D-Wave Quantum Inc. and BASF have announced the successful completion of a joint proof-of-concept project that utilized hybrid-quantum application to optimize manufacturing workflows in a BASF liquid-filling facility. The application achieved a significant reduction in production scheduling time, decreasing it from 10 hours using an industrial-grade classical solver to just five seconds.
The project aimed to address the complexities and challenges involved in the liquid-filling facility's operations, which processes, fills, and seals a substantial number of liquid product bottles each month across various products. The smallest delay could disrupt schedules, increase costs, and impact timely product deliveries.
The hybrid-quantum application was designed to minimize the total setup time required to switch between products, reduce the time to fully offload each tank, and minimize the overall tardiness of products relative to their scheduled due dates. In a real-world production scenario, the hybrid-quantum application outperformed an existing optimization solution across key operational metrics, achieving a 14% reduction in lateness, a 9% decrease in setup times, and shortening tank unloading durations by up to 18%.
Commenting on the project, Dr. Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave, expressed excitement about the impressive results, highlighting how hybrid-quantum computing can address manufacturing and supply-chain operational bottlenecks, delivering measurable value where classical computing falls short. Ionel Rusu, Quantum Computing Innovation Management at BASF, emphasized the potential of D-Wave's hybrid quantum technology to significantly improve optimization tasks, delivering faster decisions and better outcomes than classical-only solutions.
Abhishek Awasthi, Quantum Computing Scientist at BASF, stated that the project outcome surpassed their expectations, showcasing the potential of hybrid-quantum technologies to be integrated into production systems to address complex operational challenges such as optimization, scheduling, and resource allocation.
The successful completion of this proof-of-concept project marks an important milestone towards deploying hybrid-quantum applications in production within the manufacturing and supply chain industries. The results demonstrate how hybrid-quantum technologies can be integrated into production systems to address complex operational challenges such as optimization, scheduling, and resource allocation.
This collaboration has illustrated the potential of quantum computing to revolutionize manufacturing efficiency, setting a new benchmark for operational optimization and resource allocation. As a result of these announcements, the company's shares have moved -10.12% on the market, and are now trading at a price of $29.74. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
