Performance Comparison between Neural Network and Genetic Programming Using Gas Furnace Data

This study describes design and development techniques of estimation models for process modeling. One case study is undertaken to design a model using standard gas furnace data. Neural networks (NN) and genetic programming (GP) are each employed to model the crucial relationships between input factors and output responses. In the case study, two models were generated by using 70% training data and evaluated by using 30% testing data for genetic programming and neural network modeling. The model performance was compared by using RMSE values, which were calculated based on the model outputs. The average RMSE for training and testing were 0.8925 (training) and 0.9951 (testing) for the NN model, and 0.707227 (training) and 0.673150 (testing) for the GP model, respectively. As concern the results, the NN model has a strong advantage in model training (using the all data for training), and the GP model appears to have an advantage in model testing (using the separated data for training and testing). The performance reproducibility of the GP model is good, so this approach appears suitable for modeling physical fabrication processes.