The Scheduling of Single Machine Systems: A Review∗

SUMMARY With the increase in automation, production facilities tend to a system which is, or is predominated by, a single (usually massive and complex) piece of equipment. This single unit or machine is in many cases not so specialized as to produce only a single end product; with changes in setup it can produce similar, yet different, end products. The sequence in which the single machine is scheduled to produce the various end products can drastically affect its operational performance. The purpose of this review is to organize and appraise the various approaches to this scheduling function.