MODIFIED CUCKOO SEARCH ALGORITHM FOR MULTI OBJECTIVE FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

This study presents an application of Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithm for solving the scheduling optimization problem in a flexible manufacturing environment considering due dates. CS is a nature inspired approach that replicates the aggressive breeding behavior of cuckoo bird. In this paper, CS has been modified to make it suitable for the discrete nature of the solution. Apart from it, improvements have been incorporated for generation of new nests based on best neighbor generation and repetitive Levy flight step. The modified approach has been applied on a real life flexible manufacturing system (FMS) problem with the objectives of minimizing makespan and meeting due dates. Comparative analysis is carried out with other optimization approaches like genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO). The results obtained validate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed approach over other approaches.