The XPRESS project introduces a completely new scalable concept of a manufactronic networked factory, which is composed by a co-ordinated team of specialized autonomous objects (Manufactrons), each knowing how to do a certain process optimally. This knowledge based concept integrated the complete chain: production configuration (decrease of ramp-up time of at least 50%), multi-variant production line (varying types and volumes on a single line) and 100% quality monitoring. The manufactronic networked architecture allows continuous process improvement, and will be able to anticipate and to respond to rapidly changing consumer needs, producing high-quality products in adequate quantities while reducing costs. This concept is demonstrated in the automotive, aeronautics and electrical industry but can be transferred to nearly all production processes.

This study presents optimal ordering policies for retailer when supplier offers cash discount and two progressive payment schemes for paying of purchasing cost. If the retailer pays the outstanding amount before or at first trade credit period M, the supplier provides r_1cash discount and does not charge any interest. If the retailer pays after M but before or at the second trade period N offered by the supplier, the supplier provides r_2 cash discount and charges interest on unpaid balance at the rate ?Ic?_1 . If retailer pays the balance after N, (N & GT; M) then the supplier does not provide any cash discount but charges interest on unpaid balance at the rate ?Ic?_2. The primary objective of this paper is to minimize the total cost of inventory system. This paper develops an algebraic approach to determine the optimal cycle time, optimal order quantity and optimal relevant cost. Numerical example are also presented to illustrate the result of propose model and solution procedure developed.

In today & apos; s global marketplace, individual firms do not compete as independent entities rather as an integral part of a supply chain. Uncertainty is the main attribute in managing the supply chains. Accordingly, we develop a (Q, R) inventory model with service level constraint and variable lead-time in fuzzy-stochastic environment. In addition, the triangular fuzzy numbers counts upon lead-time are used to construct fuzzy-stochastic lead-time demand. Using credibility criterion, the expected shortages are calculated. Without loss of generality, we assume that all the observed values of the fuzzy random variable, representing the demand are triangular fuzzy numbers. Consequently, the value of total expected cost in the fuzzy sense is derived using the expected value criterion or credibility criterion. To determine an optimal policy, a numerical technique is presented and the results are analyzed using scan and zoom for constraint optimization. Finally, in order to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed model, numerical example and sensitivity analysis are also included.

This paper demonstrates the importance of incorporating and solving the machining optimisation problem jointly with part selection and machine loading problems in order to avoid unbalanced workload in the FMS. Unbalanced workload renders to ineffective FMS such that some machines on the manufacturing shop floor become more occupied than others. Since CNC machine tools employed in the FMS are rather expensive, it is mostly important to balance the workload so that all machines can be effectively utilised. Therefore, in this study, two mathematical models are presented and solved in efforts to balance the workload and improve the performance of the FMS. A two-stage sequential approach is adopted whereby the first stage deals with the maximum throughput objective while the second stage deals with the minimum production cost objective. The results show that when part selection, machine loading and machining optimisation problems are jointly solved, more practical decisions can be made and a wide range of balanced workload in the FMS can be realised with minimum production cost objective. The results also show that the available machine time and tooling budget have enormous effects on throughput and production cost.

This paper presents production-inventory models for deteriorating items with increasing-steady-decreasing demand pattern under the effect of inflation and time value of money. This type of demand behavior can be observed in some fashion products or seasonal products in general. Shortages are allowed with partial backlogging of demand and a two-parameter Weibull-distribution function is used for the deterioration of items in order to make the models more generalized and realistic. The models generate optimal values of initial production run time, onset of shortages, production recommencement time, and total production quantity that minimizes the total relevant costs of production and inventory for any given set of system parameters. Various possible production strategies available for items with variable demand pattern are examined to determine the optimal production strategy. The discounted cash flow approach and trust region optimization methods are used to obtain the optimal results. The Numerical examples and sensitivity analysis show that the optimal production strategy may vary with changes in system parameters.

In recent years, development of freight transport industry has led to fierce competition among transportation companies and therefore carrier-pricing issue has received more attention by researchers. This paper studies pricing and fleet management decisions for full-truckload freight carriers, which compete on a road network. We propose a game theory approach under two scenarios. In the first, we model the non-cooperative game wherein the carriers announce their prices simultaneously in competition; in the second, we allow the carriers to share their information and announce their prices while participating in cooperation. We show that carriers can reach the highest profit level in the latter scenario; subsequently, a bargaining game is discussed as a scheme to share the extra joint profit.

In this paper, wire electrical discharge machining of WC-Co composite is studied. Influence of taper angle, peak current, pulse-on time, pulse-off time, wire tension and dielectric flow rate are investigated for material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR) during intricate machining of a carbide block. In order to optimize MRR and SR simultaneously, grey relational analysis (GRA) is employed along with Taguchi method. Through GRA, grey relational grade is used as a performance index to determine the optimal setting of process parameters for multiple machining characteristics. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that the taper angle and pulse-on time are the most significant parameters affecting the multiple machining characteristics. Confirmatory results, proves the potential of GRA to optimize process parameters successfully for multi-machining characteristics.

This study investigates minimizing the number of weighted tardy jobs on a single machine when jobs are delivered to either customers or next station in various size batches. In real world, this issue may happen within a supply chain in which delivering goods to customers entails costs. Under such circumstances, keeping completed jobs to deliver in batches may result in reducing delivery costs; nevertheless, it may add to the tardy jobs, which in turn leads to higher costs. In literature review, minimizing the number of weighted tardy jobs is known as NP-Hard problem, so the present issue aiming at minimizing the costs of delivering, in addition to the aforementioned objective function, remains an NP-Hard problem. In this study, the issue is assessed where the customers are numerous, and a mathematical model is presented. We also present a meta-heuristic method based on simulated annealing (SA) and the performance of the SA is examined versus exact solutions.

This study was carried out on 621 schoolboys with age range of 12-17 years in Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in Odeda area of Odeda local government in Ogun State, Nigeria. Different anthropometric data were collected from these boys. It was observed from the results that all anthropometric dimensions of the school children increase with their age. Moreover, there exists a little difference between mean values of different anthropometric dimensions between the boys of 12-13 years (2.9% to 8.8%), 14-15 years (1.3% to 9.9%), and 16-17 years (1.4% to 5.5%). But the said differences become much higher (16.2% to 42.4%) when the same were compared between the children of 12 years and 17 years. Therefore, it can be said that the design of furniture for the children of 12 years will not match the children of 17 years. If single furniture is designed by considering dimensions of the children from 12 years to 17years, it will also not suit the children of all age groups. Therefore, in the present investigation, all the students have been divided into three combined age groups, e.g., 12-13 years, 14-15 years, and 16-17 years, and the percentile values (5th, 50th and 95th) of anthropometric measures, which will be helpful for designing of the classroom furniture.

One of the primary concerns on many traditional capacitated facility location/network problems is to consider transportation and setup facilities in one single objective function. This simple assumption may lead to misleading solutions since the cost of transportation is normally considered for a short period time and, obviously, the higher cost of setting up the facilities may reduce the importance of the transportation cost/network. In this paper, we introduce capacitated facility location/network design problem (CFLNDP) with two separate objective functions in forms of multi-objective with limited capacity. The proposed model is solved using a new hybrid algorithm where there are two stages. In the first stage, locations of facilities and design of fundamental network are determined and in the second stage demands are allocated to the facilities. The resulted multi-objective problem is solved using Lexicography method for a well-known example from the literature with 21 node instances. We study the behaviour of the resulted problem under different scenarios in order to gain insight into the behaviour of the model in response to changes in key problem parameters.