Formulation space exploration is a new strategy for multiobjective optimization that facilitates both divergent searching and convergent optimization during the early stages of design. The formulation space is the union of all variable and design objective spaces identified by the designer as being valid and pragmatic problem formulations. By extending a computational search into the formulation space, the solution to an optimization problem is no longer predefined by any single problem formulation, as it is with traditional optimization methods. Instead, a designer is free to change, modify, and update design objectives, variables, and constraints and explore design alternatives without requiring a concrete understanding of the design problem a priori. To facilitate this process, a new vector/matrix-based definition for multiobjective optimization problems is introduced, which is dynamic in nature and easily modified. Additionally, a set of exploration metrics is developed to help guide designers while exploring the formulation space. Finally, several examples are presented to illustrate the use of this new, dynamic approach to multiobjective optimization.

Over the past two decades, the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) framework of the Six Sigma methodology and a host of statistical tools have been brought to bear on process improvement efforts in today’s businesses. However, a major challenge of implementing the Six Sigma methodology is maintaining the process improvements and providing real-time performance feedback and control after solutions are implemented, especially in the presence of multiple process performance objectives. The consideration of a multiplicity of objectives in business and process improvement is commonplace and, quite frankly, necessary. However, balancing the collection of objectives is challenging as the objectives are inextricably linked, and, oftentimes, in conflict. Previous studies have reported varied success in enhancing the Six Sigma methodology by integrating optimization methods in order to reduce variability. These studies focus these enhancements primarily within the Improve phase of the Six Sigma methodology, optimizing a single objective. The current research and practice of using the Six Sigma methodology and optimization methods do little to address the real-time feedback and control for online process control in the case of multiple objectives. This research proposes an innovative integrated Six Sigma multiobjective optimization (SSMO) approach for online process control. It integrates the Six Sigma DMAIC framework with a nature-inspired optimization procedure that iteratively perturbs a set of decision variables providing feedback to the online process, eventually converging to a set of tradeoff process configurations that improves and maintains process stability. For proof of concept, the approach is applied to a general business process model – a well-known inventory management model – that is formally defined and specifies various process costs as objective functions. The proposed iv SSMO approach and the business process model are programmed and incorporated into a software platform. Computational experiments are performed using both three sigma (3σ)-based and six sigma (6σ)-based process control, and the results reveal that the proposed SSMO approach performs far better than the traditional approaches in improving the stability of the process. This research investigation shows that the benefits of enhancing the Six Sigma method for multiobjective optimization and for online process control are immense.

Optimization problems of location-assignment correspond to a wide range of real situations, such as factory network design. However most of the previous works seek in most cases at minimizing a cost function. Traffic incidents routinely impact the performance and the safety of the supply. These incidents can not be totally avoided and must be regarded. A way to consider these incidents is to design a network on which multiple assignments are performed. Precisely, the problem we focus on deals with power supplying that has become a more and more complex and crucial question. Many international companies have customers who are located all around the world; usually one customer per country. At the other side of the scale, power extraction or production is done in several sites that are spread on several continents and seas. A strong willing of becoming less energetically-dependent has lead many governments to increase the diversity of supply locations. For each kind of energy, many countries expect to deal ideally with 2 or 3 location sites. As a decrease in power supply can have serious consequences for the economic performance of a whole country, companies prefer to balance equally the production rate among all sites as the reliability of all the sites is considered to be very similar. Sharing equally the demand between the 2 or 3 sites assigned to a given area is the most common way. Despite the cost of the network has an importance, it is also crucial to balance the loading between the sites to guarantee that no site would take more importance than the others for a given area. In case an accident happens in a site or in case technical problems do not permit to satisfy the demand assigned to the site, the overall power supply of this site is still likely to be ensured by the one or two available remaining site(s). It is common to assign a cost per open power plant and another cost that depends on the distance between the factory or power extraction point and the customer. On the whole, such companies who are concerned in the quality service of power supply have to find a good trade-off between this factor and their overall functioning cost. This situation exists also for companies who supplies power at the national scale. The expected number of areas as well that of potential sites, can reach 100. However the targeted size of problem to be solved is 50. This thesis focuses on devising an efficient methodology to provide all the solutions of this bi-objective problem. This proposal is an investigation of close problems to delimit the most relevant approaches to this untypical problem. All this work permits us to present one exact method and an evolutionary algorithm that might provide a good answer to this problem. / Master of Science

Ces travaux proposent une méthode d’assistance à la sélection des techniques d’assemblage et à l’allocation de tolérances sur les écarts géométriques des composants dans le cadre de l’assemblage de structures aéronautiques composites. Cette méthode consiste à formuler et à résoudre un problème d’optimisation multiobjectif afin de minimiser un indicateur de cout et un indicateur de non-conformité des structures assemblées. L’indicateur de coût proposé prend en compte le coût associé à l’allocation des tolérances géométriques ainsi que le coût associé aux opérations d’assemblage. Les indicateurs de non-conformités proposés sont évalués à partir des probabilités de non-respect des exigences géométriques sur les structures assemblées. Ces probabilités sont évaluées en propageant les tolérances géométriques allouées et les dispersions des techniques sélectionnées au travers d’une fonction appelée Relation de Comportement de l’assemblage (RdCa). Dans le cas de l’assemblage de structures aéronautiques composites, des exigences peuvent porter sur les jeux aux interfaces entre composants. Dans ce cas, la RdCa est évaluée par la résolution d’un problème mécanique quasi-statique non-linéaire par la méthode des éléments finis. Un méta-modèle de la RdCa est construit afin de la rendre compatible avec les méthodes probabilistes utilisées pour évaluer la non-conformité. Finalement, la définition d’un modèle structuro-fonctionnel du produit et d’une bibliothèque de techniques d’assemblage permet de construire un avant-projet de gamme d’assemblage paramétrique. Ce paramétrage permet de formuler le problème d’optimisation multiobjectif résolu à l’aide d’un algorithme génétique. / The purpose of this PhD is to develop a method to assist assembly technique selection and component geometrical tolerance allocation in the context of composite aeronautical structure assembly. The proposed method consists in formulating and solving a multiobjective optimisation problem aiming at minimising a cost indicator and a non-conformity indicator. The cost indicator account for both the cost involved by the geometrical tolerance allocation and the cost associated with the assembly operations. The proposed non-conformity indicators are evaluated according to the probabilities of non-satisfied requirements on the assembled structures. These probabilities are computed thanks to Geometrical Variation Propagation Relation (GVPR) that expresses the characteristics of the product as a function of the geometrical deviation of the components and the dispersion occurring during the assembly. In the case of composite aeronautical structures, the product characteristics can be gaps at interfaces between components. In this case, the GVPR is evaluated by solving a non-linear quasi-static mechanical problem by the mean of the finite element method. A metamodel of the GVPR is built in order to reduce the computing time and to make it compatible with the probabilistic methods used to evaluate the non-conformity. Finally, the use of a structure-functional model of the product together with an assembly technique library allows defining a parametric assembly process plan. The multiobjective optimisation problem built thanks to set of parameters defining the assembly process plan is solved using a genetic algorithm.

Diante dos desafios impostos pelo sistema econômico, características dos mercados e exigências dos clientes, as empresas são forçadas a operar com lotes de produção cada vez menores, dificultando a gestão de operações e a otimização dos sistemas produtivos. Desse modo, intensifica-se nos meios corporativos e acadêmicos a busca por abordagens que possibilitem a criação de diferenciais competitivos de mercado, sendo esta a justificativa prática deste trabalho, que propõe uma sistemática integrada para alocação, sequenciamento e balanceamento de lotes em um horizonte de programação em múltiplas linhas de produção em um sistema multiproduto com operadores polivalentes. A sistemática proposta foi dividida em três fases. A primeira fase utiliza um algoritmo genético multiobjetivo com o intuito de determinar a linha de produção em que cada lote será produzido. A segunda fase é responsável pelo sequenciamento dos lotes produtivos e se apoia em uma alteração da regra Apparent Tardiness Cost (ATC). Na terceira fase utilizou-se o método Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) para balancear a distribuição das tarefas entre os operadores polivalentes de cada linha de produção, respeitando a precedência das tarefas. A sistemática foi aplicada em dados reais do segmento têxtil, aprimorando os indicadores produtivos e de entrega e conferindo maior flexibilidade ao processo frente à demanda sazonal. / Faced with the challenges imposed by the economic system, characteristic of the markets and requirements of the customers, the companies are forced to operate with smaller production batches, making it difficult to manage operations and optimization of the production systems. In this way, the search for improvements that allow the creation of competitive differentials of market is intensified in the corporate and academic circles. This is the practical justification for this work, which proposes an integrated systematics for the allocation, sequencing and balancing of batches in a horizon of programming in multiple production lines in a multiproduct system with multipurpose operators. The systematic proposal was divided into three phases. The first phase uses a multiobjective genetic algorithm with intention to determine the production line in which each batch will be produced. The second phase is responsible for the sequencing of productive batches and is based on a change in the rule Apparent Tardiness Cost (ATC). In the third phase the method Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) was used to balance the distribution of the tasks between the multipurpose operators of each line of production, respecting the precedence of the tasks. The systematics was applied in real data of the textile segment, improving the productive and delivery indicators and giving greater flexibility of the process against the seasonal demand.

A operação eficiente do sistema é uma ferramenta fundamental para que sua vida útil se prolongue o máximo possível, garantindo o perfeito atendimento aos consumidores, além de manter os custos com energia elétrica e manutenção dentro de padrões aceitáveis. Para uma eficiente operação, é fundamental o conhecimento do sistema, pois, através deste, com ferramentas como modelos de simulação hidráulica, otimização e definição de regras, é possível fornecer ao operador condições de operacionalidade das unidades do sistema de forma racional, não dependendo exclusivamente de sua experiência pessoal, mantendo a confiabilidade do mesmo. Neste trabalho é desenvolvido um modelo computacional direcionado ao controle operacional ótimo de sistemas de macro distribuição de água potável, utilizando um simulador hidráulico, um algoritmo de otimização, considerando dois objetivos (custos de energia elétrica e benefícios hidráulicos) e um algoritmo de aprendizado para extração de regras operacionais para o sistema. Os estudos foram aplicados no sistema de macro distribuição da cidade de Goiânia. Os resultados demonstraram que podem ser produzidas estratégias operacionais satisfatórias para o sistema em substituição ao julgamento pessoal do operador. / The efficient operation of a system is a fundamental tool to postpone the system’s service life as much as possible, thus ensuring a good service to the consumer while keeping electrical energy and maintenance costs at acceptable levels. Efficient operation requires knowledge of the system, for this knowledge, supported by tools such as models for hydraulic simulation, optimization, and definition of rules, provides the operator with proper conditions for the rational operating of the system’s units without depending exclusively on personal experience while maintaining the system’s reliability. In this work is developed a computational model for the optimal operation control of macro water distribution systems using a hydraulic simulator, an optimization algorithm, and a learn algorithm to extract operational rules (strategies) for the system. These studies are to be based on the macro system of the city of Goiânia, in Brazil. The results show that solutions for satisfactory operation can be quickly produced as a substitute to the personal judgment of the operator.

Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2014-09-19T11:19:07Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertacao Daniel Vitor de Lucena.pdf: 708978 bytes, checksum: 466a21a76649073c30364b80f17037fc (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2014-09-19T11:25:02Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertacao Daniel Vitor de Lucena.pdf: 708978 bytes, checksum: 466a21a76649073c30364b80f17037fc (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-19T11:25:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertacao Daniel Vitor de Lucena.pdf: 708978 bytes, checksum: 466a21a76649073c30364b80f17037fc (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-05-03 / This work proposes the use of multi-objective genetics algorithms NSGA-II and SPEA-II on the variable selection in multivariate calibration problems. These algorithms are used for selecting variables for a Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) by two conflicting objectives: the prediction error and the used variables number in MLR. For the case study are used wheat data obtained by NIR spectrometry with the objective for determining a variable subgroup with information about protein concentration. The results of traditional techniques of multivariate calibration as the Partial Least Square (PLS) and Successive Projection Algorithm (SPA) for MLR are presents for comparisons. The obtained results showed that the proposed approach obtained better results when compared with a monoobjective evolutionary algorithm and with traditional techniques of multivariate calibration. / Este trabalho propõe a utilização dos algoritmos genéticos multiobjetivo NSGA-II e SPEA-II na seleção de variáveis em problemas de calibração multivariada. Esses algoritmos são utilizados para selecionar variáveis para Regressão Linear Múltipla (MLR) com dois objetivos conflitantes: o erro de predição e do número de variáveis utilizadas na MLR. Para o estudo de caso são usado dados de trigo obtidos por espectrometria NIR com o objetivo de determinar um subgrupo de variáveis com informações sobre a concentração de proteína. Os resultados das técnicas tradicionais de calibração multivariada como dos Mínimos Quadrados Parciais (PLS) e Algoritmo de Projeções Sucessivas (APS) para a MLR estão presentes para comparações. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a abordagem proposta obteve melhores resultados quando comparado com um algoritmo evolutivo monoobjetivo e com as técnicas tradicionais de calibração multivariada.

Recientemente, el uso de técnicas de manipulación genética ha abierto la puerta a la obtención de microorganismos con fenotipos mejorados, lo que a su vez ha llevado a unas mejoras significativas en la síntesis de algunos productos bioquímicos. Sin embargo, la mutación y selección de estos nuevos organismos se ha llevado a cabo, en la mayoría de casos, por ensayo y error. Es de esperar que estos procesos puedan ser mejorados si se usan principios de diseño cuantitativos para guiar la búsqueda hacia el perfil enzimático ideal. Esta tesis está dedicada al desarrollo de un conjunto de herramientas de optimización avanzadas para asesorar en problemas de ingeniería metabólica y otras cuestiones emergentes en biología de sistemas. Concretamente, nos centramos en problemas en qué se modelan las redes metabólicas usando expresiones cinéticas. La utilidad de los algoritmos desarrollados para resolver tales problemas es demostrada por medio de varios casos de estudio. / In recent years, the use of genetic manipulation techniques has opened the door for obtaining microorganisms with enhanced phenotypes, which has in turn led to significant improvements in the synthesis of certain biochemical products. However, mutation and selection of these new organisms has been performed, in most cases, in a trial-and-error basis. It is expected that these processes could be further improved if quantitative design principles were used to guide the search towards the ideal enzymatic profiles. This thesis is devoted to developing a set of advanced global optimization tools to assess metabolic engineering problems and other questions arising in systems biology. In particular, we focus on problems where metabolic networks are modeled making use of kinetic expressions. The usefulness of the algorithms developed to solve such problems is demonstrated by means of several case studies.

In this study,we develop an elitist multiobjective evolutionary algorithm for approximating the Pareto-optimal frontiers of multiobjective optimization problems. The algorithm converges the true Pareto-optimal frontier while keeping the solutions in the population well-spread over the frontier. Diversity of the solutions is maintained by the territory de&amp / #64257 / ning property of the algorithm rather than using an explicit diversity preservation mechanism. This leads to substantial computational e&amp / #64259 / ciency. We test the algorithm on commonly used test problems and compare its performance against well-known benchmark algorithms. In addition to approximating the entire Pareto-optimal frontier,we develop a preference incorporation mechanism to guide the search towards the decision maker&amp / #8217 / s regions of interest. Based on this mechanism, we implement two variants of the algorithm. The &amp / #64257 / rst gathers all preference information before the optimization stage to &amp / #64257 / nd approximations of the desired regions. The second one is an interactive algorithm that focuses on the desired region by interacting with the decision maker during the solution process. Based on tests on 2- and 3-objective problems, we observe that both algorithms converge to the preferred regions.

We propose an interactive preference-based evolutionary algorithm for the clustering problem. The problem is highly combinatorial and referred to as NP-Hard in the literature. The goal of the problem is putting similar items in the same cluster and dissimilar items into different clusters according to a certain similarity measure, while maintaining some internal objectives such as compactness, connectivity or spatial separation. However, using one of these objectives is often not sufficient to detect different underlying structures in different data sets with clusters having arbitrary shapes and density variations. Thus, the current trend in the clustering literature is growing into the use of multiple objectives as the inadequacy of using a single objective is understood better. The problem is also difficult because the optimal solution is not well defined. To the best of our knowledge, all the multiobjective evolutionary algorithms for the clustering problem try to generate the whole Pareto optimal set. This may not be very useful since majority of the solutions in this set may be uninteresting when presented to the decision maker. In this study, we incorporate the preferences of the decision maker into a well known multiobjective evolutionary algorithm, namely SPEA-2, in the optimization process using reference points and achievement scalarizing functions to find the target clusters.