Title: Multi-objective optimisation of automated guided dispatching and vehicle routing system

Authors: Hsiao-Fan Wang; Ching-Hsiang Chan

Addresses: Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, National TsingHua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan ' Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, National TsingHua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan

Abstract: The automated guided vehicle (AGV) system has been widely adopted in industrial automation for the purpose of transporting semi-manufactured goods, components or products across workstations to facilitate production processes in an unmanned factory. The planned routes of AGVs that coordinate workstations in a warehouse serve a critical function in the successful implementation of production processes and in enhancing system performance. Therefore, a mathematical model in the form of multi-objective integer programming model is developed to obtain the optimal number of vehicles that will follow the most effective routes for the pick-up and delivery of multiple products or components along the production flow, which will minimise energy consumption and operational cost. Finally, an illustrative example is presented to verify the proposed model.

Keywords: automated guided vehicles; AGVs; pickup and delivery; multiple products; multi-objective optimisation; AGV dispatching; vehicle routing; energy minimisation; AGV routing; mathematical modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMOM.2014.063585

International Journal of Modelling in Operations Management, 2014 Vol.4 No.1/2, pp.35 - 62

Received: 25 Feb 2014
Accepted: 21 Apr 2014
Published online: 30 Jul 2014 *

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