In this paper, group scheduling problem in no-wait flexible flowshop is considered by considering two stages with group sequence-dependent setup times and random breakdown of the machines. Genetic algorithm and simulated annealing based heuristics have been proposed to solve the problem. The primary objective of scheduling is to minimize the maximum completion time of the jobs for two classes of small and large scale problems. Computational results show that both GA and SA algorithms perform properly, but SA appeared to provide better results for both small and large scale problems.

Component-based software system (CBSS) development technique is an emerging discipline that promises to take software development into a new era. As hardware systems are presently being constructed from kits of parts, software systems may also be assembled from components. It is more reliable to reuse software than to create. It is the glue code and individual components reliability that contribute to the reliability of the overall system. Every component contributes to overall system reliability according to the number of times it is being used, some components are of critical usage, known as usage frequency of component. The usage frequency decides the weight of each component. According to their weights, each component contributes to the overall reliability of the system. Therefore, ranking of components may be obtained by analyzing their reliability impacts on overall application. In this paper, we propose the application of fuzzy multi-objective optimization on the basis of ratio analysis, Fuzzy-MOORA. The method helps us find the best suitable alternative, software component, from a set of available feasible alternatives named software components. It is an accurate and easy to understand tool for solving multi-criteria decision making problems that have imprecise and vague evaluation data. By the use of ratio analysis, the proposed method determines the most suitable alternative among all possible alternatives, and dimensionless measurement will realize the job of ranking of components for estimating CBSS reliability in a non-subjective way. Finally, three case studies are shown to illustrate the use of the proposed technique.

This paper models the process of ordered product design decision making. The problem is formulated by introducing the notion of Quality Loss to quantify the loss of design freedom incurred by the decision makers in the later stages of a cross-functional decision process. In this context, the optimal order is the decision order with the lowest quality loss, whose characterization is one of the contributions of this paper. In this paper, we present a novel decision support system for order in a Make-to-Stock or Make-to-Order production environment. The proposed decision support system is comprised of six steps. The customers are prioritized based on a new method. In this paper, the idea of the algorithm “Knapsack” is used to prioritize customers. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted to show the tractability of the applied mathematical programming model.

This paper presents an alternate technique based on fuzzy goal programming (FGP) approach to solve multi-objective programming problem with fuzzy relational equations (FREs) as constraints. The proposed technique is more efficient and requires less computational work than that of algorithm suggested by Jain and Lachhwani (2009) [Jain, & Lachhwani (2009). Multiobjective programming problem with fuzzy relational equations. International Journal of Operations Research, 6(2), 55?63.]. In FGP formulation, objectives are transformed into the fuzzy goals using maximum and minimal solutions elements of FREs feasible solution set. A pseudo code computer algorithm is developed for computation of maximum solution of FREs. Suitable linear membership function is defined for each objective function. Then achievement of the highest membership value of each of the fuzzy goals is formulated by minimizing the sum of negative deviational variables. The aim of this paper is to present a simple and efficient solution procedure to obtain compromise optimal solution of multiobjective optimization problem with FREs as constraints. A comparative analysis is also carried out between two methodologies based on numerical examples.

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a method for measuring the efficiency of peer decision making units (DMUs). Traditional DEA models deal with measurements of relative efficiency of DMUs regarding multiple-inputs vs. multiple-outputs. One of the drawbacks of these models is the neglect of intermediate products or linking activities. Recently, DEA has been extended to examine the efficiency of network structures, where there are lots of sub-processes that are linked with intermediate parameters. These intermediate parameters can be considered as the outputs of the first stage and simultaneously as the inputs for the second stage. In contrast to the traditional DEA analysis, network DEA analysis aims to measure different sub-processes’ efficiencies in addition to the total efficiency. Lots of network DEA technique has been used recently, but none of them uses Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in network DEA for assessing a network’s efficiency. In this paper, AHP methodology is used for considering the importance of each sub-process and network DEA is used for measuring total and partial efficiencies based on the importance of each department measured from AHP methodology. In this regard, the case of Iranian Handmade Carpet Industry (IHCI) is used.

From a wide variety of queuing models, the finite-capacity queuing models are the most commonly used, where arrival and service rates follow an exponential distribution. Based on two criteria of system cost and expected degree of customer satisfaction, the present study defines a new productivity rate index and evaluates the optimization of a queuing model with finite capacity. In queuing models, obviously, as the number of servers increases, the length of waiting lines decreases, the expected degree of customer satisfaction enhances, and obviously the system cost increases. This study deals with the mathematical relationships involved in the computations of these two criteria, and proposes a novel approach to determine an optimal number of servers by considering a decision-maker & apos; s priority and establishing a trade-off between criteria.

Timely identification of newly emerging trends is needed in business process. Data mining techniques like clustering, association rule mining, classification, etc. are very important for business support and decision making. This paper presents a method for redesigning the ordering policy by including cross-selling effect. Initially, association rules are mined on the transactional database and EOQ is estimated with revenue earned. Then, transactions are clustered to obtain homogeneous clusters and association rules are mined in each cluster to estimate EOQ with revenue earned for each cluster. Further, this paper compares ordering policy for imperfect quality items which is developed by applying rules derived from apriori algorithm viz. a) without clustering the transactions, and b) after clustering the transactions. A numerical example is illustrated to validate the results.

There is an ever increasing need of providing quick, yet improved solution to dynamic scheduling by better responsiveness following simple coordination mechanism to better adapt to the changing environments. In this endeavor, a cognitive agent based approach is proposed to deal with machine failure. A Multi Agent based Holonic Adaptive Scheduling (MAHoAS) architecture is developed to frame the schedule by explicit communication between the product holons and the resource holons in association with the integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) holon under normal situation. In the event of breakdown of a resource, the cooperation is sought by implicit communication. Inspired by the cognitive behavior of human being, a cognitive decision making scheme is proposed that reallocates the incomplete task to another resource in the most optimized manner and tries to expedite the processing in view of machine failure. A metamorphic algorithm is developed and implemented in Oracle 9i to identify the best candidate resource for task re-allocation. Integrated approach to process planning and scheduling realized under Multi Agent System (MAS) framework facilitates dynamic scheduling with improved performance under such situations. The responsiveness of the resources having cognitive capabilities helps to overcome the adverse consequences of resource failure in a better way.

The aim of this work is to present a reliability and profit analysis of a two-dissimilar parallel unit system under the assumption that operative unit cannot fail after post repair inspection and replacement and there is only one repair facility. Failure and repair times of each unit are assumed to be uncorrelated. Using regenerative point technique various reliability characteristics are obtained which are useful to system designers and industrial managers. Graphical behaviors of mean time to system failure (MTSF) and profit function have also been studied. In this paper, some important measures of reliability characteristics of a two non-identical unit standby system model with repair, inspection and post repair are obtained using regenerative point technique.

Differential Search (DS) algorithm is a new meta-heuristic for solving real-valued numerical optimization. This paper introduces a new method based on DS for solving Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). The RCPSP is aimed to schedule a set of activities at minimal duration subject to precedence constraints and the limited availability of resources. The proposed method is applied to PSPLIB case studies and its performance is evaluated in comparison with some of state of art methods. Experimental results show that the proposed method is effective. Also, it is among the best algorithms for solving RCPSP.