Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML
Control of complex logistical tasks
Logistics networks become more and more complex and have to meet with increasing requirements regarding adherence to delivery dates, response times and costs. Besides, a huge number of plants and vehicles at different value added steps must be ideally integrated into these networks. The planning and control of such networks requires the application of suitable methods of mathematical optimization which are, in each case, individually adapted to the specific requirements of the respective value added chain.
Methods of the mathematical optimization are used at different levels of planning and control. This ranges from the strategic planning of good flows to different value added steps up to the daily dispatching of the vehicle fleet within the scope of tour planning. Besides, Fraunhofer IML supports its customers by the application of practicable optimization methods with which problems can be also solved beyond the known standard problems.
Examples for the successful application of mathematical optimization methods by the Fraunhofer IML are the ideal assignment of good flows to transshipment and processing plants across several transport stages (multi-stage assignment planning) in the production and provision of secondary commodities or the tour planning for skips and roll-on roll-off containers.