Multi-objective sequencing with sequence dependent setup times

This research applied simulated annealing to minimize a weighted sum of tardiness and setup times on a single processor with sequence dependent setup times. The algorithm retains the best incumbent solution so that the best known solution is always readily available should there be a need to terminate the simulated annealing process prematurely or unexpectedly. The results show that the quality of the solutions developed might be acceptably good for both the single objective and multiple objective formulations. The results of this research suggest that simulated annealing holds promise as a viable solution technique for the type of scheduling problems considered. By making it possible to jointly consider multiple objectives, simulated annealing offers a promising alternative to solve scheduling problems where setup times are sequence dependent. The results of this research also suggest ways in which more complex (realistic) job shop environments can be modeled.