FlowOpt: Bridging the Gap Between Optimization Technology and Manufacturing Planners

FlowOpt is an integrated collection of tools for workflow optimization in production environments. It was developed as a demonstration of advancements in the areas of modeling and optimization with the focus on simplifying the usage of the technology for end customers. The system consists of several interconnected modules. First, the user visually models a workflow describing the production of some item. Then the user specifies which items and how many of them should be produced (order management) and the system automatically generates a production schedule. This schedule is then visualized in the form of a Gantt chart where the user can arbitrarily modify the schedule. Finally, the system can analyze the schedule and suggest some improvements such as buying a new machine. Constraint satisfaction technology is the solving engine behind these modules.

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