Multi-objective optimisation of a logistics area in the context of factory layout planning

Abstract

The manufacturing factory layout planning process is commonly supported by the use of digital tools, enabling creation and testing of potential layouts before being realised in the real world. The process relies on engineers’ experience and inputs from several cross-disciplinary functions, meaning that it is subjective, iterative and prone to errors and delays. To address this issue, new tools and methods are needed to make the planning process more objective, efficient and able to consider multiple objectives simultaneously. This work suggests and demonstrates a simulation-based multi-objective optimisation approach that assists the generation and assessment of factory layout proposals, where objectives and constraints related to safety regulations, workers’ well-being and walking distance are considered simultaneously. The paper illustrates how layout planning for a logistics area can become a cross-disciplinary and transparent activity, while being automated to a higher degree, providing objective results to facilitate informed decision-making.