Genetic Algorithm Optimization of a Six Degree of Freedom Micro Parallel Robot

In this paper a mono–objective optimum design procedure for a six–degree of freedom parallel micro robot is outlined by using optimality criterion of workspace and numerical aspects. A mono–objective optimization problem is formulated by referring to a basic performance of parallel robots. Additional objective functions can be used to extend the proposed design procedure to more general but specific design problems. A kinematic optimization was performed to maximize the workspace of the mini parallel robot. Optimization was performed using Genetic Algorithms. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optimal Design of 2 DOF Parallel Kinematics Machines

The aim of this paper is to show the usefulness of the multicriteria approach to optimize the Parallel Kinematic Machines (PKM). Variations of the kinematic performances index remain not constant throughout workspace. Aiming to deal at the same time with multiple criteria in optimal design of PKM, we have developed a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) using concepts of Pareto optimality and niching techniques. The obtained results have shown that the use of MOGA in such kind of optimization problem enhances the quality of the optimization outcome, providing a better and more realistic support for the decision maker. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Metaheuristics for scheduling jobs with incompatible families on parallel batching machines

In this paper, we discuss the scheduling of jobs with incompatible families on parallel batching machines. The performance measure is total weighted tardiness. This research is motivated by a scheduling problem found in the diffusion and oxidation areas of semiconductor wafer fabrication where the machines can be modelled as parallel batch processors. Given that this scheduling problem is NP-hard, we suggest an ant colony optimization (ACO) and a variable neighbourhood search (VNS) approach. Both metaheuristics are hybridized with a decomposition heuristic and a local search scheme. We compare the performance of the two algorithms with that of a genetic algorithm (GA) based on extensive computational experiments. The VNS approach outperforms the ACO and GA approach with respect to time and solution quality.     

Genetic algorithmic approach to find the maximum weight independent set of a graph

In this paper, Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used to find the Maximum Weight Independent Set (MWIS) of a graph. First, MWIS problem is formulated as a 0-1 integer programming optimization problem with linear objective function and a single quadratic constraint. Then GA is implemented with the help of this formulation. Since GA is a heuristic search method, exact solution is not reached in every run. Though the suboptimal solution obtained is very near to the exact one. Computational result comprising an average performance is also presented here.     

作业车间调度问题的改进混合遗传算法

作业车间调度是一类求解困难的组合优化问题,本文在考虑遗传算法早熟收敛问题和禁忌搜索法自适应优点的基础上,将遗传算法和禁忌搜索法相结合,提出了一种基于遗传和禁忌搜索的混合算法,并用实例对该算法进行了仿真研究.结果表明,该算法有很好的收敛精度,是可行的,与传统的算法相比较,有明显的优越性.     

Fuzzy adaptive search method for parallel genetic algorithm with island combination process

Genetic algorithms (GAs) pose several problems. Probably, the most important one is that the search ability of ordinary GAs is not always optimal in the early and final stages of the search because of fixed GA parameters. To solve this problem, we proposed the fuzzy adaptive search method for genetic algorithms (FASGA) that is able to tune the genetic parameters according to the search stage by the fuzzy reasoning. In this paper, a fuzzy adaptive search method for parallel genetic algorithms (FASPGA) is proposed, in which the high-speed search ability of fuzzy adaptive tuning by FASGA is combined with the high-quality solution finding capacity of parallel genetic algorithms. The proposed method offers improved search performance, and produces high-quality solutions. Moreover, we also propose FASPGA with an operation of combining dynamically sub-populations (C-FASPGA) which combines two elite islands in the final stage of the evolution to find a better solution as early as possible. Simulations are performed to confirm the efficiency of the proposed method, which is shown to be superior to both ordinary and parallel genetic algorithms.     

Military antenna design using simple and competent genetic algorithms

Over the past decade, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Antenna Technology Branch at Hanscom AFB has employed the simple genetic algorithm (SGA) as an optimization tool for a wide variety of antenna applications. Over roughly the same period, researchers at the Illinois Genetic Algorithm Laboratory (IlliGAL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign have developed GA design theory and advanced GA techniques called competent genetic algorithms—GAs that solve hard problems quickly, reliably, and accurately. Recently, under the guidance and direction of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the two laboratories have formed a collaboration, the common goal of which is to apply simple, competent, and hybrid GA techniques to challenging antenna problems.This paper is composed of two parts. The first part of this paper summarizes previous research conducted by AFRL at Hanscom for which SGAs were implemented to obtain acceptable solutions to several antenna problems. This research covers diverse areas of interest, including array pattern synthesis, antenna test-bed design, gain enhancement, electrically small single bent wire elements, and wideband antenna elements.The second part of this paper starts by briefly reviewing the design theory and design principles necessary for the invention and implementation of fast, scalable genetic algorithms. A particular procedure, the hierarchical Bayesian optimization algorithm (hBOA) is then briefly outlined, and the remainder of the paper describes collaborative efforts of AFRL and IlliGAL to solve more difficult antenna problems. In particular, recent results of using hBOA to optimize a novel, wideband overlapped subarray system to achieve −35 dB sidelobes over a 20% bandwidth. The problem was sufficiently difficult that acceptable solutions were not obtained using SGAs. The case study demonstrates the utility of using more advanced GA techniques to obtain acceptable solution quality as problem difficulty increases.     

A genetic algorithms simulation approach for the multi-attribute combinatorial dispatching decision problem

This paper presents a genetic algorithms (GA) simulation approach in solving a multi-attribute combinatorial dispatching (MACD) decision problem in a flow shop with multiple processors (FSMP) environment. The simulation is capable of modeling a non-linear and stochastic problem. GA are one of the commonly used metaheuristics and are a proven tool for solving complex optimization problems. The proposed GA simulation approach addresses a complex MACD problem. Its solution quality is illustrated by a case study from a multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) manufacturing plant. Because GA search results are often sensitive to the search parameters, this research optimized the GA parameters by using regression analysis. Empirical results showed that the GA simulation approach outperformed several commonly used dispatching rules. The improvements are ranging from 33% to 61%. On the other hand, the increased shop-floor-control complexity may hinder the implementation of the system. Finally, future research directions are discussed.     

基于遗传算法的生产批量优化问题

本文针对生产费用、生产准备费用和库存费用综合指标最小的最优的能力约束生产批量问题,建立基于遗传算法的数学模型,通过模拟试验及实际问题的计算验证了算法的可行性。     

A genetic algorithm for robotic assembly line balancing

Flexibility and automation in assembly lines can be achieved by the use of robots. The robotic assembly line balancing (RALB) problem is defined for robotic assembly line, where different robots may be assigned to the assembly tasks, and each robot needs different assembly times to perform a given task, because of its capabilities and specialization. The solution to the RALB problem includes an attempt for optimal assignment of robots to line stations and a balanced distribution of work between different stations. It aims at maximizing the production rate of the line. A genetic algorithm (GA) is used to find a solution to this problem. Two different procedures for adapting the GA to the RALB problem, by assigning robots with different capabilities to workstations are introduced: a recursive assignment procedure and a consecutive assignment procedure. The results of the GA are improved by a local optimization (hill climbing) work-piece exchange procedure. Tests conducted on a set of randomly generated problems, show that the Consecutive Assignment procedure achieves, in general, better solution quality (measured by average cycle time). Further tests are conducted to determine the best combination of parameters for the GA procedure. Comparison of the GA algorithm results with a truncated Branch and Bound algorithm for the RALB problem, demonstrates that the GA gives consistently better results.     

Optimization of an Active Noise Control System Inside an Aircraft, Based on the Simultaneous Optimal Positioning of Microphones and Speakers, with the Use of a Genetic Algorithm

In the last decade, Active Noise Control (ANC) has become a very popular technique for controlling low-frequency noise. The increase in its popularity is a consequence of the rapid development in the fields of computers in general, and more specifically in digital signal processing boards. ANC systems are application specific and therefore they should be optimally designed for each application. Even though the physical background of the ANC systems is well known and understood, efficient tools for the optimization of the sensor and actuator configurations of the ANC system, based on classical optimization methods, do not exist. This is due to the nature of the problem that allows the calculation of the effect of the ANC system only when the sensor and actuator configurations are specified. An additional difficulty in this problem is that the sensor and the actuator configurations cannot be optimized independently, since the effect of the ANC system directly depends on the combined sensor and actuator configuration. For the solution of this problem several other optimization techniques were applied, such as simulated annealing for example. In this paper the successful application of a Genetic Algorithm, an optimization technique that belongs to the broad class of evolutionary algorithms, is presented. The results obtained from the application of the GA are very promising. The GA was able to identify various configurations that achieved a reduction of 6.3 dBs to 6.5 dBs, which corresponds to an actual reduction of 50% of the initial acoustic pressure.     

Pseudo-conjugate directions for the solution of the nonlinear unconstrained optimization problem on a parallel computer

Parallel algorithms and test case results for the solution of the unconstrained optimization problem are presented. The algorithms involve the use of pseudo-conjugate directions (directions which tend to become conjugate as the solution is approached). It is shown that the algorithms are both fast and robust. Although all the algorithms of this paper involve the parallel execution of linear search procedures, a critical differentiation can be made among them, depending on whether the linear searches are performed along the same direction (parallel unidirectional algorithms) or different directions (parallel multidirectional algorithms).     

An efficient genetic algorithm for the traveling salesman problem with precedence constraints

The traveling salesman problem with precedence constraints (TSPPC) is one of the most difficult combinatorial optimization problems. In this paper, an efficient genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the TSPPC is presented. The key concept of the proposed GA is a topological sort (TS), which is defined as an ordering of vertices in a directed graph. Also, a new crossover operation is developed for the proposed GA. The results of numerical experiments show that the proposed GA produces an optimal solution and shows superior performance compared to the traditional algorithms.     

Performance analysis of distributed solution approaches in simulation-based optimization

Applying computationally expensive simulations in design or process optimization results in long-running solution processes even when using a state-of-the-art distributed algorithm and hardware. Within these simulation-based optimization problems the optimizer has to treat the simulation systems as black-boxes. The distributed solution of this kind of optimization problem demands efficient utilization of resources (i.e. processors) and evaluation of the solution quality. Analyzing the parallel performance is therefore an important task in the development of adequate distributed approaches taking into account the numerical algorithm, its implementation, and the used hardware architecture. In this paper, simulation-based optimization problems are characterized and a distributed solution algorithm is presented. Different performance analysis techniques (e.g. scalability analysis, computational complexity) are discussed and a new approach integrating parallel performance and solution quality is developed. This approach combines a priori and a posteriori techniques and can be applied in early stages of the solution process. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated by applying it to three different classes of simulation-based optimization problems from groundwater management.     

Multiple-objective heuristics for scheduling unrelated parallel machines

This research proposes two heuristics and a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to find non-dominated solutions to multiple-objective unrelated parallel machine scheduling problems. Three criteria are of interest, namely: makespan, total weighted completion time, and total weighted tardiness. Each heuristic seeks to simultaneously minimize a pair of these criteria; the GA seeks to simultaneously minimize all three. The computational results show that the proposed heuristics are computationally efficient and provide solutions of reasonable quality. The proposed GA outperforms other algorithms in terms of the number of non-dominated solutions and the quality of its solutions.     

Embedding evolutionary strategy in ordinal optimization for hard optimization problems

This work proposes a method for embedding evolutionary strategy (ES) in ordinal optimization (OO), abbreviated as ESOO, for solving real-time hard optimization problems with time-consuming evaluation of the objective function and a huge discrete solution space. Firstly, an approximate model that is based on a radial basis function (RBF) network is utilized to evaluate approximately the objective value of a solution. Secondly, ES associated with the approximate model is applied to generate a representative subset from a huge discrete solution space. Finally, the optimal computing budget allocation (OCBA) technique is adopted to select the best solution in the representative subset as the obtained “good enough” solution. The proposed method is applied to a hotel booking limits (HBL) problem, which is formulated as a stochastic combinatorial optimization problem with a huge discrete solution space. The good enough booking limits, obtained by the proposed method, have promising solution quality, and the computational efficiency of the method makes it suitable for real-time applications. To demonstrate the computational efficiency of the proposed method and the quality of the obtained solution, it is compared with two competing methods – the canonical ES and the genetic algorithm (GA). Test results demonstrate that the proposed approach greatly outperforms the canonical ES and GA.     

A dynamic genetic algorithm based on continuous neural networks for a kind of non-convex optimization problems

This paper presents a kind of dynamic genetic algorithm based on a continuous neural network, which is intrinsically the steepest decent method for constrained optimization problems. The proposed algorithm combines the local searching ability of the steepest decent methods with the global searching ability of genetic algorithms. Genetic algorithms are used to decide each initial point of the steepest decent methods so that all the initial points can be searched intelligently. The steepest decent methods are employed to decide the fitness of genetic algorithms so that some good initial points can be selected. The proposed algorithm is motivated theoretically and biologically. It can be used to solve a non-convex optimization problem which is quadratic and even more non-linear. Compared with standard genetic algorithms, it can improve the precision of the solution while decreasing the searching scale. In contrast to the ordinary steepest decent method, it can obtain global sub-optimal solution while lessening the complexity of calculation.     

Progressive genetic algorithm for solution of optimization problems with nonlinear equality and inequality constraints

A new approach, identified as progressive genetic algorithm (PGA), is proposed for the solutions of optimization problems with nonlinear equality and inequality constraints. Based on genetic algorithms (GAs) and iteration method, PGA divides the optimization process into two steps; iteration and search steps. In the iteration step, the constraints of the original problem are linearized using truncated Taylor series expansion, yielding an approximate problem with linearized constraints. In the search step, GA is applied to the problem with linearized constraints for the local optimal solution. The final solution is obtained from a progressive iterative process. Application of the proposed method to two simple examples is given to demonstrate the algorithm.     

Modified particle swarm optimization algorithm with simulated annealing behavior and its numerical verification

The hybrid algorithm that combined particle swarm optimization with simulated annealing behavior (SA-PSO) is proposed in this paper. The SA-PSO algorithm takes both of the advantages of good solution quality in simulated annealing and fast searching ability in particle swarm optimization. As stochastic optimization algorithms are sensitive to their parameters, proper procedure for parameters selection is introduced in this paper to improve solution quality. To verify the usability and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, simulations are performed using 20 different mathematical optimization functions with different dimensions. The comparative works have also been conducted among different algorithms under the criteria of quality of the solution, the efficiency of searching for the solution and the convergence characteristics. According to the results, the SA-PSO could have higher efficiency, better quality and faster convergence speed than compared algorithms.     

Real-time management of vehicle breakdowns in urban freight distribution

This paper considers a problem in which an unexpected event immobilises a vehicle of a distribution fleet permanently, and the remaining vehicles are rerouted to serve some of the clients of the failed vehicle. We model this case as a variation of the Team Orienteering Problem (TOP), constraining all vehicle routes to an upper time, or distance, limit, and taking into account the limited capacity of the fleet vehicles. The problem requires an effective solution in almost real time. We propose a new heuristic to provide efficient solutions within this strict computational time constraint. To test the quality of the heuristic, we have developed and validated a Genetic Algorithm (GA) that obtains high quality (but computationally expensive) solutions. The solutions of the heuristic compare favorably to those obtained by the GA. The latter has also been tested successfully in a real-time fleet management system.