Shortest Path Planning Based on the Ant Algorithm Considering the Return Error

Abstract

Many algorithms need to be optimized and adjusted for specific environments in order to realize practical applications in engineering. The object of interest in a project is to minimize the moving time of the honeycomb container under the requirement that each hole in the container needs to arrive at the designated location once. By optimizing the order of each hole arriving at the designed location and the detailed moving path, the optimal moving path of the honeycomb container can be found. There are many essentially similar problems in engineering, such as drilling tacks, spot welding tasks etc. Such problems can be modeled into the traveling salesman problem, that the salesman needs to traverse all set points and eventually returns to the starting point. Some intelligent algorithms are used to solve traveling salesman problems now, such as simulated annealing algorithm, genetic algorithm, ant algorithm etc. However, some errors must be taken into account in practical applications of these algorithms in engineering. In this paper, the ant colony algorithm considering the return error is proposed to deal with the path planning problem in conditions where the return error existing mechanical driving devices.