A genetic algorithm for integrated cell formation and layout decisions

Presents a hierarchical genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the cell formation and layout decisions of cellular manufacturing. The intrinsic features of our proposed GA include using a hierarchical chromosome structure to encode concurrent cell design and layout decisions, developing a new selection scheme to dynamically consider two highly correlated fitness functions, and proposing a group mutation operator to increase the probability of mutation. Our tests show that these modifications are fairly effective in improving solution quality as well as shortening the speed of convergence.