Associated systems and methods for improving planning, scheduling, and supply chain management

A computer-implemented method for determining an optimal work in progress level for multiple items in a flow path, comprising:

• (a) providing a user interface capable of outputting a throughput for items in the flow path;
• (b) receiving a selection of a policy for at least one item in the flow path;
• (c) receiving a selected work in progress level for the policy;
• (d) based at least in part on the selected policy and work in progress level, determining the throughput for each respective item in the flow path;
• (e) outputting via the user interface an aggregate throughput associated with the multiple items in the flow path;
• (f) based in part on at least the aggregate throughput, determining whether to modify a work in progress level for a particular item to optimize the aggregate throughput;
• and
• (g) if a determination is made to modify a work in progress level for a particular item, repeating elements (c)-(f) as needed.

A computer-implemented method for providing an exchange curve for an item in a flow path, wherein at least one constraint to the exchange curve can be represented, comprising:

• providing a user interface capable of outputting an exchange curve;
• receiving a user selection of a demand and a lead time for the item in the flow path;
• based in part on at least a user selection, determining a distribution to apply to the selected demand and lead time for the item in the flow path;
• applying the distribution to the selected demand and lead time for the item in the flow path;
• and
• based in part on at least the distribution, outputting an exchange curve via the user interface.

A computer-implemented method for determining lot sizes for multiple items in a flow path, comprising, comprising:

• receiving at least one selected lot size for an item in the flow path;
• based at least in part on a selected lot size, determining a cycle time for the item using at least one model;
• based at least in part on the selected lot size and cycle time for the item, determine an inventory capable of supporting at least one performance goal;
• based at least in part on the cycle time and inventory, determining a cost for the policy;
• and
• based at least in part on the cost of the policy, determining whether to modify the selected lot size.

A computer-implemented method for optimizing a multi-echelon inventory system, wherein the multi-echelon inventory system comprises multiple flow paths, comprising:

• receiving inventory data associated with multiple flow paths;
• based at least in part on the inventory data, determining at least one sub-problem;
• based at least in part on the sub-problem, determining a data structure associated with each sub-problem;
• based at least in part on the data structure for each sub-problem, determining a solution to each sub-problem;
• and
• based at least in part on the sub-problem solutions, determining an initial optimization solution for the multi-echelon inventory system.

A computer-implemented method for partitioning a plurality of products, comprising:

• identifying a set of products;
• defining an initial set of characteristics associated with at least some of the products;
• evaluating the set of products against the initial set of characteristics, wherein if a particular product comprises a particular characteristic, then the particular product can be rated for the particular characteristic;
• defining a plurality of set of groups;
• defining a set of initial rules;
• evaluating the set of initial rules against the set of products and set of initial characteristics, wherein particular products rated with a particular characteristic can be assigned to a particular group based at least in part on a rule in the set of initial rules, and wherein the set of products is evaluated against the set of initial rules until at least some of the set of products are assigned to at least one group.

A system for determining an optimal lot size for multiple items in a flow path, comprising:

• a lot sizer module adapted to:
• (a) receive a selection of a lot size for each item in the flow path;
• (b) based at least in part on the selected lot sizes, estimate a respective cycle time for the items in the flow path;
• (c) based at least in part on the respective cycle times, determine an aggregate cycle time for the flow path, wherein the aggregate cycle time comprises at least one search direction;
• (d) based in part on at least the aggregate cycle time, determine whether to modify a lot size for a particular item to optimize the aggregate cycle time;
• and
• (e) if a determination is made to modify a lot size for a particular item, repeat elements (a)-(d) as needed by applying an iterative algorithm based in part on Powell's method.

A system for determining an optimal work in progress level for multiple items in a flow path, comprising:

• a work in progress estimator module adapted to:
• (a) provide a user interface capable of outputting a throughput for items in the flow path;
• (b) receive a selection of a policy for at least one item in the flow path;
• (c) receive a selected work in progress level for the policy;
• (d) based at least in part on the selected policy and work in progress level, determine the throughput for each respective item in the flow path;
• (e) output via the user interface an aggregate throughput associated with the multiple items in the flow path;
• (f) based in part on at least the aggregate throughput, determine whether to modify a work in progress level for a particular item to optimize the aggregate throughput;
• and
• (g) if a determination is made to modify a work in progress level for a particular item, repeat elements (c)-(f) as needed.

A system for providing an exchange curve for an item in a flow path, wherein at least one constraint to the exchange curve can be represented, comprising:

• an inventory advisor module adapted to:
• provide a user interface capable of outputting an exchange curve;
• receive a user selection of a demand and a lead time for the item in the flow path;
• based in part on at least a user selection, determine a distribution to apply to the selected demand and lead time for the item in the flow path;
• apply the distribution to the selected demand and lead time for the item in the flow path;
• and
• based in part on at least the distribution, output an exchange curve via the user interface.

A system for determining lot sizes for multiple items in a flow path, comprising:

• a lot sizer and work in progress estimator module adapted to:
• receive at least one selected lot size for an item in the flow path;
• based at least in part on a selected lot size, determine a cycle time for the item using at least one model;
• based at least in part on the selected lot size and cycle time for the item, determine an inventory capable of supporting at least one performance goal;
• and
• based at least in part on the cycle time and inventory, determine a cost for the policy;
• and
• based at least in part on the cost of the policy, determine whether to modify the selected lot size.

A system for optimizing a multi-echelon inventory system, wherein the multi-echelon inventory system comprises multiple flow paths, comprising:

• a multi-echelon inventory advisor module adapted to:
• receive inventory data associated with multiple flow paths;
• based at least in part on the inventory data, determine at least one sub-problem;
• based at least in part on the sub-problem, determine a data structure associated with each sub-problem;
• based at least in part on the data structure for each sub-problem, determine a solution to each sub-problem;
• and
• based at least in part on the sub-problem solutions, determine an initial optimization solution for the multi-echelon inventory system,

A system for partitioning a plurality of products, comprising:

• an inventory advisor module adapted to:
• identify a set of products;
• define an initial set of characteristics associated with at least some of the products;
• evaluate the set of products against the initial set of characteristics, wherein if a particular product comprises a particular characteristic, then the particular product can be rated for the particular characteristic;
• define a plurality of set of groups;
• define a set of initial rules;
• and
• evaluate the set of initial rules against the set of products and set of initial characteristics, wherein particular products rated with a particular characteristic can be assigned to a particular group based at least in part on a rule in the set of initial rules, and wherein the set of products is evaluated against the set of initial rules until at least some of the set of products are assigned to at least one group