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Brill Formulation allows you to substitute one ingredient for another while using Multiblend. To define your Substitute Ingredients click on Formula in the tool bar of the Formula Listing window and then choose Substitute Ingredients. The Substitute Ingredients window appears.

The Substitute Ingredient function is a quick way to offer an ingredient to a Multiblend problem when it is not in any of the formula specs.

Wildcard allows you to enter a specific formula or you can use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard enabling you to select all or a group of formulas in this optimization.

The ingredient that will be replaced when you substitute ingredients is listed in the From Ing. field. Enter the ingredient code you wish to replace in the From Ing. field.

The ingredient to be offered instead for this optimization is listed in the To Ing. field. Enter the ingredient you want substituted into this optimization in this field.

In the From Ing. and the To Ing. fields the name of the ingredient is displayed in the Name fields to the right of each field.

The Keep Org. field is a selection that enables you to keep the original ingredient in the list of available ingredients. If this option is not selected the original ingredient is locked out during the solution operation. Select this option by clicking once in the box and place a check mark in the box.

To remove a check mark and deselect this option, click on the check mark and it is removed.

Note: When you select the Formula button in the tool bar you see the icon for Substitute Ingredients. If the button appears to be already pressed in there are items already defined in the Substitute Ingredients window. If the button appears not to be already pressed in there are no items defined in the Substitute Ingredients window.

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You have the ability to change how you have allocated quantities in your ingredient bins. To change your bin allocations, select Formula in the tool bar of the Formula Listing window and then choose Edit Bin Allocation Configuration. The Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window appears.

An example of the function of this window is to say we have two ingredient bins empty but have three candidate

ingredients that you might want to use in your operation. The ingredients are in your system and the costs and other nutrient information is defined. What you could do is to allow the Edit Bin Allocation Configuration function to determine which two of the three ingredients would be most cost effective to utilize in producing your feed requirements.

Once the Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window is open you add the candidate ingredients to the window by clicking the lookup button (binoculars) and the Select Ingredients window appears. Select your three ingredient candidates you want to consider. Once you have selected the ingredients, select Accept the Screen and your selections are then displayed in the Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window.

In the following example, we have selected as our three candidates: Maiz, Soy Meal 49% and Wheat Midds.

Each row indicates the possible use of an ingredient defined in that row in any of the problems posed by the Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window. Each column with numerals as headers indicates the individual problem faced by the Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window. You can pose multiple problems to the Optimizer and allow the Optimizer to consider multiple bin allocation problems at once. List all of the ingredients you want to use for all of the problems and use the grid to select the ingredients that are going to be considered in each problem under each numbered column header.

For this example we pose only one problem for the

Optimizer to solve. You place a 1 in each field of the row for an ingredient under the first column heading to indicate you want this ingredient to be considered in the configuration for the first problem. Each problem allows you to select which ingredients to consider. In this case we are considering all of the ingredients listed and so there is a numeral 1 in each of the rows for the ingredients.

Next you define the Group Minimum and Group Maximum.

This sets the minimum number of ingredients to be selected and the maximum number of ingredients to be selected when the Optimizer is run. In this example we have decided that we want to be able to use a minimum of two ingredients and a maximum of two ingredients. A 2 in the Group Minimum sets that value and a 2 in the Group Maximum sets the other value. To enter a value in the field, click once on the field and then enter the value you want the Optimizer to consider.

The Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window allows you to also consider minimum usages for each selection. Let’s say you don’t want the Optimizer to consider an ingredient if it does not recommend at least 20 tons of an ingredient. If you know that you cannot bring in an ingredient if you don’t plan to use at least 20 tons (or any minimum amount you determine) place that minimum usage amount in the

Minimum Usage field. The Optimizer then only considers a solution feasible if it can meet the minimum usage amount you define. Click once on the field and enter a Minimum Usage amount in a number of tons.

In this example we are detailing here, the a previous optimization of a Multiblend set reported the following feasible ingredient makeup. This optimization had no limitation placed on it by limiting the number of bins.

This particular optimization utilized the Maiz, Soy Meal 49% and the Wheat Midds in varying amounts. However, you only have space to consider two of those three ingredients. So you open the Edit Bin Allocation

Configuration window and define the problem as described above and then click on the Accept the Screen button. The Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window closes and then you click on Accept the Screen button of the Formula Listing window, the Optimizer runs and produces the following solution.

In this solution you see that Wheat Midds were not used, thus allowing you to utilize the Maiz and Soy Meal 49%.

Note: The Edit Bin Allocation Configuration function is being performed in the optimization module and this calculation then ensures a least-cost solution. Please note, however, that when performing this function, the more complex the problems posed to the optimizer the longer it may take to complete the computations.

The Optimizer determined that if it could only use two of the three ingredients, the most cost effective ingredients to purchase are Maiz and Soy Meal 49%. Since space was limited, the Edit Bin Allocation Configuration window allowed you to best utilize the available space at the lowest cost to your operation.

Keep in mind that the above listed example only dealt with one problem. The Edit Bin Allocation Configuration function can accept up to 10 separate problems at once.

You should also note that the Edit Bin Allocation

Configuration function can be performed on a formula-by-formula or plant-wide basis. If you decide to have the Optimizer consider the function on a formula-by-formula basis, click on the check box at the top left corner of the window. A check mark appears in the box and the selection is made. Continue as described above and the solution is then reported in the Solution Report on a formula-by-formula basis.