2023
Authors
Lopes, C; Rodrigues, AM; Romanciuc, V; Ferreira, JS; Ozturk, EG; Oliveira, C;
Publication
MATHEMATICS
Abstract
Sectorization is concerned with dividing a large territory into smaller areas, also known as sectors. This process usually simplifies a complex problem, leading to easier solution approaches to solving the resulting subproblems. Sectors are built with several criteria in mind, such as equilibrium, compactness, contiguity, and desirability, which vary with the applications. Sectorization appears in different contexts: sales territory design, political districting, healthcare logistics, and vehicle routing problems (agrifood distribution, winter road maintenance, parcel delivery). Environmental problems can also be tackled with a sectorization approach; for example, in municipal waste collection, water distribution networks, and even in finding more sustainable transportation routes. This work focuses on sectorization concerning the location of the area's centers and allocating basic units to each sector. Integer programming models address the location-allocation problems, and various formulations implementing different criteria are compared. Methods to deal with multiobjective optimization problems, such as the e-constraint, the lexicographic, and the weighted sum methods, are applied and compared. Computational results obtained for a set of benchmarking instances of sectorization problems are also presented.
2023
Authors
Moreira, C; Costa, C; Santos, AS; Bastos, JA; Varela, LR; Brito, MF;
Publication
Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
Meta-heuristics are some of the best-known techniques to approach hard optimization problems, however, there are still questions about what makes some meta-heuristics better than others in a specific problem. This paper presents an analysis of the Firefly and Cuckoo Search Algorithm, such as others meta-heuristics. In order to assess the performance of the Firefly Algorithm and the Cuckoo Search Algorithm, they were compared with other well-known optimization techniques, such as Simulated Annealing and Local Search. Both meta-heuristics analysed in an in-depth computational study, reaching the conclusion that both techniques could be useful in Scheduling Problems and lead to satisfactory solutions quickly and efficiently. Moreover, the results of the analysis show that the Firefly Algorithm, despite having a high runtime, performs better than the other techniques. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
2023
Authors
Cherri, AC; Cherri, LH; Oliveira, BB; Oliveira, JF; Carravilla, MA;
Publication
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
Abstract
In cutting processes, one of the strategies to reduce raw material waste is to generate leftovers that are large enough to return to stock for future use. The length of these leftovers is important since waste is expected to be minimal when cutting these objects in the future. However, in several situations, future demand is unknown and evaluating the best length for the leftovers is challenging. Furthermore, it may not be economically feasible to manage a stock of leftovers with multiple lengths that may not result in minimal waste when cut. In this paper, we approached the cutting stock problem with the possibility of generating leftovers as a two-stage stochastic program with recourse. We approximated the demand levels for the different items by employing a finite set of scenarios. Also, we modeled different decisions made before and after uncertainties were revealed. We proposed a mathematical model to represent this problem and developed a column generation approach to solve it. We ran computational experi-ments with randomly generated instances, considering a representative set of scenarios with a varying probability distribution. The results validated the efficiency of the proposed approach and allowed us to derive insights on the value of modeling and tackling uncertainty in this problem. Overall, the results showed that the cutting stock problem with usable leftovers benefits from a modeling approach based on sequential decision-making points and from explicitly considering uncertainty in the model and the solution method. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ )
2023
Authors
Pinto P.; Sousa C.; Cardeiro C.;
Publication
Procedia Computer Science
Abstract
This paper discusses the problem of information sharing and data interoperability in a B2B context. Therefore, this paper presents a case study on the scope of data-sharing in collaborative networks in an industrial cluster. It explores the feasibility of International Data Spaces in the context of the footwear industry cluster. This work also discusses how the adoption of digital processes might contribute to support data-based management to optimize the production planning of a footwear industry. As a result, it is defined and specified the foundations for the development and implementation of an dataspace oriented IIoT architecture, following a fully compliant Industry 4.0 solution for the footwear industry cluster. This paper discusses the problem of information sharing and data interoperability in a B2B context. Therefore, this paper presents a case study on the scope of data-sharing in collaborative networks in an industrial cluster. It explores the feasibility of International Data Spaces in the context of the footwear industry cluster. This work also discusses how the adoption of digital processes might contribute to support data-based management to optimize the production planning of a footwear industry. As a result, it is defined and specified the foundations for the development and implementation of an dataspace oriented IIoT architecture, following a fully compliant Industry 4.0 solution for the footwear industry cluster.
2023
Authors
Pereira, M; Silva, MF; Siqueira, A;
Publication
ROBOTICS IN NATURAL SETTINGS, CLAWAR 2022
Abstract
Due to the lack of unskilled labour force that has been verified in the last years, several processes have been automated, both at industrial and services level. In terms of logistics tasks and transport of materials, it is increasingly common to use mobile robots, given the advantages that this equipment presents. This is also the case in airports, where the adoption of these vehicles to perform several tasks is becoming visible. Considering the possibility of using mobile robots to transport luggage at the Francisco Sa, Carneiro Airport, this paper presents the development of a simulation model and the analysis of several scenarios, with different number of vehicles, in order to understand the time that passengers would have to wait for their luggage, in case this task is automated. The final objective is to determine the number of vehicles required and the changes that need to be made to the airport's operation in order to ensure a level of service identical to (or better than) that currently achieved, with these operations being carried out by human operators.
2023
Authors
Santos, MJ; Jorge, D; Ramos, T; Barbosa-Povoa, A;
Publication
OMEGA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
Abstract
The Vehicle Routing Problem with Divisible Deliveries and Pickups (VRPDDP) is under-explored in literature, yet it has a wide application in practice in a reverse logistics context, where the collection returnable items must also be ensured along with the traditional delivery of products to customers. problem considers that each customer has both delivery and pickup demands and may be visited twice in the same or different routes (i.e., splitting customers' visits). In several reverse logistics problems, capacity restrictions are required to either allow the movement of the driver inside the vehicle to arrange the loads or to avoid cross-contamination between delivery and pickup loads. In this work, explore the economic and the environmental impacts of the VRPDDP, with and without restrictions the free capacity, and compare it with the traditional Vehicle Routing Problem with Simultaneous Deliveries and Pickups (VRPSDP), on savings achieved by splitting customers visits. An exact method, solved through Gurobi, and an ALNS metaheuristic are coded in Python and used to test well-known and newly generated instances. A multi-objective approach based on the augmented e-constraint method is applied to obtain and compare solutions minimizing costs and CO2 emissions. The results demonstrate that splitting customer visits reduces the CO2 emissions for load-constrained distribution problems. Moreover, savings percentage of the VRPDDP when compared to the VRPSDP is higher for instances with a random network than when a clustered network of customers is considered.
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