This thesis deals with the „N‟ Jobs and „T‟ Tools, Sequencing and Scheduling Problem in a Flexible Manufacturing System consisting of „M‟ Machining Centers. Each job requires a set of tools for the execution of a sequence of operations. The tools are stored in a Common Tool Magazine that shares with and serves for several machining centers reduces the cost of duplicating tools in each and every machining center. The concern of the thesis is the design and development of algorithm for the generation of active schedules and optimal sequence of jobs that can meet minimum make span schedule for the tool constraint job shop type production system. The thesis addresses three different heuristics namely Priority Dispatching Rule Algorithm, Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing Algorithm. The above algorithms adopt the procedure of Extended Giffler and Thompson Algorithm for active feasible schedules and adopt different techniques for optimal schedule. The performance is compared with regard to makespan criteria and computational time. It is observed that the computational time increases with job size. The proposed methodology is relatively new and can be used for any objective suitable by modifying the fitness parameter corresponding to the desired performance criterion. A package has been developed in C and Visual Basic to generate optimal sequence of jobs and active feasible schedule.

Kewords:  Sequencing, Scheduling, Flexible Manufacturing Cell, Extended Giffler and Thompson Algorithm, Genetic Algorithm.