Title: Efficient mixed integer programming formulations and dispatching rules for parallel machine scheduling with allowing machine idle times

Authors: Chi-Yang Tsai; Yi-Chen Wang

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Yuan Ze University, 135 Yuan-Tung Road, Chung-Li, 32003, Taiwan ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Yuan Ze University, 135 Yuan-Tung Road, Chung-Li, 32003, Taiwan

Abstract: This paper proposes mixed integer programming formulations for the unrelated parallel-machines scheduling problem with allowing machine idle times given the objective of minimising the total earliness and tardiness. Experiment and analysis are conducted to gain insight into the effect of allowing machine idle time to job schedule performance. Simple dispatching rules are applied for better solution efficiency. Experiment results show that allowing machine idle times can be better utilised with job due dates are loose and the dispatching rules are very competitive for efficiency and quality of solutions.

Keywords: parallel machine scheduling; unrelated parallel machines; idle time; earliness; tardiness; mixed integer programming; dispatching rules; due dates.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2015.072269

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2015 Vol.21 No.3, pp.320 - 333

Received: 23 Jan 2014
Accepted: 09 Mar 2014
Published online: 08 Oct 2015 *

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