A score-based dispatching rule for job shop scheduling

The performance of dispatching rules tends to be state-dependent, and a rule that performs very well under a given set of shop floor conditions may not necessarily perform as well under different conditions. A new composite dispatching rule that scores jobs based on their priorities under five different dispatching rules is proposed. The score-based dispatching rule is evaluated by means of a comparative analysis in three categories of job shop problem and three levels of congestion. The results exhibit a statistically significant improvement in performance over other dispatching rules under elevated levels of shop floor congestion and machine utilization.