Research On Comprehensive Problem-Solving For Path-Planing And Equipment Layout Of Tandem Agv Systems

The subject comes from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC for short) project "Research on Integrated Optimization between Flexible Facility Layout and AGV Path Planning with Loading Constraints"(No.61304206) and the actual needs of enterprises. Facility Layout and materials handling play two important roles in flexible manufacturing system (FMS for short) and get attention and concern of the business community and researchers. Howerver, the study on integrated optimization of them are still relatively few. In this paper, according to flexible manufacturing workshop for the research background, we study the ingegrated optimization of facility layout and AGV path planning. Our goal is to further reduce manufacturing costs and shorten production cycles.This dissertation takes the new flexible plant facility layout commissioned by Xiamen B Company as an engineering background, sponsored by NSFC. We study path planning and facility layout problem in flexible plant, present mathematical model for tandem AGV system and adopt tabu search algorithm to solve the problem. The coupling relationship between them is studied and we give a comprehensive series of methods and procedures for them.This dissertation is roughly composed by four parts:(1) The coupling relationship between path planning and facility layout problem is analyzed. A tandem AGV system is preseted to solve the problem and mathematical model is built to provide solving strategies for load flow and capcity of inner and outer loop.(2) We research and analyze facility layout problems of the flexible plant. Tabu search algorithm is proposed to solve them. Four different size loop layout problem are solved by preseted algorithm and results demonstrate the ability of this algorithm.(3) Path planning problems of tandem AGV system is researched and analyzed. The nearest distance principle is adopted to solve equipment partition. After equipment partition, sequential connection method is proposed to set path planning and the goal is to shorten the total inner loop path distance. In order to solve the transportation of materials between loops, the transfer station is set up for each loop and adopt tabu search algorithm to get the optimal transfer stations for each loop. Then we employ sequential connection method to connect transfer stations, thus forming outer loop. Our goal is to get a shortest outer loop. Finally, an improved method is proposed to obtain a better path planning design scheme. Through data analysis examples, we validate capabilities of the method for solving. (4) We research and analyse coupling relationship between path planning and equipment layout in flexible plant and then a comprehensive solution method is proposed. Tabu search algorithm is used to group equipment and we can get the optimal equipment grouping solution. After grouping, we adopt tabu search algorithm to solve facility layout of each loop and the goal is to reduce the total inner loop load flow. When we assign loops to plant, the loops with the largest flow are placed together to reduce total outer loop flow. Finally, a transportation centre is set up to connect each loop to solve the transportation of materials between loops. Using the new workshop layout of Xiamen B Company as a numerical example, we validate solving ability of the comprehensive solution method.In this paper, we propose a comprehensive solution method to solve AGV path planning and facility layout in flexible plant. We also provide mathematical model and detailed solution method. It is expected that the research would provide theoretical method and technical support for practical AGV path planning and facility layout and be applied to the whole flexible plant.