Parallelized Research Articles

W-prize-collecting scheduling problem on parallel machines

W-prize-collecting scheduling problem on parallel machines

Integrated optimization of production and maintenance scheduling with third-party worker resource constraints in distributed parallel machines environment

Outsourcing machine maintenance to third parties has been a trend due to the increasing complex of machines and the benefits of maintenance outsourcing. However, this new phenomenon is ignored in previous studies pertaining to the integrated optimization of production and maintenance scheduling (IOPMS) problems, resulting the lack of theoretical guidance for production managers to formulate optimal scheduling schemes under this new trend. In this study, we investigate an IOPMS problem considering maintenance outsourcing in a distributed parallel machine environment, referred as IOPMSTW, which requires the use of third-party worker resources to perform preventive maintenance. Makespan and total cost are two optimization objectives. We first formulate the problem by developing a mixed integer linear programming. Then a memetic algorithm incorporating iterated greedy method (IG) is proposed to solve the IOPMSTW, in which an improved decoding method and a problem-dependent local search operator based on IG are designed to respectively ensure the feasibility of new generated individuals and improve the searching efficiency. The validity of proposed mathematical model is verified by CPLEX based on eight small instances. Based on 240 constructed instances, a set of comprehensive experiments are conducted. The results demonstrate that the local search operator improved the searching performance of the proposed algorithm by 100%. Comparison results with other well-known algorithms show that the proposed algorithm achieved the best results on more than 85% of the tested instances.

Spectrum of global string networks and the axion dark matter mass

Cold dark matter axions produced in the post-inflationary Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking scenario serve as clear targets for their experimental detection, since it is in principle possible to give a sharp prediction for their mass once we understand precisely how they are produced from the decay of global cosmic strings in the early Universe. In this paper, we perform a dedicated analysis of the spectrum of axions radiated from strings based on large scale numerical simulations of the cosmological evolution of the Peccei-Quinn field on a static lattice. Making full use of the massively parallel code and computing resources, we executed the simulations with up to 112643 lattice sites, which allows us to improve our understanding of the dependence on the parameter controlling the string tension and thus give a more accurate extrapolation of the numerical results. We found that there are several systematic effects that have been overlooked in previous works, such as the dependence on the initial conditions, contaminations due to oscillations in the spectrum, and discretisation effects, some of which could explain the discrepancy in the literature. We confirmed the trend that the spectral index of the axion emission spectrum increases with the string tension, but did not find a clear evidence of whether it continues to increase or saturates to a constant at larger values of the string tension due to the severe discretisation effects. Taking this uncertainty into account and performing the extrapolation with a simple power law assumption on the spectrum, we find that the dark matter mass is predicted in the range of m a ≈ 95–450 μeV.

S-слівна арифметика та високоточні обчислення

The intricacies of using S-word arithmetic, the influence of the value of the parameter S on the estimation of the rounding error are analyzed; what are high-precision calculations and where they are used. The problems of two-key cryptography, computer steganography and the problem of transcomputational complexity are considered as areas of application of S-word arithmetic. For the development of S-word arithmetic algorithms, sequential, parallel, quantum computing models are used, and systems of residual classes are used. The architectural features of the computer system for the implementation of an effective algorithm in various models of calculations are considered. For the parallel computing model, the importance of reducing the connected steps is indicated, which can increase the amount of processed data, but allows to involve a larger number of parallel processors. This approach is in conflict with a method that reduces the amount of processed data, and there is a need to maintain a balance between these two methods in a parallel computing model. For the quantum computing model, the connection of qubits is a key factor in determining the quantum volume. The physical scheme determines which pairs of qubits can be entangled in a quantum computer. Peculiarities of transferring algorithms to another computing model are considered. An analysis of the complexity of implementing S-word arithmetic operations in sequential, parallel, and quantum computing models is carried out. For the parallel computing model, the importance of reducing the connected steps is indicated, which can increase the amount of processed data, but allows to involve a larger number of parallel processors. This approach is in conflict with a method that reduces the amount of processed data, and there is a need to maintain a balance between these two methods in a parallel computing model. For the quantum computing model, the connection of qubits is a key factor in determining the quantum volume. The physical scheme determines which pairs of qubits can be entangled in a quantum computer. Information is provided about the ongoing scientific forum «Calculation optimization issues», the subject of which is closely related to the topic (1969-2023)

Lower and upper bounds for scheduling a real-life assembly problem with precedences and resource constraints

In this work, we consider a real-life scheduling problem involving the production of off-road vehicles using a three-level assembly process, subject to precedence, machines, and resource constraints. This problem shares multiple characteristics with other scheduling problems such as the Parallel Machine Scheduling and Flexible Flow Shop Problems. However, it also comprises less investigated aspects such as a specific job precedence structure resulting in a directed rooted in-tree and a global resource constraint limiting the number of simultaneously active machines. We present a straightforward adaptation of a time-indexed mathematical formulation to the problem and introduce a new lower-bounding procedure. To solve the problem, we propose constructive heuristics based on classical priority rules and adaptations of job sequencing heuristics. We also propose CORE, a specialized approach tailored to leverage the problem structure. All the algorithms are extensively evaluated on two benchmark sets, various shop floor configurations, and eight real-life scenarios. Our results reveal the general effectiveness of job sequencing approaches and demonstrate the overall superiority of CORE.

Adaptive large-neighbourhood search for optimisation in answer-set programming

Answer-set programming (ASP) is a prominent approach to declarative problem solving that is increasingly used to tackle challenging optimisation problems. We present an approach to leverage ASP optimisation by using large-neighbourhood search (LNS), which is a meta-heuristic where parts of a solution are iteratively destroyed and reconstructed in an attempt to improve an overall objective. In our LNS framework, neighbourhoods can be specified either declaratively as part of the ASP encoding or automatically generated by code. Furthermore, our framework is self-adaptive, i.e., it also incorporates portfolios for the LNS operators along with selection strategies to adjust search parameters on the fly. The implementation of our framework, the system ALASPO, currently supports the ASP solver clingo, as well as its extensions clingo-dl and clingcon that allow for difference and full integer constraints, respectively. It utilises multi-shot solving to efficiently realise the LNS loop and in this way avoids program regrounding. We describe our LNS framework for ASP as well as its implementation, discuss methodological aspects, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the adaptive LNS approach for ASP on different optimisation benchmarks, some of which are notoriously difficult, as well as real-world applications for shift planning, configuration of railway-safety systems, parallel machine scheduling, and test laboratory scheduling.

Optimal scheduling on unrelated parallel machines with combinatorial auction

Optimal scheduling on unrelated parallel machines with combinatorial auction

On the Geodetic and Strong Geodetic Parameters of Certain Hypercubic Networks

Networks derived from the hypercube are noted for their efficiency in simulating any bounded-degree communication network and hence they play a significant role in parallel machines. For a graph [Formula: see text], a geodetic cover is a subset [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text], satisfying the condition that every vertex of [Formula: see text] other than the vertices in [Formula: see text] are covered using geodesics connecting any two vertices in [Formula: see text]. The geodetic number of [Formula: see text] is the least order of such covers in [Formula: see text]. This seminal distance-based parameter is well employed in the areas of location theory, convexity theory and game theory. The strong variant and its edge version are recent variations of the problem that were introduced in due of their applications in social networks. The most established and strong hypercube derivative networks are studied in this paper with respect to certain geodetic parameters. Notably, among the networks that we have considered, the butterfly and the Benes networks belong to the class of bipartite graphs for which the geodetic number problem and its strong version are NP-complete. We have determined the geodetic parameters that include the geodetic number, the strong geodetic number and their corresponding edge variants of the networks taken into consideration. In the process, we have identified a new class of graphs, as semi-extreme edge geodesic graphs and that the enhanced butterfly networks belong to this class. The study of such geodetic parameters in the structural models of parallel computation could be useful for the design of efficient algorithms for the structures considered.

Scheduling of memory chips for final testing on parallel machines considering power constraints and deteriorating effects

This paper delves into the intricate scheduling strategies crucial for the final testing phase of memory chip manufacturing within the semiconductor industry and other related sectors. It specifically addresses the complex serial-batching scheduling problem, where memory chips are tested on parallel machines under power constraints and chip deterioration effects. The processing time for each chip is significantly influenced by both the cumulative processing time of preceding chips and the power requirements for testing. We formulate this real-world optimization problem using a mixed integer nonlinear programming model. Exact solutions for small instances are obtained using a commercial solver. However, due to the model's complexity, we also develop heuristic solutions to efficiently handle larger instances. Based on the derivation of structural properties, we develop two tailored heuristic algorithms to determine the schedule for the final testing of memory chips. Additionally, we propose a refined Variable Neighborhood Search algorithm (VNS-H) that seamlessly integrates five local search strategies with two supplementary heuristic algorithms, dynamically alternating between them to ensure a balance between computational efficiency and the quality of the solutions obtained. Additionally, we establish a lower bound to validate the effectiveness of these solutions, particularly for large-scale instances. To validate the efficacy and robustness of our proposed metaheuristic algorithm, we conduct a rigorous comparison of the VNS-H algorithm with five other metaheuristic algorithms that have promising performance in various optimization problems. The results highlight the superior performance of the VNS-H algorithm. In small-scale instances, our VNS-H algorithm achieves an average makespan that is 5.52% lower compared to the original VNS. For large-scale instances, the VNS-H algorithm reduces the average makespan by 13.46% compared to VNS. Finally, we discuss the managerial implications of our findings, providing insights specifically tailored to semiconductor manufacturing enterprises based on the outcomes of this study.

Research on Multiplication Routine Based on Reconfigurable Four-Valued Logic Processor

Despite the indispensable role of traditional electronic computers in modern society, their limitations in parallel processing capabilities, bit-width constraints, and processor bit-width are becoming increasingly apparent, especially when handling large-scale datasets and complex computational tasks. Although hardware technology and algorithm optimization continue to advance, the arithmetic units of traditional computers—adders—remain constrained by carry delay and bit-width limitations. This bottleneck is particularly pronounced in multiplication operations, mainly when adders are used for partial product accumulation. However, since 2018, the emergence of a new type of Reconfigurable Four-Valued Logic Electronic Processor (RFLEP) has provided a potential solution to these traditional limitations. With its large processor bit-width, flexible bit grouping capabilities, and dynamic hardware function reconfiguration features, this processor has brought revolutionary changes to the field of computing. In this context, this paper proposes and implements a Reconfigurable Four-Valued Logic Multiplication Routine (RFLMR) tailored explicitly for the RFLEP. The RFLMR utilizes the Modified Signed-Digit (MSD) representation method in multi-valued logic combined with the M transformation in four-valued logic to generate partial products. These partial products are then efficiently summed in parallel using the JW-MSD parallel adder, achieving the rapid execution of multiplication operations. Experimental results demonstrate that the multiplication routine based on the RFLEP performs multiplication operations accurately and meets theoretical expectations regarding implementation efficiency and performance. This research not only provides new ideas for developing next-generation high-performance computing systems but also paves the way for exploring more efficient and powerful computing models, heralding a profound transformation in future computing technology.

Exploring the interplay of costs and flow time in server allocation for flow lines with parallel non-identical machines

ABSTRACT The Server Allocation Problem is a significant challenge in manufacturing systems involving deciding the number and version of machines for each stage. This optimization problem is of utmost importance when there is a trade-off between minimizing investment costs and flow time while achieving target performance, such as a minimum throughput. Manufacturing systems often employ hybrid flow lines, with non-identical machines at each stage. This paper analyzes the trade-off between minimizing costs and flow time when allocating servers in hybrid flow lines by proposing a bi-criteria approach that uses an efficient pattern-based problem representation and a Variable Neighborhood Search solution algorithm. The objectives are to minimize total cost and flow time while ensuring a target throughput. A metric for comparing obtained solutions is proposed, providing insights for practical implementation. A comprehensive numerical analysis is conducted, to validate the proposed approach and demonstrate its applicability in real-world manufacturing settings.

Experimental investigation of enhanced CO2 refrigeration systems at varying operating condi-tions

The efficiency of a CO2 refrigeration system depends mainly on the operating conditions and the system design. To increase the energy efficiency, advanced system designs include additional components and their combinations such as parallel compression, ejectors, and expansion machines. For a direct comparison of different system designs, measurements were performed on an advanced CO2 laboratory refrigeration system at different operating conditions. The system behaviour was investigated at different gas cooler outlet temperatures, varying cooling loads, different evaporation temperatures and amounts of superheating. The results of the measurements performed on a baseline system configuration and advanced system designs are presented. It was observed that the influence of operating conditions is less important for certain measures in terms of efficiency improvement than for others. For each system design, operating conditions were identified under which a particularly advantageous behaviour of the respective measures was found. In the future, this will allow the judgment of the efficiency enhancement of each of different respective features for each individual application.

Integrating Order Splitting and Acceptance with Batch Delivery in Parallel Machine Scheduling

Multiple production lines can work together to efficiently manufacture certain products. Thus, when capacity is insufficient, it is necessary to decide whether to develop new production lines to ensure the timely completion of all orders. For example, running a new production line for a small number of orders is not cost-effective. Therefore, decision-making involves choosing between paying tardiness costs for a few orders, abandoning some orders, or developing new production lines to maximize efficiency. Additionally, the timely transportation of completed orders is crucial and depends on vehicle usage efficiency. From a transportation perspective, fully loading vehicles is the most efficient, but this may impact the timeliness of orders, leading to potential tardiness costs. By comprehensively considering these aspects, a multi-machine production model is constructed that incorporates transportation batch sequences and uses heuristic algorithms to solve the problem. Finally, designed case examples validate the effectiveness of the model and algorithm.

A Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) framework integrated with reinforcement learning for urban flood mitigation

To address the challenge of escalating urban flood risk and the deficiency in effective flood emergency management, this study introduces a novel Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) modelling framework that employs hierarchical reinforcement learning to optimise mobile pump scheduling and placement for urban flood risk mitigation. The CHANS framework integrates hydrodynamic and agent-based models within a multi-GPU computing environment for high-resolution, real-time flood inundation modelling and risk assessment to enrich Reinforcement Learning (RL) training. In the application to Ninh Kieu District in Can Tho City, Vietnam, the new RL-enabled modelling framework is used to evaluate optimal mobile pumping strategies for concurrent pluvial flooding and post-flooding events against the traditional deployment approaches. Results demonstrate that RL-based strategies can significantly enhance flood risk reduction, outperforming traditional methods by achieving 2× and 4× improvements in the concurrent and post-flooding periods/events, respectively. Incorporating human factors and adapting to local conditions, the RL agent provides valuable insights into mobile pump scheduling and deployment strategies. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the CHANS modelling framework and underscores the role of RL in optimising mobile pump scheduling and placement where traditional rule-based strategies are challenging.

Minimizing total completion time and makespan for a multi-scenario bi-criteria parallel machine scheduling problem

Multi-criteria scheduling problems under uncertainty remain a relatively unexplored topic in theoretical computer science despite substantial practical interests. This work studies a bi-objective identical parallel machine scheduling problem under uncertainty, in which the first objective is to minimize the total completion time, and the second is to minimize the makespan. Especially a job’s processing time is assumed to be represented by a polynomial function with respect to scenario u∈U, where U⊂R+ is an interval containing an infinite number of scenarios.In this work, we are looking for a compact and complete description of the set of possibly optimal solutions, along with their objective function values, over the set of scenarios or an approximation with a performance guarantee. First, to better understand the characteristics of the studied problem, we consider two single-objective problems: parallel machine scheduling problem under uncertainty with the total completion time and makespan criterion, respectively. For the problem with the total completion time criterion, we demonstrate that the set of possibly optimal schedules can be found in polynomial time. In contrast, for the problem with the makespan criterion, we provide a (1+ϵ)-approximation algorithm. For the bi-objective problem, we provide a 2-approximation algorithm for any number of parallel machines and a (1+ϵ)-approximation algorithm where a fixed number of parallel machines is considered.

Magnetohydrodynamic and Aerodynamic Assessment of a 70° Spherecone at Mars and Venus

An electrical conductivity database for continuum flow in a CO2 atmosphere over a 70° spherecone was created using the Data Parallel Line Relaxation Code computational fluid dynamics software to inform development of future magnetohydrodynamic subsystems at Venus and Mars. Sixteen freestream conditions were considered at Mars with atmospheric relative velocities from 5 to 8 km/s and altitudes between 20 and 80 km. Sixteen freestream conditions were considered at Venus with atmospheric relative velocities from 9 to 12 km/s and altitudes between 85 and 115 km. Results indicate that the total electrical conductivity in the flow volume always increases as velocity increases. At low velocities, the electrical conductivity is higher at high altitudes whereas, at high velocities, the electrical conductivity is higher at low altitudes. Three of the 80 km altitude computational fluid dynamics solutions show good agreement with direct simulation Monte Carlo results. In general, computational fluid dynamics predicts thinner shocks, higher electron number density, and similar vibrational temperatures to direct simulation Monte Carlo. The magnetohydrodynamic force was calculated at both Mars and Venus. Results indicate there may not be sufficient control authority to use magnetohydrodynamics as a trajectory control mechanism at Mars without artificially increasing the electrical conductivity of the flow, but there may be appreciable control authority for a drag-modulated aerocapture at Venus.

Dynamic scheduling of hybrid flow shop problem with uncertain process time and flexible maintenance using NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies

AbstractA hybrid flow shop is pivotal in modern manufacturing systems, where various emergencies and disturbances occur within the smart manufacturing context. Efficiently solving the dynamic hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (HFSP), characterised by dynamic release times, uncertain job processing times, and flexible machine maintenance has become a significant research focus. A NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies (NEAT) algorithm is proposed to minimise the maximum completion time. To improve the NEAT algorithm's efficiency and effectiveness, several features were integrated: a multi‐agent system with autonomous interaction and centralised training to develop the parallel machine scheduling policy, a maintenance‐related scheduling action for optimal maintenance decision learning, and a proactive scheduling action to avoid waiting for jobs at decision moments, thereby exploring a broader solution space. The performance of the trained NEAT model was experimentally compared with the Deep Q‐Network (DQN) and five classical priority dispatching rules (PDRs) across various problem scales. The results show that the NEAT algorithm achieves better solutions and responds more quickly to dynamic changes than DQN and PDRs. Furthermore, generalisation test results demonstrate NEAT's rapid problem‐solving ability on test instances different from the training set.

Machine Learning based Algorithm Selection and Genetic Algorithms for serial-batch scheduling

Whenever combinatorial optimization problems cannot be solved by exact solution methods in reasonable time, tailor-made algorithms (heuristics, meta-heuristics) are developed. Often, these heuristics exploit structural properties and perform well on selected subsets of the problem space. For example, this is how the two best-known construction heuristics solve the scheduling problem investigated in this study (i.e., the scheduling of parallel serial-batch processing machines with incompatible job families, restricted batch capacities, arbitrary batch capacity demands, and sequence-dependent setup times). However, when the properties change, the performance of one algorithm might decrease, and another algorithm might have been the better choice. To resolve this issue, we propose using Machine Learning to exploit the strengths of different algorithms and to select the probably best-performing algorithm for each problem instance individually. To that, we investigate a variety of methods from the “learning-to-rank” literature and propose several adaptations. Furthermore, because there is no algorithm for the considered scheduling problem that is capable to explore the entire solution space, we developed two Genetic Algorithms for the improvement of initial solutions computed by the selected algorithms. Here, we put special emphasis on ensuring that the solution representation (encoding) reflects the entire solution space and that the operators (e.g., for recombination and mutation) are appropriate to explore and exploit this space completely. Our computational experiments show an average increase of 39.19% in solution quality.

A clustering-aided multi-agent deep reinforcement learning for multi-objective parallel batch processing machines scheduling in semiconductor manufacturing

Batch processing machines are often the bottleneck in semiconductor manufacturing and their scheduling plays a key role in production management. Pioneer researches on multi-objective batch machines scheduling mainly focus on evolutionary algorithms, failing to meet the online scheduling demand. To deal with the challenges confronted by incompatible job families, dynamic job arrivals, capacitated machines and multiple objectives, we propose a clustering-aided multi-agent deep reinforcement learning approach (CA-MADRL) for the scheduling problem. Specifically, to achieve diverse nondominated solutions, an offline multi-objective scheduling algorithm named Multi-Subpopulation fast elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (MS-NSGA-II) is firstly developed to obtain the Pareto Fronts, and a clustering algorithm based on cosine distance is employed to analyze the distribution of Pareto frontier solution, which would be used to guide reward functions design in multi-agent deep reinforcement learning. To realize multi-objective optimization, several reinforcement learning base models are trained for different optimization directions, each of which composed of batch forming agent and batch scheduling agent. To alleviate time complexity of model training, a parameter sharing strategy is introduced between different reinforcement learning base model. By validating the proposed approach with 16 instances designed based on actual production data from a semiconductor manufacturing company, it has been demonstrated that the approach not only meets the high-frequency scheduling requirements of manufacturing systems for parallel batch processing machines but also effectively reduces the total job tardiness and machine energy consumption.

Entropy parameter optimization for epileptic seizure detection: A parallel approach

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) – one of the recent advancements in the field of Bioinformatics which offers a real-time support for the people, who are affected by chronic neurological disorders. Owing to the rapid progression of Electroencephalogram (EEG) – based BCI system, the detection of epileptic seizures has become much simpler. However, accurate detection through visual inspection is tedious, time-consuming and prone to error. Thus, automation has become inevitable and for automating the epileptic seizure detection, entropies are appropriate as the nature of EEG signals are complex, arrhythmic, ephemeral, and non-stationary. Several renowned entropies are widely applied, nevertheless, the existing models fail to identify the optimal parameters of the entropies which greatly influences the performance of the Machine Learning models that could make better predictions. Hence to address the aforementioned issue, this paper presents a parallel machine learning based farmland fertility algorithm which optimizes the parameters of various entropies thereby detecting Epileptic Seizures in a systematic way. A novel weighted fitness function has been designed based on Kullback-Leibler Divergence (KLD). The extracted features are further classified using state-of-the-art classifiers. The overall performance of the proposed algorithm was evaluated using the EEG dataset obtained from University of Bonn, Germany, University of Bern and Indian EEG, New Delhi and the results show the supremacy of the proposed model in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1-score, G-mean and classification accuracy.