A machine survival time-based maintenance workforce allocation model for production systems

Development. (Published by Taylor and Francis) Abstract: Today’s maintenance workforce operate in a complex business environment and rely on metrics that indirectly link equipment breakdown, fluctuating production rate, demand uncertainties and fluctuating raw material requirements. This has triggered a change of scope as well as the substance of maintenance workforce theory and practice and the necessary requirement to promote a full understanding of maintenance workforce optimisation of some seemingly nonpolynomial hard problems. Theorising is essential on the near optimal solution techniques for the maintenance workforce problem. In this paper, a fuzzy goal programming model is proposed and used in formulating a single objective function for maintenance workforce optimisation with stochastic constraint consideration. The performance of the proposed model was verified using data obtained from a production system and simulated annealing (SA) as a solution method. The results obtained using SA and differential evolution (DE) was compared on the basis of computational time and quality of solution. We observed that the SA results outperform that of DE algorithm. Based on the results obtained, the proposed model has the capacity to generate reliable information for preventive and breakdown workforce maintenance planning

Optimization of Broiler Chicken Feed Mix Using Evolution Strategies

Mixing chicken feed using some feed ingredients is a difficult task. The process must ensure that the feed mixing fulfill the nutrient requirement and the constraint. Some approaches, such as the Pearson’s Square have been introduced to solve this problem. However, these approaches fail to fulfill the nutrient requirements and desirable price. This study proposed the use of Evolution Strategies to address the negative solutions and fulfill the optimum feed composition requirements. This method resulted in a broiler chicken feed mix that meets the nutritional requirements with the minimum cost with best composition, which resulted in the fitness value of 0.15023 and price Rp. 3,185/chicken/2 weeks

Human/Technology Co-Adaptation in the context of Cybersecurity

Understanding human-technology co-adaptation processes is becoming of utmost importance. Co-adaptation required among various actors is critical for their survival especially in turbulent environments such as the cyberspace. Indeed, cyberspace is marked by imminent cyber threats forcing IT stakeholders to act promptly, re-enforcing cybersecurity with complex and increasingly intrusive technologies with significant social impact. Based on a field study where a governmental organization (GO) acquired cybersecurity systems; and leveraging a constructive grounded theory extended with and abductive research, this study showcases that cybersecurity being as strong as its weakest actor, a requirement for a collective successful co-adaptation amongst various actors is of utmost importance. A technology-human co-adaptation model is proposed. It is processual in nature, with a holistic reach driven inspired by various adaptation dynamics such as power, identity, ethics and technology; that are driving the overall co-adaptation. Knowing what it takes for a better co-adaptation will allow cybersecurity stakeholders, managers and practitioners to bring more focus on pre-adaptation efforts facilitating the co-adaptation processes therefore allowing the acceleration of the much needed success of cybersecurity systems deployments or any other controversial but required technology

A review of asset management literature on multi-asset systems

This article gives an overview of the literature on asset management for multi-unit systems with an emphasis on two multi-asset categories: fleet (a system of homogeneous assets) and portfolio (a system of heterogeneous assets). As asset systems become more complicated, researchers have employed different terms to refer to their specific problems. With an objective to facilitate readers in searching conducive studies to their interests, this paper establishes a novel classification scheme for multi-unit systems in accordance with essential features such as diversity of assets and intervention options. Moreover, discerning differences in characteristics between cross-component and cross-asset interactions, we select three types of potential multi-component dependencies (performance, stochastic, and resource) and extend their notions to be applicable to multi-asset systems. The investigation into these dependencies enables the identification of problems that could exist in real industrial settings but are yet to be determined in academia. Ultimately, we delve into modelling approaches adopted by previous researchers. This comprehensive information allows us to offer the insights into the current trends in multi-asset maintenance. We expect that the output of this review paper will not only stress research gaps on multi-asset systems, but more importantly help systematise future studies on this aspect

Integração das actividades de manutenção e produção em instalações de tratamento de águas

O estudo do tema em causa vai de encontro com a necessidade de unir duas das áreas mais importantes da engenharia, a manutenção e a produção. Nesse sentido delineou-se que o objectivo seria levar a cabo o desenvolvimento de um modelo que possibilite relacionar os componentes considerados mais importantes, em termos de periodicidade de manutenção, com os materiais e processos produtivos dos mesmos. Desta forma, em primeiro lugar procedeu-se ao estudo das tarefas realizadas pela empresa. De seguida, idealizou-se um modelo empírico de relação entre os componentes dos equipamentos e a sua necessidade de manutenção. Depois disto e do estudo das tarefas realizadas pela firma, procedeu-se à introdução desses dados numa base ERP. Por último, analisou-se a possibilidade de uma retroacção neste processo por forma a melhorar a concepção dos equipamentos, quer a nível de processos de fabrico quer a nível dos materiais usados nos mesmos. Da aplicação do modelo empírico a um equipamento real, resultou a definição e priorização dos componentes que, teoricamente, mais careciam de manutenção. Estes resultados foram de encontro com o histórico do equipamento. Para além disso, foi possível apontar uma causa provável da existência desses componentes críticos, tal como apontar possíveis soluções para esses componentes. A principal contribuição deste trabalho foi o desenvolvimento de um modelo simples através do qual é possível detectar os componentes de maior desgaste para priorizar a sua intervenção. Por outro lado, e com base na informação gerada pela manutenção, propõe a existência de retroacção entre a área de manutenção e a área da produção no sentido de propor alterações a esses componentes de modo a ser reduzida a criticidade dos mesmos

Modernizing a Preventive Maintenance Strategy for Facility and Infrastructure Maintenance

Preventive maintenance (PM) is defined as regularly scheduled maintenance actions based on average failure rates. A properly implemented PM strategy can provide many benefits to an organization in terms of extending equipment life, optimizing resource expenditures, and balancing work schedules. Periodic evaluation of a PM strategy can help identify ways to improve efficiencies and maximize effectiveness. This research effort was accomplished by performing a case study of the United States Air Force’s infrastructure and facility PM program known as the Recurring Work Program (RWP). The methodology consisted of two phases. The first phase, intended to develop an understanding of the gap between the current program and what it needs to become, consisted of two segments: data collection and a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. Data was collected during 25 interviews with a wide variety of Air Force members highly experienced with the RWP. Using the interview data, the SWOT analysis compared the state of the current program to relevant maintenance management theory and best practices from industry; this analysis resulted in the identification of one strength, six weaknesses, eight opportunities, and seven threats to the RWP. The second phase of the methodology consisted of developing a model to bridge the gap between the current RWP and what it needs to become. It resulted in eight Focus Areas (FAs) that were based on the findings from the SWOT analysis; each FA represents a unique theme of practical recommendations for improving the program. As a result of this research, maintenance managers have a practical tool to help evaluate and modernize their facilities and infrastructure PM strategy. Additionally, the Air Force has a model for modernizing its RWP

Planejamento operacional de cadeias de suprimento de peças de reposição integrado com sistemas inteligentes de manutenção

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Florianópolis, 2014A falta de peças de reposição e a consequente ineficiência da manutenção acarretam baixa disponibilidade de equipamentos, prejudicando o nível de serviços e aumentando os custos de produção no setor industrial. A demanda de peças de reposição é esporádica e errática, o que dificulta sua previsão com métodos e ferramentas estatísticas disponíveis. Nesse sentido, o uso de Sistemas Inteligentes de Manutenção (IMS) tem sido estudado para apoiar o processo de previsão de falhas em equipamentos e, dessa forma, contribuir para a disponibilidade e competitividade de sistemas produtivos. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho propõe um método, o qual tem por objetivo integrar informações providas por Sistemas Inteligentes de Manutenção ao planejamento operacional da cadeia de suprimentos de peças de reposição. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o método desenvolvido é capaz de gerar redução dos custos e assegurar níveis de serviços pré-determinados.Abstract: The lack of spare parts and inefficient maintenance lead to low availability of equipment, damaging the service level and increasing costs of production in the industrial sector. Spare parts demand is sporadic and erratic, impairing its prediction with available statistical tools. The use of Intelligent Maintenance Systems (IMS) has been studied to support the process of predicting equipment failures and thus contributing to more competitive productive systems. In this context, this study proposes a method, which aims to integrate information provided by Intelligent Maintenance Systems into the operational planning of spare parts supply chain. Obtained results indicate that the developed method is able to generate spare parts supply chain's cost reduction, while ensuring pre-determined service levels