https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/ Recent content in The Network Sourcing Model (NS3) on API Documentation Hugo -- gohugo.io en Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/dimension/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/dimension/ Overview Dimensions describe the quantities that are used in a particular model. Some quantities may be instantaneous such as distance or time, i.e. trying to find the cheapest way to service a node in a network. Other dimensions may describe quantities which need to be moved from one location to another in order to satisfy the constraints of a model. An example of this would be dimensions such as mass, weight, volume or pallets. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/geocode/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/geocode/ Overview The term geocode is used to describe a pair of coordinates. In general, we mostly handle solve requests which are on the face of planet earth so we’ve biased the terminology used here in that direction. Applicable models NS3 ns3-tbfvuwtge2iq Geocode A longitude/latitude pair in decimal degrees for routing on the face of planet earth. Geocodes are used to determine entry and exit points on the road network. Schema definition message Geocode { required float longitude = 1; // X (horizontal) required float latitude = 2; // Y (vertical) } The longitude and latitude values should be provided in decimal degrees. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/unit-dimension-cost/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/unit-dimension-cost/ Overview Unit dimensional costs are used to describe costs associated with a particular dimension and the units are used by an associated transaction. Transactions may be between nodes (such as lane rates or cost models) or within a node. This same interface can be used to describe a cost per km charge between two locations (on a lane rate), or a cost of production at a certain node (such as a manufacturing cost). https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/fixed-dimension-cost/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/fixed-dimension-cost/ Overview Fixed dimensional costs are very useful to model actions which are triggered by the flow of dimensional quantities over a node. An example of this would be incurring a cost for opening a warehouse to service a set of nodes. The fixed cost of opening the warehouse can be provided to the model through this definition which allows the model to optimise flow to consumption (or demand) nodes in a way which minimises the total cost. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/flow-dimensional-constraint/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/flow-dimensional-constraint/ Overview A flow dimensional constraint is a hard constraint which can be used to encapsulate real-world restrictions which may apply to a node or lane rate. It is typical to use this constraint when a warehouse node has a capacity constraint on the maximum amount of volume which can flow through that particular node. The use case when working with lane rates is to model limitations on the capacity of different lane rates (from a volumetric perspective). https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/dimension-range/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/dimension-range/ Overview A dimension range provides a soft constraint on the target flow for a particular node. This is useful when modelling production nodes which can manufacture a maximum amount of a given product (specified by the dimensions associated with that product). The dimension range is also used to model the consumption requirements of nodes (i.e. to satisfy the customer demand in a network). It may occur that certain demands have no feasible way of being satisfied in a particular network (due to flow or design constraints). https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/node/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/node/ Overview The node forms a core component in the sourcing model, describing a location in the network through which commodities may flow. Nodes are loosely grouped into one of three categories: production, consumption and intermediate nodes. Production nodes specify the production field which indicates that products are produced at these locations. Consumption nodes populate the consumption field indicating that products are consumed at these locations. When neither a production nor consumption is provided, the node is assumed to be an intermediate node (through which products can potentially flow without creating or depleting the product). https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/product-group/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/product-group/ Overview Product Groups are a feature which can be used to model the translation between dimensional quantities measured on various products. A typical use case for this functionality is when modelling product mass produced in one location, but ultimately delivering it in another unit (such as pallets) to a demand node. The product specification allows a user to specify the average rate at which one dimension can be converted to another (i. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/lane-rate/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/lane-rate/ Overview Lane rates are used to connect nodes in the network. A lane rate typically represents the cost and capacity to move a certain product between two points. The costing can be a function of the distance, time, quantity or some mix of these. Lane rates may also be restricted to specific products, product groups, or the intersection of product and product groups. The amount of a product which may be assigned to a particular lane may also be limited to not exceed a certain amount. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/cost-model/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/cost-model/ Overview Cost models provide a simple way of describing the cost to other nodes in the network from a specified source node. One can think of a cost model as being a wrapper for multiple lane rates where all the lane rates have the same unit dimensional costs and flow constraints. It’s typical to use cost models in situations where one can describe the costing of transactions from a single location in an easy manner. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/model/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/model/ Overview The model encapsulates all the information required by the solver and can be thought of as “an instance of the problem to be solved”. The data within the model context should be relevant to the same problem being solved. For example, if the nodes defined in the model do not correspond to the nodes used by the lane rates or cost models then the model is invalid and will be rejected by the solver. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/solve-request/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/solve-request/ Overview The solve request gives an instruction to the API to solve a particular model (nested in the request). The solve request is serialised into the problem schema content and shipped to the API. If you’re looking for examples on how to do this, there are examples in R, Python, C# and Java available in the examples repo. Applicable models NS3 ns3-tbfvuwtge2iq Endpoint POST: https://api.icepack.ai/network-sourcing/solve/ Solve Request The solve request contains a model and a solve instruction. https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/solution-response/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://docs.icepack.ai/ns3/solution-response/ Overview The solution response contains the details of the optimal solution found by the solver corresponding to a valid solve request. The important features of the solution, such as which lane rates and cost models were used by the solver in the final solution, the product-level flow per node, and the aggregate flow over a node, are returned in this payload. This allows the user to interrogate the costs associated with different actions performed by the solver as well as any constraints which could not be met (through incurred penalty costs).