Abstract
An optimum schedule for single-gripper gantry robots serving tightly coupled automated serial production lines with deterministic workstation process times is developed. The schedule's performance in an engine block manufacturing line is measured and compared with pull and push rules. The optimum schedule is developed by analyzing the cycle time formula for two and three-workstation production lines and then by extending the result for the problem of scheduling a production line with multiple workstations. Experimental results indicate that the optimal schedule exhibited much higher effectiveness as the number of stations in the zone served by the gantry robot increases. Superiority of the optimum schedule is demonstrated in all experimental scenarios, yet the superiority is slightly lessened as gantry robot speed or workstation downtime increases. Expected superiority of the pull rule over the push rule is also confirmed.
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