Optimal process plan selection in networked based manufacturing using game-theoretic approach

Abstract

This paper proposes a scheme for generating optimal process plans for multi jobs in a networked based manufacturing system. Networked manufacturing offers several advantages in the current competitive atmosphere such as reducing short manufacturing cycle time and maintaining the production flexibility, thereby achieving several feasible process plans. An N-person non-co-operative game with complete information is proposed and a mathematical model has been developed to generate the payoff functions. To be part of a game, we divided the game into two sub-games such as games to address sub-game (GASG) and games to solve sub-game (GSSG) which try to interact with each other and achieve the Nash equilibrium (NE). Consequently, a hybrid dynamic-DNA (HD-DNA) based evolutionary algorithm approach has been developed for more effective solutions of the game and also for finding the perfect NE points. The objective of this game is to generate the optimal process plans to minimise the makespan. Finally, three cases having different job complexities are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. The proposed algorithm is validated and results are analysed to benefit the manufacturer.

Keywords:

• networked manufacturing
• Nash equilibrium
• payoff
• makespan
• process planning
• scheduling

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to the Editor and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions on an earlier version of the paper that helped make the paper more informative and easily understandable.