An optimization model for labour limited scheduling under a round robin policy

Abstract

A labour limited scheduling problem for a single server serving N machines under a round robin policy is studied here. The order in which the server visits the different machines is determined so as to maximize job flow rate. We investigate a class of policies termed as {Si; 0} policy. The existence of such a class of policy is shown.. The problem of minimization of average in-process inventory per unit of time or the minimization of mean flow times of jobs through the machines is formulated as a convex programming problem. Various theorems are proved which give us the optimal solution in a closed form. A sample problem is solved using the results developed.