Shelf Location Research Articles

Quantum Optimization for Location Assignment Problem in ASSR

In an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), a location assignment of products is important to improve the picking efficiency. In this paper, the optimization of shelf location assignment with a quantum annealing is investigated. Product pairs are considered in order of picking frequency and are assigned to empty shelves in order of distance from an outlet. Then swapping the position of product in the pair is considered as the decision variable. This reduces the number of required qubits and guarantees the feasibility of solution. The efficiency of quantum algorithm is evaluated by comparing with mixed integer programming (MIP).

Multi-proxy evidence for sea level fall at the onset of the Eocene-Oligocene transition

Continental-scale expansion of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT) is one of the largest non-linear events in Earth’s climate history. Declining atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and orbital variability triggered glacial expansion and strong feedbacks in the climate system. Prominent among these feedbacks was the repartitioning of biogeochemical cycles between the continental shelves and the deep ocean with falling sea level. Here we present multiple proxies from a shallow shelf location that identify a marked regression and an elevated flux of continental-derived organic matter at the earliest stage of the EOT, a time of deep ocean carbonate dissolution and the extinction of oligotrophic phytoplankton groups. We link these observations using an Earth System model, whereby this first regression delivers a pulse of organic carbon to the oceans that could drive the observed patterns of deep ocean dissolution and acts as a transient negative feedback to climate cooling.

EVALUASI DAN STRATEGI MENINGKATKAN KINERJA ORDER PICKING DI GUDANG RITEL MENGGUNAKAN SIMULASI FLEXSIM

Economic growth based on economic sharing encourages e-commerce transactions to increase. Along with this, the need for an effective distribution process is also increasing, in order to fulfill orders quickly and accurately. This study was conducted on the logistics department at one of the retail companies providing electronic equipments and accessories. Preliminary observations indicate the high level of overtime experienced by employees in the logistics department, as well as the high rate of errors in delivery of ordered products, which results in high complaints from customers. The aim of the study is to evaluate the performance of the order picking process that is currently being carried out by the company, and to formulate a suitable approach to be applied by the company. The research was conducted with a discrete simulation approach, using Flexsim v2022. Modeling begins with creating entities according to the actual warehouse specifications. After that, the model is developed by determining the process flow or simulation flow, by entering parameters such as the number of orders, time, and shelf location. The simulation results show that the current wave picking approach is not optimal. The simulation shows that the sequential zone picking strategy is estimated to result in a decrease in the time of order pickings and the distance experienced by the officers, so that it can be a strategy that can reduce the rate of overtime and errors in order pickings.

Impact of bookshelf locations using eye-tracking methodology

PurposeThis study aimed to understand better the user gaze behavior on bookshelves using eye-tracking technology.Design/methodology/approachAn eye-tracking experiment in a public library with 11 participants was performed. The impact of vertical shelf location of books on the number of times the books are looked at, the impact of horizontal location and the relationship between user behavior and location impact were examined by the findings.FindingsThe results showed that the vertical location of books has a significant impact on the number of times the books are looked at. More than 80% of the time spent looking at bookshelves was spent on books on the top to fourth rows. It was also revealed that the horizontal location of books has a little impact. Books located on the left side of shelves will be looked at significantly more often than those on the right side. No significant relationships between type of user behaviors and location impact were observed.Originality/valueThe study explored the impact of the vertical location of books on time spent looking at bookshelves using eye-tracking methodology. Few published studies do such experiments to address user gaze behavior on bookshelves. The study explored that the vertical location of books has a great impact, and horizontal location has a little impact on user gaze behavior.

The Impact of Shelf Location of Books on Number of Times the Books Are Looked at by Patrons

The Impact of Shelf Location of Books on Number of Times the Books Are Looked at by Patrons

Modelo para la planeación del surtido, asignación de espacio y localización en góndola

Introducción: Las decisiones operativas de un minorista implican que a través de su surtido se pueda satisfacer la demanda logrando la mayor utilidad posible haciendo el mejor uso posible de su espacio de exhibición. Este artículo presenta un modelo de programación lineal entera mixta cuyo propósito es maximizar la rentabilidad de un minorista considerando los efectos de sustitución dinámica entre artículos, impactos de la elasticidad del espacio sobre la demanda, niveles de servicio esperados de la exhibición y las decisiones de los compradores. Objetivo: Proponer un modelo que soporte la toma de decisiones de asignación de espacio, planeación del surtido y localización en góndola de un minorista. Metodología: Primero se analizan diferentes factores que afectan las decisiones objeto de estudio usando fuentes primarias y secundarias. Luego se desarrolla el modelo matemático y se evalúa su desempeño utilizando datos reales de una categoría de productos en un punto de venta de una cadena de supermercados. Resultados: En la instancia de prueba se obtiene la solución óptima en un tiempo computacional razonable y esta solución permite establecer la forma en la cual gestionar de mejor manera el surtido en el punto de venta, superando los resultados del método actual. Conclusiones: El modelo propuesto permite aumentar la utilidad de la cadena a través del surtido adecuado, con los espacios de exhibición justos y con la localización exacta de los artículos seleccionados.

In-process detection of microstructural changes in laser cladding of in-situ Inconel 718/TiC metal matrix composite coating

Online monitoring of thermal history during laser cladding of Inconel 718/TiC metal matrix composite (MMC) produced by in-situ process was carried out. Effects of weight percentage of Ti+C and process parameters on the thermal history, and its correlation with the evolution of microstructure were studied. Further, changes in the evolution of microstructure and excessive dilution were identified online by monitoring various features of the thermo-cycle profile, i.e. occurrence of undercooling with change in microstructure from dispersed fine particles to dendritic structure caused by assembling of floating TiC particles at slow cooling, molten pool lifetime and shift in solidification shelf location because of compositional changes caused by excessive dilution. Coating with dispersed fine TiC particles exhibited high hardness and good wear characteristics compared to the one with dendritic structure. Further, dendritic growth of TiC particles resulted in embrittlement of the coating. Cladding was also carried out in laser power modulated mode to enhance the cooling rate, thereby refining the microstructure. Identification of optimum parameters through real-time monitoring of molten pool thermal history and its physical state (liquid/solid) during laser power modulation to ensure refinement of microstructure was studied. SEM and XRD analyses were carried out for analysing the microstructure and phases.

Study of Factors Affecting Medical Incident: 1. Dispensing

In recent years, medical institutions have taken a variety of measures to prevent medical incident. In addition, progress has been made toward the development of a fully automated system for the purpose of medicine dispensing. However, automating the dispensing, or having it replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) will not, eradicate human error. Thus, measures against human error will continue to serve as an important topic. Therefore, hospitals are required to improve the efficiency of the pharmacy department. For these purposes, attention has now shifted to Supply Processing and Distribution (SPD). In this study, we measured for the gaze of the pharmacist and SPD, and examined the factors affecting dispensing error; moreover, we examined prevention of the human error. In the results of the eye tracking, SPD members tended to spend a greater number of gaze time and gaze counts, for each medicine, on “medicines” and “picking lists,” than pharmacists. On the other hand, when pharmacists picking medicines, they performed various work operations in parallel, such as checking the prescription and looking the next shelf location. It was conjectured that SPD members had more clearly defined items to check when picking, compared to pharmacists. This may have possibly led to a lower chance of dispensing errors being introduced by SPD members. These results suggest that the process of selection is not a mandatory requirement of pharmacists during the action of dispensing. Instead, SPD members, pharmacy assistants, or automatic dispensing devices could serve as substitutes for picking. It is suggested that pharmacists should spend more time and effort on prescription inspection, medicines checking and dosing operations.

Designing Automatic Guided Device of Books

There are several methods returning scattered books in library, such as asking visitors to put them back to the bookshelf, recruiting more employees, or creating system that can return the books automatically. But, by using the system, visitors no need to walk to certain bookshelf. The system itself called Automatic Guided Device included of Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV), RFID tag, scissor-lift, and book thruster. Every books have RFID tags which contains the book database. There are name of books and shelf location inside of the database. Visitors just need scan the book(s) and laid on the device, then the system will begin to operate. After that, this Automatic Guided Device sensor equipped will start its journey and go through to the location of bookshelf by following tracked line on the floor. To show them, it uses ASCII Table in the C Source Code Program. This table is to represent information substitutes which contains certain number, then it will be declared as the bookshelf location spot. After reaching certain distance, scissor-lift lifts as high as the table. Then scissor-lift stops, while the book thruster removing the book from device into bookshelf. So, this system not only returning the books without any manual operation but also can do more things such as lifting and putting the books automatically at once. Based on several tests, AGD reaches at certain spot within an average 60% of successfulness by using ASCII Table numbering format.

Analysis of the flow and temperature distribution inside the compartment of a small refrigerator

This work presents the analysis of the flow and thermal behavior of the compartment in a refrigerator, in which its cooling effect is based on diffusion-absorption technology. CFD was used to model and simulate the refrigerator. The main objective was to compare the thermal behavior of a plate-evaporator design with a finned surface (reference refrigerator) and a plate-evaporator with a smooth surface (proposed design). Moreover, the study was completed with the discussion about the velocity distribution and the pathlines of the temperature and velocity. This was also observed under the influence of the wired shelf location inside the compartment. Additionally, the performance of the refrigerator was evaluated. This study aims to expand our knowledge about the temperature and flow fields of this refrigerator model. Finally, the development of this work highlights the importance of the numerical simulation in the search for improvements in the design of this refrigerator model, which might help manufacturers of diffusion-absorption refrigerators.

Public Acceptability in the UK and USA of Nudging to Reduce Obesity: The Example of Reducing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Consumption.

Background“Nudging”—modifying environments to change people’s behavior, often without their conscious awareness—can improve health, but public acceptability of nudging is largely unknown.MethodsWe compared acceptability, in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA), of government interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Three nudge interventions were assessed: i. reducing portion Size, ii. changing the Shape of the drink containers, iii. changing their shelf Location; alongside two traditional interventions: iv. Taxation and v. Education. We also tested the hypothesis that describing interventions as working through non-conscious processes decreases their acceptability. Predictors of acceptability, including perceived intervention effectiveness, were also assessed. Participants (n = 1093 UK and n = 1082 USA) received a description of each of the five interventions which varied, by randomisation, in how the interventions were said to affect behaviour: (a) via conscious processes; (b) via non-conscious processes; or (c) no process stated. Acceptability was derived from responses to three items.ResultsLevels of acceptability for four of the five interventions did not differ significantly between the UK and US samples; reducing portion size was less accepted by the US sample. Within each country, Education was rated as most acceptable and Taxation the least, with the three nudge-type interventions rated between these. There was no evidence to support the study hypothesis: i.e. stating that interventions worked via non-conscious processes did not decrease their acceptability in either the UK or US samples. Perceived effectiveness was the strongest predictor of acceptability for all interventions across the two samples.ConclusionIn conclusion, nudge interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages seem similarly acceptable in the UK and USA, being more acceptable than taxation, but less acceptable than education. Contrary to prediction, we found no evidence that highlighting the non-conscious processes by which nudge interventions may work decreases their acceptability. However, highlighting the effectiveness of all interventions has the potential to increase their acceptability.

Upper-Slope To Shelf-Edge Delta Architecture, Miocene Cruse Formation, Orinoco Shelf Margin, Trinidad

Trinidad is an uplifted segment of the Neogene Orinoco shelf, created largely by the paleo–Orinoco River and delta. The Atlantic-facing shelf-margin sediment prism has an internal clinoform architecture, with both sandy marine and nonmarine topsets and muddy deepwater slope deposits that contain turbidite channels and collapsed shelf-edge blocks. The shelf prism is > 10 km thick and > 200 km wide at present, built from late Miocene to present. The shelf margin had an irregularly rising trajectory towards the Atlantic, with very thick topset aggradation and rapid progradation of the fronting deepwater slope. The 18–33 km/My progradation rate for the shelf margin with exceptionally high shelf-subsidence rates (up to 1000 m/My) documents a high sediment supply, despite very high shelf subsidence, and strongly suggests prominent sand bypass from shelf into deepwater areas for much of the Neogene interval. The early proximal, onshore south Trinidad part of this sediment prism, the late Miocene and early Pliocene Cruse Formation, irregularly outcrops for tens of kilometers along southern Trinidad in a disrupted but near-downdip (shelf to basin) direction from west to east. This distribution allows the late Miocene shelf-break position in the paleo–Columbus Channel to be identified in the outcrops, separating a western shelf and shelf-edge delta segment from an eastern highly deformed segment with very large (house size) blocks of shallow-water facies, collapsed from the shelf edge, that are disoriented and embedded in deformed slope mudstones. These eastward distorted outcrops are interpreted as within the headward reaches of a Columbus Canyon system, otherwise known from seismic interpretation offshore in the Columbus Channel. In this eastward outcrop area below the shelf edge, the facies are mainly large, shelf-edge collapse mass-transport blocks, as well as in situ turbidite-filled slope channels, thin-bedded turbidites, debrites, and abundant slope mudstones. Most of the sandstone blocks and associated chaotic beds contain highly deformed parallel-laminated and hummocky cross strata, betraying their former shelf location. Landward of the identified shelf-edge location, there are stacked parasequences (each 3–15 m thick) of undeformed, upward-coarsening shelf-edge delta deposits, in places sharply truncating (erosional truncation) the slope mudstones and mass-transport deposits. The significant downcutting of most of the topset Orinoco channels, their position so close to the shelf edge, as well as the generally erosional contact between base of topsets and underlying slope mudstones suggests that the topset deltas were forced regressive, probably driven across the shelf by falling relative sea level, despite high subsidence rates at this time. The outcropping facies architectures, both vertically and laterally (from shelf to deepwater slope) generate a hypothesis that the early paleo–Orinoco shelf margin grew by an alternation of upward- and basinward- growing clinoforms. Particularly marked is the earliest Pliocene period of marked forced regression of the Orinoco Delta, possibly when short periods of icehouse eustatic sea-level fall outpaced subsidence rate. This lesson from the outcrop area is used to further understand the flat–rise–flat–rise, shelf-edge trajectory pattern that persisted throughout the Neogene margin development, as seen on seismic lines across the Columbus Basin.

Coral growth patterns of Montastraea cavernosa and Porites astreoides in the Florida Keys: The importance of thermal stress and inimical waters

The calcification and extension rates of two species of scleractinian coral (Montastraea cavernosa, Porites astreoides) were measured in corals experimentally transplanted to paired inshore and offshore locations in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Florida Keys from 2010 to 2011. Growth rates were compared with respect to 1) shelf location, 2) species, 3) region, and 4) temperature. Transplanted corals on inshore reefs generally calcified less than those at paired offshore sites, but these differences were only significant in a few cases. This difference in growth is likely because of two thermal stress events that occurred inshore, but not offshore, as growth records from cores of P. astreoides revealed significantly higher extension and calcification inshore from 2001–2013. The core data confirmed that the years 2010–2012 were a period of depressed growth inshore. Calcification and extension rates of the experimental corals were not statistically different between M. cavernosa and P. astreoides within a given site. The only exceptions were that calcification was higher in M. cavernosa at the Middle Keys inshore site. The Middle Florida Keys sites had the lowest rates of calcification, supporting the hypothesis that the influence of Florida Bay waters in this region contributes to poor reef development. Mean calcification rates negatively correlated with metrics of cold stress in M. cavernosa and heat stress in P. astreoides. The lack of a significant correlation between heat stress and mean calcification in M. cavernosa may help explain this species persistence on today's reefs. Maximum calcification and mean extension, however, were negatively correlated with maximum running 30-day mean temperature, showing that the growth of M. cavernosa is not completely insensitive to warm water stress. The ‘weedy’ life-history strategy of P. astreoides may compensate for the sensitivity of calcification rates to heat stress reported here, allowing this species to maintain the stable populations that have been observed throughout Florida and the wider Caribbean.

Ross Sea paleo-ice sheet drainage and deglacial history during and since the LGM

Onshore and offshore studies show that an expanded, grounded ice sheet occupied the Ross Sea Embayment during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Results from studies of till provenance and the orientation of geomorphic features on the continental shelf show that more than half of the grounded ice sheet consisted of East Antarctic ice flowing through Transantarctic Mountain (TAM) outlet glaciers; the remainder came from West Antarctica. Terrestrial data indicate little or no thickening in the upper catchment regions in both West and East Antarctica during the LGM. In contrast, evidence from the mouths of the southern and central TAM outlet glaciers indicate surface elevations between 1000 m and 1100 m (above present-day sea level). Farther north along the western margin of the Ross Ice Sheet, surface elevations reached 720 m on Ross Island, and 400 m at Terra Nova Bay. Evidence from Marie Byrd Land at the eastern margin of the ice sheet indicates that the elevation near the present-day grounding line was more than 800 m asl, while at Siple Dome in the central Ross Embayment, the surface elevation was about 950 m asl. Farther north, evidence that the ice sheet was grounded on the middle and the outer continental shelf during the LGM implies that surface elevations had to be at least 100 m above the LGM sea level. The apparent low surface profile and implied low basal shear stress in the central and eastern embayment suggests that although the ice streams may have slowed during the LGM, they remained active.Ice-sheet retreat from the western Ross Embayment during the Holocene is constrained by marine and terrestrial data. Ages from marine sediments suggest that the grounding line had retreated from its LGM outer shelf location only a few tens of kilometer to a location south of Coulman Island by ∼13 ka BP. The ice sheet margin was located in the vicinity of the Drygalski Ice Tongue by ∼11 ka BP, just north of Ross Island by ∼7.8 ka BP, and near Hatherton Glacier by ∼6.8 ka BP. Farther south, 10Be exposure ages from glacial erratics on nunataks near the mouths of Reedy, Scott and Beardmore Glaciers indicate thinning during the mid to late Holocene, but the grounding line did not reach its present position until 2 to 3 ka BP. Marine dates, which are almost exclusively Acid Insoluble Organic (AIO) dates, are consistently older than those derived from terrestrial data. However, even these ages indicate that the ice sheet experienced significant retreat after ∼13 ka BP. Geomorphic features indicate that during the final stages of ice sheet retreat ice flowing through the TAM remained grounded on the shallow western margin of Ross Sea.The timing of retreat from the central Ross Sea remains unresolved; the simplest reconstruction is to assume that the grounding line here started to retreat from the continental shelf more or less in step with the retreat from the western and eastern sectors. An alternative hypothesis, which relies on the validity of radiocarbon ages from marine sediments, is that grounded ice had retreated from the outer continental shelf prior to the LGM. More reliable ages from marine sediments in the central Ross Embayment are needed to test and validate this hypothesis.

A Discrete Constrained Optimization Using Genetic Algorithms for A Bookstore Layout

Abstract In retail industry, one of the most important decisions of shelf space management is the shelf location decision for products and product categories to be displayed in-store. The shelf location that products are displayed has a significant impact on product sales. At the same time, displaying complementary products close to each other increases the possibility of cross-selling of products. In this study, firstly, for a bookstore retailer, a mathematical model is developed based on association rule mining for store layout problem which includes the determination of the position of products and product categories which are displayed in-store shelves. Then, because of the NP-hard nature of the developed model, an original heuristic approach is developed based on genetic algorithms for solving large-scale real-life problems. In order to compare the performance of the genetic algorithm based heuristic with other methods, another heuristic approach based on tabu search and a simple heuristic that is co...

Impact of resuspension of cohesive sediments at the Oyster Grounds (North Sea) on nutrient exchange across the sediment–water interface

Benthic-pelagic exchange processes are recognised as important nutrient sources in coastal areas, however, the relative impact of diffusion, resuspension and other processes such as bioturbation and bioirrigation are still relatively poorly understood. Experimental ship-based data are presented showing the effects of diffusion and resuspension on cohesive sediments at a temperate shelf location in the North Sea. Measurements of diffusive fluxes in both spring (1.76, 0.51, −0.91, 17.6 μmol/m2/h) and late summer (8.53, −0.03, −1.12, 35.0 μmol/m2/h) for nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and dissolved silicon respectively, provided comparisons for measured resuspension fluxes. Increases in diffusive fluxes of nitrate and dissolved silicon to the water column in late summer coincided with decreases in bottom water oxygen concentrations and increases in temperature. Resuspension experiments using a ship board annular flume and intact box core allowed simultaneous measurement of suspended particulate matter, water velocity and sampling of nutrients in the water column during a step wise increase in bed shear velocity. The resuspension of benthic fluff led to small but significant releases of phosphate and nitrate to the water column with chamber concentration increasing from 0.70–0.76 and 1.84–2.22 μmol/L respectively. Resuspension of the sediment bed increased water column concentrations of dissolved silicon by as much as 125% (7.10–15.9 μmol/L) and nitrate and phosphate concentrations by up to 67% (1.84–3.08 μmol/L) and 66% (0.70–1.15 μmol/L) respectively. Mass balance calculations indicate that processes such as microbial activity or adsorption/desorption other than simple release of pore water nutrients must occur during resuspension to account for the increase. This study shows that resuspension is potentially an important pathway for resupplying the water column with nutrients before and during phytoplankton blooms and should therefore be considered along with diffusive fluxes in future ecosystem models.

Choices from Identical Options in a Virtual Shopping Aisle

Through an experiment in a virtual environment, in this work we studied the relationship between vertical and horizontal shelf location and the frequency with which shoppers select items. We tested a random distribution hypothesis of the picking up frequencies (PUFs) in relationship to item shelf position within an experimental framework with various constant hypothesized confounding variables. The equidistribution hypothesis was rejected in a test with 600 virtual shoppers, providing evidence for the existence of a gravitational force towards certain shelf locations. In particular, the PUFs resulted significantly higher for eye-level and waist-level locations when items were placed in the first half of the virtual gondola. On a theoretical level, our experiment also shows that the minimal physical effort principle is probably not a good explanation for the qualitative heterogeneity of shelf space and for the associated shelf position effects. Limitations and managerial implications of our work were also discussed.

The Performance-Based Fire Protection Study on Fire Spread of Logistics Centers

This paper analyzes the fire hazard of logistics centers, puts forward to prevent the spread of fire has important significance on study the horizontal spread of fire performance under different fire scene of a project example by using the methods of calculation and numerical simulation. Provide a reference on the spray system and shelf location settings for such construction.

Planktic foraminiferal production along an offshore–onshore transect in the south-eastern Bay of Biscay

The distribution of planktic foraminifera from the continental slope onto the shelf of the south-eastern Bay of Biscay is discussed in relation to environmental factors. Samples were obtained between March and November, 2006–2008, along a bathymetric transect from 2000 to 145 m water depth, from 50 km off the shelf-break onto the outer shelf. Live specimens and empty tests (>100 μm) were collected with vertical plankton tows from the sea surface to a maximum water depth of 700 m, and temperature, salinity, oxygen concentration, and fluorescence/chlorophyll- a concentration were recorded. Additional data on chlorophyll- a concentration and sea surface temperature were derived from satellite imagery (Aqua MODIS and SeaWIFS). Planktic foraminifera were most abundant in the upper 80 m of the water column at all locations, with decreasing numbers towards the coast in March, April, and June. In November, maximum numbers of live specimens occurred at the outer shelf location. In July, planktic foraminiferal standing stocks were low throughout the sampling area. Chlorophyll -a concentration (i.e., food) and fresh water input were found to affect the abundance of planktic foraminifera along the transect; however we found no influence of water depth or proximity to the shelf.

The location and allocation of products and product families on retail shelves

In this paper, we model a shelf-management problem in which individual products are categorized as part of a product family. It is well known that a product’s shelf location has a significant impact on sales for many retail items. We develop a continuous as well as a discrete model with postprocessing to optimize product placement with consideration given to maintaining the grouping of product families. Computational results are reported on test problems as well as real-world beverage placement problems.