Near optimal production scheduling for multi-unit batch process

The determination of a production sequence is an important problem in a batch process operation. In this paper a new algorithm for a near optimal production sequence of N product in an M unit serial multiproduct batch process is proposed. The basic principle is the same as that of Johnson's algorithm for two-unit UIS system. Test results on a number of selected examples exhibit the superiority over previously reported results. In addition, a tabulation technique is presented to calculate the makespan of a given sequence of production for all processing units under UIS mode.