Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Using Data Envelopment Analysis To Evaluate The Performance Of Third Party Distribution Centers, Ching-Jung Ting, Hsueh-Lin Fang

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

There has been considerable interest worldwide in last few years in the growth of third party logistics (3PL) providers. 3PL distribution center (DC) enables firms to achieve reduced operating costs, increased revenues, and to focus on their core competence. This research aims to find the key performance indicators through a survey of a set of DCs and then evaluate their efficiency over the period 2005-2007 using data envelopment analysis (DEA) models based on selected performance indicators as inputs and outputs. Three inputs and two outputs for all DCs from the surveyed performance indicators were selected in this study. DEA is …

Freight Sequencing To Improve Hub Operations In The Less-Than-Truckload Freight Transportation Industry, Xiangshang Tong, Kimberly Ellis, Amy Brown Greer

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

In less-than-truckload freight transportation, hub operations affect the service levels that carriers are able to provide their customers. This paper focuses on improving the efficiency of hub operations by reducing freight handling time and cost. Specifically, the freight sequencing problem (FSP) is investigated to determine the freight unloading and loading sequence that minimizes the time for dock workers to transfer shipments from origin trailers to destination trailers. The FSP is modeled as a Rural Postman Problem (RPP) and three algorithms are compared: trailer-at-atime, nearest neighbor, and balance-and-connect. Using five industrial data sets, the results demonstrate the effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages …

Analysis Of Picker Blocking In Narrow-Aisle Batch Picking, Soondo Hong, Andrew L. Johnson, Brett A. Peters

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

This study analyzes impacts by batch picking on picker blocking in narrow-aisle order picking, and determines appropriate batch formations for a better order picking throughput. We present multiple-pick analytical models to offer insights about picker blocking in batch picking. Several simulation studies over a variety of batching situations scrutinize order batching situations which give throughput benefits in narrow-aisle configurations by satisfying the analytical results. Our results highlight three findings for narrow-aisle batch picking processes: 1) variation of pick probability in batch picking is inevitable and is a primary driver of picker blocking; 2) a near-optimal distance-based batching algorithm can experience …

Towards A Physical Internet: The Impact On Logistics Facilities And Material Handling Systems Design And Innovation, Benoit Montreuil, Russell D. Meller, Eric Ballot

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

Aiming for a radical sustainability improvement, the Physical Internet has the potential of revolutionizing the fields of material handling, logistics, transportation and facilities design. It exploits the enabling concept of standardized, modular and smart containers as well as the universal interconnectivity of logistics networks and services. Its underlying paradigm shift creates a tremendous breakthrough innovation opportunity for the material handling and facility logistics community in terms of equipment, systems and facility design and operation. This paper provides a primer overview of a key subset of the physical elements serving as the foundation of the Physical Internet infrastructure, classified in three …

Multiple-Grooved Magnetic Traction Sheaves, Thorsten Schmidt, Thomas Leonhardt, Martin Anders

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

This paper discusses a new and innovative form of traction sheaves, which can be used in many hoisting applications that are driven with wire ropes in material handling systems. By use of high performance permanent magnets, integrated in the periphery of traction sheaves, a significant increase of driving capacity is achieved. In this special case it concerns high energy magnets consisting of rare earth materials known as NdFeB magnets. These magnets provide a 20 times higher force than conventional magnets. The results of the research show that the driving capacity of traction sheaves with a round groove design can be …

Design Of Cross-Chain Internet Order Fulfillment Centres, Kees Jan Roodbergen, Iris F. A. Vis, Jaap Boter

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

Many consumers have embraced the option of ordering via the Internet, which has resulted in an enormous increase in direct orders compared to the times when direct ordering was done by catalogue and phone. The fulfillment process in the supply chain is an important factor for these consumers impacting how long they must wait between ordering and delivery. This fact has significantly increased the importance of the back-end fulfillment process. We present a novel supply chain design to enable cross-chain coordination of order fulfillment operations for internet sales. Shared warehousing facilities are used more and more to achieve competitive advantage. …

Class-Based Storage With A Finite Number Of Items, Yugang Yu, René B.M. De Koster

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

ABC class-based storage is widely studied in literature and applied practice. It divides all stored items into a limited number of classes according to their demand rates (turnover per unit time). Classes of items with higher turnovers are stored in a region closer to the warehouse depot. In literature, it is commonly shown that the use of more storage classes leads to shorter travel time for storing and retrieving items. A basic assumption in this literature commonly is that the required storage space of items equals their average inventory levels, which is right if an infinite number of items are …

Designing Automated Warehouses By Minimising Investment Cost Using Genetic Algorithms, Tone Lerher, Iztok Potrc, Matjaz Sraml

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

The successful performance of the automated storage and retrieval systems is dependent upon the appropriate design and optimization process. In the present work a comprehensive model of designing automated storage and retrieval system for the single- and multi-aisle systems is presented. Because of the required conditions that the automated storage and retrieval systems should be technically highly efficient and that it should be designed on reasonable expenses, the objective function represents minimum total cost. The objective function combines elements of layout, time-dependent part, the initial investment and the operational costs. Due to the nonlinear, multi-variable and discrete shape of the …

Drive And Motion Design In Material Handling Equipment, Jorg Oser, Christian Landschutzer

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

Drives account in many cases up to one third of the costs of material handling equipment. This fact justifies a closer look to important drive and motion issues. Typical design criteria for drives are energy and power consumption, wear, heat and noise generation. Engineering design activities start with the generation of the system configuration, that is to make appropriate topological decisions where to locate the drives in the equipment structure. These decisions define to a great extent the functional quality of the mechanical structure and the distribution of forces in the power train. For early design stages an elasto-kinetic model …

Determination Of Operational Parameters For An Efficient Container Service In The Port Of Guaymas, Cesar Meneses, J. René Villalobos

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

The port of Guaymas is located in Sea of Cortez in the Northern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Its hinterland is basically the Northwestern region of Mexico and the Southwestern United States. The Port currently focuses on bulk and liquid cargo and does not provide container services. In this paper, we explore some of the characteristics that a container service should have to be competitive in servicing the needs of the regional industry. Since the study deals with port selection decision from the industry’s point of view, we introduce a port selection model based on a Total Landed Cost (TLC) metric. …

Monitoring Inventory Accuracy With Statistical Process Control, Kyle Huschka, John R. English, Todd Easton, Andrew Huschka

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

Inventory accuracy is critical in most industrial environments such as distribution, warehousing, and retail. Many companies use a technique called cycle counting and have realized outstanding results in monitoring and improving inventory accuracy. The time and resources to complete cycle counting are sometimes limited or not available. In this work, we promote statistical process control (SPC) to monitor inventory accuracy. Specifically, we model the complex underlying environments with mixture distributions to demonstrate sampling from a mixed but stationary process. For our particular application, we concern ourselves with data that result from inventory adjustments at the stock keeping unit (SKU) level …

A Real-Time Picking And Sorting System In E-Commerce Distribution Centers, Yeming Gong, Erik M. M. Winands, Rene B. M. De Koster

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

Order fulfillment is the most expensive and critical operation for companies engaged in e-commerce. E-commerce distribution centers must rapidly organize the picking and sorting processes during and after the transaction has taken place, with the ongoing need to create greater responsiveness to customers. Sorting brings a relatively large setup time, which cannot be well admitted by existing polling models. We build a new stochastic polling model to describe and analyze such systems, and provide approximate explicit expressions for the complete distribution of order line waiting time for polling-based order picking systems and test their accuracy. These expressions lend themselves for …

Investigating Possible Synergies In Intermodal Operations With Truck And Rail, G. Don Taylor, Mia K. Burns, Gary L. Whicker

11th IMHRC Proceedings (Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USA – 2010)

As the trucking industry continues to examine ways to provide better service at lower cost, many companies are more heavily utilizing intermodal (IM) strategies between truck and rail, especially for those loads that are relatively non-critical in terms of delivery time requirements and that have longer lengths of haul. As IM business grows, supporting dray infrastructure naturally develops around IM rail yards. What is unknown is whether it is best to have a dedicated set of drivers performing dray operations or if efficiency and cost savings can result when utilizing a joint driving fleet to concurrently support IM and traditionally …

Design Of A New Suturing And Knot Tying Device For Laparoscopic Surgery, Sinan Onal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery has completely changed the focus of surgery becoming an alternative to various types of open surgery. Minimally invasive surgery avoids invasive open surgery as the operation is performed through one or more small incisions in the abdomen and using a small camera called laparoscope. Through these incisions, surgeons insert specialized surgical instruments to perform the operation resulting in less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery. However, the main problems during minimally-invasive surgery are the limited space for operating instruments and the reduced visibility and range of motion inside the patient’s body. During minimally-invasive …

Investigation Into Current Efficiency For Pulse Electrochemical Machining Of Nickel Alloy, Yu Zhang

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

INVESTIGATION INTO CURRENT EFFICIENCY FOR PULSE ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING OF NICKEL ALLOY

Yu Zhang, M.S.

University of Nebraska, 2010

Adviser: Kamlakar P. Rajurkar

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a nontraditional manufacturing process that can machine difficult-to-cut materials. In ECM, material is removed by controlled electrochemical dissolution of an anodic workpiece in an electrochemical cell. ECM has extensive applications in automotive, petroleum, aerospace, textile, medical, and electronics industries.

Improving current efficiency is a challenging task for any electro-physical or electrochemical machining processes. The current efficiency is defined as the ratio of the observed amount of metal dissolved to the theoretical amount predicted from …

Development Of A Task Assignment Tool To Customize Job Descriptions And Close Person-Job Fit Gaps, Bryan W. Booker

Dissertations

Does the knowledge worker fit the job or should the job fit the knowledge worker? This research developed a methodology and a tool to customize a knowledge worker’s job design to better fit their knowledge, skills, abilities and characteristics. The research outcomes support the customization of the job design to improve person-job fit, the documentation of the customized job design as a position description, and the use of a structured person-task assignment process. The recommended task assignment process includes a job aid that uses multivariate equations to predict expected task performance. Data were collected from two knowledge worker sub-groups: lean …

Determination Of Cap Model Parameters Using Numerical Optimization Method For Powder Compaction, Cong Lu

Dissertations (1934 -)

Many advantages are inherent to the successful powder metallurgy (P/M) process especially in high volume manufacturing. The strength/density distribution of the compacted product is crucial to overall success. The finite element analysis (FEA) method has become an effective way to numerically simulate strength/density distribution in a P/M compact. The modified Drucker-Prager cap (DPC) model has been shown to be a suitable constitutive relationship for metal powder compaction simulation. The calibration of the modified DPC model involves a procedure known as a triaxial compression test. Equipment for completing a triaxial compression test on metal powders is neither readily available nor standardized …

Simulation And Mathematical Modeling To Support Community-Wide Evacuation Decisions For Multiple Population Groups, Jun Duanmu

All Dissertations

Evacuating a large population from an at-risk area has been the subject of extensive research over the past few decades. In order to measure trip completion and total evacuation times accurately, most researchers have implemented some combination of simulation and optimization methods to provide vehicular flow and congestion data. While the general at-risk population comprises the majority of travelers on the road network, there are often specific groups to consider when assessing the ability to evacuate an entire population. In particular, healthcare facilities (e.g., hospitals) may require evacuation, and the trip times may become an important health issue for patients …

Prioritizing Patients For Emergency Evacuation From A Healthcare Facility, Ashley Childers

All Dissertations

The success of a healthcare facility evacuation depends on communication and decision-making at all levels of the organization, from the coordinators at incident command to the clinical staff who actually carry out the evacuation. One key decision is the order in which each patient is chosen for evacuation. While the typical planning assumption is that all patients are to be evacuated, there may not always be adequate time or resources available to move all patients. In these cases, prioritizing or ordering patients for evacuation becomes an extremely difficult decision to make. These decisions should be based on the current state …

Remote Usability Testing - A New Approach Facilitated By Virtual Worlds, Kapil Chalil Madathil

All Theses

Synchronous remote usability testing, involves a facilitator conducting a usability test in real time, interacting with a participant who is remote. This study proposes a new methodology for conducting these studies using a three-dimensional virtual world, Wonderland, and compares it with two other commonly used synchronous usability test methods: the traditional lab approach and WebEx, a web-based conferencing and screen sharing approach.
The study involved 48 participants in total, 36 test subjects and 12 test facilitators. These 36 were equally divided among the three environments with the 12 test facilitators being paired with one participant in each of the environments. …