205 research outputs found
An Optimisation-based Framework for Complex Business Process: Healthcare Application
The Irish healthcare system is currently facing major pressures due to rising demand, caused by population growth, ageing and high expectations of service quality. This pressure on the Irish healthcare system creates a need for support from research institutions in dealing with decision areas such as resource allocation and performance measurement. While approaches such as modelling, simulation, multi-criteria decision analysis, performance management, and optimisation can â when applied skilfully â improve healthcare performance, they represent just one part of the solution. Accordingly, to achieve significant and sustainable performance, this research aims to develop a practical, yet effective, optimisation-based framework for managing complex processes in the healthcare domain. Through an extensive review of the literature on the aforementioned solution techniques, limitations of using each technique on its own are identified in order to define a practical integrated approach toward developing the proposed framework. During the framework validation phase, real-time strategies have to be optimised to solve Emergency Department performance issues in a major hospital. Results show a potential of significant reduction in patients average length of stay (i.e. 48% of average patient throughput time) whilst reducing the over-reliance on overstretched nursing resources, that resulted in an increase of staff utilisation between 7% and 10%. Given the high uncertainty in healthcare service demand, using the integrated framework allows decision makers to find optimal staff schedules that improve emergency department performance. The proposed optimum staff schedule reduces the average waiting time of patients by 57% and also contributes to reduce number of patients left without treatment to 8% instead of 17%. The developed framework has been implemented by the hospital partner with a high level of success
Mobile application for fleet management
Fleet management is not difficult if your company only has five to ten vehicles. But if there
are thousands of vehicles, then you need a fleet management system, or you will be
overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work for you.
With the help of a fleet management system, you can monitor any vehicle in real-time. You
can find out whether the customer has received the item they purchased by or is on the way.
You can also know whether your driver is working or just idling by.
Without a vehicle management system, you only rely on the trust you have between you and
your drivers. And more often than not, your trust is betrayed by your drivers.
With a vehicle management system, routine service schedules information can be obtained
anytime and anywhere. You only have to enter the required data into the system and it will
arrange the schedule.
Fleet management certainly involves drivers. The involvement starts with determining work
schedules and reporting. Staff who arrive late at the office will certainly affect your customer
satisfaction because the delivery will definitely be delayed.
The fleet management system will eliminate these things. The system will automatically
inform the driver of their work schedule so he/she can come to work on time.
A fleet management a website and a Android mobile application to facilitate the in-house
management, viewing options and communications for the associated employees. In this
project, an iOS mobile application is needed to manage the driver, vehicle and
intercommunication of drivers. The application then further provides the functionalities for
driver to view and track the Alarms, Events and other vehicle based on the geo location of the
vehicle. Furthermore, it provides the facility for management to keep track of all the vehicles
and their trips which helps to analyze the data. This report covers the development of the project
of Fleet Management application.
Many companies want to stay small and keep their contracts manageable, and theyâre happy
with a few cars or trucks. Even so, they would still like to do more business. The Fleet
Management application has been designed to provide solutions that will help them function more efficiently. A company can greatly increase its profits for relatively low investment in
these solutions.
Whether large or small, any business can find a fleet management software product on the
market that meets its needs.
We all know that it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future. Generally, there are so
many different variables to consider, many of them very difficult to predict, that make the
whole exercise quite complex.
Predicting the future of fleet management is this type of exercise. If you think someone in the
world already knows how it will be, think twice. From truck manufacturers to telematics
companies, from large technology companies to fleet managers with 30 years of experience,
nobody knows for sure.
we added some cutting-edge technologies to this Fleet Management system. With that in mind,
we are in fact proposing a new future for fleet management. Or, at least, contributing to it
RFID Technology in Intelligent Tracking Systems in Construction Waste Logistics Using Optimisation Techniques
Construction waste disposal is an urgent issue
for protecting our environment. This paper proposes a
waste management system and illustrates the work
process using plasterboard waste as an example, which
creates a hazardous gas when land filled with household
waste, and for which the recycling rate is less than 10%
in the UK. The proposed system integrates RFID
technology, Rule-Based Reasoning, Ant Colony
optimization and knowledge technology for auditing
and tracking plasterboard waste, guiding the operation
staff, arranging vehicles, schedule planning, and also
provides evidence to verify its disposal. It h relies on
RFID equipment for collecting logistical data and uses
digital imaging equipment to give further evidence; the
reasoning core in the third layer is responsible for
generating schedules and route plans and guidance, and
the last layer delivers the result to inform users. The
paper firstly introduces the current plasterboard
disposal situation and addresses the logistical problem
that is now the main barrier to a higher recycling rate,
followed by discussion of the proposed system in terms
of both system level structure and process structure.
And finally, an example scenario will be given to
illustrate the systemâs utilization
The just-in-time system and its applicability in South Africa
This thesis discusses the philosophy and techniques of the Japanese Just-in-Time manufacturing system and its applicability in South Africa. The Japanese system consists of two types of procedures and techniques. They pertain to: 1) productivity; (2) quality. The aspect of the system dealing most directly with productivity is known as the just-in-time system. Just-in-Time addresses the material cost component of productivity. The diverse indirect effects are even more pronounced. Just-in-Time partially covers Japanese quality improvements but there are a host of other Japanese quality improvement concepts and procedures. Total quality control describes the set of Japanese quality improvement procedures which in turn encompasses some of the Just-in-Time techniques and improves productivity through the avoidance of waste. The two entities of the Japanese manufacturing system overlap
Introduction to Production: Philosophies, Flow, and Analysis
Production is a fundamental societal and economic activity. Production has to do with the transformation of raw materials into useful objects and includes the knowledge to complete the transformation effectively. Thus, production is a board topic ranging from philosophies about how to approach production such as lean and quick response manufacturing, how to organize production facilities, how to analyze production operations, how to control the flow of materials during production, the devices used to move materials within a facility, and strategies for coordinating multiple production facilities.
An integrated introduction to production is presented in a set of learning modules. In significant part, these learning modules are based on over 20 years of interactions with the professional production community in the West Michigan region where Grand Rapids and Holland are the principal cities. This community consists almost exclusively of small and medium size companies engaged primarily in high mix, low volume manufacturing. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master of Science in Engineering programs at Grand Valley State University often work in production for these companies. Thus, interactions are facilitated particularly though masterâs degree capstone projects, several of which are referenced in the learning modules.
The learning modules are well-grounded in established production concepts. Emphasis is placed on proven procedures such as systematic layout planning, factory physics, various production flow control techniques such as kanban and POLCA, and discrete event simulation.
Professional practice is a focus of the learning modules. Material from processional groups such as the Lean Enterprise Institute and the Material Handling Institute (MHI) is integrated. The opportunity to read and discuss professional publications presenting production improvement projects is provided. Students are referred to professional videos and web sites throughout the learning modules.
All materials provided are referenced are open access and free of charge.
When downloading the main file, it is important to also download and use the Main File Support as it contains supplemental materials.https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/books/1022/thumbnail.jp
Elimination of doubt : methods for a predictive design to direct and optimize the flow of visitors
YmpÀristömme globaalistuu ja monimutkaistuu kaiken aikaa. Prosessi nÀkyy muun muassa kansainvÀlisen liikenteen solmukohdissa. Esimerkiksi lentokentÀt ovat kyseisiÀ eri kulttuurien keskinÀisen vuorovaikutuksen kohtia.
Eri kulttuureista tulevien ihmisten pitÀÀ osata orientoitua vieraassa ja usein sekavassa ympÀristössÀ. Jotta toiminta olisi sujuvaa nÀissÀ solmukohdissa, on suunnistamiseen tarvittavan tiedon oltava nopeasti omaksuttavaa ja ymmÀrrettÀvÀÀ.
Monet muotoilijat ja suunnittelijat ajattelevat, ettĂ€ opastejĂ€rjestelmĂ€t ovat reduktionistisia ja mekanistisia syy-seuraus systeemejĂ€. On kuitenkin ilmeistĂ€, ettĂ€ kansainvĂ€lisesti harmonisoimattomien piktogrammien kyky vĂ€littÀÀ informaatiota on epĂ€onnistunutta. Nykyiset kognitiotieteen havainnot osoittavat, ettĂ€ visuaalisen havaitsemisen ja tilallisen orientaation aikaisemmat mallit ovat vain osittain toimivia. SiispĂ€ oli syytĂ€ kysyĂ€ âonko mahdollista tuottaa ennakoiva malli jonka avulla voi kehittÀÀ, toteuttaa ja varmistaa suunnitteluratkaisuja, jotka ohjaavat ja optimoivat vierailijoiden virtaa laajoissa julkisissa tiloissa.â
Tutkimuksen keskiössÀ on tÀstÀ syystÀ tilallisessa orientoitumisessa tapahtuva kulttuurinen merkityksellistÀminen ja paikkatietoisuuden lisÀÀminen (situation awareness). Juuri tuo yksilöllinen merkityksen tuottaminen voi tarkoittaa laajaa kirjoa erilaisia tulkintoja. Paikkatietoisuuden syntymisen erilaiset mahdollisuudet yhdessÀ erilaisten menetelmien kanssa voivat tuottaa ratkaisuja suunnitteluprosessiin. Suunnitteluprosessissa voidaan ottaa huomioon myös havaintopsykologisia nÀkökulmia. Kaiken kaikkiaan tÀmÀ johtaa systeemis-holistiseen ja kÀyttÀjÀkeskeiseen ajatteluun julkisten tilojen opastejÀrjestelmien suunnittelun kehityksessÀ.
EsitÀn myös kÀytÀnnöllisen ratkaisun opastejÀrjestelmien suunnitteluun ja arviointiin tarkastelemalla olemassa olevien jÀrjestelmien rakennetta ja parametreja sekÀ niiden kehitystyötÀ. Työ sisÀltÀÀ yhteensÀ yhdeksÀn tapaustarkastelua. TutkimusmenetelminÀ kÀytin laadullista havainnointia ja kvantitatiivista analyysiÀ. Havainnoin ja tulkitsin etnisiÀ tottumuksia ja henkilökohtaisia nÀkemyksiÀ. TekemÀni kyselyjen perusteella nÀyttÀÀ siltÀ, ettÀ konstruoimaani mallia voitaisiin kÀyttÀÀ kehittÀmisen ja todentamisen vÀlineenÀ.The rapid development of international traffic characterizes our increasingly globalized and ever more complex world. Nodal points (for example, airports) have formed where people from various cultural backgrounds and with differing levels of educational attainment need to reorient themselves in a unfamiliar and often confusing environment.
A key condition to ensure everything works smoothly in such an international junction is the extremely fast reception and processing of information by everyone involved. The dominant school of thought among many designers and planners of guidance and routing systems is still a reductionist and mechanistic one (cause - effect). It has become apparent that the use of non-internationally harmonized pictograms as information carriers has failed completely. Recent findings in the field of cognitive science demonstrate convincingly that previous models of visual perception and spatial orientation can only highlight partial aspects. For these aspects, the question has arisen: âIs there a possibility to evolve a predictive system to develop, implement and verify design solutions to direct and optimize the flow of visitors in large public spaces?â
Therefore, the moment of semiosis of the orientation seekers moved into the focus of the investigation. This moment of meaning-making, which is perceived by every individual differently, spans the entire spectrum of the perception of the designated item (the optical characteristic of the character substrate) between manifold interpretation or absolute certainty. The various viewing options of âsituational awarenessâ with the help of various methodologies provide solutions for the design process. Taking the aspects of perceptual psychology into account leads to the development of a systemic/holistic and user-centred design of orientation systems in public spaces.
Identifying and consulting the predictive parameters in a systematic process could show a practicable solution for the planning and evaluation of guidance and routing systems. In various national and international case studies, the process reliability and processing quality of this solution were demonstrated.
Involving mixed research methodologies of qualitative observation and quantitative analysis, it was possible to develop a workable model. Through observation and interpretation, ethnic habits and personal views were taken into account to develop the methods. The use of questionnaires or surveys created statistics to prove or disprove the hypothetical model.
The capacity of the presented model and the operationalization of the research demonstrated an effective method for overcoming barriers of age, language and culture. The publication satisfies, therefore, the criteria of the academic quality of a practice-based Ph.D
An Investigation of Life Cycle Sustainability Implications of Emerging Heavy-Duty Truck Technologies in the Age of Autonomy
Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) play a central role in U.S. freight transportation, carrying most of the goods across the country. The projected increase in freight activity (e.g. truck-miles-traveled) raises concerns regarding the potential sustainability impacts of the U.S. freight industry, marking HDTs as an ideal domain for improving the sustainability performance of U.S. freight transportation. However, the transition to sustainable trucking is a challenging task, for which multiple sustainability objectives must be considered and addressed under a variety of emerging HDT technologies while composing a sustainable HDT fleet. To gain insights into the sustainability implications of emerging HDT technologies as well as how they can be adopted by freight organizations, given their implications, this research employed an integrated approach composed of methods and techniques, grounded in sustainability science, operations research, and statistical learning theory, to provide a scientific means with public and private organizations to increase the effectiveness of policies and strategies. The research has contributed to the scientific body of knowledge in three useful ways; (1) by comprehensively analyzing HDT electrification based on regional differences in power generation practices and price forecasts, (2) by conducting the first life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) on HDT automation and electrification, and (3) providing a case study of an unsupervised machine learning application for sustainability science. Consequently, the research has found that, given the transformation of the U.S. energy system towards renewables, automation and electrification of HDTs offer significant potential for improving the sustainability performance of these vehicles, especially in terms of global warming potential, life cycle costs, gross domestic product, import independence, and income generation. The research has also found that, under the prevailing techno-economic circumstances and except for energy security reasons, natural gas as a transportation fuel option for freight trucks is by almost no means a viable alternative to diesel
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