求解硬时间窗约束下随机需求库存-路径问题的优化算法

随机需求库存-路径问题(Stochastic Demand Inventory Routing Problem, SDIRP)即考虑随机需求环境下供应链中库存与配送的协调优化问题,是实施供应商管理库存策略过程中的关键所在,也是典型的NP难题之一。文章以具有硬时间窗约束的随机需求库存-路径问题(Stochastic Demand Inventory Routing Problem with Hard Time Windows, SDIRPHTW)为研究对象,将SDIRPHTW分解为直接配送的随机库存-路径问题和具有硬时间窗约束的路径优化问题两个子问题,并以最小化系统运行成本和用车数量为目标,设计了一个基于(s,S)库存策略和修正C-W节约法的启发式算法。最后,通过相应的数值算例验证了算法的有效性。     

Modeling inventory routing problems in supply chains of high consumption products

Given a distribution center and a set of sales-points with their demand rates, the objective of the inventory routing problem (IRP) is to determine a distribution plan that minimizes fleet operating and average total distribution and inventory holding costs without causing a stock-out at any of the sales-points during a given planning horizon. We propose a new model for the long-term IRP when demand rates are stable and economic order quantity-like policies are used to manage inventories of the sales-points. The proposed model extends the concept of vehicle routes (tours) to vehicle multi-tours. To solve the nonlinear mixed integer formulation of this problem, a column generation based approximation method is suggested. The resulting sub-problems are solved using a savings-based approximation method. The approach is tested on randomly generated problems with different settings of some critical factors to compare our model using multi-tours as basic constructs to the model using simple tours as basic constructs.     

考虑横向整合战略的库存路径动态区域定价

库存路径和定价是供货商管理库存(Vendor Management Inventory, VMI)中三个互相制约和影响的决策问题,是降低供货商成本,提高其利润的关键。针对VMI拉式供应链中多供货商、多商品和多区域的库存路径定价问题,提出了对不同区域客户、在不同时段进行商品差异化定价策略,并设计一种共同配送车辆司机成本和燃油成本分摊方案,据此构建基于横向整合战略的库存路径动态区域定价模型。算例结果显示,在横向整合战略下,供货商商品定价会有所降低,配送车辆行驶距离显著缩短,各时段配货量更为均衡,期末库存数量显著降低。研究表明,无论供货商之间供货规模比例差异多大,开展库存路径动态区域定价,供货商联盟成员的利润均能得到显著提高,实现合作共赢的目标。     

New mathematical model for the bi-objective inventory routing problem with a step cost function: A multi-objective particle swarm optimization solution approach

Inventory management and satisfactory distribution are among the most important issues considered by distribution companies. One of the key objectives is the simultaneous optimization of the inventory costs and distribution expenses, which can be addressed according to the inventory routing problem (IRP). In this study, we present a new transport cost calculation pattern for the IRP based on some real cases. In this pattern, the transportation cost is calculated as a function of the load carried and the distance traveled by the vehicle based on a step cost function. Furthermore, previous methods usually aggregate the inventory and transportation costs to formulate them as a single objective function, but in non-cooperative real-life cases, the inventory-holding costs are paid by retailers whereas the transportation-related costs are paid by the distributor. In this study, we separate these two cost elements and introduce a bi-objective IRP formulation where the first objective is to minimize the inventory-holding cost and the second is minimizing the transportation cost. We also propose an efficient particle representation and employ a multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm to generate the non-dominated solutions for the inventory allocation and vehicle routing decisions. Finally, in order to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, the results obtained were compared with those produced using the augmented ε-constraint method, thereby demonstrating the practical utility of the proposed multi-objective model and the proposed solution algorithm.     

Incorporating inventory and routing costs in strategic location models

We consider a supply chain design problem where the decision maker needs to decide the number and locations of the distribution centers (DCs). Customers face random demand, and each DC maintains a certain amount of safety stock in order to achieve a certain service level for the customers it serves. The objective is to minimize the total cost that includes location costs and inventory costs at the DCs, and distribution costs in the supply chain. We show that this problem can be formulated as a nonlinear integer programming model, for which we propose a Lagrangian relaxation based solution algorithm. By exploring the structure of the problem, we find a low-order polynomial algorithm for the nonlinear integer programming problem that must be solved in solving the Lagrangian relaxation sub-problems. We present computational results for several instances of the problem with sizes ranging from 40 to 320 customers. Our results show the benefits of having an integrated supply chain design framework that includes location, inventory, and routing decisions in the same optimization model.     

A new model and hybrid approach for large scale inventory routing problems

This paper studies an inventory routing problem (IRP) with split delivery and vehicle fleet size constraint. Due to the complexity of the IRP, it is very difficult to develop an exact algorithm that can solve large scale problems in a reasonable computation time. As an alternative, an approximate approach that can quickly and near-optimally solve the problem is developed based on an approximate model of the problem and Lagrangian relaxation. In the approach, the model is solved by using a Lagrangian relaxation method in which the relaxed problem is decomposed into an inventory problem and a routing problem that are solved by a linear programming algorithm and a minimum cost flow algorithm, respectively, and the dual problem is solved by using the surrogate subgradient method. The solution of the model obtained by the Lagrangian relaxation method is used to construct a near-optimal solution of the IRP by solving a series of assignment problems. Numerical experiments show that the proposed hybrid approach can find a high quality near-optimal solution for the IRP with up to 200 customers in a reasonable computation time.     

An efficient heuristic for inventory control when the customer is using a (s,S) policy

We consider a capacitated supply chain in which the supplier has the information of the (s,S) policy used by the retailer as well as the end-customer demand distribution. For the resulting inventory control problem at the supplier, optimal policies and structural properties were presented by Gavirneni et al. (Management Sci. 45(1) (1999) 16). They detailed an efficient solution procedure for the uncapacitated problem and resorted to computationally expensive infinitesimal perturbation analysis (IPA) for the capacitated situation. In this paper, we study a heuristic, based on the uncapacitated solution, for the capacitated situation. A detailed computational study showed that this heuristic is very efficient in that the costs increased by only 3.3% on the average. The heuristic was especially effective at higher capacities, lower holding costs, and extreme values of demand variance.     

Managing inventory and service levels in a safety stock‐based inventory routing system with stochastic retailer demands

The inherent uncertainty in supply chain systems compels managers to be more perceptive to the stochastic nature of the systems' major parameters, such as suppliers' reliability, retailers' demands, and facility production capacities. To deal with the uncertainty inherent to the parameters of the stochastic supply chain optimization problems and to determine optimal or close to optimal policies, many approximate deterministic equivalent models are proposed. In this paper, we consider the stochastic periodic inventory routing problem modeled as chance‐constrained optimization problem. We then propose a safety stock‐based deterministic optimization model to determine near‐optimal solutions to this chance‐constrained optimization problem. We investigate the issue of adequately setting safety stocks at the supplier's warehouse and at the retailers so that the promised service levels to the retailers are guaranteed, while distribution costs as well as inventory throughout the system are optimized. The proposed deterministic models strive to optimize the safety stock levels in line with the planned service levels at the retailers. Different safety stock models are investigated and analyzed, and the results are illustrated on two comprehensively worked out cases. We conclude this analysis with some insights on how safety stocks are to be determined, allocated, and coordinated in stochastic periodic inventory routing problem. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adaptive fuzzy vendor managed inventory control for mitigating the Bullwhip effect in supply chains

This paper proposes an adaptive fuzzy control application to support a vendor managed inventory (VMI). The methodology applies fuzzy control to generate an adaptive smoothing constant in the forecast method, production and delivery plan to eliminate, for example, the rationing and gaming or the Houlihan effect and the order batching effect or the Burbidge effects and finally the Bullwhip effect. The results show that the adaptive fuzzy VMI control surpasses fuzzy VMI control and traditional VMI in terms of mitigating the Bullwhip effect and lower delivery overshoots and backorders. This paper also guides management in allocating inventory by coordinating suppliers and buyers to ensure minimum inventory levels across a supply chain. Adaptive fuzzy VMI control is the main contribution of this paper.     

基于ROI,VMI和CS三种库存方式长短期绩效的对比研究

ROI、VMI和Cs是基于供应链的三种库存管理方式.本文以两层供应链的ROI、VMI和CS方式为例,通过数学模型和具体算例,比较分析了三种库存方式下买方和卖方成本和利润构成的不同之处.本文研究发现:在长期内相对于ROI方式而言,VMI方式下供应链的效率更高;如果卖方的单位存储成本大于买方,CS方式下供应链的长短期效率可能高于VMI更高于ROI方式.     

A genetic algorithm for optimal operating parameters of VMI system in a two-echelon supply chain

This paper deals with the operational issues of a two-echelon single vendor–multiple buyers supply chain (TSVMBSC) model under vendor managed inventory (VMI) mode of operation. The operational parameters to the above model are: sales quantity and sales price that determine the channel profit of the supply chain, and contract price between the vendor and the buyer, which depends upon the understanding between the partners on their revenue sharing. In order to find out the optimal sales quantity for each buyer in TSVMBSC problem, a mathematical model is formulated. Optimal sales price and acceptable contract price at different revenue share are subsequently derived with the optimal sales quantity. A genetic algorithm (GA) based heuristic is proposed to solve this TSVMBSC problem, which belongs to nonlinear integer programming problem (NIP). The proposed methodology is evaluated for its solution quality. Furthermore, the robustness of the model with its parameters, which fluctuate frequently and are sensitive to operational features, is analysed.     

Minimizing the Total Cost in an Integrated Vendor—Managed Inventory System

In this paper we consider a complex production-distribution system, where a facility produces (or orders from an external supplier) several items which are distributed to a set of retailers by a fleet of vehicles. We consider Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) policies, in which the facility knows the inventory levels of the retailers and takes care of their replenishment policies. The production (or ordering) policy, the retailers replenishment policies and the transportation policy have to be determined so as to minimize the total system cost. The cost includes the fixed and variable production costs at the facility, the inventory costs at the facility and at the retailers and the transportation costs, that is the fixed costs of the vehicles and the traveling costs. We study two different types of VMI policies: The order-up-to level policy, in which the order-up-to level quantity is shipped to each retailer whenever served (i.e. the quantity delivered to each retailer is such that the maximum level of the inventory at the retailer is reached) and the fill-fill-dump policy, in which the order-up-to level quantity is shipped to all but the last retailer on each delivery route, while the quantity delivered to the last retailer is the minimum between the order-up-to level quantity and the residual transportation capacity of the vehicle. We propose two different decompositions of the problem and optimal or heuristic procedures for the solution of the subproblems. We show that, for reasonable initial values of the variables, the order in which the subproblems are solved does not influence the final solution. We will first solve the distribution subproblem and then the production subproblem. The computational results show that the fill-fill-dump policy reduces the average cost with respect to the order-up-to level policy and that one of the decompositions is more effective. Moreover, we compare the VMI policies with the more traditional Retailer-Managed Inventory (RMI) policy and show that the VMI policies significantly reduce the average cost with respect to the RMI policy.     

随机需求下供应商管理库存的供应链模型

以一个供应商和一个零售商的两阶段供应链为背景,利用报童模型给出了供应商管理库存(VMI)的供应链模型,在需求服从均匀分布的条件下得出解析解,并与传统的零售商管理库存(RMI)系统作了比较,分析了这两种情况下批发价和订货量的变化.数值结果表明VMI导致了批发价的缩减,但提高了订货量,VMI减轻了双重边际效应,系统利润多于传统的RMI系统.     

VMI策略下的综合生产计划研究

本重点研究了在供应链环境下，基于供应商管理客户库存(VMI)策略的供应商综合生产计划问题。模型综合考虑了供应链的存储费用、缺货损失和生产费用，提出供应链总成本最小目标模型，并采用搜索法结合线性规划给出了算例求解和分析结论。     

Integrated location and two-echelon inventory network design under uncertainty

In this paper, we propose a two-stage stochastic model to address the design of an integrated location and two-echelon inventory network under uncertainty. The central issue in this problem is to design and operate an effective and efficient multi-echelon supply chain distribution network and to minimize the expected system-wide cost of warehouse location, the allocation of warehouses to retailers, transportation, and two-echelon inventory over an infinite planning horizon. We structure this problem as a two-stage nonlinear discrete optimization problem. The first stage decides the warehouses to open and the second decides the warehouse-retailer assignments and two-echelon inventory replenishment strategies. Our modeling strategy incorporates various probable scenarios in the integrated multi-echelon supply chain distribution network design to identify solutions that minimize the first stage costs plus the expected second stage costs. The two-echelon inventory cost considerations result in a nonlinear objective which we linearize with an exponential number of variables. We solve the problem using column generation. Our computational study indicates that our approach can solve practical problems of moderate-size with up to twenty warehouse candidate locations, eighty retailers, and ten scenarios efficiently.     

An integrated inventory–transportation system with modified periodic policy for multiple products

Efficient management of a distribution system requires an integrated approach towards various logistical functions. In particular, the fundamental areas of inventory control and transportation planning need to be closely coordinated. Our model deals with an inbound material-collection problem. An integrated inventory–transportation system is developed with a modified periodic-review inventory policy and a travelling-salesman component. This is a multi-item joint replenishment problem, in a stochastic setting, with simultaneous decisions made on inventory and transportation policies. We propose a heuristic decomposition method to solve the problem, minimizing the long-run total average costs (major- and minor-ordering, holding, backlogging, stopover and travel). The decomposition algorithm works by using separate calculations for inventory and routing decisions, and then coordinating them appropriately. A lower bound is constructed and computational experience is reported.     

Scheduling parallel machines with single vehicle delivery

We investigate the integrated production and distribution scheduling problem in a supply chain. The manufacturer’s production environment is modeled as a parallel machine system. A single capacitated vehicle is employed to deliver products in batches to multiple customers. The scheduling problem can also be viewed as either parallel machines with delivery considerations or a flexible flowshop. Different inventory holding costs, job sizes (volume or storage space required in the transportation unit), and job priorities are taken into account. Efficient mathematical modeling and near-optimal heuristic approaches are presented for minimizing total weighted completion time.     

外部市场存在替代产品的VMI系统研究

供应商管理用户库存(VMI)作为一种有效的补货机制,能对购买渠道的需求信息做出积极正确的反应.现在对VMI的研究往往集中于单个零售商和单个供应商组成的系统,不考虑VMI系统受市场上其他零售商或供应商的影响.假设市场上多个零售商出售相互之间可替代的产品,某个零售商与其供应商之间应用VMI系统.我们的研究主要有两方面:1)VMI系统是否有助于零售商和供应商组成的供应链在差异产品市场上获得更大的收益;2)供应商和零售商如何决策是否应用VMI系统。     

A column generation-based heuristic algorithm for an inventory routing problem with perishable goods

An inventory routing problem is a variation of the vehicle routing problem in which inventory and routing decisions are determined simultaneously over a given time horizon. The objective is to minimize the sum of transportation and inventory costs. In this paper, we study a specific inventory routing problem in which goods are perishable (PIRP). We develop a mathematical model for PIRP and exploit its structure to develop a column generation-based solution approach. Cutting planes are added to improve the formulation. We present computational experiments to demonstrate that our methodology is effective, and that the integration of routing and inventory can yield significant cost savings.     

Artificial intelligence-based inventory management: a Monte Carlo tree search approach

The coordination of order policies constitutes a great challenge in supply chain inventory management as various stochastic factors increase its complexity. Therefore, analytical approaches to determine a policy that minimises overall inventory costs are only suitable to a limited extent. In contrast, we adopt a heuristic approach, from the domain of artificial intelligence (AI), namely, Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS). To the best of our knowledge, MCTS has neither been applied to supply chain inventory management before nor is it yet widely disseminated in other branches of operations research. We develop an offline model as well as an online model which bases decisions on real-time data. For demonstration purposes, we consider a supply chain structure similar to the classical beer game with four actors and both stochastic demand and lead times. We demonstrate that both the offline and the online MCTS models perform better than other previously adopted AI-based approaches. Furthermore, we provide evidence that a dynamic order policy determined by MCTS eliminates the bullwhip effect.