Fuzzy Gupta Scheduling for Flow Shops with More than two Machines

Abstract

In past work the authors demonstrated how fuzzy concepts can easily be used in the Johnson algorithm for managing uncertain scheduling on two-machine flow shops. This article extends these concepts to fuzzy flow shops with more than two machines. A new fuzzy heuristic flow-shop scheduling algorithm (the fuzzy Gupta algorithm) is then designed, as optimal solutions seem unnecessary for uncertain environments. Also, the conventional Gupta algorithm is shown as a special case of the fuzzy Gupta algorithm with special membership functions being assigned.