An optimization-based production scheduling system: progress report

This is an update report on a project which embeds an optimization-based scheduling system into a traditional factory. The factory manufactures tanks for gas insulated switchgears. Mathematical aspects of an earlier version of the scheduler designed for this project has been reported in CDC '95. A lesson learned at a considerable cost has been the importance of methodical acquisition of problem specifications. Deployability of the present scheduling methodology to other factories has surfaced as an issue for the immediate future.