A dual encoding-based meta-heuristic algorithm for solving a constrained hybrid flow shop scheduling problem

Though scheduling problems have been largely investigated by literature over the last 50 years, this topic still influences the research activity of many experts and practitioners, especially due to a series of studies which recently emphasized the closeness between theory and industrial practice. In this paper the scheduling problem of a hybrid flow shop with m stages, inspired to a truly observed micro-electronics manufacturing environment, has been investigated. Overlap between jobs of the same type, waiting time limit of jobs within inter-stage buffers as well as machine unavailability time intervals represent just a part of the constraints which characterize the problem here investigated. A mixed integer linear programming model of the problem in hand has been developed with the aim to validate the performance concerning the proposed optimization technique, based on a two-phase metaheuristics (MEs). In the first phase the proposed ME algorithm evolves similarly to a genetic algorithm equipped with a regular permutation encoding. Subsequently, since the permutation encoding is not able to investigate the overall space of solutions, a random search algorithm equipped with an m-stage permutation encoding is launched for improving the algorithm strength in terms of both exploration and exploitation. Extensive numerical studies on a benchmark of problems, along with a properly arranged ANOVA analysis, demonstrate the statistical outperformance of the proposed approach with respect to the traditional optimization approach based on a single encoding. Finally, a comprehensive comparative analysis involving the proposed algorithm and several metaheuristics developed by literature demonstrated the effectiveness of the dual encoding based approach for solving HFS scheduling problems. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.