Optimal Production Sequences for Efficient Manufacturing Processes

Our department »Operations Research« develops algorithms for optimizing production sequences. These help to reduce setup times and associated costs, increase throughput, and ensure that delivery dates are met reliably.

As the number of product variants increases, so does the need for more frequent machine changeovers or thorough cleaning. This is the only way to enable the production of other products and eliminate the risk of contamination. However, this increases unproductive, cost-intensive downtimes.

We develop customized solutions for different production environments to minimize setup and cleaning efforts.

In particular, our approaches help to

• reduce the number of heating cycles when changing products.
• to reduce or even avoid extensive cleaning operations by finding optimal color sequences.
• bundle compatible production orders so that cross-contamination is prevented.

Reduce Setup Times – Without Affecting Delivery Dates

Production sequences cannot be optimized independently, as additional criteria – such as promised delivery dates – must be taken into account. Therefore, production schedules cannot be shifted arbitrarily to reduce setup costs, since late deliveries must be avoided at all costs.

We develop processes that enable a balanced compromise between minimal setup costs and on-time delivery. Like this, we also support planners in evaluating alternative production scenarios and making informed decisions.

Scheduling Algorithms: The Basis for Our Solutions

Our solutions are based on powerful scheduling algorithms that we tailor to the specific requirements of each company. We work closely with our clients to gain an in-depth understanding of their production processes and use this knowledge to develop procedures that deliver transparent and practical production plans.