Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to optimize the performance for complex repairable system of paint manufacturing unit using a new hybrid bacterial foraging and particle swarm optimization (BFO-PSO) evolutionary algorithm. For this, a performance model is developed with an objective to...

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the criticality of various sub-systems through the behavioral study of a multi-state repairable system with hot redundancy. The availability of the system is optimized to evaluate the optimum combinations of failure and repair rate parameters...

The amount of online information and discussion relevant to library and information activities has expanded very rapidly recently, particularly as a consequence of the development of Internet. The results are presented here of a detailed survey of the coverage Internet provides concerning the...

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reduce the distribution cost of an Indian cooperative dairy. The reduction of cost was achieved with the application of the clustering method (k-means clustering) and capacitated vehicle routing problem (cheapest link algorithm (CLA))....

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the lean implementation process and its quantified benefits for the production industry with the help of value stream mapping (VSM). Both current and future state maps of the organization's shop floor scenarios are discussed using VSM...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain how value stream mapping (VSM) is helpful in lean implementation and to develop the road map to tackle improvement areas to bridge the gap between the existing state and the proposed state of a manufacturing firm. Design/methodology/approach...

Purpose – The extant literature fails to provide an efficient method to measure leanness of any manufacturing firm. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of leanness and to provide an efficient measurement method for measuring leanness. Design/methodology/approach – Measurement...

An aquifer coupled cavity flow heat exchanger system (ACCFHES) was designed using underground aquifer water for the heating as well as cooling of a composite climatic greenhouse. The performance of ACCFHES was experimentally evaluated for a full winter and a summer season. The ACCFHES makes use...

Field experiments were conducted in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 to evaluate the relative performance of synthetic (black polyethylene) and organic (paddy husk and straw) mulches on soil and plant water status vis-a-vis N uptake in wheat in a semi-arid environment of India. Scope of better...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss a survival strategy for industry in recessionary time by means of lean principles and philosophies. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents the views of the authors regarding the application of lean principles and philosophies to...