Research Paper Summary-IE

  Title: Optimization of cutting in primary wood transformation in industries

            Published In Journal of Industrial Engineering Management

Summary:

Need: Raw materials loss in wood cutting industries has reached high ratios (30 to 36% of volume yield). The purpose of this paper is to solve the problem of optimising the production on the basis of the commercial value of the cuts.

Architecture: To tackle this problem, they started with the general method of primary conversion of wood in Cameroon. After that, they studied the various methods of cutting and the different products obtained. They then proceeded with the formulation of the log cutting optimisation  problem  based  on  a  real  shape  model  of  the  logs. They finally completed their work with the design and the presentation of a software package called cutting optimiser.

          Calculation Model: Dynamic programming is used by them which is a

          method of  exact sequential optimisation problems.The  formalism    

         of dynamic   programming leads to many possibilities and variants. As a   

         general rule,   it is a problem (P) whose goal is to optimise a series of

        decision making with respect to the cost it involves. Here they consider

         the “Knapsack Problem” denoted here as KP, is a problem of

         combinatorial optimisation

           Limitations:  In this paper,  the  optimisation  problem concerns problems       

           where the objective function is non-explicit, the variables discreet, and the

           constraints non-explicit.

Results: They start by having some knowledge on the geometry of the logs, cutting strategies and classification of cuts. This classification enables them to determine the quality and quantity of the production, and to estimate the commercial value of the log. The solution to this problem then led to the design of a software package.

Application: The solution to this problem then led to the design of a software package to be themed as a cutting optimiser. The automation of the cutting operation leads to an accelerated work and an increase in the volume of the cuts produced daily.

Difficulties: This research is among the few to solve discrete optimization problems with constraints. Some constraints concerning the mechanical characteristics of the logs are taken into account. The constraints can equally be non-explicit.  Moreover the market standards  impose  technological  constraints which render the problem of optimisation even more complex

             Conclusion: The purpose for this work was to develop a production   

            optimising tool in primary  conversion wood industries  of Cameroon. This

         technological procedure enables enterprises to improve on the material

         output of the transformed wood and also on their  profitability.  The

           modelling of the real shape of the log enabled us to identify the input

           parameters to generate the log in real shape. The formulation of the

            optimisation problem similated to a knapsack problem was solved using the

            method of dynamic programming. That enabled us to set up an algorithm for

            optimum cutting of the log, alongside a cutting optimiser.

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