Improved genetic algorithm based on multi-layer encoding approach for integrated process planning and scheduling problem

Integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) is of great significance for modern manufacturing enterprises to achieve high efficiency in manufacturing and maximize resource utilization. In this paper, the integration strategy and solution method of IPPS problem are deeply studied, and an improved genetic algorithm based on multi-layer encoding (IGA-ML) is proposed to solve the IPPS problem. Firstly, considering the interaction ability between the two subsystems and the multi-flexibility characteristics of the IPPS problem, a new multi-layer integrated encoding method is designed. The encoding method includes feature layer, operation layer, machine layer and scheduling layer, which respectively correspond to the four sub-problems of IPPS problem, which provides a premise for a more flexible and deeper exploration in the solution space. Then, based on the coupling characteristics of process planning and shop scheduling, six evolutionary operators are designed to change the four-layer coding interdependently and independently. Two crossover operators change the population coding in the unit of jobs, and search the solution space globally. The four mutation operators change the population coding in the unit of gene and search the solution space locally. The six operators are used in series and iteratively optimized to ensure a fine balance between the global exploration ability and the local exploitation ability of the algorithm. Finally, performance of IGA-ML is verified by testing on 44 examples of 14 benchmarks. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can find better solutions (better than the optimal solutions found so far) on some problems, and it is an effective method to solve the IPPS problem with the maximum completion time as the optimization goal.     

Application of game theory based hybrid algorithm for multi-objective integrated process planning and scheduling

Process planning and scheduling are two key sub-functions in the manufacturing system. Traditionally, process planning and scheduling were regarded as the separate tasks to perform sequentially. Recently, a significant trend is to integrate process planning and scheduling more tightly to achieve greater performance and higher productivity of the manufacturing system. Because of the complementarity of process planning and scheduling, and the multiple objectives requirement from the real-world production, this research focuses on the multi-objective integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) problem. In this research, the Nash equilibrium in game theory based approach has been used to deal with the multiple objectives. And a hybrid algorithm has been developed to optimize the IPPS problem. Experimental studies have been used to test the performance of the proposed approach. The results show that the developed approach is a promising and very effective method on the research of the multi-objective IPPS problem.     

考虑多目标的柔性工艺与调度集成优化算法

针对工艺规划与车间调度集成优化问题,在考虑零件的加工工序柔性、工序次序柔性及加工机器柔性的基础上,以最大完工时间、总加工成本和总拖期时间为优化目标,对多目标柔性工艺与车间调度集成问题建模,提出一种基于改进人工蜂群算法的多目标柔性工艺与车间调度集成优化策略,并提出邻域变异操作以及全局交叉操作,对种群进行更新。引入Pareto方法,通过对适应度评价、贪婪准则、Pareto最优解集构造和保存以及解得多样性维护等方面进行改进,设计了一种基于Pareto方法的多目标人工蜂群算法。最后,通过采用基本人工蜂群算法及改进人工蜂群算法对六个工件、五台机床的柔性工艺与车间调度集成问题进行优化,验证了改进算法的有效性。     

A novel methodology for optimal single mobile robot scheduling using whale optimization algorithm

One of the fundamental requirements for creating an intelligent manufacturing environment is to develop a reliable, efficient and optimally scheduled material transport system. Besides traditional material transport solutions based on conveyor belts, industrial trucks, or automated guided vehicles, nowadays intelligent mobile robots are becoming widely used to satisfy this requirement. In this paper, the authors analyze a single mobile robot scheduling problem in order to find an optimal way to transport raw materials, goods, and parts within an intelligent manufacturing system. The proposed methodology is based on biologically inspired Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and is aimed to find the optimal solution of the nondeterministic polynomial-hard (NP-hard) scheduling problem. The authors propose a novel mathematical model for the problem and give a mathematical formulation for minimization of seven fitness functions (makespan, robot finishing time, transport time, balanced level of robot utilization, robot waiting time, job waiting time, as well as total robot and job waiting time). This newly developed methodology is extensively experimentally tested on 26 benchmark problems through three experimental studies and compared to five meta-heuristic algorithms including genetic algorithm (GA), simulated annealing (SA), generic and chaotic Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO and cPSO), and hybrid GA–SA algorithm. Furthermore, the data are analyzed by using the Friedman statistical test to prove that results are statistically significant. Finally, generated scheduling plans are tested by Khepera II mobile robot within a laboratory model of the manufacturing environment. The experimental results show that the proposed methodology provides very competitive results compared to the state-of-art optimization algorithms.     

An active learning genetic algorithm for integrated process planning and scheduling

In traditional approaches, process planning and scheduling are carried out sequentially, where scheduling is done separately after the process plan has been generated. However, the functions of these two systems are usually complementary. The traditional approach has become an obstacle to improve the productivity and responsiveness of the manufacturing system. If the two systems can be integrated more tightly, greater performance and higher productivity of a manufacturing system can be achieved. Therefore, the research on the integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) problem is necessary. In this paper, a new active learning genetic algorithm based method has been developed to facilitate the integration and optimization of these two systems. Experimental studies have been used to test the approach, and the comparisons have been made between this approach and some previous approaches to indicate the adaptability and superiority of the proposed approach. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is a promising and very effective method on the research of the IPPS problem.     

A Petri net-based methodology to increase flexibility in service-oriented holonic manufacturing systems

Distributed control systems such as the holonic manufacturing systems and service-oriented architectures have demonstrated to provide higher levels of flexibility, notably in the planning and scheduling functionalities, if well exploited. In scheduling, the use of fixed process plans generated by traditional planning approaches, usually leads to unrealistic schedules due to the lack of considerations of the workshop status. IPPS approaches try to break the gap between these two functionalities in favor of providing flexible plans adapting to the shop floor's state. A key element in the creation of flexible process plans is the definition of a process model capable of representing alternatives solutions to the sequencing problem and therefore increasing the potential solution space. This paper presents a methodology to increase planning flexibility in service-oriented manufacturing systems (SOHMS). The methodology introduces a Petri net service-oriented process model (SOP model) capable of computing a product's deadlock free sequential space and adapts to the fractal character of holonic architectures. A set of modeling rules, with illustrations, is presented for the automatic generation of the Petri net, based on a set of precedence conditions. To explore the solution space represented by the SOP model a holonic interaction protocol is presented. Moreover, a set of behavioral strategies is proposed in order to cope with the effects of a possible combinatorial explosion. A study case applied workshop example is presented to illustrate the modeling process of SOP models, compute the sequential solution space and demonstrate how this notably increases the number of potentially goods feasible solutions.     

Application of genetic algorithm to computer-aided process planning in preliminary and detailed planning

Computer-aided process planning (CAPP) is an important interface between computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) in the computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) environment. A good process plan of a part is built up based on two elements: (1) optimized sequence of the operations of the part; and (2) optimized selection of the machine, cutting tool and tool access direction (TAD) for each operation. On the other hand, two levels of planning in the process planning is suggested: (1) preliminary and (2) secondary and detailed planning. In this paper for the preliminary stage, the feasible sequences of operations are generated based on the analysis of constraints and using a genetic algorithm (GA). Then in the detailed planning stage, using a genetic algorithm again which prunes the initial feasible sequences, the optimized operations sequence and the optimized selection of the machine, cutting tool, and TAD for each operation are obtained. By applying the proposed GA in two levels of planning, the CAPP system can generate optimal or near-optimal process plans based on a selected criterion. A number of case studies are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed algorithm. This algorithm performs well on all the test problems, exceeding or matching the solution quality of the results reported in the literature for most problems. The main contribution of this work is to emerge the preliminary and detailed planning, implementation of compulsive and additive constraints, optimization sequence of the operations of the part, and optimization selection of machine, cutting tool and TAD for each operation using the proposed GA, simultaneously.     

Integrated process planning and scheduling: an enhanced ant colony optimization heuristic with parameter tuning

This study develops an enhanced ant colony optimization (E-ACO) meta-heuristic to accomplish the integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) problem in the job-shop environment. The IPPS problem is represented by AND/OR graphs to implement the search-based algorithm, which aims at obtaining effective and near-optimal solutions in terms of makespan, job flow time and computation time taken. In accordance with the characteristics of the IPPS problem, the mechanism of ACO algorithm has been enhanced with several modifications, including quantification of convergence level, introduction of node-based pheromone, earliest finishing time-based strategy of determining the heuristic desirability, and oriented elitist pheromone deposit strategy. Using test cases with comprehensive consideration of manufacturing flexibilities, experiments are conducted to evaluate the approach, and to study the effects of algorithm parameters, with a general guideline for ACO parameter tuning for IPPS problems provided. The results show that with the specific modifications made on ACO algorithm, it is able to generate encouraging performance which outperforms many other meta-heuristics.     

Application of ant colony optimization algorithm in process planning optimization

One objective of process planning optimization is to cut down the total cost for machining process, and the ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm is used for the optimization in this paper. Firstly, the process planning problem, considering the selection of machining resources, operations sequence optimization and the manufacturing constraints, is mapped to a weighted graph and is converted to a constraint-based traveling salesman problem. The operation sets for each manufacturing features are mapped to city groups, the costs for machining processes (including machine cost and tool cost) are converted to the weights of the cities; the costs for preparing processes (including machine changing, tool changing and set-up changing) are converted to the ‘distance’ between cities. Then, the mathematical model for process planning problem is constructed by considering the machining constraints and goal of optimization. The ACO algorithm has been employed to solve the proposed mathematical model. In order to ensure the feasibility of the process plans, the Constraint Matrix and State Matrix are used in this algorithm to show the state of the operations and the searching range of the candidate operations. Two prismatic parts are used to compare the ACO algorithm with tabu search, simulated annealing and genetic algorithm. The computing results show that the ACO algorithm performs well in process planning optimization than other three algorithms.     

求解IPPS顺序柔性调度问题的模型与集成型调度算法研究

针对工艺规划与调度集成(integrated process planning and scheduling, IPPS)问题中的顺序柔性调度问题,提出了基于简单顺序关系的顺序柔性描述模型及调度模型,并改进遗传算法设计了集成型的顺序柔性调度算法。染色体编码同时采用简单顺序关系编码和基于工序的编码,并为两种编码分别设计了多种交叉和变异操作。为避免遗传算子产生违背工序顺序优先关系的不可行解,提出了顺序约束修正策略;针对遗传算法易过早收敛的缺陷,设计了自适应调节变量以强化种群多样性,并引入变邻域搜索算法改变解的搜索邻域,进一步搜索最优调度方案。三种不同规模的实验仿真验证了问题描述模型及调度算法的有效性。     

复杂并行机调度问题基于分解的优化算法

针对纺织生产过程中广泛存在的带特殊工艺约束的大规模并行机调度问题，提出了一种基于分解的优化算法。首先将原调度问题分解为机台选择和工件排序两个子问题，然后针对机台选择子问题提出一种进化规划算法，并采用一种具有多项式时间复杂度的最优算法求解工件排序子问题，以得到问题特征信息（即每台机器对应拖期工件数的最小值），该问题特征信息用以指导进化规划算法的迭代过程。不同规模并行机调度问题的数值计算结果及实际制造企业应用效果表明，本文提出的算法是有效的。     

Energy-oriented joint optimization of machine maintenance and tool replacement in sustainable manufacturing

With the increasing attention on sustainable manufacturing, operation and maintenance (O&M) management focuses on not only budget limit, but also energy saving. For modern CNC systems, besides the energy consumption to operate and maintain the machine, a majority of energy consumption generated from tool wear should be considered. It means both machine degradation and tool wear are required to be modelled for the global saving energy. Thus, this paper proposes an energy-oriented joint optimization of machine maintenance and tool replacement (EJMR) policy by integrating energy consumption mechanisms and joint maintenance opportunities in a machine-tool system. The key issue is to combine the preventive maintenance (PM) scheduling of the machine and the polish/preventive replacement (PR) optimization of sequential tools to form energy-effective schemes. Therefore, joint maintenance opportunities of PM actions are utilized to perform tool polish/PR based on energy consumption mechanisms. Four successive procedures (energy consumption analysis, energy-oriented PM scheduling, machine-tool PR model and integrated decision-making process) are developed. Thereby optimal intervals of machine PM and tool polish/PR are obtained to save energy. The case study illustrates that compared with conventional maintenance policies, this proposed EJMR policy can significantly reduce the total non-value-added energy consumption (TNVE) in sustainable manufacturing.     

机床产品制造系统能效的最优控制

本文结合机床产品制造系统的能量流特性,研究机床产品制造系统能效的最优控制.首先,利用无线传感器网络,构建制造系统能效感知网络,并设计了网络能量高效的通信协议,实时获取制造系统的能效数据.进而,利用能效感知数据,分别从单机设备局部优化与综合资源全局优化两方面,设计能效优化控制算法.根据单机设备任意两工步间空载能耗特性,给出单机设备空载能效最优控制模型.同时,建立以缩短生产周期、减少机器空转时间、提高产品合格率为优化目标的综合生产资源能效多目标优化方案.考虑到所论综合资源能效优化问题是离散组合优化问题,本文提出了文化基因支配排序粒子群算法进行求解,并采用层次分析(analysis hierarchy process,AHP)决策方法从Pareto解集中选取最优综合能效的优化策略.最后,利用实例与仿真相结合的方法,验证了文中所提方法的有效性.     

Integrated process planning and scheduling by an agent-based ant colony optimization

This paper presents an ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm in an agent-based system to integrate process planning and shopfloor scheduling (IPPS). The search-based algorithm which aims to obtain optimal solutions by an autocatalytic process is incorporated into an established multi-agent system (MAS) platform, with advantages of flexible system architectures and responsive fault tolerance. Artificial ants are implemented as software agents. A graph-based solution method is proposed with the objective of minimizing makespan. Simulation studies have been established to evaluate the performance of the ant approach. The experimental results indicate that the ACO algorithm can effectively solve the IPPS problems and the agent-based implementation can provide a distributive computation of the algorithm.     

一种改进的蚁群算法在工艺规划与车间调度集成优化中的应用

改进标准蚁群算法的执行策略,可提高工艺规划和调度集成问题的求解 质量和效率。通过节点集、有向弧/无向弧集、AND/OR 关系,建立了基于AND/OR 图的工 艺规划和调度集成优化模型。提出一种求解工艺规划与车间调度集成问题的改进蚁群优化算 法,采用了信息素动态更新策略避免收敛过慢和局部收敛,利用多目标优化策略提高求解质 量。仿真结果证明了该算法的有效性。     

Applications of particle swarm optimisation in integrated process planning and scheduling

Integration of process planning and scheduling (IPPS) is an important research issue to achieve manufacturing planning optimisation. In both process planning and scheduling, vast search spaces and complex technical constraints are significant barriers to the effectiveness of the processes. In this paper, the IPPS problem has been developed as a combinatorial optimisation model, and a modern evolutionary algorithm, i.e., the particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm, has been modified and applied to solve it effectively. Initial solutions are formed and encoded into particles of the PSO algorithm. The particles “fly” intelligently in the search space to achieve the best sequence according to the optimisation strategies of the PSO algorithm. Meanwhile, to explore the search space comprehensively and to avoid being trapped into local optima, several new operators have been developed to improve the particles’ movements to form a modified PSO algorithm. Case studies have been conducted to verify the performance and efficiency of the modified PSO algorithm. A comparison has been made between the result of the modified PSO algorithm and the previous results generated by the genetic algorithm (GA) and the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, respectively, and the different characteristics of the three algorithms are indicated. Case studies show that the developed PSO can generate satisfactory results in both applications.     

Drilling reconfigurable machine tool selection and process parameters optimization as a function of product demand

Special purpose machines (SPMs) are customized machine tools that perform specific machining operations in a variety of production contexts, including drilling-related operations. This research investigates the effect of optimal process parameters and SPM configuration on the machine tool selection problem versus product demand changes. A review of previous studies suggests that the application of optimization in the feasibility analysis stage of machine tool selection has received less attention by researchers. In this study, a simulated model using genetic algorithm is proposed to find the optimal process parameters and machine tool configuration. During the decision-making phase of machine tool selection, unit profit is targeted as high as possible and is given by the value of the following variables: SPM configuration selection, machining unit assignment to each operation group, and feed and cutting speed of all operations. The newly developed model generates any random chromosome characterized by feasible values for process parameters. Having shown how the problem is formulated, the research presents a case study which exemplifies the operation of the proposed model. The results show that the optimization results can provide critical information for making logical, accurate, and reliable decisions when selecting SPMs.     

基于机床超低待机状态的流水车间能耗调度

为降低流水车间能源消耗,引入一种数控机床的超低待机状态,相比于将数控机床待机状态切换为停机状态的节能研究,可在不停机情况下降低数控机床加工间隔状态的功率,避免数控机床频繁启停.针对流水车间加工状态、待机状态及超低待机状态三元调度问题,提出基于工序平移的混合遗传算法,分别定义了不同的工序邻域移动操作,实现数控机床待机状态向超低待机状态和停机状态的转化,形成主动节能调度策略,提升遗传算法求解考虑超低待机状态的流水车间调度问题的优化能力.实验研究表明,启用超低待机状态能够降低流水车间10%以上的能耗,且基于工序平移的混合遗传算法求解考虑超低待机状态的流水车间调度问题性能优于遗传算法.     

Multiobjective evolutionary algorithm for manufacturing scheduling problems: state-of-the-art survey

Scheduling is an important tool for a manufacturing system, where it can have a major impact on the productivity of a production process. In order to find an optimal solution to scheduling problems it gives rise to complex combinatorial optimization problems. Unfortunately, most of them fall into the class of NP-hard combinatorial problems. In this paper, we focus on the design of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) to solve a variety of scheduling problems. Firstly, we introduce fitness assignment mechanism and performance measures for solving multiple objective optimization problems, and introduce evolutionary representations and hybrid evolutionary operations especially for the scheduling problems. Then we apply these EAs to the different types of scheduling problems, included job shop scheduling problem (JSP), flexible JSP, Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) dispatching in flexible manufacturing system (FMS), and integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS). Through a variety of numerical experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these Hybrid EAs (HEAs) in the widely applications of manufacturing scheduling problems. This paper also summarizes a classification of scheduling problems, and illustrates the design way of EAs for the different types of scheduling problems. It is useful to guide how to design an effective EA for the practical manufacturing scheduling problems. As known, these practical scheduling problems are very complex, and almost is a combination of different typical scheduling problems.     

Real-time integrated production-scheduling and maintenance-planning in a flexible job shop with machine deterioration and condition-based maintenance

The introduction of modern technologies in manufacturing is contributing to the emergence of smart (and data-driven) manufacturing systems, known as Industry 4.0. The benefits of adopting such technologies can be fully utilized by presenting optimization models in every step of the decision-making process. This includes the optimization of maintenance plans and production schedules, which are two essential aspects of any manufacturing process. In this paper, we consider the real-time joint optimization of maintenance planning and production scheduling in smart manufacturing systems. We have considered a flexible job shop production layout and addressed several issues that usually take place in practice. The addressed issues are: new job arrivals, unexpected due date changes, machine degradation, random breakdowns, minimal repairs, and condition-based maintenance (CBM). We have proposed a real-time optimization-based system that utilizes a modified hybrid genetic algorithm, an integrated proactive-reactive optimization model, and hybrid rescheduling policies. A set of modified benchmark problems is used to test the proposed system by comparing its performance to several other optimization algorithms and methods used in practice. The results show the superiority of the proposed system for solving the problem under study. The results also emphasize the importance of the quality of the generated baseline plans (i.e., initial integrated plans), the use of hybrid rescheduling policies, and the importance of rescheduling times (i.e., reaction times) for cost savings.