Genetic algorithm scheduling

The genetic algorithm is an operational research method that may be used to solve scheduling problems in production planning.

In manufacturing, productivity is inherently linked to how well the firm can optimize the available resources, reduce waste and increase efficiency.

Genetic algorithms are ideal for these types of problems where the search space is large and the number of feasible solutions is small.

To make sure that our genome is a feasible solution we must take care that it obeys our precedence constraints.

With genetic algorithms we then take this initial population and cross it, combining genomes along with a small amount of randomness (mutation).

We of course may have to add further fitness values such as minimizing costs; however, each constraint added greatly increases the search space and lowers the number of solutions that are good matches.