Masoud Rahiminezhad Galankashi

Supplier Selection: A Fuzzy-ANP Approach

The main goal of this paper is to develop a framework to support the supplier selection process in an Iranian automotive industry. Although numerous criteria are being used for the selection of suitable supplier, selection of the critical factors in conformance to the specification of the automotive industries is less investigated. In order to fill this gap, this research was carried out to systematically propose a framework comprising of the most critical factors for the aim of supplier selection. A literature survey was conducted and measures for assessing the suppliers were extracted. Nominated Group Technique (NGT) was deployed to extract the most critical performance measures from the initial list. Seven measures were found to be proper for the supplier selection process. A Fuzzy Analytical Network Process (FANP) was then proposed to weight the extracted measures and determine their importance level. The model was then implemented to assist an automotive company for the aim of its supplier selection.

Performance evaluation of a petrol station queuing system

A case study was simulated to provide a realistic depiction of an operating system.Investigated factors were number of pump, number of cashier and IATs.2-level full factorial experiments were used for further analysis of simulation.The performance of a service industry queuing system has been analyzed.The influential parameters on queue length and sales rate have been obtained. The main goal of this paper was to develop an integrated simulation-design of experiments (DOE) model to optimize a petrol station queuing system and sales rate. Initially, the petrol station operating system was simulated using Witness 2014 simulation software?. Then, the responses of simulation were deployed as the input of DOE. Two-level full factorial experiments with center points were performed where the simulated model parameter studied were number of pump, number of cashier and inter arrival times (IATs). The response variables analyzed were queue length and sales rate. The obtained model from experimental design revealed that number of cashier and inter arrival time were significant in determining the queue length while all the factors and their interaction were significantly affecting the sales rate.

Assessment of hybrid Lean-Agile (Leagile) supply chain strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a new assessment tool for Leagility. Design/methodology/approach – This research was carried out to systematically propose the operational activities of Leagile supply chains (SCs) with regard to SC drivers. Particularly, SC logistic (facility, transportation and inventory) and cross-functional drivers (information, sourcing and pricing) were selected to classify all operational activities of Leagile SCs. Findings – This study proposed a new framework to evaluate the operational activities of Leagile SCs. Operational activities of Leagile supply chain strategy were determined and categorized with regard to SC drivers. These activities were ranked using an analytic hierarchy process and were then categorized using a cycle view of SC. Originality/value – This study contributed in proposing operational activities of Leagile SC based on its major drivers. The result of this study assist managers, scholars and practitioners to construct new Leagile SCs or asses...

Vehicle routing with time window for regional network services — Practical modelling approach

Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Window (VRPTW) has demonstrated an excessive application in postal service network design. In this paper we elaborate on how VRPTW modelling approach can benefit both firm and contractors. The business objective is to facilitate the process of retendering the contracts. Accordingly, the novel modeling approach has been developed in order to improve the practicality of the results. The Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is used for solving the VRPTW for regional post office services.

Maintenance policy selection: a fuzzy-ANP approach

The purpose of this paper is to develop a fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) model to select the maintenance policy of an acid manufacturing company.,Four maintenance strategies of Corrective Maintenance (CM), Time-Based Maintenance (TBM), Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) and Shutdown Maintenance (SM) are investigated to be considered for seven equipment of the case study. These equipment are almost new and include boiler, molten sulfur ponds, cooling towers, absorption tower, converter, sulfur fuel furnace and heat exchanger. Chang’s extended analysis has been employed to deal with fuzzy data and analyze the fuzzy decision matrices. The proposed approach is applied to a sulfuric acid production plant and the suitable maintenance policy is found for all seven equipment of the company.,Based on the obtained results, the CBM policy is appropriate for high-risk (cooling tower) and high added value equipment (absorption tower). In addition, TBM is selected for boiler and converters while SM is selected for molten sulfur ponds. Finally, high-cost, low-risk and low added value equipment (sulfur fuel furnace and heat exchanger) are more appropriate with CM policy.,This research presents a novel idea to consider cost, risk and added value in the context of maintenance policy selection. From the methodological and theoretical features, this research offers new insights in this area since, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no comparable study has been conducted before.

Assessment of lean manufacturing practices: an operational perspective

The main goal of this study was to propose a new framework to assess the operational activities of lean manufacturing (LM). Lean-related activities of supply chain drivers are less investigated in previous literature. To fill this gap, the operational activities of logistic (facility, transportation and inventory) and cross-functional (information, sourcing and pricing) drivers of supply chain were proposed in this study. These activities were then ranked using an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The proposed activities were investigated by the cycle view of supply chain. Finally, the proposed framework was translated to a survey (Appendix) to be used for assessing the leanness of manufacturing companies.

Product allocation of warehousing and cross docking: A genetic algorithm approach

In spite of the vast amount of researches on product allocation to distribution centres, allocating different products by considering different scenarios to plan the cross docking and warehouse operations is less investigated. To fill this gap, this research was conducted rationally to allocate different products to a distribution centre aligned with analysing different scenarios. The research case study was a distribution centre located in the South East of Asia supplying 19 different products (Li et al., 2008). A genetic algorithm was used to allocate different products to both cross dock and warehouse considering processing cost, demand, capacity and related constraints.

Feasibility study of industrial projects: A fuzzy AHP approach

The main objective of this research is to develop a Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) for the aim of conducting feasibility study in the electrical industries. Regardless of the numerous quantity of researches on feasibility study and related techniques, proposing an integrated approach to combine and unify critical factors of feasibility with analytic approaches is less investigated. To fill this gap, this study was conducted to develop a framework to evaluate the feasibility of industrial project aligned with addressing a FAHP to assist managers for selecting the best alternative. Particularly, 6 key indicators proper for feasibility study of industrial projects were proposed using literature survey. The validity of proposed indicators was accredited using a Nominal Group Technology (NGT). The proposed indicators were used to assist an investment company to evaluate three projects. Finally, a FAHP were used to choose the best choice with the aim of proposed indicators. Therefore, the ranking of industrial projects is the main result of this study.