Hybrid Genetic Bees Algorithm applied to Single Machine Scheduling with Earliness and Tardiness Penalties

This paper presents a hybrid Genetic-Bees Algorithm based optimised solution for the single machine scheduling problem. The enhancement of the Bees Algorithm (BA) is conducted using the Genetic Algorithm's (GA's) operators during the global search stage. The proposed enhancement aims to increase the global search capability of the BA gradually with new additions. Although the BA has very successful implementations on various type of optimisation problems, it has found that the algorithm suffers from weak global search ability which increases the computational complexities on NP-hard type optimisation problems e.g. combinatorial/permutational type optimisation problems. This weakness occurs due to using a simple global random search operation during the search process. To reinforce the global search process in the BA, the proposed enhancement is utilised to increase exploration capability by expanding the number of fittest solutions through the genetical variations of promising solutions. The hybridisation process is realised by including two strategies into the basic BA, named as â\u80\u9creinforced global searchâ\u80\u9d and â\u80\u9cjumping functionâ\u80\u9d strategies. The reinforced global search strategy is the first stage of the hybridisation process and contains the mutation operator of the GA. The second strategy, jumping function strategy, consists of four GA operators as single point crossover, multipoint crossover, mutation and randomisation. To demonstrate the strength of the proposed solution, several experiments were carried out on 280 well-known single machine benchmark instances, and the results are presented by comparing to other well-known heuristic algorithms. According to the experiments, the proposed enhancements provides better capability to basic BA to jump from local minima, and GBA performed better compared to BA in terms of convergence and the quality of results. The convergence time reduced about 60% with about 30% better results for highly constrained jobs

On the complexity of using performance measures: Enhancing sustained production improvement capability by combining OEE and productivity

The global speed of change within the manufacturing industry forces companies to constantly improve production performance. In that effort, performance measures are critical for driving and managing production improvements. Two of the most commonly used measures in operations are productivity and overall equipment efficiency (OEE). However, the potential of using these measures as improvement drivers is not fully utilized in industry today due, for example, to ambiguities in definitions and their interpretation. A study of available theory indicates a gap between these implications from a theoretical perspective vs. the industrial perspective. Bridging this theory-practice gap implies great potential for competitiveness and growth in manufacturing, since the latent production capacity that could be utilized is tremendous. Even if a high degree of complexity in definition and calculation when applied in operational conditions might be perceived, this paper will show that a systematically used combined set of OEE and productivity measures can successfully drive production improvements. Also, two new productivity measures for driving improvements at the shop floor level are proposed. The empirical findings are based on a two-year case study within a manufacturing company in the automotive industry using an interactive research approach. (C) 2014 The Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Evaluation of materials supply systems during product development projects

The aim of this paper is to analyse how materials supply systems can be evaluated during product development projects in a concurrent engineering context. The focus is on performance assessment of materials supply systems and the input data required. A case study was conducted in close cooperation with a company and two performance measures were assessed during the concept definition phase and recalculated during the product and process validation phase. The results show that preliminary input data can be used to calculate performance measures by means of the following approaches: indicators, standards or scenarios. Furthermore, it is discussed how performance assessment can assist the materials supply systems design process in a concurrent engineering context by facilitating early problem discovery, early decision-making, and common understanding

Evaluation of materials supply systems during product development projects

The aim of this paper is to analyse how materials supply systems can be evaluated during product development projects in a concurrent engineering context. The focus is on performance assessment of materials supply systems and the input data required. A case study was conducted in close cooperation with a company and two performance measures were assessed during the concept definition phase and recalculated during the product and process validation phase. The results show that preliminary input data can be used to calculate performance measures by means of the following approaches: indicators, standards or scenarios. Furthermore, it is discussed how performance assessment can assist the materials supply systems design process in a concurrent engineering context by facilitating early problem discovery, early decision-making, and common understanding

Implementation challenges affecting the environmental improvement performance in pharmaceutical production: Results of a green kaizen pilot

This paper reports on working findings in an action research-based project, implementing a green kaizen pilot in a European pharmaceutical manufacturing company. The aim of the study is to investigate how continuous improvement initiatives with focus on environment originally developed for the automotive manufacturing industry could apply to the pharmaceutical industry. It also aspires to understand the enabling and hindering issues are for such implementation. There are considerable similarities of implementing lean in general in the two sectors, however, some key differences and challenges were apparent when implementing this specific green kaizen method called Green Performance Map. An implication for pharma practitioners implementing the green kaizen method concerns how to improve working procedures and production equipment to become more environmentally friendly amid high regulatory demands on process quality. Implementation challenges are discussed in terms of fidelity, locus and extensiveness of lean practices implementation

Critical Factors for Successful User-Supplier Integration in the Production System Design Process

Part 2: Design, Manufacturing and Production ManagementInternational audienceIntegration of equipment suppliers in the design of the production system has often been associated with major benefits. However, from a managerial perspective, integration between the user and the suppliers of the production equipment is still challenging. Therefore, the purpose of the research is to explore how manufacturing companies can facilitate and manage equipment supplier integration when designing the production system. Based on an real time case study in the automotive industry 10 critical factors for successful supplier/user integration are identified, which can be classified into three categories: human factors, project management factors and design factors