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Sequencing models
NITRAV J BHAVSAR
DDU, NADIAD
INTRODUCTION 2

• A sequence is the order in which the jobs are

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processed. Sequence problems arise when we are
concerned with situations where there is a choice in
which a number of tasks can be performed. A
sequencing problem could involve:
• Jobs in a manufacturing plant.
• Aircraft waiting for landing and clearance.
• Maintenance scheduling in a factory.
• Programmes to be run on a computer.
• Customers in a bank & so-on.
 Terms used 3
• Job : The jobs or items or customers or orders are the

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primary stimulus for sequencing. There should be a
certain number of jobs say ‘n’ to be processed or
sequenced.
• Number of Machines : A machine is characterized by a
certain processing capability or facilities through which a
job must pass before it is completed in the shop.
• It may not be necessarily a mechanical device. Even human
being assigned jobs may be taken as machines.
• There must be certain number of machines say ‘k’ to be
used for processing the jobs.
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• Processing Time : Every operation requires certain time
at each of machine. If the time is certain then the

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determination of schedule is easy. When the processing
times are uncertain then the schedule is complex.
• Total Elapsed Time : It is the time between starting the
first job and completing the last one.
• Idle time : it is the time the machine remains idle during
the total elapsed time.
• Technological order : different jobs may have different
technological order. It refers to the order in which various
machines are required for completing the jobs e.g.
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M3
START

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M1
FINISH

M2
M4

Where M1, M2, M3, M4 are machines.

Types of sequencing problems
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There can be many types of sequencing problems which are

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as follows:
• Problem with ‘n’ jobs through one machine.
• Problem with ‘n’ jobs through two machines.
• Problem with ‘n’ jobs through three machines.
• Here the objective is to find out the optimum sequence of
the jobs to be processed and starting and finishing time of
various jobs through all the machines.
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 No passing rule: it implies that passing is not allowed i.e. the same order of
jobs is maintained over each machine. If each of the ‘n’ jobs is to be processed
through ‘m’ machines in order of
M1 M2 M3 M4 then this rule will mean that each job will go to machine
M1 first then to M2 and lastly to M4 after M3.
 Static arrival pattern. If all the jobs arrive simultaneously.
 Dynamic arrival pattern. Where the jobs arrive continuously.
 Basic assumptions 8
Following are the basic assumptions underlying a sequencing problem:
• No machine can process more than one job at a time.

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• The processing times on different machines are independent of the order in
which they are processed.
• The time involved in moving a job from one machine to another is negligibly
small.
• Each job once started on a machine is to be performed up to completion on
that machine.
• All machines are of different types.
• All jobs are completely known and are ready for processing.
• A job is processed as soon as possible but only in the order specified.
These assumptions are considered to make the sequencing problem a simple
one otherwise complicacy may arise.
Processing ‘n’ jobs through two machines 9

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• Let there be ‘n’ jobs each of which is to be processed through two
machines say A & B, in the order AB.
• That is each job will go to machine A first and then to B in other words
passing off is not allowed.
• All ‘n’ jobs are to be processed on A without any idle time.
• On the other hand the machine B is subject to its remaining idle at
various stages.
• Let A1, A2………….An & B1, B2……..Bn be the expected processing
time of n jobs on these two machines.
• Step 1. Select the smallest processing time occurring in list
Ai or Bi, if there is a tie select either of the smallest processing 10
time.

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• Step 2. If the smallest time is on machine A, then place it
at first place if it is for the B machine place the corresponding
job at last. Cross off that job.

• Step 3. if there is a tie for minimum time on both the

machines then select machine A first & machine B last and if
there is tie for minimum on machine A (same machine) then
select any one of these jobs first and if there is tie for minimum
on machine B among and select any of these job in the last.

• Step 4. Repeat step 2 & 3 to the reduced set of processing

times obtained by deleting the processing time for both the
machines corresponding to the jobs already assigned.
 • Step 5. Continue the process placing the job next to the last 11
and so on till all jobs have been placed and it is called optimum
sequence.

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• Step 6. after finding the optimum sequence we can find the
followings
i. Total elapsed time = (Total time between starting the first job of
the optimum sequence on machine A and completing the last job
on machine B.)
ii. Idle time in machine A = (Time when the last job in the optimum
sequence is completed on Machine B – Time when the last job in
the optimum sequence is completed on Machine A).
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Ques.: In a factory, there are six jobs to process,
each of which should go to machines A & B in

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the order AB. The processing timings in
minutes are given, determine the optimal
sequencing & total elapsed time.

Jobs 1 2 3 4 5 6
Machine A 7 4 2 5 9 8
Machine B 3 8 6 6 4 1
Solution: 13

Step 1:the least of all the times given in for job 6 in

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machine B. so perform job 6 in the end. It is last in the
sequences. Now delete this job from the given data.
6

Step 2: Of the remaining timings now the minimum is for job

3 on machine A. so do the job 3 first. Now delete this job 3
also.
3 6

Step 3: Now the smallest time is 3 minutes for job first on

machine B. thus perform job 1 at the second last before job 6.

3 1 6
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Step 4: after assigning job 1, we observe that the smallest value
of 4 minutes is shared by job 2 on Machine A and job 5 on

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machine B. so perform job 2 first and job 5 in at the end end, i.e.
job 2 after job 3 and job 5 before job 1.
Step 5: now the only job remaining is job 4 it shall be assigned
the only space left in the sequence. Optimal resultant sequence
of jobs is

3 2 5 1 6

3 2 4 5 1 6
 The total elapsed time T is 15
obtained as under:

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Job Machine A Machine B Idle
Sequenc time for
e MAC MAC IN OUT IN OUT machine
A B B

3 2 6 0 2 2 8 2

2 4 8 2 6 8 16 -

4 5 6 6 11 16 22 -

5 9 4 11 20 22 26 -

1 7 3 20 27 27 30 1

6 8 1 27 35 35 36 5
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Total Idle time for machine A is 1 minute
(36-35)
and for machine B is 2+1+5=8 minutes.
Processing ‘N’ jobs on 3 machines
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Let there be ‘n’ jobs each of which is to processed through three machines say

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A, B & C in the order ABC. No passing off jobs is permitted and actual
processing time in all the three machine is known. The problem again is to find
the optimum sequences which minimizes T (Processing Time)

job Machine A Machine B Machine C

1 A1 B1 C1
2 A2 B2 C2
3 A3 B3 C3
. . . .
. . . .
i Ai Bi Ci
. . . .
. . . .
n An Bn Cn
• No general solution is available at present for such a case.
However previous method given by Johnson can be applied if the 18
following two conditions are satisfied.
• Condition 1:

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The minimum time on machine A≥ maximum time on
machine B.
• Condition 2:
The minimum time on machine C ≥ maximum time on
machine B.

i.e. Find (i) Minimum of Ai (ii) Minimum of Ci (iii) Maximum of Bi

Check (i) Ai ≥Bi and/or (ii)Ci ≥ Bi
If the above two are not satisfied the method fails otherwise we
can proceed.
Method:
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Replace the given problem with an equal problem involving
‘n’ jobs two machines here two machines fictitious say G &

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H and defines the corresponding processing time i.e. Gi &
Hi as follows:
Gi = Ai + Bi, Hi = Bi + Ci
Thus for the job 1: G1 = A1 + B1, H1 = B1 + C1
For the job 2 : G2 = A2 + B2, H2 = B2 + C2
………………………….so on
Now apply the same procedure and find out the optimal
sequence which shall also be optimal for the original
problem.
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Ques.: A machine operator has to perform 3 operations,
Turning, Threading & Knurling on three machines A, B &

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C in the order ABC.
Find the optimum sequences when the time in hours are
given.

Job Turning Ai Threading Bi Knurling Ci

1 3 8 13
2 12 6 14
3 5 4 9
4 2 6 12
5 9 3 8
6 11 1 13
Solution: Min. of Ai = 2 >Max. of Bi= 8 not satisfied.
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Min. of Ci = 8 > Max. of Bi = 8 satisfied.
Since one of the conditions are satisfied, the above

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problem can be converted into ‘n’ jobs, 2 machines.
Two fictitious operations G & H can be written as (in
times)

Job Gi = Ai + Bi Hi = Bi + Ci
1 3 + 8 = 11 8 + 13 = 21
2 12 + 6 = 18 6 + 14 = 20
3 5+4=9 4 + 9 =13
4 2+6=8 6 + 12 = 18
5 9 + 3 = 12 3 + 8 = 11
6 11 + 1 = 12 1 + 13 = 14
• Examining the column Gi &Hi we find the smallest time is 8 of
job 4 on G, thus we assign job 4 first as shown below now delete
4. 22
4

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• The next smallest time is 9 of job 3 on machine G. Hence we
schedule job 3 as next to 4 also delete 3.

4 3
• After assigning 4 & 3, we see that there are equal minimum
values, processing time of 11 minutes under job 1 on G and job 5
on H. According to the rule, job 1 is scheduled next to 3 while
job 5 is assigned last as shown below

4 3 1 5
• Now jobs 2 & 6 are left. The smallest value is 12 for job 6 on 23
machine G so we assign job 6 after 1 and we get the optimum
sequence as

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4 3 1 6 2 5

• Total elapsed time for the original problem

Job Turning Threading Knurling Idle time

In Out In out In Out threading knurling
4 0 2 2 8 8 20 2 8
3 2 7 8 12 20 29 - -
1 7 10 12 20 29 42 - -
6 10 21 21 22 42 55 1 -
2 21 33 33 39 55 69 11 -
5 33 42 42 45 69 77 3 -
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 Thus the minimum elapsed time is 77 minutes
 Idle time for Turning = 35(77-42)
 Idle time for Threading = 2 + 1 + 11 + 3 + 32 =49
 Idle time for Knurling = 8 minutes.