Scheduling orders for multiple product types to minimize total weighted completion time

We consider the problem of scheduling orders for multiple different product types in an environment with m dedicated machines in parallel. The objective is to minimize the total weighted completion time. Each product type is produced by one and only one of the m dedicated machines; that is, each machine is dedicated to a specific product type. Each order has a weight and may also have a release date. Each order asks for certain amounts of various different product types. The different products for an order can be produced concurrently. Preemptions are not allowed. Even when all orders are available at time 0, the problem has been shown to be strongly NP-hard for any fixed number (?2) of machines. This paper focuses on the design and analysis of efficient heuristics for the case without release dates. Occasionally, however, we extend our results to the case with release dates. The heuristics considered include some that have already been proposed in the literature as well as several new ones. They include various static and dynamic priority rules as well as two more sophisticated LP-based algorithms. We analyze the performance bounds of the priority rules and of the algorithms and present also an in-depth comparative analysis of the various rules and algorithms. The conclusions from this empirical analysis provide insights into the trade-offs with regard to solution quality, speed, and memory space.     

A Tabu-Search Hyperheuristic for Timetabling and Rostering

Hyperheuristics can be defined to be heuristics which choose between heuristics in order to solve a given optimisation problem. The main motivation behind the development of such approaches is the goal of developing automated scheduling methods which are not restricted to one problem. In this paper we report the investigation of a hyperheuristic approach and evaluate it on various instances of two distinct timetabling and rostering problems. In the framework of our hyperheuristic approach, heuristics compete using rules based on the principles of reinforcement learning. A tabu list of heuristics is also maintained which prevents certain heuristics from being chosen at certain times during the search. We demonstrate that this tabu-search hyperheuristic is an easily re-usable method which can produce solutions of at least acceptable quality across a variety of problems and instances. In effect the proposed method is capable of producing solutions that are competitive with those obtained using state-of-the-art problem-specific techniques for the problems studied here, but is fundamentally more general than those techniques.     

Bi-criteria optimization problems for decision rules

We consider bi-criteria optimization problems for decision rules and rule systems relative to length and coverage. We study decision tables with many-valued decisions in which each row is associated with a set of decisions as well as single-valued decisions where each row has a single decision. Short rules are more understandable; rules covering more rows are more general. Both of these problems—minimization of length and maximization of coverage of rules are NP-hard. We create dynamic programming algorithms which can find the minimum length and the maximum coverage of rules, and can construct the set of Pareto optimal points for the corresponding bi-criteria optimization problem. This approach is applicable for medium-sized decision tables. However, the considered approach allows us to evaluate the quality of various heuristics for decision rule construction which are applicable for relatively big datasets. We can evaluate these heuristics from the point of view of (i) single-criterion—we can compare the length or coverage of rules constructed by heuristics; and (ii) bi-criteria—we can measure the distance of a point (length, coverage) corresponding to a heuristic from the set of Pareto optimal points. The presented results show that the best heuristics from the point of view of bi-criteria optimization are not always the best ones from the point of view of single-criterion optimization.     

An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Improving Computer Communications Network Topologies

This paper presents an artificial intelligence approach to solving the network design problem. The major issue under consideration is the various topological aspects of a design, especially in the case of large computer networks. The combinatorial explosion can only be dealt with, hopefully, by means of heuristics, which drastically reduce the search space of candidate topologies. The proposed approach is essentially a general framework for integrating conventional approximate methods and knowledge-based systems. An inference engine is then a means suited to extending the realm of local transformations used in conventional heuristics. Sophisticated goal-directed searches can be achieved by using knowledge bases, which are large sets of detailed design rules.     

Generalized hyper-heuristics for solving 2D Regular and Irregular Packing Problems

The idea behind hyper-heuristics is to discover some combination of straightforward heuristics to solve a wide range of problems. To be worthwhile, such a combination should outperform the single heuristics. This article presents a GA-based method that produces general hyper-heuristics that solve two-dimensional regular (rectangular) and irregular (convex polygonal) bin-packing problems. A hyper-heuristic is used to define a high-level heuristic that controls low-level heuristics. The hyper-heuristic should decide when and where to apply each single low-level heuristic, depending on the given problem state. In this investigation two kinds of heuristics were considered: for selecting the figures (pieces) and objects (bins), and for placing the figures into the objects. Some of the heuristics were taken from the literature, others were adapted, and some other variations developed by us. We chose the most representative heuristics of their type, considering their individual performance in various studies and also in an initial experimentation on a collection of benchmark problems. The GA included in the proposed model uses a variable-length representation, which evolves combinations of condition-action rules producing hyper-heuristics after going through a learning process which includes training and testing phases. Such hyper-heuristics, when tested with a large set of benchmark problems, produce outstanding results for most of the cases. The testbed is composed of problems used in other similar studies in the literature. Some additional instances for the testbed were randomly generated.     

Ordering algorithms for irreducible sparse linear systems

Ordinary algorithms aim to pre-order a matrix in order to achieve a favourable structure for factorization. Two prototype structures are described which are commonly aimed at by current algorithms. A different structure, based on a lower Hessenberg form, is introduced. We show that the common structures may be obtained from the Hessenberg form in a simple way. A fundamental and very simple algorithm is presented for deriving the lower Hessenberg form. This algorithm is inherently a part of other common algorithms, but is usually obscured by other detailed heuristics. Some of these heuristics are seen to correspond to different tie-break rules in the fundamental algorithm. We describe a particularly simple tie-break rule used in SPK1 [11], which is effective and not at all well known. Ordinary algorithms need to be modified to enable pivoting for numerical stability to be carried out. We describe how the idea of threshold pivoting can be used in the context of these algorithms. Most ordering algorithms in common use employ some sort of look-ahead to promote a favourable structure. It is argued that look-ahead is generally ineffective in practice, and that numerical evidence supports the use of very simple strategies. A new ordering algorithm is presented which aims to obtain a narrower bandwidth in the lower Hessenberg form. Some limited numerical experience is presented which enables us to draw tentative conclusions about various ordering strategies, and how they compare with those in common use.     

Multi-Item Single-Level Capacitated Dynamic Lot-Sizing Heuristics: A General Review

The multi-item single-level capacitated lot-sizing problem consists of scheduling N different items over a horizon of T periods. The objective is to minimize the sum of set-up and inventory-holding costs over the horizon, subject to a capacity restriction in each period. Different heuristic approaches have been suggested to solve this difficult mathematical problem. So far, only a few limited attempts have been made to analyse and compare these approaches. The paper can be divided into two main parts. The first part shows that current heuristics can be classified in two different categories: single-resource heuristics, which are special-purpose methods, and mathematical-programming-based heuristics, which can usually deal with more general problem environments. The second part is devoted to an extensive computational review. The general idea is to find relationships between the performance of the heuristic and the computational burden involved in finding the solution. Based on these computational results, suggestions can be given with respect to the usefulness of the various heuristics in different industrial settings.     

Heuristics for Flowshop Scheduling Problems Minimizing Mean Tardiness

Several heuristics are presented for the flowshop scheduling problem with the objective of minimizing mean tardiness. We consider the cases in which job sequences on all machines are the same (permutation flowshop) and in which they may be different. For the former case, the various methods that have been devised for minimizing the makespan are modified for our objective, while the list scheduling algorithm is used for the latter case. These heuristics are tested and compared with each other on randomly-generated test problems.     

Solving a multicoloring problem with overlaps using integer programming

This paper presents a new generalization of the graph multicoloring problem. We propose a Branch-and-Cut algorithm based on a new integer programming formulation. The cuts used are valid inequalities that we could identify to the polytope associated with the model. The Branch-and-Cut system includes separation heuristics for the valid inequalities, specific initial and primal heuristics, branching and pruning rules. We report on computational experience with random instances.     

A comprehensive review and evaluation of permutation flowshop heuristics

In this work we present a review and comparative evaluation of heuristics and metaheuristics for the well-known permutation flowshop problem with the makespan criterion. A number of reviews and evaluations have already been proposed. However, the evaluations do not include the latest heuristics available and there is still no comparison of metaheuristics. Furthermore, since no common benchmarks and computing platforms are used, the results cannot be generalised. We propose a comparison of 25 methods, ranging from the classical Johnson's algorithm or dispatching rules to the most recent metaheuristics, including tabu search, simulated annealing, genetic algorithms, iterated local search and hybrid techniques. For the evaluation we use the standard test of Taillard [Eur. J. Operation. Res. 64 (1993) 278] composed of 120 instances of different sizes. In the evaluations we use the experimental design approach to obtain valid conclusions on the effectiveness and efficiency of the different methods tested.     

Beam search heuristics for quadratic earliness and tardiness scheduling

In this paper, we present beam search heuristics for the single machine scheduling problem with quadratic earliness and tardiness costs, and no machine idle time. These heuristics include classic beam search procedures, as well as filtered and recovering algorithms. We consider three dispatching heuristics as evaluation functions, in order to analyse the effect of different rules on the performance of the beam search procedures. The computational results show that using better dispatching heuristics improves the effectiveness of the beam search algorithms. The performance of the several heuristics is similar for instances with low variability. For high variability instances, however, the detailed, filtered and recovering beam search (RBS) procedures clearly outperform the best existing heuristic. The detailed beam search algorithm performs quite well, and is recommended for small- to medium-sized instances. For larger instances, however, this procedure requires excessive computation times, and the RBS algorithm then becomes the heuristic of choice.     

求解资源约束项目调度问题的启发式算法综述

本文综述了求解RCPSP的启发式算法.首先在对各种优先权规则进行归纳的基础上,概述基于优先权规则的RCPSP启发式算法研究现状;其次,综述项目进度的表述方式及常用超启发式策略,汇总求解RCPSP的超启发式算法的研究成果.此外,简要介绍除上述两大类启发式算法之外的其他几种启发式算法;最后,对全文进行总结,并指出该领域几个有希望的研究方向.     

Simple heuristics for the assembly line worker assignment and balancing problem

We propose simple heuristics for the assembly line worker assignment and balancing problem. This problem typically occurs in assembly lines in sheltered work centers for the disabled. Different from the well-known simple assembly line balancing problem, the task execution times vary according to the assigned worker. We develop a constructive heuristic framework based on task and worker priority rules defining the order in which the tasks and workers should be assigned to the workstations. We present a number of such rules and compare their performance across three possible uses: as a stand-alone method, as an initial solution generator for meta-heuristics, and as a decoder for a hybrid genetic algorithm. Our results show that the heuristics are fast, they obtain good results as a stand-alone method and are efficient when used as a initial solution generator or as a solution decoder within more elaborate approaches.     

An investigation into the relationship of heuristic performance with network-resource characteristics

Constrained resource project management heuristics are analyzed and their performance is assessed related to well defined project types. Such results have shown that using the overall performance measure of a given heuristic can, in some situations, be misleading.An efficient heuristic, which combines resource and criticality factors is also proposed. Computational experiments on a set of 6120 networks varying in size from 45–666 activities, 3 resources, and under different network parameters are reported. The proposed heuristic outperforms the best existing dispatching rules in certain project classes and also on problem sets appearing in the literature.     

A scatter search based hyper-heuristic for sequencing a mixed-model assembly line

We address a mixed-model assembly-line sequencing problem with work overload minimization criteria. We consider time windows in work stations of the assembly line (closed stations) and different versions of a product to be assembled in the line, which require different processing time according to the work required in each work station. In a paced assembly line, products are feeded in the line at a predetermined constant rate (cycle time). Then, if many products with processing time greater than cycle time are feeded consecutively, work overload can be produced when the worker has insufficient time to finish his/her job. We propose a scatter search based hyper-heuristic for this NP-hard problem. In the low-level, the procedure makes use of priority rules through a constructive procedure. Computational experiments over a wide range of instances from the literature show the effectiveness of the proposed hyper-heuristics when compared to existing heuristics. The relevance of the priority rules was evaluated as well.     

Evolutionary search for difficult problem instances to support the design of job shop dispatching rules

Dispatching rules are simple scheduling heuristics that are widely applied in industrial practice. Their popularity can be attributed to their ability to flexibly react to shop floor disruptions that are prevalent in many real-world manufacturing environments. However, it is a challenging and time-consuming task to design local, decentralised dispatching rules that result in a good global performance of a complex shop.An evolutionary algorithm is developed to generate job shop problem instances for which an examined dispatching rule fails to achieve a good solution due to a single suboptimal decision. These instances can be easily analysed to reveal limitations of that rule which helps with the design of better rules. The method is applied to a job shop problem from the literature, resulting in new best dispatching rules for the mean flow time measure.     

Surrogate constraint normalization for the set covering problem

The set covering problem (SCP) is central in a wide variety of practical applications for which finding good feasible solutions quickly (often in real-time) is crucial. Surrogate constraint normalization is a classical technique used to derive appropriate weights for surrogate constraint relaxations in mathematical programming. This framework remains the core of the most effective constructive heuristics for the solution of the SCP chiefly represented by the widely-used Chvátal method. This paper introduces a number of normalization rules and demonstrates their superiority to the classical Chvátal rule, especially when solving large scale and real-world instances. Directions for new advances on the creation of more elaborate normalization rules for surrogate heuristics are also provided.     

An optimal procedure for the single-model deterministic assembly line balancing problem

The purpose of this paper is to develop an optimal solution method for the single-model assembly line balancing problem with deterministic work element durations. The procedure we present is a branch-and-bound algorithm which concentrates on the special structure of the problem. The method is equipped with dominance rules, bounding arguments and reliable branching heuristics. Computational results are given, indicating the method to be more than competitive to ones previously reported.     

Schedule Generation Schemes for the Job-Shop Problem with Sequence-Dependent Setup Times: Dominance Properties and Computational Analysis

We consider the job-shop problem with sequence-dependent setup times. We focus on the formal definition of schedule generation schemes (SGSs) based on the semi-active, active, and non-delay schedule categories. We study dominance properties of the sets of schedules obtainable with each SGS. We show how the proposed SGSs can be used within single-pass and multi-pass priority rule based heuristics. We study several priority rules for the problem and provide a comparative computational analysis of the different SGSs on sets of instances taken from the literature. The proposed SGSs significantly improve previously best-known results on a set of hard benchmark instances.     

Priority rule-based heuristic for multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problems with resource vacations and activity splitting

This paper presents a priority rule-based heuristic for the multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem with the splitting of activities around unavailable resources allowed. All resources considered are renewable and each resource unit may not be available at all times due to resource vacations, which are known in advance. A new concept called moving resource strength is developed to help identify project situations where activity splitting is likely to be beneficial during scheduling. The moving resource strength concept is implemented in priority rule-based heuristics to control activity splitting when scheduling. Multiple comparisons of the performance of combination of activity–mode priority rules used in the heuristics are provided. Computational experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the heuristic in reducing project makespan, and minimizing activity splitting.