scholarly journals Optimization of a Kitting Line: A Case Study

Robotics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Comand ◽  
Riccardo Minto ◽  
Giovanni Boschetti ◽  
Maurizio Faccio ◽  
Giulio Rosati

Assembly kitting lines typically deal with components that present different quantities in the final kit. Re-configurable feeders are not advisable for low quantity components since this solution leads to high inefficiency, due to the time required for retooling and for the feeding rate unbalance between the components. On the other hand a fully flexible feeder can increase the flexibility of the system at the cost of reducing the throughput. An assembly kitting problem was therefore addressed in different ways for low quantity components and high quantity components, studying the two different subsystems that compose a hybrid flexible assembly system. To optimize the re-configurable feeders, which supply the high quantity components, the opening sequence of a system composed by several hoppers was analyzed. We propose a solution which replaces the weighing device with a vision inspection system, showing its impact on the productivity of the line. A model coded into a Matlab script was developed to perform the optimization of the system and understand its behavior. Furthermore a fully flexible assembly system was developed in the laboratory in order to test the kitting of the low quantity components with the proposed subsystem. Finally the Overall Equipment Effectiveness of the line was calculated to evaluate the possible improvements obtained by the proposed solution.

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastjan Škerlič ◽  
Robert Muha

Participating in the automotive industry brings new responsibilities for suppliers who, in order to meet customer demands, must strive towards improving business processes, while at the same time reducing costs. These demands can disrupt the operations of companies that do not have a system for controlling logistics costs. On the other hand, customer demands can be the cause of other types of disruptions in companies that have such a system in place, stemming from an excessive focus on cost reduction. To tackle this problem, a survey was conducted on a sample of 30 Slovenian companies that operate as suppliers in the automotive industry. Its objective was to determine how different customer demands along the supply chain can affect the business processes of suppliers and the level of logistics costs. The survey revealed that companies that use a system for controlling logistics costs experience fewer disruptions in their business processes in their efforts to satisfy customer demands. These companies also display a higher level of integration of business processes and use a different approach when dealing with the various participants of the supply chain. The survey also sets clear participation guidelines for suppliers in the supply chain of the automotive industry and points out how companies can benefit from using a system for controlling logistics costs in other ways, aside from the cost controlling aspect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Aruga

In this study, two operational methodologies to extract thinned woods were investigated in the Nasunogahara area, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Methodology one included manual extraction and light truck transportation. Methodology two included mini-forwarder forwarding and four-ton truck transportation. Furthermore, a newly introduced chipper was investigated. As a result, costs of manual extractions within 10 m and 20 m were JPY942/m3 and JPY1040/m3, respectively. On the other hand, the forwarding cost of the mini-forwarder was JPY499/m3, which was significantly lower than the cost of manual extractions. Transportation costs with light trucks and four-ton trucks were JPY7224/m3 and JPY1298/m3, respectively, with 28 km transportation distances. Chipping operation costs were JPY1036/m3 and JPY1160/m3 with three and two persons, respectively. Finally, the total costs of methodologies one and two from extraction within 20 m to chipping were estimated as JPY9300/m3 and JPY2833/m3, respectively, with 28 km transportation distances and three-person chipping operations (EUR1 = JPY126, as of 12 August 2020).


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-377
Author(s):  
Adel Saadi ◽  
Ramdane Maamri ◽  
Zaidi Sahnoun

The Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) model is a popular approach to design flexible agents. The key ingredient of BDI model, that contributed to concretize behavioral flexibility, is the inclusion of the practical reasoning. On the other hand, researchers signaled some missing flexibility’s ingredient, in BDI model, essentially the lack of learning. Therefore, an extensive research was conducted in order to extend BDI agents with learning. Although this latter body of research is important, the key contribution of BDI model, i.e., practical reasoning, did not receive a sufficient attention. For instance, for performance reasons, some of the concepts included in the BDI model are neglected by BDI architectures. Neglecting these concepts was criticized by some researchers, as the ability of the agent to reason will be limited, which eventually leads to a more or less flexible reasoning, depending on the concepts explicitly included. The current paper aims to stimulate the researchers to re-explore the concretization of practical reasoning in BDI architectures. Concretely, this paper aims to stimulate a critical review of BDI architectures regarding the flexibility, inherent from the practical reasoning, in the context of single agents, situated in an environment which is not associated with uncertainty. Based on this review, we sketch a new orientation and some suggested improvements for the design of BDI agents. Finally, a simple experiment on a specific case study is carried out to evaluate some suggested improvements, namely the contribution of the agent’s “well-informedness” in the enhancement of the behavioral flexibility.


Author(s):  
James Brassett

The chapter engages the outpouring of Brexit comedy as an important case study of the politics of humor. On one hand, the literature on comedy and politics has identified the subversive potential of jokes as a form of everyday resistance. On the other hand, sociological approaches have emphasized the role of stereotype and humiliation in jokes as part of a disciplinary function of humor. Building on these insights, the chapter reads prominent debates within comedy about Brexit as a vernacular form of politics. Jokes and satire perform and reperform discourses of identity. The chapter argues we should rephrase “Brexit comedy” or “the comedy of Brexit” as a socially consequential practice that teases at the (changing) social and political consensus.


Traditio ◽  
1948 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 161-185
Author(s):  
Kurt Lewent

Cerveri was decidedly no poetical genius, and often enough he follows the trodden paths of troubadour poetry. However, there is no denying that again and again he tries to escape that poetical routine. In many cases these attempts result in odd and eccentric compositions, where the unusual is reached at the cost of good taste and poetical values. On the other hand, it must be admitted that Cerveri's efforts in this respect were not always futile. His is, e.g. an amusing satire upon bad women. One of his love songs, characteristically called libel by the MS (Sg), assumes the form of a complaint submitted to the king as the supreme earthly judge, in which the defendant is the lady whose charms torture the lover and have made him a prisoner. This poem combines the traditional praise of the beloved and a flattery addressed to the king. Its slightly humoristic tone is also found in a song entitled lo vers del vassayll leyal. Here Cerveri, basing himself on a certain legend connected with St. Mark, gives the king advice in his love affair. Again the poet kills two birds with one stone, flattering the sovereign and pointing, for obvious purposes, to his own poverty. The latter is the only topic of a remarkably personal poem in which the author complains bitterly that, while many of his playmates have become rich in later years, the only wealth he himself did amass were the chans gays and sonetz agradans which he composed for other people to enjoy. Cerveri even tries to renew the traditional genre of the chanson de la mal mariée by adding motifs of—presumably—his own invention. This tendency towards a more independent way of thinking and greater originality in its poetical presentation could not be better illustrated than by the two poems which the MS calls Lo vers de la terra de Preste Johan and Pistola The one puts the poet's moral argumentation against the background of the medieval legend of Prester John, the other, which forms the subject of the present study, sets its teachings in a still more solemn framework, the liturgy of the Mass.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-58
Author(s):  
Chotibul Umam ◽  
Dita Sukawati ◽  
Fadilla Oktaviana

In this research, the writer was aimed to find out the types of code switching that used by English teacher based on gender inequality and the reasons of using code switching that used by English teacher based on gender inequality. The writer was conducted case study in qualitative method. In collecting the data, the writer used observation by using video recording and interview. The result of the research shows that the writer found three types from each teacher based on gender inequality by observation. The types are inter-sentential, intra-sentential and tag switching. In the other hand, each types that used by English teacher based on gender inequality was made in number percentages, for female English teacher are inter sentential code switching 54%, intra sentential code switching 38% and tag switching 8%. Moreover, for male English teacher are inter sentential code switching 42%, intra sentential code switching 41% and tag switching 18%. In the other words, interview was used to find out the reasons that used by English teacher based on gender inequality. The reasons are talking about particular topic, repetition, Interjection and Raising status.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Tkáč ◽  
Radoslav Delina ◽  
Martina Sabolová

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this paper is to identify and determine reasons why construction companies reject some of the request for proposals (RFPS) suitable for them. <br /><strong>Methodology/Approach:</strong> The research has several parts. Within the first part the list of reasons which lead to rejection of RFPS and thus potential client are identified. Then the comparison of differences between groups of rejected RFPS with different configuration is made. The last part of research use Pareto analysis to determine most obvious and most costly reasons of rejection of RFPS. <br /><strong>Findings:</strong> The paper identifies 12 reasons, why construction companies decline to prepare proposal for their potential clients. It also doesn’t confirm that configuration of RFPS has significant impact on the rejection of RFPS. Moreover the results on the other hand showed that insufficient trust represent the main barrier which influences the rejection of RFPS in selected company.<br /><strong>Research Limitation/implication:</strong> The main limitation of the research is that it is based on single case study. Although, the quantitative results have to be generalised very carefully, on the other hand paper provide list of the possible reasons why construction companies decline to compete for an offer. <br /><strong>Originality/Value of paper:</strong> The paper provides unique perspective because apart from traditional attitude, where only the submitted RFPS are evaluated, this paper analyses rejected RFPS and tries to identify and determine reasons why construction companies decide not to prepare proposal and thus reduce the possibility to acquire new contract.</p>


2020 ◽  
pp. 143-152
Author(s):  
Adil Zamil Manshad Al-Saidi

The integration between art and science is required for the student in the department of architecture. This paper concentrates on the importance of integration between artistic skills and scientific abilities for the student to achieve high quality level of learning in the department of architecture in Iraq. It analyses the criteria of the architectural education and the educational method used. It demonstrates the integration relationship between art, science and architecture. It follows a descriptive analyses methodology to investigate the skills and abilities required for the student to cope with the criteria of architectural education. It conducted a case study on students in the department of architecture in Iraq to explore the impact of having these skills and abilities on the student’s progression. It explains why a few students only graduate with high grades. The results obtained showed that the integration between artistic skills and scientific abilities is very important for the students. On the other hand, developing the artistic skills is harder than developing the scientific abilities in architectural education.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (08) ◽  
pp. 1141-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARTIN KUTRIB ◽  
ANDREAS MALCHER ◽  
MATTHIAS WENDLANDT

Stateless variants of deterministic one-way multi-head finite automata with pebbles, that is, automata where the heads can drop, sense, and pick up pebbles, are studied. The relation between heads and pebbles is investigated, and a proper double hierarchy concerning these two resources is obtained. Moreover, it is shown that a conversion of an arbitrary automaton to a stateless automaton can always be achieved at the cost of additional heads and/or pebbles. On the other hand, there are languages where one head cannot be traded for any number of additional pebbles and vice versa. Finally, the emptiness problem and related problems are shown to be undecidable even for the ‘simplest’ model, namely, for stateless one-way finite automata with two heads and one pebble.


completed machine would almost certainly be less than half that of a completed machine of the same kind. How s1(3) operates has been the subject of a detailed and critical analysis by Robert Goff J in the case of BP Exploration Co Ltd v Hunt (No 2), the defendant was granted a concession to explore for oil in Libya. He did not have the physical resources to carry out the exploration himself, so he sold a half share in the concession to BP, on condition that they would bear the initial cost of exploration. Accordingly, under this arrangement, BP’s expenses at the outset were likely to be very substantial, but on the assumption that oil was discovered, that expenditure would be recouped as oil continued to come on stream. The nature of the contract was that should oil not be discovered, the risk would be borne by BP, but, on the assumption that oil was discovered, BP’s expenses would be paid for out of the defendant’s receipts. Oil was discovered in 1967, but in 1971, the Libyan Government expropriated BP’s share of the concession and, in 1973, the defendant’s share was also expropriated. Accordingly, BP had received some payment, but this went only so far as to cover two-thirds of their initial expenditure. On the other hand, since the defendant had no expenses, all moneys received by him amounted to profit once the concession had been paid for. Goff J adopted a two stage approach to s1(3), stating that it was necessary first to identify and value what benefit had been conferred on the defendant, since on the wording of s1(3), this set a ceiling on the amount which could be awarded by way of a just sum. Secondly, it was necessary to award a just sum, taking account of the value of the benefit conferred and the cost to the performer of the work he had done prior to the frustrating event. For these purposes, the benefit to the defendant will be assessed by reference to the end product of the service provided by the other party: BP Exploration Co Ltd v Hunt (No 2) [1979] 1 WLR 783, p 799

1995 ◽  
pp. 388-392

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