Scheduling the Block Painting Process in Shipbuilding with Group Completion Constraints

This study addresses a block-scheduling problem in shipyard painting processes by incorporating detour-path constraints and group completion-time requirements. A truncated branch-and-bound (B&B) algorithm guided by simulated annealing (SA) is proposed. In the methodology, SA is first used to rapidly identify a high-quality initial solution, which is then refined through the B&B procedure. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by comparing its solution quality and computation time with those obtained from a MILP model. Furthermore, a case study based on a Korean shipyard is conducted to validate the robustness of the algorithm. By incorporating practical operational factors observed in real shipyards, this study provides a foundation for developing automated scheduling systems for shipyard painting operations.