Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A comprehensive solution for continuous casting production planning and scheduling

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Production planning and scheduling in steelmaking-continuous casting (SCC) process consists of decision making about three important issues: consolidating orders into charges, grouping charges into casts, and scheduling the casts on machines. In contrast to earlier investigations that mostly focus on one of these issues, a comprehensive two-phase approach is presented in this paper in order to solve the whole problem. In the first phase, a continuous-time formulation is developed to determine what casts in what sequences should be scheduled on which machines. The solution obtained is then used as an optimal framework to create the final schedule in the second phase where the assignment rules embedded in a heuristic algorithm are used to consolidate orders into charges and group charges into casts. This method has been successfully used for Mobarakeh Steel Company (MSC), the biggest steel enterprise in the Middle East. Computational experiments demonstrate that the proposed method substantially increases the productivity in MSC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tang L, Wang G, Liu J, Liu J (2011) A combination of Lagrangian relaxation and column generation for order batching in steelmaking and continuous casting production. Naval Res Logist (NRL) 58(4):370–388

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Lee HS, Murthy SS, Haider SW, Morse DV (1996) Primary production scheduling at steelmaking industries. IBM J Res Dev 40(2):231–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dawande M, Kalagnanam J, Lee HS, Reddy C, Siegel S, Trumbo M (2004) The slab-design problem in the steel industry. Interfaces 34(3):215–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kalagnanam JR, Dawande MW, Trumbo M, Lee HS (2000) The surplus inventory matching problem in the process industry. Oper Res 48(4):505–516

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Tang L, Wang G, Chen Z-L (2014) Integrated charge batching and casting width selection at Baosteel. Oper Res 62(4):772–787

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Chang SY, Chang M-R, Hong Y (2000) A lot grouping algorithm for a continuous slab caster in an integrated steel mill. Prod Plan Control 11(4):363–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tang L, Wang G (2008) Decision support system for the batching problems of steelmaking and continuous-casting production. Omega 36(6):976–991

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Pacciarelli D, Pranzo M (2004) Production scheduling in a steelmaking-continuous casting plant. Comput Chem Eng 28(12):2823–2835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Atighehchian A, Bijari M, Tarkesh H (2009) A novel hybrid algorithm for scheduling steel-making continuous casting production. Comput Oper Res 36(8):2450–2461

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Bellabdaoui A, Teghem J (2006) A mixed-integer linear programming model for the continuous casting planning. Int J Prod Econ 104(2):260–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Missbauer H, Hauber W, Stadler W (2009) A scheduling system for the steelmaking-continuous casting process. A case study from the steel-making industry. Int J Prod Res 47(15):4147–4172

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Tang L, Zhao Y, Liu J (2014) An improved differential evolution algorithm for practical dynamic scheduling in steelmaking-continuous casting production. 18:209-225

  13. Ouelhadj D, Cowling PI, Petrovic S (2003) Utility and stability measures for agent-based dynamic scheduling of steel continuous casting. In: Robotics and automation. Proceedings. ICRA'03. IEEE International Conference on, 2003. IEEE, pp 175-180

  14. Tang L, Wang X, Liu J (2008) Color-coating production scheduling for coils in inventory in steel industry. Automation Science and Engineering, IEEE Transactions on 5 (3):544-549

  15. Cowling P (2003) A flexible decision support system for steel hot rolling mill scheduling. Comput Ind Eng 45(2):307–321

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. Lopez L, Carter MW, Gendreau M (1998) The hot strip mill production scheduling problem: a tabu search approach. Eur J Oper Res 106(2):317–335

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. Höhn W, König FG, Möhring RH, Lübbecke ME (2011) Integrated sequencing and scheduling in coil coating. Manag Sci 57(4):647–666

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  18. Ebadi A, Moslehi G (2012) Mathematical models for preemptive shop scheduling problems. Comput Oper Res 39(7):1605–1614

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Ganesan T, Elamvazuthi I, Shaari KZK, Vasant P (2013) An algorithmic framework for multiobjective optimization. Sci World J 2013

  20. Ganesan T, Elamvazuthi I, Shaari KZK, Vasant P (2013) Multiobjective optimization of green sand mould system using chaotic differential evolution. Paper presented at the Transactions on Computational Science XXI

  21. Ganesan T, Elamvazuthi I, Shaari KZK, Vasant P (2013) Swarm intelligence and gravitational search algorithm for multi-objective optimization of synthesis gas production. Appl Energy 103:368–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ganesan T, Elamvazuthi I, Shaari KZK, Vasant P (2014) Multiobjective optimization of bioethanol production via hydrolysis using hopfield-enhanced differential evolution. Contemporary advancements in information technology development in dynamic environments:340-359

  23. Ganesan T, Elamvazuthi I, Zilati Ku Shaari K, Vasant P (2014) Hopfield differential evolution for multi-objective optimization of a cement-bonded sand mould system. Int J Manag Sci Eng Manag 9(1):40–47

    Google Scholar 

  24. Jiménez F, Sánchez G, Vasant P (2013) A multi-objective evolutionary approach for fuzzy optimization in production planning. J Intell Fuzzy Syst 25(2):441–455

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  25. Baptiste P, Le Pape C, Nuijten W (2001) Constraint-based scheduling: applying constraint programming to scheduling problems, vol 39. Springer

  26. Pinedo ML (2012) Scheduling: theory, algorithms, and systems. Springer Science & Business Media, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  27. Elamvazuthi I, Vasant P, Ganesan T (2013) Hybrid optimization techniques for optimization in a fuzzy environment. Intell Syst Ref Libr 38:1025–1046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Vasant P (2013) Hybrid mesh adaptive direct search genetic algorithms and line search approaches for fuzzy optimization problems in production planning. Intell Syst Ref Libr 38:779–799

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Vasant P (2014) Hybrid line search and simulated annealing for production planning system in industrial engineering. Int J Manuf Mater Mech Eng (IJMMME) 4(2):1–13

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Yadollahpour & Behrooz ArbabShirani

Authors
  1. Mohammad Reza Yadollahpour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Behrooz ArbabShirani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Reza Yadollahpour.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yadollahpour, M.R., ArbabShirani, B. A comprehensive solution for continuous casting production planning and scheduling. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 82, 211–226 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-7314-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-7314-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation