Model Development, Model Improvement
Model Improvement at INRAE
GlobAgri, an agricultural biomass balance model initially developed by INRAE - the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, and Cirad - the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development-, serves as a tool to assess the global impacts of shifts in agri-food systems. In collaboration with INRAE, GAMS consulting team contributed to enhancing the model’s robustness, addressing the numerical challenges inherent to its nonlinear structure. This partnership focused on model reformulation, optimized data processing, and knowledge transfer regarding advanced GAMS capabilities and solver options. The resulting model exhibited greater stability and feasibility across diverse scenarios, underscoring its improved performance.
Model Improvement, Model Deployment, Training & Workshops
Power Systems Planning at the World Bank
GAMS and the World Bank partnered to improve the Bank’s Electricity Planning Model (EPM). The project involved a comprehensive review of the model and updating it with the latest GAMS features, resulting in significant performance improvements. Also, the EPM was made suitable for cloud deployment, and upgraded to run with MIRO as an interactive server application accessible to all members of the modeling team. The collaboration also included customized workshops on topics according to the World Bank’s needs, aimed at enhancing the team’s understanding of the new features and optimizing their use of the EPM.
Read More
Model Deployment
Deployment of the TIMES Model Generator
TIMES (The Integrated MARKAL-EFOM System) is a widely used model generator for energy system analysis and optimization. It is employed by around 200 teams in 70 countries. GAMS collaborated with the Energy Technology Systems Analysis Program (ETSAP) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to provide new deployment options for the TIMES model.
Read More
Model Improvement
Production Planning at BASF
The GAMS consulting team collaborated with BASF, a leading chemical company, to improve their existing production scheduling model. The project involved the development and implementation of new business rules to synchronize the discrete and the continuous production steps while meeting demand quantities and due dates of individual products, as well as avoiding costly downtimes of the machines. Our improved model was successfully tested and delivered clear benefits for BASF.
Model Improvement, Model Deployment
Agricultural Modeling and Optimization at ZALF
In a collaboration between GAMS and ZALF, we worked on several projects related to their Multi-Objective Decision support tool for Agri-ecosystem Management (MODAM). MODAM focuses on the analysis, modelling and valuation of agricultural decision making of land user. This includes decision making on optimal schedules for agricultural actions or optimal land use. Our team reviewed and optimized the model code, with a focus on improving model generation and GAMS execution time. GAMS also developed a MIRO application for the MODAM model in close coordination with the ZALF team. Training sessions have enabled them to further develop the app independently. Going forward, the MIRO app will be embedded in existing IT infrastructure as part of a cross-system solution.
Workshop
Code Optimization Workshop
The GAMS consulting team collaborated with SINTEF to optimize their GAMS model through a custom workshop. The collaboration resulted in an efficient separation of model and data, solver tuning, and parallelization for faster simulations.
Read More
Workshop
Custom GAMS Workshop
ifesca, a leading software company that develops solutions for optimal energy management, recently partnered with GAMS experts to optimize their modelling techniques through a customized workshop. The workshop covered a wide range of topics, including data exchange, data consistency checks, model development, fix and optimize techniques, such as rolling horizon, advanced GAMS language features, debugging, performance profiling, Cplex parameter tuning, and an overview of state-of-the-art MIP solvers.
Model Development, Model Deployment
Scheduling at the United States Military Academy
At the United States Military Academy in West Point, each student’s daily activities are a carefully regimented balance of academic, military, and physical requirements. The ~4,500 enrolled cadets compile their individual academic programs and it is necessary to ensure that each cadet can graduate in 8 semesters, which results in challenging scheduling problems. USMA relies on a highly customized decision support system to tackle tasks such as term scheduling, exam scheduling, and room scheduling. The schedulers are all based on GAMS and have been seamlessly integrated into USMA’s cadet administration system.
Read More
Model Development
Scheduling at the United States Coast Guard Academy
GAMS consulting services helped the US Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) optimize its student-centric scheduling process by developing a customized solution using state-of-the-art optimization algorithms and tools. The result was a more streamlined and efficient academic environment that improved satisfaction among faculty and staff and outcomes for students. Thanks to GAMS’s expertise and support, the USCGA was able to achieve its scheduling goals and significantly reduce the time and effort required for scheduling.
Read More
Model Development
Energy Modeling
GAMS cooperated with Greenmont Energy Consulting (GEC) to develop an integrated model of the US energy, coal, and emission market. The model included all power plants, regardless of fuel type, in the U.S. and Canada, with a particular high level of detail when it comes to coal-fired power plants. Together with a coal transportation model that was developed at the same time an optimization based forecasting platform was created that allows users to generate base cases and scenario simulations across various time horizons.
Model Improvement
BMW Boxmodel
GAMS and BMW have collaborated on a project aimed at improving decision-making in vehicle production. The quality of final products in vehicle manufacturing can be measured by various metrics which depend on the quality of the different vehicle components. Due to tolerances in the production process, the quality of vehicle components may vary within certain tolerance ranges. By leveraging a GAMS model, BMW can now optimize the tolerance ranges in component manufacturing within a given budget, ensuring the highest possible quality of the final vehicle. The model is a MINLP that uses a quadratic objective function, striking a balance between precision and efficiency and ultimately resulting in top-quality final products.
Model Improvement
Efficient Prototyping and Vehicle Testing
GAMS and Ford Motor Company collaborated to create two models that optimize design verification and vehicle testing processes. The Scheduling and Optimization model minimizes tests needed and provides a user-friendly interface, while the ltTOM2 model automates and optimizes vehicle testing schedules. These models have helped Ford in timely product development and certification.
Read More
