International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Productional Research
Volume:32 Issue: 2, Jun 2021

One of the most important fields of logistic network is transportation network design that has an important effect on strategic decisions in supply chain management. It has recently attracted the attention of many researchers. In this paper, a multi-stage and multi-product logistic network design is considered.This paper presents a hybrid approach based on simulation and optimization (Simulation based optimization), the model is formulated and presented in three stages.  At first, the practical production capacity of each product is calculated using the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) index, in the second stage, the optimization of loading schedules is simulated. The layout of the loading equipment, the number of equipment per line, the time of each step of the loading process, the resources used by each equipment were simulated, and the output of the model determines the maximum number of loaded vehicles in each period. Finally, a multi-objective model is presented to optimize the transportation time and cost of products. A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is formulated in such a way as to minimize transportation costs and maximize the use of time on the planning horizon. We have used Arena simulation software to solve the second stage of the problem, the results of which will be explained. It is also used GAMS software to solve the final stage of the model and optimize the transporting cost and find the optimal solutions. Several test problems were generated and it showed that the proposed algorithm could find good solutions in reasonable time spans.

Increasing competition due to globalization, product diversity and technological breakthroughs stimulate independent firms to collaborate in a supply chain that allows gaining the mutual benefits. This requires a collective coordination framework and migration path to synchronize and to integrate the information systems and also organizational activities of the supply chain partners. However, existing research in supply chain integration has paid little attention in identifying and developing a migration path to know the present level of supply chain among the supply chain partners. Hence, the objective of this paper is to develop a framework for supply chain integration. In the proposed research, the informational, organizational and information technology integration is operationalized for the development of Supply Chain Integration framework for manufacturing industries. Further, this paper includes a comprehensive understanding of supply chain integration in general and specifically organizational, informational and IT integration. The developed framework for supply chain integration is validated by a pilot study and it helps the organizations to know the present level and provides a migration path to move to the next level of supply chain integration. This paper will add onto the contribution of authors who have ventured study in the area of supply chain integration.

Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) is a non-traditional thermal machining process used to manufacture irregularly profiled parts. Machining of ductile cast iron (ASTM A536) under several machining factors, which affect the WEDM process, is presented. The considered machining factors are pulse on time (Ton), pulse off (Toff), peak current (Ip), voltage (V), and wire speed (S). To optimize the machining factors, their setting is performed via an experimental design using the Taguchi method. The optimization objective is to achieve maximum Material Removal Rate (MRR) and minimum Surface Roughness (SR). Additionally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to identify the most significant factor. Also, a regression analysis is carried out to forecast the MRR and SR dependent on defined machining factors. Depending on consequences, the best regulation factors for reaching the maximum MRR are Ton = 32 μs, Toff = 8 μs, Ip = 4 A, S = 40 mm/min. and V = 70 volt. Whereas, the optimal control factors that achieve the minimum SR is Ton = 8 μs, Toff = 8 μs, Ip = 2 A, S = 20 mm/min, and V= 30 volt. It is hypothesized that the perfect combination of control factors that achieves minimum SR and maximum MRR is Ton = 8 μs, Toff = 8 μs, Ip=5 A, S=50 mm/min. The microstructure of the machined surface in the optimal machining conditions shows a very narrow recast layer at the top of the machined surface.

The blood supply chain network is an especial case of the general supply chain network, which starts with the blood donating and ends with patients. Disasters such as earthquakes, floods, storms, and accidents usually event suddenly. Therefore, designing an efficient network for the blood supply chain network at emergencies is one of the most important challenging decisions for related managers. This paper aims to introduce a new blood supply chain network in disasters using the hub location approach. After introducing the last studies in blood supply chain and hub location separately, a new mixed-integer linear programming model based on hub location is presented for intercity transportation. Due to the complexity of this problem, two new methods are developed based on Particle Swarm Optimization and Differential Evolution algorithms to solve practical-sized problems. Real data related to a case study is used to test the developed mathematical model and to investigate the performance of the proposed algorithms. The result approves the accuracy of the new mathematical model and also the good performance of the proposed algorithms in solving the considered problem in real-sized dimensions. The proposed model is applicable considering new variables and operational constraints to more compatibility with reality. However, we considered the maximum possible demand for blood products in the proposed approach and so, lack of investigation of uncertainty conditions in key parameters is one of the most important limitations of this research.

One of the basic assumptions of classical production-inventory models is that all products are of perfect quality. However, in real manufacturing situations, the production of defective items is inevitable, and a fraction of the items produced may be naturally imperfect. In fact, items may be damaged due to production and/or transportation conditions in the manufacturing process. On the other hand, some reworkable items exist among imperfect items that can be made perfect by additional processing. In addition, the classical production-inventory models assume that there is only one product in the system and that there is an unlimited amount of resources. However, in many practical situations, several products are produced and there are some constraints related to various factors such as machine capacity, storage space, available budget, number of allowable setups, etc. Therefore, we propose new constrained production-inventory models for multiple products where the manufacturing process is defective and produces a fraction of imperfect items. A percentage of defective items can be reworked, and these products go through the rework process to become perfect and return to the consumption cycle. The goal is to determine economic production quantities to minimize the total cost of the system. The analytical solutions are each derived separately by Lagrangian relaxation method, and a numerical example is presented to illustrate and discuss the procedure. A sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate how the variation in the inputs of the models affects the total cost of the inventory system. Finally, some research directions for future works are discussed.

The subjects of reliability acceptance sampling plans and failure-censored life tests have usually been investigated from the viewpoint of statistical properties; indeed, few researchers have shed light on the economic aspects of these issues. In this research, a constrained mathematical model is developed to optimally design a reliability sampling plan under failure censoring life testing. Minimizing the expected total cost (ETC) involved in the sampling and life testing is considered as the objective function of the model. Ensuring the producer’s and the consumer’s risks is taken into consideration as the constraint of the model. To minimize the ETC, the model optimally determines three decision variables including the total number of the items put to the life test, the number of the failed items to terminate the test, and a criterion to make decisions about the acceptance or rejection of the lot. Examples are provided and analyses are conducted to gain some insight regarding the model performance.

This study proposes an outsourcing mechanism for marketing plans in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using knowledge sharing.  SMEs may not be able to establish a marketing department due to operational expenditures. Therefore, organizing a marketing agency to handle marketing concerns of SMEs is significant. First, SMEs are clustered regarding their activity area, products, services, and etc. Then, for SMEs in a same cluster, the marketing agency should collect the required information to process marketing actions. The challenge is how to gather and deposit information in common among SMEs in a cluster. Knowledge sharing is one of the stages of knowledge management helping to distribute information among elements of a system. Thus, the process of knowledge sharing is investigated in outsourcing marketing activities. Accordingly, a questionnaire was prepared based on research hypotheses. After confirmation of validity and reliability, the questionnaire was given to managers and employees of furniture companies in Tehran province, Iran. The collected questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS software version 24.0.  According to the statistical sample of the research, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic characteristics of respondents. The inferential statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used first for the test of normality of data. Considering normality of the data, T-student test was used to obtain the relationship between variables. Finally, the results of the research showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between outsourcing marketing in SMEs using knowledge sharing. Therefore, it is suggested that SMEs pay particular attention to outsourcing their marketing activities using knowledge sharing.

Inventory management plays a vital role in attaining the desired service level and prevents excess capital from being tied up in the form of dead stock. This paper presents a framework to effectively determine the items subject to obsolescence in an automotive spare parts warehouse. The inventory management techniques are applied to minimize the costs and a framework is proposed based on ABC-XYZ and FSN analysis to prioritize the spare parts based on their criticality. Further, the importance of items in the warehouse is carried out to eliminate the dead stock. The ABC classification findings reveal that A-class items accounted for 10.39% and hold the highest inventory value grouping. XYZ classification concludes that much priority should be given to the management of 52.7% of items under the Z category as the demand trend of these items is highly fluctuating. The N category items have no demand in recent times and need immediate attention, thereby preventing further unnecessary procurement. Thus, based on the ABC-XYZ and FSN analysis, the non-critical items, i.e., the non-moving items having fluctuating demand, are sorted out.

The logistical problems that companies must face tend to have conflicting interests between customers and service providers, which makes them difficult to solve. In turn, when the activities involve the transport of hazardous materials, the problem becomes critical in security terms, and makes logistics operations even more difficult. In the hazardous materials transportation literature, problems related to the routing of vehicles and the geographic location of supply or service centres are often addressed. However, there are not many studies related to the study of the loading, unloading and weighing operations of trucks that handle hazardous materials within industrial plants. That is why this work presents a case study of the installation of a new truck balance in an industrial plant in Argentina. To do this, the internal logistics operation and the current state of the plantchr('39')s infrastructure are analyzed. A detailed study of the alternatives for the location of the balance was carried out following the criteria set by the companychr('39')s management and the problem was solved using an empirical weighting method coordinated with the heads of the Supply Chain Department. A satisfactory solution was obtained.

The objective and purpose of this research paper are to provide a list of prospective research areas to revamp the supply chain of horticulture products as a relevant research topic and for the same we conducted an extensive review of the available literature in the domain. We performed a detailed review of academic articles, published in reputed peer-reviewed international journals, in the domains of horticulture products (fruits and vegetables, flowers, nuts and seeds, herbs, medicinal plants, sprouts, seaweeds, mushrooms, algae, and non-food crops like grass, ornamental trees, and plants) and its supply chain management. An extensive review has been developed to emphasize the need for alignment among the key aspects of horticulture products and its supply chain, the links between supply chain processes and strategy. We have taken a final sample of 70 articles published from 1994 to 2018 for the knowledge base of this research. A Literature survey in this respect indicates that most of the research has been conducted in the field of products having longer life cycles than the products having shorter life cycles like perishable (horticulture products) products. The scope of the research is to study the various levels and distinct forms of horticulture products’ supply chain. The results provide evidence about the journals, show the publication pattern over time, the research methodology adopted, and the content elements of horticulture products’ supply chain. The research findings apply to a large extent for managerial decisions. There is huge research scope available in the area of the horticulture supply chain as only limited research has been done in this field. This research work and future researches in this field would be helpful for managers, decision-makers, students as well as academicians. After extensive review and synthesis, important findings from the existing literature, critical review, and challenges have been derived to highlight how horticulture products and its supply chain should be best matched to its production and logistics processes.

So far, numerous studies have been developed to evaluate the performance of “Decision-Making Units (DMUs)” through “Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)” and “Network Data Envelopment Analysis (NDEA)” models in different places, but most of these studies have measured the performance of DMUs by efficiency criteria. The productivity is considered as a key factor in the success and development of DMUs and its evaluation is more comprehensive than efficiency evaluation. Recently, studies have been developed to evaluate the productivity of DMUs through the mentioned models but firstly, the number of these studies especially in NDEA models is scarce, and secondly, productivity in these studies is often evaluated through the “productivity indexes”. These indexes require at least two time periods and also the two important elements of efficiency and effectiveness in these studies are not significantly evident. So, the purpose of this study is to develop a new approach in the NDEA models using “Multi-Objective Programming (MOP)” method in order to measure productivity of DMUs through efficiency and effectiveness “simultaneously, in one stage, in a period, and interdependently”. “Simultaneous and single-stage” study provides the advantage of sensitivity analysis in the model. One case study demonstrates application of the proposed approach in the branches of a Bank. Using proposed approach revealed that it is possible for a branch to be efficient by considering its subdivisions separately but not be efficient by considering the conjunction between its subdivisions. In addition, a branch may be efficient by considering the conjunction between its subdivisions but not be productive. Efficient branches are not necessarily productive, but productive branches are also efficient.

The blood supply chain network is an especial case of the general supply chain network, which starts with the blood donating and ends with patients. Disasters such as earthquakes, floods, storms, and accidents usually event suddenly. Therefore, designing an efficient network for the blood supply chain network at emergencies is one of the most important challenging decisions for related managers. This paper aims to introduce a new blood supply chain network in disasters using the hub location approach. After introducing the last studies in blood supply chain and hub location separately, a new mixed-integer linear programming model based on hub location is presented for intercity transportation. Due to the complexity of this problem, two new methods are developed based on Particle Swarm Optimization and Differential Evolution algorithms to solve practical-sized problems. Real data related to a case study is used to test the developed mathematical model and to investigate the performance of the proposed algorithms. The result approves the accuracy of the new mathematical model and also the good performance of the proposed algorithms in solving the considered problem in real-sized dimensions. The proposed model is applicable considering new variables and operational constraints to more compatibility with reality. However, we considered the maximum possible demand for blood products in the proposed approach and so, lack of investigation of uncertainty conditions in key parameters is one of the most important limitations of this research.