Hybrid harmony search algorithm for continuous optimization problems

Harmony Search (HS) algorithm has been extensively adopted in the literature to address optimization problems in many different fields, such as industrial design, civil engineering, electrical and mechanical engineering problems. In order to ensure its search performance, HS requires extensive tuning of its four parameters control namely harmony memory size (HMS), harmony memory consideration rate (HMCR), pitch adjustment rate (PAR), and bandwidth (BW). However, tuning process is often cumbersome and is problem dependent. Furthermore, there is no one size fits all problems. Additionally, despite many useful works, HS and its variant still suffer from weak exploitation which can lead to poor convergence problem. Addressing these aforementioned issues, this thesis proposes to augment HS with adaptive tuning using Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO). Meanwhile, to enhance its exploitation, this thesis also proposes to adopt a new variant of the opposition-based learning technique (OBL). Taken together, the proposed hybrid algorithm, called IHS-GWO, aims to address continuous optimization problems. The IHS-GWO is evaluated using two standard benchmarking sets and two real-world optimization problems. The first benchmarking set consists of 24 classical benchmark unimodal and multimodal functions whilst the second benchmark set contains 30 state-of-the-art benchmark functions from the Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC). The two real-world optimization problems involved the three-bar truss and spring design. Statistical analysis using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Friedman of IHS-GWO’s results with recent HS variants and other metaheuristic demonstrate superior performance

A research survey: review of flexible job shop scheduling techniques

In the last 25 years, extensive research has been carried out addressing the flexible job shop scheduling (JSS) problem. A variety of techniques ranging from exact methods to hybrid techniques have been used in this research. The paper aims at presenting the development of flexible JSS and a consolidated survey of various techniques that have been employed since 1990 for problem resolution. The paper comprises evaluation of publications and research methods used in various research papers. Finally, conclusions are drawn based on performed survey results. A total of 404 distinct publications were found addressing the FJSSP. Some of the research papers presented more than one technique/algorithm to solve the problem that is categorized into 410 different applications. Selected time period of these research papers is between 1990 and February 2014. Articles were searched mainly on major databases such as SpringerLink, Science Direct, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, EBSCO, etc. and other web sources. All databases were searched for “flexible job shop” and “scheduling” in the title an

Task scheduling for dual-arm industrial robots through Constraint Programming

In a society where more and more production becomes automated it demands robots that are as flexible and versatile as humans. Such flexibility demands automatic scheduling of tasks. In this thesis we approach the problem using Constraint Programming and through a case study we present a model for a dual-armed robot that is able to deal with a more flexible workload. We also introduce filters to cut down the runtime of the solver. To evaluate the model we tested it on 6 solvers; G12/FD, JaCoP, Gecode, or-tools, Opturion CPX and Choco3. The results show that the model can produce a solution as good as the one manually implemented for the case study. We introduce filters on the domains of some of the variables and they made an improvement on the runtime for many of the solvers. We also found that the runtime of the solvers varied a lot and could range from several hours to just a few milliseconds using the same data. Unfortunately, in many of the tests the solvers did not complete their searches within the time limit of 4 hours. In some cases when using MiniZinc version 2.0.1, the solvers were not able to read the FlatZinc files. The fastest solver in our tests was Gecode using MiniZinc version 2.0.1

Metodología multiobjetivo basada en un comportamiento evolutivo para programar sistemas de producción flexible job shop. Aplicaciones en la industria metalmecánica

El objeto de estudio de la presente tesis es el taller de trabajo flexible en el sector metalmecánico. El problema de investigación se derivó a partir de la búsqueda sistemática de metodologías y algoritmos para programar sistemas productivos; se identificaron configuraciones de variables de proceso no abordadas en la literatura, lo que se considera un vacío en el conocimiento. Consecuente con lo anterior, se diseñó una metodología basada en un algoritmo evolutivo para programar los pedidos en un taller de trabajo flexible, con restricciones de tiempo, secuencia, mantenimiento, liberación de pedidos, disponibilidad, consumo y costo de recurso que varía en el tiempo, con el fin de minimizar tiempo de proceso y costo de producción; incluyó un proceso de ponderación para escoger la mejor secuencia de programación. Como aporte principal se propone una metodología novedosa que al compararla con otras metodologías encontradas en la bibliografía, demostró mejoras mayores al 10% en makespan y costo total del recurso consumidoAbstract: The study object of the present thesis is the flexible job shop in the metal mechanic sector. The research problem was derived from the systematic search of methodologies and algorithms to schedule production systems; configurations of process variables not addressed in the literature were identified, which is considered an empty in knowledge. Consequent with previous, a methodology was designed based on an evolutionary algorithm to schedule orders in a flexible job shop, with time restrictions, sequence, maintenance, liberation of orders, availability, consumption and cost of resource that varies in time, in order to minimize processing time and cost of production; it includes a weighting process to choose the best programming sequence. As main contribution a novel methodology was proposed which, compared with other methodologies found in the literature, it demonstrated greater improvements to 10% in Makespan and total cost of consumed resourceDoctorad

Sessenta anos de Shop Scheduling : uma revisão sistemática da literatura

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Cassius Tadeu ScarpinDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção. Defesa: Curitiba, 09/02/2017Inclui referências : f. 449-492Resumo: Desde o seminal artigo de Johnson em 1954, a Programação da Produção em Shop Scheduling tem se tornado uma área relevante dentro da Pesquisa Operacional e, atualmente, duzentos trabalhos tangentes à temática são publicados anualmente. Dentre os artigos aqui citados tem-se aqueles que se dedicam à apresentação e síntese do estado da arte desse assunto, intitulados artigos de revisão. Quando tais artigos são elaborados a partir de um conjunto objetivo de critérios, relativos à categorização dos artigos selecionados, tem-se a Revisão Sistemática da Literatura (RSL). O presente trabalho realiza uma RSL em Shop Scheduling, a partir da análise de cada ambiente fabril que o compõe. Fez-se o escrutínio de 560 artigos, à luz de um conjunto de métricas, que constitui a estrutura basilar da proposta de nova taxonomia do Shop Scheduling, complementar à notação de Graham, objetivo fulcral do presente trabalho. Além disso, utilizou-se uma representação em redes dos resultados obtidos em algumas das métricas empregadas, como a característica dos itens, algo outrora inaudito em estudos de revisão desse assunto. Ademais, outro ponto relevante desse estudo repousa na identificação de campos pouco explorados, de modo a colaborar com a pesquisa futura neste tomo. Palavras-chave: Shop Scheduling. Revisão Sistemática da Literatura. Taxonomia. Representação em Redes.Abstract: Since Johnson's seminal article in 1954, Shop Scheduling in Production Scheduling has become a relevant area within Operational Research, and currently hundreds of tangential works on the subject are published annually. Among the articles cited here are those dedicated to the presentation and synthesis of the state of the art of this subject, which are entitled review articles. When these articles are elaborated from an objective set of criteria, regarding the categorization of the selected articles, we have the Systematic Review of Literature (SLR). The present work performs a SLR in Shop Scheduling, based on the analysis of each manufacturing environment that composes it. There were 560 articles scrutinized based on a set of metrics, which is the basic structure of the proposed new Taxonomy of Shop Scheduling, complementary to Graham's notation, the main objective of this work. In addition to that a network representation of the results was obtained in some of the metrics used, such as the job characteristics, something previously unheard of in review studies of this subject. Moreover, another relevant point of this study lies in the identification of less explored fields in order to collaborate with future research in this matter. Keywords: Shop Scheduling. Systematic Literature Review. Taxonomy. Network Representation