A Comparison of a Standard Genetic Algorithm with a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm Applied to Cell Formation Problem

Though there are a number of benefits associated with cellular manufacturing systems, its implementation (identification of part families and corresponding machine groups) for real life problems is still a challenging task. To handle the complexity of optimizing multiple objectives and larger size of the problem, most of the researchers in the past two decades or so have focused on developing genetic algorithm (GA) based techniques. Recently this trend has shifted from standard GA to hybrid GA (HGA) based approaches in the quest for greater effectiveness as far as convergence on to the optimum solution is concerned. In order to prove the point, that HGAs possess better convergence abilities than standard GAs, a methodology, initially based on standard GA and later on hybridized with a local search heuristic (LSH), has been developed during this research. Computational experience shows that HGA maintains its accuracy level with increase in problem size, whereas standard GA looses its effectiveness as the problem size grows.