An integrated inventory model for a single supplier-single customer problem

The method given in this paper is typically applicable to those inventory problems where a product is procured by a single customer from a single supplier. An example has been solved to illustrate the method.     

Changes in wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) habitat conditions in Little Rann of Kutch,Gujarat from a remote sensing perspective

The Rann of Kutch, Gujarat is the only habitat for one of the endangered sub-species of the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) and most of the population survives in the Wild Ass Sanctuary in Little Rann of Kutch. The area is a saline desert with extremely sparse cover of vegetation. In the past, the habitat supported a thriving population of wild asses. However, due to extensive changes in the land-use around the Rann of Kutch, there has been an increase in the conflict of interests between man and the wild ass. The present paper seeks to analyse the situation with respect to changes in land-use, vegetation cover and salt cultivation to plan proper habitat management inside the sanctuary to mitigate the problem of crop predation by the wild ass through the use of high resolution satellite data.

The Survey of India (SOI) topographic maps of 1960 vintage were used to estimate the past habitat, land-use, vegetal cover and salt fields. The SOI topographic maps and false colour composites provided a limited number of land-use classes for a meaningful comparison of land-use changes. This data has been compared with digitally classified SPOT MLA on SIPS (Satellite Image Processing System, Hyderabad). Various techniques such as principal component analysis, normalized difference vegetation index, unsupervised and supervised classifications were carried to classify various features. Of these techniques, supervised classification provided very useful results for an effective interpretation. It was observed that there has been an increase in irrigated crop fields. This has resulted in enhanced crop predation by wild asses thereby triggering human-wild ass conflicts. The digital interpretation provided crucial information on a number of classes of land-use relevant to the habitat of wild ass. An operational basis of deriving such information for formulating effective conservation strategies is presented.     

Job-shop sequencing problem with no wait in process

The flow-shop sequencing problem with no wait in process and with jobs requiring dissimilar technological order for machine processing is formulated in this paper. A systematic method is suggested for obtaining the optimum solution to the sequencing problem. An example of four jobs with four technological orderings for machine processing and four machines is solved to illustrate the suggested method.     

An integrated cutting tool life,batch quantity model

This analysis studies the batch production of components by machining, using throw away tools. Engineering components are often manufactured in batches at fixed intervals of time. The aim is to consider the various machining, tooling, production and inventory costs in the context of an integrated model and determine the economic batch quantity and economic tool life.     

Machining characteristics of fine grained AZ91 Mg alloy processed by friction stir processing

AZ91 Mg alloy was considered and friction stir processing (FSP) was adopted to achieve grain refinement to investigate the effect of grain size and secondary phase on machining characteristics during drilling at various speeds and feeds. Super saturated AZ91 Mg alloy was obtained after FSP and the grain refinement was achieved from (166.5±8.7) µm to (21.7±13.5) µm. Surprisingly, hardness reduced for FSP AZ91 Mg alloy (88.95±6.1) compared with AZ91 alloy (108.2±15.6), which was attributed to the reduced secondary phase. However, the mean cutting force for FSP-treated (FSPed) AZ91 Mg alloy was marginally increased. The edge damage of the drilled holes was lower for FSPed AZ91 Mg alloy compared with unprocessed AZ91 Mg alloy. Hence, it can be understood that the grain refinement may slightly increase the cutting forces during drilling but better edge finishing can be achieved in machining of AZ91 Mg alloy.     

Compass: an expert system for telephone switch maintenance

Abstract: GTE's Compass (Central Office Maintenance Printout Analysis and Suggestion System) is an expert system that aids in the maintenance of a telephone switching system. It analyzes maintenance printouts of telephone company central office switching equipment and suggests maintenance actions to be performed. The results from several field trials indicate that the current version of Compass performs well in identifying system faults and in suggesting corresponding maintenance actions. An expanded version of the expert system is under development while the present version is being put into field use.     

Two methods for the analysis of a joint replenishment system with known order frequencies

Two simple methods for improving joint replenishment systems are given in this paper. The methods are typically applicable to the inventory systems where a single supplier is responsible for supplying a number of items and to the batch processing industry where a product must be packaged into several container sizes immediately after manufacture.

A problem has been solved illustrating the two methods.     

Effect of machine failures in a multi-stage multi-facility and multi-product production-inventory system

A mathematical model for a multi-stage, multi-facility and multi-product production-inventory system is presented to study the effect of machine unreliability on the economic production quantity and total system cost. The production system considered here has multiple spindle and batch blocking facilities. A search method has been used for optimizing the batch sizes. The basic criterion considered for optimizing the batch sizes is the minimization of the total system cost. An example is presented to explain the behaviour and application of the model.     

Improving the solution of a finite horizon inventory problem under certainty

The method given in this note is typically applicable to those inventory problems where the demand varies from one time period to another time period, and where the arrival of supplies is not restricted to coincide with the beginning of a time period. The procedure assumes that the solution of the inventory problem is available and then the procedure is applied for improving the solution. An example has been solved to illustrate the method     

Distribution of NADPH-diaphorase in rat mesencephalon: A light and electron microscopical study

NADPH-diaphorase is a useful technique to reveal NO producing neurons at light microscopic level (LM). A modification of the technique using the tetrazolium salt BSPT as susbtrate, is useful to study the ultrastructure of NO neurons. The aim of this work was to perform a detailed analysis of NADPH diaphorase reactive neurons in rat mesencephalon both at light and electron microscopic levels.
NADPH-diaphorase reactive neurons were observed in superior colliculus, in central gray matter, in dorsal and medial raphe and in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus using two histochemical techniques at LM. Electron microscopy showed deposits on membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and nuclear envelope of dorsal raphe neurons. Presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals showed deposits on membranous elements but postsynaptic terminals also showed deposits on the inner surface of their membranes.
Further physiological studies are needed to clarify the meaning of the ultrastructural findings such as the putative interaction of NOS with postsynaptic proteins, receptors or membranous channels.