A hierarchical manufacturing route planner based on heuristic algorithm: design and evaluation

  • Authors:

  • Ali A. Al-Titinchi;Kasim M. Al-Aubidy

  • Affiliations:

  • Etectrical and Computer Engineering Department, Applied Science University, Jordan;Computer and Software Eng. Dept., Philadelphia University, Jordan

  • Venue:
  • Systems Analysis Modelling Simulation - Special issue: Advances in control and computer engineering
  • Year:
  • 2002

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Abstract

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a manufacturing route planner for flexible manufacturing systems. The aim of the planner is to find the optimal manufacturing routes for jobs using well-designed cost functions. This route planner, which is based on heuristic [A*] strategy, has been designed to work under dynamic arrival pattern environment. The proposed algorithm consists of two level; the cell level, which controls the jobs flow between cells, and the machine level which controls the jobs flow between the machines inside the cells selected at first level.The solutions of the route planner are contained in a dynamic knowledge base that passes information to the sequencing and monitoring stage. The suggested model has also the capability to detect and response with suitable alternation for the damaged elements in the manufacturing system. To improve the performance of the planner, the design is organized into distributed programming media using the concurrent features of the modula-2 programming language. Finally, two case studies are considered to illustrate the functionality of the proposed algorithm.