IIE Transactions

Browse past and current articles from this publication.

Bootstrap-based design of residual control charts.(Report)
1. Introduction Control charts are widely used for monitoring process and quality improvement (see, Montgomery (2004)). Most statistical process control techniques assume that consecutive observat . . .

Genetic-algorithm-based optimal apportionment of reliability and redundancy under multiple objectives.(Report)
1. Introduction Reliability optimization is very important in system design. Usually, a single-objective optimization model is formulated. For example, system reliability may be maximized subject . . .

A study of two-dimensional warranty policies with preventive maintenance.(Report)
1. Introduction Suppose a product deteriorates both with time and with usage. For an elapsed time t, let T(t) denote the cumulative operating time, and X(t) denote usage degree, where the cumulati . . .

Process capability surrogate model-based tolerance synthesis for multi-station manufacturing systems.(Report)
1. Introduction Dimensional variation control is one of the most challenging problems in mechanical assemblies, in particular, in multi-station assembly systems, such as in automotive and aerospac . . .

Quality-assured setup planning based on the Stream-of-variation model for multi-stage machining processes.(Report)
1. Introduction Process planning is the systematic determination of the steps by which a product is manufactured. It is a key element that bridges activities in design and manufacturing. In the pa . . .

Detecting outliers in complex profiles using a [[chi].sup.2] control chart method.(Report)
The quality of products or manufacturing processes is sometimes characterized by profiles or functions. A method is proposed to identify outlier profiles among a set of complex profiles which are di . . .

Bayesian approaches for on-line robust parameter design.(Report)
1. Introduction Robust Parameter Design (RPD), a methodology introduced by Taguchi (1986), has been widely employed for designing products and processes that are robust against environmental effec . . .

Residual-life estimation for components with non-symmetric priors.(Report)
1. Introduction Condition monitoring uses sensory information from a functioning device to evaluate its health. The evolution of this sensory information often exhibits characteristic patterns tha . . .

Aisle configurations for unit-load warehouses.
1. Warehouse design A distribution center consists of several component subsystems, including receiving, storage, order picking and shipping. Perhaps the most common building block in these system . . .

Assembly line balancing: joint precedence graphs under high product variety.
1. Introduction In a mixed-model assembly line, setup times and costs are reduced sufficiently enough to be ignored, so that different products can be jointly manufactured in inter-mixed product s . . .

Optimal zone boundaries for two-c1ass-based compact three-dimensional automated storage and retrieval systems.
1. Introduction Approaches to improve order picking efficiency and reduce storage space often also shorten customer response times in supply chains, decrease costs and improve associated customer . . .

Optimization of production control policies in failure-prone homogenous transfer lines.
1. Introduction The problem of optimally controlling the production rates of manufacturing systems has been widely discussed in the scientific literature. This is particularly true for one-product . . .

Production smoothing by balancing capacity utilization and advance orders.
1. Introduction Inventory management is a key business function for companies operating with inventories that may quickly become obsolete or spoil, or have a future that is uncertain beyond a sing . . .

Estimating picker blocking in wide-aisle order picking systems.
1. Introduction A Distribution Center (DC) is an integral element of a logistics system. A DC is responsible for obtaining materials from different suppliers, performing value-added activities and . . .

Diversified local search for the optimal layout of beacons in an indoor positioning system.
1. Introduction An Autonomous Guided Vehicle (AGV) must continuously determine its position within a manufacturing facility in order to find a path to a desired destination. While Global Positioni . . .

An approximate model for base-stock-controlled assembly systems.
1. Introduction The underlying structural characteristics of assembly systems are determined by the production and inventory control policies that are used and the Bill of Materials (BOM) of the m . . .

The impact of customer impatience on production control.
1. Introduction Common formulations of the flow-rate control problem assume either that all customers are infinitely patient, but there is a cost associated with making them wait, or completely im . . .

Combined make-to-order/make-to-stock supply chains.
1. Introduction Inventory costs make up a large portion of total costs in many supply chains, so effective inventory management is one of the most important issues facing supply chain managers. In . . .

AWIP: a simulation-based feedback control algorithm for scalable design of self-regulating production control systems.
1. Introduction Global optimization of enterprises is one of the most crucial and intractable issues in production management. Consequently, current management practice resorts to local optimizati . . .

Area variance estimators for simulation using folded standardized time series.
1. Introduction One of the most important problems in simulation output analysis is the estimation of the mean [mu] of a steady-state (stationary) simulation-generated process {[Y.sub.i] : i = 1,2 . . .

Adoption of cost-reducing technology by asymmetric duopolists in stochastically evolving markets.
1. Introduction Large monopolists and duopolists routinely evaluate opportunities to acquire cost-reducing technologies. We follow the definition of technology offered by Balcer and Lippman (1984) . . .

A reinforcement learning algorithm for obtaining the Nash equilibrium of multi-player matrix games.
1. Introduction Globalization has played a significant role over the last decade in transforming the marketplace into one where most goods and services are transacted through multi-party competiti . . .

Approximate dynamic programming: Solving the curses of dimensionality.
Dynamic programming is a rich area with numerous books already available. Professor Powell's book on approximate dynamic programming sheds a completely new light on this exciting area. Instead of fo . . .

Foreword.(reliability engineering)
The Editors of the IIE Transactions and its editorial board oftentimes initiate Special Issues on emerging research areas, or topics in a well-established area. In other cases, the Special Issue is . . .

A simple universal generating function method for estimating the reliability of general multi-state node networks.
1. Introduction Ever since the initial development of reliability engineering, network reliability has been an area of considerable research activity. Network reliability theory has been extensive . . .

Probability, chance and the probability of chance.
1. Probability and chance 1.1. Introduction: Statement of the problem and objectives Consider the following archetypal problem that commonly arises in the contexts of biomedicine, engineering an . . .

Mobility and reliability modeling for a mobile ad hoc network.
1. Introduction Perkins and Bhagwat (2001) and Toh (2002) were the first to describe the Mobile Ad hoc Wireless Network (MAWN) which is a rapidly developing technology. These authors provide examp . . .

Multi-state k-out-of-n systems and their Performance evaluation.
1. Introduction The k-out-of-n system structure is a very popular type of redundancy in fault-tolerant systems, and finds wide application in both industrial and military systems. Examples of such . . .

A level-dependent general discrete system involving phase-type distributions.
1. Introduction In the literature on reliability the considered distribution functions are frequently continuous. Lifetime models are then selected from several distributions that have proved usef . . .

The mean function of a repairable system that is subjected to an imperfect repair policy.
1. Introduction Consider a repairable system which is maintained and repaired upon each failure. Let the counting process {N(t); t [greater than or equal to] 0} be the number of failures in the in . . .

Optimum problems in backward times of reliability models.
1. Introduction The most important problem in reliability theory is to estimate statistically at what time an operating unit will fail in the near future. Using such a reliability point of view, f . . .

Modeling of dependent competing risks by first passage times of Wiener processes.
1. Introduction The idea of competing risks is to model the situation where units are exposed to several risks and fail due to one of them. We observe two random variables for each individual, (Y, . . .

A new simulation approach to estimating expected values of functions of Bernoulli random variables under certain types of depend
1. Introduction Consider an n-component system, where each component either works or is failed. Let [X.sub.i] equal one if component i works and zero otherwise. For a non-decreasing function h([x. . . .

Conceptualistic pragmatism: a framework for Bayesian analysis?
1. Background Some years ago Richard E. Barlow wrote the book Reliability Engineering (Barlow, 1998), where he took a subjectivist approach based on basic engineering judgements, from which engine . . .

Managing on-air ad inventory in broadcast television.(advertising)
1. Introduction This work, motivated by the experiences of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), presents an analytical model for managing on-air ad inventory in broadcast television. The pract . . .

The value of information sharing in a multi-product supply chain with product substitution.
1. Introduction Information sharing among firms within a supply chain has been a cornerstone of recent innovations in supply chain management. It is well known that Wal-Mart and Proctor & Gamble h . . .

Stock positioning and performance estimation for distribution systems with service constraints.
1. Introduction and literature review Designing efficient distribution systems to meet uncertain customer demand while minimizing inventory holding cost and satisfying service requirements is a fu . . .

Setting basestock levels in multi-product systems with setups and random yield.
1. Introduction Most production systems are characterized by multiple uncertainties, which cause output to be highly variable. When yield is random, not only is the usable quantity uncertain, but . . .

Scheduling with subcontracting options.
1. Introduction Subcontracting is the procurement of an item or service that a firm is normally capable of producing using its own facilities and the requires the firm to make specifications avail . . .

Exact and heuristic procedures for capacity expansion problems with congestion.
1. Introduction Capacity expansion problems, which decide the size and timing of capacity additions and deletions to achieve minimum total cost have been studied in the operations research literat . . .

Production planning with flexible customization using a branch-price-cut method.
1. Introduction In this work we consider a production planning problem of a manufacturer producing some commodity item which is an assembly of several components or subassemblies. Because of advan . . .

Robotic cells with parallel machines and multiple dual gripper robots: a comparative overview.
1. Introduction Robotic cells have become a standard tool in modern manufacturing. These computer-controlled material handling and production systems provide many benefits, including speed and pre . . .

A genetic-search-guided greedy algorithm for multi-resource shop scheduling with resource flexibility.
1. Introduction In many manufacturing systems, an operation may require several resources, and a resource may be available in multiple units. Flexibility is often introduced in system operation to . . .

Foreword.
The growth in global trade continues to change both the types and locations of worldwide supply chain infrastructure designed to support it. That change has been felt strongly in the world's largest . . .

Optimizing inbound and outbound door assignments in less-than-truckload crossdocks.
1. Introduction Crossdocks play a key role in contemporary supply networks. They are used by many transportation service providers and some manufacturing companies (or their logistics providers) a . . .

Determining aisle structures for facility designs using a hierarchy of algorithms.
1. Introduction Facilities design has three interrelated components; structure, layout and the determination of a (network) system to support material flow interaction, e.g., material handling sys . . .

Designing the layout structure of manual order picking areas in warehouses.
1. Introduction A warehouse typically consists of several different areas, including the shipping and receiving areas, bulk storage area and order picking area. A good overview of warehouse operat . . .

Allocating space in a forward pick area of a distribution center for small parts.
1. The forward pick area The forward pick area of a warehouse functions as a "warehouse within the warehouse": many of the most popular StockKeeping Units (SKUs) are stored there in small amounts, . . .

Performance approximation and design of pick-and-pass order picking systems.
1. Introduction Order picking, the process of picking products to fill customer orders, is one of the most important activities in warehouses due to its high contribution (about 55%) to the total . . .

A polling-based dynamic order picking system for online retailers.
1. Introduction Recent trends in the distribution function have resulted in order picking design and management becoming more important and complex. Customers tend to order more frequently, in sma . . .