An evolutionary approach for cellular manufacturing system design

This research employs fuzzy sets theory and genetic algorithm to develop a fuzzy-genetic algorithm, in which three main issues have been completed. The first issue is to employ the concept of fuzzy sets theory in the fuzzification of production capability for advancing the development of the fuzzy-genetic algorithm. The second issue is to establish a grouping method based on the proposed fuzzy-genetic algorithm. This grouping method can be used to handle the production flow analysis data of the part/machine matrix, in order to set up a cellular manufacturing system (CMS). The final issue is to program the model into a system and apply for generating the machine cells and the parts families. In the end of this research, the developed system is employed to a practical high-tech industrial case and obtains a very good suitability result.