Title: Simultaneous optimisation of cell loading and transportation method selection decisions

Authors: Gürsel A. Süer; Can Çelikbilek; Melih Altun

Addresses: Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA ' Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA ' Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

Abstract: This paper presents a new mathematical model and a new genetic algorithms (GA) approach for simultaneous optimisation of manufacturing scheduling and transportation mode selection in a supply chain environment. Cell loading and due date selection mathematical model and a corresponding GA for the mathematical model were developed in order to assign products to cells, determine product sequence and identify the best transportation method for each product to maximise the total net profit. The GA was developed specifically for solving cell loading and due date selection problem. GA attained very good results when compared to optimal solutions. The mathematical model could solve problems up to 80 jobs, three cells and three alternative manufacturing due dates relatively fast. However, the execution time grows significantly for the problems with 110 or more jobs with three cells and three alternative due dates. Therefore, GA is proposed as the main solution method for large-size problems.

Keywords: cellular manufacturing; genetic algorithms; manufacturing scheduling; alternative transport methods; alternative due dates; integer programming; manufacturing cells; optimisation; cell loading; transport selection; mathematical modelling; supply chain management; SCM; due date selection; product sequences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPSCM.2015.073777

International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling, 2015 Vol.7 No.4, pp.382 - 408

Accepted: 07 Sep 2014
Published online: 22 Dec 2015 *

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