Research Article

Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates

Number: Advanced Online Publication Early Pub Date: June 10, 2026
TR EN

Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates

Abstract

Context— In addition to design capabilities, production technology, speed, and costs are also extremely important for competitiveness in today's world. Faster and lower-cost production offers significant advantages to enterprises in this context. One of the simplest ways to achieve this is through cellular manufacturing decisions that can minimize material handling costs and increase production speed during production processes. In the field of cellular manufacturing, one of the key elements of lean production, numerous methods exist for cell formation. While cells are identified using these methods, the question of which cell formation method is more efficient under which conditions has not been sufficiently researched. This gap highlights the novelty of further comparative studies. To address this, the present study explored which method is more effective under varying conditions by conducting five random machine–part incidence matrix iterations for each plant size and occupancy rate combination when forming manufacturing cells. Objective— This research aims to determine which of three selected cell formation methods performs better under three plant sizes and three cell occupancy rates, using five random iterations per variation. This objective reflects the study’s novel approach to systematically comparing algorithmic performance across multiple operational environments. Method— MS Excel program functions were used for all matrix operations and calculations for 30%, 45%, and 60% cell occupancy rates and for production plants with sizes of 10*10, 15*15, and 20*20 to represent small, medium and large size plants, using King algorithm (ROC), Direct clustering analysis (DCA), and Bond energy algorithm (BEA) which are also suitable for using Excel's built-in commands. Based on cell formation rules specifically defined for this study, all manufacturing cells were formed for each combination using the rules set forth and heuristics, then normalized and then weighted cell scores were calculated accordingly. This structured scoring and formation procedure contributes additional methodological novelty to the literature. Results— Out of a total of nine variations, the King algorithm yielded the best result in five, the DCA algorithm in three, and the BEA algorithm in only one case. According to these results, the King algorithm performed very well in general across all plant sizes and occupancy rates. The DCA performed well across all plant sizes, particularly at low occupancy rates. The BEA shows a relatively lower performance than the other two methods and should normally not be preferred in group technology (GT). These findings provide a practical contribution to manufacturing engineers and managers by guiding algorithm selection according to plant conditions. Conclusion— In conclusion, unless a specific condition requires otherwise, the King algorithm—regardless of factory size or occupancy rate—appears to be the preferred cell formation method for cellular manufacturing decision making, a key element of lean manufacturing that minimizes material handling costs.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

Yoktur.

Ethical Statement

There is no conflict of interest with any person/organization. Ethics committee approval is not required for this article.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Processes and Technologies (Excl. Textiles), Manufacturing Management

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

June 10, 2026

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

February 24, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 18, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

APA
Pala, Ü. (2026). Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.65206/pajes.1896974
AMA
1.Pala Ü. Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;(Advanced Online Publication). doi:10.65206/pajes.1896974
Chicago
Pala, Üzeyir. 2026. “Rule-Based Comparison of Manufacturing Cell Formation Methods under Varying Plant Sizes and Occupancy Rates”. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, no. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.65206/pajes.1896974.
EndNote
Pala Ü (June 1, 2026) Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi Advanced Online Publication
IEEE
[1]Ü. Pala, “Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates”, Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, no. Advanced Online Publication, June 2026, doi: 10.65206/pajes.1896974.
ISNAD
Pala, Üzeyir. “Rule-Based Comparison of Manufacturing Cell Formation Methods under Varying Plant Sizes and Occupancy Rates”. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. Advanced Online Publication (June 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.65206/pajes.1896974.
JAMA
1.Pala Ü. Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026. doi:10.65206/pajes.1896974.
MLA
Pala, Üzeyir. “Rule-Based Comparison of Manufacturing Cell Formation Methods under Varying Plant Sizes and Occupancy Rates”. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, no. Advanced Online Publication, June 2026, doi:10.65206/pajes.1896974.
Vancouver
1.Üzeyir Pala. Rule-based comparison of manufacturing cell formation methods under varying plant sizes and occupancy rates. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026 Jun. 1;(Advanced Online Publication). doi:10.65206/pajes.1896974