Heuristic algorithm of the assignment of forged pieces in ingots in metallurgical forging plants with a large production assortment

The problem of the assignment of forged pieces in ingots is one of the crucial problems in operational production planning in metallurgical forging plants with a large production assortment. The main purpose of dealing with the problem is to choose for forged pieces manufacturing, during the planning period, the structure of ingots which is compatible with the chosen economic optimization criterion. This problem is complicated due to the large scale of forged types (shape, dimension). In addition to this, each of the forged pieces can be made from one ingot type in different combinations or forged pieces can be made from different larger ingot types. A combination of forged pieces however, cannot be arbitrary, but technological conditions that imply from shapes, dimension and the weight of forged pieces must be fulfilled. Economic optimization of the forging production process must be a result of compromise between saving costs on materials (better utilization of ingots) and increasing processing costs for preliminary forging (the forged pieces must be forged from larger ingot types).