Scheduling methods for secondary manufacturing of medicine
J.S. Zandee (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
Anurag Bishnoi – Mentor (TU Delft - Discrete Mathematics and Optimization)
J. T. Theresia van Essen – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Discrete Mathematics and Optimization)
Richard C. Kraaij – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Applied Probability)
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Abstract
Solving scheduling problems in practical environments, such as manufacturing facilities, can be a big challenge. Theoretical mathematical methods that aim to address these problems are oftentimes underutilized, both due to difficulties adapting them to the specific problem at hand, and limited mathematical expertise in an organization. The aim of this report is to address both of these issues by providing a step-by-step guide on the application of mathematical scheduling theory, including tools on dealing with difficult constraints. To showcase the effectiveness of this guide and its process, we provide a case study where the guide was applied to a manufacturer of generic medicine. Here we encountered many problems, such as non-standard constraints and large-sized data, but success- fully addressed each of them with a mathematical model capable of generating strong, practical solutions. While further improvements are definitely possible and encouraged, this research provides a strong proof of concept on how the gap between practice and theory can be addressed.