(c) Format International Ltd. New Century Single-Mix Optimization Software

Single-Mix^® with Parametrics
Formulation with Resource Optimization

Single-Mix^® is the core program within the Format system, since it controls and maintains the product and ingredient database(s). Its comprehensive facilities center on the use of Linear Programming to produce least cost feed and food mixtures.

The main database for raw materials, product specifications and formulas is maintained using this program. This database provides the core resource for additional Format programs and advanced parametric, allocation and modeling techniques. The New Century™ data structure allows data to be drawn from a shared 'Central' or 'Master' file ensures data integrity across plants and easier administration of changes.

Key pricing and management reports can be drawn from Single-Mix^®, and a comprehensive export capability provides links to external software such as Process Control systems, spreadsheet and database products, mail, word processing, accountancy and administration systems.

New Century™ Software, manuals & dongles

Central to the system is Single-Mix^®, a rapid and very accurate least-cost formulation program. Linking further Format programs to this core module builds a software suite that provides complete solutions to the resource optimization and control requirements of feed and food producers.

Single-Mix^® includes a number of powerful utilities including -

Single-Mix Tools™ which provide a variety of specialist functions, including Premix or Multi-Particle Management. This may be used to define the raw materials to be included in a premix or sub-component or particle. Premix Management will automatically create the raw material and formulation for the premix, and, if desired, will also create a specification for the premix formula, using logical rules.

Export-Import™ - This provides customization facilities for the import or export of data for interface with a variety of applications including spreadsheets and business systems.
Variable Management - This provides storage for factors used in script calculations as part of a structured implementation of equations used to derive nutrients and other values used in the database.

Illustrated overleaf is a typical optimization screen. This illustrates the entry of a new constraint in order to derive and access an alternative scenario. The view also shows sensitivities for those constraints that are currently limiting -

Single-Mix^® features

'Central' or master reference plant for ingredient and for specification data comparisons. Standard tools are included for sharing data with Central, for copying and for updating data from Central, and for exploring differences from Central.
Multi-user access to data files with record-locking for full data integrity
One-touch re-optimization

Stores current and previous solutions and allows "swapping" between them

Up to 1,000 nutrients per product may be constrained

Up to 1,000 raw materials per product may be constrained each with a minimum and maximum. Evaluation can be carried out on an unlimited number of materials

Nutrient ratios and ingredient combinations can be specified and constrained

On-screen parametrics allow exploration of alternative and near optimal solutions

Ingredient values, opportunity prices and full price sensitivity are shown

Master and working specifications are stored and may be compared and contrasted

Swing facility controls the variation of new formulas to within permitted levels

Exploratory and permanent product formulae are stored, compared and contrasted

Full, interactive Macro facilities, with logic and error checking

Script and Equation language facility for in-program calculations and data manipulation

Multi-particle and premix management in Single-Mix® Tools

Comprehensive data management routines and utilities are provide
Storage of code lists for efficient code selection

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