SBIR Phase I: Advanced Planning and Scheduling Tools for Extended Enterprise Systems

Ls Optimal, Inc., Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase I research project is intended to develop a high quality, flexible, and adaptive planning and scheduling software prototype for extended enterprise manufacturing environments. Planning and scheduling are some of the most important functions within many production systems. In a competitive environment, effective planning and scheduling have become a necessary condition for survival in the marketplace. Failure to do so would not only mean a reduction in production effectiveness and higher costs, but also a serious erosion of the competitiveness of the entire supply chain. With recent advances in information technologies and the rapid evolution of supply chain management techniques, the need has arisen for more advanced planning and scheduling tools. These tools must be able to communicate, collaborate, and integrate their planning and scheduling functionalities to obtain optimal results throughout the enterprise. This research project will bring state-of-the-art decision and optimization methodologies to bear in meeting this need. This research development is expected to produce a significant practical impact in the area of Supply Chain Management. If successful, it will bring new planning and scheduling tools to the e-commerce business environment. Moreover, the development of the proposed prototype will be critical to the development and commercialization of an advanced planning and scheduling software tool that can be used for many industry sectors.