Process Redesign and Simplified Policies for More Effective Vaccine Inventory Management

Within immunization programs supported by the World Health Organization, current practice is to use a vial as the basic unit for managing vaccine inventories at the clinic level. In addition to being inconvenient, this has the potential to induce errors in the ordering process. We propose alternative ordering policies based on using inner pack quantities corresponding to secondary vaccine packaging and draw upon visual management, simplified inventory tracking, better housekeeping, and other lean related concepts that have been used in the manufacturing sector to simplify and improve the vaccine inventory management system. We present analyses that show that the proposed polices only require very modest increases in fixed storage and transport requirements.     

Enhanced exact solution methods for the Team Orienteering Problem

The Team Orienteering Problem (TOP) is one of the most investigated problems in the family of vehicle routing problems with profits. In this paper, we propose a Branch-and-Price approach to find proven optimal solutions to TOP. The pricing sub-problem is solved by a bounded bidirectional dynamic programming algorithm with decremental state space relaxation featuring a two-phase dominance rule relaxation. The new method is able to close 17 previously unsolved benchmark instances. In addition, we propose a Branch-and-Cut-and-Price approach using subset-row inequalities and show the effectiveness of these cuts in solving TOP.     

Linear location-inventory models for service parts logistics network design

We present two integrated network design and inventory control problems in service-parts logistics systems. Such models are complicated due to demand uncertainty and highly nonlinear time-based service level constraints. Exploiting unique properties of the nonlinear constraints, we provide an equivalent linear formulation under part-warehouse service requirements, and an approximate linear formulation under part service requirements. Computational results indicate the superiority of our approach over existing approaches in the literature.     

Logistics cost analysis of rice straw for biomass power generation in Thailand

The logistics of the fuel supply have a large impact on the economy of a biomass power generation facility, especially for low density biomass fuels like straw. A detailed cost analysis of a typical rice straw logistics process for two baling options in three regions of Thailand shows that the costs for all logistics operations vary from a minimum of 18.75 USD/t for small rectangular bales in the Northern region of Thailand to maximum 19.89 USD/t for large rectangular bales in the North-eastern region. The difference in costs is not very significant due to the higher ownership and operating costs of the equipment for using large rectangular bales; however, the specific fuel consumption cost is substantially lower by around 17.5% and a total transport cost reduction is about 31.5%. Analysis of the logistics economies of scale for projected power plant capacities of 2-35 MW_e showed that each doubling the capacity of the energy facility increases the specific costs of the logistics operations only by around 4% in all regions.     

LTL logistics networks with differentiated services

This research addresses the problem of designing a LTL logistics network over individual lanes by offering different delivery services (1-day, 2-day, 3-day). A network design is proposed which links lane-specific delivery service choices and service profitability to the hub location-allocation decisions. A hybrid-heuristic is developed which uses a search interval reduction technique with a meta-heuristic. The performance of the hybrid-heuristic is evaluated in a computational study. A factorial experiment design with real world data is used to analyze the network structure, service choices and shipment flows, which results in managerial insights about the design and operation of a LTL logistics network with differentiated services.     

Air cargo pickup schedule for single delivery location

In this paper, various deterministic models for determining optimal pickup times for air cargo from an airport and delivering it to a local distribution center for a global manufacturer are presented. The arrival times of the flights that can potentially bring air cargo are assumed to be deterministic and known. In addition, the custom clearance time for the air cargo and the traveling time from the airport to the local distribution center are assumed to be deterministic and known. These models are formulated mathematically as linear binary integer programming models without air cargo weight considerations. Deterministic formulations without air cargo weight information are shown to be related to the p-Median problem. The deterministic formulation of air cargo pickup times with air cargo weight consideration is shown to be a nonlinear binary integer programming model. The solutions of these models serve as an initial starting point to solve the stochastic problem with random arrival times of the flights and random custom clearance times and travel times.     

RFID在现代军事领域的应用探讨

本文对RFID在现代军事领域的应用进行了概述,列举了现代战争中成功的RFID应用。对军事领域RFID技术上的一些重要问题进行了分析。借鉴国外的经验,对军队,企业和院校紧密结合发展现代军事领域RFID的思路进行了探讨。     

仓库管理系统的再造

通过对现有仓库管理系统（WMS，Warehouse Management System）的运行状况、运行效率不尽人意的地方的深入思考，对现有WMS的体系架构、功能模块、数据流程进行研究，提出了针对体系架构、功能模块、数据流程以及实施过程中的技术改进方案，使WMS系统更加容易适应现代企业运营的需要，帮助企业提升竞争力。     

中外现代物流发展的历程与比较

文章介绍了物流的起源和概念;着重叙述了中外现代物流发展所经历的不同阶段;并对中外物流发展的不同阶段作了路径比较和原因分析.     

供应链环境下制造企业物流系统设计研究

针对网络时代物流的新特点,提出了供应链环境下的物流系统设计目标,并从战略、战术、操作三个层面描述了设计的主要内容,从整体上勾勒出供应链环境下的物流系统设计工作的轮廓。