Single and multi-row layout design for flexible manufacturing systems

In this paper, machines are allocated in horizontal rows along sides of an automated guided vehicle path so that the total cost of material transportation between machines is optimised. The problems of locating machines in single, double and multi-row layouts are addressed. Different layout arrangements as well as random permutations of machines are obtained using a simple construction algorithm, then the search for optimal solution and the best machine arrangements is obtained by implementing both Ant Colony and Simulated Annealing algorithms. Computational test examples show that the proposed method provides the best-known solutions for the single-row and double-row layout problems. Furthermore, experimental results demonstrate that both algorithms provide identical solutions for the single and multi-row layout problems.