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Using the Ant Colony Optimization method to find an optimal solution in

drilling process

Conference Paper · October 2016

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Danijela Pezer
University Department of Professional Studies, University of Split, Croatia
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 Using the Ant Colony Optimization
method to find an optimal solution in
drilling process

Danijela Pezer
Mechanical Engineering Faculty in Slavonski Brod, Trg I.B. Mazuranic 2, 35000
Slavonski Brod, Croatia, E-mail:dpezer@sfsb.hr

Abstract
The aim of each production process is to reduce the processing time, which ultimately leads to
reduction of the total costs in production. Considering the stated objective, Ant Colony Optimization
(ACO) method for searching of the optimal tool path in the process of drilling, was used in this paper.
In this case the efficiency of production depends on the time required for drilling. ACO method is
used to solve NP hard combinatorial optimization problems inspired by the behavior of different
species of ants in searching for the shortest route. One of the most extensively studied combinatorial
problem is the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Analysis of this technological task is also based
on this principle, and we consider an open tour in drilling process where at the end of the process of
drilling, tool does not return to the starting point (which depends on the random selection of the
proposed algorithm). With the proposed ACO algorithm, a satisfactory solution was achieved in a
relatively short time, and the algorithm has shown that is reliable to use. The solution achieved with
ACO algorithm was obtained by MATLAB program, and results are compared with the result
obtained by manual programming. Simulation of drilling was performed by educational program
EMCO WinNC for Sinumerik 840D Mill control unit.

Keywords: Ant Colony Optimization, Tool path planing, CNC programming, Drilling

1. INTRODUCTION set of arcs. For each edge, or arc i, j  is

Today, many metaheuristic methods for assigned a value d ij which can indicate the
solving combinatorial optimization problems are distance, time, price or other interest factors
used. In this paper, for finding the shortest tool associated with edges, respectively arcs. For
path in the process of holes drilling, the Ant standard TSP problem the assumption is that the
Colony Optimization (ACO) metaheuristic square cost matrix, D ^d ij : i, j V , i z j ` is
method was used. The problem is based on the symmetric d ij d ji , respectively, distance is
principle of a Traveling Salesman.
equal in both directions. Another standard
Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) can be assumption is that the distance matrix D d ij 
represented as a fully weighted undirected graph
satisfies the triangle inequality in the case when
G V , E  if it is symmetric, and fully weighted
d ij d d ik  d kj , , za  i, j, k  V .
directed graph G V , A if it is asymmetric. The
set V ^1, 2, ...n ` is the set of vertex, which The objective of the problem is to find a
minimal Hamiltonian cycle, which closes the
represents the cities, E ^ i, j : i, j V , i  j `
tour after each n V vertexes of G visited only
represents the set of edges which connecting all
vertices, while A ^i, j  : i, j V , i z j ` represents once.

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 In many papers the possibility of applying
ACO [1,2] and other algorithms, such as Particle
Swarm Optimization [3], genetic algorithms [4],
and more recently with the use of the bat
algorithm [5], cuckoo search algorithm [6] etc.,
for the various production problems based on
the principle of a Traveling Salesman described
above are investigated.
2. ANT COLONY
OPTIMIZATION METHOD
Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is classified
as swarm intelligence, inspired by the behaviour
of different species (ants, bees, birds, fish, bats)
during the search for food in nature.
Except the Ant Colony Optimization, the
other algorithms that imitate the phenomenon of
swarm intelligence, such as a Particle Swarm
Optimization (PSO), bee algorithm, firefly
algorithm, bat algorithm, etc. have been
developed.
Ant Colony Algorithm imitate the movement
of ants in the nature, during the search for the
shortest route to the food, or finding the optimal
solution for a given prREOHP6LQFHDQWVKDYHQ¶W algorithm.
well-developed eyesight, their mutual
communication is based on pheromone trails.
pheromone trail.
The amount of pheromone on the ground
determines the probability to be followed by
other ants.
The basic algorithmic structure [7] of Ant
Colony is presented by Algorithm 1. paths using relation
ƒ Initialize of pheromone trails (on each way
is set the amount of pheromone that is
equal to the reciprocal value of the path
length found by using a greedy algorithm)
ƒ Route selection - an ant selects the next
hole from the group of holes that have not
yet been drilled. Since that is a fully
connected graph, from each hole it can be
reached to any remaining hole with the
probability:
W ijD u K ijE (1)
Pij
¦ W ikD u K ikE
kN
Pij - the probability of path choosing from
hole i to hole j
N - a set of holes that haven't been drilled
yet
W ij - the intensity of the pheromone on the
path from hole i to hole j
K ij - the value of heuristic function on the
path from hole i to hole j
Į ± constant (pheromone trail)
ȕ ± constant (visibility between holes).
For Į 0 algorithm acts like Greedy
For ȕ=0 the search is based only on the
ƒ Updating the trails (occurs in two phases):
o Evaporation phase
The pheromone trails are updated for all
Algorithm 1. General algorithm for ACO
Initialize the pheromone trails;
Repeat
For each ant Do
Solution construction using the
pheromone trail;
Update the pheromone trails:
Evaporation;
Reinforcement;
Until Stopping criteria
Output: Best solution(s) found
The steps of the algorithm work [7]:
W ij 1  U W ij , i , j  >1, n@
(2)
where is
U - evaporation constant, U  >0,1@
Evaporation is possible to apply after each
ant constructs a solution or after each iteration in
which the solution constructed by all ants (as is
the case in this paper).
o Reinforcement phase
The pheromone trail is updated according to
the last constructed solution and can be applied
9
after each step of the heuristics construction for
each ant, after an each ant constructs a solution
or after all ants construct a solution in which
there are several strategies:
¾ reinforcement based on quality ± the
value of pheromone is updated
according to the k best solutions
(k=1:m; m ± number of ants) with value
proportional to the quality of solutions:
The first hole from which starts drilling
depends on the random selection of the
algorithm, and when drilling operation is
finished WKH WRRO GRHVQ¶t return to the starting
position. The results were compared with the
results achieved by manual programming. For a
given problem of the tool path optimization,
minimizing the length of tool path was realized
using the MATLAB software and the achieved
software solution was simulated in EMCO
W iS *i  W iS *i   ', i  >1, n@ WinNC program for Sinumerik 840D Mill
(3)
control unit (Fig. 2).
where is ' 1 / f S  .

¾ reinforcement based on the range ± the k

best solutions updating an appropriate
components of trails to the amount
which depends on their ranking
¾ reinforcement based on a worst solution
± the worst found solution reduces the
appropriate parameters of trails
¾ elitistic reinforcement ± increasing the
value of pheromone for the best solution
found until then.
ƒ By stopping the process, the best
accomplished solution, or sequential
represantation of possible order of
execution of drilling, according to the
assigned number of holes was displyed.
Termination criterion is defined by the
number of iterations.
3. EXPERIMENTAL PART
According to the given task (Fig. 1) the
sequence of tool path holes drilling (156 holes)
was optimized by ACO algorithm.
Fig. 2. Simulation of drilling in the Sinumerik 840D
The program was performed on a work
station HP EliteBook 8560w, i72820 QM CPU,
2.3GHz, 16 GB of RAM.
The algorithm was started multiple (500
times) with different combinations of parameters
Į(the importance of the pheromone trail), ȕ(the
importance of visibility), ȡ (evaporation factor)
and nAnt (number of ants ± population size). As
the optimal parameters for a given problem are
determineted the following parameters Į 
ȕ=4, ȡ=0,45, Q=1, nAnt=70, maximal number of
iteration maxIter=900, by which a minimal total
tool path are achieved in the amount of
573,1939 mm (in 584 iteration).
The results of ACO algorithm were
compared with results obtained by manual
programming and total tool path length in the
amount of 629,3353 mm was achieved, and the
results are presented in the Table 1.

Fig. 1. Prismatic workpiece

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 Table 1. The results achieved by ACO algorithm and manual programming
Method Max. number of iteration Num. of population
Manual programming --- ---
ACO algorithm 900
The optimal tool path achieved by ACO
algorithm and manual programming is shown on
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3. Optimal tool path
The impact of the number of iteration in
relation to the value of the minimum total tool
path length is shown on Fig. 4.
Fig. 4. Fitness function depending on the number of
iteration
4. CONCLUSIONS
The aim of the optimization of the total tool
path length is to reduce the total time, and thus
the production costs. According to the
technological task, by ACO algorithm was
achieved suboptimal solution which is efficient
in relation to the solution achieved by manual
programming. The proposed algorithm certainly
can have a greater use or efficiency at the
problem with a larger number of holes (up to
several thousand). The aim of this paper is to
show that the proposed algorithm in a relatively
short time finds (sub)optimal solution and that is
reliable for use on the potential problems based
on the principle of the TSP.
View publication stats
Best cost, mm CPU time, s
629,3353 ---
70 573,1939 738,9419
5. REFERENCES
[1] Z. Q. Li; X. Wang; Y. F. Dong, ACO-
Based Holes Machining Path Optimization
Using Helical Milling Operation. Advanced
Materials Research, 834-836 (2014),
pp.1386-1390
[2] X. Hong; L. Yuan; Z. Kaifu; Y. Jianfeng;
L. Zhenxing; S. Jianbin, Multi-objective
Optimization Method for Automatic
Drilling and Riveting Sequence Planning.
Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 23(6)
(2010), pp. 734-742
[3] W. Elloumia; H. El Abeda; A. Abrahama;
A. M. Alimi, A comparative study of the
improvement of performance using a PSO
modified by ACO applied to TSP. Applied
Soft Computing, 25 (2014), pp.234±241
[4] J. Abu Qudeiri, Optimization of Operation
Sequence in CNC Machine Tools Using
Genetic Algorithm. Journal of Advanced
Mechanical Design, Systems and
Manufacturing, 1(2) (2007), pp. 272-282
[5] E. Osaba; X.S. Yang; F. Diaz; P. Lopez-
Garcia; R. Carballedo, An improved
discrete bat algorithm for symmetric and
asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problems.
Engineering applications of artificial
intelligence, 48 (2016), 59-71
[6] W. C. E. Lim; G. Kanagaraj; S.G.
Ponnambalam, A hybrid cuckoo search-
genetic algorithm for hole-making
sequence optimization. Journal of
intelligent manufacturing, 27(2) (2016),
pp.417-429
[7] E.G. Talbi, Metaheuristics: from design to
implementation. University of Lille ±
CNRS-INRIA, John Wiley & Sons Inc.,
Hoboken, New Jersey, (2009).
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