The emphasis is not on simply finding an optimum solution, but to provide a hands-on exploratory tool that must be built by the student. In this way, the student is immersed in the foundations of the problem and variables, not simply given a solution. I. Introduction One of the difficulties normally encountered in manufacturing related engineering technology classes is how to get students to recognize and understand the interrelationship between variables in a problem. This can be even more difficult when trying to develop solutions for which there is no exact solution, or trying to develop strategies to optimize solutions. The emphasis is on trial and error exploration to drive home the impact of the interrelationships.
Aggregate scheduling offers an opportunity to explore the relationships between variables.
The use of spreadsheets for aggregate scheduling allows the student to quickly recalculate alternate solutions. Various optimization techniques, i.e., linear programming, will yield a solution when the data and constraints are supplied in the proper form. However, it may be difficult to see how the solution was determined and what results occur from each change in the variables. Interactive exploration with the spreadsheet makes the student concentrate on the variables, realistic ranges of values, and the resulting range of solutions. The spreadsheet is certainly not a replacement for a technique like linear programming, but is instead a tool for developing understanding.