A metamodeling-based approach for production planning

In production planning, one of the major challenges for plan optimization lies in quantifying the dependence of the objective criterion (typically total cost) upon the decision variables that specify a release plan of jobs. Existing methods either fall short in capturing such a relationship, which involves non-stationary stochastic processes of a manufacturing system (e.g., the number of jobs over time), or require discrete-event simulation (DES) to evaluate the objective criterion for each candidate decision, which is time-consuming. To enable the accurate and precise estimation of the objective for any decision plan within a reasonable time, this work proposed a metamodeling-based approach. The metamodels take the form of difference equations, embody the high-fidelity of DES, and can be used to address “what if” questions in a timely manner. When embedded in the optimization of production planning, the metamodels can help to improve the quality and responsiveness of decision making.