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This paper aims to explore methods of defining ejecting zones (EZs) used in automatic picking systems (APSs), particularly in A-frame APSs. An A-frame APS automatically ejects products onto a conveyor, which then brings the products to their destination. EZs are moving zones on a conveyor, and each EZ corresponds to one picking order. Products are ejected as a zone passes channels in which the products are stored.

First, three EZ types are defined, and their operations are explained. Second, picking orders are analyzed and categorized by considering the structure and the picking mechanism of an A-frame APS. In addition, picking-order instances reflecting actual data are randomly generated according to each category. Finally, the performance of the EZs is evaluated using the picking-order instances and computer simulations.

The results from the computer simulations suggest the EZ types suitable for use with various picking order types considering order fulfilment speed and energy usage.

In this paper, the authors only adopt a triangular distribution which is considered most practical distribution in the industry.

It is believed that these results can provide managers and operators with useful guides to facilitate the effective operation of an A-frame APS. The provided ideas have been implemented at the pharmaceutical warehouse of the largest logistics company in Korea.

The result shows that the proposed idea could save energy consumption and the APS have potential to save labor involvement in picking.

It is essential to define the EZs when operating an A-frame APS efficiently, but there is almost no research in this area. This paper focuses on defining EZs, as well as methods to utilize these zones.

Examines research work aimed at exploring and developing a new, object‐oriented system design and operation concept, and new system software and hardware design concepts which could be used to design and build an open, flexible and reconfigurable material handling system in a Computer Integrated Manufacturing [CIM] environment that could cope with changes imposed by the market on today’s manufacturing industries. Looks at the design of a reconfigurable and flexible conveyor system and outlines the benefits of using a 3‐D CIM reference model when developing CIM hardware and software control. Concludes that the proposed new conveyor system helps resolves the need for an assembly system which can achieve rapid and flexible responses to meet the challenge set by changing customer requirements.

July 29, 1971 Docks — Port Talbot — “Dock estate” — Meaning — New harbour and jetty built adjacent to old harbour — Whether part of port of Port Talbot — “Dock work” — “Discharging from ship” — Discharging ore involving work with unloaders and belt conveyor system — “Cargo” — Meaning — Dock Labour Scheme for the South Wales Ports (1942) App. (4) — Port of Port Talbot Registration Amended Scheme (1943) Sch. para. l(l)(a) — Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1946 (9 & 10 Geo. VI, c.22), s. 6 — Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) (Amendment) Order, 1967 (S. 1. 1967, No. 1252), Sch. 2, App. 1M(4).

IN a departure from usual practice this issue concentrates to a large extent upon a single subject — Mechanical Handling. It coincides with that industry's exhibition at Earls Court from the 9th to 19th of this month, to be opened by the Rt. Hon. Christopher Chataway, M.P., Minister for Industrial Development. In consequence it was necessary to defer some regular features for a time, for which we apologise.

A key task in the material handling system design process is the selection and configuration of equipment for material transport and storage in a facility. Material handling equipment selection is a complex, tedious task. However, there are few tools other than checklists to assist engineers in the selection of appropriate, cost‐effective material handling equipment. This paper describes the development of an intelligent material handling equipment selection system called MHESA (Material Handling Equipment Selection Advisor). The MHESA is composed of three modules: a database to store equipment types with their specifications; a knowledge‐based expert system for assisting material handling equipment selection; and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model to choose the most favorable equipment type. The concept proposed in this paper can automate the design of material handling equipment selection system, and provides artificial intelligence in the decision‐making process.

This paper aims to discuss some relevant issues in the design and operation of material handling and storage systems (MH&SS) characterized by complex material flows and high‐traffic intensity. The paper seeks to provide solution examples and an analysis methodology to face large increases of materials flows through a redesign of the material handling and storage system.

At first, possible strategies to improve system performances when facing strong increments of material flows are presented and discussed. A significant case study is then analyzed in order to present a practical application of the proposed methodology. Resorting to discrete‐events simulation, the alternatives are verified, correct design choices are identified, and the resources are properly sized to develop a streamlined layout.

The paper recognises that design and upgrade of intensive material handling systems is a complex task asking for a careful study of alternatives and detailed system analysis, otherwise capacity problems and bottleneck phenomena may not be effectively solved.

This work focuses on a specific case study. The paper, therefore, will be of interest mainly to managers and designers of similar plants and large – intensive material handling systems.

The paper shows how the correct planning and analysis of design alternatives integrated with a detailed system simulation enable a drastic reduction of bottleneck phenomena, thus meeting the required capacity improvement goals when upgrading and redesigning complex and high‐volume material handling systems.

The paper, while providing insights to practitioners engaged in design and management of complex MH&SS, outlines a methodological approach which can be useful when facing major capacity improvement projects.

Describes a computer simulation technique which has been applied to model an automotive manufacturing system in order to predict the system performance under an increasing demand. Using Sim View, a locally developed, graphically animated simulation package, the electro‐phoretic deposition plant was modelled and sensitivity analysis was carried out. Confirms some of the problems that were thought may arise, and highlights some other issues that may become problematic. Aims to produce possible suggestions for avoiding problems and improving the performance of the system. Plans further uses of the simulation model in studies to gain greater efficiency in the system and possibly to experiment with any future upgrades that may be considered.

The aim of this research is to investigate whether a collection of tiny, resource constrained, microcontrollers that communicate with each other over wireless links can perform rigorous automation tasks.

We identify three building blocks that are necessary to obtain large conveyor systems. The operation of each building block is regulated by a local microcontroller and the microcontrollers interact via wireless links to coordinate the operations across blocks. We define the actions necessary in each block and discuss two example applications for this method.

It is necessary to fundamentally revisit how automation applications are engineered to get the benefits of new technologies. We show that the three blocks that we call segment, turnaround and crossover are sufficient to obtain a large variety of conveyor systems. By embedding the blocks in a grid, we can simplify the design of the conveyor systems.

Extensions of this research to identify a set of building blocks for discrete automation applications and motion control applications could provide new insights, architectures and methods for future automation systems.

When fully realized, this approach can save engineering costs, commissioning costs and provide new approaches for managing faults in automation systems.

The three building blocks for conveyor systems and the method of programming the blocks that allows the blocks to be configured in a variety of ways to realize conveyor systems for many applications.

The main operations of the powder-coating process are staggered along a closed-loop conveyor. Given the volatile market demands, using a fixed level of staffing may result in significant productivity losses. The present study aims to capture stochastic behavior and optimize operator assignment problems in a practical powder-coating process. By using the proposed methodology, when demand changes, the optimal operator assignment configuration can be provided, ensuring high labor productivity.

The powder-coating process is an important industrial application and is often a labor-intensive system. The present study adopts a practical case to optimize its staffing level. Because of its operational complexity, the problem is solved by a proposed simulation-optimization approach. The results are promising, and the proposed methodology is shown to be an effective approach.

The proposed methodology was tested for various demand levels. The optimized operator assignment configuration always improves on the performance of other staffing levels. Given the same daily throughput, the optimized operator assignment configuration can improve performance by as much as 19%. In scenarios where there is increased demand, the resulting reduction in overtime work improves performance by between 20.33% and 56.72%. In scenarios where there is reduced demand, the optimized staffing level produces improvements between 3.13% and 50%. Compared with the fixed staffing policy of the case company, the flexible staffing policy of the proposed methodology can maintain high labor productivity across demand variations. The results are consistent with the Shojinka philosophy of the Toyota Production System.

This study proposes a solution to the operator assignment decision in a labor-intensive manufacturing system – a powder-coating processing system. Powder coating provides a solid powder coating without any solvent. Because of its excellent application performance and environmental protection, it is widely used in the field of metal coating, especially appliances for offices and homes. Most of the existing literature has solved the problem by making unrealistic assumptions. The present study proposes a simulation-optimization method to solve a practical problem in powder-coating processing. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is illustrated by a practical application. According to the experimental results, five operators can be saved for the same daily throughput. An average of 35 and 19 min of overtimes can be saved when demand increases by 10% and 20% with one less operator; between 2 and 16 operators can be saved when demand falls by 10%–60%.

The aim of this work is to reveal the temperature rise characteristics of the new designed disc during a braking process. In underground coal mines, the highest temperature of the disc brake used for inclined downward belt conveyors should be < 150 to prevent gas explosion during a braking process. To meet the requirements, a new type of disc was designed.

By using ANSYS software, the disc surface and interior temperature rise variations, effect of braking time and running speed on temperature rise are analyzed numerically.

The results show that the new designed disc can meet the coal mines’ requirements well, during the braking process the disc surface temperature increases at first and then decreases, there is an obvious temperature gradient in the axial direction; when running speed increases to two times of the rated one, the highest temperature nearly reaches 150; and a prolonged braking time can decrease the highest temperature effectively.

It indicates that the disc brake should act as earlier as possible to slow down the belt conveyor when overspeed occurs; and when the running speed increases to two times of the rated one, the braking time must be prolonged to prevent gas explosion.

Research findings of this paper provides theoretical basis for the practical applications of the disc brake used for inclined downward belt conveyor.