Dual-rail–guided vehicle scheduling in an automated storage and retrieval system with loading and collision-avoidance constraints. Issue 8 (28th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Changpu; Zhou, Binghai
• Is Part Of: Engineering computations. Volume 38:Issue 8(2021)
• Page Start: 3290
• Page End: 3324
• Publication Date: 2021-05-28
• Subjects: Warehousing -- AS/RS -- Vehicle routing and scheduling -- Two-sided loading/unloading operations -- Conflict avoidance -- Harmony search -- Numerical modeling -- Performance analysis; Computer-aided engineering -- Periodicals; Computer graphics -- Periodicals; 620.00285
• DOI: 10.1108/EC-11-2019-0517
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-4401

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: The use of multiple-capacity rail-guided vehicles (RGVs) has made automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) optimization more complex. The paper performs dual-RGV scheduling considering loading/unloading and collision-avoidance constraints simultaneously as these issues have only been considered separately in the previous literature. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes a novel model for dual-RGV scheduling with two-sided loading/unloading operations and collision-avoidance constraints. To solve the proposed problem, a hybrid harmony search algorithm (HHSA) is developed. To enhance its performance, a descent-based local search with eight move operators is introduced. Findings: A group of problem instances at different scales are optimized with the proposed algorithm and the results are compared with those of two other high-performance methods. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can efficiently solve realistically sized cases of dual multi-capacity RGV scheduling problems in AS/RSs. Originality/value: For the first time in the research on dual multi-capacity RGV scheduling in an AS/RS, two-sided loading/unloading operations and collision avoidance constraints are simultaneously considered. Furthermore, a mathematical model for minimizing the makespan is developed and the HHSA is developed to determine solutions.