A hybrid multi-objective immune algorithm for predictive and reactive scheduling

Abstract

The high productivity of a production process has a major impact on the reduction of the production cost and on a quick response to changing demands. Information about a failure-free machine operation time obtained in advance allows the users to plan preventive maintenance in order to keep the machine in a good operational condition. The introduction of maintenance work into a schedule reduces the frequency of unpredicted breaks caused by machine failures. It also results in higher productivity and in-time production. The foregoing of this constitutes the main idea of the predictive scheduling method proposed in the paper. Rescheduling of disrupted operations, with a minimal impact on the stability and robustness of a schedule, is the main idea of the reactive scheduling method proposed. The first objective of the paper is to present a hybrid multi-objective immune algorithm (H-MOIA) aided by heuristics: a minimal impact of disrupted operation on the schedule (MIDOS) for predictive scheduling and a minimal impact of rescheduled operation on the schedule (MIROS) for reactive scheduling. The second objective is to compare the H-MOIA with various methods for predictive and reactive scheduling. The H-MOIA + MIDOS is compared to two algorithms, identified in reference publications: (1) an algorithm based on priority rules: the least flexible job first (LFJ) and the longest processing time (LPT) (2) an Average Slack Method. The H-MOIA + MIROS is compared to: (1) an algorithm based on priority rules: the LFJ and LPT and (2) Shifted Gap-Reduction. This paper presents the research results and computer simulations.