A Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm for Unequal Area Facility Layout Problem Considering Safety and Cost

Abstract

Abstract Facility layout problem is crucial in the design of manufacturing systems across industries due to their significant economic implications and considerable impact on various decision criteria, such as safety considerations in the casting industry. The presence of hazardous equipment like furnaces and melt casting units underscores the necessity of layouts that mitigate safety risks. This study introduces a multi-objective programming model tailored for addressing unequal area layouts, simultaneously optimizing transportation costs and safety risks. The proposed nonlinear model is transformed into a linear equivalent to facilitate solution. To generate the non-dominated Pareto solutions, the NSGA-II algorithm is employed, further fine-tuned by the Taguchi method for parameter optimization. Additionally, Goal Programming is applied to derive a singular solution from the Pareto set. Empirical validation is conducted using real-world data from a casting workshop. The results underscore the model's practicality and effectiveness in a real-world context.