Self Organizing Map (SOM) is a neural network that is effective in classifying patterns that form the feature map by extracting characteristics of the input data. In this study, we propose an algorithm to determine the cell formation and the machine layout within the cell for the cell formation problem with operation sequence using the SOM. In the proposed algorithm, the output layer of the SOM is a one-dimensional structure, and the SOM is applied to the parts and the machine in two steps. The initial cell is formed when the formed clusters is grouped largely by the utilization of the machine within the cell. At this stage, machine cell are formed. The next step is to create a flow matrix of the all machine that calculates the frequency of consecutive forward movement for the machine. The machine layout order in each machine cell is determined based on this flow matrix so that the machine operation sequence is most reflected. The final step is to optimize the overall machine and parts to increase machine layout efficiency. As a result, the final cell is formed and the machine layout within the cell is determined. The proposed algorithm was tested on well-known cell formation problems with operation sequence shown in previous papers. The proposed algorithm has better performance than the other algorithms.

The group formation problem of the machine and part is a critical issue in the planning stage of cellular manufacturing systems. The machine-part grouping with alternative process plans means to form machine-part groupings in which a part may be processed not only by a specific process but by many alternative processes. For this problem, this study presents an algorithm based on self organizing neural networks, so called SOM (Self Organizing feature Map). The SOM, a special type of neural networks is an intelligent tool for grouping machines and parts in group formation problem of the machine and part. SOM can learn from complex, multi-dimensional data and transform them into visually decipherable clusters. In the proposed algorithm, output layer in SOM network had been set as one-dimensional structure and the number of output node has been set sufficiently large in order to spread out the input vectors in the order of similarity. In the first stage of the proposed algorithm, SOM has been applied twice to form an initial machine-process group. In the second stage, grouping efficacy is considered to transform the initial machine-process group into a final machine-process group and a final machine-part group. The proposed algorithm was tested on well-known machine-part grouping problems with alternative process plans. The results of this computational study demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm can be easily applied to the group formation problem compared to other meta-heuristic based algorithms. In addition, it can be used to solve large-scale group formation problems.