Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Deep Learning Based Local Path Planning Method For Moving Robots, Zesen Liu, Sheng Bi, Chuanhong Guo, Yankui Wang, Min Dong

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In order to integrate visual information into the robot navigation process, improve the robot's recognition rate of various types of obstacles, and reduce the occurrence of dangerous events, a local path planning network based on two-dimensional CNN and LSTM is designed, and a local path planning approach based on deep learning is proposed. The network uses the image from camera and the global path to generate the current steering angle required for obstacle avoidance and navigation. A simulated indoor scene is built for training and validating the network. A path evaluation method that uses the total length and the …

Path Planning Of Unmanned Delivery Vehicle Based On Improved Q-Learning Algorithm, Xiaokang Wang, Jie Ji, Yang Liu, Qing He

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To solve the traditional Q-learning algorithm for unmanned vehicle path planning suffers from the problems of low planning efficiency and slow convergence speed, for this reason, a path planning algorithm for unmanned delivery vehicles based on the improved Q-learning algorithm is proposed. Learning from the energy iteration principle of the simulated annealing algorithm, adjusts the greedy factor ε to make it change dynamically during the training process, so as to balance the relationship between exploration and utilization, and thus improve the planning efficiency. The reward value in the reward mechanism is changed from a discrete value to a continuous …

Research On Simulation Methods For Forest Fire Extinguishing Using Water Mist, Bing Xiang, Xiaohong Dong, Yang Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: As a highly hazardous natural disaster, the occurrence and spread of forest fires are usually affected by a variety of complex factors such as climate, terrain, vegetation, combustible materials, etc., which makes it difficult to accurately simulate the spread and extinguishing process of forest fires. The spread of forest fires and the process of water mist fire extinguishing are physically modele. The spread model adopts a tree module structure to simulate the pyrolysis reaction of tree burning, and considers the effects of temperature, wind field,mass loss rate and other factors on the spread of tree burning.In the fire extinguishing …

Time Slot Allocation Method Of Data Link Based On Improved Difference Algorithm, Yuting Zhu, Huankun Su, Xiaodong Feng, Shijie Lei, Yanfang Fu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Aiming at the problems of single algorithm, being prone to local optima, and weak generalization ability of the current strategies, based on an improved differential evolutionary algorithm, a chaos algorithm, an adaptive variational crossover algorithm, and a problem solution processing mechanism, a time slot allocation strategy is proposed. The chaos algorithm is used to initialize the population to increase the diversity and avoid the premature convergence. The selection probability parameter is then used to make the crossover and variation process more flexible, expanding the search range in early to increase the possibility of global optima in late. The experiment …

Research On Verification Method Of Missile Elastic Suppression Based On Frequency Compensation, Rixin Su, Ou Zhang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: For the elastic model of missile body in six degree of freedom mathematical simulation, the research on the verification method of elastic vibration suppression is carried out.. The notch filter used for elastic vibration suppression is introduced, the verification idea for filter design in boost-phase and passive-phase stages of missile flight is analyzed, and the problem currently existing in mathematical simulation verification is pointed out. Based on the frequency modulation phenomenon, an online verification method of frequency compensation for the notch filter is put forward, and it can be found that the function can be applied to any order …

Gradient-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning Interpretation Methods, Yuan Wang, Lin Xu, Xiaoze Gong, Yongliang Zhang, Yongli Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The learning process and working mechanism of deep reinforcement learning methods such as DQN are not transparent, and their decision basis and reliability cannot be perceived, which makes the decisions made by the model highly questionable and greatly limits the application scenarios of deep reinforcement learning. To explain the decision-making mechanism of intelligent agents, this paper proposes a gradient based saliency map generation algorithm SMGG. It uses the gradient information of feature maps generated by high-level convolutional layers to calculate the importance of different feature maps. With the known structure and internal parameters of the model, starting from the …

Prediction Of Converter Gas Generation Based On Intermission Production Improved Elman, Jiajie Fei, Dinghui Wu, Junyan Fan, Jing Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Aiming at large fluctuations of intermission and low prediction accuracy in iron and steel industry, based on the classification of intermission characteristics, a converter gas generation predicting model(CPSO-Elman) based on Elman neural network(ENN) optimized by chaotic PSO(CPSO) algorithm is proposed. The intermittent characteristics of converter gas generation time series are extracted and raw data is classified according to intermittent duration. The PSO algorithm improved by chaotic disturbance is introduced to optimize the initial weight and threshold of ENN and inertia weight of nonlinear updating is designed to balance global search ability and local search ability. Construct the combined prediction …

Evaluating The Health Benefits And Cost-Effectiveness Of Dental Sealant Reapplication Among Children And Adolescents, Pritam Deb, Jayden Ayash, Christina Scherrer

Symposium of Student Scholars

Dental caries, commonly known as cavities, persist as a prevalent chronic disease among children. Dental sealants, which are transparent coatings applied to the molars, have been proven to prevent over 80% of caries in these teeth. However, the effectiveness of sealants diminishes over time, primarily due to their potential to detach shortly after application due to inadequate bonding, or else gradually over time. Notably, dental insurance coverage for resealing teeth after the initial sealant has been lost varies widely, with many policies only covering the cost of the initial application. This study employs a Markov model-based discrete event simulation to …

Effects Of Ti Addition On The Characteristics Of Al-10zn-6mg-2si/Zro2 Composites Produced By Squeeze Casting, Qesha Diva Prameshvara, Pipin Indah Lestari, Bondan Tiara Sofyan

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

Metal matrix composite (MMC) with 7xxx aluminum matrix is potential for ballistic applications due to the combination of strength, toughness, and light weight. Previous study successfully produced aluminum-based composites with SiC particles which were able to stop type III bullet, however cracks remained on back of the plate. Therefore, in this research, SiC was replaced by zirconia (ZrO₂) due to its high fracture toughness. Ti-B grain refiner was added to further improve toughness through grain boundary strengthening mechanism. This research developed 5 vol.% ZrO₂ strengthened Al-10Zn-6Mg-2Si composite with addition of Al-5Ti-1B grain refiner produced through squeeze casting …

Study On Human Integrity Management System Maturity Level For Supporting Asset Integrity And Process Safety Implementation, Anggiat M. Sihotang, Dedi Priadi, D. Rizal Asral

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The human factors (HF) are recognized as one of critical process safety barriers involved in normal and abnormal conditions in the oil and gas industry. In order to strengthen the HF roles as barriers we need to ensure that the actions generated are based on a valid risk assessment of the operation to be addressed by a relevant human factor analysis. Organizations within the oil and gas process have made much progress in understanding and implementing HF improvement programs. However, organizations are not always clear about what are their current situations in managing HF, their priorities for HF to be …

Analysis Of The Effect Of Different Surface Preparation Methods On Corrosion Resistance And Adhesion Strength Of Astm A36 Steel Substrate With Surface Tolerant Epoxy Paint As Coating Material, Irwan Wijaya Santoso, Daffa Aqila, Rini Riastuti, Rizal Tresna Ramadhani

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

In the industrial world, to extend the service life of materials, protection methods are carried out to slow down the material's corrosion rate. The protection method that is often used is the coating method. The coating method is a protection method by coating the substrate material using a coating material to prevent contact between the substrate material and the environment. In this research, the substrate material used is ASTM A36 steel and the coating material used is Surface Tolerant Epoxy paint. The independent variable used in this study lies in the surface preparation method which consists of: solvent cleaning, hand …

Effect Of Treated/Untreated Recycled Aggregate Concrete: Structural Behavior Of Rc Beams, Ayman Abdo, Ayman El-Zohairy, Yasser Alashker, Mohamed Abd El-Aziz Badran Mohamed

Faculty Publications

Using recycled concrete aggregates from construction and demolition wastes on structural concrete is a sustainable solution to reduce the consumption of natural resources and the detrimental effects of concrete production on the environment. This paper has collected much data from the literature to study fresh, mechanical properties and durability of concrete made of treated/untreated recycled aggregate (RA). Furthermore, the flexural and shear behavior of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) beams was studied. This study discussed the distinctions and similarities between reinforced RAC beams and reinforced natural aggregate concrete (NAC) beams. The results of this review’s analysis clearly show that reinforced RAC …

Creating A Collapsible Sling Lift Capable Of Transporting Patients Between Various Locations, Macey Jewell Ross, Cameron Delaney Hillman, Lydia Noel Miller

Honors Theses

As Senior Biomedical Engineering students at the University of Mississippi, we, Lainey Hillman, Lydia Miller, and Macey Ross, are required to complete a final senior capstone for our department. This project aims to provide a solution to a current unmet clinical need in the healthcare industry, thus our team sought to improve the lack of transportability of sling lifts. The current sling lifts on the market display numerous issues: heavy, bulky, use confined to certain areas, and use specific for only one type of transportation. To combat these problems, we designed a sling lift that was lightweight, collapsible, safe, and …

Sequential Optimization For Stressor-Informed Test Planning Through Integration Of Experimental And Simulated Data, Jacob Brecheisen

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This technical report details an innovative approach in reliability engineering aimed at maximizing system durability through a synergistic use of physical experimentation and computer-based modeling. Our methodology explores the efficient design and analysis of computer experiments and physical tests to facilitate accelerated reliability growth, while leveraging a sequential integration of data from these two distinct sources: costly physical experiments, characterized by random errors, and inexpensive computer simulations, marked by inherent systematic errors. The key innovation lies in the adoption of a closed-loop design and analysis method. This method begins by identifying a viable subset of important environmental stressors—such as temperature, …

Application Of Lean Six Sigma For Improving Quality Laboratory Process, Sarmad Al Hilli

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Oftentimes, manufacturing companies concentrate on improving the production processes and neglecting other processes like purchasing, IT, quality control, etc. Just like production processes, uncontrolled and non-optimized of any of these processes could be main reasons of product defects, late deliveries, and high costs. Recently, an automotive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the southeastern United States faces difficulties in performing quality control operations in a way that matches the production pace. This inadequacy has increased due to changes in customer requirements and launches a new assembly line for a new customer. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to apply Lean …

Design Of Small-Scale Milk Processing Facility, Luke Bond, Robert Stenzel, Ry Steffen, John Van Nieuwenhuyse, Rossana Villa-Rojas, Terry Howell Jr., Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Forrest Kievit

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Masters Project Reports

This project was intended to investigate the feasibility of a proposed modular dairy processing facility collocated with a small dairy on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Innovation Campus. Priority was placed upon cost savings for equipment to be used in processing. Process flow diagrams, floor plans, production schedules, risk assessments, and plans for wastewater treatment were all developed to address the needs of the plant should it be built. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to evaluate the timeline for breaking even financially, resulting in the potential for a payback period of 4.5 years. The 4.5-year payback period was based on …

Reduction Of The Length Of Stay At The Emergency Department Of The Audie L. Murphy Hospital, Arwa Al Shikrian

Theses

We implemented the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) and Lean Six Sigma methods to reduce the length of stay (LOS) in the Emergency Department (ED) at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, a crucial issue affecting operational efficiency and patient care quality. This project was conducted in conjunction with an internship at the Hospital; our efforts were an integral part of a Green Belt project being conducted by Mr. Roarke Verkaik-Bushby, Hospital Administration Service, to

whom this author reported.

We employed quantitative research design, meticulously observing, measuring, and analyzing ED processes. We tracked patient flow, identified bottlenecks, and …

Statistical And Machine Learning Analysis In Brain-Imaging Genetics: A Review Of Methods, Connor L. Cheek, Peggy Lindner, Elena L. Grigorenko

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Brain-imaging-genetic analysis is an emerging field of research that aims at aggregating data from neuroimaging modalities, which characterize brain structure or function, and genetic data, which capture the structure and function of the genome, to explain or predict normal (or abnormal) brain performance. Brain-imaging-genetic studies offer great potential for understanding complex brain-related diseases/disorders of genetic etiology. Still, a combined brain-wide genome-wide analysis is difficult to perform as typical datasets fuse multiple modalities, each with high dimensionality, unique correlational landscapes, and often low statistical signal-to-noise ratios. In this review, we outline the progress in brain-imaging-genetic methodologies starting from early massive univariate …

Open-Source Optimization For Green Last Mile Delivery And Other Applications, John Sooter

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Solving combinatorial optimization problems at scale and of sufficiently interesting context has historically required commercial solvers and access to proprietary company data. The development of performant open-source mathematical programming software and crowdsourced datasets has created an opportunity for individuals and enterprises alike to consider alternative solutions to problems with social and personal implications. This honors thesis represents a summary of my undergraduate research work, an application of optimization to three distinct problems connected to these developments. First, we present an optimization study of a last mile delivery system that shows optimization for energy consumption can generate vehicleindependent fuel savings at …

Investigating The Integration Of Demand Distribution Modeling In Supply Chain Simulation, Marshal Ray

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research presents a methodology for modeling the amount of demand and the time intervals between demands within a complex supply chain simulation program. The research outlines the approach, incorporating factor analysis and consolidation techniques, with a focus on using Random Forest modeling for factor importance identification. The results section covers demand quantity modeling utilizing both continuous and discrete empirical approaches, accompanied by considerations for outlier and overall distributions. While using these modeling techniques, P-P plots and KS-Statistics were employed to assess the goodness of fit, as a way to make recommendations for these models. The time between demand modeling …

Establishing Employee Sense Of Belonging In A Busy Work Environment, Zoe A. Rodriguez

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This honors thesis capstone project explores the concept of an employee’s sense of belonging within a busy work environment. A department within ABC Company faces operational challenges regarding their daily tasks. The Honors contribution addresses the comparison between the busy work environment at ABC Company and existing literature to provide scholarly-supported recommendations and mitigation strategies for ABC Company. Existing literature underscores the importance of understanding contributing influences on an employee’s sense of belonging within the workplace. The honors contribution adds value by closing the information gap within companies that operate under a busy work environment and strategies of how to …

Modeling Of Multi-Period Disaster Logistics Planning In The State Of South Carolina, Emma Simon

All Theses

South Carolina is one of the most vulnerable states in the United States to the impact of hurricanes. Currently, when threatened with a natural disaster such as a hurricane, the state government makes many vital decisions based on knowledge and experience. In this study, the distribution of disaster relief commodities to meet immediate needs is analyzed through two models for the case of South Carolina to generate an optimal logistics strategy that considers the social vulnerability of affected populations. The first model is a multi-objective pre-disaster logistics model that uses a four-index formulation for the multiple trip vehicle routing problem. …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Training Induced Heat-Related Injuries At Fort Moore, Anthony Beger

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heat related injuries are a significant problem for the United States Armed Forces. There were over 11,000 confirmed cases of heat-related illnesses that were diagnosed at more than 230 military installations from 2018-2022. These injuries are primarily due to hyperthermia (i.e., abnormally high body temperature) resulting from extreme environmental temperatures, high humidity, medications, or excessive physical work or exercise. Fort Moore has the most heat related injuries of any installation in the U.S. Department of Defense since it is home to one of the largest U. S. Army training posts with most training involving intensive outdoor activity in high heat …

Comparing North American Professional Sports League Season Formats Using Monte Carlo Simulation, Lathan Gregg

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Each NFL, NBA, and MLB season consists of a regular season, in which teams play a set number of scheduled games and a playoff, in which qualifying teams compete for a championship. At the conclusion of each season, teams are ranked based on their performance throughout the season. This study aims to investigate the ability of each league's season format to accurately rank teams using Monte Carlo simulation. Matches between two teams are simulated by using the team’s assigned strength ranks to calculate a winning probability for each team. The winning probabilities are simulated with different skill values, dictating how …

Using Convolutional Neural Networks For Autonomous Drone Navigation, Joshua Jowers

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, serve various purposes, notably in military applications. Consequently, there arises a need for navigation methods impervious to intercepted signals [1]. Previous research has explored numerous solutions, including machine learning. This paper delves into a specific machine learning approach employing a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to discern image locations [2]. It elucidates the conversion of a CNN model between two machine learning libraries and presents results from multiple experiments examining parameters and factors influencing the approach's efficacy. These experiments encompass testing different data sources, image quantities, and processing pipelines to gauge their …

The Importance Of Data Preparation In A Data Science Problem, Sophia Beard

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study is going to be based on an inventory outlier automation data science problem that is being solved to identify and prescribe inventory level outliers to help keep shelves stocked in terms of beverages. The objective of this paper will address why it is so important to understand the data that is involved in a particular data science problem and how planning ahead ensures a successful outcome in the data science world. In this data science project, Spatiotemporal Outlier Analysis for Inventory Intervention Automation, it was crucial for the team to understand, research, and visualize the data we were …

Great South Metals: Slitter Head Building Process, Nabhan Karim, Evan Swierski, Raven Morin, Patrick Kelsey, Michael Williams

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Great South Metals (GSM) operates two steel slitter machines, which take large coils of flat rolled steel and cut them into smaller strips for use in customers’ applications. Setting up the working components of each machine, called the slitter head, is a precise and arduous task. This system relies on several manually performed calculations and acute attention to detail; and thus, is prone to human error. The management at GSM commissioned our team to simplify the slitter head assembly process by creating an automated computer program and make additional recommendations to improve their operations.

The program we created is a …

The Importance Of Text Representation For Neural Networks Through Natural Language Processing Techniques, William Parsley

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Text representation is a fundamental aspect of natural language processing (NLP) when it comes to the performance of neural networks. Free-form text fields are being utilized in more and more industries. Anything from a description of an item on a web store to tracking service events to military-grade aircraft is being collected in free-form text. The goal of the thesis is to highlight best practices and discuss trends in data to prepare text for a neural network. It will demonstrate various techniques for representing free-form text in the context of neural networks, focusing on data preparation decisions, embedding techniques, and …

Examining The Impact Of Customer Rfp Characteristics On Award Compliance, Laasya Ravipati

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the context of intermodal transportation, understanding the dynamics of award compliance holds significant importance for operational efficiency and strategic decision-making. Award compliance refers to the percentage of awarded freight volume that is realized, indicating the extent to which contractual agreements are fulfilled. This analysis delves into the intricate relationship between customer characteristics and award compliance, aiming to provide valuable insights into the variability and predictability of compliance rates. By analyzing Request for Pricing (RFP) data and primary awarded freight volumes, the study seeks to address the need for more accurate volume estimations, crucial for sales planning, revenue projections, and …

Examining Award Compliance To Inform Resource Allocation, Jacob Haarala

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project focuses on JB Hunt Transport Inc's intermodal business unit (JBI) by focusing on the challenges associated with Published Pricing and Contractual Pricing. The primary issue revolves around the variance between the awarded freight volumes in Requests for Pricing (RFPs) and the actual volumes realized when the freight is shipped. This discrepancy poses challenges for effective sales planning, revenue goals, and optimal freight network management within JBI. Reporting tools, such as PowerBI, are currently used by JBI to provide insights into award compliance on a weekly basis. However, our goal with this project was to provide a deeper understanding …