Capstone Projects

Supply Chain Planning Asset Loading Optimization

Program: Data Science Master's Degree
Host Company: Kimberly-Clark
Location: Neenah, Wisconsin (hybrid)
Student: David A Balensiefen

Differences in output from production assets have created an opportunity for low-effort/high-benefit efficiency gains by deploying optimization models to assign production to assets. This project developed and validated a mixed-integer linear programming model that optimizes the assignment of production to assets. Additionally, enhancements were built into the model to prioritize production when constraints prohibited complete fulfillment of demand. Finally, the optimization model is incentivized to group like products on assets to minimize changeover time. The optimization model results in a production loading plan that requires fewer scheduled asset hours than a baseline non-optimized plan while prioritizing which products are produced and which are not produced when demand outweighs supply.