Production optimizer for supply chain management
AssigneeAir Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP
InventorCharles Harper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment of the invention provides a method for optimizing a supply chain management (SCM) problem. A genetic algorithm optimization technique may be used to generate a production solution for the production side of an SCM problem and an ant colony optimization technique may be used to generate a solution for the distribution side of the SCM problem. Together, the genetic algorithm optimization technique and the ant colony optimization technique operate to quickly identify high-quality solutions to an SCM problem.
Claims39
A method of optimizing a supply chain, comprising:
- a) generating an optimized production solution for the supply chain by using a genetic algorithm optimization technique to optimize a population of seed solutions;
- and
- b) generating an optimized distribution solution for the optimized production solution using an ant colony optimization technique.
A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed, performs operations for optimizing a supply chain, comprising:
- a) generating an optimized production solution for the supply chain by using a genetic algorithm optimization technique to optimize a population of seed solutions;
- and
- b) generating an optimized distribution solution for the optimized production solution using an ant colony optimization technique.
A computing device used to optimize operations of a supply chain, comprising:
- a) a processor;
- b) a production optimizer which, when executed by the processor, is configured to generate an optimized production solution for the supply chain by using a genetic algorithm optimization technique to optimize a population of seed solutions;
- and
- c) a distribution optimizer which, when executed by the processor, is configured to generate an optimized distribution solution for the optimized production solution using an ant colony optimization technique.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.