Reduce Throughput Time Research Articles

Mini-dose Bier's block vssystemic analgesia in distal radius fractures: a promising reduction in emergency department throughput time.

Aim: This study compared the effect of the conventional technique of procedural sedation and the mini-dose intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA). Patients & methods: 45 patients received IVRA, and 47 received iv. ketamine. The pain score, emergency department (ED) length of stay and patients' satisfaction were compared. Results: The study revealed that not only the levels of hemodynamic parameters but also their stability, and the patient's satisfaction in the IVRA group were significantly better. The patients' pain score and ED length of stay were also significantly decreased in those who received IVRA. Conclusion: Mini-dose IVRA technique contributes to better hemodynamic stability, without prominent adverse events, and leads to significant pain control and improved ED throughput time. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03349216 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

PhenoBot: an automated system for leaf area analysis using deep learning.

A low-cost dynamic image capturing and analysis pipeline using color-based deep learning segmentation was developed for direct leaf area estimation of multiple crop types in a commercial environment. Crop yield is largely driven by intercepted radiation of the leaf canopy, making the leaf area index (LAI) a critical parameter for estimating yields. The growth rate of leaves at different growth stages determines the overall LAI, which is used by crop growth models (CGM) for simulating yield. Consequently, precise phenotyping of the leaves can help elucidate phenological processes relating to resource capturing. A stable system for acquiring images and a strong data processing backend play a vital role in reducing throughput time and increasing accuracy of calculations, compared to manual analysis. However, most available solutions are not dynamic, as they use color-based segmentation, which fails to capture leaves with varying shades and shapes. We have developed a system that uses a low-cost setup to acquire images and an automated pipeline to manage the data storage on the device and in the cloud. The system is powered by virtual machines that run multiple custom-trained deep learning models to segment out leaves, calculate leaf area (LA) for the whole set and at the individual leaf level, overlays important information on the images, and appends them on a compatible file used for CGMs with very high accuracy. The pipeline is dynamic and can be used for multiple crops. The use of open-source hardware, platforms, and algorithms makes this system affordable and reproducible.

Smart workload input-output control of production systems: A proof of concept

Workload control (WLC) relies on order release (input control) and capacity adjustments (output control) to regulate manufacturing throughput times. Research concerning integrated input-output control is very scarce. A novel approach is proposed: a closed-loop integrated model, where automatic feedback control is added and where order release and capacity decisions are a continuous function of the shop floor current state. In existing models, capacity increments are triggered by a threshold utilisation and have a fixed value, defined by means of experiments. In the proposed approach, these values are dynamically and flexibly defined (by the controller), addressing a gap regarding input-output parameterisation. The model was applied to a shop with unidirectional flow and three control rules were tested in scenarios of unbalanced work in process (WIP) and demand fluctuations. The results showed that the simultaneous input-output control is effective, leading the system to restore WIP balance, reach stability and absorb demand fluctuations, especially when global information is provided to the controller. The results of continuous closed-loop model simulation were integrated into a discrete-event simulation (DES) model, to compare the proposed capacity policies with the policies presented in the literature. The comparison showed that the proposed policies are cost-effective for a reasonable throughput time reduction. Moreover, the closed-loop model provided good parameters for a step-increment capacity policy that minimizes throughput times. Closed-loop control models are responsive and prescriptive, in contrast to DES models used in WLC research, which are descriptive. With this approach, WLC research can benefit from the strengths of both methods.

Evaluation of redundant configurations in assembly lines with fractional tasks

Assembly lines with fractional tasks increase the throughput with a better workload balancing among the stations. The possibility to share tasks between two consecutive stations can also support the design of assembly lines with redundancies of the tasks. The redundancy of the tasks allows reacting to short failures or variations in processing time. This paper proposes a framework to support the design and control of redundancy assembly lines. The first problem concerns a modified mixed-integer linear programming model used for the fractional allocation assembly line problem to design redundancy assembly lines. Then, this research proposes control policies to manage the allocation of the tasks shared between two consecutive stations. Finally, the simulation evaluates the performance of the proposed methods to handle short failures and uncertain processing times. The numerical results show the potential improvements of the proposed methods with a limited number of redundancies. The main improvements concern the reduction of throughput time and work in process.

Material handling and order release control in high-variety make-to-order shops: an assessment by simulation

In many real-life high-variety make-to-order shops, jobs are physically transported from one station to another, and transportation capacity may constrain order progress on the shop floor. Yet, the material handling literature on vehicle assignment rules remains largely inconclusive on which rule to apply, and it neglects order release control. Similarly, and despite the importance of material handling, its impact is widely neglected in the order release literature. In response, this study assesses the combined performance effect of vehicle assignment, order release and dispatching rules. It uses discrete event simulation. Results show that assigning a vehicle to the station with the largest outgoing queue leads to the best performance. This simple vehicle assignment rule has been largely neglected in the literature since the 1980s. In contrast, the two rules that have received the most attention in the literature – the shortest distance and first-come-first-served rules – lead to the worst performance. Meanwhile, order release has a direct detrimental performance effect in pure job shops with material handling constraints. This identifies an important contingency factor so far neglected in the literature that assesses the applicability of order release. More specifically, the use of order release should be restricted to general flow shops with more directed routings since, in these contexts, it can reduce throughput times without jeopardizing tardiness performance.

Stochastic modeling of multiline orders in integrated storage‐order picking system

AbstractDue to demanding service levels in e‐commerce order fulfillment, modeling and analysis of integrated storage and order picking processes in warehouses deserve special attention. The upstream storage system can have a significant impact on the performance of the downstream order picking process. With a particular focus on multiline e‐commerce orders, we develop an analytical modeling framework for integrated analysis of upstream (shuttle‐based storage and retrieval system) and downstream (pick system) networks. To capture the consolidation delays in fulfilling multiline orders, the downstream pick system is modeled with a closed queuing network that includes synchronization nodes. The configuration of the synchronization station is adapted to model the variety of order profiles handled at the pick station. For the downstream closed queuing network, we propose a decomposition‐based solution methodology that results in good solution accuracy. The resulting semi‐open queuing network (SOQN) of the integrated system is analyzed using the matrix‐geometric method (MGM). To improve the accuracy of analytical estimates of the measures, we propose a hybrid simulation/analytical framework, where the performance measures of complex subnetworks are obtained from simulation. We also develop a detailed simulation model of the physical system for validating the analytical and hybrid estimates of the performance measures. The results from experiments indicate that the hybrid simulation/analytical approach reduces the error in the throughput time estimates to 3% from 18% obtained from the analytical model. Then, we investigate the effect of the upstream network configuration (such as the number of storage aisles) and the downstream network configuration (such as the mixed vs. dedicated picking, CONWIP control for orders, order batching) on the order throughput times. Our analysis provides a threshold on the maximum numbers of allowable orders (CONWIP control) and number of aisles beyond which the improvement in average throughput time of the integrated system is marginal. Numerical experiments with high‐order arrivals also highlight that mixed picking in the downstream network can result in significant throughput time reduction in comparison to dedicated picking.

Throughput time reduction of limited test at a silk testing unit

The present economic situation across the globe calls for intense efforts to maximize production in minimum throughput time and cost to enhance operating performance and the quality of products. The problem with manufacturing/ testing goods forces the process owners to be organised and direct attention to minimise the global throughput time within the manufacturing enterprise. Minimising time has a chain effect to enhance the worth of manufacturing/testing processes. The minimisation of cycle time consequently enhances the quality. This report describes an improvement process based on lean thinking in order to reduce throughput time of limited test (Denier test) for grading silk quality. For an implementation of the adaptive work, it is important to know about the time needed for the various steps involved adding their time to find the total time in the existing system by process mapping to find opportunities to reduce time. The results of the study show that time can be reduced in theprocess of limited test from 350 min to 220 min (Multiendsilk) and from 246 to 133 min. (cottage basin)eliminating various causes such as waiting time, absenteeism so on thus improving throughput time. The novelty of the study is that it is the first one to apply total quality management concept in silk testing unit for throughput time reduction from which a standard table has been created for limited test (avoiding non value added activities) for referring for throughput time involved to complete silk denier test faster.
 Keywords: Multiend silk, Cottage basin silk, throughput time, Kilcha, Denier

Simulation Modeling Approach for Collaborative Workplaces’ Assessment in Sustainable Manufacturing

The presented manuscript represents a new simulation modeling approach, which evaluates the impact of collaborative workplaces on manufacturing sustainability in terms of workplaces’ cost, flow times and electrical energy consumption. The impact of collaborative workplaces on the manufacturing system and on its sustainable viability as a whole has not yet been explored, despite the fact that collaborative workplaces are increasingly present in different manufacturing systems. In the past, researchers have devoted a lot of time to research individually examining the collaborative machines, workplaces and various aspects of Sustainable Manufacturing. Investigating the impact of collaborative workplaces on an enterprise’s financial, social and environmental points of view is a very complex task, since we are talking about a multicriteria evaluation of manufacturing systems. The simulation approach is based on a newly proposed block diagram structure that allows for an evaluation of the impact of collaborative workplaces on Sustainable Manufacturing in its entirety. Using the input data of the real-world manufacturing system characteristics and Eurostat statistical values, numerical and graphical results of the proposed simulation evaluation are given, which, with a high degree of evaluation credibility, influences the introduction of collaborative workplaces in manual workplaces. The results obtained show a 20% reduction in the cost of collaborative workstations compared to manual assembly workstations, a 13.2% reduction in order throughput times, a negligible increase in energy consumption in operation mode of 3.28% and a 4.57% reduction in the idle mode. The new evaluation approach allows for a comprehensive consideration of the influence of the collective workplace when developing new or modernizing existing manufacturing systems from a financial, social and environmental point of view.

Towards Operating Curves of Additive Manufacturing Equipment: Production Logistics and its Contribution to Increased Productivity and Reduced Throughput Time

Due to resolving major technological challenges Additive Manufacturing (AM) is on the brink of industrialization. In order to overcome organizational challenges and operate capital-intensive AM equipment in an economically viable manner, this paper focuses on the prerequisites for adaptation of the operating curves model to AM. Originally developed for conventional manufacturing technologies, the model allows for quantifying the performance of a production system in terms of productivity and throughput time depending on the current work in process. Those metrics enable sound shopfloor-related operational and strategic decisions and eventually support the creation of customer value besides merely technological aspects.

Throughput time reduction for transportation of foodgrains in public distribution system: a value analysis approach

Food security to the population of India is ensured by the public distribution system (PDS) which involves an enormous and complex supply chain, wherein after procurement from the farmers foodgrains are distributed to the intended beneficiaries. This paper has analysed the large through put time in a sector of the supply chain using value chain analysis approach which has led to re-appropriation of the flow by minimising the time taken by non-value adding activities thereby increasing the efficiency of the supply chain. Reduction in this throughput time would lead to various advantages including the reduction in cost of the supply chain. Further, the model so arrived at could be reworked to bring a similar reduction in the throughput time at the macro level of the entire PDS supply chain.

Throughput Time Reduction for Transportation of Foodgrains in Public Distribution System: A Value Analysis Approach

Food security to the population of India is ensured by the public distribution system (PDS) which involves an enormous and complex supply chain, wherein after procurement from the farmers foodgrains are distributed to the intended beneficiaries. This paper has analysed the large through put time in a sector of the supply chain using value chain analysis approach which has led to re-appropriation of the flow by minimising the time taken by non-value adding activities thereby increasing the efficiency of the supply chain. Reduction in this throughput time would lead to various advantages including the reduction in cost of the supply chain. Further, the model so arrived at could be reworked to bring a similar reduction in the throughput time at the macro level of the entire PDS supply chain.

Labour Productivity Improvement in an Automobile Component Manufacturer Machine Shop using Lean Tools

Productivity Improvement has become an important goal for today’s automotive industry, as the customer demand is increasing every day. Organisation takes this as an opportunity to improve the business potential. Implementation of lean manufacturing tool results in productivity improvement and cost reduction in several companies. There is a strong correlation between productivity and labour productivity. Labour productivity improvement has a direct impact on business growth. This article presents a case study on application of lean manufacturing tool “Eliminate Combine Rearrange Simplify (ECRS)” in the manufacturing industry. This work is carried out in a medium scale automotive parts manufacturing company where all kinds of machining operation is taken place and the output of the product is supplied to vehicle manufacturer. This case study is illustrating increase in labour productivity in an automobile component machining line by applying the ECRS technique. Vertical Machining centre, Combination of tool, man and machine concept is used for implementing ECRS technique in the machining line. After implementation there is significant increase in labour productivity and reduction in throughput time and saving of space on the shop floor.

Approach to Reduce Throughput Time in Grinding of Gundrills

Approach to Reduce Throughput Time in Grinding of Gundrills

Performance appraisal of the traffic intersection complex at Mokola, Ibadan, Nigeria

Throughput time reduction is an integral part of transportation benefit analysis and traffic engineering optimization objectives. It is for this reason, that a large majority of transportation projects view throughput time reduction as one of their principal objectives. An appraisal of the performance of a traffic intersection complex at Mokola, Ibadan, Nigeria using a conflict intensity approach is presented. This work was carried out in order to quantify the effects of the flyover on the reduction of throughput times of vehicular traffic at the intersection. Conflict intensities were measured through traffic volume counts at various conflict points (through, merging and diverging locations). A floating vehicle equipped with a GPS was adopted to capture throughput times through several trial runs at the intersection. Statistical relationships were established between conflict intensities and throughput times using regression analysis. These relationships served as a framework for simulation for generating travel times (augmented), assuming the absence of a flyover. The results show a statistically significant reduction in throughput times due to the presence of the flyover with p-value of < 0.0001 at alpha level of 0.05 using Wilcoxon-Signed rank test. Specifically, reductions of 40.2seconds (33%) for northbound traffic and 27.6 seconds (28.8%) for southbound traffic were observed. This work has shown that the flyover reduced throughput times. The construction of the flyover is therefore justified and its residual potentials are enormous to handle traffic growth in the area in the near future. Keywords: Intersection Performance, Conflict Intensities, Flyover, Throughput times

Multidisciplinary first-day consultation accelerates diagnostic procedures and throughput times of patients in a head-and-neck cancer care pathway, a mixed method study

BackgroundHead and neck cancers are fast growing tumours that are complex to diagnose and treat. Multidisciplinary input into organization and logistics is critical to start treatment without delay. A multidisciplinary first-day consultation (MFDC) was introduced to reduce throughput times for patients suffering from head and neck cancer in the care pathway. In this mixed method study we evaluated the effects of introducing the MFDC on throughput times, number of patient hospital visits and compliance to the Dutch standard to start treatment within 30 calendar-days.MethodsData regarding ‘days needed for referral’, ‘days needed for diagnostic procedures’, ‘days to start first treatment’, and ‘number of hospital visits’ (process indicators) were retrieved from the medical records and analysed before and after implementation of the MFDC (before implementation: 2007 (n = 21), and after 2008 (n = 20), 2010 (n = 24) and 2013 (n = 24)). We used semi-structured interviews with medical specialists to explore a sample of outliers.ResultsComparing 2007 and 2008 data (before and after MFDC implementation), days needed for diagnostic procedures and to start first treatment reduced with 8 days, the number of hospital visits reduced with 1.5 visit on average. The percentage of new patients treated within the Dutch standard of 30 calendar-days after intake increased from 52 to 83%.The reduction in days needed for diagnostic procedures was sustainable. Days needed to start treatment increased in 2013. Semi-structured interviews revealed that this delay could be attributed to new treatment modalities, patients needed more time to carefully consider their treatment options or professionals needed extra preparation time for organisation of more complex treatment due to early communication on diagnostic procedures to be performed.ConclusionsA MFDC is efficient and benefits patients. We showed that the MFDC implementation in the care pathway had a positive effect on efficiency in the care pathway. As a consequence, the extra efforts of four specialist disciplines, a nurse practitioner, and a coordinating nurse seeing the patient together during intake, were justified. Start treatment times increased as a result of new treatment modalities that needed more time for preparation.

Accelerating High-Throughput Screening for Structural Materials with Production Management Methods.

High-throughput screenings are widely accepted for pharmaceutical developments for new substances and the development of new drugs with required characteristics by evolutionary studies. Current research projects transfer this principle of high-throughput testing to the development of metallic materials. In addition to new generating and testing methods, these types of high-throughput systems need a logistical control and handling method to reduce throughput time to get test results faster. Instead of the direct material flow found in classical high-throughput screenings, these systems have a very complex structure of material flow. The result is a highly dynamic system that includes short-term changes such as rerun stations, partial tests, and temporarily paced sequences between working systems. This paper presents a framework that divides the actions for system acceleration into three main sections. First, methods for special applications in high-throughput systems are designed or adapted to speed up the generation, treatment, and testing processes. Second, methods are needed to process trial plans and to control test orders, which can efficiently reduce waiting times. The third part of the framework describes procedures for handling samples. This reduces non-productive times and reduces order processing in individual lots.

Transferring skills in quality collaboratives focused on improving patient logistics

BackgroundA quality improvement collaborative, often used by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, is used to educate healthcare professionals and improve healthcare at the same time. However, no prior research has been done on the knowledge and skills healthcare professionals need to achieve improvements or the extent to which quality improvement collaboratives help enhance both knowledge and skills. Our research focused on quality improvement collaboratives aiming to improve patient logistics and tried to identify which knowledge and skills are required and to what extent these were enhanced during the QIC.MethodsWe defined skills important for logistic improvements in a three-phase Delphi study. Based on the Delphi results we made a questionnaire. We surveyed participants in a national quality improvement collaborative to assess the skills rated as 1) important, 2) available and 3) improved during the collaborative. At two sense-making meetings, experts reflected on our findings and hypothesized on how to improve (logistics) collaboratives.ResultsThe Delphi study found 18 skills relevant for reducing patient access time and 21 for reducing throughput time. All skills retrieved from the Delphi study were scored as ‘important’ in the survey. Teams especially lacked soft skills connected to project and change management. Analytical skills increased the most, while more reflexive skills needed for the primary goal of the collaborative (reduce access and throughput times) increased modestly.At two sense-making meetings, attendees suggested four improvements for a quality improvement collaborative: 1) shift the focus to project- and change management skills; 2) focus more on knowledge transfer to colleagues; 3) teach participants to adapt the taught principles to their own situations; and 4) foster intra-project reflexive learning to translate gained insights to other projects (inter-project learning).ConclusionsOur findings seem to suggest that Quality collaboratives could benefit if more attention is paid to the transfer of ‘soft skills’ (e.g. change, project management and communication skills) and reflexive skills (e.g. adjusting logistics principles to specific situations and inter-project translation of experiences).

Streamlined preparation of genomic DNA in agarose plugs for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

Genome analysis using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) has been used in applications ranging from typing bacterial strains to radiobiology to cancer research. While methods for running PFGE have been significantly improved since its invention, the method for preparing chromosomal DNA itself has remained essentially unchanged. This limits the applicability of PFGE, especially when analyses require many samples. We have streamlined sample preparation for routine applications of PFGE through the use of deep-well 48-well plates. Besides saving time, our protocol has the added advantage of reducing the volume of expensive reagents. Our improved protocol enables us to reduce throughput time and simplify the procedure, facilitating wider application of PFGE-based analyses in the laboratory.

Development and Implementation of an Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Program for Emergency Nurses

ProblemEmergency medical care often necessitates placement of peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters. When traditional methods for obtaining PIV access are not successful, ultrasound guidance is a rescue technique for peripheral vascular placement that improves the quality of patient care. MethodsThe aim of this training program was to develop a process where emergency nurses would be competent to perform ultrasound guided PIV to improve the quality of patient care delivered while reducing throughput time. Administrative program development required creating a nursing practice statement, procedure guideline, operational plan, and competency validation. A training program comprising both didactic and hands-on training was developed and provided by emergency medicine physicians with formal ultrasound fellowship training. ResultsIn determining whether the training program was adequate in preparing the student to place an ultrasound-guided PIV, 92.9% of students “agreed” or “strongly agreed.” In having confidence in their ability to obtain an ultrasound guided PIV catheter placement, 35.7% of respondents “agreed” and 64.3% “strongly agreed.” In finding it difficult to be successful in achieving ultrasound guided PIV catheter placement, 71.4% of students “strongly disagreed” and 14.3% “disagreed.” All students (100%) felt it was a feasible task to train nurses to successfully place ultrasound-guided PIV catheters and 71.4% of students strongly support continuing to provide this training program and competency validation. DiscussionEstablishment of an effective didactic and hands-on training program resulted in emergency department nurses becoming competent in placement of ultrasound guided PIV catheters to provide optimal patient care.Image 1

Impact of lean interventions on time buffer reduction in a hospital setting

This paper focuses on performance changes stemming from a series of lean interventions in a medical laboratory. This research is one of the first to link a series of lean interventions and performance over time. In a mixed-method case study, six years of patient-related throughput data, retrieved from a laboratory computer database, are analysed. Three distinct periods with significant differences in throughput time performance can be distinguished. Semi-structured interviews were held to investigate the lean interventions preceding the performance changes. Given the long-term nature of the study, the event history calendar method was applied to enhance the respondents’ recall and reliability. A single lean intervention, among the hundreds that took place, was supposed to cause the main reduction in throughput times. It concentrated on improving process flow through the removal of batching, a source of artificial variability. A later major intervention, the introduction of flow-focused machinery, had mixed effects and initial performance gains were not sustained. The results show that ongoing series of interventions do not always lead to ongoing performance improvements in terms of throughput times but support theories emphasising the importance of variability reduction.