Scheduling with jobs at fixed positions

• Published in: European journal of operational research Vol. 318; no. 2; pp. 388 - 397
• Main Author: Jaehn, Florian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 16-10-2024
• Subjects: Maintenance scheduling; polynomial-time algorithms; Maintenance scheduling; polynomial-time algorithms
• ISSN: 0377-2217; 1872-6860
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2024.05.029

In this paper, we study classical single machine scheduling problems with the additional constraint that a set of special jobs must be scheduled at certain positions in the job sequence. In other words, a special job must start when a certain number of jobs have finished on the machine. We analyze several classical objective functions for this more general setting with the additional constraint of fixed positioned jobs. We show that for some of them they are still polynomially solvable. Then, we focus on the objective of minimizing the number of tardy jobs. Considering the case of just one special job, this allows for a polynomial-time algorithm.
•A practical constraint that fixes certain jobs in the job sequence is introduced to classical scheduling problems.•The analyzed models can be motivated by maintenance scheduling.•The complexity of several one-machine problems with this constraint is analyzed.•Polynomial-time algorithms are presented for some scenarios.