Simulated Annealing with Restart to Job Shop Scheduling Problem Using Upper Bounds

An algorithm of simulated annealing for the job shop scheduling problem is presented. The proposed algorithm restarts with a new value every time the previous algorithm finishes. To begin the process of annealing, the starting point is a randomly generated schedule with the condition that the initial value of the makespan of the schedule does not surpass a previously established upper bound. The experimental results show the importance of using upper bounds in simulated annealing in order to more quickly approach good solutions.