CSIR algorithms simplify omplex production scheduling

23 September 2015 News

A researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed multi-objective algorithms for a complex real-world production scheduling problem. A first of its kind, Dr Jacomine Grobler developed the algorithms while at the University of Pretoria and finalised the hyper-heuristic algorithms after joining the CSIR.

“I specifically developed these optimisation algorithms to address production scheduling challenges in the manufacturing sector,” she says. “The algorithms consider how operators schedule jobs and which machines they use. This has a significant impact on the competitiveness of companies.” She adds that if jobs are scheduled efficiently then companies are also better positioned to meet their delivery dates.

One of the algorithms she has developed also considers queue time – which is an indication of how long jobs wait on the production floor – with the objective of reducing inventory. “If there are large queue times it basically means that all the jobs wait too long for processing,” she explains. “This queue time has financial implications as companies will need to rent storage space and pay insurance and other related costs.”

The algorithms have shown to outperform existing state-of-the-art algorithms by up to 76%, resulting in a significant decrease in manufacturing costs. This work has earned her the 2015 JD Roberts Award for Emerging Researchers for her contribution to the development of optimisation algorithms for solving industrial engineering problems.

For more information contact Jacomine Grobler, CSIR, +27 (0)12 841 2417, [email protected]

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