Scheduling: Control-Based Theory and Polynomial-Time Algorithms

This text presents an attempt to systematically collect, classify and solve various scheduling problems which could not be solved solely by combinatorics and mathematical programming. Although control and combinatorics are generally regarded as belonging to totally different areas of research and application, this book suggests a methodology for integrating them in a unique solution approach which draws upon the advantages of both mathematical tools. In this book, the reader will find a great number of fast, easy-to-implement algorithms for various production environments. It is aimed at final-year undergraduates as well as Master and PhD students, primarily in operations research, management, industrial engineering and control systems. The book is also useful for practising engineers interested in planning, scheduling, and optimization methods. Since the book addresses the theory and design of computer-based scheduling algorithms, applied mathematicians and computer software specialists engaged in developing scheduling software for industrial engineering and management problems will find that the methods developed in the book can be embedded very efficiently in large applications.