Using genetic algorithm in two-machine flexible flow-shop scheduling with setup times

Many studies on scheduling problems assume that each machine is used exclusive lyfor one operation and disregard machine setup time. This exploration studies two-machine flow-shop scheduling problems in which both machines are versatile and setup time is considered. First, a modified optimal algorithm for determining the optimal schedule is developed to minimize the makespan of jobs for these problems. Second, a genetic algorithm is used to quickly find near-optimal schedules for large scale problems. Finally,computational experiments are performed to illustrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithms.