A New Heuristic Algorithm for Sequence-Dependent Setup Problems

Summary

In a real manufacturing environment, different parts usually need to be processed using a single resource. Whenever a different part is introduced to a resource a new setup is needed, and this setup includes tool change costs. In most realistic problems the setup costs depend on the type of job just completed as well as on the job to be processed. In general, this problem can be likened to the “travelling salesman problem” that has been described in the literature. In this paper a new heuristic approach is introduced to be used whenever the cost of implementing an optimum seeking method is prohibitive. This method does not guarantee an optimum solution for all problems, but the importance lies in its ability to generate a very good solution, both rapidly and easily.