A NeuroGenetic Approach for Multiprocessor Scheduling

This chapter presents a NeuroGenetic approach for solving a family of multiprocessor scheduling problems. We address primarily the Job-Shop scheduling problem, one of the hardest of the various scheduling problems. We propose a new approach, the NeuroGenetic approach, which is a hybrid metaheuristic that combines augmented-neural-networks (AugNN) and genetic algorithms-based search methods. The AugNN approach is a nondeterministic iterative local-search method which combines the benefits of a heuristic search and iterative neural-network search. Genetic algorithms based search is particularly good at global search. An interleaved approach between AugNN and GA combines the advantages of local search and global search, thus providing improved solutions compared to AugNN or GA search alone. We discuss the encoding and decoding schemes for switching between GA and AugNN approaches to allow interleaving. The purpose of this study is to empirically test the extent of improvement obtained by using the interleaved hybrid approach instead of applied using a single approach on the job-shop scheduling problem. We also describe the AugNN formulation and a Genetic Algorithm approach for the JobShop problem. We present the results of AugNN, GA and the NeuroGentic approach on some benchmark job-shop scheduling problems

An Enhanced Estimation of Distribution Algorithm for Energy-Efficient Job-Shop Scheduling Problems with Transportation Constraints

[EN] Nowadays, the manufacturing industry faces the challenge of reducing energy consumption and the associated environmental impacts. Production scheduling is an effective approach for energy-savings management. During the entire workshop production process, both the processing and transportation operations consume large amounts of energy. To reduce energy consumption, an energy-efficient job-shop scheduling problem (EJSP) with transportation constraints was proposed in this paper. First, a mixed-integer programming model was established to minimize both the comprehensive energy consumption and makespan in the EJSP. Then, an enhanced estimation of distribution algorithm (EEDA) was developed to solve the problem. In the proposed algorithm, an estimation of distribution algorithm was employed to perform the global search and an improved simulated annealing algorithm was designed to perform the local search. Finally, numerical experiments were implemented to analyze the performance of the EEDA. The results showed that the EEDA is a promising approach and that it can solve EJSP effectively and efficiently.This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (No. 17KJB460018), the Innovation Foundation for Science and Technology of Yangzhou University (No. 2016CXJ020 and No. 2017CXJ018), Science and Technology Project of Yangzhou under (No. YZ2017278), Research Topics of Teaching Reform of Yangzhou University under (No. YZUJX2018-28B), and the Spanish Government (No. TIN2016-80856-R and No. TIN2015-65515-C4-1-R).Dai, M.; Zhang, Z.; Giret Boggino, AS.; Salido, MA. (2019). An Enhanced Estimation of Distribution Algorithm for Energy-Efficient Job-Shop Scheduling Problems with Transportation Constraints. Sustainability. 11(11):1-23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113085S1231111Wu, X., & Sun, Y. (2018). 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An effective approach for the dual-resource flexible job shop scheduling problem considering loading and unloading

Many manufacturing systems need more than one type of resource to co-work with. Commonly studied flexible job shop scheduling problems merely consider the main resource such as machines and ignore the impact of other types of resource. As a result, scheduling solutions may not put into practice. This paper therefore studies the dual resource constrained flexible job shop scheduling problem when loading and unloading time (DRFJSP-LU) of the fixtures is considered. It formulates a multi-objective mathematical model to jointly minimize the makespan and the total setup time. Considering the influence of resource requirement similarity among different operations, we propose a similarity-based scheduling algorithm for setup-time reduction (SSA4STR) and then an improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) to optimize the DRFJSP-LU. Experimental results show that the SSA4STR can effectively reduce the loading and unloading time of fixtures while ensuring a level of makespan. The experiments also verify that the scheduling solution with multiple resources has a greater guiding effect on production than the scheduling result with a single resource

A New Energy-Aware Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Method Using Modified Biogeography-Based Optimization

Industry consumes approximately half of the total worldwide energy usage. With the increasingly rising energy costs in recent years, it is critically important to consider one of the most widely used energies, electricity, during the production planning process. We propose a new mathematical model that can determine efficient scheduling to minimize the makespan and electricity consumption cost (ECC) for the flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSSP) under a time-of-use (TOU) policy. In addition to the traditional two subtasks in FJSSP, a new subtask called speed selection, which represents the selection of variable operating speeds, is added. Then, a modified biogeography-based optimization (MBBO) algorithm combined with variable neighborhood search (VNS) is proposed to solve the biobjective problem. Experiments are performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed MBBO algorithm for obtaining an improved scheduling solution compared to the basic biogeography-based optimization (BBO) algorithm, genetic algorithm (GA), and harmony search (HS)

Mathematical Model and Meta-Heuristic Algorithm for Dual Resource Constrained Hybrid Flow-Shop Scheduling Problem with Job Rejection

In the real world, firms with hybrid flow-shop manufacturing environment generally facethe human resource constraint, salary cost increasment and efforts to make better use oflabor, in addition to machine constraint. Given the limitations of these resources, productdelivery requierements to customers have made the job rejection essential in order to meetdistinct customer requirements. Therefore, this research has studied the dual resourceconstrained hybrid flow-shop scheduling problem with job rejection in order to minimizethe total net cost (the sum of the total rejection cost and the total tardiness cost of jobs)which is widely used in many industries. In this article, a mixed integer linear programmingmodel has developed for the research problem. In addition, an improved sooty ternoptimization algorithm (ISTOA) has proposed to solve the large-sized problems as well asa decoding method due to the NP-hardness of the problem. In order to evaluate theproposed optimization algorithm, five well-known algorithms in the literature including(immunoglobulin-based artificial immune system (IAIS), genetic algorithm (GA), discreteartificial bee colony (DABC), improved fruit fly optimization (IFFO), effective modifiedmigrating birds optimization (EMBO)) have adapted with the proposed problem. Finally,the performance of the proposed optimization algorithm has investigated against theadapted algorithms. Results and evaluations show the good performance of the improvedsooty tern optimization algorithm

Framework for sustainable TVET-Teacher Education Program in Malaysia Public Universities

Studies had stated that less attention was given to the education aspect, such as teaching and learning in planning for improving the TVET system. Due to the 21st Century context, the current paradigm of teaching for the TVET educators also has been reported to be fatal and need to be shifted. All these disadvantages reported hindering the country from achieving the 5th strategy in the Strategic Plan for Vocational Education Transformation to transform TVET system as a whole. Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework for sustainable TVET Teacher Education program in Malaysia. This study had adopted an Exploratory Sequential Mix-Method design, which involves a semi-structured interview (phase one) and survey method (phase two). Nine experts had involved in phase one chosen by using Purposive Sampling Technique. As in phase two, 118 TVET-TE program lecturers were selected as the survey sample chosen through random sampling method. After data analysis in phase one (thematic analysis) and phase two (Principal Component Analysis), eight domains and 22 elements have been identified for the framework for sustainable TVET-TE program in Malaysia. This framework was identified to embed the elements of 21st Century Education, thus filling the gap in this research. The research findings also indicate that the developed framework was unidimensional and valid for the development and research regarding TVET-TE program in Malaysia. Lastly, it is in the hope that this research can be a guide for the nations in producing a quality TVET teacher in the future

An improved constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network for job-shop scheduling

Copyright @ Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009This paper presents an improved constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network for job-shop scheduling problems. The neural network is constructed based on the constraint conditions of a job-shop scheduling problem. Its structure and neuron connections can change adaptively according to the real-time constraint satisfaction situations that arise during the solving process. Several heuristics are also integrated within the neural network to enhance its convergence, accelerate its convergence, and improve the quality of the solutions produced. An experimental study based on a set of benchmark job-shop scheduling problems shows that the improved constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network outperforms the original constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network in terms of computational time and the quality of schedules it produces. The neural network approach is also experimentally validated to outperform three classical heuristic algorithms that are widely used as the basis of many state-of-the-art scheduling systems. Hence, it may also be used to construct advanced job-shop scheduling systems.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of UK under Grant EP/E060722/01 and in part by the National Nature Science Fundation of China under Grant 60821063 and National Basic Research Program of China under Grant 2009CB320601

Multiprocessor task scheduling in multistage hyrid flowshops: a genetic algorithm approach

This paper considers multiprocessor task scheduling in a multistage hybrid flow-shop environment. The objective is to minimize the make-span, that is, the completion time of all the tasks in the last stage. This problem is of practical interest in the textile and process industries. A genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to solve the problem. The GA is tested against a lower bound from the literature as well as against heuristic rules on a test bed comprising 400 problems with up to 100 jobs, 10 stages, and with up to five processors on each stage. For small problems, solutions found by the GA are compared to optimal solutions, which are obtained by total enumeration. For larger problems, optimum solutions are estimated by a statistical prediction technique. Computational results show that the GA is both effective and efficient for the current problem. Test problems are provided in a web site at www.benchmark.ibu.edu.tr/mpt-h; fsp