Fast and effective algorithms for the liquid crystal display module (LCM) scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup time

• Published in: The Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 60; no. 7; pp. 921 - 933
• Main Authors: Chung, S H, Pearn, W L, Tai, Y T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis 01.07.2009; Palgrave Macmillan; Palgrave Macmillan UK; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Automation; Business and Management; Case-Oriented Paper; Case-Oriented Papers; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Factories; Hardware; Heuristic; Heuristics; Input-output equipment; Inventory control, production control. Distribution; Investigations; LCDs; Liquid crystal displays; Logistics; Lower of cost or market principle; Machinery; Management; Manufacturing; Mathematical programming; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Operations research; Operations Research/Decision Theory; parallel machines scheduling; Printed circuit boards; Problem solving; profit; Profits; Ratios; Routing; Scheduling; Scheduling, sequencing; sequence dependence setup time; Studies; Thin films; Time dependence; Workloads; parallel machines scheduling; profit; sequence dependence setup time; Covering problem; Vehicle routing problem; Parallel machines; Routing; Coverage; Scheduling; Experimental study; Due date; Optimization; Case study; Manufacturing industries; Time dependence; Production management; Time window; Setup time; Profit; Liquid crystal devices; Fast algorithm; Contract
• ISSN: 0160-5682; 1476-9360
• DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602604

The liquid crystal display module scheduling problem (LCMSP) is a variation of the classical parallel machines scheduling problem, which has many real-world applications, particular, in the thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) manufacturing industry. In this paper, we present a case study on the LCMSP, which is taken from a final liquid crystal display module (LCM) shop floor in a TFT-LCD industry. For the case we investigated, the jobs are clustered by their product types and the machine setup time is sequentially dependent on the product types of the jobs processed on the machine. In LCMSP, the objective is to maximize the total profit subject to fulfilling contracted quantities without violating the due date and machine capacity restrictions. The LCMSP can be modelled as a multi-level optimization problem. The sub-problem of LCMSP can be transformed into the vehicle routing problem with time window (VRPTW). One can therefore solve the LCMSP efficiently using existing VRPTW algorithms. We present two new algorithms based on the savings algorithms with some modifications to accommodate the LCMSP. Based on the characteristics of the LCM process, a set of test problems is generated covering most of the real-world applications for test purposes. Computational results and performance comparisons show that the proposed algorithms solved the LCMSP efficiently and near-optimally.