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The product family assembly line (PFAL) is a mixed model-assembly line, which is widely used in mass customization and intelligent manufacturing. The purpose of this paper is to study the problem of PFAL, a flexible (evolution) planning method to respond to product evolution for PFAL, to focus on product data analysis and evolution planning method.

The evolution balancing model for PFAL is established and an improved NSGA_II (INSGA_II) is proposed. From the perspective of data analysis, dynamic characteristics of PFAL are researched and analyzed. Especially the tasks, which stability is considered, can be divided into a platform and individual task. In INSGA_II algorithm, a new density selection and a decoding method based on sorting algorithms are proposed to compensate for the lack of traditional algorithms.

The effectiveness and feasibility of the method are validated by an example of PFAL evolution planning for a family of similar mechanical products. The optimized efficiency is significantly improved using INSGA_II proposed in this paper and the evolution planning model proposed has a stronger ability to respond to product evolution, which maximizes business performance over an effective period of time.

The assembly line designers and managers in discrete manufacturing companies can obtain an optimal solution for PFAL planning through the evolution planning model and INSGA-II proposed in this paper. Then, this planning model and optimization method have been successfully applied in the production of small wheel loaders.

To achieve a full understanding of the role of marketing from plan to profit requires a knowledge of the basic building blocks. This textbook introduces the key concepts in the art or science of marketing to practising managers. Understanding your customers and consumers, the 4 Ps (Product, Place, Price and Promotion) provides the basic tools for effective marketing. Deploying your resources and informing your managerial decision making is dealt with in Unit VII introducing marketing intelligence, competition, budgeting and organisational issues. The logical conclusion of this effort is achieving sales and the particular techniques involved are explored in the final section.

An important component of an effective corporate planning system is the training of line and staff managers in planning concepts and techniques necessary for effective planning at the corporate level. Planning is an action word for a powerful line‐management process; planning is a function of management, in the sense that any management activity has an element of planning as an essential component. A corollary is that many members of planning staffs do little planning in the course of their work; instead they perform staff and consultant services to support the planning of line managers. Thus it is the line managers who operate the firm whose need to learn about planning is most urgent.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe similarities between logistics structures and mid-term planning problems in the grocery retail and automotive industries in a specific internal section of their respective supply chains.

The benchmarking approach is used as a framework for this paper. It is based on insights resulting from several joint projects with grocery retailers and automobile producers. A particular focus of the research was participating in an exchange of ideas and experience between logistics managers in both industry sectors.

The authors have identified parallels when comparing the internal retail supply chain of the grocery retail industry, which consists of distribution centres, transportation and in-store logistics, with the internal logistics network in the automotive industry, which consists of logistics supermarkets, transportation and work zone operations at the assembly line. Strong similarities have been found for three planning problems related to tactical planning tasks: assigning products and parts to delivery modes, selecting packaging units and loading carriers, and determining delivery cycles. In comparison to retailing, there is a clearer trend in the automotive industry to plan line-back and align processes with the operator's requirements at the assembly line.

For logisticians in grocery retailing and the automotive industry, this paper provides relevant input for functional benchmarking initiatives and offers an inspirational view beyond the horizon.

This paper is the first to focus on similarities in logistics network structures and planning tasks between the two industries from the viewpoint of grocery retailing.

Describes how corporations have recently decided that development of strategic planning information can be improved through the involvement of lower‐level line managers in their planning process. Proposes a practical method for organising middle‐level line managers in sequential order so as to plan efficiently. Discusses some behavioural implications are discussed.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, rumors of the death of strategic planning have been greatly exaggerated. That was the general finding of a study Management Analysis Center, Inc. (MAC) recently completed for the Wall Street Planning Group. The study questioned the chief executive officers and senior planning executives from 100 leading financial services firms, including commercial banks, securities firms, insurance companies, thrift institutions, and diversified services firms, on their views on the value and nature of strategic planning.

Suggests that strategic planning offers managers the tools to cope with complex, changing environments and to shape organizational responses. However, points out that experience and research suggests that, frequently, these potential benefits have not been achieved. Out of the common disillusionment and cynicism about planning, identifies ten principles for actively and creatively managing the process of planning to achieve the goals sought from strategic plans.

The purpose of this paper is to generate line plan in emergencies for railway networks to complete the passenger transportation.

The authors first build a mathematical model, focusing on the frequency setting and stops setting. Then, considering the OD passenger flow data, the authors first propose the method to solve the train frequency setting problem of different types. Genetic algorithm is designed to solve the stops setting problem. The approach is tested with the data from Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway and its neighbour existing railway.

The authors find that the model is suitable to generate line plan in emergencies for railway networks and the algorithm has good calculating performance.

The new algorithms to generate line plan proposed in this paper can be embedded in the decision support system for railway operators.

ELEVEN YEARS have passed, we were reminded at the Hague Congress last month, since a handful of people met a few kilometres away and agreed to bring together all concerned with work study through the medium of a European Federation. The tenth assembly of that body gave at least one member of that original group an opportunity to consider the present position.

Recent research has considered robotic machining as a dextrous alternative to traditional CNC machine tools for complex sculptured surfaces. One challenge in using robotic machining is that the stiffness is lower than traditional machine tools, due to the cantilever design of the links and low‐torsional stiffness of the actuators. This paper seeks to examine this limitation, using optimization algorithms to determine the best trajectories for the manipulators such that the stiffness is maximized.

The issue of low stiffness is addressed with an integrated off‐line planner and real‐time re‐planner. The available manipulator stiffness is maximized during off‐line planning through a trajectory resolution method that exploits the nullspace of the robot machining system. In response to unmodeled disturbances, a real‐time trajectory re‐planner utilizes a time‐scaling method to reduce the tool speed, thereby reducing the demand on the actuator torques, increasing the robot's dynamic stiffness capabilities. During real‐time re‐planning, priorities are assigned to conflicting performance criteria such as stiffness, collision avoidance, and joint limits.

The algorithms developed were able to generate trajectories with stiffer configurations, which resulted in a reduction in the actuator torques. The real‐time re‐planner successfully allowed the process plan to continue when disturbances were encountered.

Simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.

Addressing the limitation of stiffness in serial‐link manipulators will enable robots to become more suitable for machining tasks. The real‐time re‐planning approach will allow robots to become more autonomous during the execution of a given task.

An integrated off‐line and real‐time planning approach has been applied to robotic machining.