https://ira.lib.polyu.edu.hk/bitstream/10397/1269/1/SetupSurvey-2006%28June-19%29.pdf

A survey of scheduling problems with setup times or costs

The generic denomination of ‘Memetic Algorithms’ (MAs) is used to encompass a broad class of metaheuristics (i.e. general purpose methods aimed to guide an underlying heuristic). The method is based on a population of agents and proved to be of practical success in a variety of problem domains and in particular for the approximate solution of NP Optimization problems. Unlike traditional Evolutionary Computation (EC) methods, MAs are intrinsically concerned with exploiting all available knowledge about the problem under study. The incorporation of problem domain knowledge is not an optional mechanism, but a fundamental feature that characterizes MAs. This functioning philosophy is perfectly illustrated by the term “memetic”. Coined by R. Dawkins [52], the word ‘meme’ denotes an analogous to the gene in the context of cultural evolution [154]. In Dawkins’ words:

/pdf/a-gentle-introduction-to-memetic-algorithms-44dcqfqqiz.pdf

A Gentle Introduction to Memetic Algorithms

The purpose of this paper is to perform the analysis of literature review of lean production (LP). The analysis involved studying 546 research articles published from 1988 to 2011 in selected 24 operations research journals. The articles are classified by: time distribution of articles, research methodology, research stream, authorship patterns, sector-wise focus, popular elements in lean literature, focus of the articles on lean waste, and implementation status and performance measurement of various existing frameworks/models. Then, the suggestions for the future scope of research possibilities and development are identified. The study provides a taxonomical and integrated review of articles, puts up perspective into the conceptualisation and various critical parameters for research. The findings include: increase in empirical approach research articles, need of applying lean principles in the field of product development and enterprise level areas, need of more interregional research collaborations, nee...

Lean production: literature review and trends

This paper reviews the literature related to the class of scheduling problems that involve sequence-dependent setup times (costs), an important consideration in many practical applications. It focuses on papers published within the last decade, addressing a variety of machine configurations including single machine, parallel machine, flow shop, and job shop systems and reviews the optimization and heuristic solution methods used for each category. Since lot sizing is so intimately related to scheduling, this paper reviews work that integrates these issues in relationship to each configuration. This paper provides a perspective of this line of research, gives conclusions, and discusses fertile research opportunities posed by this class of scheduling problems.

Scheduling and lot sizing with sequence-dependent setup: A literature review

Nowadays, companies are struggling to find an appropriate supply chain strategy to achieve competitiveness. Among the available strategies lean, green and resilient are considered as a new management strategies for the supply chain management to achieve competitiveness. The major issues with theses strategies are the integration and identification of critical issues related to the strategies. This paper aims to identify the critical lean, green and resilient practices on which top management should focus in order to improve the performance of automotive supply chains. The systematic analysis of the lean, green and resilient practices is expected to be of great value for their effective implementation by the automotive companies. The interpretive structural modeling approach is used as a useful methodology to identify inter-relationships among lean, green and resilient practices and supply chain performance and to classify them according to their driving or dependence power. According to this research, the practices with the main driving power are just-in-time (lean practice), flexible transportation (resilient practice) and environmentally friendly packaging (green practice). Customer satisfaction is the performance measure with strong dependence and weak driving power; that is, it is strongly influenced by the other researched variables but does not affect them.

/pdf/lean-green-and-resilient-practices-influence-on-supply-chain-3dzgtq67hp.pdf

Lean, green and resilient practices influence on supply chain performance: interpretive structural modeling approach

This paper focuses on the formulation and solution of the problem of planning vehicle routes for material delivery within the premises of a plant working under a just-in-time production system. The unique characteristic of this problem is that the quantity to be delivered at each of the demand nodes is a function of the route taken by the vehicle assigned to serve that node. The problem is modeled by adding a non-linear capacity constraint to the standard vehicle routing model, such that vehicle idle times and inventories at the customer locations are minimized. A heuristic solution procedure is outlined, and the formulation of a lower-bound relaxation is suggested. The performance of the heuristic solution procedure is evaluated in comparison to the lower-bound relaxation, and the heuristic procedure is shown to provide generally good results.

A capacitated vehicle routing problem for just-in-time delivery

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the major supply chain issues of the automotive manufacturing industry in the southern USA.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on the results of a survey of automotive suppliers in Tennessee and Alabama. The survey focused on supply chain issues and demographics, specifically on 20 JIT‐related problems and 100 company characteristics.Findings – Identifies the extent of JIT implementation in Tennessee's and Alabama's growing automotive industry and the general characteristics of the companies that use JIT. Also identifies the types of problems experienced by JIT automotive suppliers; categorizes the problems as one‐time, periodically recurring, or ongoing; and identifies the most troublesome problems.Research limitations/implications – The survey results point to several problem areas of JIT suppliers for research focus, including identification of ways that small companies can resolve JIT implementation issues, the most common on...

Just‐in‐time implementation issues among automotive suppliers in the southern USA

A hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) is proposed for the single machine, single stage, scheduling problem in a sequence dependent setup time environment within a fixed planning horizon (SSSDP). It incorporates the elitist ranking method, genetic operators, and a hill-climbing technique in each searching area. To improve the performance and efficiency, hill climbing is performed by uniting the Wagner-Whitin Algorithm with the problem-specific knowledge. The objective of the HGA is to minimize the sum of setup cost, inventory cost, and backlog cost. The HGA is able to obtain a superior solution, if it is not optimal, in a reasonable time. The computational results of this algorithm on real life SSSDP problems are promising. In our test cases, the HGA performed up to 50% better than the Just-In-Time heuristics and 30% better than the complete batching heuristics.

A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for the Single Machine Scheduling Problem

The acquisition of knowledge can be facilitated when previous knowledge or experience can be applied to the learning process. This article describes an approach for teaching engineering economy that utilizes knowledge from previous courses, statics and mechanics of materials, to improve learning. The concept of moments from these engineering mechanics courses was adapted and used to explain the concept of equivalence in engineering economy. Initial results after one semester indicated less time required for learning the concepts without adverse effects on student exam scores. Results after four semesters show higher course grades with the mechanics-based approach as well as improved student attitudes and higher teaching evaluations.

Taking a Moment to Teach Engineering Economy

The spectrum of discrete event simulation modeling courses in industrial engineering programs varies from an emphasis on learning concepts of discrete event simulation to modeling simple systems using a commercially viable simulation language. Often, when the emphasis is on learning a commercial language, much of the course becomes training at the expense of concepts. As a result the student has a basic understanding of the language and modeling but limited understanding of discrete event simulation concepts. In either case, modeling complex systems is problematic because students will lack sufficient knowledge of simulation concepts to understand nuances of the language or sufficient experience with constructs to be proficient with a commercial language. However, it is relatively easy to learn details of a simulation language for students who understand discrete event simulation and modeling concepts. Excel/VBA is a ubiquitous software package with easy to use input and output features. Also, the statistical features of Excel overcome major limitations of modeling discrete event systems in a traditional procedural language. This paper examines a one-semester course in discrete event simulation that utilizes Excel and VBA to overcome limitations of traditional approaches for teaching simulation.

Jessica Matson

Papers

A capacitated vehicle routing problem for just-in-time delivery

Just‐in‐time implementation issues among automotive suppliers in the southern USA

A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for the Single Machine Scheduling Problem

Taking a Moment to Teach Engineering Economy

Discrete Event Simulation Using Excel/Vba