Scheduling parallel batch processors with incompatible job families to minimise weighted completion time

Abstract

We consider the static scheduling of jobs to parallel identical batch processors with incompatible job families by minimising the total weighted completion time. This scheduling problem is applicable in many practical systems such as burn-in operations and wafer fabrication in semiconductor manufacturing. The scheduling problem is formulated as a mixed integer non-linear program. We develop the solution framework based on decomposition approach for the problems with realistic settings. Two heuristics are proposed based on the proposed decomposition approach and the performance of these heuristics is evaluated in the case of two and three batch processors.