Optimizing Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing Throughput: Resource Constraints and Process Scheduling

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to understand the available capacity of a biomanufacturing facility with respect to a product of interest. Further, the thesis aims to find opportunity to increase the system’s throughput and to determine whether current labor resources are sufficient to enable production at this level. To address these questions, the system will first be understood at a high level with preliminary analysis of its available capacity and of resource capacity utilization. A more robust available capacity analysis will then be performed by accounting for resource constraints. To this end, makespan minimization models will be created to evaluate optimal process scheduling given resource constraints. The analysis results showed that, at this time, labor is not a constraint to the system’s available capacity and that improvements to process scheduling can increase the system’s throughput at current labor levels. Finally, the thesis will evaluate new operating strategies, based on the new-found system understanding, which strive to decrease volatility of system throughput. The methods used in this thesis aim to cut through daily variability to understand fundamental production requirements. While this study was performed at a biomanufacturing facility, the methods are applicable to a wide range of industries.