Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Simulated Annealing Approach For Solving Stock Cutting Problem, Cihan H. Dagli, Alireza Hajakbari

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The simulated annealing approach is applied to stock cutting. The conceptual approach proposed uses an energy function that measures the area of the rectangular enclosure of all the patterns to be nested, the level of similarity between pattern pairs, and the amount of overlap among patterns in evaluating various pattern configurations to be generated by the simulated annealing algorithm. Three methods for pattern configuration generation are considered. The first method uses heuristics to generate the initial configuration. The second and third methods use random selection and random placement of patterns

Neural Networks In Manufacturing: Possible Impacts On Cutting Stock Problems, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The potential of neural networks is examined, and the effect of parallel processing on the solution of the stock-cutting problem is assessed. The conceptual model proposed integrates a feature-recognition network and a simulated annealing approach. The model uses a neocognitron neural network paradigm to generate data for assessing the degree of match between two irregular patterns. The information generated through the feature recognition network is passed to an energy function, and the optimal configuration of patterns is computed using a simulated annealing algorithm. Basics of the approach are demonstrated with an example.

Application Of Distributed Knowledge Bases In Intelligent Manufacturing, Cihan H. Dagli, Gerald E. Hoffman

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The authors consider independent knowledge bases operating on separate work stations networked together within the domain of knowledge-based scheduling. The scheduling problem is addressed through distributed knowledge bases that have an ability to pass information back and forth between small knowledge bases functioning at different decision-making levels. A small manufacturing plant is conceptualized in order to experiment with this process. The general outline and areas of the manufacturing shop are shown. The domain specific area for the knowledge bases is to optimize the scheduling of work at each work station in order to meet a weekly quota. Automatic guided vehicle, …

Possible Applications Of Neural Networks In Manufacturing, S. Lammers, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Summary form only given. An examination is made of the potential of neural networks and the impact of parallel processing in the design and operations of manufacturing systems. After an initial discussion on possible areas of application, an approach that integrates artificial intelligence, operations research, and neural networks for the solution of a scheduling problem is examined

Packaging Engineering Education Qualitative Need Assessment, M. Douglas Sachs

Masters Theses

"Packaging engineering is an interdisciplinary field which has no formal degree program to support it. While there arc packaging engineers in industry, there are no packaging engineering degrees presently being offered by our nation's colleges and universities. In order to lay a foundation upon which a degree program could be based, this thesis has investigated the needs of packaging engineering education by seeking the input of the packaging industry. This qualitative comparison has been quantified, resulting in a list of prioritized classes and topics upon which a degree program could be based"--Abstract, page ii.

Toward The Development Of A Knowledge-Based Construction Schedule Planning System, Nordin Bin Yunus

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research attempts to model and prototype a knowledge-based system for use in the construction industry to accomplish the automatic generation of initial construction schedules. The schedule can be transformed into a logical network that provides a physical representation of the construction operations plan. The prototype system, which requires symbolic processing and reasoning, is developed based on an intensive modeling that rationally examines industry practice.

The model identifies work breakdown and precedence relationship as the two major concepts in schedule planning. Work breakdown is concerned with the identification of construction activities that result in the completion of project elements. Precedence …

Packaging Management Organizations: A Case Study, Stephen A. Raper

Masters Theses

"The role of packaging management is taking on an increasingly crucial role as an aid to the success of companies today. This is a case study on the Functional Packaging Management (FPM) organizations of two companies in different industries. The case study examines the structure of the two functions, and examines their missions, responsibilities, and activities. This information is formulated into a definition of FPM for each company. The definitions are then compared to each other and to a literature theorized definition.

The knowledge gained by this case study illustrates that several factors such as the product/market served, alignment in …

Effects Of The Luminous Environment On Managerial Decision Making, Marc Clay Belcher

Doctoral Dissertations

"Little is known about the influence the physical environment may have on the way a manager goes about making decisions. This work considers one element of the environment, lighting, and attempts to establish a relationship between that element and the decision strategy a manager may select.

From a review of the literature on the effects of light on man and from the field of decision making, a model is posited suggesting that the luminous environment affects decision making. Since others have established that mood influences how decisions are made, and since it is suggested in the literature that lighting affects …

Implementing An Mrp System In A Job Shop Environment, Kathleen A. Behnke

Masters Theses

"In today’s highly competitive marketplace, many small manufacturers are struggling to survive. The competition to produce a quality product at a competitive price comes not only from other small companies, but also from larger companies and foreign manufacturers, who have learned to produce in a more economical fashion. The challenge of the small manufacturer is learning to compete.

Every manufacturer, whether large or small, has one basic objective: to be profitable. The profit objective is usually achieved using a three part strategy of maximizing customer service, minimizing inventory investment, and maintaining efficient plant operation.

Small companies, including the one in …

Lexical Analysis Using Table Look-Up, Brian Keith Smith, Dominic Soda, George Winston Zobrist

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A Management Training Model For Engineers In Saudi Arabia, Majid Al-Kassabi

Doctoral Dissertations

“Great economic growth has occurred in Saudi Arabia in the last decade creating overwhelming demands for professionally trained people. The emerging Saudi professionals are mostly engineers who have been put in managerial positions without the benefit of managerial training.

Objectives of this research were 1) To identify the skills needed by engineers to become managers; 2) To identify problems and constraints inherent in management training programs; 3) To identify the impact of a model training program on the individual; and 4) The impact of a model training program on the firm.

A training program was implemented using an experimental group …

Stress And Stress Management Among Geoscientists In The U.S. Petroleum Industry, August 1984: An Analysis, Ann M. Hagni

Masters Theses

"For the past three years, employment in the petroleum industry has declined significantly. This, along with many other factors, has created a potentially stressful situation similar to the petroleum industry recession of the late 1950s. A four page "Stress Questionnaire" mailed to 1000 geoscientists in the U.S. petroleum industry in August, 1984, concludes that geoscientists appear to be coping very well with their potentially stressful situation.

These geoscientists rated themselves considerably up-to-date with respect to their professional discipline and show a strong need to grow and develop. They are very personally involved in their work and at least some of …

A Case Study Of The Management Of New Packaging Technologies, Richard Kirk Maguire

Masters Theses

"There has been a growing interest by industry in the functions of packaging management as packaging is being recognized as a greater factor in the overall success of a company.

This is a case study on the packaging management structure of one company and how the introduction of new packaging technology is handled by that company. The case study follows the history of the packaging department of the company and examines the current structure of the department. The study goes on to analyze the department's methods for handling old and new technologies and the reasons for doing so. A closer …

Managing In An Energy Scarce Environment, John Amos

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Present engineering management principles, operations research techniques, and economic theories were mainly developed dealing with only one scarce resource -- capital. Today, the engineer manager must consider another scarce resource -- energy. In the past, energy was never considered a major factor; i.e., equipment was considered a good investment if labor was reduced, regardless of energy cost. Many other managerial decisions are similar; therefore, the engineer manager must understand why many decisions based on traditional techniques may be misleading. The engineer manager must now utilize more complex engineering management techniques instead of evaluating only one factor or using rules of …

Wood Fuels In Power Generation, Yildirim Omurtag, Larry Wetzel, Michael Mcevilly

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

In order for wood to be considered a feasible energy source for power generation, it must prove to be economical, meet society's pollution criteria, and provide sufficient energy to meet its regional demand applications or requirements. This report looks at wood's availability, its potential as a fuel source, the different methods of energy conversion, and lastly, submits conclusions and recommendations concerning wood-fueled power generation.

The information and background was supplied and supported by actual application, government publications and documentations, and other sources. The availability report includes living biomass, wood residues, and potential biomass expansion. Once availability was determined, the portion …

7th Annual Umr-Dnr Conference On Energy -- Entire Proceedings, University Of Missouri--Rolla

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

No abstract provided.

Demonstration Of Low Btu Gasification Using The Grow Facility, V. J. Flanigan, Y. Omurtag

UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

No abstract provided.

A Planning System For Research Management In A University Environment, Russell Lee Goldammer

Masters Theses

"The research project director at a college or university has few, if any, of the traditional management tools that are available for other forms of management, especially in performing the early, crucial stages of planning. This is particularly distressing since managing a program in this type of environment can be very difficult, due to bureaucratic red tape and interdepartmental concerns. The purpose here is to develop an aid for managers with these problems, for more effective research management in a university environment.

After developing a general model for a typical research project at a university, the Gasification Research On Wood …

University Of Missouri--Rolla Wood Energy Research, Yildirim Omurtag, V. J. Flanigan, Nathan E. Welch

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The overall objective of this project is to conduct a research and development program which will lead to the early commercialization of wood gasification technology to process wood residues typical of those found in the Ozark region.

The Transition Of An Engineer To An Engineering Manager: The People Problem., Edward Leon Boyd

Masters Theses

“A review of existing literature and a survey of engineering managers are used to determine the work of the engineering manager, the career path leading to an engineering management position, and the skills that should be acquired by the engineer desiring to make the transition to an engineering management position.

The work of the engineering manager, like that of any manager, is getting things done through other people. In advancing to the first formal management position, the engineer usually passes through three career stages: engineer, informal manager, and formal manager. While advancing through these career stages, the engineer must increase …

5th Annual Umr-Dnr Conference On Energy -- Entire Proceedings, University Of Missouri--Rolla

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

This volume is a collection of refereed papers presented at the Fifth Annual UMR-DNR Conference on Energy held at the University of Missouri--Rolla on the dates of October 10 - 12, 1978.

Guided by the President's goal of energy independence by 1980, the UMR-DNR Conference on Energy organized in 1974 with the purpose of providing social scientists, scientists and engineers a means for rapid communication of their most recent research results in the field of energy and to offer solutions to the energy related problems of local government, business, industry and the general public. Since that time, there has been …

Student Attitudes Toward The Free Enterprise System, Henry Metzner, Edwin C. Sims

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Household Energy Availability And Use -- A Systems Theory Formulation, Charles Geiger, Milton E. Harvey

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Systems theory provides an excellent perspective, as well as methodology, for analyzing energy problems of availability and use. The linear systems format is applied here to a system which focuses on household energy, energy independence, and energy conservation. Z-transform analysis can be used to simplify the mathematical operations required in this model.

Appropriate Technology And The Energy Crisis, James P. Bosscher

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The proposal is to initially outline the cognative aspects - the knowledge needs - necessary to generate a technological base which will be fitting, germane, and appropriate over against the society it must seek to serve.

It is proposed, secondly, to indicate the value -- laden and sensitive aspects -- the elements of care and concern - so vital in creating a technology which will be thoughtfully supportive and, insofar with respect to the people served.

Finally, the paper would seek to apply the appropriate technological concepts; both the knowing and the caring aspects, to the expanding and very real …

The Impact Of Changing Net Returns On Minimum Energy Requirements For Grain Farms, James B. Kliebenstein, Robert M. Finley, Douglas C. Farthing

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

With sources of energy more restricted and higher priced, optimal combinations of enterprises must logically be considered on the basis of energy efficiency. One method of ascertaining this efficiency is to optimize solutions for given levels of income on the basis of energy used (e.g., the objective function was in terms of energy kilocalories). In general, soybeans were most feasible at lower levels of income regardless of farm size and labor circumstance. As income levels increased, double-cropping (wheat soybeans) was first substituted and finally corn at highest income levels.

Countdown For Energy Research, Development And Demonstration In America, Tom Day

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The energy research business is rapidly developing an appreciation of time elements which indicate that in order for "a system” to compete with the big five prime fuels for the generation of electric energy, 1982 is going to be a critical year whereby RD & D efforts must provide on-line results.

Emerson Electric -- Application And Results Of An Electric Energy Audit, Bruce E. Jacobs, Yildirim Omurtag

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The objective of the study was to examine the electrical usage of an Emerson division located in the Northeast, provide a method of managing the usage and make recommendations for conservation. Both past and present usage were examined in an attempt to determine if potential savings might be realized by a reduction in energy and peak demand. Discussion will include an electrical energy tracking mechanism, ratios and indicators, use of rate consultants, state sales tax exemption clauses, and sample calculations of cost improvements on demand charges.

A Survey Of Energy Information Systems And Its Implications For Industrial Energy Management, Yildirim Omurtag, Henry Sineath, Henry Allen Wiebe

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

There is a need for state governments to prepare better strategic plans dealing with the use of their energy resources. These plans must be based on reliable information concerning energy resources and usage if they are to make a contribution to sound energy management. This paper presents the results of a survey which was conducted during 1976 and 1977 to determine the availablility of comprehensive energy information systems for planning and controlling the state-wide energy related activities in the United States.

Attitudes Towards Quality In The Design And Construction Of Nuclear Power Plants, Daniel L. Babcock, Larry G. Harmon

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Adequate regulation of construction (and operation) of nuclear power plants has become a matter of growing national concern. Published statements by individuals speaking from two viewpoints, those of the regulatory agencies and the nuclear power industry, suggest divergent attitudes. Nineteen statements from these two points of view were evaluated for agreement or disagreement by 38 knowledgeable persons from both industry and government (of 50 solicited in a mail survey). Survey results showed a general appreciation of the need for some level of regulation and also for the possibility of over-regulation. Differences existed within as well as between the two groups, …

Land Use And Energy Utilization For The St. Louis Smsa, Norval D. Wallace, Alfred Kahn

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The sensitivity of energy consumption to the residential patterns of the population growth in the St. Louis region between 1970 and 1995 is investigated. Methodology is presented for computing transportation and residential energy consumption, making maximum use of local data in a manner which is intimately tied to land use. Results of energy computations for a 1995 land use plan developed by East-West Gateway Coordinating Council and four alternatives are presented. The results are put into perspective with other related energy conservation measures.