An Evolutionary Hybrid Algorithm for Layout Planning in Flexible Manufacturing System

Abstract:

The layout of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) involves distributing different resources for achieving maximum efficiency. To provide a variety of products to customers the FMS has created a significant set of operational changes. Among this, layout planning is more important in achieving productivity of FMS. The problem of this type is combinatorial in nature and found to be Non-deterministic Polynomial (NP) complete. This paper focuses the loop layout planning of an FMS with the aim of minimizing the transportation distance and the backtracking distances of the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) using the hybrid Scatter Search - Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (SS-PSO). Since the Loop layout has relatively low initial costs and contains few material handling links with higher flexibility. SS-PSO operates on unifying principles based on strategic designs compared to other metaheuristic algorithms such as GA, PSO etc. Hybrid SS-PSO approach is applied to seven and nine machines loop layout problem. It is found that the proposed algorithm provides a better solution with fast convergence rate compared with other metaheuristic algorithms.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 984-985)
• Pages: 444-451
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.984-985.444
• Online since: July 2014
• Authors: M. Krishnan*, T. Karthikeyan, T.R. Chinnusamy, A. Murugesan
• Keywords: Flexible Manufacturing System, Hybrid Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Scatter Search Algorithm

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