Factory scheduling: simulation-based finite scheduling at Albany International

Simulation-based production scheduling approaches are emerging as alternatives to optimization and simpler approaches such as priority rules. This paper presents an application of a simulation-based finite scheduling at Albany International, the largest manufacturer of paper machine clothing in the world. Simulation is used as a decision support tool for manual schedule creation. User experiences have been encouraging. We argue that an optimization-based approach is not necessarily the most economical and identify a number of tentative key enablers of a simulation-based solution. The case indicates that a simulation-based solution is a viable option when the production process does not include combination of materials and local sequencing is adequate. A simulation-based solution capitalizes on this existing source of tacit knowledge by giving expert human schedulers tools for testing and improving schedules.