Abstract
This paper proposes an optimal scheduling algorithm for minimizing the actual mean flow time, which is a new performance measure for the scheduling model under the Just-In-Time production environments. It is shown that LPT schedule is the optimal solution for the proposed measure for the case of one machine scheduling with a common due date and independent setup times. Then, an optimal algorithm for the case with dependent setup times is developed on the basis of a Branch and Bound method adopted in the active new node search procedure. Some computational experiences show the usefulness and some characteristics of the algorithm which is coded in C-language through a 16-bit microcomputer.
