ICSPEA: Evolutionary Five-Axis Milling Path Optimisation

ICSPEA is a novel multi-objective evolutionary algorithm which integrates aspects from the powerful variation operators of the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES) and the well proven multi-objective Strength Pareto Evaluation Scheme of the SPEA2. The CMA-ES has already shown excellent performance on various kinds of complex single-objective problems. The evaluation scheme of the SPEA 2 selects individuals with respect to their cut-rent position in the objective space using a scalar index in order to form proper Pareto front approximations. These indices call be used by the CMA-part of ICSPEA for learning and guiding the search towards better Pareto front approximations. The ICSPEA is applied to complex benchmark functions such as all extended n-dimensional Schaffer's function or Quagliarella's problem. The results show that the CMA operator allows ICSPEA to find the Pareto set of the generalised Schaffer's function faster than SPEA 2. Furthermore, this concept is tested oil the, complex real-world application of the multi-objective optimization of five-axis milling NC-paths. An application of ICSPEA to the milling-path optimisation problem yielded efficient sets of five-axis NC-paths.