A HEURISTIC-BASED APPROACH TO ENHANCE INTERNAL LOGISTICS TASKS

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a case study of a manufacturing company that faced challenges due to the absence of a systematic method for defining the routes of Mizusumashi operators responsible for supplying assembly cells. Fluctuating production levels and a manual route planning process resulted in imbalanced workloads for the operators, leading to supply failures and idle time. To address this issue, an algorithm was developed to implement an Integer Linear Programming model for the Vehicle Routing Problem. This model considered various constraints, including the maximum time allowed for each route, the number of vehicles and their capacities, as well as visit precedencies and service times at each location. The primary goal was to create a tool that could adjust routes in real-time according to the significant variability in demand while minimizing total travel time. The algorithm was successfully implemented, leading to a reduction in time spent on logistical tasks, improved resource allocation, enhanced decision-making capabilities, and greater operational agility.