A genetic programming heuristic for the one-machine total tardiness problem

Abstract

Genetic programming has rarely been applied to manufacturing optimisation problems. In this report we investigate the potential use of genetic programming for the solution of the one-machine total tardiness problem. Combinations of dispatching rules are employed as an indirect way of representing permutations within a modified genetic programming framework. Hybridisation of genetic programming with local search techniques is also introduced, in an attempt to improve the quality of solutions. All the algorithms are tested on a large number of benchmark problems with different levels of tardiness and tightness of due dates.