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Distributed integration of process planning and scheduling (DIPPS) extends traditional integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) by considering the distributed features of manufacturing. In this study, we first establish a mathematical model which contains all constraints for the DIPPS problem. Then, the imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) is extended to effectively solve the DIPPS problem by improving country structure, assimilation strategy, and adding resistance procedure. Next, the genetic algorithm (GA) is adapted to maintain the robustness of the plan and schedule after machine breakdown. Finally, we perform a two-stage experiment to prove the effectiveness and efficiency of extended ICA and GA in solving DIPPS problem with machine breakdown.

The distributed integration of process planning and scheduling (DIPPS) aims to simultaneously arrange the two most important manufacturing stages, process planning and scheduling, in a distributed manufacturing environment. Meanwhile, considering its advantage corresponding to actual situation, the triangle fuzzy number (TFN) is adopted in DIPPS to represent the machine processing and transportation time. In order to solve this problem and obtain the optimal or near-optimal solution, an extended genetic algorithm (EGA) with innovative three-class encoding method, improved crossover, and mutation strategies is proposed. Furthermore, a local enhancement strategy featuring machine replacement and order exchange is also added to strengthen the local search capability on the basic process of genetic algorithm. Through the verification of experiment, EGA achieves satisfactory results all in a very short period of time and demonstrates its powerful performance in dealing with the distributed integration of fuzzy process planning and scheduling (DIFPPS).