AN INTEGRATED DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR FMS PRODUCTION PLANNING ANDSCHEDULING PROBLEMS

This paper discusses planning and scheduling problems for efficient us e of an FMS and presents an integrated decision support system for dea ling with these problems. The decision support system, FMSDS (Flexible Manufacturing Systems Decision Support System), includes several modu les: data handling module, part selection module, loading module, load adjusting module, scheduling module and simulation module. This paper suggests the solution methodology of each subproblem. Also, an integr ated interface scheme between the subproblems is presented. The interf ace scheme considers the relationships between the subproblems and gen erates solutions using hierarchical and looping approaches. FMSDS is m ade up of six alternative models considering three loading objectives and two production order processing strategies. Performance comparison among the six alternatives is shown using the non-terminating simulat ion techniques.