Continental Pilot - Task Distribution Engine - Multi-criteria dynamic task prioritization and scheduling

Summary

Due to the high number of tasks, the differentiation of requirements and the variety of machines, also amplified by the arrival of unexpected high priority tasks, there is an emerging challenge for automating production scheduling, using optimization methods.

Task Distribution Engine (TDE) is an application for task scheduling and assignment of human resources and machines, based on optimization methods. Supervisor is able to prioritize criteria for fine-tuning the automatically produced solution. The web-based interfaces for technicians aim at allowing them to update the status of their tasks, in order to update the supervisors and reconfigure the system. Two modes have been implemented, one for real-time operation and one for simulation. (Zikos et al., 2018)

More information & hyperlinks
Country: DE
Address: Limbach-Oberfrohna
Geographical location(s)
Structured mapping
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Demonstrator (project outcome type)
Industrial pilot or use case
Lessons learned
Comment:

A use case derived from Continental’s measurement lab has been used for validation, revealing the importance of task properties careful choice, time to familiarize employees to such system and assuring sensitive data security. 

Social sustainability
Increasing human achievements in manufacturing systems
Occupational safety and health
Knowledge-workers and operators
Healthy and happy operator
One of a kind operator
Added value - impact - value proposition
Comment:

TDE offers the generation of optimized production plans while the waiting time for the high-priority tasks has been reduced. Moreover, workplace is more user-friendly, and supervisors have a detailed overview of the running and planned work.