A Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Approach to the Dynamic Job Shop Scheduling Problem

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comment:

In this paper authors propose a multi-agent system with reinforcement learning aiming at minimization of tardiness and flow time to improve the dynamic scheduling techniques. In this study, we compare the performance of our multi agent system to the first-in-first-out, shortest processing time and earliest due date dispatching rules 16 in terms of minimization of tardy jobs, mean tardiness, maximum tardiness, mean earliness, maximum earliness, mean flow time, maximum flow time, work in process, and makespan

Below are my concerning questions:

1.      Page 12/20, Eq 9. Should be explained more clearly.

2.      Page 11/20, Eq 7 and Eq 8 should be explained more clearly.

3.      pages 8/20 and 9/20, Eq. 3,4,5 are hard to read its meaning. Is it possible to express more clearly.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper presents a study that proposes a multi-agent system with reinforcement learning for solving the dynamic scheduling problem in a job shop production system. The proposed system aims to minimize tardiness and flow time to improve the dynamic scheduling techniques. The authors compare the performance of their system with three dispatching rules, namely first-in-first-out, shortest processing time, and earliest due date, in terms of several performance criteria. The experimental results show that the proposed multi-agent system outperforms the dispatching rules under heavy workload in terms of proportion of tardy jobs, mean tardiness, maximum tardiness, mean flow time, and maximum flow time.

Overall, the paper presents a well-structured study that addresses an important problem in the manufacturing industry. The proposed approach is innovative and has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of scheduling in job shop production systems. The comparison with existing dispatching rules adds value to the study and demonstrates the superiority of the proposed approach. The use of multiple performance criteria provides a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed approach and allows for a more meaningful comparison with the dispatching rules.

However, there are some limitations to the study that need to be addressed.

1.            The abstract can be presented more briefly. It is important to capture the main points of the study in a clear and concise manner, as it is often the first section that readers will encounter. A well-written abstract can help readers quickly understand the study's purpose, methods, results, and conclusions.

2.            Please avoid bunch citation such as [1-6]. While it may be tempting to cite multiple sources in one bunch, it can make it difficult for readers to determine which sources support specific claims. Instead, it is recommended to cite each source separately or to group them thematically.

3.            Some paragraphs need references to support their claims. Providing references to support claims is important for establishing credibility and demonstrating that the author has conducted thorough research. It is important to ensure that the references used are reputable and up-to-date. Please see "Optimizing the sum of maximum earliness and tardiness of the job shop scheduling problem." Computers & Industrial Engineering 107 (2017): 12-24.

4.            The contribution of the study can be presented more clearly. It is important to clearly state the unique contribution that the study makes to the field of research. This can help readers understand why the study is important and how it advances existing knowledge.

5.            The search strategy used, which includes ResearchGate as a search engine, is not commonly accepted. Instead, the authors could use Web of Science and Scopus as the two main databases for searching relevant studies. These databases are widely used and respected in the academic community and can provide a comprehensive set of sources to draw from.

6.            The reference style should follow the MDPI guidelines. It is important to ensure that the reference style used is consistent and follows the guidelines set out by the journal or publication being submitted to. This can help ensure that the paper is accepted and published.

7.            It is unclear why the dispatching rule has been mentioned in the problem statement section. It is important to ensure that all sections of the paper are relevant to the study and contribute to the overall understanding of the topic.

 

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have addressed all comments. te paper is ready for publication.

Reviewer 3 Report

Thank you for your efforts in improving the manuscript,