Case Study: The Model Group achieves 18% better job shop scheduling with AnyLogic

Comparing and Implementing Job Shop Scheduling Techniques with AI-powered Simulation

The Model Group, a manufacturer of innovative cardboard display solutions, was manually scheduling about 200 jobs across 19 machines each day at its Weinfelden plant in Switzerland. Four planners relied on experience but had no way to test or compare schedules, making it difficult to find the most efficient job shop scheduling approach. AnyLogic was used through a simulation-based solution developed by ProSim to address this challenge.

Using AnyLogic, ProSim built a simulation model to evaluate schedules, then added AI-powered simulation and a genetic algorithm to automatically generate and refine them. The result was an 18% improvement in scheduling performance against The Model Group’s KPIs, with better outcomes than manual planning or AI-only methods. The solution also provided visibility into setup, production, and delay times, and was successfully applied to three production lines with room to scale further.

The Model Group