Effective scheduling of hybrid batch and continuous processes

Abstract

A large number of optimization formulations on production planning and scheduling for different manufacturing processes have been published over the past two decades. Very few of the proposed formulations are user friendly for practical applications. One of these formulations is the continuous-time State Sequence Network (SSN) formulation proposed by Majozi&Zhu (2001). This thesis explores the application of this formulation as a robust optimization tool to make scheduling decisions in large scale manufacturing facilities. The formulation is extended to accommodate hybrid batch and continuous processes common in most Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industries.