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Design for Optimally Routing and Scheduling a Tow Train for Just-in-Time Material Supply of Mixed-Model Assembly Lines

Author

Listed:
  • Beixin Xia

    (School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Mingyue Zhang

    (School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Yan Gao

    (School of Communication, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai 201620, China)

  • Jing Yang

    (School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Yunfang Peng

    (School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

Abstract

With the increase in product varieties, the combination of supermarkets and tow trains is being adopted by more automobile manufacturers for part feeding, especially in mixed-flow assembly lines. This paper focuses on the routing, scheduling, and loading problems of a single towed train that transports parts from one supermarket to the workstation buffer in a mixed-flow assembly line and aims to optimize the loading of the tow train, the optimal delivery schedule and route, and the appropriate departure time to minimize shipping and line inventory costs. To enable part feeding in line with the just-in-time (JIT) principle, a new mixed-integer mathematical model from nonlinearity to linearity and a novel artificial immune genetic algorithm-based heuristic are proposed. Both methods can provide reasonable solutions compared by minimizing the route length and inventory level in terms of speed, and the genetic algorithm shows better performance on a large scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Beixin Xia & Mingyue Zhang & Yan Gao & Jing Yang & Yunfang Peng, 2023. "Design for Optimally Routing and Scheduling a Tow Train for Just-in-Time Material Supply of Mixed-Model Assembly Lines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-16, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14567-:d:1255262
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boysen, Nils & Emde, Simon & Hoeck, Michael & Kauderer, Markus, 2015. "Part logistics in the automotive industry: Decision problems, literature review and research agenda," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 242(1), pages 107-120.
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    3. Boysen, Nils & Emde, Simon & Hoeck, Michael & Kauderer, Markus, 2015. "Part logistics in the automotive industry: Decision problems, literature review and research agenda," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 79443, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    4. Masood Fathi & Maria Jesus Alvarez & Farhad Hassani Mehraban & Victoria Rodríguez, 2014. "A Multiobjective Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Part Feeding Problem in Mixed-Model Assembly Lines," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2014, pages 1-12, May.
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