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Integration of expert system with analytic hierarchy process for the design of material handling equipment selection system

Abstract A key task in the material handling system design process is the selection and configuration of equipment for material transport and storage in a facility. Material handling equipment selection is a complex, tedious task, and there are few tools other than checklists to assist engineers in the selection of appropriate, cost-effective material handling equipment. This paper describes the development of an intelligent material handling equipment selection system called material handling equipment selection advisor (MHESA). The MHESA is composed of three modules: (1) a database to store equipment types with their specifications; (2) a knowledge-based expert system for assisting material handling equipment selection; and (3) an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model to choose the most favorable equipment type. The concept proposed in this paper can automate the design of a material handling equipment selection system, and provides artificial intelligence in the decision-making process.

A decision support system for supplier selection in the airline industry

Abstract Supplier selection has increasingly been regarded as one of the most important strategies in the globalization era. While many companies require different resources from the supply market, airline companies require supplies of parts and repair and maintenance services. The suppliers of these products and services are regarded as critical for the industry. With the multidimensional nature of the problem, supplier selection involves both tangible and intangible selection criteria. This paper presents a case study on solving the supplier selection problem in the airline industry through a decision support system that employs the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The system was implemented with the aid of the commercial software package Expert Choice. The significance of the study is to provide a new platform for airline companies in selecting suppliers on the basis of the proposed decision support system, which was tested with a Hong Kong-based airline company during the course of development. In addition, the model highlights the areas of most concern to airline companies in supplier selection. Unlike many similar studies, sensitivity analysis has been performed in order to improve the robustness of the results, and to understand the importance of different criteria with respect to the selected decision.

Investment appraisal techniques for advanced manufacturing technology (AMT): a literature review

This paper presents an overview and guidance for manufacturing companies which are preparing to invest in advanced manufacturing technology (AMT). The purpose of this paper is to explain the reasons why the company may encounter problems while adopting AMT, and to look at the many suggestions offered by the relevant literature for improving the performance of evaluation in AMT investment. According to the four major steps in adopting AMT (i.e. strategic planning, justification, training and installation, and routinization and implementation), the research work here aims to assist managers or investors to recognize problems at each step, thus offering appropriate ways to avoid and/or solve those problems. It is believed that improved justification methods will encourage more firms to invest in AMT and to realize the benefits these investments can offer.

Analysis of dynamic dispatching rules for a flexible manufacturing system

Abstract This paper presents a simulation model of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) which subjects to minimization three performance criteria simultaneously such as mean flow time, mean tardiness, and mean earliness. The dispatching rule will be changed at a frequency that is varied by the number of outputs produced by the system. Therefore, the dynamic nature is event-triggered rather than changing the rule at a regular time interval, which is passive. Three indexes are calculated to represent the three criteria under monitoring and the indexes are ranked in descending order: the greater the index, the worse is the situation of the criterion in the system. Thus, an appropriate rule will be selected for the next operation in order to tackle that criterion with the largest index. This mechanism is so called pre-emptive method. Furthermore, the indexes can be biased so that particular criterion can have a greater weighting as set by the decision-maker. Results show that a solution (range of frequency) can always be determined to change the dispatching rule so that the system is better than just using fixed FMS scheduling rule.

A simulation approach in supply chain management

Evaluates a simulation approach to measuring supply chain performance which incorporates order release theory. Within manufacturing a number of order release mechanisms have been developed. The importance of order release is first examined and its applicability to monitoring the performance of the supply chain is proposed. A simulation model of a typical, single channel logistics network was developed. Using the simulation model, each of the order release mechanisms was assessed and close agreement was obtained with the work of previous researchers. A new order release approach is proposed which is found to be superior to those analysed previously and should lead to improved supply chain performance.

An intelligent internet information delivery system to evaluate site preferences

Abstract Due to the continual growth of the popularity of the Internet, commercial as well as industrial companies have been advertising their products and services via the Web, resulting in a drastic increase in the number of Web sites. With a huge amount of information available on various Web sites, it is important that the relevant and useful information favored by individual visitors is delivered to the destinations in a timely manner. The two traditional approaches for sorting web information including search engines and hierarchical indices require specific input by the visitors who may not have any specific favorite sites in mind. In most cases, site surfers are just “window-shopping” on the Internet, looking for “exciting” things. This paper proposes the development of an Intelligent Internet Information Delivery System (IIIDS) which is characterized by its machine learning capability based on the data of site spots “movements” by the users within the Web pages and then evaluates the site preferences of the relevant users by means of fuzzy logic principle. The development of IIIDS and the test of a prototype to evaluate its feasibility are covered in this paper.

Design and development of a flexible workflow supply chain system

This paper attempts to suggest a methodology for the design and development of a flexible workflow supply chain (FWSC) system for achieving flexibility to cope with unexpected changes. In particular, a multi-agent approach, which provides the capability to meet the requirement of a FWSC system, is proposed. Such a system is characterized by its capability to cope with the increasing complexity setting of organizations and markets, providing effective information exchange between business partners. The methodology for the design and development of a workflow agent is also covered in this paper. This paper is concerned with the suggestion of a multi-agent methodology, which is able to enhance the effectiveness in terms of the information flow in a supply chain, thereby providing more alternatives and ideas for those researchers who are interested in this field of study.