Designing multi-product lines: job routing in cellular manufacturing systems

An operation sequence-based method which integrates intra-cell layout cost with cell formation to minimize the total cost of the materials flow and machine investment is developed here for designing a cellular manufacturing system. The method comprises three distinct approaches: part-family formation, cell-formation, and layout configuration. In the first phase, an operation sequence-based similarity coefficient is applied in a p-median model to group the parts to form part families with similar operation sequences. In the second phase, machine assignment to part families is determined where a trade-off between potential inter-cell movement cost due to the bottleneck machine and the potential benefit of assigning bottleneck machines to certain part-family is considered. In the third phase, intra-cell layout is determined for each cell so as to refine the initial layout of the cell further. Numerical examples are employed to demonstrate the mechanism of the procedure throughout all phases. A comparative study is also performed to support the present method.