Minimization of Rental Cost for Specially Structured Scheduling Model with Setup Time and Transportation Time

Abstract

In the paper under consideration we have developed a new heuristic technique, to get the optimal sequence in which the jobs are to be processed so as to minimize the utilization time for which the machines are required and hence optimize the total expenditure incurred in hiring the machines on rent in case of a two stage specially structured flow shop scheduling model under pre-defined rental policy in which the processing times and setup times are linked with their relative probabilities, together with time taken for transporting the jobs from one processing unit to the next unit. The study taken up is quite broader and relates to the state of affairs existing in industrial units. The method given in this paper is reasonably simple and easy to apply and also offer an important means for taking decision regarding achieving an optimal sequence of jobs. Algorithm given in this paper is also explained by means of a numerical example.