Scheduling Parts in a Combined Production-transportation Work Cell

This paper is concerned with a combined production-transportation scheduling problem. The problem comprises a simple, two-machine, automated manufacturing cell, which either stands alone or is a subunit of a complete flexible manufacturing system. The cell consists of two machines in series with a dedicated part-handling device such as a crane or robotic arm for transferring parts from the first machine to the second. The loading of a new piece on the first machine and the ejection of a finished piece from the second machine are performed by dedicated automated mechanisms. The introduction of parts into the system is done n at a time, whereby the parts are reshuffled into a sequence that minimizes completion time. All processing and transfer times are considered deterministic—a reasonable assumption for a cell comprising a robotic transfer device and two CNC machining units. What complicates the problem is the assumption of a non-negligible time for the transfer device to return (empty) from the second machine to the first. The operation is a generalization of a two-machine flowshop problem, and is formulated as a specially structured, asymmetric travelling salesman problem. An approximate polynomial time 0(n log n) algorithm is proffered. The procedure incorporates a lower bound using the Gilmore–Gomory algorithm for the no-wait, two-machine flowshop problem.     

Encapsulating bis(beta-ketoiminato) polyethers. Volatile, fluorine-free barium precursors for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

The synthesis, characterization, and incorporation in volatile metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) precursors of a new class of linked beta-ketoiminate-polyether-beta-ketoiminate ligands is presented. These ligands are designed to encapsulate alkaline-earth cations having low charges and large ionic radii. Barium complexes having the general formula Ba[(RCOCHC(R')N)2(R")] (R = tert-butyl or CF3; R' = tert-butyl, methyl, or CF3; R" = -(CH2CH2O)4CH2CH2- or -(CH2CH2O)5CH2CH2)-) were prepared and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 2,2,5,25,28,28-hexamethyl-9,12,15,18,21-pentaoxa-4,25-diene-6,24- diimino-3,27-pentacosadionatobarium(II) reveals a monomeric, nine-coordinate, tricapped trigonal prismatic coordination geometry. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of 1,1,1,24,24,24-hexafluoro-4,21-ditrifluoromethyl-8,11,14,17- tetraoxa-3,21-diene-5,20-diimino-2,23-tetracosadionatobarium(II).2DMSO reveals a monomeric, ten-coordinate, distorted tetracapped trigonal prismatic coordination geometry. Volatility data are presented for these barium complexes, demonstrating viability as MOCVD precursors. In addition, it is demonstrated that thin epitaxial films of BaTiO3 can be grown on (001) MgO by low-pressure MOCVD techniques using one of these barium complexes and Ti(dipivaloylmethanate)2(isopropoxide)2 as precursors.