Solutions to a modified tool loading problem for a single FMM

Abstract

Due to the common experience of changing production requirements, many flexible manufacturing machines (FMM) must be used to produce parts requiring more tools than the tool magazine can hold. Tool changes must then be made during jobs as well as between jobs. Many previously developed solutions to the tool loading problem are not capable of obtaining optimal schedules in this modified problem. This is remedied through a unique solution involving job splitting that provides better solutions to a generalized tool loading problem than previously obtained. By additionally allowing concurrent job and tool changing, a new optimal tooling policy is obtained that is useful either with previously developed job scheduling heuristics, or the algorithm presented in this paper.