Fitness evaluation using generalized data envelopment analysis in MOGA

Cellular Manufacturing (CM) is an important application of Group Technology (GT) in which families of parts are produced in manufacturing cells or a group of various machines, which are physically close together and can entirely process a part family. The manufacturing system established based on such an idea is called Cellular Manufacturing System (CMS). A major problem associated with many CMSs is the existence of Exceptional Elements (EEs), i.e. bottleneck machines and exceptional parts. These are machines/parts that cannot be exclusively assigned to a machine cell/part family. In this paper a new model is presented for dealing with the EEs in the form of a Multi-objective Optimization Problem (MOP). This model aims to minimize: (1) intercellular parts movements, (2) total cost needed for machine duplication and part subcontracting, (3) the system's under-utilization, and (4) deviations among the cells' utilization. Attaining an ideal solution, which is optimal to all of the objectives is prohibited, as they conflict with each other. Hence, a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) is developed to provide the decision-maker with a set of non-dominated or Pareto-optimal solutions. Comparisons between the developed MOGA and three other MOGAs show its viability in three performance aspects, namely: quality, diversity and CPU time.

Loop shaping is the principle step for synthesising the quantitative feedback theory (QFT) based robust controllers. The controller assures performance robustness in the presence of plant uncertainties. This paper explores a template and bounds free approach for the automated synthesis of low order fixed structure QFT controller for a highly uncertain pneumatic servo actuator system. In this work, the loop-shaping problem has been posed as a multi-objective optimisation problem and solved using the multi-objective variant of the genetic algorithm. At the end of the design process, a set of Pareto optimal solutions (POS) are obtained, to aid the decision maker in choosing an ideal solution from the POS, use of level diagrams has been explored. The simulation of the results and time and frequency domain analysis has been carried out using MATLAB and the results obtained clearly unveil that the designed QFT controller offers robust behaviour over a range of plant's parametric uncertainty.

Purpose The determination of input and output factors is a well-known source of pitfalls when applying data envelopment analysis (DEA). The purpose of this paper is to contribute to overcome the respective problems of input/output factor determination related to factor selection, dual-role factors and undesirable factors. Design/methodology/approach The problems of input/output factor determination are discussed from a goal-oriented perspective, shedding a new light on the role of input/output factors in DEA. This is exemplified by the case of measuring pharmacy stores’ efficiency concerning their goal of customer retention. Findings The findings suggest to applying a generalized DEA (GDEA). The three steps of this approach include the development of a system of objectives, the derivation of corresponding performance criteria as well as the construction of cost and benefit functions. These functions build the basis for GDEA models, of which one is exemplarily described and applied to the customer retention case. Research limitations/implications While traditional DEA implicitly assumes linear cost and benefit functions, GDEA requires to explicitly specifying these functions. In doing so, the approach contributes to solve the problem of factor selection, the problem of dual-role factors and the problem of undesirable factors. Practical implications For determining input/output factors in a consistent and transparent manner, it is recommended to apply GDEA in practical benchmarking studies. Originality/value GDEA integrates well-known concepts of multi-criteria decision making into traditional DEA. The new approach helps to cope with the challenges of input/output factor determination in DEA.

Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques are ideal for producing customized products due to their high design flexibility. Despite the previous studies on specific additive manufactured customized products such as biomedical implants and prostheses, the simultaneous optimization of components, materials, AM processes, and dimensions remains a challenge. Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is a research area of solving complex design problems involving multiple disciplines which usually interact with each other. The objective of this research is to formulate and solve an MDO problem in the development of additive manufactured products customized for various customers in different market segments. Three disciplines, i.e. the customer preference modeling, AM production costing, and structural mechanics are incorporated in the MDO problem. The optimal selections of components, materials, AM processes, and dimensional parameters are searched with the objectives to maximize the functionality utility, match individual customers' personal performance requirements, and minimize the total cost. A multi-objective genetic algorithm with the proposed chromosome encoding pattern is applied to solve the MDO problem. A case study of designing customized trans-tibial prostheses with additive manufactured components is presented to illustrate the proposed MDO method. Clusters of multi-dimensional Pareto-optimal design solutions are obtained from the MDO, showing trade-offs among the objectives. Appropriate design decision can be chosen from the clusters based on the manufacturer's market strategy. Highlights An optimization problem for additive manufactured customized products is solved. Three disciplines are incorporated in multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). The selection of component, material, additive manufacturing process and dimensions are optimized. A multiobjective genetic algorithm is applied to solve the MDO problem. Pareto-optimal solutions with different utilities and costs are obtained.

Most of the parameters in these sparse solutions are zeroed out, giving them their defining characteristic. In the actual world, several multiobjective optimization problems display Pareto-optimal solutions. A large dimensionality is often involved in Sparse Multiobjective Optimization Problems (SMOPs), which presents difficulties for evolutionary algorithms in terms of effectively discovering optimum solutions. The PMMOEA Framework, an acronym for Pattern Mining-based Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm, is introduced in this article. The purpose of developing this framework was to address optimization problems on both a big and small scale. The framework's goal is to reduce the search space and lessen the impact of the curse of dimensionality by finding the sparse sequence of Pareto-optimal solutions. Using the evolutionary pattern mining technique, the suggested PMMOEA Framework finds the maximum and minimum values of the sets of non-zero variables in Pareto-optimal solutions. Additional exploitation of these recognized sets to restrict dimensions occurs during the generation of child solutions. To further enhance performance, the framework has a digital mutation operator and a binary crossover operator. This guarantees that there are few solutions. The suggested solution outperforms existing evolutionary algorithms on eight benchmark issues and four real-world scenarios when it comes to handling large-scale SMOPs.

A multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) approach for multi-objective economic load dispatch problem in power system is presented in this paper. The economic load dispatch problem is a non-linear constrained multi-objective optimization problem. The proposed MOPSO approach handles the problem as a multi-objective problem with competing and non-commensurable fuel cost, emission and system loss objectives and has a diversity-preserving mechanism using an external memory (call “repository”) and a geographically-based approach to find widely different Pareto-optimal solutions. In addition, fuzzy set theory is employed to extract the best compromise solution. Several optimization runs of the proposed MOPSO approach were carried out on the standard IEEE 30-bus test system. The results revealed the capabilities of the proposed MOPSO approach to generate well-distributed Pareto-optimal non-dominated solutions of multi-objective economic load dispatch. Comparison with Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) showed the superiority of the proposed MOPSO approach and confirmed its potential for solving multi-objective economic load dispatch.

Multiple criteria decision making with generalized DEA and an aspiration level method

The two primary goals of a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) for solving multi-objective optimization problems are to search as much non-dominated solutions as possible towards the true Pareto front and to maintain diversity of Pareto optimal solutions along tradeoff curves. This study presents a new hybrid MOEA, the niched Pareto tabu search combined with genetic algorithm (NPTSGA), to find Pareto-optimal solutions to multi-objective optimization problems. The NPTSGA is developed on the thoughts of integrating genetic algorithm (GA) with the improved tabu search (TS) based MOEA, niched Pareto tabu search (NPTS). The proposed NPTSGA is then tested through a simple test example and compared with other two techniques, NPTS and niched Pareto genetic algorithm (NPGA). Computational results indicate that the proposed NPTSGA is an efficient and effective method for solving multi-objective problems, while keeping the balance between the intensification of non-domination to the true Pareto-optimal solutions (TPS) and the diversification of the near Pareto-optimal solutions (NPS) along the tradeoff curves.

The performance optimization of cognitive radio is a multi-objective optimization problem. Existing genetic algorithms are difficult to assign the weight of each objective when the linear weighting method is used to simplify the multi-objective optimization problem into a single objective optimization problem. In this paper, we propose a new cognitive decision engine algorithm using multi-objective genetic algorithm with population adaptation. A multicarrier system is used for simulation analysis, and experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is effective and meets the real-time requirement.

A multi-objective adaptive evolutionary algorithm to extract communities in networks

Recently, a lot of studies on Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA), in which Genetic Algorithm is applied to Multi-objective Optimization Problems (MOPs), have been reported actively. MOGA has been also applied to engineering design fields, then it is important not only to obtain Pareto solutions having high performance but also to analyze the obtained Pareto solutions and extract the knowledge in the designing problem. In order to analyze Pareto solutions obtained by MOGA, it is required to consider both the objective space and the design variable space. In this paper, we define "Non-Correspondence in Spread" between the objective space and the design variable space. We also try to extract Non-Correspondence area in Spread with the index defined in this paper. This paper applies the proposed method to the trajectory designing optimization problem and extracts Non-Correspondence area in Spread in the acquired Pareto solutions.

Engineering systems have become quite complicated in recent days. The requirements of design are complex and it is hard to meet them by considering only one discipline. In this paper, we suggest a hybrid Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) for a Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) model in engineering design. In order to get Pareto optimal solutions, we use local search to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness. We solve a problem of airplane wings optimization using MOGA. After compared with other MDO algorithms, we find the result shows that the proposed algorithm’s performance has an advantage over previous work for these MDO problems. As the algorithm is evaluated based on practical data, we show that the approach can be used to solve MDO problems in the real world.

A non dominated ranking Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm and electre method for unequal area facility layout problems

Multi-objectives optimization problems are often solved constructing the Pareto front and applying a decision-making strategy to select the preferred solution among the Pareto-optimal solutions. With the aim to reduce the computational effort in multi-objective optimization problems, this paper presents a procedure for the direct evaluation of the preferred updated model, without the need to evaluate the whole Pareto front. For this purpose, the objective function to minimize is defined as the distance between a candidate point and the equilibrium point in the objective function space. The choice of the criterion of the minimum distance from the equilibrium point comes from a preliminary study carried out to assess the performances of different selection criteria. The robustness and the efficiency of the proposed procedure are assessed through the comparison with the results obtained from the estimation of the Pareto-optimal solutions and the subsequent selection of the preferred one for two numerical case studies. The proposed procedure is finally applied to the calibration of a complex FE model with respect to experimental modal data. Results show that the proposed procedure is effective and considerably reduces the computational effort. Moreover, the procedure is able to directly estimate the optimal weighting factor that allows to know the relative importance between the selected objectives and can be used to solve the multi-objective optimization with the weighed sum method.

Robustness analysis in Multi-Objective Mathematical Programming using Monte Carlo simulation