Evolutionary approaches for scheduling a flexible manufacturing system with automated guided vehicles and robots

Chandramouli Anandaraman,Ramaraj Natarajan,Arun Vikram,Madurai Sankar

doi:10.5267/j.ijiec.2012.03.004

Chandramouli Anandaraman, Ramaraj Natarajan + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijiec.2012.03.004

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Abstract

A B S T R A C T This paper addresses the scheduling of machines, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and two robots in a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) formed in three loop layouts, with objectives to minimize the makespan, mean flow time and mean tardiness. The scheduling optimization is carried out using Sheep Flock Heredity Algorithm (SFHA) and Artificial Immune System (AIS) algorithm. AGV is used for carrying jobs between the Load/Unload station and the machines. The robots are used for loading and unloading the jobs in the machines, and also used for transferring jobs between the machines. The algorithms are applied for test problems taken from the literature and the results obtained using the two algorithms are compared. The results indicate that SFHA performs better than AIS for this problem.

Highlights

Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) is a highly automated manufacturing system well suited for the simultaneous production of a wide variety of part types in low to mid volume quantities at a low cost, while maintaining a high quality of the finished products
This paper addresses the scheduling of machines, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and two robots in a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) formed in three loop layouts, with objectives to minimize the makespan, mean flow time and mean tardiness
The results indicate that Sheep Flock Heredity Algorithm (SFHA) performs better than Artificial Immune System (AIS) for this problem

Summary

Introduction

FMS is a highly automated manufacturing system well suited for the simultaneous production of a wide variety of part types in low to mid volume quantities at a low cost, while maintaining a high quality of the finished products. FMS has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional manufacturing system and existing FMS implementations have already demonstrated a number of benefits in terms of cost reductions, increased utilizations, reduced work-in-process levels, etc. Proper scheduling of an FMS is necessary for the efficient utilization of machines and other material handling equipment. In FMS scheduling, decisions that need to be made include sequencing of jobs on machines, and the routing of the jobs through the system. Apart from the machines, other resources in the system such as material handling devices e.g., AGVs, robots must be considered. Effective scheduling reduces the non-productive time spent by the job in the FMS such as travelling time between stations/machines and the waiting time of the jobs

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