Scheduling of flow-shop, job-shop, and combined scheduling problems using MOEAs with fixed and variable length chromosomes

Abstract

This chapter introduces the novel multi-component scheduling problem, which is a combination of the generic flow-shop and job-shop (or open-shop) problems. This chapter first presents an overview of five common scheduling models and examples of how they are solved. A description of some of the most common chromosome representations and genetic operators is also presented. The chapter also discusses some of the real-world problems that can be modelled using the proposed multicomponent scheduling model. In particular, the multi-component engine maintenance scheduling problem is presented and solved using a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) called GENMOP. A variable length chromosome is used by the MOEA in order to address problem specific and generic characteristics. The experimental results compare favorably to baseline values, indicating that GENMOP can effectively solve multi-component scheduling problems. Overall, this chapter introduces a new category of scheduling problems that is quite common in real world problems and presents an example of the problem. By introducing this new category, which can have peculiarities that differ from other scheduling categories, researchers can build upon work done by others in this field. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.