A simulation approach for cellular manufacturing design from initial cell formation solutions

Abstract

The first step in the design of a cellular manufacturing (CM) system is the cell formation (CF) problem. A large number of CF techniques have been developed through the years. Unfortunately, the majority of these techniques consider only a single objective in identifying cells which could make the final configuration unsuitable for implementation. The proposed approach is designed to be used after the CF process is completed, regardless of the method taken from literature to create an initial CF solution. It carried out in two phases. In the first phase, a simulation-based methodology is applied for sizing each manufacturing cell machines. In the second phase, the same simulation model is used to deal with each exceptional element (EE) in order to create better cell configurations. The objective is to analyse and to compare the cost associated with alternative actions for the removal of the EE. The process is fully demonstrated thought a numerical example. (Received 4 July 2011; Revised 12 December 2011; Accepted 3 March 2012)