Batch Splitting Activity in Scheduling of Virtual Cell with Capacity Constraints Based on Bi-Level Mathematical Model

Abstract

Although there has been some researches about virtual cell manufacturing system, the existing literature lack of discussion about the scheduling model that considering with bottleneck machines in the virtual cells. In view of this deficiency and the new characteristics of the batch splitting problem, this paper considered the batch splitting (or lot splitting) problem in scheduling of virtual manufacturing cells with bottlenecks and multiple machine types, and each of which has several identical machines. In consideration of the hierarchical decision structure of the problem, we developed a bi-level multi-objective mathematical model. Scheduling results and batch splitting strategies of both bottleneck and non-bottleneck machines are given in separate decision levels and additional scheduling objectives are improved in the second model level, while maintaining the maximum use of the bottleneck machine ability. In order to demonstrate how this approach works, application example was shown in this paper.