Issue 1, 2009 South African Journal of Industrial Engineering - Volume 20,
The significance of the quote becomes apparent when the renewal of the Journal in terms of its presentation is considered. However, although the leaves may be new, the strength of the Journal is derived from its solid roots and trunk, and will remain so within its new guise.
H. Dastkhan and
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 1 –12 (2009)
Bedryfsingenieurswese is &apos;n ingenieursdissipline wat vanweë die multi-dissiplinêre aard daarvan &apos;n belangrike rol gespeel het in die optimisering van verskillende sisteme op makroen mikrovlak. Hierdie artikel hou die resultate voor van &apos;n navorsingsprojek wat onderneem is om die posisie en rigting van Bedryfsingenieursnavorsing in onlangse jare te bepaal. Die data van &apos;n monster van 7 114 Bedryfsingenieursverwante artikels wat verskyn het in internasionale joernale oor die afgelope 27 jaar is gebruik vir die ontleding. Die resultate toon dat die groei van Bedryfsingenieurswese in verskeie lande sterk korreleer met industriële en ekonomiese ontwikkeling. Tog blyk dit dat die navorsingsonderwerpe van Bedryfsingenieurswese sprei na ander bestuurs- en ingenieursdepartemente en dus bestaan daar &apos;n nodigheid om die dissipline en die spesifieke belangstellingsvelde te herdefinieer. Volgens die vooruitskatting wat gedoen is met behulp van &apos;n tydreeksanalise, blyk dit dat die gunstelingterreine vir navorsing in die toekoms op die gebiede van inligtingstegnologie, intelligente sisteme, optimisering, gehalte en voorsienings-kettingbestuur sal wees.
Quantitative assessment of South Africa&apos;s inventive outputs : international patent analysis
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 13 –29 (2009)
This article aims to identify and analyse the inventive activity of South Africans as it is manifested in the form of patents. Patents are used internationally as indicators of national and corporate inventive activity, but they rarely are reported in the context of the South African reality. Inventive activity is analysed in terms of patents awarded to South African inventors by the USA patent office (USPTO). South African inventors are identified to apply and receive approximately 110 patents per year from the USPTO. Analysis of the patents according to technological classes identifies classes that indicate the country&apos;s strengths. South Africa is ranked fourth internationally in technological class "Chemistry : Fischer-Tropsch Processes; or Purification or Recovery of Products Thereof" ; and twelfth in "Specialised Metallurgical Processes". It is argued that government should support further innovation in the country&apos;s strong inventive areas. Corporate patent analysis identifies the most inventive organisations in the country; co-inventive analysis identifies the countries with which South Africans cooperates; and international comparisons set South Africa in an international context. An important finding is that South Africa appears not to have participated in the international explosion of patents during the last twenty years. It is suggested that neither the policy environment nor factors determining technological fertility have changed in South Africa during the last two decades.
Hierdie artikel het ten doel om Suid-Afrika se innoverende aktiwiteite in die vorm van patente te identifiseer en te ontleed. Innoverende aktiwiteite word in terme van patente, wat aan Suid-Afrikaanse innoveerders deur die VSA se patente-kantoor ("US Patent Office - USPTO") toegeken word, ontleed. Suid-Afrikaanse uitvinders word genader om aansoek te doen en ongeveer 110 patente word jaarliks deur USPTO toegeken. &apos;n Ontleding van die patente identifiseer klasse wat die land se sterk punte aantoon. Suid-Afrika is op internasionale vlak vierde in die tegnologiese klas Chemie : Fischer-Tropsch-prosesse ; of Suiwering of Herstel van Produkte Daarvan geplaas, en twaalfde in Gespesialiseerde Metallurgiese Prosesse. Daar word gestel dat nóg die beleidsomgewing nóg die faktore, wat tegnologiese vrugbaarheid bepaal, gedurende die afgelope twee dekades in Suid-Afrika verander het.
Evaluating and refining the &apos;enterprise architecture as strategy&apos; approach and artefacts
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 31 –43 (2009)
Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a new discipline that has emerged from the need to create a holistic view of an enterprise, and thereby to discover business / IT integration and alignment opportunities across enterprise structures. Previous EA value propositions that merely focus on IT cost reductions will no longer convince management to invest in EA. Today, EA should enable business strategy in the organisation to create value. This resides in the ability to do enterprise optimisation through process standardisation and integration. In order to do this, a new approach is required to integrate EA into the strategy planning process of the organisation.
C.O. Anyaeche and
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 45 –57 (2009)
Many productivity models evaluate either the input or the output performances using standalone techniques. This sometimes gives divergent views of the same system&apos;s results. The work reported in this article, which simultaneously evaluated productivity from both orientations, was applied on real life data. The results showed losses in productivity (-2%) and price recovery (-8%) for the outputs; the inputs showed productivity gain (145%) but price recovery loss (-63%). These imply losses in product performances but a productivity gain in inputs. The loss in the price recovery of inputs indicates a problem in the pricing policy. This model is applicable in product diversification.
Die meeste produktiwiteitsmodelle evalueer of die inset- of die uitsetverrigting deur gebruik te maak van geïsoleerde tegnieke. Dit lei soms tot uiteenlopende perspektiewe van dieselfde sisteem se verrigting. Hierdie artikel evalueer verrigting uit beide perspektiewe en gebruik ware data. Die resultate toon &apos;n afname in produktiwiteit (-2%) en prysherwinning (-8%) vir die uitsette. Die insette toon &apos;n toename in produktiwiteit (145%), maar &apos;n afname in prysherwinning (-63%). Dit impliseer &apos;n afname in produkverrigting, maar &apos;n produktiwiteitstoename in insette. Die afname in die prysherwinning van insette dui op &apos;n problem in die prysvasstellingbeleid. Hierdie model is geskik vir produkdiversifikasie.
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 59 –68 (2009)
It is reasonable to expect that preparation time is needed to ready a repair facility before a repair can be carried out. A three-unit system with a &apos;preparation time&apos; for the repair facility is studied in this paper. The steady-state availability of such a system is obtained. The asymptotic confidence limits of the steady state availability are obtained numerically.
S.M.T. Fatemi Ghomi and
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 69 –81 (2009)
In traditional supply chain inventory management, orders are the only information firms exchange, but information technology now allows firms to share demand and inventory data quickly and inexpensively. To have an integrated plan, a manufacturer not only needs to know demand information from its customers but also supply information from its suppliers. In this paper, information flow is incorporated in a three-echelon supply chain model. Also to decrease the risk of the supply chain system, the customers&apos; demands are predicted first and this prediction is then used as an input to the supply chain model. In this paper a proposed evolving fuzzy predictor model will be used to predict the customers&apos; demands. For solving the supply chain model, a hybrid heuristic combining tabu search with simulated annealing sharing the same tabu list is developed.
In tradisionele voorsieningskettingvoorraadbestuur verteenwoordig bestellings die enigste vorm van van inligting wat deur ondernemings uitgeruil word. Inligtingstegnologie laat ondernemings egter deesdae toe om vraag- en voorraadata vinnig en goedkoop uit te ruil. Om &apos;n geïntegreerde plan te hê, het &apos;n vervaardiger nie alleen aanvraaginligting nodig van sy klante nie, maar ook aanbodinligting van sy leweransiers. In hierdie artikel word inligtingvloei geinkorporeer in &apos;n drie-vlakvoorsieningskettingmodel. Voorts, om die risiko in die voorsieningskettingmodel te verminder, word die klante se aanvraag eers vooruitgeskat en die vooruitskatting word dan gebruik as &apos;n inset tot die model. Hierdie artikel gebruik &apos;n groeiende wasige vooruitskattingsmodel om die klantebehoeftes voor uit te skat. Om die model op te los, word &apos;n hibriede heuristiese metode gekombineer met &apos;n "tabu"-soektog gebruik.
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 83 –94 (2009)
Meganiese toerusting wat op prosesaanlegte gebruik word kan in twee kategorieë verdeel word, naamlik statiese en roterende toerusting. &apos;n Bondige ondersoek by &apos;n aantal chemiese prosesaanlegte het aangedui dat &apos;n aantal strategieë vir instandhouding van roterende toerusting gebruik word, terwyl die risikogebaseerde inspeksiemetodologie wel vir drukvate gebruik word. &apos;n Algemene risikogebaseerde instandhoudingstrategie vir alle tipes statiese toerusting is egter nie tans beskikbaar nie. Hierdie artikel beskryf die ontwikkeling van &apos;n geoptimeerde model van inspeksiemetodologieë, instandhoudingstrategieë, en risikobestuursbeginsels wat algemeen gebruik kan word vir statiese toerusting. Dit stel die instandhouding-bestuurders en -ingenieurs in staat om &apos;n instandhoudingstrategie en inspeksie-metodologie te kies, gebaseer op die operasionele en besigheidsrisiko&apos;s van die individuele toerusting.
Project management maturity : an assessment of maturity for developing pilot plants
H.K. Mittermaier and
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 95 –107 (2009)
Despite the current economic climate, the South African mining and engineering industry is experiencing a very promising future, with a large number of capital projects in the offing. It is inevitable that pilot plant development will form part of this future as a risk mitigation technique. This study found that, even though the terms &apos;pilot plant&apos; and &apos;project management maturity&apos; are familiar within the industry, no link between these two could be found in the literature. A number of maturity models exist ; and one developed by PMSolutions was selected to perform an assessment of the current level of project management maturity within the South African mining and engineering industry pertaining to the development of pilot plants. The Delphi technique was used to determine the views of experts in the South African mining, mineral processing, petrochemical, nuclear, and mechanical sectors regarding this maturity. A significant difference was observed between the current level of maturity and the required level of maturity in all but one of the nine knowledge areas defined by the Project Management Institute. The two knowledge areas of project time and risk management showed significant differences between current and required maturity levels, and were identified as key areas for improvement.
Ten spyte van die huidige ekonomiese klimaat ondervind die Suid-Afrikaanse mynbou- en ingenieursbedryf &apos;n baie bemoedigende toekoms, met &apos;n groot aantal kapitaalprojekte in die vooruitsig. Ten einde risiko&apos;s te verlaag, sal die ontwikkeling van loodsaanlegte noodwendig deel van hierdie toekoms uitmaak. Daar is gevind dat, alhoewel die terme &apos;loodsaanleg&apos; en &apos;projekbestuur volwassenheid&apos; in die nywerheid bekend is, geen skakeling van hierdie twee terme in die literatuur opgespoor kon word nie. &apos;n Aantal volwassenheid modelle bestaan; en een wat deur PMSolutions ontwikkel is, is gekies om die huidige vlak van projekbestuur volwassenheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse mynbou- en ingenieursbedryf ten opsigte van loodsaanlegte te bepaal. Die Delphi tegniek is gebruik om die sienings van deskundiges in die Suid-Afrikaanse mynbou-, mineraalprosessering-, petrochemiese-, kern-, en meganiese sektore oor die genoemde volwassenheid te bepaal. &apos;n Beduidende verskil is waargeneem tussen die huidige en die gewensde vlakke van volwassenheid in agt van die nege kennisareas soos gedefinieer deur die Amerikaanse Project Management Institute. Beduidende verskille tussen huidige en gewensde vlakke van volwassenheid is veral in die twee kennisareas projek tydbestuur en projek risikobestuur gevind, en dui op areas vir verbetering.
Concurrent engineering model (CBM) analysis on logistics design parameters - a case study
J.S. Gnanasekaran and
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 109 –118 (2009)
Logistics engineering can be divided into internal or in-plant logistics and external manufacturing logistics. Internal (in-plant) logistics include material handling, warehousing, and storage systems, while external manufacturing logistics include transportation. Both must be integrated to minimise costs at a competitive level of service. For example, plant layout and production planning must consider internal logistics. The design decisions are made in the early phases of product design, and development will have a significant effect over future manufacturing and logistical activities. In this paper, a methodology is developed and presented to minimise the design cycle time of any manufacturing firm, including their suppliers, and to maximise the whole system&apos;s effectiveness.
Logistieke ingenieurswese kan verdeel word in interne of binne-aanleg logistiek en eksterne vervaardigingslogistiek. Interne (binne-aanleg) logistiek behels materiaalhantering, berging en voorraadhoudingsisteme, terwyl eksterne vervaardigingslogistiek vervoer insluit. Die fasette moet geintegreer wees om koste te minimiseer by &apos;n mededingende diensvlak. So byvoorbeeld moet die uitleg van &apos;n aanleg en produksiebeplanning interne logistiek in aanmerking neem. Die ontwerpbesluite word geneem in die beginstadium van die produkontwerp en ontwikkeling sal &apos;n betekenisvolle invloed hê op toekomstige vervaardigings- en logistieke aktiwiteite. In hierdie artikel word &apos;n metodologie ontwikkel en aangebied om die ontwerpsiklustyd van enige vervaardigingsonderneming te minimiseer met inagneming van die leweransiers om sodoende die totale sisteem se effektiwiteit te maksimiseer.
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 119 –131 (2009)
Unresolved social issues between the local community and the petroleum industry plague the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. These concerns are addressed by introducing a social sustainability assessment framework for the petroleum industry. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are identified, through a stakeholders&apos; engagement process, for social performance measurement purposes. A five-year time-frame is proposed for the periodic assessment of the state of social sustainability. It is recommended that the petroleum industry make the accounting of social sustainability performance measures a priority before beginning projects, especially greenfield projects, since this can assist in resolving the volatility in the region.
Onopgeloste sosiale vraagstukke tussen plaaslike gemeenskappe en die petroleumindustrie is &apos;n probleem in die Nigerdeltastreek van Nigerië. &apos;n Raamwerk vir die assessering van sosiale volhoudbaarheid word voorgestel vir die petroleumindustrie. Kritiese indikatore vir die ontwikkelde raamwerk word uitgewys deur &apos;n proses waarby belanghebbendes betrek word vir prestasiemetingsdoeleindes. Vir periodieke assessering in terme van die stand van sosiale volhoudbaarheid word &apos;n vyfjaar tydraamwerk voorgestel. Daar word verder aanbeveel dat die petroleumindustrie die berekening van sosiaalvolhoubare prestasiemeting &apos;n prioriteit maak voordat projekte begin, veral projekte in onontwikkelde gedeeltes, aangesien dit die oplossing van die onstabiliteit in die streek kan aanhelp.
Performance evaluation and economic analysis of a steam thermal power plant
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 133 –146 (2009)
Performance evaluation and economic analysis is carried out to predict the steady state operational availability and net present value index for a thermal power plant. Mathematical formulation of the plant&apos;s reliability is carried out using probability theory following the Chapman-Kolmogorov Birth-Death process. The system of differential equations obtained is solved using the Laplace transformation technique. The behaviour analysis of performance modules reveals that availability decreases with increasing failure rates, while operational availability improves with an initial increase in repair rates for different sub-systems. From the economic evaluation module, the plant availability and power generation capacity are found to be sensitive, while increasing the redundancies of feed pump or condensate extraction pump sub-systems has less influence on the profitability index. A high-capacity plant reflects better trends. Model predictions indicate a critical condition for repair rates ; beyond these rates the plant availability, net present value, and annual revenue earned are found to be insensitive.
Reliability and availability analysis of the ash handling unit of steam thermal power plant
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 147 –158 (2009)
The paper aims at assessing the reliability and availability of a critical ash handling unit of a steam thermal power plant by making a performance analysis and modeling, using probability theory and the Markov Birth-Death process. After drawing a transition diagram, differential equations are generated. After that, steady state probabilities are determined. Certain decision matrices are developed, which provide various availability levels. The behaviour analysis of the reliability module reveals that the availability decreases with increasing failure rates, while operational availability improves with initial increases in repair rates for different subsystems. Based upon various availability values, the performance of each subsystem is analyzed and used to make maintenance decisions for all subsystems.
Hierdie artikel poog om die betroubaarheid en beskikbaarheid van &apos;n kritiese ashanteringseenheid van &apos;n termiese stoomkragaanleg te beoordeel deur &apos;n werkverrigtingsanalise en modellering te doen aan die hand van waarskynlikheidsteorie en die Markovgeboorte-sterfteproses. Nadat die oorgangsdiagram opgestel is, is differensiaalvergelykings gegenereer. Vervolgens is die gestadigde-toestandwaarskynlikhede bepaal. Sekere besluitmatrikse is ontwikkel waar verskillende beskikbaarheidsvlakke verskaf is. Die analise van die gedrag van die betroubaarheidsmodule toon dat beskikbaarheid afneem met toenemende falingstempo&apos;s, terwyl operasionele beskikbaarheid verbeter met aanvanklike toenames en hersteltempo&apos;s vir die onderskeie subsisteme. Gebaseer op die verskillende beskikbaarheidswaardes, word die werkverrigting van elke subsisteem ontleed en aangewend om instandhoudingsbesluite vir alle subsisteme te neem.
An availability simulation model and performance analysis of a coal handling unit of a typical thermal plant
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 159 –171 (2009)
The present paper describes the development of an availability simulation model for Coal handling unit of a thermal plant by making the performance analysis using probabiltic approach. In the present paper, the Coal handling unit consists of five subsystems. Assuming constant failure and repair rates for all the subsystems, the mathematical formulation is based on Markov birth-death process. After drawing the transition diagram, differential equations are generated. After that, steady state probabilities are determined. One availability matrix is also developed, which provides various performance / availability levels for different combinations of failure and repair rates of all subsystems. Based upon various availability values obtained in the availability matrix and graphs of failure / repair rates of different subsystems, performance and optimum values of failure / repair rates for maximum availability of each subsystem are analyzed. Subsequently maintenance priorities are decided for all subsystems.
Die artikel beskryf die ontwikkeling van &apos;n beskikbaarheidsimulasiemodel vir &apos;n steenkoolhanteringseenheid van &apos;n termiese aanleg deur gebruik te maak van werkverrigtingsanalise met &apos;n waarskynlikheidsbenadering. In die geval bestaan die hanteringseenheid uit vyf subsisteme. Onder die aanname van konstante faling- en hersteltempo&apos;s vir al die subsisteme word die wiskundige formulering gebaseer op die Markov geboorte-sterfte-proses. Nadat die oorgangsdiagram ontwikkel is, word differensiaalvergelykings gegenereer en waarna die gestadigde toestandwaarksynlikhede vasgestel word. Een beskikbaarheidsmatriks is verder ontwikkel wat toelaat vir verskillende werkverrigting- / beskikbaarheidsvlakke teen verskillende kombinasies van faling- en hersteltempo&apos;s van alle subsisteme. Gebaseer op verskillende beskikbaarheidswaardes verkry van die beskikbaarheidsmatriks en grafieke van die falings- / hersteltempo&apos;s van die onderskeie subsisteme, word werkverrigting en optimum waardes vir faling- en hersteltempo&apos;s vir maksimum beskikbaarheid van elke subsisteem ontleed. Vervolgens word instandhoudingsprioriteite vir elke subsisteem voorgehou.
Investigating the reasons for lack of skilled artisans in South Africa : the perspective of artisans
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 173 –184 (2009)
Towards determining critical success factors for SME electrical contractors in the construction industry in South Africa
M.F. Sebone and
South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 20, pp 185 –195 (2009)
The construction industry in the current South African context is very vibrant. Since 1994 there has been a drive by government and business to promote small and medium size enterprise (SME) contractors. SME contractors often do not succeed in the construction industry project environment. This research study explores the subject of project success by attempting to identify the critical success factors for SME electrical contractors in the South African construction industry. The study delves into the general characteristics of the South African construction industry and the attributes of SME contractors in South Africa. The research strategy and methodology involved the evaluation of literature, interviews with selected industry experts, and a survey through a questionnaire. Various critical success factors were identified, in four logical groupings ; Money, Man, Management, and Milieu.
Die boubedryf in die huidige Suid Afrikaanse omgewing is lewendig en aan die groei. Vanaf 1994 het die regering en die besigheidswêreld begin om klein en medium kontrakteurs te ondersteun. Hierdie klein en medium kontrakteurs is dikwels onsuksesvol in die boubedryf projekomgewing. Hierdie navorsingstudie ondersoek die onderwerp van projeksukses deur die kritiese suksesfaktore vir klein en medium elektriese kontrakteurs in die Suid Afrikaanse boubedryf te identifiseer. Die studie ondersoek die algemene karaktereienskappe van die Suid Afrikaanse boubedryf sowel as die karaktereienskappe van klein en medium kontrakteurs. Die navorsingstrategie beskik oor &apos;n literatuurstudie, onderhoude met industrie kundiges, asook &apos;n vraelys. Verskeie kritiese suksesfaktore is groepeer in vier logiese groepe : Geld, Mens, Bestuur, en Omgewing.