Event-driven Generation of Periodic Hoist Schedules

A combined event-and plan-driven scheduling algorithm for cyclic flow shops is presented. It centres around a special shortest-interval-priority rule and the event horizon. The search process is modelled as a discrete event oscillator which settles on a stationary solution after a short transient time. The solution dynamics are made visible on a Gantt chart. The optimality of the method has been verified through a well known scheduling benchmark. The presented method is advantageous over most other approaches as it enables nonstationary schedules.