This work addresses the minimization of the makespan criterion for the flowshop scheduling problem with blocking. In this environment there are no buffers between successive machines, and therefore intermediate queues of jobs waiting in the system for their next operations are not allowed. We propose a lower bound which exploits the occurrence of blocking. A branch-and-bound algorithm that uses...

This paper reports on computational experiments involving optimal solutions to the flowshop tardiness problem. Of primary interest was a generic approach: solutions were obtained using a spreadsheet-based, mixed-integer programming code. However, the results compare favorably with those from a specially-tailored branch and bound algorithm. The main implication is that hardware and software have...

This paper addresses the minimization of the mean absolute deviation from a common due date in a two-machine flowshop scheduling problem. Initially, a job scheduling algorithm that obtains an optimal schedule for a given job sequence is presented. This algorithm is used with a job insertion procedure to generate a group of heuristics that differ on the initial job sequencing rule. Computational...

This paper presents an approach for finding an optimal schedule of n-jobs and m-machines flowshop scheduling problem involving transportation time between jobs by using neural networks. An algorithm has been given for finding the optimal sequence in scheduling problem without transportation time [2]. Here, this algorithm is applied when transportation times are involved between machines to find...

The strategic pricing decisions of assembly products in assembly products supply chain are studied in this paper. Firstly, a two-stage assembly products supply chain model is developed. By building Nash game model, the Nash equilibrium solution of pricing strategy of supplier and assemblers is obtained. Next, a union decision model is built to analyze the optimal combination pricing strategy of...

Amyloid-β (Aβ) self-assembly into cross-β amyloidfibrils is implicated in a causative role in Alzheimer’s disease pathology.Uncertainties persist regarding the mechanisms of amyloid self assembly and the role of metastable prefibrillar aggregates. Aβ fibrilsfeature a sheet-turn-sheet motif in the constituent β-strands; as such, turn nucleation has been proposed as a rate-limiting step in the se...

Considering the present business competitive scenario, the automotive industry is under pressure to achieve higher productivity. A high level of performance and quality standard could be achieved through improving the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the equipment in an automotive industry. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the performance measurement through OEE theory in a...