Inventory routing problem model and algorithm of warehouse with small capacity sales ratio under the background of material supply

To enhance the cost efficiency and response effectiveness of the equipment maintenance material support system, the inventory routing problem (IRP) is applied to demand points characterized by low capacity to sales ratios. An IRP model is developed under material supply constraints, specifically tailored to these demand points. An innovative genetic algorithm is designed to solve this model. Based on the unique features of the problem, two structural solution arrays are formulated, and a parallel vehicle multiple delivery initial solution generation process is constructed. The traditional genetic algorithm operations, including selection, crossover, and mutation, are modified in accordance with the characteristics of the initial solution structure. The model is implemented and tested using MATLAB and compared against the Gurobi optimization solver. Results indicate that the proposed algorithm performs comparably to Gurobi in small-scale scenarios while demonstrating superior performance in large-scale instances. These findings confirm the validity and effectiveness of both the proposed IRP model and the associated solution algorithm.