Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

An Object Oriented And Axiomatic Theory Of Warehouse Design, Leon F. Mcginnis

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

Despite the conceptual simplicity of warehousing, the development of integrated computational tools for warehouse design has remained an elusive goal. In recent years, there has been some progress toward this goal, with a growing body of research addressing topics as diverse as the design process itself, decision support for specific design decisions, warehouse representation, integrating warehouse representation and analysis, and conceptual approaches for developing integrated warehouse design tool chains. Until now, however, there has not been a suitable warehouse design theory that would provide an integrating framework for all these disparate efforts. This paper presents an object-oriented and axiomatic warehouse …

A Comparison Of Priority Rules For Non-Passing Automated Stacking Cranes, Hector J. Carlo, Azaria Del Valle-Serrano, Fernando L. Martinez-Acevado, Yaritza M. Santiago-Correa, Iris F.A. Vis

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

A recent trend in container ports is to operate dual non-passing Automated Storage Cranes (ASCs) that collaborate to serve storage and retrieval requests from opposite ends of a storage block. Since the ASCs are unable to pass each other, there is an exchange zone that serves as a temporary storage location so that one crane can start a request and leave it to the other crane to complete it. In this study, twelve priority rules are introduced and evaluated to determine which rule minimizes the total makespan for serving all requests, given the sequence in which each ASC will serve …

Analysis Of Material Handling Systems Based On Discrete Time Design Modules, Furmans Kai, Ozden Eda, Stoll Judith, Epp Martin, Schmidt Thorsten, Meinhardt Ingolf, Schulze Frank

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

In this paper, we present a method for the performance evaluation of material handling systems in an early planning stage. We are mapping typical material handling elements onto stochastic analytical models. Our intention is to build a toolbox of material handling modules that allows a fast analysis of typical continuous conveying systems. The tool should enable the identification of bottlenecks and the computation of lead time distributions for intra-logistic systems.

Estimating Travel Distances And Optimizing Product Placement For Dedicated Warehouses With Manual Picking, Uday Venkatadri, Sachin Kubasad

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

This paper looks at the problem of estimating travel distances for rectangular warehouse sections with manual picking. This study was motivated by a real-life case in the food and beverage industry where case picking occurred in a rectangular section of the warehouse In particular, we are interested in estimating the distance travelled by an order picker whose picking route begins and ends at a single depot. One of the assumptions in many distance approximation papers is that any location is equally likely to be picked. However, this assumption is unrealistic in the case of dedicated warehouse layout, where products are …

Hybrid Heuristics For Infinite Period Inventory Routing Problem, Ronald Askin, Mingjun Xia

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

In this paper, we address a one-to-many distribution network inventory routing problem over an infinite planning horizon. Each retailer has an independent, random demand, and the distribution center uses capacitated vehicles for routing delivery. The demand at each retailer is relatively small compared to the vehicle capacity. A novel mathematical model is given to simultaneously decide the optimal routing tours to retailers and routing frequencies of each route. Several heuristics are developed to solve large scale instances of the problem.

Open Location Management In Automated Warehousing Systems, Yugang Yu, René De Koster

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

A warehouse needs to have sufficient open locations to be able to deal with the change of item inventory levels, but due to ongoing storage and retrieval processes, open locations usually spread over storage areas. Unfavorable positions of open locations negatively impact the average load retrieval times. This paper presents a new method to manage these open locations such that the average system travel time for processing a block of storage and retrieval jobs in an automated warehousing system is minimized. We introduce the effective storage area (ESA), a well-defined part of the locations closest to the depot; where only …

Analysis Of Parameters Influencing In-Plant Milk Run Design For Production Supply, Eva Klenk, Stefan Galka, Willibald A. Günthner

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

In-plant milk-run systems are a transport concept for in-plant material delivery which is becoming more and more applicable especially in the automotive industry. This is due to the system characteristic of providing materials in small lot sizes and with high frequency. As there is a number of different milk run concepts applied and there are several parameters influencing the efficiency and stability of these systems, this paper aims at presenting an overview of common concepts and their properties together with key figures based on an empirical study. The concepts are further analyzed and evaluated with respect to resulting lead times …

Performance Trade-Offs In Layouts For Relief Centers, Ananth Krishnamurthy, Sanket Bhat, Debjit Roy

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

At a disaster affected region, relief centers distribute critical supplies and aid to the affected victims. Unlike traditional distribution centers, relief centers experience significant ‘crowd effects’ due to the sudden influx of victims in a confined space. Using knowledge from studies on pedestrian traffic flow, specialized state dependent queuing models are developed to model the flow of victims along the walkways setup at a relief center. The underlying queuing network model is analyzed to derive expressions for the average times that victims experience before they receive the service at the relief center. The research shows that crowd density effects lead …

A Multi-Objective Optimization Approach For Designing Automated Warehouses, Tone Lerher, Matej Borovinšek, Iztok Potrč, Matjaž Šraml

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

A multi objective optimization of automated warehouses is discussed and evaluated in present paper. Since most of researchers in material handling community had performed optimization of decision variables with single objective function only (usually named with minimum travel time, maximum throughput capacity, minimum cost, etc.), the multi objective optimization (travel time – cost – quality) will be presented. For the optimization of decision variables in objective functions, the method with genetic algorithms is used. To find the Pareto optimal solutions, the NSGA II genetic algorithm was used. The main objective of our contribution is to determine the performance of the …

A Mathematical Model For Driver Balance In Truckload Relay Networks, Sarah Root, Hector A. Vergara

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

Driver retention has been cited as one of the primary motivating factors for the implementation of relay networks for full truckload transportation. The strategic design of such networks considering important operational factors such as limitations on load circuity and equipment balance has been previously studied in the literature, however driver scheduling has not been explicitly considered in routing decisions. We present a prescriptive modeling approach that uses mathematical programming in conjunction with a decomposition-based algorithm to select feasible duties that consider current hours-of-service regulations and assign them to drivers domiciled at relay points in the network to cover truckload demands …

Collaborative Freight Transportation To Improve Efficiency And Sustainability, Kimberly P. Ellis, Steven Roesch, Russell D. Meller

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

Collaborative distribution offers the potential for substantial improvements in freight transportation. As collaboration increases, more loads are available for sharing among transportation service providers, leading to more fully loaded trailers that travel fewer miles and reduce the cost per load on average. In this study, we develop approaches to analyze improvements in key performance measures as collaboration increases in freight transportation. For the data sets analyzed, improvements include a 34% increase in trailer fullness, a 29% reduction in average costs per load, and a 25% decrease in average miles per load. Based on this analysis, collaboration provides substantial improvements for …

Functional Design Of Physical Internet Facilities: A Road-Based Crossdocking Hub, Russell D. Meller, Benoit Montreuil, Collin Thivierge, Zachary Montreuil

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

As part of the 2010 IMHRC, Montreuil, Meller and Ballot proposed a set of facility types that would be necessary to operate a Physical Internet (PI, π), which they termed nodes. This paper is part of a three-paper series for the 2012 IMHRC where the authors provide functional designs of three PI facilities. This paper covers a unimodal road-based crossdocking hub designed specifically to exploit the characteristics of Physical Internet modular containers so as to enable the efficient and sustainable transhipment of each of them from its inbound truck to its outbound truck. The objective of the paper is to …

Dynamic Slotting Optimization Based On Skus Correlations In A Zone-Based Wave-Picking System, Li Yingde, Jeffery S. Smith

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

Many exiting slotting methods ignore the picking correlations between Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). In a previous paper, a mix integer program model for dynamic slotting to minimize the pick-wave makespan among all zones under some load balancing constraints was developed. In this paper, we develop an ant colony optimization with slot-exchange policy (ACO-SE) based on SKU correlation to assign the correlated SKUs to the adjacent slots in the same zone. The ACO-SE deposits pheromones between SKUs, uses local and global pheromone trail updates, and controls pheromone accumulation using the Max-Min rule. The main heuristic information is set to the correlation …

An Extended Double Row Layout Problem, Chase C. Murray, Xingquan Zuo, Alice E. Smith

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

The double row layout problem (DRLP) seeks to determine optimal machine locations on either side of an aisle, where the objective has been defined as the minimization of material ow cost among ma- chines while meeting machine clearance constraints. In this paper, we extend existing DRLP formulations in two respects. First, we consider the minimization of layout area besides the usual material ow cost objective. Second, we present a mixed integer linear programming formulation that permits non-zero aisle widths. This new formulation also includes new constraints that eliminate layout \mirroring," thus reducing the solution space significantly and thus solution times. …

Robust Material Handling System Design Based On The Risk Versus Cost Tradeoff, Marc Goetschalckx, Edward Huang, Pratik Mital

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

The design and planning of major material handling systems belongs to the class of systems design problems under uncertainty. The overall structure of the system is decided during the current design stage, while the values of the future conditions and the future planning decisions are not known with certainty. Typically the future uncertainty is modeled through a number of scenarios and each scenario has an individual timediscounted total system cost. The overall performance of the material handling system is characterized by the distribution of these scenario costs. The central tendency of the cost distribution is almost always computed as the …

Toward Sustainability, High Density And Short Response Time By Live-Cube Storage Systems, Nima Zaerpour, Yugang Yu, René De Koster

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

This paper studies random storage in a live-cube storage system where loads are stored multi-deep. Although such storage systems are still rare, they are increasingly used, for example in automated car parking systems. Each load is accessible individually and can be moved to a lift on every level of the system in x- and y-directions by a shuttle as long as an open slot is available next to it, comparable to Sam Loyd’s sliding puzzles. A lift moves the loads across different levels in z-direction. We derive the expected travel time of a random load from its storage location to …

Process Analysis For Material Flow Systems, Thorsten Schmidt, David Wustmann, Robert Schmaler

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

This paper describes a generic approach for analysis of internal behavior of logistic systems based on event logs. The approach is demonstrated by an example of event data from the simulation model of an automated material handling system (MHS) in a manufacturing company. The purpose of the analysis is the identification of design and operation problems and their causes, prospectively. As a result, the simulation model developer obtains the condensed and ranked information on events. These events describe the internal system behavior with anomalies pointing at either possible problems or capacity reserves.

A Study On Storage Allocation In An Automated Semiconductor Manufacturing Facility, St´Ephane Dauz`Ere-P´Er`Es, Claude Yugma, Ahmed Ben Chaabane, Ahmed Ben Chaabane, Lionel Rulli`Ere, Gilles Lamiable

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

This paper deals with the allocation of storage capacity in the automated material handling environment of a semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility. The impact of the allocation of stokers to machines in semiconductor fabrication facilities (fabs) is very little studied, although it significantly impacts the efficiency of the Automated Material Handling System (AMHS). After motivating and describing the problem of allocating unitary stokers to machines, a first local approach is discussed. We then propose a Mixed Integer linear Programming model to solve the global problem with two objectives: Minimizing the total maximum travel distance of vehicles and balancing the utilization of …

Design & Modeling Of A Single Machine Flow Rack As/Rs, Zaki Sari, Nadir Hakim Bessenouci

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

In this paper, we aim to introduce a new variation of the flow rack automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) using a single machine for storage and retrieval operations instead of two machines. Also, analytical expressions are derived for expected single and dual cycle times of the storage and retrieval machine. For that, randomized storage assignment, and Tchebychev travel are assumed. Two dwell point positions are investigated and compared to determine the best one. Finally an experimental validation using simulation is conducted to verify the quality of the developed.

An Mip Approach To The U-Line Balancing Problem With Proportional Worker Throughput, Reyhan Erin, Andres L. Carrano, Moises Sudit

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

One of the major challenges faced by manufacturing companies is to remain competitive in dynamic environments, where fluctuations in customer demand and production rates require systems capable of adapting in a practical and economical way. A U-shaped production cell is considered one of the most flexible designs for adapting the workforce level to varying conditions. However, re-balancing efforts are time consuming and often require a new work allocation and line design. In this paper, a two-stage MIP model to determine the best cell design under varying workforce levels is proposed. The model seeks to maintain proportionality between throughput and the …

A Yard Crane Scheduling Problem With Practical Constraints, Amin Hossein Gharehgozli, Yugang Yu, Rene De Koster, Gilbert Laporte

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

The problem considered in this paper is to locate storage containers while a set of container storage and retrieval requests are sequenced. Two automated cranes stack and retrieve containers in a single block of a yard. The cranes cannot pass each other and must be separated by a safety distance. Storage containers are initially located at the seaside and land side input/output (I/O) points of the block. Each must be stacked in a specific location of the block, selected from a set of open locations suitable for stacking the storage container. Retrieval containers are initially located in the block and …

Modeling The Inventory Requirement And Throughput Performance Of Picking Machine Order-Fulfillment Technology, Jennifer A. Pazour, Russell D. Meller

12th IMHRC Proceedings (Gardanne, France – 2012)

Picking machines, also known as remote-order-picking systems, are an example of a stock-to-picker piece-level order-fulfillment technology that consists of two or more pick stations and a common storage area. An integrated closed-loop conveyor decouples the pick stations from the storage area by transporting the needed totes to and from the storage area and the pick stations. We develop a probabilistic model capable of quantifying the inventory differences between order-fulfillment technologies that pool inventory with technologies that do not pool inventory. To determine the throughput of a picking machine, we develop a methodology that incorporates existing analytical models for the picking …

Development Of A Computer-Aided Design Supporting System For Transformative Product Design, Keunho Choi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Modern product innovation is often delivered by fusing technologies from different domains. To meet the current speedy pressure of product innovation, the conceptual design is a very critical stage to develop an innovative product. This research presents a new design paradigm, Transformative Product Design (TPD), to meet the demands in the conceptual design. TPD aims to design a new product from a combination out of a base product and reference products, which have been developed.

To expedite the TPD paradigm, Interaction Network is introduced to represent a product design by following a representative product design representation method in the teleological …

Introducing Fly Ash Into Lsi's Recipe, Andrew Mathias Beckrich

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There has been published data that states that concrete producers can use Fly Ash as an alternative to Portland cement and still generate similar or better strength properties. By applying these principles to our industry and products, what new processes will need to be put in place and followed? What is the correct combination/portion of Fly Ash that will produce similar and better results as well as the adjusted new recipes? What type of cost is associated with the introduction of this new ingredient? Lastly, how does this affect the quality and reputation of the product?

Multiobjective Design Optimization Of Gas Turbine Blade With Emphasis On Internal Cooling, Narasimha Nagaiah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the design of mechanical components, numerical simulations and experimental methods are commonly used for design creation (or modification) and design optimization. However, a major challenge of using simulation and experimental methods is that they are timeconsuming and often cost-prohibitive for the designer. In addition, the simultaneous interactions between aerodynamic, thermodynamic and mechanical integrity objectives for a particular component or set of components are difficult to accurately characterize, even with the existing simulation tools and experimental methods. The current research and practice of using numerical simulations and experimental methods do little to address the simultaneous “satisficing” of multiple and often …

Systems Analysis For Urban Water Infrastructure Expansion With Global Change Impact Under Uncertainties, Cheng Qi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decades, cost-effectiveness principle or cost-benefit analysis has been employed oftentimes as a typical assessment tool for the expansion of drinking water utility. With changing public awareness of the inherent linkages between climate change, population growth and economic development, the addition of global change impact in the assessment regime has altered the landscape of traditional evaluation matrix. Nowadays, urban drinking water infrastructure requires careful long-term expansion planning to reduce the risk from global change impact with respect to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, economic boom and recession, as well as water demand variation associated with population growth and migration. …

A Retrospective Analysis And Field Study Of Nanotechnology Related Ergonomic Risk In Industries Utilizing Nanomaterials, Wanda Greaves-Holmes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Science Foundation estimates that two million skilled nanotechnology workers will be needed world wide by 2015 – one million of them in the United States (2001). In the absence of scientific clarity about the potential health effects of occupational exposure to nanoparticles, guidance in decision making about hazards, risk, and controls takes on new importance. Currently, guiding principles on personal protective equipment for workers who come in contact with nanomaterials have not been standardized universally. Utilizing the NASATLX, this dissertation investigates the adequacy and shortcomings of research efforts that seek to determine whether or not occupational exposure to …

Critical Success Factors For Evolutionary Acquisition Implementation, Brig J. Bjorn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to extensive challenges to the efficient development and fielding of operationally effective and affordable weapon systems, the U.S. employs a complex management framework to govern defense acquisition programs. The Department of Defense and Congress recently modified this process to improve the levels of knowledge available at key decision points in order to reduce lifecycle cost, schedule, and technical risk to programs. This exploratory research study employed multiple methods to examine the impact of systems engineering reviews, competitive prototyping, and the application of a Modular Open Systems Approach on knowledge and risk prior to funding system implementation and production. In-depth …

An Approach For Measuring The Confidentiality Of Data Assured By The Confidentiality Of Information Security Systems In Healthcare Organizations, Shawn Michael Gallaher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of the expansion in health information technology and the continued migration toward digital patient records as a foundation for the delivery of healthcare services, healthcare organizations face significant challenges in their efforts to determine how well they are protecting electronic health information from unauthorized disclosure. The disclosure of one’s personal medical information to unauthorized parties or individuals can have broad-reaching and long-term impacts to both healthcare providers and consumers. Although several classes and types of methodologies exist for measuring information security in general, a number of overarching issues have been identified which prevent their adaptation to the problem of …

Multi-Vehicle Dispatching And Routing With Time Window Constraints And Limited Dock Capacity, Ahmed El-Nashar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) is an important and computationally hard optimization problem frequently encountered in Scheduling and logistics. The Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) can be described as the problem of designing the most efficient and economical routes from one depot to a set of customers using a limited number of vehicles. This research addresses the VRPTW under the following additional complicating features that are often encountered in practical problems: 1. Customers have strict time windows for receiving a vehicle, i.e., vehicles are not allowed to arrive at the customer’s location earlier than the lower limit of …