Scheduling of automated guidence vehicle in a flowshop

Abstract In this paper, a simple flowshop manufacturing system with an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is considered under the frame of discrete event dynamic system (DEDS). The pseudo-linear DEDS model is established by using max-algebra approach and by determining the scheduling strategy of AGV. The model allows for evaluating dynamic behavior of system under a deterministic and circlic production process. Given any fixed time-consuming of processing activities and routing of AGV, the steady-state running rhythm of system can be determined from eigenvalue of the system, i.e., the average weights of the critical circuit of closed-loop network. Therefore, the assessment of static scheduling strategies of AGV can be made by means of evaluating the performance of manufacturing system.