Rostering Optimization (Strict Seniority PBS)

Course Description

Audience
This course addresses expert users and developers with a deep understanding of Carmen Crew Rostering who want to understand and control the optimizer for strict seniority problems.

Prerequisites
Rave II, six months of experience using Carmen Crew Rostering.

Duration
3 days

Course goals
The course focuses on five solution methods, Seniority Sequential Initial, Shift Improve, Crew Improve, Sequential Crew Improve and Strict Seniority Improve. After completing the course you will be able to:

• explain the solution methods used by the optimizer
• launch optimization solution methods from Python scripts
• check optimization run time and error messages in the job status report
• explain how different optimization parameters and options affect the optimization process
• adjust optimization parameters to improve performance
• design and program resource, edge-resource and vertical constraints.
• 
  

Course topics

• Modelling a rostering problem
  
  
• Modelling a strict seniority problem
  
  
• Solution strategies, three phases
  • seniority pass
    How to use scripts and parameters to apply the Seniority Sequential Inital method and find the best solution.
    
    
  • feasibility pass
    How to use scripts and parameters to apply the Shift Improve method and achieve feasibility.
    
    
  • improve pass
    How to use scripts and parameters to apply the Crew Improve, Shift Improve and Sequential Crew Improve methods and improve the solution.
    
    
• Advanced modelling
  • bid groups
  • additive costs
  • resource constraints
  • edge resource constraints
  • day nodes
  • senior alternates in Seniority Sequential Initial
  • difficult crew in Seniority Sequential Initial
  • Shift Improve – limiting generation to improve performance
  • vertical constraints
    

All exercises are done using generic flight data and rule sets (Carmen Airlines).