Improved Computer-Based Planning Techniques, Part 1

This is Part I of a two-part series. It shows how advances in network solution techniques have brought about improved computer-based planning. We give examples of practical problems and their network models that have resulted in dramatic cost savings for OR/MS practitioners. Not only are the models more convenient (easier to visualize and communicate) than customary LP models, but the new advances enable them to be solved more than 100 times faster than LP models.

Part 2 (coming in the November issue) will show how related models have led to further cost savings in practical applications.