OPERATIONS RESEARCH

Chapter 4

Job Sequencing and Replacement

Theory

Prof. Bibhas C. Giri

Department of Mathematics
Jadavpur University
Kolkata, India
Email: bcgiri.jumath@gmail.com
 MODULE - 2: Processing n Jobs through
m Machines, and Processing 2 Jobs
through m Machines - Graphical Method

2.1 III. Processing n Jobs through m Machines

There is no general method available by which we can determine optimal sequences

for problems involving processing of n jobs on m machines. They can be handled only
by enumeration, which is a very lengthy and time-consuming method because a total
of (n!)m different sequences need to be considered in such a case. However, for such a
problem, we have a method applicable if no passing of jobs is permissible, and either
or both the conditions given below are satisfied.
Let there be n jobs, each of which is to be processed through m machines, say,
M1 , M2 , · · · , Mm in the order M1 M2 · · · Mm . The list of jobs with their processing times
is given in the following table:

Processing time Job

on machine 1 2 3 ··· n
M1 t11 t12 t13 ··· t1n
M2 t21 t22 t23 ··· t2n
M3 t31 t32 t33 ··· t3n
.. .. .. .. .. ..
. . . . . .
Mm tm1 tm2 tm3 ··· tmn

An optimal solution to this problem can be obtained, if either or both of the following
conditions hold(s):

2
 (i) min t1j ≥ max tij , for i = 2, 3, · · · , m − 1.

(ii) min tmj ≥ max tij , for i = 2, 3, · · · , m − 1.

Optimal sequence algorithm:

The iterative procedure for determining the optimal sequence for n jobs on m ma-
chines can be summarized as given below:

Step 1: Find min t1j , min tmj and maximum of each of t2j , t3j , · · · , tm−1,j for all j =
1, 2, · · · , n.

Step 2: Check the following conditions:

(a) min t1j ≥ max tij , for i = 2, 3, · · · , m − 1.

(b) min tmj ≥ max tij , for i = 2, 3, · · · , m − 1.

Step 3: If the inequalities in Step 2 are not satisfied, the method fails. Otherwise, go
to next step.

Step 4: Convert the m machine problem into a two-machine problem by introducing

two fictitious machines G and H with processing times such that

tGj = t1j + t2j + · · · + tm−1,j

tHj = t2j + t3j + · · · + tmj

Step 5: Determine the optimal sequence for n jobs and 2 machines equivalent se-
quencing problem with the prescribed order GH in the same way as discussed
earlier. The resulting sequence will be optimum for the given problem.

Note:

1. In addition to conditions given in Step 2, if t1j + t2j + · · · + tm−1,j = c, is a fixed

positive constant for all i = 1, 2, · · · , n, then determine the optimal sequence for
n jobs and two machines M1 and Mm in the order M1 Mm by using the optimal
sequence algorithm.

2. In addition to the conditions given in Step 2, if t1j = tmj and tGj = tHj , for
j = 1, 2, · · · , n, then there will be n! optimal sequences, each of which will yield
minimum total elapsed time.
 3. The above mentioned procedure of solving sequencing problem is not a gen-
eral procedure. The method is applicable only to those sequencing problems in
which the minimum cost (time) of processing the jobs through first and/or last
machine is greater than or equal to the cost of processing the jobs through inter-
mediate machines. They are many industrial operations in which the machines
are set in some order which does not obey this rule.

Example 2.1: Suppose that there are 4 jobs each of which has to go through the ma-
chines Mj , j = 1, 2, · · · , 6 in the order M1 M2 · · · M6 . Processing times (in hours) are given
below:
Machines
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
Job A : 18 8 7 2 10 25
Job B : 17 6 9 6 8 19
Job C : 11 5 8 5 7 15
Job D : 20 4 3 4 8 12

Determine a sequence of these four jobs that minimizes the total elapsed time.

Solution: Here we have min t1j = 11, min t6j = 12, max of t2j , t3j , t4j and t5j are 8, 9, 6
and 10, respectively. Since the conditions min t1j ≥ max tij for i = 2, 3, · · · , m − 1 and
min t6j ≥ max tij for i = 2, 3, · · · , m − 1; j = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are satisfied, we introduce two
fictitious machines G and H whose processing times are given below:

Job : A B C D
Machine G : 45 46 36 39
Machine H : 52 48 40 31

∑5 ∑6
where Gi = j=1 tij and Hi = j=2 tij . Using the optimal sequence algorithm, the fol-
lowing optimal sequence is easily obtained C A B D
The minimum total elapsed time is obtained from the following table:

Job M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out
C 0 11 11 16 16 24 24 29 29 36 36 51
A 11 29 29 37 37 44 44 46 46 56 56 81
B 29 46 46 52 52 61 61 67 67 75 81 100
D 46 66 66 70 70 73 73 77 77 85 100 112
This table shows that the minimum total elapsed time is 112 hours.

Example 2.2: Find an optimal sequence for the following problem of four jobs and
five machines, when passing is not allowed. The processing times (in hours) are given
below:

Machines
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
Job A : 7 5 2 3 9
Job B : 6 6 4 5 10
Job C : 5 4 5 6 8
Job D : 8 3 3 2 6

Also find the total elapsed time.

Solution: Here min t1j = 3, min t5j = 6, max of t2j , t3j and t4j are 6, 5 and 6, respec-
tively. Since the conditions min t5j ≥ max tij for i = 2, 3, 4 is satisfied, we introduce two
fictitious machines G and H whose processing times are given below:

Job : A B C D
Machine G : 17 21 20 16
Machine H : 19 25 23 14

∑4 ∑5
where Gi = j=1 tij and Hi = j=2 tij . Using the optimal sequence algorithm, the fol-
lowing optimal sequence is easily obtained A C B D
The minimum total elapsed time is obtained from the following table:

Job M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out
A 0 7 7 12 12 14 14 17 17 26
C 7 12 12 16 16 21 21 27 27 35
B 12 18 18 24 24 28 28 33 33 45
D 18 26 26 29 29 32 33 35 55 51

This table shows that the minimum total elapsed time is 51 hours. The idle times for
machines M1 , M2 , M3 , M4 and M5 are 25, 33, 37 and 18 hours, respectively.
Example 2.3: Solve the following sequencing problem, giving an optimal solution
when passing is not allowed.

Machines
M1 M2 M3 M4
Job A : 11 4 6 15
Job B : 13 3 7 8
Job C : 9 5 5 13
Job D : 16 2 8 9
Job E : 17 6 4 11

Also find the total elapsed time.

Solution: Here min t1j = 9, min t4j = 8, max of t2j and t3j are 6 and 8, respectively.
Since both the conditions min t1j ≥ max tij for i = 2, 3 and min t4j ≥ max tij for i = 2, 3
are satisfied, therefore the given problem can be converted into a 5 jobs and 2-machine
(G and H) problem.
Further, it may be noted that t2j + t3j = 10 (a fixed constant) for all j (j = 1, 2, · · · , 5).
Thus, the given problem is reduced to a problem of solving 5 jobs through 2 machines
M1 and M4 in the order M1 M4 . This means that machines M2 and M4 will have no
effect on the optimality of the sequence.
The processing times of 5 jobs on machine M1 and M4 are given below:

Job : A B C D E
Machine M1 : 11 13 9 16 17
Machine M4 : 15 8 13 9 11

Using the optimal sequence algorithm, the following optimal sequence is easily ob-
tained C A E D B
The minimum total elapsed time is obtained from the following table:

Job M1 M2 M3 M4
In Out In Out In Out In Out
C 0 9 9 14 14 19 19 32
A 9 20 20 24 24 30 32 47
E 20 37 37 43 43 47 47 58
D 37 53 53 55 55 63 63 72
B 53 66 66 69 69 76 76 84
This table shows that the minimum total elapsed time is 84 hours. The idle times for
machines M1 , M2 , M3 , M4 and M5 are 18, 64, 54 and 28 hours, respectively.

2.2 IV. Processing 2 Jobs through m Machines

This section focuses on the problem of processing 2 jobs through m machines. Prob-
lems under this category can be solved with the help of graphical method. The graphical
method is explained with the help of the following example.

Example 2.4: Two jobs are to be performed on five machines A, B, C, D, and E. Pro-
cessing times are given in the following table:

Machine
Sequence A B C D E
Job 1
Time 3 4 2 6 2
Sequence B C A D E
Job 2
Time 5 4 3 2 6

Solution: The following steps are to be followed to solve the problem graphically:

• Draw two perpendicular lines. Horizontal line represents the processing time
for job 1 while job 2 remains idle, and vertical line represents processing time
for job 2 while job 1 remains idle.

• Mark the processing times of job 1 and job 2 on the horizontal and vertical lines
respectively according to the given order of machines.

• Draw the rectangular blocks by pairing the same machines as shown in the Fig-
ure 2.1.

• Avoiding the rectangular blocks, draw the line starting from origin O to the end
point, moving horizontally, vertically and diagonally along a line which makes
an angle 45o with the horizontal line.

• An optimum path minimizes the idle time for both the jobs. So, it is the path on
which diagonal movement is maximum.

• The elapsed time is obtained by adding the idle time for either job to the pro-
cessing time for that job. For this example, idle time for job 1 is 3+2 =5 hours.
Elapsed time = processing time of job 1 + idle time of job 1 = (3+4+2+6+2)+5 =
 Fig. 2.1: Graph for Example 2.4

17 + 5 = 22 hours. Likewise, idle time for job 2 is 2 hours. Elapsed time = pro-
cessing time of job 2 + idle time of job 2 = (5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 6) + (2) = 20 + 2 = 22
hours.

Example 2.5: Use graphical method to minimize the time needed to process the fol-
lowing jobs on the machines shown below, i.e., for each machine find the job which
should be done first. Also calculate the total time needed to complete both the jobs.

Machine
Sequence A B C D E
Job 1
Time 2 3 4 6 2
Sequence C A D E B
Job 2
Time 4 5 3 2 6

Solution: Similar to previous method, draw the following graph as follows: The op-
timal path is one that minimizes idle time for job 1. Similarly, an optimal path is
one that minimizes idle time time for job 2. Choose such a path on which diagonal
movement is as much as possible.
The elapsed time is obtained by adding the idle time for either of the jobs to the
processing time for that job.
In this problem, the idle time for the chosen path is seen to be 3 hrs. for the job 1,
and zero for the job 2. Thus, the total elapsed time is 17 + 3 = 20 hrs.
Fig. 2.2: Graph for Example 2.5