Development of an optimization scheduling algorithm to improve operations management

加拿大分析实验室测试公司Actlabs正在寻求开发系统和基础设施，以更好地管理其实验室运营，以应对采矿和勘探行业客户日益增长的需求。具体来说，Actlabs将与滑铁卢大学的研究人员合作，开发基于计算的基础设施，以改善该公司许多测试服务的周转时间。随着这些竞争激烈的行业活动的增长，Actlabs发现越来越难以在越来越紧迫的时间内提供高质量的测试服务。该行业的发展依赖于快速、准确的分析和测试。本项目的目的是开发一种优化算法，可以有效地调度Actlabs在其安卡斯特分支提供的测试服务。所提出的算法将是独特的，因为它将专门设计用于计划和安排Actlabs在其安卡斯特设施中提供的各种测试服务。也就是说，所提出的调度模型将考虑服务的处理时间和能力，以及确定在安卡斯特分支提供的不同测试和分析服务之间的样本转移的规则。

Actlabs, a Canadian analytical laboratory testing company, is looking to develop systems and infrastructure to better manage its laboratory operations in response to increased demand from its customers in the mining and exploration industries. Specifically, Actlabs will team with researchers from the University of Waterloo to develop computational-based infrastructure that will improve the turnaround time on the company's many testing services. As activity grows in these highly competitive industries, Actlabs is finding it increasingly difficult to provide quality testing services on tighter and tighter timelines. Progress in this industry depends upon fast, accurate analysis and testing. The aim of this project is to develop an optimization algorithm that can efficiently schedule the testing services provided by Actlabs in its Ancaster branch. The proposed algorithm will be unique since it will be specifically designed to plan and schedule the various testing services provided by Actlabs in its Ancaster facility. That is, the proposed scheduling model will account for the services' processing times and capacities, and the rules that determine the transfer of samples between the different testing and analytical services offered at the Ancaster branch.