A warehouse-based design model for reverse logistics

In this paper, an MILP formulation is proposed for the design of a reverse logistics network based on a warehouse location–allocation model, which optimizes, simultaneously, the forward and reverse networks. A single product model with unlimited capacity is first defined. Subsequently, the model is extended to a multi-product capacitated recovery network model, where capacity limitations and a multi-product system can be considered. The proposed model is compared to published work in the field, where different model assumptions have been proposed. Two cases are described so as to gain a better insight into the model and allow a comparative analysis.     

Addendum to "On the L1-Condition Number of the Univariate Bernstein Basis"

The paper mentioned above is a contribution of the authors to Volume 18 (2002) of this journal, see . Recently, J. Domsta pointed out to us that the proof of Theorem 4.2 in that paper contains an error. The purpose of this addendum is to present a correct argument for it.     

Stability testing in an integrated scheme

ISO Guide 35 deals with RM stability issues and scrutinizes the evaluation of stability testing results under the assumption that either there is no trend at all (a rather rare situation), or any observed deterministic change is insignificant and thus can be neglected. However, market demands for reliable reference materials are obviously not limited to stable or at least seemingly stable materials. In many analytical applications, analytes and measurands under consideration are known, or at least suspected, to be unstable on time scales that may vary widely from measurand to measurand. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has developed (and successfully uses) an integrated approach in its certification practice. The approach is based on an initial stability study and subsequent post-certification monitoring. Data evaluation is model-based and takes advantage of all information collected in the stability testing scheme(s). It thus allows one to deal with any kind of instability observed, to assess limiting time intervals at any stress condition in the range tested, to estimate a final expiry date for materials with detected instabilities or the maximum admissible re-testing interval for seemingly stable materials, and to assess maximum admissible stress loads during delivery of the material to the customer. The article describes (and exemplifies) typical study layout, the model selection, and the integrated data assessment.     

Electrochemical Recovery of Silver from Lead Alloys in Chloride Melts

Electrochemical separation of lead-silver alloys into the constituents by thin-layer electrolysis in molten electrolytes, with bismuth as metal separator, is studied. It is proposed to determine the extent of component recovery by potentiometry.     

BoneRoute: An Adaptive Memory-Based Method for Effective Fleet Management

This paper presents an adaptive memory-based method for solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP), called BoneRoute. The CVRP deals with the problem of finding the optimal sequence of deliveries conducted by a fleet of homogeneous vehicles, based at one depot, to serve a set of customers. The computational performance of the BoneRoute was found to be very efficient, producing high quality solutions over two sets of well known case studies examined.     

Quadratic data envelopment analysis

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) offers a piece-wise linear approximation of the production frontier. The approximation tends to be poor if the true frontier is not concave, eg in case of economies of scale or of specialisation. To improve the flexibility of the DEA frontier and to gain in empirical fit, we propose to extend DEA towards a more general piece-wise quadratic approximation, called Quadratic Data Envelopment Analysis (QDEA). We show that QDEA gives statistically consistent estimates for all production frontiers with bounded Hessian eigenvalues. Our Monte-Carlo simulations suggest that QDEA can substantially improve efficiency estimation in finite samples relative to standard DEA models.     

VIBRATION OF TWISTED AND CURVED CYLINDRICAL PANELS WITH VARIABLE THICKNESS

A numerical procedure, with an exact strain-displacement relationship of twisted and curved cylindrical panels having variable thickness derived by considering the Green strain tensor on general shell theory, is presented using the principle of virtual work and the Rayleigh-Ritz method with algebraic polynomials as in-plane and transverse displacement functions. The accuracy and applicability of the procedure are verified by comparing the present results with previous experimental and theoretical results for several panels. The effects of variation ratio of thickness in chordwise and lengthwise directions, twist, and curvature both in two directions aforementioned on vibrations of cylindrical panels are studied in detail, and typical vibration mode shapes are plotted to demonstrate the effects.     

Effective dimensionality approach to the RKKY interaction in multilayer systems

We consider RKKY interaction in a quasi 2D system with nonparabolic dispersion. In our paper we calculate the RKKY range function assuming the in-layer confinement via effective dimensionality approach. We show, that indirect magnetic exchange in our system can be modelled by the effective spectral dimension which equals one.     

Simulation of a High Harmonic Gyrotron with Axis-Encircling Electron Beam and Permanent Magnet

A computer code for simulation of beam-field interaction in a resonant cavity of a gyrotron has been developed. It is based on a self-consistent, time-independent, single-mode physical model. The code has been applied to the analysis of the electrodynamical system of a novel high-harmonic gyrotron with axis-encircling beam and a permanent magnet. In this paper both the physical model and numerical techniques used are outlined. Some results of the numerical experiments are presented and discussed.