Minimizing the completion time of the transfer operations in a central parcel consolidation terminal with unequal-batch-size inbound trailers

    Authors

    D. L. McWilliams; P. M. Stanfield;C. D. Geiger

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Comput. Ind. Eng.

    Keywords

    parcel; distribution; consolidation terminals; genetic algorithms; simulation-based scheduling; Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications; Engineering, ; Industrial

    Abstract

    This paper addresses the scheduling of inbound trailers to unload docks at central parcel consolidation terminals in the parcel delivery industry, ail industry that operates in a time-critical environment. The scheduling function can have a significant impact oil the amount of time required to unload the inbound trailers and sort and load the parcels to the outbound trailers. This problem is known as the parcel hub scheduling problem (PHSP). To solve the PHSP, a simulation-based scheduling approach with an embedded genetic algorithm is proposed. The results show that the proposed scheduling approach is able to reduce the amount of time required to unload the inbound trailers by approximately 3.5 percent compared to a previously developed algorithm and about 16.1 percent compared to ail approach that is representative of current industry practice, (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Computers & Industrial Engineering

    Volume

    54

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-2008

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    709

    Last Page

    720

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000255538000001

    ISSN

    0360-8352

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