Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

A Heuristic Procedure For Designing A Cellular Manufacturing System While Minimizing Makespan, Panduranga Badam

Masters Theses

This study is the first of its kind in Group Technology (GT) literature and successfully demonstrates the application of the simulation technique to analyze different alternatives for machine and part grouping problem.

This study considers several aspects such as processing time, sequence of operations, alternative routing, setup time and dynamic shop condition for machine-part grouping. The heuristic developed aims to reduce intercellular moves, setup time and makespan time of parts. It also enables the decision markers to evaluate performance measures and to choose the best alternative at every step of the machine grouping process. Two examples have been used to …

Rear Seat Belt Usage And Comfort, Kuntal Thakurta

Masters Theses

Seat belts have been shown to be effective in reducing car crash fatalities and injuries. Despite consistent evidence that seat belts when worn can provide the greatest vehicle occupant protection of all currently available occupant restraint systems, seat belt use rates remain low. The rates of occupants wearing seat belts in rear seats is much lower than front seat occupants. One of the primary causes for occupants not using seat belts in rear seats has been lack of comfort. The purpose of this thesis was to study the relationship of comfort and seat belt use in rear seats. The current …

An Empirical Investigation Of Total Quality Management (Tqm) Effectiveness In Healthcare Organizations, Lokesh S. Basappa

Masters Theses

American hospitals are implementing quality programs to offer higher quality service at reduced cost. However, the results of these programs in many hospitals have often not met expectations.

This research analyzed the effectiveness of Total Quality Management (TQM). The objective of the study was to better understand how TQM strategies can best be applied by hospitals. An empirical survey was distributed to Michigan hospitals and an analysis was performed to meet this objective.

The survey results show that hospitals involved indirectly with quality programs haven't realized that they are implementing TQM strategies. On the other hand some hospitals say that …

An Ergonomics Approach To Evaluate The Use Of Two Different Fixtures For Upholstering, Maria Luisa Roa

Masters Theses

A furniture company in West Michigan proposed an evaluation of a new fixture that will be used in a repetitive manual stapling operation.

Numerous studies reveal that activities involving repetitive wrist motions cause inflammation in the median nerve that runs through the structure of the carpal wrist, causing a cumulative disorder known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). This syndrome is one of the most prevalent in industrial settings and service companies.

This study investigated if the use of a new design of a fixture had an impact on operators' performances. Three-dimensional comparative analysis was used to observe operators' wrist angular …