Collaborative distribution in the soft time window of agricultural-means supply chain based on simulated annealing-genetic algorithm

Abstract

This paper mainly explores the collaborative distribution to multiple customers at the terminal of agricultural-means supply chain (AMSC). Firstly, a cost optimization model for collaborative distribution constrained by time window was constructed based on fuzzy appointment time function. Next, the proposed model was solved by simulated annealing-genetic algorithm (SA-GA). Through a case study, the cost optimization model constrained by customer satisfaction was compared with that not constrained by customer satisfaction. The results show that the cost optimization model constrained by customer satisfaction made the customers more satisfied without greatly elevating the distribution cost. The research results shed new light on the collaborative distribution of time-sensitive agricultural-means (AM) products, and the management of the AMSC.