• IE interfaces
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.110-119
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• 2000

Resource-constrained project scheduling is to allocate limited resources to activities to optimize certain objective functions and to determine a start time for each activity in the project such that precedence constraints and resource requirements are satisfied. This study suggests a multi-project scheduling model which can level work loads, make the most of production capacity and restrain the delay of delivery by developing a heuristic algorithm which minimizes the project completion time and maximizes the load rate under resource constraints.

• IE interfaces
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 2001

The theory of constraints (TOC) has become a valuable system in modern operations management. Using the ideas and methods of the TOC, companies can achieve a large reduction of work-in-process and finished-goods inventories, significant improvement in scheduling performance, and substantial earnings increase. The purpose of this paper is to calculate the optimal size of the time buffer which is used to accommodate disruptions in production processes and provide maximum productivity of capacity constrained resources. After the problem formulation in terms of single server queueing model, we observed the system behavior by sensitivity analyses.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.831-840
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• 1992

This paper presents an efficient short-term generation scheduling method using a rule-based expert/consulting system approach to assist electric energy system operators and planners. The expert system approach is applied to improve the Dynamic Programming(DP) based generation scheduling algorithm. In the selection procedure of the feasible combinations of generating units at each stage, automatic consulting on the manipulation of several constraints such as the minimum up time, the minimum down time and the maximum running time constraints of generating units will be performed by the expert/consulting system. In order to maximize the solution feasibility, the aforementioned constraints are controlled by a rule-based expert system, that is, instead of imposing penalty cost to those constraint violated combinations, which sometimes may become the very reason of no existing solution, several constraints will be manipulated within their flexibilities using the rules and facts that are established by domain experts. In this paper, for the purpose of implementing the consulting of several constraints during the dynamic process of generation scheduling, an expert system named STGSCS is developed. As a building tool of the expert system, C Language Integrated Production System(CLIPS) is used. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm has been demonstrated by applying it to a model electric energy system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1773-1784
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• 2008

Effects of various industrially important carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, xylose, gluconate, and glycerol) on shikimic acid (SA) biosynthesis in Escherichia coli were investigated to gain new insight into the metabolic capability for overproducing SA. At the outset, constraints-based flux analysis using the genome-scale in silico model of E. coli was conducted to quantify the theoretical maximum SA yield. The corresponding flux distributions fueled by different carbon sources under investigation were compared with respect to theoretical yield and energy utilization, thereby identifying the indispensable pathways for achieving optimal SA production on each carbon source. Subsequently, a shikimate-kinase-deficient E. coli mutant was developed by blocking the aromatic amino acid pathway, and the production of SA on various carbon sources was experimentally examined during 51 batch culture. As a result, the highest production rate, 1.92 mmol SA/h, was obtained when glucose was utilized as a carbon source, whereas the efficient SA production from glycerol was obtained with the highest yield, 0.21 mol SA formed per mol carbon atom of carbon source consumed. The current strain can be further improved to satisfy the theoretically achievable SA production that was predicted by in silico analysis.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 2016

Purpose: Grain slurry diet are described as food obtained from ground grain paste. They serve as highly nutritious food for both adults and infants in Nigeria because of their immense nutritive and economical value. However, the production of these grain slurry diets is confronted with challenges that have hampered their commercialization. This study examines the trends and constraints of grain slurry food processing in Kaduna State. Methods: A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire to elicit information from 192 selected processors, including both men and women. The survey was structured in line with the study objectives. The information was collated and synopsized into frequency distribution. Results: These findings revealed that 80% of the respondents processed between 1.0 tons and 13.0 tons of grain slurry per month. More than 90% of the processors processed grain slurry into koko, kunu, agidi, and pito. Accordingly, 80% of the interviewed processors indicated that sieving is one of the major constraints. Furthermore, inadequate modern machinery required to perform this operation makes it highly discouraging. One of the major challenges faced by the grain slurry producers in Nigeria is the lack of processing machinery for most operations (39.1%), followed by the tedious processing nature (27.1%), high labor cost (18.1%), and lack of market (9.4%). The traditional method of grain slurry processing was more popular than using modern equipment, except milling (96.5%), which is the only mechanized unit operation in grain slurry processing. Conclusion: Grain slurry processing and marketing were found to be profitable. However, these limitations could extremely reduce the level of grain slurry production, processing, and economic returns, thereby affecting the general wellbeing of the processors. The study also raised concerns about the safety and hygiene associated with traditionally processed grain slurry diets in the investigated areas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.130-139
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• 2016

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the problems and the sources of defective products and draw improvement plans in a small plastic boat manufacturing process using TOC (Theory Of Constraints) and statistical analysis. TOC is a methodology to present a scheme for optimization of production process by finding the CCR (Capacity Constraints Resource) in the organization or the all production process through the concentration improvement activity. In this paper, we found and reformed constraints and bottlenecks in plastic boat manufacturing process in the target company for less defect ratio and production cost by applying DBR (Drum, Buffer, Rope) scheduling. And we set the threshold values for the critical process variables using statistical analysis. The result can be summarized as follows. First, CCRs in inventory control, material mix, and oven setting were found and solutions were suggested by applying DBR method. Second, the logical thinking process was utilized to find core conflict factors and draw solutions. Third, to specify the solution plan, experiment data were statistically analyzed. Data were collected from the daily journal addressing the details of 96 products such as temperature, humidity, duration and temperature of heating process, rotation speed, duration time of cooling, and the temperature of removal process. Basic statistics and logistic regression analysis were conducted with the defection as the dependent variable. Finally, critical values for major processes were proposed based on the analysis. This paper has a practical importance in contribution to the quality level of the target company through theoretical approach, TOC, and statistical analysis. However, limited number of data might depreciate the significance of the analysis and therefore it will be interesting further research direction to specify the significant manufacturing conditions across different products and processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.425-428
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• 2004

Flexible assembly line (FAL) is a production system that assembles various parts in unidirectional flow line with many constraints and manufacturing flexibilities. In this research we deal with a FAL balancing problem with the objective of minimizing the maximum workload allocated to the stations. However, almost all the existing researches do not appropriately consider various constraints due to the problem complexity. Therefore, this thesis addresses a balancing problem of FAL with many constraints and manufacturing flexibilities, unlike the previous researches. To solve this problem we use a genetic algorithm (GA). To apply GA to FAL, we suggest a genetic representation suitable for FAL balancing and devise evaluation method for individual's fitness and genetic operators specific to the problem, including efficient repair method for preserving solution feasibility. The experimental results are reported.

• Management Science and Financial Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.95-112
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• 2006

Disassembly scheduling is the problem of determining the quantity and timing of disassembling used or end-of-life products while satisfying the demand of their parts and/or components over a planning horizon. The case of assembly product structure is considered while the resource capacity constraints are explicitly considered. A cost-based objective is considered that minimizes the sum of disassembly operation and inventory holding costs. The problem is formulated as an integer programming model, and a two-stage heuristic with construction and improvement algorithms is suggested in this paper. To test the performance of the heuristic, computational experiments are done on randomly generated problems, and the results show that the heuristic gives near optimal solutions within a very short amount of computation time.

• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.10-26
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• 2005

In our model, we keep inventory to satisfy uncertain demands which arrives irregularly. In this situation, we have additional two constraints. First, we need to have certain amount of order consolidation (consolidation constraint) for the orders to replenish the inventory because of production or purchase constraint. And also, if we order at a certain date which was set by administrative convenience, we have amount constraint to order the consolidated order demands (capacity constraint). We showed this variant inventory policy is needed in steel industry and note that there will be possible similar case in industry. To deal with this case, we invented a variant replenishment policy and show this policy is superior to other possible polices in the consolidation constraint case by extensive simulation. And we derive a combined solution method for dealing with the capacity constraints in addition to the consolidation constraints. For this, we suggest a combined solution method of integer programming and simulation.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.99-112
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• 2006

In our model, we keep inventory to satisfy uncertain demands which arrives irregularly. In this situation, we have additional two constraints. First, we need to have certain amount of order consolidation (consolidation constraint) for the orders to replenish the inventory because of production or purchase amount constraint. And also, if we order at a certain date which was set by administrative convenience, we have capacity constraint to order the consolidated order demands (capacity constraint). We show this variant inventory policy is needed in steel industry and note that there will be possible similar case in industry. To deal with this case, we invent a variant replenishment policy and show this policy is superior to other possible polices in the consolidation constraint case by extensive simulation. And we derive a combined solution method for dealing with the capacity constraints in addition to the consolidation constraints. For this, we suggest a combined solution method of integer programming and simulation.