Rebecca Miller, Farshid Abbasi and Javad Mohammadpour
This paper aims to focus on the design and testing of a robotic device for power line inspection and cleaning. The focus for this design is on simplicity and compactness with a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on the design and testing of a robotic device for power line inspection and cleaning. The focus for this design is on simplicity and compactness with a goal to create a device for linemen and other power line workers to keep in their toolbox.
Design/methodology/approach
The prototype uses V-grooved wheels to grip the line and can pass obstacles such as splices. It is equipped with a video camera to aid in line inspection and a scrub brush to clean debris from the line. The operator controls the device remotely from a laptop through a wireless connection. The novel way in which this device moves down the power line allows compactness while still being able to overcome in-line obstacles up to a certain size.
Findings
The device has been tested on a test bed in the lab. The device is able to move down a line and expand to overcome in-line obstacles as it travels. Testing proved the mechanical feasibility and revealed new requirements for a future prototype.
Practical implications
The device can be used for power line asset management by power companies; line inspection can lead to preventative repairs, leading to less downtime.
Social implications
It stands to reduce costs related to maintenance and mitigates down time and emergency repairs.
Originality/value
Innovative features include its size, mobility and control methods. Overall, the impact of this work extends to the utility maintenance sector and beyond.
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Alireza Abbasi Moshaii and Farshid Najafi
This paper aims to review the mechanical characteristics of the robotic mechanisms developed for ultrasound examinations. This will help to extract those mechanical features which…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the mechanical characteristics of the robotic mechanisms developed for ultrasound examinations. This will help to extract those mechanical features which together can produce a design with superior functionality.
Design/methodology/approach
Following an introduction regarding ultrasound examination, this paper discusses the concept of robotic ultrasound imaging and classifies the mechanisms in terms of their power trains used for robotic and haptic devices which assist physicians to perform ultrasound imaging on patients. A set of mechanical characteristics which together can generate a superior design is also presented.
Findings
The present paper shows that the robotic devices developed so far can perform ultrasound examinations. Each design with its own advantageous characteristics, and their simultaneous implementation in a new design, will create a robotic device with improved performance.
Originality/value
This paper provides a detailed review of the developments of the robotic systems for ultrasound examinations and some guidelines for new designs with improved functionality.
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Farshid Riahi Dorcheh, Seyed Hossein Razavi Hajiagha, Misagh Rahbari, Vahid Jafari-Sadeghi and Hannan Amoozad Mahdiraji
In recent years, and especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the significant role of agriculture, specifically red meat, in household consumption has…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, and especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the significant role of agriculture, specifically red meat, in household consumption has been increased. On the other hand, the lack of proper policymaking in the production and pricing of red meat and the lack of a comprehensive study on the beef supply chain has led to a reduction in the role of this protein product in the household food basket. Thus, in this research, comprehensive strategic planning considering the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been illustrated to overcome the aforementioned problems.
Design/methodology/approach
To study the intended objectives, first, using qualitative methods, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) to the studied company's supply chain in Iran were identified and then using the SWOT-Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) technique, the surrounding strategies have been analysed.
Findings
The results indicate that the most important strength of the studied company is the “access to the red meat market of the retirement plan”; the most important weakness is the “lack of required and on-time funding, especially in the condition of the COVID-19 pandemic”; the highest-ranked opportunity is the “access to banking facilities” and the main threat to the company is the “COVID-19 pandemic limitations and health protocols”. In the same vein, by examining the attractiveness score of internal and external factors, it was observed that diversity and competitive strategies would have a higher priority. Finally, the QSPM illustrated that activating the full capacity of existing infrastructure has the highest priority.
Originality/value
According to the red meat supply chain and the link amongst different market levels, identifying, analysing and improving the beef supply chain is of particular importance. One of the threats facing the international community is the emergence of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which requires businesses to choose the right strategy to deal with the issue. Therefore, the main distinction of this study is to identify, analyse and improve the red meat supply chain of a real case due to the condition of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Seyedehanahita Mousavi, Ashkan Hafezalkotob, Vahidreza Ghezavati and Farshid Abdi
This study aims to identify and accurately assess the risk factors of competitors’ cooperation in the NPD project.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify and accurately assess the risk factors of competitors’ cooperation in the NPD project.
Design/methodology/approach
New product development (NPD) is essential to the survival of companies and surpassing other competitors. A key prerequisite for the success of an NPD project is the timing of new product delivery to the market. The main challenge faced by many project managers is the delay in execution and completion phases due to the complex nature and uncertainty of these projects. Rival companies' cooperation reduces the time spent on an NPD project which is an excellent way to reduce the risk of losing the market, but it increases other risk factors.
Findings
Based on the results, the security and confidentiality of innovation, the competitors attracting human resources and the company’s brand credibility factors were ranked higher than other factors and should be predicted and managed before cooperating with competitors.
Originality/value
This paper proposed a new model to assess risk factors in cooperation with rival companies in NPD projects. This model takes into account new parameters, for example, negative and positive risks, negative and positive passable risks and risk-based multi-objective optimization by ratio analysis plus full multiplicative form methodology for the rival companies cooperation in NPD projects. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed model, a real case of the R&D unit of Iran Khodro Company was studied.
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The purpose of this paper is to present an organized review of existing research on reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS). The paper considers majority of the prominent…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an organized review of existing research on reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS). The paper considers majority of the prominent research articles in the domain of RMS published ever since RMS was envisaged in 1997.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper systematically reviews, classifies and analyses the published literature on postulations and design of RMSs. The general observations from the literature and research gaps recognized thereon are highlighted at the end of each section/sub-section.
Findings
The paper reveals important aspects related to RMS research since its inception. It also recognizes the areas of RMS research requiring more focus. The study also highlights open issues and future directions for further research.
Practical implications
The literature in the domain of RMS has so far been narrow. This paper reviews the prominent research in this field and presents an overview of its conceptual developments and various mathematical models for the RMS design and its optimization so far developed by the researchers. Further, manufacturing advancements and future directions have also been proposed for the efficient execution of RMS paradigm in manufacturing industries.
Originality/value
The paper provides an organized listing of published research work in the field of RMS. This work will provide an insight to the researchers, practitioners and others related directly or indirectly to this field to develop and understand better strategies for supervising and controlling the smooth implementation of RMS.
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Farshid Jahanshahee Nezhad, Mohammadreza Taghizadeh-Yazdi, Jalil Heidary Dahooie, Ali Zamani Babgohari and Seyed Mojtaba Sajadi
Environmental awareness is increasing among people in developing countries. In this regard, companies should consider ecological goals in addition to financial goals. Since the…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental awareness is increasing among people in developing countries. In this regard, companies should consider ecological goals in addition to financial goals. Since the food industry is recognised as one of the largest emitters of CO2, profit and ecological objectives are optimised in radio-frequency identification (RFID) based closed-loop supply chain in the food industry in this paper.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the literature, companies with a green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) can turn ecological problems into opportunities using their proactiveness. In this regard, a new mixed-integer non-linear mathematical model is presented for optimising a new multi-product RFID-based closed-loop supply chain with a GEO in the food industry. The case study in this paper is Ofogh-e Kourosh company which is located in Iran. The GAMS software is used to code this model.
Findings
The optimum number of new products and materials flow was found among the closed-loop supply chain entities. Some factors as price, quality and warranty of products were considered, and the number of reopening of facilities if needed was set. The optimum node for RFID installation was found.
Originality/value
The paper presents a multi-objective mathematical model for optimising a multi-product RFID-based closed-loop supply chain with a GEO in the food industry. In addition, this paper gives insights into how can model this type of supply chain considering ecological and financial attributes.
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Misagh Rahbari, Seyed Hossein Razavi Hajiagha, Hannan Amoozad Mahdiraji, Farshid Riahi Dorcheh and Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes
This study focuses on a specific method of meat production that involves carcass purchase and meat production by packing facilities with a novel two-stage model that…
Abstract
Purpose
This study focuses on a specific method of meat production that involves carcass purchase and meat production by packing facilities with a novel two-stage model that simultaneously considers location-routing and inventory-production operating decisions. The considered problem aims to reduce variable and fixed transportation and production costs, inventory holding cost and the cost of opening cold storage facilities.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model encompasses a two-stage model consisting of a single-echelon and a three-echelon many-to-many network with deterministic demand. The proposed model is a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model which was tested with the general algebraic modelling system (GAMS) software for a real-world case study in Iran. A sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the effect of retailers' holding capacity and supply capacity at carcass suppliers.
Findings
In this research, the number of products transferred at each level, the number of products held, the quantity of red meat produced, the required cold storage facilities and the required vehicles were optimally specified. The outcomes indicated a two percent (2%) decrease in cost per kg of red meat. Eventually, the outcomes of the first and second sensitivity analysis indicated that reduced retailers' holding capacity and supply capacity at carcass suppliers leads to higher total costs.
Originality/value
This research proposes a novel multi-period location-inventory-routing problem for the red meat supply chain in an emerging economy with a heterogeneous vehicle fleet and logistics decisions. The proposed model is presented in two stages and four-echelon including carcass suppliers, packing facilities, cold storage facilities and retailers.
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Aleš Zebec and Mojca Indihar Štemberger
Although businesses continue to take up artificial intelligence (AI), concerns remain that companies are not realising the full value of their investments. The study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Although businesses continue to take up artificial intelligence (AI), concerns remain that companies are not realising the full value of their investments. The study aims to provide insights into how AI creates business value by investigating the mediating role of Business Process Management (BPM) capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
The integrative model of IT Business Value was contextualised, and structural equation modelling was applied to validate the proposed serial multiple mediation model using a sample of 448 organisations based in the EU.
Findings
The results validate the proposed serial multiple mediation model according to which AI adoption increases organisational performance through decision-making and business process performance. Process automation, organisational learning and process innovation are significant complementary partial mediators, thereby shedding light on how AI creates business value.
Research limitations/implications
In pursuing a complex nomological framework, multiple perspectives on realising business value from AI investments were incorporated. Several moderators presenting complementary organisational resources (e.g. culture, digital maturity, BPM maturity) could be included to identify behaviour in more complex relationships. The ethical and moral issues surrounding AI and its use could also be examined.
Practical implications
The provided insights can help guide organisations towards the most promising AI activities of process automation with AI-enabled decision-making, organisational learning and process innovation to yield business value.
Originality/value
While previous research assumed a moderated relationship, this study extends the growing literature on AI business value by empirically investigating a comprehensive nomological network that links AI adoption to organisational performance in a BPM setting.