Reference model of milk-run traffic systems prototyping

Abstract

A declarative model is developed in this study. It allows us to formulate a constraint satisfaction problem that supports making decisions in the process of seeking a periodic distribution policy with a plan of whom to serve, how much to deliver, by which fleet of logistic trains travelling regularly, and on which routes. Implemented through a constrained, programming-driven solver, it allows for the formulation of forward and reverse milk-run vehicle routing and scheduling problems, subject to the constraints imposed by an in-plant distribution network. Consequently, it can be used to determine the number of transport trips and their organisation in time and space needed for the timely delivery of material to specific loading/unloading points. In this context, the proposed model meets the needs of an interactive search for solutions by the alternate and iterative formulation of successive forward and reverse decision problems.

Keywords:

• milk-run method
• fleet routing and scheduling
• decision support system

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).