An efficient approach to reduce search space of capacity planning for PWB assembly system: random demand

Abstract

A model of production assignment (PA) planning and equipment changeover scheduling (ECSP) for printed wiring board (PWB) assembly systems at the aggregate level is developed. In the described model, three kinds of equipment changeover methods, i.e. adding machine, removing machine and transferring machine, are involved. Since the ECSP model is a large-scale integer-programming problem, two approximate solution approaches for single period problem are described, which will provide a search space for finding a solution to the multiple-period problem. Computational experiments confirm the conclusions.