Shuffled frog leaping algorithm approach to employee timetabling and job shop scheduling

In manufacturing systems, generally employee timetabling and job shop scheduling is considered to be too hard and complex. To achieve an integrated manufacturing environment, the integration of employee timetabling and job shop scheduling is essential. It is a process of assigning employees into work slots in a pattern according to the hierarchy level of the employee, job allotment, individual preferences and knowledge skills. This paper proposes a framework model for integration between the two production functions with an objective of minimising labour costs based on employee availability constraint. At first, it provides a common time representation for employee timetabling and scheduling. Then, it provides the application of shuffled frog leaping algorithm used to find an optimum production schedule. An industrial case study also has been analysed for generation of employee timetabling and master production schedule. The result shows that the proposed system is unique for its features such as automatically constructing job sequence and employee work load.