Advanced Materials Research Vols. 931-932

Abstract: The aim of this study is to extract the reducing sugar by acid hydrolysis of corn stover. The corn stover was hydrolyzed by using H₂SO₄ at different concentrations (0-6%, v/v),reaction times (15-180 min) at temperature 122 C with ratio of 1 g of corn stover to 20 ml of H₂SO₄ solution. The samples were analyzed the reducing sugar by HPLC. The optimal conditions of acid hydrolysis was at 1% H₂SO₄ (v/v), 122 C for 60 min, which produced 24.96 g/L of reducing sugar. The hydrolysed sample composed of 12.4 g/L of xylose, 2.9 g/l of glucose and 3.2 g/L of arabinose. Also, the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was analyzed the morphology of untreated and treated corn stover which showed the breakdown fibril of treated sample.

Abstract: Since seeds are the foundation of agriculture and the Thai government plans to make Thailand an export hub of seeds under the Asean Economic Community (AEC) 2015, seed quality plays an important role in the seed production. Traditionally, physical attributes of seeds are inspected by human. However this method is very time-consuming and it highly relies on human skills and experience. Thus, in this paper, we focus on seed quality inspection of sweet pepper seeds using image processing techniques. Sweet peppers are very interesting since they have been one of the most important vegetable around the world and they have a variety of vitamins and nutrients. To identify defective sweet pepper seeds, two features used in our proposed algorithm are seed color and seed size. As shown in the results, percent accuracy of abnormal seed color and unaccepted seed size detection are 95.82% and 90.76%, respectively.

Abstract: The economic growth in Southeast Asia has a number of benefits for downstream industries including jig and fixture fabricators. Jig and fixture fabricators are categorized as small and medium industries that operate based on job-shop manufacturing concept. Meantime, jig and fixture projects are characterized by the unique nature of unforeseeable demand and customized design with multiple objectives. Hence, managing jig and fixture projects is eventually not an easy task. In line with this, this paper aims to develop an objective driven framework that is applicable to jig and fixture industries in Southeast Asia. Thus, the paper reviews various objectives and success factors for jig and fixture projects. The paper subsequently proposes a jig and fixture project management framework based on an objective-oriented project planning and management theory, namely Logical Framework Approach (LFA). The proposed framework is developed based on the concept that generalizations of jig and fixture projects objectives are infeasible. As such, the proposed framework treats projects objective individually. The uniqueness of the proposed framework is the multiple cross links that exist between project management success factors and project objectives. Intrinsically, the proposed framework presents a clearer picture on important factors that contribute towards the success of achieving each projects objective. The proposed framework has descriptive value in terms of studying, classifying and defining the relationships that govern jig and fixture project activities and project objectives.

Abstract: The performance of finding an optimal solution is always a crucial engineering research topic. Quality of solutions obtained depends on the algorithm and its parameter settings applied to solve a problem. Machine layout design (MLD) problem involves the arrangement of machines into shop floor area to optimise performance measures. This paper presents the use of the experimental design and analysis to investigate the optimal parameter setting of Genetic Algorithm (GA) for designing multiple-row machine layout with demand uncertainty aiming to minimise the total cost. The analysis on the results obtained from computational experiments suggested that the proposed algorithm with and without adopting the optimised parameter setting performed distinctively on each problem size. The best GA parameters for MLD problem under stochastic customer demand were statistically compared and reported.

Abstract: This study aimed to present the robustness evaluation of job-shop scheduling based on Theory of Constraints (TOC) concept under processing time and demand variations using simulation technique. The performance of schedule based on TOC and traditional method (minimizing C_max) were compared in terms of schedule robustness and performance. Simulation test scenarios were carried out by applying different distributions of processing time with two case problems as single and double bottlenecks cases. In addition, demand variation was added to the simulation test at the last experiment to increase the system variation. The results showed that the schedule based on TOC concept was superior to the schedule from traditional method when the variation in both processing time and demand were increased and the production system was more complicated as can be observed from the results of double bottlenecks case.

Abstract: This paper explains about the necessity of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) optimization model due to the absence of the formal methodology in QFD for allocating the available product development resource to determine the best possible product specifications. The proposed optimization model also deals with the improper handling of customer need’s importance weight and customer’s satisfaction and dissatisfaction feeling in the QFD process.QFD assumes that the customer need’s importance value is equivalent with the satisfaction level perceived by the customer when the need is met. However, most of the time, a fulfillment of an extremely important customer need does not lead to any improvement in customer satisfaction.QFD also considers that customer satisfaction level will increase automatically as the customer dissatisfaction sources are eliminated. This is not always true, since the sources of customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not always the same. Thus, fulfilling a certain customer need to improve customer satisfaction does not automatically reduce the customer dissatisfaction, and vice versa. In order to explain the effect of the customer needs fulfillment on customer satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction, Kano’s model is used. A pencil design example is also presented in the paper. Using Kano’s model in QFD optimization helps to distribute the available product development resource in an effective way to increase the customer satisfaction and to reduce the customer dissatisfaction.

Abstract: This study presented the process of new product development for processed parboiled-rice product using the concept of House of Quality (HoQ) from Quality Function Deployment (QFD) technique. The main tasks were Voice of Customer (VOC) surveying and HoQ development. From VOC, the form of new product was identified as processed parboiled-rice porridge product. The results from HoQ indicated that three aspects were concerned, packaging quality that should be able to maintain quality of food inside the package and prevent the contamination and market place. VOCs were linked into product technical specifications (TS) through relationship matrix between each consumer requirements (CR) and TS, the absolute importance value (Abs.IMP) and relative importance value (Rel.IMP) were calculated. As a results from Rel.IMP found that packaging design (score = 16.05%), type and quantity of raw material (score = 11.13%) and color and appearance of packaging (score = 9.77%) will be firstly consider in the development of parboiled rice porridge product.

Abstract: Natural and man-made disasters remain one of the global challenges in the future. This paper looks at the disaster logistics surrounding the Tsunami from 2004 which was caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean with a magnitude of M_w 9.19.3. In all 14 billion US $ in humanitarian aid were donated to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand The qualitative study uses grounded theory by Glaser and Strauss with in-depth interviews to analyze the lessons learned from this natural disaster response. The data was collected from ground zero to present day. It looks at all forms of disaster logistics from the private and government (military) sector to national Thai efforts and international disaster relieve efforts by a large number of Asian and European countries as well as the USA. What lessons are there to be learned both for disaster logistics policies as well as procedures and equipment needs and preventive measures and material and design requirements

Abstract: This research work attempts to establish the bullwhip effect measure under the dual sourcing environment in which the lead time periods of two distributors to fulfill the retailer's orders are identical. Our model was based on the simple three-echelon supply chain with one supplier, two distributors and one retailer for a stationary first-order autoregressive, i.e., AR(1), incoming demand process. It was assumed that the minimum mean-square error forecasting technique and the order-up-to inventory policy were employed in all stages. The impacts of the autoregressive coefficient, the replenishment lead time and the proportion of order quantities placed by the retailer with the two distributors were investigated. A detailed comparison of the bullwhip effect of dual sourcing and that of single sourcing was also provided.

Abstract: Cassava transportation planning usually involves unexpected demand, which may result in shortage supply. Furthermore, a distribution center at which cassava is collected is difficult to be located since the demand is unknown. In this research, hybrid forecasting model for predicting future demand in order to determine transshipment points is proposed. In addition, cluster analysis and particle swarm optimization are used for creating potential zones and determine a proper location as a new hub. Finally, the optimal value of a transportation network model using both forecasted value and actual value obtained from linear programming technique are tested and compared. The results indicate that the hybrid forecasting model provides the lowest error and forecasting value provides average error of optimal value compared to actual value by 19.81%. Moreover, zoning technique can be able to improve shipping volume fulfilled to a large truck.