Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Family scheduling with batch availability in flow shops to minimize makespan

  • Published:
Journal of Scheduling Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper addresses a batch scheduling problem in flow shop production systems, where job families are formed based on setup similarities. In order to improve setup efficiency, we consider batching decisions in our solution procedure. Due to its high practical relevance, the batch availability assumption is also adopted in this study. In the presence of sequence-dependent setup times, it is proved that a permutation flow shop is generally not optimal. Therefore, our objective is to determine solutions with inconsistent batches, which essentially lead to non-permutation schedules, to minimize makespan. After examining structural properties, we develop a tabu search algorithm with multiple neighbourhood functions. Computational results confirm the remarkable benefits of batching decisions. Our algorithm also outperforms some well-known and well-performing approaches.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albers, S., & Brucker, P. (1993). The complexity of one-machine batching problems. Discrete Applied Mathematics, 47, 87–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battiti, R., & Giampietro, T. (1994). The [reactive tabu search]. ORSA Journal on Computing, 6, 126–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buscher, U., & Shen, L. (2009). An integrated tabu search algorithm for the lot streaming problem in job shops. European Journal of Operational Research, 199, 385–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, H. G., Dudek, R. A., & Simth, M. L. (1970). A heuristic algorithm for the \(n\) job \(m\) machine sequencing problem. Management Science, 16, B630–B637.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, J. H., & Chiu, H. N. (2005). A comprehensive review of lot streaming. International Journal of Production Research, 43, 1515–1536.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, T. C. E., Chen, Y. L., & Oguz, C. (1994). One-machine batching and sequencing of multiple-type items. Computers and Operations Research, 21, 717–721.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, T. C. E., Gordon, V. S., & Kovalyov, M. Y. (1996). Single machine scheduling with batch deliveries. European Journal of Operational Research, 94, 277–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coffman, E. G., Yannakakis, M., Magazine, M. J., & Santos, C. A. (1990). Batch sizing and job sequencing on a single machine. Annals of Operations Research, 26, 135–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franca, P. M., Gupta, J. N. D., Mendes, A. S., Moscato, P., & Veltink, K. J. (2005). Evolutionary algorithms for scheduling a flowshop manufacturing cell with sequence dependent family setups. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 48, 491–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, J. N. D., & Stafford, E. F. (2006). Flowshop scheduling research after five decades. European Journal of Operational Research, 169, 699–711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, J. N. D., & Tunc, E. A. (1994). Scheduling a two-stage hybrid flowshop with separable setup and removal times. European Journal of Operational Research, 77, 415–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, N. G., Laporte, G., Selvarajah, E., & Sriskandarajah, C. (2003). Scheduling and lot streaming in [flowshops with no-wait] in process. Journal of Scheduling, 6, 339–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendizadeh, S. H., Faramarzi, H., Mansouri, S. A., Gupta, J. N. D., & Eimekkawy, T. Y. (2008). Mata-heuristics for scheduling a flowline manufacturing cell with sequence dependent family setup times. International Journal of Production Economics, 111, 593–605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hochbaum, D. S., & Landy, D. (1994). Scheduling with batching: Minimizing the weighted number of tardy jobs. Operations Research Letters, 16, 79–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurink, J. (1998). A tabu search approach for a single-machine batching problem using an efficient method to calculate a best neighbor. Journal of Scheduling, 1, 127–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, S. W., Gupta, J. N. D., Ying, K. C., & Lee, Z. J. (2009). Using simulated annealing to schedule a flowshop manufacturing cell with sequence-dependent family setup times. International Journal of Production Research, 47, 3205–3217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logendran, R., de Szoeke, P., & Barnard, F. (2006). Sequence-dependent group scheduling problems in flexible flow shops. International Journal of Production Economics, 102, 66–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosheiov, G., & Oron, D. (2005). A note on flow-shop and job-shop batch scheduling with identical processing-time jobs. European Journal of Operational Research, 161, 285–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosheiov, G., & Oron, D. (2008). Open-shop batch scheduling with identical jobs. European Journal of Operational Research, 187, 1282–1292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosheiov, G., Oron, D., & Ritov, Y. (2004). Flow-shop batching scheduling with identical processing-time jobs. Naval Research Logistics, 51, 783–799.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nawaz, M., Enscore, E., & Ham, I. (1983). A heuristic algorithm for the \(m\)-machine, \(n\)-job flow shop sequencing problem. OMEGA International Journal of Management Science, 11, 91–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neufeld, J. S., Gupta, J. N. D., & Buscher, U. (2015). Minimizing makespan in flowshop group scheduling with sequence-dependent family set-up times using inserted idle times. International Journal of Production Research, 53, 1791–1806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neufeld, J. S., Gupta, J. N. D., & Buscher, U. (2016). A comprehensive review of flowshop group scheduling literature. Computers and Operations Research, 70, 56–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nowicki, E., & Smutnicki, C. (1996). A fast taboo search algorithm for the job shop problem. Management Science, 42, 797–813.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potts, C. N., & Kovalyov, M. Y. (2000). Scheduling with batching: A review. European Journal of Operational Research, 120, 228–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, V., & Narendran, T. T. (2003). Heuristics for scheduling sequence-dependent set-up jobs in flow line cells. International Journal of Production Research, 41, 193–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaller, J. E., Gupta, J. N. D., & Vakharia, A. J. (2000). Scheduling a flowline manufacturing cell with sequence dependent family setup times. European Journal of Operational Research, 125, 324–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen, L., Gupta, J.N.D. (2015) Family scheduling with batch availability in flow shops. In Proceedings of the 7th multidisciplinary international scheduling conference.

  • Shen, L., Gupta, J. N. D., & Buscher, U. (2014). Flow shop batching and scheduling with sequence-dependent setup times. Journal of Scheduling, 17, 353–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sung, C. S., Kim, Y. H., & Yoon, S. H. (2000). A problem reduction and decomposition approach for scheduling for a flowshop of batch processing machines. European Journal of Operational Research, 121, 179–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Zee, D. (2013). Family based dispatching with batch availability. International Journal of production Research, 51, 3643–3653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Hoesel, S., Wagelmans, A., & Moerman, B. (1994). Using geometric techniques to improve dynamic programming algorithms for the economic lot-sizing problems and extensions. European Journal of Operational Research, 75, 312–331.

  • Webster, S., & Baker, K. R. (1995). Scheduling groups of jobs on a single machine. Operations Research, 43, 692–703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ying, K. C., Gupta, J. N. D., Lin, S. W., & Lee, Z. J. (2010). Permutation and non-permutation schedules for the flowline manufacturing cell with sequence dependent family setups. International Journal of Production Research, 48, 2169–2184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Operations Management, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, 56179, Vallendar, Germany

    Liji Shen

  2. College of Business Administration, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35763, USA

    Jatinder N. D. Gupta

Authors
  1. Liji Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jatinder N. D. Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liji Shen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shen, L., Gupta, J.N.D. Family scheduling with batch availability in flow shops to minimize makespan. J Sched 21, 235–249 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-017-0529-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-017-0529-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation