Key Benefits of Quintiq Metal Scheduler

Schedule Optimization for Hot Mills

The Quintiq Metal Scheduler optimizes furnace load creation, materials reservation and hot mill scheduling. Supported processes include:

• Pit Patterns - Multi-dimensional, maximized bin packing. Correctly assign positions to ingots in a soaking pit.
  
  
• Pusher Furnaces - Optimize order sequencing while taking into account variable preheating temperatures, hot mill sequencing delivery performance and available materials.
  
  
• Combination of Furnaces and Hot Mill - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler supports automatic fixed sequence planning. Because there is no buffer between the furnaces and the hot mill, in-line process scheduling and re-planning is essential. The Quintiq Metal Scheduler guarantees that when re-planning loads on a furnace, the corresponding rolling tasks are automatically readjusted, with rules such as thickness, alloy and other characteristics taken into consideration.
  
  
• Scheduling Supporting Resources - Schedule all supporting operations: scalping, sawing and cladding.
  
  
• Hot Mill Status - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler constantly forecasts the future status of the hot mill, including temperature fluctuations and roll cleanliness. Changes in the status are automatically taken into account when scheduling.
  
  
  

Schedule Optimization for Cold Mills and Service Centers

Cold mills and service centers transform input coils into multiple output coils or sheets. Output coils/sheets are divided into products based on their properties, such as alloy/grade, thickness, temper or surface of the coil. Output coils also have specific width and weight dimensions. The Quintiq Metal Scheduler supports this transformation process by maximizing coil and virtual coil planning, minimizing trimming, and optimizing routing generation, material reservation and cold mill scheduling.

The Quintiq Metal Scheduler supports the following processes:

• Coil Planning and Trimming Optimization - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler supports virtual coil order assignment. When coil planning, the Quintiq Metal Scheduler takes into consideration all necessary rules and restrictions, such as knife settings, order sequencing and setting times. As part of coil planning, the Quintiq Metal Scheduler also effectively minimizes trimming and scrap.
  
  
• Schedule Creation - With the Quintiq Metal Scheduler, you can efficiently schedule coil sequencing for cold mills, annealing batches and additional operations such as slitting, cut-to-length or tension leveling. The Quintiq Metal Scheduler takes into account all applicable rules and constraints, including resource calendars, width jumps, cold mill status, cooling times and set up times.
  
  
• Material Reservation - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler assigns physical coils to a virtual coil when the material has the same dimensions, alloy and surface. When a different material is linked to a virtual coil, the routing of the virtual coil is changed accordingly. The result: maximum material reservation due to decreased scrap production.
  
  
• Routing Generation - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler plans all operations for producing virtual coils, including the slits separating different orders and the decrease in coil dimensions for processing on subsequent machines. The Quintiq Metal Scheduler automatically determines the precise moment a split is needed and calculates the correct knife setting. This means that routing generation is easy and exact.
  
  
• Dimension Calculations - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler precisely calculates coil dimensions: width, weight, length and the outer diameter, edge trimming, and required scrap.
  
  
  

Schedule Optimization for Extrusion Facilities

With the Quintiq Metal Scheduler, you can create efficient press schedules and enhance your offering with value added activities.

• Material Reservation – Gain optimal material reservation on both virtual assignments and physical material assignments.
  
  
• Press Optimization – Create press operation schedules and receive real-time feedback that empowers you to immediately react to unforeseen operational disturbances.
  
  
• Value Added Activity Scheduling – Schedule all process steps following the extrusion process, including anodizing and powder coating. The automatically created schedule is based on all knowledge available in the system and can be manually adjusted to include all relevant constraints.
  
  
  

Schedule Optimization for Melt/Cast Facilities

The Quintiq Metal Scheduler optimizes the process of creating melt/cast batches and runs, metal mixing, material reservation and scheduling. The Quintiq Metal Scheduler supports the following processes:

• Melt/Cast Batches and Runs - The powerful algorithms developed by Quintiq support the creation of batches and the assignment of batches to furnaces/casters, while taking all relevant constraints into account. These include product type compatibility, due dates, melt/cast furnace capacities, energy costs, and preheating practices.
  
  
• Metal Mixing - Cost effectively create optimal mixes of hot metal and cold metal (scrap and alloying components) to produce ingots and billets with the right alloy at a minimal cost.
  
  
• Schedule Optimization - The Quintiq Metal Scheduler provides superior order assignments for:
  
  
• Melt/cast batches and runs
• Batch sequences
• Batches of resources

The Quintiq solution takes into account all necessary constraints, such as mold availability and batching rules for homogenization.