Industrial Engineering & Management

The importance of human factors is widely recognized. In this article, research of human factors was classified with the mobile commerce (m-commerce) as an application of human factors. The m-commerce market recently grows fast, and m-commerce has been diversely studied accordingly. Human factors in m-commerce, in particular, become more and more important for a business success. Based on a literature review on human factors in m-commerce, the research classification was made. It is expected to provide some useful information to readers who are interested in human factors or human computer interactions in m-commerce as well as the classification of human factors in research.

In this paper we present the vehicle routing problem with fuzzy fleet capacity (FCVRP) to find short routes with the minimal transportation cost. We propose a possibilistic 0-1 linear programming model to deal with such issues. To solve the proposed possibilistic optimization model, we apply an efficient possibilistic method proposed by Parra et al. [1] The FCVRP is NP-hard, which means that an efficient algorithm for solving the problem to optimality is unavailable. To deal with the problem efficiently, we develop a hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA). For the model verification, some small, medium and large-scale test problems are solved by HGA and the results are compared with obtained results from Lingo 9.0. Finally, we do a case study in the Kalleh Company in Amol and publish the results.

Service operations are currently at the hub of economic activities in some parts of the world. Although indicators seem to suggest the existence and future dominance of service economies, such economies will only be sustainable if appropriate use of scientific and engineering methods are applied to the complete spectrum of service operations; i.e. the engineering aspects and the business side (management) of operating systems. The challenge, therefore, lies in selecting appropriate scientific and engineering tools, techniques, methods and technologies for implementation in those critical areas that can leverage dynamics in service operations as they are known today. Of all engineering disciplines currently available today, industrial engineering and its related equivalence or variants is among the most multifaceted disciplines that can face up to the challenge of advancing service operations to higher dimensions. Such advancement requires appropriate demonstrable, practical and transferable research results as well as suitable case studies on service operations. In light of the quest to advance service operations, this paper discusses the changing roles of industrial engineering and its crucial input in advancing service operations towards growth, development and perhaps global dominance of service economies.

In today’s highly competitive and rapidly changing environment, manufacturing scenario has undergone a rapid change in the last two decades, more so in the last few years. The manufacturing units are continuously trying to update themselves by developing modern improvement techniques like Total Productive Maintenance, Total Quality Management and Continuous Improvement. Continuous improvement (CI) activities are recognized as a way of contributing to the productivity and efficiency within the manufacturing setting through small incremental changes. The present study attempts to evaluate the performance of Continuous Improvement approach in manufacturing industry of Punjab by identifying the important benefits achieved after successful implementation of this technique. Result indicated that Continuous Improvement approach is highly helpful in gaining profit, reducing material and operator movement, reducing operator mistakes, reducing cost of consumables, maintaining health and safety standards, and providing customer satisfaction by providing at a time delivery of a product.

In the transportation industry, human technicians are involved in weighing loads that are being transported. The procedure to weigh such loads requires the human operator to maintain the scales which are located in confined spaces, known as scale pits. Unfortunately, these scale pits were not designed with considerable attention to ergonomics or safety issues that may impact the technician. This paper examines the ergonomic concerns associated with the design of Scale-pits. Specifically, in this research, two case studies were used to assess the risk of falling due to loss of balance, as well as the perceived level of exertion and body discomfort experienced as a result of moving around in the small pit area. The studies conducted in this paper and previous research findings indicate that scale technicians are negatively impacted by the awkward posture positions that they have to assume when moving around and performing work in the restricted space of a scale pit. Also, the case studies analyzed in this paper indicate that scale technicians are likely to experience a decrease in their balance or stability as the work task parameters change which influences an increase in their perceived level of exertion. Also, these technicians may experience a higher perceived level of exertion and an increase in body discomfort due to the awkward postures that they have to assume when moving around and working in the restricted areas within the pit.