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Scheduling in Robotic Cells: Heuristics and Cell Design

Author

Listed:
  • Hichem Kamoun

    (Faculté des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion de Sfax, Tunisia)

  • Nicholas G. Hall

    (Department of Management Sciences, 2100 New Avenue, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1144)

  • Chelliah Sriskandarajah

    (School of Management, The University of Texas at Dallas, 2601 N. Floyd Road, Richardson, Texas 75083-0688)

Abstract

This paper considers scheduling problems arising in robot-served manufacturing cells in which the machines are configured in a flowshop that repetitively produces a family of similar parts. We study the problem of determining the robot move cycle and the part sequence that jointly minimize the average steady-state cycle time required for the repetitive production of a minimal part set, or equivalently maximize the long-run throughput rate. Three earlier related papers provide algorithms, or proofs of intractability, for a variety of cell configurations. We use the intuition developed there to design and test simple heuristic procedures for the part sequencing problem under different robot move cycles in three-machine cells where that problem is intractable. This enables us to develop a heuristic procedure for a general three-machine cell. A methodology for extending this heuristic to four-machine cells is described and tested. Ideas for extension to even larger cells are also discussed. We also describe and test two heuristics for a cell design problem that involves partitioning machines into cells as well as determining the sequence of robot moves and parts. Finally, we provide a list of open research problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Hichem Kamoun & Nicholas G. Hall & Chelliah Sriskandarajah, 1999. "Scheduling in Robotic Cells: Heuristics and Cell Design," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 47(6), pages 821-835, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:47:y:1999:i:6:p:821-835
    DOI: 10.1287/opre.47.6.821
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicholas G. Hall & Chelliah Sriskandarajah, 1996. "A Survey of Machine Scheduling Problems with Blocking and No-Wait in Process," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 44(3), pages 510-525, June.
    2. Hall, Nicholas G. & Kamoun, Hichem & Sriskandarajah, Chelliah, 1998. "Scheduling in robotic cells: Complexity and steady state analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(1), pages 43-65, August.
    3. Nicholas G. Hall & Hichem Kamoun & Chelliah Sriskandarajah, 1997. "Scheduling in Robotic Cells: Classification, Two and Three Machine Cells," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 45(3), pages 421-439, June.
    4. Chelliah Sriskandarajah & Nicholas Hall & Hichem Kamoun, 1998. "Scheduling large robotic cells without buffers," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 76(0), pages 287-321, January.
    5. Tharma Ganesharajah & Nicholas Hall & Chelliah Sriskandarajah, 1998. "Design and operational issues in AGV-served manufacturing systems," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 76(0), pages 109-154, January.
    6. Michel Gendreau & Alain Hertz & Gilbert Laporte, 1992. "New Insertion and Postoptimization Procedures for the Traveling Salesman Problem," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 40(6), pages 1086-1094, December.
    7. Crama, Yves, 1997. "Combinatorial optimization models for production scheduling in automated manufacturing systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 136-153, May.
    8. Yves Crama & Joris van de Klundert, 1997. "Cyclic Scheduling of Identical Parts in a Robotic Cell," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 45(6), pages 952-965, December.
    9. Wilbert E. Wilhelm, 1987. "Complexity of sequencing tasks in assembly cells attended by one or two robots," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(5), pages 721-738, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bagchi, Tapan P. & Gupta, Jatinder N.D. & Sriskandarajah, Chelliah, 2006. "A review of TSP based approaches for flowshop scheduling," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 169(3), pages 816-854, March.
    2. Milind Dawande & Chelliah Sriskandarajah & Suresh Sethi, 2002. "On Throughput Maximization in Constant Travel-Time Robotic Cells," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 4(4), pages 296-312, August.
    3. Neil Geismar, H. & Dawande, Milind & Sriskandarajah, Chelliah, 2005. "Approximation algorithms for k-unit cyclic solutions in robotic cells," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(2), pages 291-309, April.
    4. Milind Dawande & Michael Pinedo & Chelliah Sriskandarajah, 2009. "Multiple Part-Type Production in Robotic Cells: Equivalence of Two Real-World Models," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 210-228, February.
    5. Drobouchevitch, Inna G. & Sethi, Suresh P. & Sriskandarajah, Chelliah, 2006. "Scheduling dual gripper robotic cell: One-unit cycles," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(2), pages 598-631, June.
    6. W Zahrouni & H Kamoun, 2011. "Transforming part-sequencing problems in a robotic cell into a GTSP," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(1), pages 114-123, January.
    7. Drobouchevitch, Inna G. & Neil Geismar, H. & Sriskandarajah, Chelliah, 2010. "Throughput optimization in robotic cells with input and output machine buffers: A comparative study of two key models," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 206(3), pages 623-633, November.
    8. Xin Li & Richard Y. K. Fung, 2016. "Optimal K-unit cycle scheduling of two-cluster tools with residency constraints and general robot moving times," Journal of Scheduling, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 165-176, April.
    9. Chelliah Sriskandarajah & Inna Drobouchevitch & Suresh P. Sethi & Ramaswamy Chandrasekaran, 2004. "Scheduling Multiple Parts in a Robotic Cell Served by a Dual-Gripper Robot," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 52(1), pages 65-82, February.

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