Multi-commodity flow dynamic resource assignment and matrix-based job dispatching for multi-relay transfer in complex material handling systems (MHS)

Mass management and production of customized products requires material handling systems (MHS) which are flexible and responsive enough to accommodate dynamic and real-time changes in material handling tasks. Towards this goal, we develop a novel control framework to improve the flexibility and responsiveness of material handling systems. Flexibility is achieved by using multi-commodity flow network optimization to find the most optimized job sequence in terms of minimum transfer steps. Responsiveness is achieved by the use of a matrix-based discrete event (DE) supervisory controller to dispatch equipment control commands in real-time based on real-time sensor information, according to the optimized sequence. By modeling the MHS network as multi-commodity flow network to define job routes, and using the matrix-based DE controller to implement the job routes in real-time, the users achieve a seamlessly integrated solution to control the execution of transfer jobs that covers the supervisory planning stage through the real-time actual dispatching decisions. The proposed control framework is evaluated on an industrial case study of airfreight terminal material handling and simulation results show its effectiveness.