Analytical Optimization of Supply Chain Operation Planning based on a Multi-Item Cell Manufacturing

Supply chain is known as a network of linked and organized elements to control, manage and improve the flow of material, finance and information within the chain (from supplier to final consumer). Evolving competitive objectives among enterprises leading them to increase competitiveness via improving flexibility and response to customers. This research is to optimize time in a forward, multi-layer, multi- product, and multi-period supply chain. Production time is composed of processes times of all manufacturing cells being investigated in cell manufacturing system. Therefore, a nonlinear integer mathematical program is formulated to minimize the total cycle time and the maximum delay time of the supply chain. Then, numerical instances are solved in GAMS software package by Branch & Bound method. . In the two sizes of the example provided, the behavior of the model was reasonable and in the larger problem size the solution time increased, which can be justified by increasing the branching by increasing the number of time periods, product and item in each layer. In addition, sensitivity analysis was performed on the important parameters of the problem and the behavior change of the objective function based on the parameter changes was investigated. The obtained results can be used in decision-making planning of supply chain operations as a separate layer and also in an integrated manner with flexibility, in the presence of crisis.