SCHEDULING PERIODIC DELIVERIES TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES

摘要

Production harmonization requires coordination between production and deliveries. In this paper we address the problem of minimizing the number of vehicles needed to make periodic deliveries. It is assumed in the problem that each delivery takes one vehicle for a whole day. We present a mathematical formulation of the problem, propose a Path Relinking metaheuristic to solve it and demonstrate the effectiveness of our solution method through a computational study. We also discuss the relationship between periodic deliveries and just-in-time manufacturing, and their importance in lean supply chains.