SUMMARYGenetic algorithm (GA) is a widely used method for numerical optimisation owing to their good global search ability; however, their local search ability has an obvious shortcoming. To improve local search ability, this paper introduces a simplex method and combines it with a GA to form an improved genetic algorithm (IGA). In the IGA, at each generation of the original GA, high-fitness individuals are selected as vertices of a simplex, and then a one-dimensional search within the simplex is conducted to obtain the most-fit individuals while replacing the inferior ones. Typical test functions show that the IGA can effectively improve the optimisation effect over that of the original GA. To further verify the IGA's practicability, an aspirated compressor profile is optimised with profile, suction flow rate and suction flow location as coupled design parameters. The results again show that the IGA has a better optimising effect than the GA. In addition, it is also verified that coupling the profile and suction flow parameters results in a design that outperforms the uncoupled design; therefore, designing an aspirated compressor blade by arranging suction flow on a conventional blade without considering suction flow is not a good method.