2 research outputs found
A branch-and-cut algorithm for a multi-item inventory distribution problem
This paper considers a multi-item inventory distribution problem motivated
by a practical case occurring in the logistic operations of an hospital. There, a
single warehouse supplies several nursing wards. The goal is to define a weekly distribution
plan of medical products that minimizes the visits to wards, while respecting
inventory capacities and safety stock levels. A mathematical formulation is introduced
and several improvements such as tightening constraints, valid inequalities and an extended
reformulation are discussed. In order to deal with real size instances, an hybrid
heuristic based on mathematical models is introduced and the improvements are discussed.
A branch-and-cut algorithm using all the discussed improvements is proposed.
Finally, a computational experimentation is reported to show the relevance of the model
improvements and the quality of the heuristic scheme