Hierarchical production planning for a modern steel manufacturing system

Starting with forecast demand data, the methodology to be described here can derive a detailed production schedule which provides smooth continuous operations in a modern steel manufacturing system. The production schedule will satisfy the customers' orders and other desired objectives at the lowest possible energy costs. Two mathematical programming models and a sequencing heuristic are developed at different levels of an integrated control hierarchy. A simulation model, used to evaluate the planned system and investigate the primary results, has also been built. The statistical analysis indicates the performance improvements of the planned steel making process.