Multi-supplier selection problem solution based on improved ant colony algorithm

To overcome the limitations of conventional supplier selection process, which was only aiming at single material or only oriented to single supplier, taking quality, cost, delivery date and delivery lead time as evaluation index, and aggregative value minimum of evaluation indices as object, a 0-1 integer programming model was established for multi-suppliers' selection on condition of multi-production supply. Based on ant colony algorithm, the improved ant colony solution algorithm, which was suitable to the proposed problem, was constructed and the solution process was explained. An example and comparative analysis were presented to prove the feasibility and validity of the proposed method. Consequently, the method provided referenced model and solution algorithm for enterprise to select supplier based on multi-production supply.