On Solving Large-Size Generalized Cell Formation Problems via a Hard Computing Approach Using the PMP
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript proposes a hard computing approach for solving large-size GCF problem, and illustrates its effectiveness using an example. The main concern is that the general structure is not clear, it seems to me the paper is complicated and may not be easy for the readers too. Moreover, the literature does not provide enough information for highlighting the paper novelty. The language should also be polished, as several long sentences are used in the current version, which further make the work hard to read and understand.
Author Response
The author is deeply grateful to reviewer 1 who provides important suggestions for improvement of earlier manuscript. In addition to reflecting reviewer 1’s comments fully, extensive revision has been undertaken. For reviewer’s convenience in checking the changes made, the following four files have been merged into one PDF file.
[1] a response letter to reviewer 1,
[2,3] two separate files including the whole parts of changes: version with changes tracked and version without changes tracked, and
[4] a correction table summarizing the whole parts of changes.
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript " On solving large-size generalized cell formation 2 problem via hard computing approach using the PMP" develops a PMP-type model to solve large-size GCF problems. A systematic heuristic part assignment procedure and a subsequent refinement procedure are adopted to solve the problem. Overall, this paper presents in a comprehensive manner.
Purpose and Background: The background discussion generated the rationale and the specific aims of the proposed study.
Methodology: the methodology sounds reasonable.
Measures and Outcomes: The experiments and results are fully analyzed.
Discussion and Conclusions: The results are fully discussed, and limitations of the paper are analyzed.
Some Minor Suggestions: Using a uniform table format. For example, the lines used in Table 1, and Table 2 are different from Table 3. L457, the present in Table 2 is not clear.
I recommend accepting the manuscript with minor revision.
Author Response
The author is deeply grateful to reviewer 2 who provides suggestions for improvement of earlier manuscript. In addition to reflecting reviewer 2’s comments fully, extensive revision has been undertaken. For reviewer’s convenience in checking the changes made, the following four files have been merged into one PDF file.
[1] a response letter to reviewer 2,
[2,3] two separate files including the whole parts of changes: version with changes tracked and version without changes tracked, and
[4] a correction table summarizing the whole parts of changes.
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
In my opinion, the manuscript entitled "On solving large-size generalized cell formation problem via hard computing approach using the PMP" can be published in Applied Sciences after minor revision.
The author should correct the quality of the figures. In the text are editorial mistakes.
Details of my comments are in the attached file.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
The author is deeply grateful to reviewer 3 who provides detailed suggestions for improvement of earlier manuscript. In addition to reflecting reviewer 3’s comments fully, extensive revision has been undertaken. For reviewer’s convenience in checking the changes made, the following four files have been merged into one PDF file.
[1] a response letter to reviewer 3,
[2,3] two separate files including the whole parts of changes: version with changes tracked and version without changes tracked, and
[4] a correction table summarizing the whole parts of changes.
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors make much effort to revise the manuscript, and the reviewer's concerns have been addressed properly in the revised version. It can be considered for publication in Applied Sciences in its present form.
