The maximum loading and the optimum number of vehicles in a double-loop of an interbay material handling system

In this paper, the loading analysis of an automated double-loop interbay material handling system (AMHS) in a wafer fabrication was analysed, considering the effects of the vehicle numbers in the inner and outer loops. Discrete-event simulation models were developed in e-M Plant to study this AMHS system with a zone control scheme to avoid any vehicle collision. The layout of an interbay system is a combination configuration in which the hallway contains double loops and the vehicles have double capacity. The combination of the shortest distance with nearest vehicle (SD–NV) and the first-encounter-first-served (FEFS) dispatching rule was used in this study. The maximum loading of this interbay system can be determined by the simulation approach. We also found that the number of vehicles in the inner and outer loops can significantly affect the interbay performance. Furthermore, the optimum combination of the vehicle numbers in the inner and outer loops can be obtained by response surface methodology.