In http://www.ifactoryinc.com/43/ a scheduling tool is advertised with the following characteristics:
- The intelligent iFRP® solution does not rely on heuristics and therefore calculates the true optimum.
- iFRP® calculates a true optimum and explores hidden efficiency potentials.
- iFRP® recalculates a new schedule in a matter of seconds, reacting to unplanned events in real time.
- Analytical solution calculates true optimum.
- iFRP® has a scalable component to meet your specific demand – even in complex environments, such as semiconductors.
- With iFRP, we have a unique patented real-time factory-event-based scheduler, based on physics, that does not rely on heuristics (rules) and therefore calculates the true optimum.
I have never heard of a general purpose scheduling algorithm that has all these traits.
Some questions come to mind:
- What algorithm can this be?
- What is an analytic solution in this context? Analytic solution would mean to me a closed form expression, i.e. no need to run an algorithm.
PS I believe this is the related patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US20100222910?printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q&f=false. Looks to me like a simple improvement algorithm, and thus no guarantee whatsoever about optimal solutions.
Branch, Price and Cut in physics context? wonder what would that be
ReplyDeleteSounds like marketing chatter. I don't believe there exists any algorithm that finds a provable optimum solution for just about any scheduling model in mere seconds.
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