Modelling and solving algorithm for two-stage scheduling of construction component manufacturing with machining and welding process

This paper focuses on a two-stage machining and welding scheduling problem based on an investigation at a structural metal manufacturing plant, aiming to minimise the total makespan. Several parts processed at Stage one according to classical job-shop scheduling are grouped into a single construction component at the second welding stage. Fabrication of the construction component cannot begin until all comprising parts have been completed at Stage one. This paper establishes a novel mathematic model to minimise the total makespan by mainly considering the dominance relationship between the construction component and the corresponding parts. In order to solve this two-stage problem, we propose an improved harmony search algorithm. A local search method is applied to the best vector at each iteration, so that a more optimal vector can be subsequently realised. The average value, minimum value, relative percentage deviation and standard deviation are discussed in the experimental section, and the proposed lo...