Sentient optimization for continuous supply chain management
A system and method is disclosed for incrementally adjusting a supply chain plan. The system includes a database operable to store data associated with one or more supply chain entities and a server system coupled with the database. The server system receives one or more perturbations in supply chain plan inputs from one or more of the supply chain entities, wherein the perturbations are received during a period of time separating a supply chain planning session from a subsequent supply chain planning session and accesses the data stored in the database associated with the one or more supply chain entities. The server system also incrementally and optimally adjusts the supply chain plan based on the one or more received perturbations and the data stored in the database and communicates the incrementally adjusted supply chain plan to the one or more supply chain entities.
1. A supply chain planning system, comprising:
a supply chain planner comprising one or more workflows, a server, and a database, the server further comprising a planning engine and a cluster of solvers; the database storing data associated with one or more supply chain entities;
a communications network connecting the supply chain planner with one or more supply chain entities;
the server configured to:
generate, using the planning engine, an initial supply chain plan during a first supply chain planning session and communicate the initial supply chain plan over the communications network to the one or more supply chain entities;
execute a workflow of the one or more workflows to receive one or more perturbations in supply chain plan inputs over the communications network from one or more of the one or more supply chain entities;
classify the one or more perturbations into one or more categories, wherein the one or more categories determine a type of perturbation in the supply chain plan inputs;
assign each perturbation of the one or more perturbations to a particular solver out of the cluster of solvers associated with the server and configured to solve the one or more perturbations in a sequence according to the one or more categories;
incrementally adjust the initial supply chain plan based on one or more solutions provided by the cluster of solvers; and
communicate the incrementally adjusted supply chain plan over the communications network to the one or more supply chain entities.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein all of one or more perturbations in a particular category are assigned in the sequence to the cluster of solvers before one or more other perturbations of another category are assigned in the sequence to the cluster of solvers.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more categories comprise one or more of: supply changes, inventory changes, capacity changes and supply changes.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein an effect of the one or more perturbations is superimposed on the initial supply chain plan.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more perturbations are assigned to the cluster of solvers between the initial supply chain planning session and a subsequent supply chain planning session.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
adjust the initial supply chain plan to a state of feasibility due to the one or more perturbations.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more categories each comprise a library of one or more rules, one or more parameters and one or more policies for inducing different behavior based on a particular perturbation.
8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
interconnecting one or more supply chain entities via a communications network with a supply chain planner, the supply chain planner further comprising one or more workflows, a server, and a database, the server further comprising a planning engine and a cluster of solvers;
storing data associated with the one or more supply chain entities in the database;
generating, using the planning engine, an initial supply chain plan during a first supply chain planning session and communicating the initial supply chain plan over the communications network to the one or more supply chain entities;
receiving one or more perturbations, by the server executing one or more workflows, in supply chain plan inputs over the communications network from one or more of the supply chain entities;
classifying, by the server, the one or more perturbations into one or more categories, wherein the one or more categories determine a type of perturbation in the supply chain plan inputs;
assigning, by the server, each perturbation of the one or more perturbations to a particular solver out of the cluster of solvers associated with the server and configured to solve the perturbations in a sequence according to the one or more categories;
incrementally adjusting, by the server, the initial supply chain plan based on one or more solutions provided by the cluster of solvers; and
communicating the incrementally adjusted supply chain plan over the communications network to the one or more supply chain entities.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein all of one or more perturbations in a particular category are assigned in the sequence to the cluster of solvers before one or more other perturbations of another category are assigned in the sequence to the cluster of solvers.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more categories comprise one or more of: supply changes, inventory changes, capacity changes and supply changes.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein an effect of the one or more perturbations is superimposed on the initial supply chain plan.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more perturbations are assigned to the cluster of solvers between the initial supply chain planning session and a subsequent supply chain planning session.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
adjusting, by the server, the initial supply chain plan to a state of feasibility due to the one or more perturbations.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more categories each comprise a library of one or more rules, one or more parameters and one or more policies for inducing different behavior based on a particular perturbation.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodied with software, the software when executed using one or more computers is configured to:
interconnect one or more supply chain entities via a communications network with a supply chain planner, the supply chain planner further comprising one or more workflows, a server, and a database, the server further comprising a planning engine and a cluster of solvers;
store data associated with the one or more supply chain entities in the database;
generate an initial supply chain plan during a first supply chain planning session and communicate the initial supply chain plan over the communications network to the one or more supply chain entities;
receive one or more perturbations, by executing one or more workflows, in supply chain plan inputs over the communications network from one or more of the supply chain entities;
classify the one or more perturbations into one or more categories, wherein the one or more categories determine a type of perturbation in the supply chain plan inputs;
assign each perturbation of the one or more perturbations to a particular solver out of the cluster of solvers associated with the server and configured to solve the perturbations in a sequence according to the one or more categories;
incrementally adjust the initial supply chain plan based on one or more solutions provided by the cluster of solvers; and
communicate the incrementally adjusted supply chain plan over the communications network to the one or more supply chain entities.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein all of one or more perturbations in a particular category are assigned in the sequence to the cluster of solvers before one or more other perturbations of another category are assigned in the sequence to the cluster of solvers.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more categories comprise one or more of: supply changes, inventory changes, capacity changes and supply changes.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein an effect of the one or more perturbations is superimposed on the initial supply chain plan.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more perturbations are assigned to the cluster of solvers between the initial supply chain planning session and a subsequent supply chain planning session.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the software when executed is further configured to:
adjust the initial supply chain plan to a state of feasibility due to the one or more perturbations.