Two-stage heuristic algorithms for part input sequencing in flexible manufacturing systems

Abstract

This paper focuses on a part input sequencing problem in flexible manufacturing systems, which is the problem of determining the input sequence of parts released into the system with the objective of minimizing makespan. Unlike cyclic input sequencing methods suggested in most previous research, two-stage heuristic algorithms are developed based on decomposition of the entire problem into input part grouping and sequencing problems. Here, the input part grouping problem is the problem of determining input part groups that are sequentially released into the system, and the sequencing problem is the problem of determining the sequence of parts for each input part group. Performance of the suggested algorithms is tested on randomly generated test problems, and results show that the suggested algorithms perform better than an existing method based on the minimal part set (MPS). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.