Incorporating Workflow Interference in Facility Layout Design: The Quartic Assignment Problem

Wen-Chyuan Chiang, Panagiotis Kouvelis, Timothy L. Urban

Management Science · 2002 · Volume 48 · Issue 4

Abstract

Although many authors have noted the importance of minimizing workflow interference in facility layout design, traditional layout research tends to focus on minimizing the distance-based transportation cost. This paper formalizes the concept of workflow interference from a facility layout perspective. A model, formulated as a quartic assignment problem, is developed that explicitly considers the interference of workflow. Optimal and heuristic solution methodologies are developed and evaluated.

Keywords

Facility Layout Analysis, Quartic Assignment Problem, Nonlinear Optimization, Heuristics

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