Stochastic customer order scheduling to maximize throughput

This study considers a stochastic customer order scheduling problem to maximize throughput. Customer orders arrive at the server station dynamically. Each order consists of multiple product types with random workloads. Two commonly applied production schemes, named Workload Assignment Scheme (WAS) and Server Assignment Scheme (SAS) are considered. The objective is to determine the optimal assignments that maximize the long-run stable throughput. The optimization problems under both production schemes are formulated as corresponding mathematical programmes. The adequacy of the programmes is validated through fluid limit model analysis. The two programmes are proved to share the same optimal objective value and their optimal assignments can be transformed into each other. The two production schemes are further shown to be equivalent with regard to processing time allocation.