A Knowledge-Based Decision-Making Framework for the Design of Manufacturing Networks for Custom-Made Products

摘要

Efficient design of manufacturing networks is paramount for a sustainable growth. The establishment of mass customization and the transition to personalization complicates design activities and leads to vast amounts of un-exploited data. This research work aims to exploit existing knowledge for enhancing decision-making during the initial manufacturing networks design, which carry out custom orders of industrial equipment. A method developed into software is proposed, comprising a Genetic Algorithm with knowledge-enriched operators and an intelligent initialization algorithm that exploits existing planning knowledge. The validation of the method is performed using data from a high-precision mold-making manufacturer and its network of first-tier suppliers.