In this paper, a load balancing problem among operators is considered, when one or more identical machines can be assigned to an operator. The operations of a job are separated into three categories : machine-controlled elements, operator-controlled elements and machine/operator-controlled elements. Machining or forming operations are included into the first category. The second category includes inspection and moving to another machine, and the last category includes setup and loading/unloading operation. The objective is to balance the workloads among operators under the constraints of available machine-time and operator-time. A hierarchical heuristic solution procedure is suggested for allocating jobs to each machine and allocating machines to each operator. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated with various data set.

This paper describes the development of low cost, miniaturized multi-function image splitter for an unmanned guard system. The essential equipments of an image splitter system consist of a video system which displays in one screen images inputted by several cameras, a frame switcher which records each image sequentially in VTR, and TBC(Time Base Control) system which prevents image flickering during image switching. Currently, the price of similar system on the market is high, system management and repair are difficult, and bulky space is required. Futhermore, since currently available frame switcher can record only 30frame/sec, if eight cameras are installed, each camera image is recorded at the low speed of 3.75frame/sec, and consequently skip some images which may be vital for legal evidence. In this research, we have solved the problem of low speed recording by recording the video screen of splitted images at 30frame/sec and zooming each image when play back.

A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is a computer-controlled measuring device that uses a probe to obtain measurements on a manufactured part's surface. CMM's have been very popular over traditional hard gauges due to their flexibility, accuracy, and ease of automated inspection. This paper considers the use of a CMM for the inspection of gears. We compare the inspection capability of a CMM and that of a gear-specific measuring machine. The result of this paper may benefit gear manufacturing companies in their dimensional quality assurance activities, especially for special type gears and for large-scale gears which are not measurable by gear-specific measuring machines.

Development of high technology especially in telecommunication and precise weapon systems will impact the future battle field environment. So it is not difficult to anticipate the environment of military command and control system will be changed rapidly. Considering these future battle field environment, military needs automated C4I (Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence) system, namely real time decision support system which is combined high technologies. Most of advanced countries have been studied and developed these kinds of systems and already applied these systems in real military operations. In order to take a military initiative in Korea peninsula it is essential to catch up with this trend and procure C4I system. The purpose of this research is to present the method and the direction of optimal C4I system development model. First we survey the related theory about C4I systems. Second we present the conceptual framework for C4I system concept development. Third we model the system using Timed Petri-Net and perform simulation. Finally we analyze the through-put time and suggest alternatives. If we model using the real organization structure, operational tasks and various situations then optimal C4I system would be developed.

In reverse engineering area, the reconstruction of surfaces from scanned or digitized data is being developed, but geometric model of existing objects is not available in industries. This paper presents the new approach to the reconstruction of surface technique. A proposed methodology finds base geometry and blends surface between them. Each based geometry is divided by tri-angular patches which are compared with their normal vector for face grouping. Each group is categorized analytical surface such as a part of cylinder, sphere and cone, and plane shapes to represent the based geometry surface. And then, each based geometry surface is implemented to the infinitive surface. Infinitive surface's intersections are trimmed by boundary representation model reconstruction. This method has several benefits such as time efficiency and automatic functional modeling system in reverse engineering. Especially, it can be directly applied 3D fax and 3D copier.

Several researchers have previously studied the problem of allocating buffer storage to maximize the throughput rate and/or minimize the mean buffer average of a transfer line for a given total amount of buffer space. But there seems to be very little difference in performance between intuitively reasonable and optimal allocations. This paper proposes and illustrates a methodology, based on the robust design concept of Taguchi, to allocate buffer storage of long transfer lines with a given total amount of buffer capacity when up and down times follow exponential distributions, respectively. We show how this procedure using simple heuristic rule can be used for design of long transfer lines.

This paper presents a design and implementation of an intelligent-integrated production-logistics systems. The situation considered here is that there are multiple manufacturing plants and multiple distribution centers. Effective distribution resource and production planning are required to reduce inventory cost and to avoid inventory shortage. We propose an intelligent forecasting scheme of each distribution centers, adaptive inventory replenishment planning, distribution resource planning, and integrated production planning system. In forecasting a huge number of on-line model identification is performed using neural network approximation capability. An efficient adaptive replenishment planning and distribution resource planning are also presented in connection with forecasting scheme. An appropriate production is also requested based on production lead-time and the results of distribution planning. Experimental simulations are presented to verify the proposed approach using real data.

The Automated Storage/Retrieval System(AS/RS) is very expensive to be built. But there are few tools available which can be used to design the storage systems optimally considering overall system building costs and constraints. In this paper, we propose a design support system for optimal design of AS/RS which includes different sized cells using expert systems and mathematical models considering customer's demands. The optimization models are to be used to minimize the total cost including building, equipment and operation costs. Expert system technique is utilized for using the experiences of skilled designers. By using the proposed system, AS/RS can be designed accurately, economically and efficiently.

The main objective of this study is to quantify the appropriateness of the sensibility vocabularies used in sensibility ergonomic evaluation scheme by applying structural equation model. In the conventional sensibility ergonomic evaluation scheme, factor analysis is employed to classify various vocabularies into some common factors. However, since the vocabularies were chosen quite subjectively, it is difficult to ascertain that they represent the product attributes properly. It was shown in a case study that the structural equation model provides the quantitative results to verify whether the selected vocabularies are eligible for further steps of sensibility ergonomic evaluation.

This study presents a ready-to-use production planning and control (PP&C) system for the plastic extrusion industry of this country. From the view point of production management, the problems of the industry which are composed of small to midium size manufactures can be summarized as i) poor field data gathering ii) absence of systematic factory management. This study first attempts to devise a simple but useful field monitoring system. Then it presents a PP&C scheme that utilizes the special characteristics of plastic extrusion factory. Various algorithms for the scheme are devised. The resulting system is now realized and ready to implement.

This study is concerned with the selection of the main stadium for the World Cup football game to be held in Korea in 2002. Alternatives are (1) new construction of the main stadium at Sangam; (2) and remodeling Jamsil stadium constructed for Olympic in 1988; remodeling Munhak stadium in Inchon. For comparison purpose, we consider four decision attributes (environmental, economy. political and technical factors) under which several detailed sub-attributes are defined. Various multi-criteria decision-making tools such as AHP and TOPSIS are applied to find the best location. Our study results indicate that the best selection is remodeling Jamsil stadium. This appears due to heavy emphasis on economy factor in our analysis.

This study is aimed at examining the relationship among the advanced manufacturing technology(AMT) types adopted in Korea, necessary strategic management activities for the selected AMT types and the performance of the AMT introduced. In order to identify such relationship, multivariate analyses are used based on the survey data collected from industry types such as metal processing and assembly, automobile parts, automobile assembly. electric and electronic devices. The study results indicate the following: (1) companies using CIM or ERP tend to be more prepared in terms of human resources; (2) companies adopted CIM and MRPII tend to demonstrate higher performance in terms of both organizational effectiveness and operational efficiency; (3) companies which adopted JIT or ERP perform better in terms of operational efficiency.

This paper analyzes the facility investment appraisal process of a real world shipyard and proposes several improving points. For this purpose the investment appraisal sheets are investigated in terms of the theory of the discounted cash flow (DCF) method. Through this investigation, the differences between the theory and its application are clarified and it is tried to resolve the gab by applying the DCF method appropriately including explicit use of actual cash flows in revenue and expense expressions. It is also proposed that some portion of the capital loss caused by defending facility sales may not be the sunk cost and that the portion can conceptually be calculated by the difference between economic value and sales price.

This paper describes the theoretical background and detailed structure of Navi-HEGS (Navigation system Human factors Evaluation and Guideline System) which has been developed for the human factors and HMI(Human-Machine Interface) researches for a CNS (Car Navigation System) and a digital map. Navi-HEGS is and integrated system that consists of a digital map UIMS(User Interface Management System), a CNS simulator, various evaluation tools, and a design guideline system. If Navi-HEGS is properly applied and utilized, it is possible to extract the substantial users requirements and preferences of a CNS and a digital map and then, these requirements can be simulated and evaluated with various human factors evaluation techniques. Applications of Navi-HEGS can improve the CNS usability, drivers safety and performance that directly affect the success of ITS(Intelligent Transport System). Also, results can be used as the basic data to establish the standards and design guidelines for the driver-centered CNS design.

Robot task program is needed to control and manage a Robot without explicitly describing the robot program by user which includes commands, procedures, geometric and signal data in the detail level. To use the Robot task program, a computer system is required to convert the Robot task into the Robot program, which can be understood by the Robot. In this paper, the systemic method for automatic generation of explicit Robot programs (ERP) from task-level commands is described. Specifically, a 3-step procedure including Robot task decomposition, task synchronization and ERP generation is presented.

This paper considers the cell loss probability(CLP) in a multiplexer with the superposition of heterogeneous ON/OFF sources. The input traffic is composed of k classes. Traffic of class i is the superposition of M_(i) ON/OFF sources. Recently, the method based on the Markov modulated deterministic process(MMDP) is presented. Basically, it is the discretized model of stochastic fluid flow process(SFFP) and gives the CLP very fast, but under-estimates the CLP especially when the value of estimated CLP is very low. This paper develops the discretized model of Markov modulated Poisson process(MMPP). It is a special type of switched batch Bernoulli process(SBBP). Combining the transition probability matrix of MMDP and SBBP according to the state which is characterized by the arrival rate, this paper presents hybrid algorithm. The hybrid algorithm gives better estimate of CLP than that of MMDP and faster than SBBP.

Today, offshore design field is concerned with system integration such as CIM(Computer Integrated Manufacturing), PDMS(Product Data Management System) and EDMS(Engineering Data Management System) in order to cope with the change of engineering specification as owner's requirements during construction stage of the project. This paper deals with the case study that describes about the efficient interface between material control system and 3D CAD system to support the design process in offshore industry using design rules involved the designer's knowledge. In this paper, we constructed an information system, called knowledge-based CAD interface systems, which is composed material code management system and 3D specification generator which automatically creates 3D catalogue anti specification by linking the material code, called short code, and the specification components of the 3D CAD system. As a result of the construction, it is possible to maintain consistency of the design process, and through reduction of the design processing time and improvement of the design process, competitiveness is improved.

Job efficiency and productivity of a manufacturing system with frequent job schedule changes are affected by performance of information system between job order planners anti manufacturing device operators. This paper describes implementation of concurrent information system which can active identify machine status and dispatch job orders to operators in a machine shop. Client and server environment for various machinery is implemented using OSI based network between shop floor control system and manufacturing devices. Portability and scalability are among many characteristics of the implemented system. The developed client and server system is expected to realize high productivity for manufacturing device.

This paper presents the optimization of a drilling operation subject to machining constraints such as power, torque, thrust, speed and feed rate. The optimization is meant to minimize the machining time required to produce a hole. For the first time, the effects of a pilot hole are included in the formulation of the machining constraints. The optimization problem is solved by using the geometric programming technique. The dual problem is simplified based on the characteristics of the problem, and the effects of machining constraints on the machining variables are identified.

In this paper, the optimum drilling operation sequence which results into the minimum overall machining time required to produce a (multi-diameter) hole is identified. The operation sequence is defined as the set of ordered operations used for producing a (multi-diameter) hole. The overall machining time is derived by summing the minimum machining times of each operation assigned to a sequence. The operations represent the drilling actions of certain sizes to produce the related holes. The minimum machining time of each operation is obtained by solving the optimization problem. Finally, this paper will identify the effects of machining constraints on the overall machining times and their relationships to sequence selection.