考虑最坏中断损失下的P-中位设施选址问题的模型与算法研究

蓄意突袭以及恐怖袭击会造成设施服务的突然中断成为网络系统的主要危害之一,因此网络设施选址决策应该同时考虑正常和紧急状态下系统的运作成本.本文研究考虑最坏中断损失下的网络设施选址问题,建立了该问题的双层规划模型,上层规划涉及设施选址决策,下层规划研究确定设施位置后,设施中断产生最大损失的问题.本文运用基于拉格朗日松弛的混合遗传算法来求解该双层规划问题.将European150数据集作为研究对象,对比研究了本文研究问题与传统的P-中位选址问题的结果,分析不同选址策略下网络系统的效率被中断影响的程度是不同的.最后通过改变一些关键参数,比如常规运作权重、设施数量、中断设施数量,对相关结果进行了分析.     

多项目人力资源调度实证研究

针对某公寓大修项目,建立有关人力资源约束下的多项目进度管理问题混合整数规划模型。其中考虑了多种约束,如项目对人员能力、水平的不同要求,而人员又具有多种能力及水平;目标为满足约束的条件下总成本最小化,其中包含按时间计费的工资,和福利等的固定费用。为了简化计算,采用列生成法把复杂的多项目模型分解为一个主问题和多个子问题并协调主问题和子问题求解。同时由于子问题的复杂性难以精确求解,采用启发式算法求解:首先由基于优先原则的启发式方法给出问题的初始解,再由遗传算法寻优。最后通过该实际案例的应用,表明此方法能够快速有效的解决实际问题,给决策者提供信息,帮助指导实践。     

Integrated scheduling and inventory management of an oil products distribution system

The oil supply chain is facing new challenges due to emerging issues such as new alternative energy sources, oil sources scarcity, and price variability with high impact on demand and production and profit margins reduction. Additionally, the existence of large, complex and world wide spread businesses implies a complex system to be managed where distribution can be seen as one of the key areas that needs to be efficiently and effectively managed. Different types of distribution modes characterize the oil supply chain where the pipeline mode is one of the most complex to operate when having multiproduct characteristics. This paper addresses the planning of a generic oil derivatives transportation system characterized by a multiproduct pipeline that connects a single refinery to a storage tank farm. Two alternative mixed integer linear programming models (MILP) that aim to attain a set of planning objectives such as fulfilling costumers’ demands (which is mandatory) while minimizing the medium flow rate are developed. Additionally, final inventory levels are avoided to be excessively low. A real world scenario of a Portuguese company is used to validate and compare the two alternative MILP models developed in this paper.     

Optimum common cycle for scheduling a single-machine multiproduct system with a budgetary constraint

This paper deals with the single machine multi-product lot size scheduling problem, and has two objectives. The first objective is to minimize the maximum aggregate inventory for the common cycle (CC) scheduling policy. A simple and easy-to-apply rule has been developed which determines the optimal production sequence that achieves this objective. The second objective is to find an optimal common cycle for minimizing the average production and inventory costs per unit time, subject to a given budgetary constraint. A method has been presented that achieves this objective     

A technique for uncertainty reduction based on order commonality

The use of commonality is widely diffused as a criterion to reduce uncertainty in demand forecasts for the master production schedule (MPS). Nevertheless, studies have mostly focused on exploiting component commonality in make to stock and assemble to order manufacturing. This paper refers to planning environments with two specific characteristics. First, the degree of certainty of the demand is extremely low, due to product complexity, with poor modularization and standardization, and to the presence of few customers of large dimensions. Second, the delivery lead time is less than the total lead time. In this situation, demand for MPS planning units is extremely uncertain and sporadic. It is therefore necessary to formulate in advance forecasts of customer orders with a redundant configuration. In this paper a technique for the reduction of demand uncertainty is introduced, based on the exploitation of order commonalities. In particular, relations between order commonality and uncertainty reduction in a planning environment with such complex features are illustrated. Then, guidelines for the implementation of the technique in order to reduce over-planning in the master production schedule are provided. Finally, the performances of the technique are empirically analysed by means of both a simulation model and experimental application in a telecommunication systems manufacturer     

Production scheduling in SMT electronic boards assembly

This paper tackles the problem of scheduling in the assembly of SMT electronic boards. In particular, it focuses on a new scheduling method developed within the framework of an industry-university joint research project. The scheduling system aims at minimizing the makespan; this goal is achieved by reducing setup times and idle times of the machines. As an example, the outcome of a test carried out on a production mix made up of 10 board types is presented and analyzed in a summarized form.     

Production and changeover control policies of a class of failure prone buffered flow-shops

This article deals with a stochastic optimal control problem for a class of buffered multi-parts flow-shops manufacturing system. The involved machines are subject to random breakdowns and repairs. The flow-shop under consideration is not completely flexible and hence requires setup time and cost in order to switch the production from a part type to another, this changeover is carried on the whole line. Our objective is to find the production plan and the sequence of setups that minimise the cost function, which penalises inventories/backlogs and setups. A continuous dynamic programming formulation of the problem is presented. Then, a numerical scheme is adopted to solve the obtained optimality conditions equations for a two buffered serial machines two parts case. A complete heuristic policy, based on the numerical observations which describe the optimal policies in system states, is developed. It will be shown that the obtained policy is a combination of a KANBAN/CONWIP and a modified hedging corridor policy. Moreover, based on our observations and existent research studies extension to cover more complex flow-shops is henceforth possible. The robustness of such a policy is illustrated through sensitivity analysis.     

Shop floor characteristics influencing the use of advanced planning and scheduling systems

The purpose of this article is to investigate how the manufacturing process, the shop type and the data quality, i.e. the shop floor characteristics, influence the use of advanced planning and scheduling (APS) systems in production activity and control (PAC). The methodology implemented is a multiple case study at three case companies. Each company has different shop floor characteristics, but all use a scheduling module in an APS system, which supports production scheduling. A theoretical framework is developed suggesting how APS system are used in the PAC activities, and which major aspect to consider. The case analysis shows that the scheduling module in APS system, foremost supports sequencing and dispatching. In particular, the shop type is influenced by the decision of how often the APS runs and what freedom is given to the shop floor. The manufacturing process influences how the dispatch list is created. Contrary to the literature presuming that APS systems are most suitable in job shop processes, it is found that the manufacturing process is not a crucial factor when deciding whether APS systems are an appropriate investment. It is found that the level of data quality needed in the APS system depends to a large extent on how the dispatch list is used. For example, is the dispatch list used as a guideline, not a regulation, the need for accurate data in the module is reduced. This article extends the previous literature concerning APS systems by analysing how APS systems influence PAC as a whole and increase the understanding of the challenges of using APS systems in PAC.     

An integrated modelling approach for raw material management in a steel mill

An integrated modelling approach combining optimisation models with simulation is proposed for coordinated raw material management at steel works throughout the whole supply chain management process. The integrated model is composed of three components: ship scheduling, yard operation simulation and material blending models. The ship scheduling model determines which brands, how much and when they should be arrived, and the problem is modelled as mixed integer linear programming. The simulation model is used to simulate the whole processes from ships’ arrivals to the retrieval of the materials through the berthing and unloading the raw materials. Finally, the raw material blending model is developed for determining the brand and quantity of raw materials to be used. The proposed integrated modelling approach for raw material management has been successfully implemented and applied at steelwork to provide shipping schedules and predict future inventory levels at stock yards. By coordinating all the activities throughout the entire raw material supply chain management process, this article proposes an integrated approach to the problem and suggests a guideline by the appropriate simplification. The quantitative nature of the optimisation model and simulation facilitates an assessment of the risk factors in the supply chain, leading to an evaluation of a wide variety of scenarios and the development of multiple contingency plans. Further research is expected to supplement the ship scheduling models with heuristics for the idiosyncratic constraints of maritime transportation.     

An individual-based model for competingDrosophila populations

An individual-based model forDrosophila is formulated, based on competition amongst larvae consuming the same batch of food. The predictions of the model are supported by data for single speciesDrosophila populations reared in the laboratory. The model is used to build a simple discrete model for the dynamics ofDrosophila populations that are kept over a number of generations. The dynamics of a single species is shown to give either a stable equilibrium or fluctuations which can be periodic or chaotic. When the dynamics of a species in the absence of the other is periodic or chaotic, we found coexistence or two alternative states, on neither of which the species can coexist.