The objective of this research project was to identify the limitations associated
with schedule-based Material Requirements Planning (SBMRP) and to
present a knowledge-based expert system (KBES) approach to solve these problems.
In SBMRP, the basic strategy is to use backward or forward scheduling
based on an arbitrary dispatching rule, such...
In northeast China, logging has three stages; timber
harvest, transportation and the operations inside a timber
yard. The timber yard is an intermediate transhipment point between truck transport and rail transport to manufacturing centers. The transhipment capacity of the timber yard is often the limiting acitivity in the logging chain....
A multistage production system consists of a number of
production stages that are interrelated, that is the output
from one stage forms input to the next stage. There are
constraints associated with each stage as well as constraints
imposed by the overall system. Besides, there are multiple
objectives that need...
This research was motivated by the use of multi-track feeders in the printed
circuit board (PCB) assembly. In a low volume, high mix production environment,
setup time is usually considered more important than processing time. Implementation
of multi-track feeders not only increases the capacity of the surface mount
machines but...
Manufacturing industry drives economic activity and growth around the world, but manufacturing activities consume large amounts of material, energy, and labor resources. Therefore, the impacts of manufacturing need to be accounted for and reduced. Direct benefits of manufacturing are products and income, which, in turn, influence the lives of people...
Productivity Interfirm Comparison (PIC) is a simple
method used to improve productivity at the firm level,
where a number of firms operate in the same product line so
that performance information on the firms can be compiled
and compared. This results in identifying potential areas
for improvement or exploitation. The...
The principal objective of this study was to investigate process simulation and
optimization of an existing offshore natural gas process which needed profitability
improvements. Optimization was done using two alternative approaches: a global
approach (response surface methodology) or a local approach (successive quadratic
programming). The global approach was characterized by...
Determining the performance characteristics of various ocean wave energy converters (OWEC) has proven to be difficult due to problems replicating a baseline motion profile in the ocean or wave tank to compare these devices. The linear test bed seeks to mechanically simulate the relative linear motion between the active components...
Feedlot finishing of beef cattle in Southern Alberta involves
income risk due to the variability of prices of feeders, feed and
finished cattle. Several strategies are available to reduce this
risk, including hedging of cattle on feed, participation in a Federal-
Provincial government and producer established income stabilization
program for...