Path Planning for Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) Fusing MH-RRT with Improved TEB

In this paper, an AGV path planning method fusing multiple heuristics rapidly exploring random tree (MH-RRT) with an improved two-step Timed Elastic Band (TEB) is proposed. The modified RRT integrating multiple heuristics can search a safer, optimal and faster converge global path within a short time, and the improved TEB can optimize both path smoothness and path length. The method is composed of a global path planning procedure and a local path planning procedure, and the Receding Horizon Planning (RHP) strategy is adopted to fuse these two modules. Firstly, the MH-RRT is utilized to generate a state tree structure as prior knowledge, as well as the global path. Then, a receding horizon window is established to select the local goal point. On this basis, an improved two-step TEB is designed to optimize the local path if the current global path is feasible. Various simulations both on static and dynamic environments are conducted to clarify the performance of the proposed MH-RRT and the improved two-step TEB. Furthermore, real applicative experiments verified the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Forecasting Delivery Pattern through Floating Car Data: Empirical Evidence

This paper investigates the opportunities offered by floating car data (FCD) to infer delivering activities. A discrete trip-chain order model (within the random utility theory) for light goods vehicles (laden weight less than 3.5 tons) is hence proposed, which characterizes delivery tours in terms of the number of stops/deliveries performed. Thus, the main goal of the study is to calibrate a discrete choice model to estimate the number of stops/deliveries per tour by using FCD, which can be incorporated in a planning procedure for obtaining a preliminary assessment of parking demand. The data used refer to light goods vehicles operating in the Veneto region. The database contains more than 8000 tours undertaken in 60 working days. Satisfactory results have been obtained in terms of tour estimation and model transferability.

Legal Guarantees of Public Participation in Spatial Planning and Development

Residents of self-governing communities, organized in formalized structures, often express the need to articulate their own interests and views or to have influence over the content of adopted legal solutions. They are ready to get involved in public matters and collaborate with local government units in regulating affairs that are important to a given local or regional community. Without a doubt, the issue of spatial planning and development falls under this category. The legislator obliged competent bodies to safeguard public participation in works on the study of conditions and directions of spatial development of a municipality, a local spatial development plan and a voivodship spatial development plan. The aim of this paper is to analyse the applicable legal solutions as guarantees of public participation in the planning procedure. Moreover, it provides a basis for assessing real possibilities of participation of residents of local government units in the process of passing planning acts and of real influence over their content.

Public Sector Procurement Practice: A Leadership Brainteaser in South Africa

In the application of the procurement practices, public’s confidence can be impacted by unethical public procurement practice as is predominant at the initial phase of tender planning procedure. Prices can be overestimated and outcome is that a missed prospect vis-à-vis finance for mega infrastructure projects. There are convolutions, proportions and an extraordinary bulk of financial stream as handy transactional dealings interacts in the market for goods and services. Certainly, procurement is mostly susceptible to unscrupulous procurement and nonconformity with relevant legislations. Such destructive practices prohibit government from procuring at cheaper prices. The paper will bridge ranks into the academic environment discourses with regards to accountability, institutional leadership capacity, transparency, stewardship, compliance and enforcement of legislation, good governance and corruption in research. The study seeks to scrutinise methods which gave rise to leadership brainteaser. A descriptive and content analysis qualitative research method will guide the study.

Redesign of Water Filter Workshop Using SLP

Workshop and factory design is one of the most important problems facing companies to enhance their performance and productivity. Facility layout issue is a fundamental fragment of accommodations planning which have a target of organize all manufacturing entities to be located as a facility having the objective to improve manufacturing processes for an organization. The aim of this paper is to study, evaluate and then creating an improved water filter workshop adopting Muther’s (SLP) Systematic Layout Planning Procedure for increasing production and utilizing spaces. The case study in this paper is a practical one for the existing layout in Al-Faris Company in the water filter workshop. The excited layout is studied and manufacturing processes are explored with flow investigation. Activity relationship graph is molded to develop a novel layout alternative. Analyzing by using SLP technique showed that the results for the proposed layout got 341score; while the current layout got only 281 score based on the manufacturing and facility relations. The results show that, the proposed layout is much better than the existing layout of the workshop as significant reduction in the space of material handling and workflow drive and lead to increase the unit production.

Industry influence on materiality level determination in the process of financial statements audit

Materiality levels are being used by auditors in different financial statement audit planning, procedure performance and results measurement stages. Thus, ensuring that financial statements are not significantly distorted. International standards on auditing contain extensive levels in materiality interpretation however, when determining materiality, it is underlined that auditor must be versed about audited company‘s sector and industry. The aim of the research is to analyze the industry factors which influence materiality determination levels in financial statement audit process and to establish the scheme of industry influence on materiality level determination. An article applies information collection, systematization and interpretation methods, analysis of Lithuanian and foreign scientific literature, audit regulatory legal acts. The analysis enabled to determine that industry significantly influence both planning and performance materiality also the allocation of the latter for accounting articles. The influence is determined by qualitative and quantitative industry factors. Theoretical model of industry influence on materiality determination is submitted in the framework below.

Model-driven decision support to facilitate efficient fresh food deliveries

SummaryThe delivery of fresh food is challenged by various uncertainties present in daily logistics operations. To facilitate successful operations, this work reviews the recent work on model-driven decision support systems to identify research gaps and derive implications. Introduced systems in literature mainly employ simulation or optimization methods and focus on the consideration of industry specifics such as short shelf lives and the importance of efficient temperature control. Therefore, food quality models are often integrated to enable one to monitor quality throughout supply chain operations and adjust planning procedure respectively. To strengthen research, future work focusing on a stronger consideration of customer-related factors and holistic approaches considering various interdependencies present in fresh food logistics operations are required.