AN EXPERT SCHEDULING SYSTEM FOR MATERIAL HANDLING HOISTS

A new approach is introduced to the scheduling of hoists on an automated electroplating line. The problem is seen as one of making a sequence of hoist movement decisions in a slowly changing environment. Prior to making any one of these decisions, a knowledge base is consulted to identify the best decision rules for the current system state. This rule is then used to make detailed hoist movement decisions. Simulation experiments were used to identify good rules for different conditions. The resulting information was then used to build the knowledge base. The effectiveness of the resulting system was evaluated using simulation experiments involving real time considerations such as changing work loads and breakdowns. The proposed procedure always performed at least as well as the best of the individual rules in its rule base, and, on the average, a 10% increase in throughput was observed.