Tandem AGV system is obtained by partitioning all workstations into multiple zones assigning a single vehicle to each zone. In this paper, we propose an analytical model to design a tandem AGV system with multi-load AGVs. Using simulation, the performance of the proposed model is shown by comparing a conventional multi-load AGV system.

New trends such as electronic commerce, virtual organizations, e-business applications, etc. increase the dependence of production management on information software systems and contribute to the needs for global, distributed object systems. This paper presents a component based approach for production management systems under the multi-tier distributed information system architecture using UML(Unified Modeling Language), CORBA(Common Object Request Broker Architecture) and XML(eXtensible Markup Language) technologies, and propose rules for mapping a UML class diagram to a XML DTD (Document Type Definition). And we adapt it to the prototype system implementation. The components are implemented by CORBA and we use XML messages for the information exchange between components.

In this research, a nameplate engraving system for images and texts downloaded through Internet on nameplate is developed. The system consists of two subsystems: thinning algorithm and NC code generation module. In the thinning algorithm, the concept of connectivity is used and center lines of images and texts, which will be used as NC tool paths, can be obtained successfully. Because the center lines are composed of a lot of pixels, NC code would be too long. In the NC code generation module, many useless pixel data are removed and linear interpolation algorithm is applied to only the remaining pixels. By performing actual experiments, the thinning algorithm and the NC code generation module are verified.

Two key data areas of the integrated production database in computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) systems are the product structure in the forms of bills of material(BOM) and the process structure in the forms of routings. The great majority of existing information systems regard the BOM and routing as two separate data entities, possibly with some degree of cross-referencing. This paper proposes new information structure called the bills of material and routings(BMR) that logically integrates the BOM and routings for the CIM systems in ship production. The characteristics of ship production are described as: 1) make-to-order production type, 2) combined manufacturing principles (workshop production and construction site production), 3) significant overlapping of design, planning and manufacturing, 4) very long order throughput time, 5) complex product structure and production process. The proposed BMR systematically manages ail parts and operations data needed ship production considering characteristics of ship production. Also, the BMR situated on the integrated production database more efficiently supports interface between engineering and production functions, and integrates a wide variety of functions within production such as production planning, process planning, operation scheduling, material planning, costing etc., and simplifies information flow between sub-systems in CIM systems.

Recently, in the competitive environments, every company recognizes the importance of supply network planning models. However, there are so many problems in correctly applying mathematical model to the real world. Because mathematical modeling packages charge planning managers with understanding the models and responsibility for generating plans, fast and accurate model cannot be generated with ease. In this paper, we design the model management system that helps planning managers flexibly create and modify mathematical models and manage model versions. We implement the system with model base concept.

A bus scheduling problem with multiple objective functions and travel time constraint is to determine the allocation of buses to customer service requests minimizing the number of buses and travel costs under the travel time restriction for each bus. For the scheduling, we first represent the scheduling problem using a graph and develop a hierarchical approach. Second, we develop a mathematical model based algorithm for the scheduling problem including heuristic methods. We tested the performance of the algorithm on instances with real data. As a result, the total number of buses and travel costs are reduced over about 10% comparing with that of current practice at the company.

This paper utilizes the FIDO methodology (Function, Information, Dynamic, Organization modeling) which is an enterprise modeling tool that can describe inter-organizational interaction (specifically between prime and sub contractors in this experiment). FIDO follows the standard IDEFO rules in order to demonstrate how a cascading information flow can evolve from a customer to a prime to a subcontractor in a concurrent manner, in a supply chain environment. Background on these processes is presented, followed with the newly derived process and methodology. This is presented in a supply chain management context, and results from an actual experiment at Motorola utilizing subcontractors that supply custom machine parts is presented and reviewed.

Broaching machine is widely used for machining inner shaped slots in the work-pieces, and provides vertical motion (usually hydraulically powered) between tool and work-piece. In this study, we modelled the tool life process and investigated economic tool life of broaching machine. Tool life process is divided into wear-process and succeeding failure process. Wear process is defined as machining wear and failure process as 'chipping' occurred by random shock. We modelled wear process as linear regression function for products amounts and assumed failure process as Poisson process. Economic tool life is defined as the number of lots which minimizes average tool related cost per lot and analyzed by using age replacement policy technique. As tool-related cost factors, we consider tool replacement cost, tool maintenance cost and quality costs of products. The results of this study can be applied to analyze life process of general machining tools.

In mobile phone, complex user interface tend to cause the degradation of product usability. This problem is mainly due to the small hardware user interface of mobile phone. That is, because many functions must be operated in small hardware interface, the principle of one-to-one mapping between a function and a control is disregarded in design, often. In order to resolve this problem, users' characteristics must be considered in the user interface design of mobile phone. So, users' basic characteristics that must be considered in the user interface design of mobile phone were studied through two experiments, questionnaire survey and user testing.

A study was conducted to develop user-centered kitchen furniture and workspace to reduce fatigue and to prevent housewives's disorders such as low back pain and musculoskeletal disorders from housekeeping activities. A questionnaire survey and interview were performed on 150 households those live in 32Pyung-type($105m^2$) apartment in Seoul vicinity. Also actual housekeeping activities for 24 hours were video-taped for further motion analysis. Results of the study revealed that housewives complained the inconvenience and small size of storage space, and worksurface height as the most important problems to be considered for redesign. And they responded, if feasible, sitting is preferred over standing while they are working. After adapting a sit/stand chair in the kitchen, a physiological experiment measuring heart rate(HR) and oxygen consumption($VO_2$) as response variables was conducted to examine the effects of sit/stand chair in reducing physiological demand during housekeeping activities. The results showed that working on sit/stand chair reduced energy expenditures by maximum of 30% and 31.0% in terms of HR and $VO_2$, respectively. Also rearrangement of kitchen structure based on motion analysis showed that walking distance during daily housekeeping activities can be reduced by 5.5% on the average. Hence, it is concluded that adapting a sit/stand chair in the kitchen could reduce fatigue and occupational disorders of housewives from extended housekeeping activities.

This paper considers the optimum replacement times of a steam generator in nuclear power plant with failure data. It is assumed that the failure pattern of units is given as a Weibull distribution and repair and periodic preventive maintenance are performed periodically. The maximum likelihood method is used to estimated the Weibull parameters of failure distribution from failure data. Relpacement, output-decresing and maintenance costs are considered to determine the optimal replacement times by simulation. Numerical examples are included with actual failure data and cost estimators.

A recently developed alternative to traditional production planning and control systems such as material requirement planning(MRP) and just-in-time(JIT) is the drum-buffer-rope(DBR). The DBR now being implemented in growing number of manufacturing organizations enables better scheduling and decision making on the shop floor. In implementing the DBR, however, an information system is usually needed to transmit the signal that runs from the constraint to material release. In this paper we propose a different mechanism to transmit the signal in the case that the demand of product is stable, which uses the well-known Kanban system. To improve the reality, this paper shows and example of the Kanban format, its operation, and calculation of the number of Kanbans.