CONTINUOUS CASTER SCHEDULING WITH TEMPLATE DRIVEN SEARCH

• US 20180137168A1
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hama, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,649,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2246 Trees, e.g. B+trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2272 Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Methods and systems for scheduling include forming a search tree. Each node in the search tree represents a scheduling unit formed from a priority queue that includes orders from multiple, mutually compatible sets of orders and wherein each path through the search tree represents a sequence of orders and has an associated priority score. The search tree is searched for a path having an optimal associated priority score. A schedule is implemented based on the path having the optimal associated priority score.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling, comprising:

forming a search tree using a processor, wherein each node in the search tree represents a scheduling unit formed from a priority queue that includes orders from multiple, mutually compatible sets of orders and wherein each path through the search tree represents a sequence of orders and has an associated priority score;

searching the search tree for a path having an optimal associated priority score; and

implementing a schedule based on the path having the optimal associated priority score.

2. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 1, further comprising initializing a plurality of priority queues, each priority queue having one or more associated, mutually compatible sets of orders.

3. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 1, wherein each priority queue represents a steel-making template.

4. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 3, wherein each steel-making template defines compatible sets of orders based on output slab size and steel grade.

5. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 1, wherein searching the search tree comprises performing a breadth-first search.

6. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 5, wherein searching the search tree is performed during formation of the search tree, with each level of the search tree being searched before a new level is formed.

7. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 1, wherein forming the search tree comprises generating a scheduling unit based on each of the plurality of priority queues for each leaf node of the search tree.

8. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 1, wherein implementing the schedule comprises performing one or more manufacturing tasks.

9. The computer-implemented method for scheduling of claim 8, wherein performing one or more manufacturing tasks comprises controlling a steel fabrication apparatus to produce one or more steel slabs having properties dictated by the schedule.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for scheduling, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of claim 1.

11. A computer-implemented method for scheduling, comprising:

initializing a plurality of priority queues, each priority queue having one or more associated, mutually compatible sets of orders;

forming a search tree using a processor, wherein each node in the search tree represents a scheduling unit formed from one of the plurality of priority queues and wherein each path through the search tree represents a sequence of orders and has an associated priority score;

searching the search tree for a path having an optimal associated priority score using a breadth-first search, wherein searching the search tree is performed during formation of the search tree, with each level of the search tree being searched before a new level is formed; and

implementing a schedule based on the path having the optimal associated priority score.

12. A system for scheduling, comprising:

a search module comprising a processor configured to form a search tree and to search the search tree for a path having an optimal associated priority score, wherein each node in the search tree represents a scheduling unit formed from a priority queue that includes orders from multiple, mutually compatible sets of orders and wherein each path through the search tree represents a sequence of orders and has an associated priority score; and

a control module configured to implement a schedule based on the path having the optimal associated priority score.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the search module is further configured to initialize a plurality of priority queues, each priority queue having one or more associated, mutually compatible sets of orders.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein each priority queue represents a steel-making template.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each steel-making template defines compatible sets of orders based on output slab size and steel grade.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the search module is further configured to perform a breadth-first search of the search tree.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the search module is further configured to search the search tree during formation of the search tree, with each level of the search tree being searched before a new level is formed.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the search module is further configured to generate a scheduling unit based on each of the plurality of priority queues for each leaf node of the search tree.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the control module is further configured to perform one or more manufacturing tasks.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the control module is further configured to control a steel fabrication apparatus to produce one or more steel slabs having properties dictated by the schedule.