A Multi –objective methodological approach for mapping material flows and optimizing layout

The aim of the proposed study is to present an original decision support methodology (DSM) for mapping materials flows and optimizing lay-out in order to design, management, and control the whole systems. Specifically, the proposed DSM implements a top-down methodology that considers both the mapping of materials flows and the optimization of lay-out, through the integration of different operative techniques and commercial software. In particular, the aim of this paper is to investigate the challenges of the development and deployment of a multi objective approach in order to provide the company with a layout that is able to optimize the available space, speed up the transfer of material between the various units of the plant and ensure a continuous flow and the closeness between units where there is an important relationship. The final goal of the optimization is to find a production schedule that satisfies different, contradictory production and business constraints.