A spreadsheet-based genetic algorithm (GA) model is used to plan 'milk run' delivery routes for vehicles carrying full or partial loads from warehouse to customers. Planning decisions allocate customer orders to vehicles, work out a route for each and determine the departure time. The allocation of orders to each vehicle cannot exceed the load capacity and there is a preferred time period for arrival at each customer's location. The objective is to minimise total distance travelled by all vehicles. The model involves setting up a vehicle delivery routing schedule in Microsoft Excel using the 'add-in' GA package, Evolver, to search for the optimal solution. The seemingly simple model makes it possible to carry out vehicle route planning on probably the most widely used spreadsheet in the business world, and yet has a comparable capability to tailor-made programs in finding the optimal or a near optimal solution. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E211903.
Samenvatting