobs already processed and of the job’s scheduled position. We show that the single-machine problems to minimize makespan and total completion time are polynomially solvable. In addition, we show that the problems to minimize total weighted completion time and maximum lateness are polynomially solvable under certain agreeable conditions. Finally, we present polynomial-time optimal solutions for some special cases of the m-machine flowshop problems to minimize makespan and total completion time.     

Single-machine scheduling problems with deteriorating jobs and learning effects

In this paper, we introduce a new scheduling model in which deteriorating jobs and learning effect are both considered simultaneously. By deterioration and the learning effect, we mean that the actual processing time of a job depends not only on the processing time of the jobs already processed but also on its scheduled position. For the single-machine case, we show that the problems of makespan, total completion time and the sum of the quadratic job completion times remain polynomially solvable, respectively. In addition,we show that the problems to minimize total weighted completion time and maximum lateness are polynomially solvable under certain conditions.     

Single-machine scheduling with sum-of-logarithm-processing-times-based learning considerations

Scheduling with learning effects has attracted growing attention of the scheduling research community. A recent survey classifies the learning models in scheduling into two types, namely position-based learning and sum-of-processing-times-based learning. However, the actual processing time of a given job drops to zero precipitously as the number of jobs increases in the first model and when the normal job processing times are large in the second model. Motivated by this observation, we propose a new learning model where the actual job processing time is a function of the sum of the logarithm of the processing times of the jobs already processed. The use of the logarithm function is to model the phenomenon that learning as a human activity is subject to the law of diminishing return. Under the proposed learning model, we show that the scheduling problems to minimize the makespan and total completion time can be solved in polynomial time. We further show that the problems to minimize the maximum lateness, maximum tardiness, weighted sum of completion times and total tardiness have polynomial-time solutions under some agreeable conditions on the problem parameters.     

Single-machine group scheduling problems under the effects of deterioration and learning

This paper investigates single-machine group scheduling problems with simultaneous considerations of deteriorating and learning effects to minimize the makespan and the total completion time of all jobs. The group setup time is assumed to follow a simple linear time-dependent deteriorating model. Two models of learning for the job processing time are examined in this study. We provided polynomial time solutions for the makespan minimization problems. We also showed that the total completion time minimization problems remain polynomially solvable under agreeable conditions.     

Scheduling problems with deteriorating jobs and learning effects including proportional setup times

Recently, interest in scheduling with deteriorating jobs and learning effects has kept growing. However, research in this area has seldom considered setup times. We introduce a new scheduling model in which job deterioration and learning, and setup times are considered simultaneously. In the proposed model, the actual processing time of a job is defined as a function of the setup and processing times of the jobs already processed and the job’s own scheduled position in a sequence. In addition, the setup times are assumed to be proportional to the actual processing times of the already scheduled jobs. We derive polynomial-time optimal solutions for some single-machine problems with or without the presence of certain conditions.     

One-machine scheduling problems with deteriorating jobs and position-dependent learning effects under group technology considerations

In this paper, we introduce a group scheduling model with general deteriorating jobs and learning effects in which deteriorating jobs and learning effects are both considered simultaneously. This means that the actual processing time of a job depends not only on the processing time of the jobs already processed, but also on its scheduled position. In our model, the group setup times are general linear functions of their starting times and the jobs in the same group have general position-dependent learning effects and time-dependent deterioration. The objective of scheduling problems is to minimise the makespan and the sum of completion times, respectively. We show that the problems remain solvable in polynomial time under the proposed model.     

Single machine total completion time minimization scheduling with a time-dependent learning effect and deteriorating jobs

In this article, we consider a single machine scheduling problem with a time-dependent learning effect and deteriorating jobs. By the effects of time-dependent learning and deterioration, we mean that the job processing time is defined by a function of its starting time and total normal processing time of jobs in front of it in the sequence. The objective is to determine an optimal schedule so as to minimize the total completion time. This problem remains open for the case of ?1?a?a denotes the learning index; we show that an optimal schedule of the problem is V-shaped with respect to job normal processing times. Three heuristic algorithms utilising the V-shaped property are proposed, and computational experiments show that the last heuristic algorithm performs effectively and efficiently in obtaining near-optimal solutions.     

Algorithms for scheduling incompatible job families on single batching machine with limited capacity

Motivated by applications in food processing and semiconductor manufacturing industries, we consider the scheduling problem of a batching machine with jobs of multiple families. The machine has a limited capacity to accommodate jobs. The jobs are in arbitrary sizes and multiple families. Jobs from different families cannot be processed in a batch. We show the problems of minimizing makespan and total batch completion time are both NP-hard in the strong sense. We present a mixed integer programming model for the problems. Then we propose two polynomial time heuristics based on longest processing time first rule and first fit rule. For the special case where a larger job also has a longer processing time, the heuristic for minimizing makespan is optimal. For the general case, we show the performance guarantee of the methods for the two objectives respectively.     

Flowshop scheduling with a general exponential learning effect

This paper investigates flowshop scheduling problems with a general exponential learning effect, i.e., the actual processing time of a job is defined by an exponent function of the total weighted normal processing time of the already processed jobs and its position in a sequence, where the weight is a position-dependent weight. The objective is to minimize the makespan, the total (weighted) completion time, the total weighted discounted completion time, and the sum of the quadratic job completion times, respectively. Several simple heuristic algorithms are proposed in this paper by using the optimal schedules for the corresponding single machine problems. The tight worst-case bound of these heuristic algorithms is also given. Two well-known heuristics are also proposed for the flowshop scheduling with a general exponential learning effect.     

Scheduling jobs under decreasing linear deterioration

This paper considers the scheduling problems under decreasing linear deterioration. Deterioration of a job means that its processing time is a function of its execution start time. Optimal algorithms are presented respectively for single machine scheduling of minimizing the makespan, maximum lateness, maximum cost and number of late jobs. For two-machine flow shop scheduling problem to minimize the makespan, it is proved that the optimal schedule can be obtained by Johnson's rule. If the processing times of operations are equal for each job, flow shop scheduling problems can be transformed into single machine scheduling problems.     

A note on machine scheduling with sum-of-logarithm-processing-time-based and position-based learning effects

Recently, Biskup [2] classifies the learning effect models in scheduling environments into two types: position-based and sum-of-processing-time-based. In this paper, we study scheduling problem with sum-of-logarithm-processing-time-based and position-based learning effects. We show that the single machine scheduling problems to minimize the makespan and the total completion time can both be solved by the smallest (normal) processing time first (SPT) rule. We also show that the problems to minimize the maximum lateness, the total weighted completion times and the total tardiness have polynomial-time solutions under agreeable WSPT rule and agreeable EDD rule. In addition, we show that m-machine permutation flowshop problems are still polynomially solvable under the proposed learning model.     

Two-machine flowshop scheduling with intermediate transportation under job physical space consideration

In this paper, we study a coordinated production–transportation scheduling problem in a two-machine flowshop environment where a single transporter may carry several jobs simultaneously as a batch between the machines. Each job has its own physical-space requirement while being loaded into the transporter. The goal is to minimize the makespan. For the jobs with the same size of physical space during transportation, we present a heuristic algorithm with an absolute worst-case ratio of 2 and a polynomial-time optimal algorithm for a special case with given job sequence. For the jobs having different size of physical storage space, a heuristic algorithm is constructed with an absolute worst-case ratio of 7/3 and asymptotic worst-case ratio of 20/9. Computational experiments demonstrate that the two heuristic algorithms developed are capable of generating near-optimal solutions quickly.     

Bi-criteria minimization for the permutation flowshop scheduling problem with machine-based learning effects

In traditional scheduling problems, the processing time for the given job is assumed to be a constant regardless of whether the job is scheduled earlier or later. However, the phenomenon named “learning effect” has extensively been studied recently, in which job processing times decline as workers gain more experience. This paper discusses a bi-criteria scheduling problem in an m-machine permutation flowshop environment with varied learning effects on different machines. The objective of this paper is to minimize the weighted sum of the total completion time and the makespan. A dominance criterion and a lower bound are proposed to accelerate the branch-and-bound algorithm for deriving the optimal solution. In addition, the near-optimal solutions are derived by adapting two well-known heuristic algorithms. The computational experiments reveal that the proposed branch-and-bound algorithm can effectively deal with problems with up to 16 jobs, and the proposed heuristic algorithms can yield accurate near-optimal solutions.     

Minimizing the makespan on a batch machine with non-identical job sizes: an exact procedure

A batch processing machine can simultaneously process several jobs forming a batch. This paper considers the problem of scheduling jobs with non-identical capacity requirements, on a single-batch processing machine of a given capacity, to minimize the makespan. The processing time of a batch is equal to the largest processing time of any job in the batch. We present some dominance properties for a general enumeration scheme and for the makespan criterion, and provide a branch and bound method. For large-scale problems, we use this enumeration scheme as a heuristic method.Scope and purposeUsually in classical scheduling problems, a machine can perform only one job at a time. Although, one can find machines that can process several jobs simultaneously as a batch. All jobs of a same batch have common starting and ending times. Batch processing machines are encountered in many different environments, such as burn-in operations in semiconductor industries or heat treatment operations in metalworking industries. In the first case, the capacity of the machine is defined by the number of jobs it can hold. In the second case, each job has a certain capacity requirement and the total size of a batch cannot exceed the capacity of the machine. Hence, the number of jobs contained in each batch may be different. In this paper, we consider this second case (which is more difficult) and we provide an exact method for the makespan criterion (minimizing the last ending time).     

Bounded parallel-batch scheduling on single and multi machines for deteriorating jobs

We consider the bounded parallel-batch scheduling problem in which the processing time of a job is a simple linear function of its starting time. The objective is to minimize the makespan. When the jobs have identical release dates, we present an optimal algorithm for the single-machine problem and an fully polynomial-time approximation scheme for the parallel-machine problem. When the jobs have distinct release dates, we show that the single-machine problem is NP-hard and present an optimal algorithm for one special case.     

Single-machine scheduling with learning effect and deteriorating jobs

In this paper we consider the single-machine scheduling problems with the effects of learning and deterioration. By the effects of learning and deterioration, we mean that job processing times are defined by functions of their starting times and positions in the sequence. It is shown that even with the introduction of learning effect and deteriorating jobs to job processing times, single machine makespan and sum of completion times (square) minimization problems remain polynomially solvable, respectively. But for the following objective functions: the weighted sum of completion times and the maximum lateness, this paper proves that the WSPT rule and the EDD rule can construct the optimal sequence under some special cases, respectively.     

Single-machine scheduling with learning effect and resource-dependent processing times

We consider resource allocation scheduling with learning effect in which the processing time of a job is a function of its position in a sequence and its resource allocation. The objective is to find the optimal sequence of jobs and the optimal resource allocation separately. We concentrate on two goals separately, namely, minimizing a cost function containing makespan, total completion time, total absolute differences in completion times and total resource cost; minimizing a cost function containing makespan, total waiting time, total absolute differences in waiting times and total resource cost. We analyse the problem with two different processing time functions. For each combination of these, we provide a polynomial time algorithm to find the optimal job sequence and resource allocation.     

Bounded parallel-batching scheduling with two competing agents

We consider a scheduling problem in which two agents, each with a set of non-preemptive jobs, compete to perform their jobs on a common bounded parallel-batching machine. Each of the agents wants to minimize an objective function that depends on the completion times of its own jobs. The goal is to schedule the jobs such that the overall schedule performs well with respect to the objective functions of both agents. We focus on minimizing the makespan or the total completion time of one agent, subject to an upper bound on the makespan of the other agent. We distinguish two categories of batch processing according to the compatibility of the agents. In the case where the agents are incompatible, their jobs cannot be processed in the same batch, whereas all the jobs can be processed in the same batch when the agents are compatible. We show that the makespan problem can be solved in polynomial time for the incompatible case and is NP-hard in the ordinary sense for the compatible case. Furthermore, we show that the latter admits a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme. We prove that the total completion time problem is NP-hard and is polynomially solvable for the incompatible case with a fixed number of job types.     

Single machine scheduling problems with exponentially time-dependent learning effects

In this paper, we introduce a single-machine scheduling problem with an exponentially time-dependent learning effect. The processing time of a job is assumed to be an exponential function of the total normal processing time of jobs already processed before it. For such a scheduling problem, we first provide the upper bound for the maximum lateness and for the total weighted completion time. Next, we show that problems with the following criteria: makespan, the total completion time, the total weighted completion time, the total earliness/tardiness penalties and the maximum lateness under some agreeable conditions, are polynomially solvable.     

具有线性恶化加工时间的调度问题

讨论了工件具有线性恶化加工时间的调度问题.在这类问题中,工件的恶化函数为线性 函数.对单机调度问题中目标函数为极小化最大完工时间加权完工时间和,最大延误以及最大费 用等问题分别给出了最优算法.对两台机器极小化最大完工时间的Flowshop问题,证明了利用 Johnson规则可以得到最优调度.对于一般情况,如果同一工件的工序的加工时间均相等,则 Flowshop问题可以转化为单机问题.