Better process scheduling aids industry
Process scheduling is a pivotal component for the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in many industries. By overcoming process scheduling issues, improved schedule optimisation can bring financial rewards to companies and spell the difference between success and failure. The EU-funded project CAP2M-SCHED worked on improving process scheduling for SMEs. Building on previous efforts and an earlier EU-funded initiative in this direction, the project sought to overcome the limitations of current scheduling software. Generally, the latter relies on a human operator to simulate scheduling scenarios and identify a suitable solution. CAP2M-SCHED promoted the solution of the predecessor CAP-SCHED project that enabled operators to set parameters based on their insight regarding the process, but also using novel software based on heuristics. Project members built confidence regarding the solution and verified its performance in typical industrial processes. They assessed and refined the capabilities of the CAP-SCHED software solution to tackle different real-life conditions. Efforts to promote the scheduling solution included improved market analysis, business modelling and associated marketing strategy to help businesses improve efficiency gains. The solution is meant to bring quicker development and distribution of schedules, enhancing effectiveness through higher throughput, reduced operating costs and lower inventories. This is particularly important in industry supply chains where the path from the raw material to the finished product is highly process-dependent. Benefits of implementing the solution include higher profit from improved transformation of raw source material, enhanced volume throughput per unit time and reduced costs through better use of resources in transforming products. From refining crude oil to producing pharmaceuticals, the developed software tool is set to revolutionise continuous or semi-continuous industrial processes, bringing a host of benefits to consumers, SMEs in industry and the economy. Detailed project dissemination and exploitation strategies will no doubt contribute significantly to achieving this aim.
Keywords
Process scheduling, industry, SMEs, efficiency, throughput, supply chain, market analysis, business modelling, heuristics