Optimization algorithms can differ in performance for a specific problem. Hybrid approaches, using this difference, might give a higher performance in many cases. This paper presents a hybrid approach of Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) specifically for the Integrated Process Planning and Scheduling (IPPS) problems. GA and ACO have given different performances in different cases of IPPS problems. In some cases, GA has outperformed, and so do ACO in other cases. This hybrid method can be constructed as (I) GA to improve ACO results or (II) ACO to improve GA results. Based on the performances of the algorithm pairs on the given problem scale. This proposed hybrid GA-ACO approach (hAG) runs both GA and ACO simultaneously, and the better performing one is selected as the primary algorithm in the hybrid approach. hAG also avoids convergence by resetting parameters which cause algorithms to converge local optimum points. Moreover, the algorithm can obtain more accurate solutions with avoidance strategy. The new hybrid optimization technique (hAG) merges a GA with a local search strategy based on the interior point method. The efficiency of hAG is demonstrated by solving a constrained multi-objective mathematical test-case. The benchmarking results of the experimental studies with AIS (Artificial Immune System), GA, and ACO indicate that the proposed model has outperformed other non-hybrid algorithms in different scenarios.

The Travelling Salesman Problem is defined as returning to the starting point after visiting all the points with the least cost. In this study, a real-world application that calculates the route of the Travelling Salesman Problem using the current traffic intensity information from Google Maps is prepared. Different methods such as Exhaustive Search, Heuristic A-Star Search, BitMask Dynamic Programming, Branch-and-Bound Algorithm and Greedy Search have been used in developing the desktop application. All these methods but Greedy Search have given the same routes. A user-friendly interface, displaying the shortest route in distance or duration on Google Maps, has been developed by adding different features.