Energy-Aware Production Scheduling in Flow Shop and Job Shop Environments Using a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

The energy-aware scheduling problem is a multi-objective optimization problem where the main goal is to achieve energy savings without affecting productivity in a manufacturing system. In this work, we present an approach for energy-aware flow shop scheduling problem and energy-aware job shop scheduling problem considering the process speed as the main energy-related decision variable. This approach allows one to set the appropriate process speed for every considered operation in the corresponding machine. When the speed is high, the processing time is short but the energy demand increases, and vice versa. Therefore, two objectives are worked together: a production objective, paired with an energy efficiency objective. A generic elitist multi-objective genetic algorithm was implemented to solve both problems. Results from a simple comparative design of experiments and a nonparametric test show that it is possible to smooth the energy demand profile and obtain reductions that average 19.8% in energy consumption. This helps to reduce peak loads and drops on applied energy sources demand, stabilizing the conversion units operational efficiency across the entire operational time with a minimum effect on the production maximum completion time (makespan).

Keywords:

• Production Scheduling
• Energy Efficiency
• Flow Shop
• Job Shop
• Multi-Objective Optimization

EMJ Focus Areas:

• Economics of engineering
• Strategic and operation management
• Systems engineering

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledges Colciencias for supporting this research project with code [1101-543-32101].

Notes on contributors

Pablo Vallejos-Cifuentes

Pablo Vallejos-Cifuentes is an industrial engineer with a M.Sc. degree in the same field from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. While earning his Master’s degree, he served as a research assistant in the project developed. His main areas of knowledge are operations research and scheduling.

Camilo Ramirez-Gomez

Camilo Ramirez-Gomez is a mechanical engineer from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and a M.Sc. student in Sustainable Energy Engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. He worked as a research assistant in the project developed. His main areas of knowledge are energy policy, energy modeling, renewable energy technologies, and energy–water sustainability.

Ana Escudero-Atehortua

Ana Escudero-Atehortua is a full professor of Mechanical Engineering at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. (Colombia). She received her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, M.Sc. in Energy Systems, and a PhD in Engineering. Her main research areas of interest are energy management, renewable energy, energy policy, decision-making models, and thermoacoustics.

Elkin Rodriguez Velasquez

Elkin Rodriguez Velasquez is a professor of Management Engineering Department at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He received his B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering, M.Sc. in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. His main research areas of interest are engineering management and production scheduling.