Solving the job sequencing and tool switching problem as a nonlinear least cost Hamiltonian cycle problem

In the Job Sequencing and Tool Switching Problem, a number of part types, each requiring a set of tools, are to be manufactured on a single flexible machine with a capacitated tool magazine. The SSP aims at determining the processing sequence as well as the tools present in the magazine for each part, to minimize the total number of tools switches. In this article, we cast the SSP as a nonlinear least cost Hamiltonian cycle problem. A branch‐and‐cut algorithm is proposed and compared with previous exact procedures. Computational results indicate that the algorithm is able to solve much larger instances than those reported in the literature.