Performance Comparison of New Heuristic With Genetic Algorithm in Parallel Flow Line Set Up

A new heuristic has been developed to solve the problem in parallel flow line scheduling. It involves the minimization of the makespan by the optimal allocation of a finite number of jobs to finite number of lines in the first phase and the optimal sequencing of allocated jobs in each line in the second phase. Here new heuristic and genetic algorithm for analyzing the parallel flow line scheduling are discussed and executed on a set of randomly generated problems. The results obtained for the test problems suggest that the developed new heuristic can be used successfully to solve large scale parallel flow line scheduling problems

Rotary Friction Welding and Dissimilar Metal Joining of Aluminium and Stainless Steel Alloys

Friction welding (FW) is cost-effective, efficient, occupational safer and also eco-friendly in the absence of pollution, smoke, fume, and IR radiation during welding than conventional welding technologies. In this paper, the joining of aluminium AA6063 and steel SS304 dissimilar metal is explained with different faying surfaces and their SEM images of weld interface (WI), joint quality, tensile and yield strength, and the axial shortening are evaluated and compared. The joint quality factor of the experiment faying surface modification ‘E3’ was the maximum and about >100% with 236 MPa strength. The axial shortening was also less than 27 mm. The joint with hemispherical faying surface showed ‘U’ shaped WI and the joint with taper faying surface showed ‘V’ shape WI. So, the cross-sectional area of WI can be increased and the strength also increased. FW yields very high strength, low-stress weld with no weld defects such as porosity, voids etc. Here, in most cases, the joint strength is equal to base metal strength and it can avoid fastening to join two metals. FW has a minimal and narrow heat-affected zone (HAZ) of few microns size that differentiates FW from other welding techniques. The grain size of HAZ is directly proportional to the heat input during welding. During fusion welding of dissimilar materials, a lot of intermetallic compounds are formed at the weld interface and that will lead to poor strength of the welding because they have different chemical and mechanical qualities; therefore FW is a good choice for joining dissimilar metal rods as the intermetallic compounds can be reduced by FW

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR SELECTING A VENDOR USING GREY RELATIONAL ANALYSIS

This paper develops a new model for evaluating and selecting the vendor using an integrated approach of Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) along with an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in a Forward Supply Chain Model (FSCM). The paper aims to demonstrate how the model can help in solving such decisions in practice. It also examines the structure of the decision hierarchy, whether it can represent vendor selection decisions in reality and whether it covers all key factors affecting vendor selection choices. The effectiveness of the GRA model is illustrated with an Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) industry in southern part of India and the results of GRA were validated using the result obtained from AHP. The proposed model helps the industry to effectively select the vendor.Vendor selection, Forward Supply Chain Model (FSCM), Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), Grey Relational Analysis (GRA), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)

An Entropy-Deng’s Similarity-based technique for Modeling and Optimization of Process Variables for Laser Micro Drilling of Alloy-X

223-230Laser drilling is a typical process for creating micro holes in hard to cut materials. Though this process is fast, the fickle nature of laser beam often leads to a quality drop in the holes. So, it is vital to analyze the process by developing a higher order model. There is also an urge for achieving the optimal combination of variables to produce the best holes without compromising both productivity and accuracy aspects. This work intends to find out the best laser parameter combination that can yield best holes in an Alloy-X material. Four input factors; power, pulse width, pulse frequency & gas pressure and six possible outputs were considered and evaluated. The relative weights of each output were measured by entropy weight method, and performance index of the response was assessed by Deng’s Similarity-based technique. Pulse frequency is found to be the most impact factor, and the gas pressure influences the least. Response Surface Methodology is applied to model the performance index. The metallurgical studies done in the microhole explains the thermal effects during machining