a Solver question

[Luting]

Hi, I am trying to use Solver to solve a scheduling problem.
We get orders every Sunday, and then schedule the production for the
following week. The order is as follows:

Prod1 Prod2 Prod3
M 4 1
T 1
W
TR 2 1
F 1
SA
S 2

The numbers indicate the amount of products we need produced BY this
day.
And we have schedule tables for two plants like this:

Plant 1:
Prod1 Prod2 Prod3
M x11 x12
T x21 x22
W x31
TR .... ... ...
F
SA
S x71 x73
---------------------------------------------
Plant 2:
Prod1 Prod2 Prod3
M y11 y12
T y21 y22
W y31
TR .... ... ...
F
SA
S y71 y73
---------------------------------------------

It's not a simple linear programming since we need to consider the
difference of the deadline of each order. e.g.
SUM(x11:x71)+SUM(y11+y71)=4+1+2. This is one of the constraint, but
not all. x11and y11 should cover the order on first day, therefore
x11+y11>=4. And each plant has limits of the amount it can produce per
day. So it's very possible that the order cannot be met. In this case,
we need to add the delayed order to the following day and try to meet
it there.

Is it possible to solve this complex problem in Solver?
If so, can anyone give me some hint?
Many thanks.

 

[Mike Middleton]

Luting -

There might be some useful hints in these scheduling example models:

http://www.solver.com/schframe.htm

- Mike Middleton
http://www.DecisionToolworks.com
Decision Analysis Add-ins for Excel