Solving manpower scheduling problem in manufacturing using mixed-integer programming with a two-stage heuristic algorithm

Manpower scheduling problem is one of the key scheduling problems with extensive applications in manufacturing. This paper presents a mixed-integer programming model with a two-stage heuristic algorithm for solving the manpower scheduling problem in the precision engineering industry. Firstly, a mixed-integer programming formulation is developed to model the manpower scheduling problem in this high-mix low-volume manufacturing environment. Secondly, a two-stage heuristic algorithm is proposed where the first stage is deployed to calculate the skill requirements for each shift by considering the jobs, machines, and their production schedule and the second stage is designed to assign operators to the machines by considering the skill set requirements and the operator's expressed preferences. Lastly, the computational results based on problem instances emulating real-world scenarios demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed heuristic.

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