Industrial Engineering Journal

An Optimal Product Strategy of Fuel Vehicle Manufacturers Considering Consumer Anxiety

GUAN Zhenzhong, TANG Mingyang, DU Huafeng

2023, 26 (6): 1-12. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.001

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As the environment deteriorating, the government has introduced a series of policies to promote the development of the new energy vehicles industry. Therefore, it has become an urgent issue that whether traditional manufacturers of fuel vehicles need to adjust their product strategies and launch hybrid vehicles, when considering consumer anxiety and alternative incentives from the government, to cope with the challenge from manufacturers producing new energy vehicles. Based on this, this paper builds a duopoly competition model from the perspective of fuel vehicle manufacturers. The optimal equilibrium results obtained by different strategies considering conversion cost, and the corresponding optimal strategy and implementation conditions are obtained by comparative analysis. Results show that the mixed strategy always outperforms the hybrid vehicle strategy. However, under the condition of low conversion cost, when consumers have low alternative incentives and the anxiety relief coefficient is lower than a certain threshold, manufacturers better choose the fuel vehicle strategy. In contrast, under the condition of high conversion cost, the mixed strategy is the optimal one. Additionally, once the anxiety relief coefficient or the alternative incentive is higher than a certain threshold, the fuel vehicle strategy should be chosen. Social welfare demonstrates a decreasing trend with the increase of consumer anxiety, while the social welfare of the three strategies shows a trade-off trend.

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A Pricing Strategy of New Technology Services for New Energy Vehicles under Different Supply Chain Modes

LI Hao, JIANG Xingfu

2023, 26 (6): 13-23,34. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.002

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To address the pricing problem of new technology services for new energy vehicles under different supply chain modes, the Stackelberg game models in two-level and three-level supply chains are established. The equilibrium decision-making of enterprises at each node under buyout and subscription modes are discussed, while the influence of consumer price sensitivity coefficient, technology spillover effect coefficient and aggregation effect coefficient on the pricing of new technology services and the profit of enterprises at supply chain nodes is analyzed. Also, the optimal pricing strategy of new technology services in different supply chains is discussed. The study shows that under buyout and subscription modes, the pricing of new technology services for new energy vehicles and the profit of each enterprise in a supply chain decrease with the increase of price sensitivity coefficient, and increase with the increase of technology spillover effect; under the subscription mode, with the increase of aggregation effect coefficient, the retail price of new technology services increases, while the wholesale prices of manufacturers and distributors decrease, and the profit of each enterprise in a supply chain decreases; under different charging modes, the profit of each enterprise in a two-level supply chain is greater than that in a three-level supply chain; when the aggregation effect coefficient is small, the optimal choice for manufacturers and retailers is the subscription mode.

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A Recycling Mode of Power Battery Reverse Supply Chains from the Perspective of Process Innovation

WANG Wenbin, ZHANG Mengxin, GUAN Jie, QI Jinyu

2023, 26 (6): 24-34. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.003

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This paper studies the decision-making of recycling modes in power battery reverse supply chains under the background of process innovation in remanufacturing power batteries. The profit decision models of power battery manufacturer recycling, new energy vehicle manufacturer recycling and both recycling in reverse supply chains are established respectively. The effects of different recycling modes on the process innovation level, recycling amount and profit of remanufacturing power batteries are analyzed, so as to determine the optimal process innovation level and recycling mode. The study shows that: 1) recycling by NEV manufacturers is the most detrimental to the recycling and process innovation of power batteries, while when both recycling and the proportion of waste batteries recycled by PB producers is 0.67, the recycling amount of waste batteries and the level of process innovation are the highest; 2) the profit of PB producers and NEV manufacturers are always the lowest when the other party is responsible for recycling, but they can obtain the highest profit under the joint recycling mode when the recycling proportion of PB producers is greater than 0.33; 3) regardless of the recycling mode, the lower the input cost coefficient of remanufacturing power battery process innovation and the difficulty of recycling waste batteries and the higher the impact of process innovation level on cost savings, the higher the recycling amount of waste batteries, the level of process innovation and the profit of reverse supply chains.

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Influence of Demand Fluctuations and Competition Intensity on Dominant Power Advantages of Supply Chains

HE Zheng, JIANG Xue, FENG Chun

2023, 26 (6): 35-46. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.004

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For a supply chain consisting of multiple suppliers and retailers, this paper utilizes Cournot-Stackelberg, Market-Stackelberg and Market-Nash game models to simulate the situation where the market dominant power of upstream sellers gradually decreases while the power of downstream buyers increases. The equilibrium decisions and supply chain performance are compared and analyzed under three modes, as well as their responses to external market changes such as demand fluctuations and market competition intensity. Results show as follows. 1) In a seller-dominated supply chain, the increase in buyer power reduces market equilibrium production and wholesale prices. 2) With strong demand fluctuations, a balance of upstream and downstream power can achieve more stable equilibrium production and wholesale prices. 3) When market demand fluctuations are small, dominant power of a supply chain brings a higher profit level, and participants can actively compete for the power; however, when demand fluctuates greatly, the profit advantage brought by market dominance is not significant, and there is no need to spend a lot of cost for market dominance. 4) The fierce competition of upstream suppliers induces them to give up competing for market dominance in a supply chain, but it has little effect on downstream retailers to strive for market dominant power. However, the fierce horizontal competition downstream stimulates both suppliers and retailers to actively compete for market dominant power. 5) Intensified market competition improves the total profit of a supply chain, so as to encourage that competition is beneficial to the overall economic development of society.

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Promoting Bilateral Freshness Preservation in Agricultural Supply Chains Based on Bargaining Cost-sharing

WEI Guangxing, LIANG Yijing

2023, 26 (6): 47-56. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.005

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In order to encourage the upstream and downstream enterprises in agricultural supply chains to actively implement preservation, a bargaining cost-sharing contract is presented. The specific sharing proportion of preservation cost is derived, which supports the values of contract parameters. A supply chain game model for bilateral preservation between manufacturers and retailers is designed to investigate the preservation cost sharing contracts in scenarios with and without bargaining. The enhancing effect of bargaining on bilateral preservation efforts, freshness of agricultural products and the total profit of a supply chain are analyzed by comparing the above two scenarios. Through the findings, the following conclusions are made. Bargaining can promote the sharing of preservation cost, and retailers share more of preservation cost than manufacturers; bargaining can promote bilateral preservation efforts and improve the freshness of agricultural products, where both manufacturers and retailers input more efforts; bargaining is beneficial for the operation of agricultural supply chains with higher system profits; freshness requirements of consumers strengthen the promotion of bargaining in bilateral preservation, the freshness of agricultural products and the operation of supply chains, but inhibit the promotion of bargaining on preservation cost sharing.

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A Study on Emission Reduction and Contracts of Agricultural Supply Chains Considering Preservation Efforts

WANG Xiaofeng, WANG Mengling, XIAO Lili

2023, 26 (6): 57-65. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.006

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Based on the carbon tax policy, a two-level agricultural supply chain is constructed, in which manufacturers implement low-carbon emission reduction technologies and retailers provide product preservation services. Considering the influence of emission reduction efforts, preservation efforts and sales prices on market demand, Stackelberg game theory is used to compare and analyze the optimal decisions of supply chain members and the overall profit of the supply chain under the influence of emission reduction demand and preservation demand elasticity coefficients in centralized and decentralized situations. It is found that the emission reduction efforts of manufacturers, the preservation efforts of retailers and the overall profit of the supply chain in a decentralized situation are all lower than those in a centralized one, also, they are proportional to the elasticity coefficients of emission reduction demand and preservation demand. Furthermore, a contract is designed and find that the "cost sharing" contract can stimulate emission reduction only, but can not achieve supply chain coordination; when the parameters of the "bilateral cost sharing-benefit sharing" contract satisfy certain conditions, it can not only stimulate manufacturers to reduce emissions and retailers to improve their preservation efforts, but also realize Pareto optimality.

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A Precision Fertilization Strategy and Cooperation Mechanism of Agricultural Products under the Mode of "Company + Farmer"

DING Xuefeng, WU Yu

2023, 26 (6): 66-74. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.007

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To explore the optimization of fertilization strategy selection and production cost in a "company+farmer" agricultural supply chain, decision models for companies and farmers based on the implementation of precision fertilization technology are established. The performance of supply chains under two types of decentralized and centralized decision-making is compared, while the impact of parameter sensitivity and the feasibility of contracts are analyzed through simulation. Results show that precision fertilization can reduce production cost, and rational fertilization strategies can improve the economic benefits for both parties. With decentralized decision-making, the economic benefits of the company-borne precision fertilization cost model (R) are lower than the farmer-borne model (F), for the latter can better produce the cost-saving and efficiency-enhancing effects of precision fertilization. By adopting "profit-sharing-cost-sharing" (TR) and "two-part tariff" (TF) contracts, the coordination of the company model and farmer model supply chains is achieved, respectively. After coordination, the production cost of farmers decreases, and the profits of the supply chain stakeholders are improved.

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Production Timing and Quality Selection of Short Life Cycle Products

YAN Xiamin

2023, 26 (6): 75-82. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.008

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Product quality decisions are influenced by market demand. Postponement production can clarify market demand. This paper studies the influence of demand uncertainty and customer churn rate on the production timing and quality selection decisions of short life cycle products. Results show that: when the customer churn rate is less than a certain threshold, if demand uncertainty is low, the enterprise immediately produces standard products; if demand uncertainty is medium, the enterprise delays the production of differentiation products; if demand uncertainty is high, the enterprise delays the production of standard products. When the customer churn rate is greater than the other threshold, if demand uncertainty is low, the enterprise immediately produces differentiation products; if demand uncertainty is medium, the enterprise delays the production of standard products; if demand uncertainty is high, the enterprise delays the production of differentiation products. When the customer churn rate is between two thresholds, the decision of the enterprise is related to the relative values of the two thresholds.

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An Improved Weighted BN-CREAM Model for Human Reliability Analysis

MA Yanhui, ZUO Kaiying, WANG Ying, WANG Zhiqiong

2023, 26 (6): 83-92. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.009

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Though there exists many defects in traditional cognitive reliability and error analysis methods (CREAM) , which leads to narrow application, they still have great development potential. This paper proposes a model combining an improved weighted Bayesian network (BN) and CREAM to improve the accuracy of evaluation and expand the application of the method. In this model, the weights of factors in the scenario are obtained first by the Grey-DEMATEL method. Then, the probability distribution of adjusted common performance condition (CPC) factor nodes is obtained by Bayesian network inference. Afterwards the weighted factors are sampled and simulated to obtain the probability distribution of the control mode in the scenario. A case study of 1800 W customized SEED power supply is used to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the model through analysis of evaluation results and comparison with other methods. The improved model has wider applicability and more objective outputs, which provides a reference for the construction of Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) index systems.

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Re-design of Express Transportation Route Based on Hybrid Hub-and-Spoke Network

LI Yue, QIN Wei

2023, 26 (6): 93-100. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.010

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In order to cope with the highly decentralized and fluctuating distribution of express transportation volume, a hybrid hub-and-spoke transportation network combining a hub-and-spoke network and direct-connected routes is proposed. On the premise of making full use of the established express service nodes, direct routes are established between non-hub cities to effectively reduce transportation cost. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model for the hybrid hub-and-spoke express transportation network is built, with a cost function comprised of transportation cost, loading and unloading cost and holding cost as the optimization objective. A modified genetic simulated annealing algorithm is developed to solve the model: genetic algorithm determines the locations of hubs and the allocations of non-hub nodes, while simulated annealing algorithm solves the direct connections between non-hub nodes. The proposed model and algorithm are applied to a test case with 30 nodes based on real express data in China. Compared with the traditional hub-and-spoke mode, the average cost is reduced by 32.2%, and the gap between the heuristic solution and the optimal solution is less than 5%. In addition, sensitivity analysis shows that trucks with a capacity of 1 000 kg are the optimal transportation modes for redesigning transportation plans, which provides theoretical basis and practical reference for express companies that currently use hub-and-spoke networks to improve transportation routes.

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Modeling and Analysis of a Queuing Network in a Material Handling System with Multi-floor Automated Guided Vehicles

LIU Xiaopeng, CHEN Xuanrui, LIN Jun, CHEN Qingxin, MAO Ning, ZHANG Huiyu

2023, 26 (6): 101-108. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.011

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For a material handling system with multiple automated guided vehicles, its characteristics of multi-layer and random paths should be emphasized. Firstly, multiple scenarios are defined and their probabilities are calculated according to the possible dwell points, transportation paths and task types of automated guided vehicles. Secondly, the service time and distribution types of task nodes are described by the two-moment approximation method, and a hybrid queuing network model is proposed to analyze multiple system performance indicators, which is approximately solved by an iterative algorithm. Finally, a 3D simulation experimental platform is designed to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. Comparing and analyzing the solution results obtained by different methods, the conclusion can provide optimization suggestions in terms of resource allocation and path planning for designers of such logistics systems.

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Joint Scheduling of Outsourcing-Production-Distribution for a Single Batch Processing Machine with Non-identical Job Sizes

GENG Jianyi, LIU Le

2023, 26 (6): 109-118. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.012

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To improve the integrated decision-making level of manufacturers for job outsourcing, production and distribution, an integrated outsourcing-production-distribution scheduling problem (IOPDSP) for a single batch processing machine is considered. A 0-1 programming model is established to minimize the total operating cost based on the budget constraint of total outsourcing cost and non-identical job sizes. An improved genetic algorithm (IGA) is designed for solving this problem. A real-world IOPDSP instance in a ceramic company is applied to compare the solution performance of IGA and CPLEX software. It is found that the solution quality of the designed IGA is not worse than that of CPLEX within the limited time of one hour. Through IGA, a sensitivity analysis is made by computer simulations on the tolerance rate of total outsourcing cost, unit time-of-use electricity prices and delivery vehicle types in the above instance. Results show that ceramic companies should ensure that the tolerance rate of total outsourcing cost is not less than 0.75 when arranging firing during peak electricity consumption periods; when the ceramic company is on a highly tight budget for total outsourcing cost, the total operating cost can be reduced by 29.17% and 12.15% via planning the firing of ceramic bodies during off-peak periods of electricity consumption and appropriate selection of vehicle types, respectively.

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Cloud Manufacturing Subcontracting Service Composition Based on an Improved Tunicate Swarm Algorithm

TANG Tianbing, CHEN Yongfa, MENG Zuqiang

2023, 26 (6): 119-128. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.013

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To address the problems of long manufacturing cycles and high cost caused by the large number and complex decomposition of manufacturing tasks in a cloud environment, a composition method of cloud manufacturing subcontracting services is proposed. The method decomposes tasks into multiple sub-tasks that can be executed in parallel, and reduces production cycles and cost by introducing more manufacturing resources and improving market competitiveness. In order to efficiently solve the optimization model of cloud manufacturing subcontracting service composition, an improved tunicate swarm algorithm is proposed. First, the current information of individuals is shared, and the locations of surrounding individuals are integrated when performing group behavior, so as to improve the local exploitation ability of the algorithm; second, individual historical information is shared, and individuals explore the historical optimal location of others to improve the global exploration ability of the algorithm; finally, the global exploration and local exploitation behavior of the population is adjusted adaptively according to the current state to improve the stability of the algorithm. Through simulation experiments, it is verified that the proposed scheme is superior to the comparative one in controlling the time and cost of large-scale manufacturing tasks.

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A System Reliability Allocation Method Considering Failure Dependencies

DONG Qiuxian, XU Minjun, LIU Ruliang, LIU Jun, XIA Chenguang

2023, 26 (6): 129-137. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.014

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In order to supplement the influence of component-related failures on the reliability allocation results of a system, a new reliability allocation method is proposed. The factors affecting system reliability allocation are divided into complexity, technical levels, environmental conditions, maintainability, operating time, and cost sensitivity, which are used to determine the weights of component reliability allocation. Among them, the first three factors are regarded as objective factors, quantitatively described and determined their values; while the last three factors are regarded as subjective factors, and their comprehensive scores are characterized by using an LNNWMM operator. A system reliability allocation model is established by the Copula function. A THP6513 heavy-duty CNC horizontal milling and boring machine spindle system is taken as an example to compare the reliability distribution results of subsystems with component-related failures and independent failures. Results show that the reliability of the six subsystems considering the failure correlation is 0.9720, 0.9835, 0.9829, 0.9778, 0.9819 and 0.9798, respectively, which are slightly lower than the reliability of each subsystem with independent component failures. It can reduce the manufacturing and maintenance costs of products.

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Joint Optimization of EPQ and Condition-based Maintenance Based on Variable Demand

YANG Xiaomei, BAI Yu

2023, 26 (6): 138-146. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.015

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To address the problem that the uncertainty in the actual production process may lead to a change of product demand, a joint strategy of economic production batches and condition-based maintenance is designed based on variable demand. According to this strategy, a joint decision-making model is established by using the remuneration theory. The model takes the threshold of preventive maintenance and the detection interval of equipment conditions as the decision variables, and takes the maximization of the average profit per unit time as the objective. The model is solved by genetic algorithm to obtain the optimal decision scheme. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the model are verified by case analysis and sensitivity analysis. Results show that the strategy can not only reduce the production and maintenance costs, but also provide reference for enterprises to make reasonable joint decisions for production and maintenance.

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A Pricing Strategy and Contract Coordination of Shipping Logistics Blockchain Platforms Considering Fairness Concerns

CHEN Yanting, LI Dengfeng

2023, 26 (6): 147-154,164. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.016

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To investigate the issue that freight forwarding companies focus on not only their profits but also the fairness of profit distribution in a logistics chain when constructing and applying a shipping logistics blockchain platform, this paper takes a secondary supply chain consisting of shipping companies and shipping logistics blockchain platforms (freight forwarders) as the object to establish a Stackelberg game model under three decision scenarios. The impact of shipping logistics blockchain platforms with fair concerns on shipping logistics supply chain decisions is analyzed. Also, contract coordination of profit sharing and blockchain cost sharing is further proposed and verified by numerical examples. Results indicate that: 1) the fair concern behavior of shipping logistics blockchain platforms can increase the proportion of freight forwarding companies’ profits in the entire shipping supply chain and narrow the profit gap with shipping companies; 2) the ocean freight rates set by shipping companies with fairness concerns are negatively correlated with the fairness concern coefficient, which are lower than those with fairness neutrality; 3) the contract coordination ratio of profit sharing and blockchain cost sharing can enable the shipping logistics blockchain platform and shipping companies to achieve a win-win result within a certain range, and the contract coordination ratio with fairness concerns is more strict than that with fairness neutrality.

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Workstation Redundancy Designing of Production Lines Considering Robot Failures

ZHANG Yuxian, SHENG Tiefeng, ZHONG Suhong, ZHOU Mengting, YUE Fang

2023, 26 (6): 155-164. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-7375.2023.06.017

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The determination of the number of industrial robots at each workstation of a production line is the basis for promoting manufacturing intelligence. Based on the principle of reliable redundancy design and the probability theory, this paper first investigates the relationship between the number of parallel operating robots and the number of configured backup robots at each workstation of a production line considering industrial robot failures to obtain a formula for calculating the operating time of industrial robot workstations. On this basis, based on the theory of assembly line balance, the number of parallel operating robots and backup robots at each workstation are regarded as decision variables to establish an optimal quantity configuration model for industrial robots at each workstation of a simple operating robot production line with the objective of minimizing the investment cost of industrial robots and maximizing the balance rate of the production line, under the preset capacity requirements. Genetic algorithm is applied to solve the model in an actual case. After optimization, the balance rate of parallel robots at workstations is increased from 89% to 97.21%, while the design cost of a production line is reduced by 9% according to the standard operation time t considering robot failures.

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