A web-based decision support system for waste lube oils collection and recycling

This paper presents a web-based decision support system (DSS) that enables schedulers to tackle reverse supply chain management problems interactively. The focus is on the efficient and effective management of waste lube oils collection and recycling operations. The emphasis is given on the systemic dimensions and modular architecture of the proposed DSS. The latter incorporates intra- and inter-city vehicle routing with real-life operational constraints using shortest path and sophisticated hybrid metaheuristic algorithms. It is also integrated with an Enterprise Resource Planning system allowing the utilization of particular functional modules and the combination with other peripheral planning tools. Furthermore, the proposed DSS provides a framework for on-line monitoring and reporting to all stages of the waste collection processes. The system is developed using a web architecture that enables sharing of information and algorithms among multiple sites, along with wireless telecommunication facilities. The application to an industrial environment showed improved productivity and competitiveness, indicating its applicability on realistic reverse logistical planning problems.Decision support systems Vehicle routing Waste management

Integration of Social Concerns in Collaborative Logistics and Transportation Networks

Part 21: Mobility and LogisticsInternational audienceFreight transport optimization, long based solely on an economic approach, happen today through the integration of environmental and/or social concerns, in line with the objectives of sustainable development. In the case of Small and Very Small Enterprises, these objectives cannot be reached individually, and these companies have to join their efforts to find collective solutions. Therefore, the Fleet Size and Mix Vehicle Routing Problem (FSMVRP) was adapted to take into account social objectives, and results are compared to Vehicle Routing Problem with homogeneous fleet. An exact mathematical formulation of the extended problem was developed. Computational experiments for the problem formulation are performed using CPLEX and give a solution of a small instance to illustrate the problem. The model is tested on a case study of optimal parcel pickup, from many manufacturers to a common depot in the agri-food sector

A Comparison of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Vehicle Fleet Size in Green Vehicle Routing Problem

Part 1: Knowledge-Based SustainabilityInternational audienceTo balance a fragmented logistics organization, Small and Medium Enterprises have to find collective solutions to decrease their environmental impact. Especially when the demand at each producer takes the form of small packages and low quantities this paper examines the effect of the introduction of a consolidation center on the environmental issue. Therefore, the Fleet Size and Mix Vehicle Routing Problem (FSMVRP) was adapted in order to minimize CO2 emission. An exact mathematical formulation of the extended problem was developed to investigate the difference between homogeneous and heterogeneous fleet size on the environmental issue. Computational experiments for the problem formulation are performed using CPLEX and give a solution of a small instance to illustrate the problem. A case study focuses on optimal parcel picking up, from many producers to a common depot in the agri-food sector

Integration of a real-time stochastic routing optimization software with an enterprise resource planner

In order to manage their activities in a centralized manner, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is a fundamental tool to many companies. As a generic software, many times it's necessary to add new functionalities to the ERP in order to improve and to adapt/suite it to the companies' processes. The Intelligent Fresh Food Fleet Router (i3FR) project aims to meet the needs expressed by several companies, namely the usefulness of a tool that makes "intelligent" management of the food distribution logistics. This "intelligence" presupposes interconnection capacity of various platforms (e.g., fleet management, GPS, and logistics), and active communication between them in order to optimize and enable integrated decisions.This paper presents a multi-layered architecture to integrate existing ERPs with a route optimization and a temperature data acquisition module. The optimization module is prepared to deal with dynamic scenarios, as new demands may appear during the optimization process and the routes will admit several states (e.g., open, locked and closed), according with the ERP manager instructions. The data aquisition module implements the retrieve of some vehicles parameters (e.g., chambers' temperatures and vehicle's global positioning system data), used to validate the routes and provide information to the company's manager.A distribution company was selected as case-study, having up to 5000 daily deliveries and a fleet of 120 vehicles. The integration of the developed modules with the company's ERP allowed the maintainance of most of the existing procedures, avoiding routines disruption