Logistics models in flexible manufacturing

An integrated modeling approach that considers the overall production schedule is needed in order to effectively manage different material flows in a flexible manufacturing system (MS), where large amounts of data intervene in the dynamic control and decision making process. This study focuses on the development of an integrated FMS control model that includes essential features, such as routing of simultaneously processed work orders and batch dispatching, as well as dynamic vehicle path determination and conflict-free routing. A logistics-oriented modeling methodology for FMS distributed control design is proposed that provides the capability for rapid development and evaluation of the control policy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. Ail rights reserved.