The Hunter Valley Coal Chain is the largest coal export operation in the world with a throughput in excess of 100 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa). Coal is delivered to the shipping terminal from 40 mines using 27 coal load points spread across the Hunter Valley region. This paper describes an...

This paper presents a proactive strategic methodology for designing dynamic layouts for the expansion (or decline) phase of manufacturing systems. The methodology first estimates probable scenarios of the system requirements at its maturity level, strategically designs mature layouts given the...

The floorplanning (or facility layout) problem consists in finding the optimal positions for a given set of modules of fixed area (but perhaps varying height and width) within a facility such that the distances between pairs of modules that have a positive connection cost are minimized. This is...

This paper develops strategies to control picker blocking that challenge the traditional assumptions regarding the tradeoffs between wide- and narrow-aisle order picking systems. We propose an integrated batching and sequencing procedure called the indexed batching model (IBM), with the...

We study the facility network design problem for a global firm that is a monopolist seller in its domestic market but faces local competition in its foreign market. The global firm produces in the face of demand and exchange rate uncertainty but can postpone localization and distribution of the...

The floorplanning (or facility layout) problem consists in finding the optimal positions for a given set of modules of fixed area (but perhaps varying height and width) within a facility such that the distances between pairs of modules that have a positive connection cost are minimized. This is...

In the Corridor Allocation Problem, we are given n facilities to be arranged along a corridor. The arrangements on either side of the corridor should start from a common point on the left end of the corridor. In addition, no space is allowed between two adjacent facilities. The problem is...

This paper introduces a blocking model and closed-form expression of two workers traveling with walk speed m (m=integer) in a no-passing circular-passage system of n stations and assuming n=m+2, 2m+2,…. We develop a Discrete-Timed Markov Chain (DTMC) model to capture the workers’ changes of...

We develop a network-based warehouse model of individual pallet locations and their interactions with appropriate cross aisles in order to evaluate the expected travel distance of a given design. The model is constructive in that it uses Particle Swarm Optimization to determine the best angles...

Owing to its theoretical as well as practical significance, the facility layout problem with unequal-area departments has been studied for several decades, with a wide range of heuristic and a few exact solution procedures developed by numerous researchers. In one of the exact procedures, the...