A genetic algorithm for one-job m-machine flowshop lot streaming with variable sublots

Fantahun M. Defersha and Mingyuan Chen

International Journal of Operational Research, 2011, vol. 10, issue 4, 458-468

Abstract: Lot streaming is a technique used to split the processing of lots (batches) into several sublots (transfer batches) to allow the overlapping of operations in a multistage manufacturing systems thereby shortening the production makespan. In this technique, a production lot may be split into equal, consistent or variable sublots. Recent literature shows that, when production setup time is considered, significant lead time improvement is possible if variable sublots are used. In this research, however, we noted that lot streaming problems with variable sublots are difficult to solve using off shelf optimisation packages even for problems of smaller sizes. Thus, efficient solution procedures are needed for solving such problems. In this paper, we develop a hybrid genetic algorithm for a model that appeared in recent literature for one-job m-machine lot streaming problems with variable sublots and setup. Computational results showed that the performance of the proposed genetic algorithm is encouraging.

Keywords: flow shops; lot streaming; variable sublots; genetic algorithms. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=39713 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijores:v:10:y:2011:i:4:p:458-468

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in International Journal of Operational Research from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sarah Parker ().