An improved genetic algorithm for robust permutation flowshop scheduling.

In order to deal with uncertainties, a robust schedule for M-machine permutation flowshop is proposed. The presented robust schedule is aimed to maximize the probability of ensuring that makespan will not exceed the expected completion time. An improved genetic algorithm (GA) with a new generation scheme is developed, which can preserve good characteristics of parents in the new generation. Experiments are performed to get robust schedules for well-known Car and Rec permutation flowshop problems, taken from OR library. The schedules obtained from the improved GA are compared with the schedules formed by well-known heuristic in literature. Computational results show that the permutation flowshop schedules obtained from improved GA are robust to produce an affirmative percentage increase in the probability of getting makespan less than expected completion time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]