An improved algorithm for cyclic flowshop scheduling in a robotic cell

This paper addresses a cyclic robot scheduling problem in an automated manufacturing line in which a single robot is used to move parts from one workstation to another. The objective is to minimize the cycle length. Previously known algorithms are either heuristic or at best polynomial of the fifth degree in the number of machines, m. We derive an exact scheduling algorithm solving the problem in O(m(3) log m) time. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.