Flexible manufacturing cells (FMCs) often operate with increasing failure rate due to extensive utilization and wear-outs of equipment. While maintenance plans can eliminate wear-out failures, random failures are still unavoidable. This paper discusses a procedure that combines simulation and...

Material flow in production systems can be controlled by a purely push-pull (just-in-time), or by a hybrid push-pull control mechanism. One type of push-pull production control can be implemented by controlling only the last stage during part withdrawals to trigger the production at the first...

This paper analyses the effects of various maintenance policies and part arrival patterns on the performance of a flexible manufacturing cell (FMC). A simulation analysis coupled with design of experiments is utilised in the study. In particular, the design of experiments includes maintenance...

This paper analyses the past, present and future of the maritime transportation industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian seaborne trade and the shipping capacity are analysed for the past 15 years. Relationships between the declining Saudi shipping capacity and other economic...