Single and Multi-row layout design for Flexible Manufacturing Systems using simulated annealing algorithm.

Abstract

Single and multi-row layouts are widely implemented in modern flexible manufacturing systems. Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) provides better performance in moving a long straight paths, for this reason it is normally used to serve these layout configurations. In this paper, machines are allocated in horizontal rows along sides of the automated guided vehicle path so that the total cost of material transportation between machines is optimized. The problem of locating machines in single, double and multi row layouts are addressed. Different layout arrangements as well as random permutations of machines are obtained using a simple construction algorithm, then the search for optimal solution and the best machine arrangements is obtained by implementing the simulated annealing algorithm. Such schemes lead the simulated annealing to handle the machine layout problem as an unconstrained optimization problem. Computational test examples show that the proposed method provides the best known solutions for the single-row and double-row layouts problems. Besides, experimental results demonstrated that the multi-row layout is more effective than single-row layout in terms of transportation cost optimization.