A genetic algorithm for optimizing the MPS of a processing-assembly production line with identical machines

The Master Production Schedule (MPS) is an important production planning stage in MRP II system. In most of production lines with both processing and assembly, there are a lot of restrictions, and according to this fact, few effective methods have been applied in optimizing the MPS for such production lines. In this paper, after analyzing the characteristics of the production line with both assembly and processing, we build a mathematical model, and propose a new production planning method using a genetic algorithm based on constraint satisfaction. The main steps of the algorithm are discussed in detail, and results of the tests are satisfactory.