An efficient heuristic for scheduling batches of parts in a flexible flow system

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) are a class of automated systems that can be used to improve productivity in batch manufacturing. Four stages of decision making have been defined for an FMS—the design, planning, scheduling, and control stages. This research focuses on the planning stage, and specifically in the area of scheduling batches of parts through the system.The literature to date on the FMS planning stage has mostly focused on the machine grouping, tool loading, and parttype selection problems. Our research carries the literature a step further by addressing the problem of scheduling batches of parts. Due to the use of serial-access material-handling systems in many FMSs, the batch-scheduling problem is modeled for a flexible flow system (FFS). This model explicitly accounts for setup times between batches that are dependent on their processing sequence.A heuristic procedure is developed for this batch-scheduling problem—the Maximum Savings (MS) heuristic. The MS heuristic is based upon the savings in time associated with a particular sequence and selecting the one with the maximum savings. It uses a two-phase method, with the savings being calculated in phase I, while a branch-and-bound procedure is employed to seek the best heuristic solution in phase II. Extensive computational results are provided for a wide variety of problems. The results show that the MS heuristic provides good-quality solutions.     

Multi-Reservoir System Optimization using Chlorophyll-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> Trophic Indexes

The problem of managing water scarcity by resorting to complex interconnected multi-source water systems needs to utilize management optimization techniques analyzing aspects of water quantity and quality in a common strategy. In the southern regions of Mediterranean Europe, the greater part of water resources for supply systems are derived from artificial reservoirs and water systems can become quite complex since they interconnect several sources and demand centers, as indeed occurs in the Region of Sardinia (Italy). A simplified approach to the requirement to insert water quality aspects in the mathematical optimization model can be achieved by examining the trophic conditions of reservoirs. Trophic State Indexes (TSI) based on Carlson’s (1977) make it possible to insert quality constraints in the water management optimization model also considering complex multi-reservoir and multi-user systems. Model formalization and implementation by the optimization toolkit WARGI (Water Resource system optimization aided by Graphical Interface) (Sechi and Zuddas 2000; Manca et al. 2004; Salis et al. 2005) is illustrated in this paper. The usefulness of a mixed quantity–quality optimization approach has been confirmed by WARGI application to a real multi-reservoir water resources system in southern Sardinia. The optimization model remains computationally efficient dealing with this complex multi-reservoir system and the obtained results can be seen as a reference target in a subsequent simulation phase.     

A Stronger Complexity Result for the Single Machine Multi-Operation Jobs Scheduling Problem to Minimize the Number of Tardy Jobs

We consider the single machine multi-operation jobs scheduling problem to minimize the number of tardy jobs. Each job consists of several operations that belong to different families. In a schedule, each family of job operations may be processed in batches with each batch incurring a setup time. A job completes when all of its operations have been processed. The objective is to minimize the number of tardy jobs. In the literature, this problem has been proved to be strongly NP-hard for arbitrary due-dates. We show in this paper that the problem remains strongly NP-hard even when the due-dates are common and all jobs have the same processing time.     

网络环境下高校图书馆期刊资源建设与发展

本文根据电子期刊的定义、特点及图书馆期刊工作所需要面对的问题，就高校图书馆网络环境下期刊工作的设施规划、资料收集、信息开发及读者培训等多方面内容进行了简单探讨，并就如何应对网络环境下图书馆期刊工作的变化提出建议。     

Strategic appraisal of energy models for Mozambique

The needs that an energy supply system must meet are constantly changing, due to technological, social and political reasons. Effective energy planning is a dynamic process that is repeated periodically and adjusts to changing conditions. Energy decision makers and planners are no longer able to rely on inductive decision making since they have to investigate the effect of various decision parameters and possible future changes. To help in this process, models have been developed where estimates of future load growth, candidate power plants, fuels and other key factors can be introduced, from which the planners can evaluate decision parameters and the available alternatives. The paper presents the different methodologies and practices that are used by 11 energy models for energy demand forecasting, supply side management and generation expansion planning, demand side management and integrated resource planning. The paper concludes to the presentation of a strategic appraisal of the examined energy models appropriate for energy planning in Mozambique. Three models are proposed for conducting demand forecasting, generation expansion planning and demand side management. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proactive resource allocation for asynchronous real-time distributed systems in the presence of processor failures

We present two proactive resource allocation algorithms, RBA^*-FT and OBA-FT, for fault-tolerant asynchronous real-time distributed systems. The algorithms consider an application model where task timeliness is specified by Jensen's benefit functions and the anticipated application workload during future time intervals is described by adaptation functions. In addition, we assume that reliability functions of processors are available a priori. Given these models, our objective is to maximize aggregate task benefit and minimize aggregate missed deadline ratio in the presence of processor failures. Since determining the optimal solution is computationally intractable, the algorithms heuristically compute sub-optimal resource allocations, but in polynomial time. Experimental results reveal that RBA^*-FT and OBA-FT outperform their non-fault-tolerant counterparts in the presence of processor failures. Furthermore, RBA^*-FT performs better than OBA-FT, although OBA-FT incurs better worst-case and amortized computational costs. Finally, we observe that both algorithms robustly withstand errors in the estimation of anticipated failures.     

铁通资源管理系统的设计和实现

在分析铁路通信资源结构的基础上,利用地理信息系统技术、数据库技术和客户/服务器(C/S)模式,为铁通(ChinaTietong)各级分公司和运营部门提供一套较为完善的资源管理信息系统。文中分析了铁通资源的结构与资源之间的关联,介绍了系统功能、物理结构及体系结构,详细分析了数据库设计、地理信息系统和系统安全性所采用的关键技术。这套系统的应用对铁通网络管理的现代化将起到重要的推动作用。     

半导体晶圆制造车间层控制的内容及方法

半导体晶圆制造企业是资本密集、技术密集型产业,晶圆制造厂也是公认生产最为复杂的工厂之一。产品更新换代快、市场竞争激烈等特点使得投资者对设备产能和设备利用率高度重视。这已不仅仅是技术问题,而是生产制造过程管理的问题。本文介绍了半导体晶圆制造车间层控制的内容及方法。     

Location and calculation-free node-scheduling schemes in large wireless sensor networks

In wireless sensor networks that consist of a large number of low-power, short-lived, unreliable sensors, one of the main design challenges is to obtain long system lifetime without sacrificing system original performance (sensing coverage and sensing reliability). To solve this problem, one of the potential approaches is to identify redundant nodes at the sensing interface and then assign them an off-duty operation mode that has lower energy consumption than the normal on-duty mode. In our previous work [J. Wireless Commun. Mobile Comput. 3 (2003) 271; Processing of ACM Wireless Sensor Network and Application Workshop 2002, September 2002], we proposed a node-scheduling scheme, which can provide a 100% sensing coverage preservation capability. This, however, requires each node to be aware of its own and its neighbors’ location information. Also, in that scheme, each node has to do accurate geometrical calculation to determine whether to take an off-duty status. In this paper, we propose and study several alternative node-scheduling schemes, which cannot completely preserve the original system coverage, but are nonetheless light-weighted and flexible compared with the previous one. Our simulation results compare these schemes with the previous one and demonstrate their effectiveness.     

CAM中一类新的NP完全问题

本文提出了计算机辅助制造(CAM)中的一类作业调度问题并证明了它的NP完全性。