Formation of flexible manufacturing cells with human lifting consideration.

Manufacturing companies are being forced to design and organize their manufacturing operations to survive the competition and to satisfy the customers\u27 needs. Cellular Manufacturing Systems (CMS) have been considered as an important step in achieving these objectives. In this research, mixed integer programming models are developed. The objective of the models is to minimize the total cost function associated with the formation of the manufacturing cells, while considering the human limitation of manual lifting tasks. In addition, the multi period models consider machine relocation and/or manpower level change to balance machine and operator workload throughout the production periods. The models consider machine procurement cost, machine idle time cost, intercellular movements cost, operator cost, operator idle time cost, manual materials lifting risk penalty, machine relocation cost, and operator relocation cost. The mathematical models are, tested using three methods: sequentially using combination of Branch-and-Bound and Heuristic (SegBBH), simultaneously using combination of Branch-and-Bound and Heuristic (SimBBH), and simultaneously using Genetic Algorithm (SimGA). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2002 .L47. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-03, page: 1030. Adviser: Salem M. Taboun. Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003