Optimal structural design of a planar parallel platform for machining

Parallel manipulators have many advantages over traditional serial manipulators. These advantages include high accuracy, high stiffness and high load-to-weight ratio, which make parallel manipulators ideal for machining operations where high accuracy is required to meet the requirements that modern standards demand.Recently, the finite element method has been used by some workers to determine the stiffness of spatial manipulators. These models are mainly used to verify stiffness predicted using kinematic equations, and are restricted to relatively simple truss-like models. In this study, state-of-the-art finite elements are used to determine the out of plane stiffness for parallel manipulators. Euler–Bernoulli beam elements and flat shell elements with drilling degrees of freedom are used to model the platform assembly.The main objective of this study is to quantify the stiffness, particularly the out of plane stiffness, of a planar parallel platform to be used for machining operations. The aim is to obtain a design that is able to carry out machining operations to an accuracy of 10 μm for a given tool force.Reducing the weight of a parallel manipulator used in machining applications has many advantages, e.g. increased maneuverability, resulting in faster material removal rates. Therefore the resulting proposed design is optimized with respect to weight, subject to displacement and stress constraints to ensure feasible stiffness and structural integrity. The optimization is carried out by means of two gradient-based methods, namely LFOPC and Dynamic-Q.     

A scenario decomposition approach for stochastic production planning in sawmills

This study considers a real world stochastic multi-period, multi-product production planning problem. Motivated by the challenges encountered in sawmill production planning, the proposed model takes into account two important aspects: (i) randomness in yield and in demand; and (ii) set-up constraints. Rather than considering a single source of randomness, or ignoring set-up constraints as is typically the case in the literature, we retain all these characteristics while addressing real life-size instances of the problem. Uncertainties are modelled by a scenario tree in a multi-stage environment. In the case study, the resulting large-scale multi-stage stochastic mixed-integer model cannot be solved by using the mixed-integer solver of a commercial optimization package, such as CPLEX. Moreover, as the production planning model under discussion is a mixed-integer programming model lacking any special structure, the development of decomposition and cutting plane algorithms to obtain good solutions in a reasonable time-frame is not straightforward. We develop a scenario decomposition approach based on the progressive hedging algorithm, which iteratively solves the scenarios separately. CPLEX is then used for solving the sub-problems generated for each scenario. The proposed approach attempts to gradually steer the solutions of the sub-problems towards an implementable solution by adding some penalty terms in the objective function used when solving each scenario. Computational experiments for a real-world large-scale sawmill production planning model show the effectiveness of the proposed solution approach in finding good approximate solutions.     

联合订货下基于ø-散度的多产品库存鲁棒优化模型

针对多产品联合库存决策问题,在市场需求不确定条件下,建立了考虑联合订货成本的多产品库存鲁棒优化模型。针对不确定市场需求,采用一系列未知概率的离散情景进行描述,给出了基于最小最大准则的鲁棒对应模型,并证明了(s,S)库存策略的最优性。进一步,在仅知多产品市场需求历史数据基础上,采用基于ø-散度的数据驱动方法构建了满足一定置信度要求的关于未知需求概率分布的不确定集。在此基础上,为获得(s,S)库存策略的相关参数,运用拉格朗日对偶方法将所建模型等价转化为易于求解的数学规划问题。最后,通过数值计算分析了Kullback-Leibler散度和Cressie-Read散度以及不同的置信水平下的多产品库存绩效,并将其与真实分布下应用鲁棒库存策略得到的库存绩效进行对比。结果表明,需求分布信息的缺失虽然会导致一定的库存绩效损失,但损失值很小,表明基于文中方法得到的库存策略能够有效抑制需求不确定性扰动,具有良好的鲁棒性。     

Estimates for Errors in Two-Dimensional Models of Elasticity Theory

Explicit (computable) estimates for errors in some simplified two-dimensional models of the theory of elastic body are obtained. Such models are usually used if one of the characteristic sizes of a domain is significantly less than two others. In particular, the model of plane stresses is considered. To obtain estimates for the deviation of reduced solutions from exact solutions, the direct and dual variational problems are considered and the duality methods are used. Bibliography: 9 titles.     

An economic production quantity inventory model involving fuzzy demand rate and fuzzy deterioration rate

Generally, in deriving the solution of economic production quantity (EPQ) inventory model, we consider the demand rate and deterioration rate as constant quantity. But in case of real life problems, the demand rate and deterioration rate are not actually constant but slightly disturbed from their original crisp value. The motivation of this paper is to consider a more realistic EPQ inventory model with finite production rate, fuzzy demand rate and fuzzy deterioration rate. The effect of the loss in production quantity due to faulty/old machine have also been taken into consideration. The methodology to obtain the optimum value of the fuzzy total cost is derived and a numerical example is used to illustrate the computation procedure. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out to get the sensitiveness of the tolarance of different input parameters.     

An Economic Production Quantity Model for Defective Items with Trapezoidal type Demand Rate

In this paper, we study the inventory model for defective items with trapezoidal type demand rate. This paper develops a model to determine the optimal product reliability and production rate that achieves the biggest total integrated profit for an imperfect manufacturing process and necessary and sufficient conditions for optimality of the dynamic variables are given. The Euler–Lagrange method is used to obtain optimal solutions for product reliability parameter and dynamic production rate. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed model. Suggestions for further research are provided.     

Logistics distribution network design with two commodity categories

In this paper, we study the design of a logistics distribution network consisting of a supplier, a set of potential warehouses, and a set of retailers. There are commodities from two product categories, that is, category A and category B, flowing across the network. The demand for commodities in product category A is stable. The demand for commodities in product category B is highly uncertain. We show that the network design problem to distribute the commodities in both product categories can be formulated as the uncapacitated facility location problem with monotone submodular costs and tackled using a cutting plane algorithm. We propose a strongly polynomial time algorithm for the nonlinear discrete optimization problem, which must be solved in each iteration of the cutting plane algorithm. We also provide the computational results, and summarize the insights based on the proposed model and the solution algorithm.     

随机需求下多供应商和多零售商的生产-库存-运输联合优化模型

考虑随机需求下多供应商和多零售商的生产-库存-运输联合优化问题.在联合优化时,首先利用最近邻算法将各零售商分成不同区域,分区后问题转化为随机需求下单供应商对多零售商的生产-库存-运输联合优化问题.在每个分区内,由供应商统一决策其分区内各零售商的送货量和送货时间.利用粒子群算法和模拟退火算法相结合的两阶段算法求出最优送货量、最优运输路径和最大期望总利润.然后采用收入共享契约将增加的利润合理分配给各供应商和各零售商,使各方利润都得到增加,从而促使各方愿意合作.通过数值算例验证了联合优化模型优于独立决策模型.     

The multiple location of transfer points

In this paper, we investigate the location of several transfer points to serve as collector points for customers who need the services of a facility. For example, demand for emergency services by patients is generated at a set of demand points that need the services of a central facility (such as a hospital). Patients are transferred to a helicopter pad (transfer point) at normal speed, and from there they are transferred to the facility at increased speed. The general model involves the location of multiple transfer points and one facility. Locating one transfer point when the set of demand points and the location of the facility are known was investigated in a previous paper by the authors. In this paper, we apply the results of that paper to solve the problem when the location of the facility is known. Both minisum and minimax versions of the models are investigated both in the plane and on the network.     

Solution for Eshelby’s elliptic inclusion with polynomials distribution of the eigenstrains in plane elasticity

This paper provides a closed form solution for the Eshelby’s elliptic inclusion in plane elasticity with the polynomials distribution of the eigenstrains. The complex variable method and the conformal mapping technique are used. The continuity conditions for the traction and displacement along the interface in the physical plane are reduced to a similar condition along the unit circle of the mapping plane. From those continuity conditions, we can obtain two sets of the complex potentials for the region outside of the unit circle and for the ring region, respectively. Further, we can obtain the complex potentials in the physical plane, or z-plane (z = x + iy). The mapping function maps the ring region in the mapping plane into a finite elliptic region with a crack on the real axis in the physical plane. An exact form for the complex potentials defined in the ring region is studied and proposed. In addition, the stress distribution on the inclusion is evaluated. Those results are first obtained in the paper.     

Locating a minisum annulus: a new partial coverage distance model

The problem is to find the best location in the plane of a minisum annulus with fixed width using a partial coverage distance model. Using the concept of partial coverage distance, those demand points within the area of the annulus are served at no cost, while for ‘uncovered’ demand points there will be additional costs proportional to their distances to the annulus. The objective of the problem is to locate the annulus such that the sum of distances from the uncovered demand points to the annulus (covering area) is minimized. The distance is measured by the Euclidean norm. We discuss the case where the radius of the inner circle of the annulus is variable, and prove that at least two demand points must be on the boundary of any optimal annulus. An algorithm to solve the problem is derived based on this result.     

基于选址效益的联合覆盖模型研究

传统的覆盖模型含有“全有全无”和“单一覆盖”两个假设,即假设需求点在设施的服务半径内才被覆盖,否则不被覆盖;需求点只能被最近的设施覆盖。这两条假设在实际应用中均存在不合理之处。松弛了这两条假设,研究逐渐覆盖和联合覆盖。在保证每个需求点都享受到最低服务水平的情况下,提出了选址效益最大化的联合覆盖模型。由于目标函数中含有分式,通过引入辅助变量的方法,将含有分式目标函数的非线性规划转化成等价的线性规划。最后,通过数值算例分析了最低服务水平限制对最佳选址方案的影响,并得到选址成本、总服务水平和单位成本服务水平随最低服务水平限制的变化,同时对影响模型的重要参数做了敏感性分析。     

(s, S) Inventory systems with lost sales and Markov renewal demands

In the study of stochastic inventory systems it is generally assumed that the demand epochs are renewable in nature. The present paper deals with a single-item (s, S) inventory model with a finite number of different types of demands, in which the demand epochs form a Markov renewal process. The lead times are exponentially distributed and the demands that occur during stockout periods are not backordered. For this model the transient and limiting inventory level distributions are computed. Also the theory of point processes is used to obtain the mean reorder and shortage rates and their limiting values. For the special case of renewal demands, the problem of minimizing the long-run expected cost rate is analysed.     

Non-cooperative competition among revenue maximizing service providers with demand learning

This paper recognizes that in many decision environments in which revenue optimization is attempted, an actual demand curve and its parameters are generally unobservable. Herein, we describe the dynamics of demand as a continuous time differential equation based on an evolutionary game theory perspective. We then observe realized sales data to obtain estimates of parameters that govern the evolution of demand; these are refined on a discrete time scale. The resulting model takes the form of a differential variational inequality. We present an algorithm based on a gap function for the differential variational inequality and report its numerical performance for an example revenue optimization problem.     

Asymptotic Solutions of the Field-Noyes Model for the Belousov Reaction—II. Plane Waves

The spatially homogeneous limit cycle solutions found by Stanshine and Howard [7] for the Field-Noyes model of the Belousov reaction are used to obtain plane wave solutions for the related reaction-diffusion equations. Perturbation techniques are implemented first to find long wavelength waves and then successively to find shorter wavelength waves. Plane wave solutions are then shown to exist for sufficiently short wavelengths for parametric values which are physically plausible but for which spatially homogeneous oscillations do not (apparently) exist.     

Enumeration of coloured plane trees with a given type partition

Tutte's result for the number of planted plane trees with a given degree partition is rederived by a variety of methods and in particular by a simple piecewise construction technique. A theorem of Gordon and Temple is applied in order to give a general relationship between the number of planted plane trees and the number of rooted plane trees and the degree partition restriction is generalised to type partition. The piecewise construction method is successfully used to derive the number of planted plane trees with a given 2-colour degree partition, also derived by Tutte, and an algorithm for the k-coloured case is developed. This algorithm may be used to obtain more specific results. These models are relevant to the statistical mechanics of polymers and this is discussed briefly.     

A multi-class multi-level capacitated lot sizing model

When demand loading is higher than available capacity, it takes a great deal of effort for a traditional MRP system to obtain a capacity-feasible production plan. Also, the separation of lot sizing decisions and capacity requirement planning makes the setup decisions more difficult. In a practical application, a production planning system should prioritize demands when allocating manufacturing resources. This study proposes a planning model that integrates all MRP computation modules. The model not only includes multi-level capacitated lot sizing problems but also considers multiple demand classes. Each demand class corresponds to a mixed integer programming (MIP) problem. By sequentially solving the MIP problems according to their demand class priorities, this proposed approach allocates finite manufacturing resources and generates feasible production plans. In this paper we experiment with three heuristic search algorithms: (1) tabu search; (2) simulated annealing, and (3) genetic algorithm, to solve the MIP problems. Experimental designs and statistical methods are used to evaluate and analyse the performance of these three algorithms. The results show that tabu search and simulated annealing perform best in the confirmed order demand class and forecast demand class, respectively.     

On the structure of the solution set for the single facility location problem with average distances

This paper analyzes continuous single facility location problems where the demand is randomly defined by a given probability distribution. For these types of problems that deal with the minimization of average distances, we obtain geometrical characterizations of the entire set of optimal solutions. For the important case of total polyhedrality on the plane we derive efficient algorithms with polynomially bounded complexity. We also develop a discretization scheme that provides ${\varepsilon}$ -approximate solutions of the original problem by solving simpler location problems with points as demand facilities.     

An inventory model: What is the influence of the shape of the lead time demand distribution?

In this paper the influence of the shape of the lead time demand distribution is studied for a specific inventory model which is described in a preceding paper by Heuts and van Lieshout [4]. This continuous review inventory model uses as lead time demand distribution a Schmeiser-Deutsch distribution (S-D distribution) [9]. In a previous paper [4] an algorithm was given to solve the decision problem.In the literature attention is given to the following problem: what information on the demand during the lead time is necessary and sufficient to obtain good decisions. Using a (s, S) policy; Naddor [8] concluded that thespecific form of the lead time demand distribution is negligible, and that only its first two moments are essential. For a simple (s, q) control system Fortuin [3] comes to the same conclusion. Both authors analysed the case with known lead times and with given demand distributions from the class of two parameter distributions. So in fact their results are obvious, as the lead time demand distributions resulting from their suppositions are all nearly symmetric. We shall demonstrate that the skewness of the lead time demand distribution in our inventory model is also an important measure, which should be taken into account, as the cost differences with regard to the case where this skewness measure is not used, can be considerable.