GA-based decision support systems for precast production planning

Appropriate production plans can produce effective resource utilization and minimize waste. However, most precast fabricators currently propose production plans depending on the rule of thumb, resulting in squandered resources and postponed delivery. Computerized scheduling techniques provide more precise outcomes than manual scheduling. The objective of this study is to develop GA-based Decision Support Systems (GA-DSS) to assist production managers in arranging production plans. This research first establishes a flowshop sequencing model based on the current production status by considering the buffer sizes between production stations. A multiple objective genetic algorithm is then applied to search for solutions with minimum makespan and tardiness penalties. The GA-DSS performance is verified using two examples. The results demonstrate that the proposed system can offer appropriate production plans. By taking buffer sizes into consideration more reasonable and feasible production sequences can be achieved.