Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Dynamic Cushioning Performance And Sustainability Implications Of Recycled-Content Expanded Polyethylene Foams, Jay Singh, Pratish Patel, Emily Recinos, Paulina Goncharov

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The transition toward circular materials in protective packaging requires empirical evidence that recycled-content foams can satisfy stringent shock-attenuation requirements. This study evaluates the dynamic cushioning performance of expanded polyethylene (EPE) foams formulated with 0%, 30% and 40% recycled content under controlled impact conditions following ASTM D1596. A total of 1100 drop tests were conducted across combinations of density, thickness, static load and drop height representative of distribution hazards in parcel and freight supply chains. Peak transmitted acceleration (G) was measured as the primary performance response variable.

Across the configurations evaluated, recycled-content EPE foams exhibited cushioning performance comparable to virgin materials. …

Compression Strength Prediction Of Regular-Slotted-Container Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes Based On Artificial Neural Network Using Multiple Materials And Design Parameters, Tita Archaviboonyobul, Ravipim Chaveesuk, Jay Singh, Tunyarut Jinkarn

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Importance of the work: An accurate compression strength prediction model of RSC corrugated boxes could be used as an effective packaging design tool for industry.

Objectives: This research applied the material and design parameters for RSC corrugated box strength prediction using artificial backpropagation neural network modelling (BPN).

Materials and Methods: Total of 17 material and design factors from 630 commercially corrugated box samples in Thailand were recorded as input parameters along with their box compression test (BCT) values as output parameter. Data was randomly grouped as 80:10:10 during the model development for training set, testing set and validating set, respectively. …

Investigating The Influence Of Container Design And A Bulge Reduction Technique In Corrugated Fiberboard Containers Under Static Compression, Jay Singh, Koushik Saha

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This study explored the bulge effect in corrugated fiberboard boxes caused by excessive weight, leading to compromised stacking strength and potential product damage. It investigated how container design, specifically the height variations of regular slotted containers (RSCs), affects bulging under compression and its vulnerability to environmental conditions. Testing met ASTM standards, with samples conditioned according to ASTM and TAPPI protocols, revealing that changes in box height influence bulge displacement. Subsequent research examined the impact of top-to-bottom static compression loads on bulging in tape-reinforced RSC designs, evaluating bulge reduction and compression strength across various tape placements and environments. Notably, previous studies …

University Startup Accelerators: Startup Launchpads Or Vehicles For Entrepreneurial Learning?, Lynn E. Metcalf, Thomas M. Katona, Jonathan L. York

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Over the past decade, universities have invested heavily in startup accelerator programs; however, their role in the university entrepreneurial ecosystem is ambiguous. Are university startup accelerators intended to educate or are they created to facilitate business starts and to contribute to regional economic development? In contrast, most private-sector startup accelerators serve a consistent and differentiated role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem—they provide programming and resources to startups to increase the probability of a return on investment. Understanding the role of university startup accelerators is an important precursor to evaluating their impact and whether or not the return is worth the considerable …

An Analysis Of The Influence Of Hand Hole And Ventilation Hole Design On Compressive Strength Of Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes By An Artificial Neural Network Model, Tita Archaviboonyobul, Ravipim Chaveesuk, Jay Singh, Tunyarut Jinkarn

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This research aimed at developing a high-performing corrugated fiberboard box compression strength prediction model and to analyze the influences of ventilation and hand hole designs for these containers on the box compression test (BCT) by applying artificial neural network (ANN) modeling. The input variables considered in this study are composed of nine parameters including box dimension as well as shapes, sizes, positions, and locations of ventilations and hand holes of a regular slotted container (RSC, FEFCO 0201). Back propagation algorithms (BPNs) of ANN models were developed from 970 BCT testing data points (single wall boards, C flute, 205/112/205 g/m2). Tested …

Evaluation Of A Bulge Reduction Technology For Corrugated Fiberboard Containers Under Static Compression, Daan Peleman, Jay Singh, Koushik Saha, Soma Roy

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This research examines the effect of top-to-bottom static compression load on the bulge of RSC containers. The study compares a control regular slotted container (RSC) constructed with corrugated fiberboard to tape-reinforced designs. The bulge reduction, achieved using various tape placements and conditioning environments, were measured. Currently, no research on the effect of reinforcement tape towards reduction in the out-of-plane displacement (bulging) of the corrugated fiberboard panels has been undertaken. Samples related to four different container designs, varying by presence, quantity and the position of the reinforcement tape on the vertical panels, were tested and analyzed. The study involved the use …

Influence Of Fiberboard Container Design On Compression Bulge Displacement, Koushik Saha, Shane Messner, John Dizon, Nirav Chhajed, Jay Singh

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Bulge effect is the out-of-plane displacement of a panel of a corrugated fiberboard box from its original position. This bulge effect often is the result of excessive weight being placed on a box that rests at the bottom of a palletized load. Panels that are out-of-plane reduce the stacking strength of the box and can result in damage to products inside the containers. This study was designed to find the influence of fiberboard container design on its bulging performance when under compression. The objective of the study was to determine if change in height of a regular slotted container will …

Keeping Humans In The Loop: Pooling Knowledge Through Artificial Swarm Intelligence To Improve Business Decision Making, Lynn E. Metcalf, David A. Askay, Louis B. Rosenberg

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This article explores how a collaboration technology called Artificial Swarm Intelligence (ASI) addresses the limitations associated with group decision making, amplifies the intelligence of human groups, and facilitates better business decisions. It demonstrates of how ASI has been used by businesses to harness the diverse perspectives that individual participants bring to groups and to facilitate convergence upon decisions. It advances the understanding of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to enhance, rather than replace, teams as they collaborate to make business decisions.

Amplifying The Collective Intelligence Of Teams With Swarm Ai, David Askay, Lynn E. Metcalf, Louis B. Rosenberg, Gregg Willcox, David Baltaxe

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Group decision-making is strengthened by the varied knowledge and perspectives that each member brings, yet teams often fail to capitalize on their diversity. This paper describes how Swarm AI, a novel collaborative intelligence technology modeled on the decision-making process of honey bee swarms, enables networked human groups to more effectively leverage their combined insights. Through an empirical study conducted on 60 small teams, each of 3 to 6 members, we demonstrate the capacity of Swarm AI to significantly amplify the collective intelligence of human groups. A well-known testing instrument—the Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RME) test —was used to …

Enhancing Group Social Perceptiveness Through A Swarm-Based Decision-Making Platform, David A. Askay, Lynn E. Metcalf, Louis Rosenberg, Gregg Willcox

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Swarm Intelligence is natural phenomenon that enables social animals to make group decisions in real-time systems. This process has been deeply studied in fish schools, bird flocks, and bee swarms, where collective intelligence has been observed to emerge. The present paper describes swarm.ai—a collaborative technology that enables swarms of humans to collectively converge upon a decision as a real-time system. Then we present the results of a study investigating if groups working as “human swarms” can amplify their social perceptiveness, a key predictor of collective intelligence. Results showed that groups reduced their social perceptiveness errors by more than half when …

Measuring Group Personality With Swarm Ai, Gregg Willcox, David Askay, Louis Rosenberg, Lynn Metcalf, Bryan Kwong, Richard Liu

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The aggregation of individual personality tests to predict team performance is widely accepted in management theory but has significant limitations: the isolated nature of individual personality surveys fails to capture much of the team dynamics that drive real-world team performance. Artificial Swarm Intelligence (ASI), a technology that enables networked teams to think together in real-time and answer questions as a unified system, promises a solution to these limitations by enabling teams to take personality tests together and converge upon answers that best represent the group’s disposition. In the present study, the group personality of 94 small teams was assessed by …

Amplifying The Social Intelligence Of Teams Through Human Swarming, Louis Rosenberg, Gregg Willcox, David Askay, Lynn Metcalf

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Artificial Swarm Intelligence (ASI) is a method for amplifying the collective intelligence of human groups by connecting networked participants into real-time systems modeled after natural swarms and moderated by AI algorithms. ASI has been shown to amplify performance in a wide range of tasks, from forecasting financial markets to prioritizing conflicting objectives. This study explores the ability of ASI systems to amplify the social intelligence of small teams. A set of 61 teams, each of 3 to 6 members, was administered a standard social sensitivity test —"Reading the Mind in the Eyes” or RME. Subjects took the test both as …

Investigation Of Compression Strength Of Bliss Style Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes, Javier De La Fuente, Jay Singh, Rebecca Kisch, Soma Roy, Daan Peleman

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The global demand for corrugated fiberboard is projected to experience a significant upsurge in the near future. Based on the end-use, packaging for processed and fresh food categories accounted for approximately 39% of the overall consumption of corrugated fiberboard in 2015. With key advantages such as providing an uninterrupted bottom, laminated corners for higher stacking strength, increased material use efficiency, side cutout options for display at retail and a wide range of styles over other styles of containers, Bliss style boxes find prominence in the agriculture sector. While numerous predictive strength models associating corrugated fiberboard material specifications to the box …

Developing A Greenometer For Green Manufacturing Assessment, Ahmed H. Salem, Ahmed M. Deif

Industrial Technology and Packaging

In this paper a toolbox (Greenometer) to assess the greenness level of manufacturing companies is proposed. The assessment approach is based on capturing the relative greenness position of any company among other industries from different sectors as well as within the same sector. The assessment was based on selected greenness attributes and their composing indicators at each of the two levels of the developed Greenometer. Geometric Mean Method (GMM) was adopted to be the generic assessment technique for cross industries greenness evaluation, while Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was employed to assess the greenness level of intra-industries layer. Three different industrial …

Measurement And Analysis Of Transport Vibration For Ltl Freight Utilizing Stowage Optimization Equipment, Jay Singh, Koushik Saha, David Leinberger, John Antle

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The random vibration spectra typically used in lab based simulations towards developing and validating optimized packages for distribution have been developed through past research that have studied global transport vibration environments. Approximately 67% of all the freight tonnage moved in the U.S. utilizes heavy duty Class 8 trucks. While the floor (suspension) based vibration simulation profiles for these types of trucks are available towards lab based simulation, there have been no studies investigating the impact of shelving and stacking systems typically used for optimization of freight stowage in truck trailers by many freight companies. It is important to quantify how …

Evaluation Of Career Readiness At An Industrial Technology Program Using A Fuzzy Approach, Ahmed Deif, Cameron Stark, Kathryn Butler, Eric Olsen

Industrial Technology and Packaging

In this research, a quantitative model to measure the “career readiness” performance level of the current curriculum of the Industrial Technology and Packaging program at California Polytechnic State University is proposed. Career readiness is first defined through performance attributes and these attributes are further classified into specific categories and metrics. Using a fuzzy logic computational approach, “career readiness” measures are developed and a “career readiness” score referred to as (CRS) is calculated. The model is designed to be flexible, dynamic and easy to use. It should enable a systematic measurement of career readiness by producing a final integrated unit-less score. …

Insights On Lean Gamifications For Higher Education, Ahmed Deif

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Purpose

There is no argument that using games (gamification) is an efficient way of learning in higher education. The questions, though, are which gamification approach is most suitable at that level and how to assess its suitability? This paper aims to attempt to partially answer these two questions, in the context of lean thinking education.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper offers an assessment criteria to investigate the impact of lean gamification based on the evaluation of motivational, cognitive and social processing during games. In addition, a study is conducted among selected games using these assessment criteria. The study included statistical as well …

Evaluation Of Stability Of Unit Loads For Tilt And Shock Events During Distribution, Jay Singh, Koushik Saha, Tyler Sewell, Landon Newton

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Initiatives to lightweight and reduce packaging materials to achieve sustainability goals have created unit load stability challenges in the transportation and handling of palletized packaged goods. Consequently, an increased focus is being placed on evaluating how current pre-shipment performance tests evaluate load stability. This study was undertaken to address the current need for establishing test methodologies towards observing a unit load’s overall stability during transportation and handling related activities commonly experienced in the distribution environment. With this goal, this study developed two test methods as well as apparatus/measuring tool to observe a palletized load’s overall stability. The experimentation involved unit …

Effect Of Liquid Contamination On Hermeticity And Seal Strength Of Flexible Pouches With Lldpe, Francesca Delle Cese, Koushik Saha, S. Roy, Jay Singh

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Flexible packaging is a growing successful market and the majority of flexible package applications are for the food industry. The demand for process optimization and reduced production costs, has led to an increase in flexible packaging. However, fast production lines can result in contamination in the seal area. For flexible food packaging, contamination is considered any food particle or substance trapped in the seal area. Current quality control processes can detect contamination in the seal area, but it is not determined if seal contamination affects seal quality. Oil-based and sodium based snack foods are two common categories that can be …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Non-Alcoholic Single-Serve Polyethylene Terephthalate Beverage Bottles In The State Of California, Dongho Kang, Rafael Auras, Jay Singh

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental burden of non-alcoholic single serving size polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottle systems in the state of California through a life cycle assessment model. A mass flow of polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottle in the U.S., and the state of California is drawn as a Sankey diagram. The life cycle assessment model is designed with five main sections; material production, polyethylene terephthalate bottle production, waste management, environmental benefit, and transportation. The scope is cradle-to-grave with a representative functional unit as the amount of polyethylene terephthalate necessary to deliver 1000 L of beverage, specifically …

Variety And Volume Dynamic Management For Value Creation In Changeable Manufacturing Systems, Ahmed Deif, Hoda A. Elmaraghy

Industrial Technology and Packaging

In today’s uncertain market and continuously evolving technology, managing manufacturing systems are more complex than ever. This paper studies the dynamics of managing variety and volume to enhance value creation in manufacturers implementing system-level advanced and automated manufacturing technology (AAMT). The demand is composed of heterogeneous customers who make purchasing decisions depending on the variety levels and lead times of the firm’s product offerings. The cost structure adopted calculates profit as the difference between customer value creation rate (VCR) and costs associated with the process of creating this value. Reported results contribute to the variety and volume management literature by …

Variety And Volume Dynamic Management For Value Creation In Changeable Manufacturing Systems, Ahmed M. Deif, Hoda A. Elmaraghy

Industrial Technology and Packaging

In today’s uncertain market and continuously evolving technology, managing manufacturing systems are more complex than ever. This paper studies the dynamics of managing variety and volume to enhance value creation in manufacturers implementing system-level advanced and automated manufacturing technology (AAMT). The demand is composed of heterogeneous customers who make purchasing decisions depending on the variety levels and lead times of the firm’s product offerings. The cost structure adopted calculates profit as the difference between customer value creation rate (VCR) and costs associated with the process of creating this value. Reported results contribute to the variety and volume management literature by …

Synthesis Of Nanoporous Carbohydrate Metal-Organic Framework And Encapsulation Of Acetaldehyde, Saleh Al-Ghamdi, Ajay Kathuria, Mohamad G. Abiad, Rafael Auras

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Gamma cyclodextrin (γ-CD) metal organic frameworks (CDMOFs) were synthesized by coordinating γ-CDs with potassium hydroxide (KOH), referred hereafter as CDMOF-a, and potassium benzoate (C₇H₅KO₂), denoted as CDMOF-b. The obtained CDMOF structures were characterized using nitrogen sorption isotherm, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). High surface areas were achieved by the γ-CD based MOF structures where the Langmuir specific surface areas (SSA) of CDMOF-a and CDMOF-b were determined as 1376 m² g⁻¹ and 607 m² g⁻¹; respectively. The dehydrated CDMOF structures demonstrated good thermal stability …

Mapping Quality In Extended Value Streams Using Data Recorders, Eric Olsen, Christopher Fung, Jay Singh, Paul Singh

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This research compares three new methods and measures for mapping and evaluating the transportation segment of a value chain. The three methods are total energy, energy-time and energy-distance. The methods combine practices used in traditional physical distribution system analysis and extended value stream mapping (VSM) analysis. This research concludes that the energy-distance method and measure is the most effective for analyzing, comparing, and identifying opportunities for value chain improvement. It also identifies a ‘U-shape’ that is characteristic of the energy transfer pattern during a transportation segment that suggests that damage from transportation may need to be screened for quality at …

Assessing Leanness Level With Demand Dynamics In A Multi-Stage Production System, Rehab M. Ali, Ahmed Deif

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Purpose

Design/methodology/approach

Mapping Kinematic Functional Abilities Of The Hand To Three Dimensional Shapes For Inclusive Design, Samuel T. Leitkam, Laura Bix, Javier De La Fuente, Tamara Reid Bush

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Loss of hand function can have adverse effects on an individual's ability to maintain independence. The ability to perform daily activities, such as food preparation and medication delivery, is dependent on the hand's ability to grasp and manipulate objects. Therefore, the goal of this research was to demonstrate that three dimensional (3D) modeling of hand function can be used to improve the accessibility of handheld objects for individuals with reduced functionality through informed design. Individual models of hand functionality were created for 43 participants and group models were developed for groups of individuals without (Healthy) and with reduced functionality due …

The Influence Of Cu3(Btc)2 Metal Organic Framework On The Permeability And Perm-Selectivity Of Plla-Mof Mixed Matrix Membranes, Ajay Kathuria, Saleh Al-Ghamdi, Mohamad G. Abiad, Rafael Auras

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) - 20% (w/w) and Cu₃(BTC)₂ metal organic framework (MOF) based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated by a vertical corotating twin screw microcompounder followed by an injection molding process. Water vapor, CO_2, O₂, and selected aroma mass transfer properties of PLLA and PLLA MMMs were evaluated. The CO₂/O₂ perm-selectivity of PLLA (α_CO2/O2) MMMs increased from 7.6 to 10.3 with the incorporation of 20% Cu₃(BTC)₂ MOF. Gravimetric permeability studies of trans-2-hexenal performed at 23°C and 50% RH indicated that permeability coefficient of PLLA MMMs …

Measurement And Analysis Of Physical And Climatic Distribution Environment For Air Package Shipment, Sher Paul Singh, Jay Singh, Koushik Saha

Industrial Technology and Packaging

There has been a significant growth in the air package shipment business, which involves the multi-modal movement of a package in transportation and material handling systems that encompass conveyors, carts, trucks, delivery vans and aircrafts of various sizes and shapes. This study was aimed at establishing the ‘air package shipment’ conditions experienced by packages transported by air under ‘normal conditions of transport’. Air package shipment data (temperature, humidity, pressure, shock and vibration) were collected for several domestic and international routes through instrumented packages. The collected data were supplemented by previous research to measure and quantify this multi-modal shipping environment. This …

An Affordance-Based Methodology For Package Design, Javier De La Fuente Phd, Stephanie Gustafson, Colleen L. Twomey, Laura Bix

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The term affordance describes an object's utilitarian function or actionable possibilities. Product designers have taken great interest in the concept of affordances because of the bridge they provide relating to design, the interpretation of design and, ultimately, functionality in the hands of consumers. These concepts have been widely studied and applied in the field of psychology but have had limited formal application to packaging design and evaluation. We believe that the concepts related to affordances will reveal novel opportunities for packaging innovation. To catalyse this, presented work had the following objectives: (a) to propose a method by which packaging designers …

Cost Performance Dynamics In Lean Production Leveling, Ahmed Deif, Hoda Elmaraghy

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Balancing of production systems is one of the main lean manufacturing principles as it reduces in-process storage and related forms of waste. A dynamic systems approach is proposed to investigate challenges of implementing production leveling and associated costs. A lean cell producing at takt time is modeled using system dynamics. The model captures various lean tools influencing production leveling and their implications. Comparative cost analysis between various leveling implementation policies for stochastic demand with multiple products is conducted. Results showed that determining the most feasible leveling policy is highly dictated by both the cost and limitations of capacity scalability. In …