CON/SLK due date assignment and scheduling on a single machine with two agents

We consider scheduling problems involving two agents (agents A and B), each having a set of jobs that compete for the use of a common machine to process their respective jobs. The due dates of the A‐jobs are decision variables, which are determined by using the common (CON) or slack (SLK) due date assignment methods. Each agent wants to minimize a certain performance criterion depending on the completion times of its jobs only. Under each due date assignment method, the criterion of agent A is always the same, namely an integrated criterion consisting of the due date assignment cost and the weighted number of tardy jobs. Several different criteria are considered for agent B, including the maxima of regular functions (associated with each job), the total (weighted) completion time, and the weighted number of tardy jobs. The overall objective is to minimize the performance criterion of agent A, while keeping the objective value of agent B no greater than a given limit. We analyze the computational complexity, and devise polynomial or pseudo‐polynomial dynamic programming algorithms for the considered problems. We also convert, if viable, any of the devised pseudopolynomial dynamic programming algorithms into a fully polynomial‐time approximation scheme. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 416–429, 2016     

On the polyhedral structure of two‐level lot‐sizing problems with supplier selection

In this article, we study a two‐level lot‐sizing problem with supplier selection (LSS), which is an NP‐hard problem arising in different production planning and supply chain management applications. After presenting various formulations for LSS, and computationally comparing their strengths, we explore the polyhedral structure of one of these formulations. For this formulation, we derive several families of strong valid inequalities, and provide conditions under which they are facet‐defining. We show numerically that incorporating these valid inequalities within a branch‐and‐cut framework leads to significant improvements in computation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 647–666, 2017     

A practical organizational efficiency measure

There is often a call in any organization to make the system ‘more efficient’. This document describes a novel framework for measuring organizational efficiency at the microeconomic level. We show how this framework can be used to monitor an organization using data typically available in extant performance management frameworks. This is most useful in large organizations with eclectic outputs where resources may be too constrained to perform industry-level analyses, such as data envelope analysis, to infer efficiency. This method helps illuminate how the factors of an organization’s internal practices can affect its efficient use of resources.     

无摩擦的空气轴承技术对超精密加工机床进给驱动系统的控制需…

加工过程中随着对精密度和加工环境的要求的不断提高,越来越需要在机床的结构和控制器原理这两者之间进行特殊的组合。近年来,为了补偿进给驱动系统的直接导轨的摩擦造成的影响,人们发明了大量的控制决策,例如［１］－［３］。他们虽然提供了各式各样的功能强大的非线性的机构,但通常又使用相当复杂的计算机算法来耗费系统资源。借助于先进的空气静压轴承技术（ＦＶＭ－空气－轴承）摩擦可以被彻底消除,因而直线导轨也就不存在     

基于神经网络的超精密机床伺服进给非线性模型辨识

以双轴Ｔ型结构的超精密金刚石车床的伺服进给系统为研究对象,采用自构造神经网络技术,建立了系统的非线性动态数学模型,为系统非线性控制与补偿提供参考模型     

The stochastic duel with time-dependent hit probabilities

The fundamental stochastic duel considers two opponents who fire at each other at either random continuous or fixed-time intervals with a constant hit probability on each round fired. Each starts with an unloaded weapon, unlimited ammunition, and unlimited time. The first to hit wins. In this article we extend the theory to the case where hit probabilities are functions of the time since the duel began. First, the marksman firing at a passive target is considered and the characteristic function of the time to a hit is developed. Then, the probability of a given side winning the duel is derived. General solutions for a wide class of hit probability functions are derived. Specific examples of both the marksman and the duel problem are given.     

Finite Markov chain models skip-free in one direction

Finite Markov processes are considered, with bidimensional state space, such that transitions from state (n, i) to state (m, j) are possible only if m ≤ n + 1. The analysis leads to efficient computational algorithms, to determine the stationary probability distribution, and moments of first passage times.