South African Journal of Industrial Engineering

Note from the editor

Cellular manufacturing layout design using heuristic clustering algorithm and LPP model

This mathematical model forms machine cells, optimises the costs of unassigned machines and components, and designs the shop floor cell layout to have minimal movement of materials. The complete similarity measure algorithm forms machine cells and part families in a refined form. Later, exceptional elements are eliminated in the optimisation model by using machine duplication and sub-contracting of parts. Then the shop floor layout is designed to have optimised material movements between and within cells. An evaluation of the cell formation algorithm' performance is done on the benchmark problems of various batch sizes to reveal the process's capability compared with other similar methods. The data of machining times are acquired and tabulated in a part incidence matrix, which is used as input for the algorithm. The results from the linear programming optimisation model are that costs are saved, machines are duplicated, parts are sub-contracted, and there are inter- and intra-cellular movements. Finally, the output of the inbound facility design is the floor layout, which has machine cell clusters within the optimised floor area.

Hierdie artikel bied 'n wiskundige model aan wat masjien selle skep, die onkostes van nie-toegewysde masjiene en komponente optimeer, en die aanlegvloer uitleg te ontwerp sodat daar minimale beweging van materiaal is. Die volledige eendersheidsmaatstaf algoritme skep masjien selle en onderdeelfamilies in 'n verfynde formaat. Daarna word uitsonderlike elemente van die optimeringsmodel verwyder deur die gebruik van duplikasie en sametrekking van onderdele. Daarna word die aanleg se vloeruitleg ontwerp om minimale beweging van materiaal tussen en binne-in die selle te hê. Die sel skeppingsalgoritme se vertoning word evalueer teen maatstafprobleme van verskeie lot groottes om die proses se vermoë te vergelyk met ander, soortgelyke metodes. Die data van masjineertye word verkry en getabuleer in n matriks wat gebruik word as inset vir die algoritme. Die resultate van die lineêre programmering optimeringsmodel is kostes wat gestoor word, masjiene wat gedupliseer word, onderdele wat saamgetrek word tesame met die inter- en intrasellulêre bewegings. Laastens word die aanleg se vloeruitleg bepaal wat masjien sel groeperings binne die geoptimeerde vloer area plaas.

Understanding system failure in health care: a mental model for demand management

The load on health systems caused by systemic overburden leads to heightened costs, longer waiting times, a reduced quality of care, and associated problems. This may be caused by 'failure demand'; however, its definition is inadequate for a complex hierarchical system. Although accounting for a significant proportion of load in other industries, the academic assessment of failure demand in health care remains limited. We present a novel way of identifying repeat consumption, which we loosely equate with failure demand. We present a framework that can be used to identify 'system failure', the trigger for later repeat consumption. This provides new insight into understanding whether common events represent system failure. A diagnostic framework was developed from observations, the literature, and brainstorming. Commonly observed exit scenarios in health care were tested against the framework to create a system-failure list. The framework and the categorisation table were shared with eight international Lean health-care experts. Following feedback, the framework and categorisations were fine-tuned and consensus was achieved via member-checking. Identifying and managing failure demand for these settings can lead to a reduced system load, thus reducing costs and increasing system efficiency and quality.

Die las op gesondheidstelsels as gevolg van sistemiese oorlading lei tot hoër kostes, langer wagtye, swakker versorgingsgehalte en ander verwante probleme. Dit mag dalk veroorsaak word deur 'falings-aanvraag', maar dié konsep se definisie is onvoldoende vir ingewikkelde hiërargiese stelsels. Daar is beperkte literatuur beskikbaar oor falings-aanvraag in die gesondheidsektor. Hierdie artikel bied 'n nuwe manier om herhaalde verbruik te identifiseer - ons assosieer dit losweg met falings-aanvraag. 'n Raamwerk wat gebruik kan word om stelsel mislukking, die afsetter vir herhaalde verbruik, te identifiseer, was ontwikkel. Dit verskaf nuwe insig om te verstaan of algemene gebeure stelsel mislukking verteenwoordig. n Diagnostiese raamwerk is ontwikkel aan die hand van waarnemings, die literatuur en dinkskrums. Algemene uitgangscenario's is getoets deur middel van die raamwerk om 'n lys van stelsel mislukkings te genereer. Die raamwerk die kategoriseringstabel is gedeel met agt internasionale lenige gesondheidsorg kenners. Hul terugvoer is gebruik om die raamwerk en die kategorisering te verfyn totdat konsensus bereik is. Die identifiseer en bestuur van falings-aanvraag vir hierdie scenario's mag lei tot verminderde stelsel lading en dus onkostes verminder en sodoende doeltreffendheid en gehalte verbeter.

On the path to artificial intelligence: the effects of a robotics solution in a financial services firm

As ever-increasing advances in automation and artificial intelligence solutions create more opportunities for businesses to streamline their operations, the key challenges for managers are to identify the appropriate use cases for automation solutions in their organisations and to integrate the solution effectively to meet the objectives of both the firm and its employees. This case study examines the impact of implementing a machine-learning robotic process automation (RPA) solution that is aimed at reducing manual data entry tasks for employees in a financial services firm. The study employed an action research approach to follow a single team in the firm before and after the RPA implementation - a period of six months. The findings showed that RPA improved productivity in the team and created more positive work experiences for employees, as they had more time to dedicate to creative, cognitive, and customer service tasks. The study also found that the roles of employees were being redefined during the integration process, with employees reporting a high potential for broader transformation in the business as a result of the RPA implementation.

'n Kritiese uitdaging vir bestuurders is om gepaste toepassings van outomatisering en kunsmatige intelligensie in hul organisasies te identifiseer en om die oplossing doeltreffend te integreer. Hierdie gevallestudie ondersoek die impak van die implementering van 'n geoutomatiseerde masjienleer proses wat daarop gemik is om data vaslegging met die hand te verminder. Die gevallestudie is op 'n finansiële diensteverskaffer uitgevoer. Dié studie het 'n aksie navorsingsbenadering gevolg deur 'n span in die firma te ondersoek voor en na die proses toegepas is; en dit het oor n periode van ses maande geskied. Die bevindinge toon dat die geoutomatiseerde proses die produktiwiteit verbeter het en meer positiewe werkservaring vir die werkers as gevolg gehad het, omdat hulle meer tyd gehad het vir kreatiewe, kognitiewe en kliënte-diens take. Hierdie studie het ook gevind dat die rolle van werkers verfyn is tydens die integrasie proses. Werkers het 'n hoë potensiaal vir wyer transformasie van die firma as gevolg van die outomatisering in die vooruitsig gestel.

Use of partial quality function deployment to identify processes required for ISO 9001

This paper proposes an objective way to identify the necessary processes of a quality management system (QMS) to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements (CRs). This quality function deployment (QFD)-based method helps to address the implementation of process management, which is a mandatory requirement of modern standards based on QMS, such as ISO 9001 and other international standards. Currently, this identification of processes is made through subjective judgements derived from observation, brainstorming, debates, group projects, and other techniques; but this research presents a standardised way of determining or identifying the processes. The proposed method achieves the identification only of the processes that influence customer satisfaction, consolidating it as a crucial tool in the robust QMS design. The results indicate that the method shown can serve as a platform for subsequent activities, such as process mapping, indicator creation, procedure writing, and other important documents. The purpose of this paper is to show the feasibility of the proposed method, finishing with a summary of the results achieved in a Mexican company's QMS identification of processes.

Hierdie artikel stel 'n objektiewe manier voor om die noodsaaklike prosesse vir 'n gehalte bestuurstelsel te identifiseer om kliëntbevrediging te verbeter deur kliënte se behoeftes te bevredig. Die gehalte funksie ontplooiing gebaseerde metode dra by tot die implementering van prosesbestuur - dit is 'n verpligte vereiste van moderne standaarde wat op gehalte bestuurstelsels gebaseer is, soos ISO 9001 en andere. Op die oomblik word hierdie identifikasie van prosesse gemaak deur subjektiewe beoordelings wat afgelei word van observasies, dinkskrums, debatvoering, groep projekte en ander tegnieke. Hierdie navorsing bied egter 'n gestandaardiseerde manier vir die identifisering of bepaal van die prosesse. Die voorgestelde metode is beperk tot die identifisering van prosesse wat kliëntbevrediging beïnvloed en die resultaat is ' belangrike toevoeging tot 'n robuuste gehalte bestuurstelsel. Die resultate toon dat die metode gebruik kan word as 'n platform vir daaropvolgende aktiwiteite, soos die kartering van prosesse, skep van aanwysers, skryf van prosedures en ander belangrike dokumente. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om die lewensvatbaarheid van die voorgestelde metode aan te bied en dit sluit af met ' opsomming van die resultate behaal deur ' Meksikaanse maatskappy se gehalte bestuurstelsel proses identifisering

A structural equation model linking innovation and knowledge management capability to improve organisational capability efficiency

Organisations implementing homogeneous and intellectual resource organisational capabilities, such as innovation (INNO) and knowledge management capability (KMC), suffer from organisational capability inefficiencies that are caused by multiple influences. The purpose of the study was to develop a structural equation model (SEM) for the alignment of INNO and KMC that would assist organisations' managers to improve organisational capability efficiency (OCE) during implementation. Since very little consideration has been given to the analogous nature of INNO and KMC in either theory or practice, organisations have most often implemented these strategic initiatives in isolation or by using a departmentalised approach. A structured questionnaire was used and analysed, primarily by means of factor analysis, to contribute to the validation of the SEM. The findings revealed that organisations implementing INNO must consider KMC and align/synthesise them to attain OCE.

Organisasies wat homogene en intellektuele hulpbron organiseringsvermoë implementeer, soos innovasie en kennis bestuursvermoë, ly gereeld aan ondoeltreffendheid as gevolg van verskeie redes. Hierdie studie het 'n strukturele vergelykingsmodel ontwikkel vir die belyning van innovasie en kennis bestuursvermoë om die organisasies se doeltreffendheid tydens implementering te verbeter. Omdat daar beperkte inligting in die literatuur en in praktyk hieroor beskikbaar is, het organisasies hierdie strategiese inisiatiewe in isolasie implementeer. 'n Gestruktureerde vraelys is gebruik en ontleed, hoofsaaklik deur middel van faktoranalise, om by te dra tot die validasie van die strukturele vergelykingsmodel. Die bevindings toon dat die organisasies wat innovasie implementeer inderdaad kennis bestuursvermoë moet oorweeg en dié inisiatiewe moet belyn om organisatoriese doeltreffendheid te behaal.

Investigation of user interface of gyro-sensor-based hand gestural drone controller

Joystick controllers are used mainly for modern civil drones. However, joystick controllers are non-intuitive and require two hands to be used simultaneously. Therefore, although single-handed drone controllers using a joystick and hand gestures have been introduced, they have only replaced the right stick of the joystick controller with gyro sensors. While this approach retains interface continuity with conventional joystick controllers, it is not user-centric. Therefore we propose a gestural drone controller based on hand gestures, and compare it experimentally with conventional controllers, including an investigation of the effective differences depending on the user's joystick experience. We separate participants into expert and novice joystick groups to investigate the joystick controller experience effects (e.g., radio-controlled cars, game consoles) for each controller type. The conventional joystick controller is found to be superior to the conventional gestural controller for five out of nine criteria, and superior to the proposed gestural controller for three out of nine criteria. The proposed gestural controller is more natural than the conventional gestural controller. There tends to be an interaction effect of the joystick experience and controller types, considering the naturalness of the controller.

Stuurstok beheerders word dikwels gebruik as beheerders vir moderne hommeltuie. Stuurstok beheerders is nie intuïtief nie en vereis gelyktydige gebruike van twee hande. Alhoewel nuwe, eenhandige hommeltuig beheerders met 'n enkele stuurstok al bekendgestel is, het dit net die regterkantste stuurstok met giroskope vervang. Hierdie ontwerp behou koppelvlak kontinuïteit met konvensionele stuurstok beheerders, maar dit is nie gebruiker gesentreer nie. Hierdie artikel bied die ontwerp van 'n beheerder, wat van gebare gebruik maak, aan. Die ontwerp word vergelyk met konvensionele beheerders. Die vergelyking sluit 'n ondersoek na die verskille afhangend van die gebruiker se ervaring in. Deelnemers word verdeel in nuwelinge en ervare groepe om die invloed van stuurstok ervaring te bepaal vir elke beheerder tipe. Die konvensionele stuurstok beheerder vertoon beter as die konvensionele gebaar gebaseerde beheerder vir vyf van die nege kriteria. Dit vertoon ook beter as die voorgestelde beheerder vir drie van die nege kriteria. Die voorgestelde gebaar gebaseerde beheerder is meer intuïtief as die konvensionele gebaar gebaseerde beheerder. Die gebruiker se ervaring het ook n rol gespeel tydens die oorweging van hoe intuïtief die beheerder is.

The development of a technology roadmap for ferrochrome producers

A 30-year technology roadmap for the South African ferrochrome industry is developed to address the increasing cost of electricity and competition from China. Research on possible technologies and their applicability in ferrochrome smelting is conducted, including Industry 4.0 technologies. The developed roadmap has three phases, with full-scale digitisation deferred to the second phase. The first phase addresses the stabilisation of the industry through the introduction of alternative energy sources. The last phase of the ferrochrome industry roadmap is sustainability, which builds on the successes of previous phases. This research contributes to methods the responsible introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies in industries with existing underlying challenges. The purpose of this article is to present a technology roadmap for ferrochrome producers in South Africa as chosen by the ferrochrome industry players.

'n Tegnologie padkaart vir die volgende 30 jaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse ferrochroom bedryf is ontwikkel om die toenemende koste van elektrisiteit en mededinging van Sjina aan te spreek. Navorsing oor moontlike tegnologieë (insluitend Industrie 4.0 tegnologieë) en hul toepassing in ferrochroom verwerking is van stapel gestuur. Die ontwikkelde padkaart het drie fases, met volskaalse digitalisering uitgestel tot die tweede fase. Die eerste fase adresseer die stabilisasie van die bedryf deur die aanneming van alternatiewe energiebronne. Die laaste fase fokus op volhoubaarheid van die vordering wat tydens die eerste twee fases behaal is. Hierdie navorsing dra by tot metodes vir die verantwoordelike bekendstelling van Industrie 4.0 tegnologieë in bedrywe met bestaande onderliggende uitdagings. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om die padkaart vir Suid-Afrikaanse ferrochroom produsente voor te stel deur rolspelers binne-in die bedryf.

Application of an integrated model to a construction and building industry for energy-saving assessment

The activities of the building and construction industry have made it one of the highest energy consumers and thus one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases. The main objective of this study was to develop a system to determine energy saving in the industry. This was achieved through an integrated model of index decomposition analysis, an artificial neural network, and data envelopment analysis. Index decomposition analysis is used to understand the contribution of the factors responsible for energy consumption. These factors are inputs to the artificial neural network to predict the baseline energy consumption. The energy saving is finally determined through data envelopment analysis. The results showed that the integrated model presents a reasonable amount of energy saving in the building and construction industry.

Die konstruksiebedryf is een van die grootste verbruikers van energie en dra dus noemenswaardig by tot die vrystel van kweekhuisgasse. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is die ontwikkeling van 'n stelsel om energiebesparing in die bedryf te bepaal. Dit is bereik deur 'n geïntegreerde model van indeks ontledingsanalise, 'n kunsmatige neurale netwerk en data omvattingsanalise. Indeks ontledingsanalise word gebruik om die bydrae van verskillende faktore tot energieverbruik te verstaan. Hierdie faktore is insette tot die kunsmatige neurale netwerk om die basislyn energieverbruik te voorspel. Die energiebesparing word dan deur data ontledingsanalise bepaal. Die geïntegreerde model dui op n redelike hoeveelheid energiebesparing in die konstruksiebedryf.

Optimising the analysis stage in the internationalisation of manufacturing operations

The internationalisation of the manufacturing operations process includes decision-making about new facility implementation (NFI) and global supplier network development (GSND), whose first step is to analyse the situation of a company and its environment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the optimal design of a manufacturing production and distribution network for global small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This research uses a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to support decision-making in the analysis stage of the internationalisation of manufacturing operations for global SMEs. A real-world case study is presented to illustrate the application of the proposed model. Different scenarios were evaluated not only to identify the strengths and limitations of the mathematical programming model, but to also provide support for the next strategic decisions that the examined company has to make in the near future.

Die besluit om nuwe vervaardigingsfasiliteite op te rig en die ontwikkeling van wêreldwye verskaffernetwerke is belangrik vir die internasionalisering van operasionele prosesse in vervaarding. Die eerste stap van hierdie ontwikkeling is die ontleding van die maatskappy se omstandighede. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die optimale ontwerp van 'n vervaardiging produksie- en verspreidingsnetwerk te ondersoek vir klein en medium grootte ondernemings. Die navorsing gebruik 'n gemengde heelgetal lineêre programmeringsmodel om besluitneming te ondersteun tydens die aanvanklike ontledings fase. 'n Gevallestudie van 'n werklike maatskappy word voorgehou om die toepassing van die voorgestelde model te illustreer. Verskillende scenario's is ontleed en identifiseer nie net die voor- en nadele van die model nie; dit bied ook ondersteuning vir die volgende strategiese besluite wat die maatskappy moet neem in die nabye toekoms.

A system dynamics approach for strategic planning of consumer electronics industry in developing countries: the case of the television manufacturing industry in Egypt

In this paper, a system dynamics approach is introduced for the macro-planning of the selection of new product families in the consumer electronics industry in developing countries. A decision methodology structure is built that includes the impact factors of rapid technology changes and uncertainty. System dynamics models are designed to select the product family's planning strategy, considering the different variables in marketing, product design, supply chain, and manufacturing method. The developed model is validated for a real case study of television manufacturing in Egypt. The results reveal that using system dynamics reflects the dynamics of the consumer electronics industry and can be used for its strategic planning.

Hierdie artikel stel 'n stelsel dinamika benadering voor vir die makro-beplanning van die kies van nuwe produkfamilies in die verbruikerselektronika bedryf in ontwikkelende lande. 'n Besluitnemings-metodologie struktuur is geskep wat die impakfaktore van vinnige tegnologie veranderinge en onsekerheid insluit. Stelsel dinamika modelle is ontwerp om die produkfamilies se beplanning strategie te kies deur verskillende veranderlikes te oorweeg rakende bemarking, produkontwerp, voorsieningsketting en vervaardigingstegniek. Die ontwikkelde model is gevalideer deur 'n gevallestudie van televisie vervaardiging in Egipte. Die resultate toon dat die gebruik van stelsel dinamika die dinamika van die verbruikerselektronika industrie reflekteer en dat dit gebruik kan word vir strategiese beplanning daarvan.