Transition matrices and transition rules

Transition matrices and transition rules specify the product sequence-specific durations of changeover time between two batches on an individual resource.

Transition matrices are more complex than transition rules. Multiple transition matrices enable you to cover all possible aspects of product sequences for a resource. Therefore, you can specify changeovers with more precision. For example, you can consider different ways in which packaging and product color can affect changeover times. Each matrix cell defines a specific criterion-to-criterion changeover time. Each matrix cell can accommodate up to 1000 rows and 1000 columns.

Note: It is recommended to use multiple smaller matrices as against a single large matrix which can affect the system performance.

You can create more than one matrix as this is convenient to group the changeover data based on a theme and the idle time values. For example, the bottling and canning changeovers can be grouped together in separate matrices.

These transition matrices can be used:

Duration: For time-based optimization.
Cost: For cost-based optimization.

Transition rules are simpler than transition matrices and, in many cases, will be sufficient. Each rule enables you to assign one value that can be applied to similar or identical product batches on the same resource, and another value that can be applied to different batches on the same resource. A changeover rule is applicable for comparing the values in one field of a particular entity for two batches.

Changeover criterion refers to changeover characteristics for transition matrices and transition rules and is specified for each process step of the product.

After transition matrices and transition rules are created, these must be assigned to resources and to process steps.

Automatic scheduling functions recalculate the sequence dependent changeover time after each modification.