A hybrid ant colony optimization method for scheduling batch processing machine in the semiconductor manufacturing

This paper proposes a hybrid ACO approach to minimize weighted tardiness for a batch-processing machine in diffusion area with incompatible jobs and dynamic arrival time. The method combines ACO algorithm and NACH (Next Arrival Control Heuristic) method, and also puts the batching and scheduling process together. The proposed method is validated and verified by extensive simulation experiments. The simulation results show that the proposed method is superior to the MCR (minimum cost rate) rule with smaller TWT.