Method of Scheduling Resources in an Industrial Process, Computer-Implemented Scheduling System, and Computer Program Product

A computer-implemented scheduling system for scheduling a process cycle of an industrial process, comprising a user interface and a software that, when executed on the scheduling system, causes the scheduling system to perform a method of scheduling resources in the industrial process, the industrial process comprising resources comprising primary resources, wherein the primary resources are associated with a production cycle of the industrial process, the method comprising:

• generating a model of the industrial process, and
• simulating the industrial process in the model;
• a) determining an initial state as the current state of the industrial process model;
• b) selecting an allowable action from a group of possible actions for a resource;
• c) determining an updated state based on the selected action, and setting the current state as the updated state;
• d) repeating operations b) through c) until a final state is reached;
• e) evaluating the updated states and/or the final state according to a predefined evaluation function.

A computer program product comprising instructions stored in tangible media which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method of scheduling resources in an industrial process, the industrial process comprising resources comprising primary resources, wherein the primary resources are associated with a production cycle of the industrial process, the method comprising:

• generating a model of the industrial process, and
• simulating the industrial process in the model;
• a) determining an initial state as the current state of the industrial process model;
• b) selecting an allowable action from a group of possible actions for a resource;
• c) determining an updated state based on the selected action, and setting the current state as the updated state;
• d) repeating operations b) through c) until a final state is reached;
• e) evaluating the updated states and/or the final state according to a predefined evaluation function.