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Genetic Algorithm for the Optimization of the Unequal-Area Facility Layout Problem

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Handbook on Decision Making

Part of the book series: Intelligent Systems Reference Library ((ISRL,volume 226))

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Abstract

The facility layout problem is one of the most important and complex problems in operations management. When the area requirements of departments are different, the problem is known as the unequal-area facility layout problem (UAFLP) and consists of locating a given number of departments within a facility plan, to minimize the total material handling cost, which is the most addressed criteria for the facility layout problems. In this chapter, a genetic algorithm (GA) is presented for solving the UAFLP for the case of a sportswear company. The genetic algorithm uses a two-part chromosome and the flexible bay structure (FBS) to obtain feasible solution alternatives for the facility layout. A set of data instances and parameters are used to validate and tune the genetic algorithm, respectively. The GA is applied to a garment production company showing that the genetic algorithm generates feasible and efficient layout alternatives for the case study.

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Acknowledgements

This chapter is a product of a master’s degree project named “Modelo para la programación de la producción en enfoques de celdas de manufactura, integrando el diseño de plantas esbeltas, para el caso del sector de la confección de prendas de vestir”, which was supported by the Government of Norte de Santander and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia, MINCIENCIAS (previously known as COLCIENCIAS) through the call number 753: “Convocatoria para la Formación de Capital Humano de Alto Nivel para el Departamento de Norte de Santander – 2016”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundación Universitaria CEIPA, Sabaneta, Colombia

    Julián Andrés Zapata-Cortés

  2. Facultad de Minas, Grupo de Investigación GICO –Logística Industrial Organizacional, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia

    Martín Darío Arango-Serna & Sebastian Cáceres-Gelvez

  3. Facultad de Ingenierías, Universidad de Santander, Grupo de Investigación Eureka UDES, Cúcuta, Colombia

    Sebastian Cáceres-Gelvez

Authors
  1. Julián Andrés Zapata-Cortés
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  2. Martín Darío Arango-Serna
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  3. Sebastian Cáceres-Gelvez
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Correspondence to Julián Andrés Zapata-Cortés .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fundación Universitaria CEIPA, Sabaneta, Colombia

    Julian Andres Zapata-Cortes

  2. Division of Research and Postgraduate Studies, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ I. T. Orizaba, Orizaba, Mexico

    Cuauhtémoc Sánchez-Ramírez

  3. Division of Research and Postgraduate Studies, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ I. T. Orizaba, Orizaba, Mexico

    Giner Alor-Hernández

  4. Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

    Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz

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Zapata-Cortés, J.A., Arango-Serna, M.D., Cáceres-Gelvez, S. (2023). Genetic Algorithm for the Optimization of the Unequal-Area Facility Layout Problem. In: Zapata-Cortes, J.A., Sánchez-Ramírez, C., Alor-Hernández, G., García-Alcaraz, J.L. (eds) Handbook on Decision Making. Intelligent Systems Reference Library, vol 226. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08246-7_17

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