Machine Cell Formation Based on a New Similarity Coefficient

One of the designs of cellular manufacturing systems (CMS) requires that a machine population be partitioned into machine cells. Numerous methods are available for clustering machines into machine cells. One method involves using a similarity coefficient. Similarity coefficients between machines are not absolute, and they still need more attention from researchers. Although there are a number of similarity coefficients in the literature, they do not always incorporate the important properties of a similarity coefficient satisfactorily. These important properties include alternative routings, processing time, machine capacity (reliability), machine capability (flexibility), production volume, product demand, and the number of operations done on a machine. The objectives of this paper are to present a review of the literature on similarity coefficients between machines in CMS, to propose a new similarity coefficient between machines incorporating all these important properties of similarity, and to propose a machine cell heuristic approach to group machines into machine cells. An example problem is included and demonstrated in this paper.