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A cost based evaluation of a zones formation algorithm in tandem AGV systems

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Abstract

In tandem AGV systems, the shop floor is partitioned into a group of non-overlapping zones, where each is served by a single dedicated vehicle. In this paper, a two phase algorithm for partitioning tandem AGV systems is proposed. The proposed algorithm serves a number of objectives including minimizing the total handling cost, minimizing the maximum workload in the system and minimizing the number of between-zones trips. The algorithm is equipped with parameters to enable the user to select one of these objectives or to optimize a combination of them. The performance of the algorithm regarding the objective of minimizing the material handling cost is evaluated by experimental design. The experiment is based on comparing the solutions obtained by the proposed algorithm with best solutions obtained by a ‘rationalized exhaustive enumeration’ procedure for a group of randomly generated problems. The analytical results showed that the proposed algorithm obtains an average of 99.53% efficiency, and that none of the considered factors has a main significant effect on the performance of the algorithm in regards to the objective of minimizing the total material handling cost, however, a few of the interaction effects are significant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, American University in Cairo, P.O. Box 2511, Cairo, 11511, Egypt

    M. A. Shalaby

  2. Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

    T. Y. Elmekkawy & S. A. Fahmy

Authors
  1. M. A. Shalaby
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  2. T. Y. Elmekkawy
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  3. S. A. Fahmy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Y. Elmekkawy.

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Shalaby, M.A., Elmekkawy, T.Y. & Fahmy, S.A. A cost based evaluation of a zones formation algorithm in tandem AGV systems. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 31, 175–187 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-005-0163-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-005-0163-1

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