Specially structured n × 2 flow shop scheduling problem with jobs in a string of disjoint job blocks including transportation time

This paper provides a simple heuristic algorithm to minimize utilization time for specially structured n-job and 2-machine flow shop scheduling problem with jobs in a string of disjoint job blocks in which the processing times are associated with probabilities including transportation time. Usually in machine scheduling models it is assumed that the jobs are delivered instantaneously from one point to another without taking into account the transportation time involved therein. In this paper we study machine scheduling problems having jobs in a string of disjoint job blocks and by taking into account the explicit transportation considerations. Also, the processing times are not random but bear well defined relationship to one another. In flow shop scheduling the emphasis is on minimization of idle time/elapsed time but minimization of elapsed time may not always lead to minimization of utilization time. Here, the objective is to find an algorithm to minimize the utilization time of machines. The proposed algorithm is validated with the help of a numerical example.