Optimal production strategy of a robot-served machining centre

This paper proposes an Optimal Production Strategy (OPS) model for a robot-served machining centre to minimise the production cost of a deterministic order quantity under deadline constraint. The operational cost of the machining centre and the part-handling robot, as well as the fixture cost of the whole manufacturing cell and the product holding cost are considered simultaneously into the objective of the OPS model. With the Lagrange Method, the optimal machining time for each cutting tool is then achieved and the cost-related property of the Lagrange Multiplier is also verified. In addition, the computerised cost analysis of a numerical simulation from the MATLAB program is fully discussed, and the cost function of the manufacturing cell with respect to the production deadline is thus derived. Through this study, the project scheduling, production cost estimating, and even the contract negotiating of a deterministic quantity scheduled on a robot-served machining centre can be further accomplished. This paper not only contributes the applicable operational strategy for a robot-served machining centre, but also provides the valuable approach in minimising the production cost for operations engineers in today's manufacturing industry with profound insight.