Multicriterial Design of Pharmaceutical Plants in Strategic Plant Management Using Methods of Computational Intelligence

Abstract

The SEMCAIP (Simulation-based Evolutionary and Multiobjective Configuration of Active Ingredient Plants) decision support system offers support in designing active pharmaceutical ingredient plants within an interdisciplinary group decision-making process. Instead of sequential decision finding, an integrated consensus is reached between different decision makers. The system combines business management models derived from production theory with the process simulation used in process technology. Control of the model calculation with the selection of suitable solutions according to the Pareto principle is exercised by a hierarchical evolution strategy developed in this study. The elaborated decision support system is intended as an instrument to replace conventional, stand-alone use of an investment calculation following the establishment of a technical plant concept.