Fabio De Felice | University of Cassino and Southern Latium (original) (raw)

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Papers by Fabio De Felice

International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, 2013

One often wonders why more people in organisations do not rush today to use a formal decision-mak... more One often wonders why more people in organisations do not rush today to use a formal decision-making approach to make their complex decisions. This paper places special emphasis on the measurement of intangible criteria and on their incorporation into the allocation process through a proper decision making approach. In this work, a well-known decision-making method, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to identify a quality model to evaluate Italian racecourses performances based upon the criteria: Quality organisation of racing, infrastructure and equipment, attractiveness and finally management skill. The motivation on which the study is based is the need to identify a model to evaluate Italian racecourses and to distribute economic resources. The main conclusion is that the AHP model adopted can manage all the information of the real-world problem and can help to structure the decision process in order to achieve the optimum solution.

The continuous technological evolution and increase in the standard of living of the population h... more The continuous technological evolution and increase in the standard
of living of the population have led today to an increase in the volume of rail traffic. Despite railways being a statistically safe form of transportation rail accidents may still happen. The paper aims to propose a model to show a proper level of safety in railway tunnels, through the adoption of measures of prevention and protection finalised at the reduction of critical situations. In the present study a rigorous methodological approach is proposed for a ‘typical’ Italian railway tunnel.

The Railway transport system is experimenting a deep transformation nowadays. The continuous tech... more The Railway transport system is experimenting a deep transformation nowadays. The continuous technological evolution and the raising the standard of living of the population have led today to an increase in the volume of rail traffic, both referred to the passenger and freight transport. Despite railways being a statistically safe form of transportation (due to guidance per rails, professional drivers, etc.) rail accidents may still happen. Safety in railway infrastructure must be
understood as the safe performance of their functions by the main components. From this perspective it denotes a growing interest in the issue of safety in railway tunnels. In particular, the analysis of the structural aspects of reliability and maintenance goes to correlate safety analysis. The papers aims to ensure a proper level of safety in railway tunnels, through the adoption of measures of prevention and protection finalized at the reduction of critical situations. In the present study a
rigorous methodological approach is proposed for a “typical” Italian railway tunnel.

The goal of the study is to present an integrated approach that combines multi criteria analysis ... more The goal of the study is to present an integrated approach that combines multi criteria analysis and disaster and emergency management. The study is based on a well know multi criteria technique, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). An AHP model is proposed in order to define a disaster risk management performance index (DRMPI) that quantifies the performance and effectiveness of risk management to evaluate emergency alternative problems. This model is implemented in a real case study.

In this paper, through suitable energetic balances, we have quantified the energy saving obtainab... more In this paper, through suitable energetic balances, we have quantified the energy saving obtainable by reducing the quantity of raw materials (glass) feeding the process, through the closed-loop recycling, of the cathode ray tube glass that reached the end of its life cycle. For this purpose we adopted a methodology called the FIAI Method. Such a method consists of the introduction of two parameters aiming at controlling both the practicability of the investment concerning the environmental improvement (FI) and the advantage that such intervention causes as regards environmental impact and general energy saving (AI)

This paper analyses the principal procedures and techniques of reliability allocation. Starting f... more This paper analyses the principal procedures and techniques of reliability allocation. Starting from the known methodologies, a new reliability allocation method is developed: the Integrated Factors Method (I.F.M.) which determines the reliable criticalities in a a production sub-system for the realization of sintered products. The proposed method supplies a logic for the analysis of prototype complex systems during the pre-design phase, and presents general characteristics that allow this logic to be extended to different design phases.

Today, billions of dollars are being spent annually world wide to develop, manufacture, and opera... more Today, billions of dollars are being spent annually world wide to develop, manufacture, and operate transportation system such trains, ships, aircraft, and motor vehicles. Around 70 to 90 percent of transportation crashes are, directly or indirectly, the result of human error. In fact, with the development of technology, system reliability has increased dramatically during the past decades, while human reliability has remained unchanged over the same period. Accordingly, human error is now considered as the most significant source of accidents or incidents in safety-critical systems. The aim of the paper is the proposal of a methodological approach to improve the transportation system reliability and in particular railway transportation system. The methodology presented is based on Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) and Human Reliability Analysis (HRA).

The drive to lower operating costs and improve manufacturing efficiency has led many manufacturin... more The drive to lower operating costs and improve manufacturing efficiency has led many manufacturing companies to implement different methodologies in order to identify a suitable risk assessment model. So, the concern for safety in industrial activities, both inside the establishments and in their surroundings, has a crucial role. As a result, many laws, regulations and risk analysis techniques are well adapted to industry needs since they were developed for its purpose. However increasing safety is often difficult, especially when you have already obtained good results, so the aim of our paper is the proposal of a new methodological approach called the safety improve risk assessment (SIRA) by integrating the conventional aspects of the popular failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) procedure with economic considerations in order to take into account the risk and to minimise the total safety costs by defining a specific index called total risk priority number (TRPN) index. The index proposed is based on the improved risk priority number (IRPN) and the analytic network process (ANP), a multi-criteria decision-making technique.

In most situations, human and machines are linked in one system and accidents occur in most of th... more In most situations, human and machines are linked in one system and accidents occur in most of them; but, there are no systematic procedures for reporting them. The present work is focused on developing a more scientific methodological approach which applies to reduce train accidents and in particular to improve safety in railway tunnels. The aim of our work is the development of a methodological approach through a probabilistic assessment in order to ensure the safety of users, staff and the emergency services in railway tunnels. We propose a real case concerning the safety of an Italian typical railway tunnel according to Ministerial Decree October 28, 2005.

The attention on optimal management of production systems has increased, thus the control of prod... more The attention on optimal management of production systems has increased, thus the control of production with local control of the coordination of an entire chain of production and distribution (Supply Chain Management). The aim of this work is to analyze some issues relating to new types of production realities based on the Supply Chain, to show the multiple causes of the change in demand along a Supply Chain, the reasons that cause the Bullwhip Effect and the techniques to improve it. From this point of view the authors have developed a strategic multicriteria decision support system based on the Analityc Network Process with which the authors can analyze the criticality throughout the supply chain process. Definitively this paper introduces a conceptual framework for evaluating different supply chain structures in the context of Bullwhip Effect. The authors also illustrate the applicability of the resulting framework through a specific model applied in an automotive industry.

In the current phase of globalization, the fashion industry is an important sector where firm str... more In the current phase of globalization, the fashion industry is an important sector where firm strategies are frequently oriented towards product personalization - more than product customization - with a reduced price. The fashion industry relates to the ability to provide customized products or services through flexible processes in high volume and at a reasonably low cost, which are currently key variables for the fashion supply chain. Performance concepts - which usually refer to three pillars, i.e., economic, environmental and social ones - are new paradigms in this industrial sector, namely "sustainable" mass customization. This paper proposes a multi-criteria methodological approach for evaluating the performance of the fashion industry based on the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP), called 'MAB' - Multi-criteria Assessment Balanced Scorecard. Firstly, key performance indicators (KPIs) are evaluated in order to assess the performance level of a typical fashion industry. The development of an index system and methods is aimed to form a set of useful tools for policy-makers to facilitate the transformation of an industrial development mode and support the performance of the fashion industry.

As members of society become more conscious of environmental issues and global warming, they will... more As members of society become more conscious of environmental issues and global warming, they will be asking more questions about the products they are purchasing. Companies will be expected to promote how green their manufacturing processes and supply chain are, their carbon footprint, and how they recycle. A number of companies have already shown that there is proof of the link between improved environmental performance and financial gains. This comprehensive focus has led to the revolution of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM). The aim of the present work is to propose an integrated model that a firm may use to evaluate its own supply chain's environmental performance. The proposed approach promotes sustainable development that can be measured in terms of societal and economic sustainability. The model integrates environmental indexes based on Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPA) and the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach with a multi-criteria model based on the Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Benefits, Opportunities, Costs and Risks (BOCR) analysis.

The automation of production systems has delegated to machines the execution of highly repetitive... more The automation of production systems has delegated to machines the execution of highly repetitive and standardized tasks. In the last decade, however, the failure of the automatic factory model has led to partially automated configurations of production systems. Therefore, in this scenario, centrality and responsibility of the role entrusted to the human operators are exalted because it requires problem solving and decision making ability. Thus, human operator is the core of a cognitive process that leads to decisions, influencing the safety of the whole system in function of their reliability. The aim of this paper is to propose a modelling application for cognitive reliability and error analysis method.

Three dimensional(3-D) geometric shape measurements have found wide applications in the fields of... more Three dimensional(3-D) geometric shape measurements have found wide applications in the fields of industrial manufacturing, fast reverse engineering, quality control, biomedical sciences, etc. In the present paper we focus our attention on Reverse engineering. It starts from an existing product, and creates a CAD (Computer Aided Design) model, for modification or reproduction of its design. This kind of process is usually undertaken in order to redesign a system for better maintainability or to obtain a copy of a system without access to design from which it was originally produced. There are many different methods for acquiring shape data. Tactile methods represent a popular approach to shape capture.The most commonly known forms are Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) and mechanical or robotic arms with a touch probe sensing device. Non-contact methods use light, sound or magnetic fields to acquire shape from objects. In the case of contact and non-contact, an appropriate analysis must be performed to determine the positions of points on objects surface. The aim of this paper is to present a newreconstruction method ofthreedimensionalmeasuringsystem for objects acquisition: reverse engineering based on structured light system. This technique consists in projecting a knownpattern of pixels (structured light) on an object: the way in which this pattern is deformed encountering the object surfaces, allows vision systems (a couple of monochromatic digital cameras) to calculate depth information necessary for surfaces digitization. The subsequent application of this methodology has been to reengineer an aeronautical component that has changed over time and divergent from initial project. At last have been studied proposals and possible solutions that ensure an higher quality of manufactured products and a substantial savings in costs of production system of the product itself.

Pharmaceutical industries are continuously seeking out new strategies to improve their operations... more Pharmaceutical industries are continuously seeking out new strategies to improve their operations and gain a competitive advantage. Maintenance tends to be a key management issue for many pharmaceutical companies. Proper maintenance management requires information about maintenance performance for the planning and controlling of maintenance processes. However, it is generally difficult to reconcile production and maintenance goals. This work presents an integrated management system that can help in finding optimal maintenance strategies via a multi-object approach. The availability of an integrated system allows for detecting potential management problems and optimizing costs. Furthermore, the proposed method offers significant additional input data that can be useful to analysts for improving maintenance management.

Healthcare information technology (health IT) is a critical factor of healthcare system worldwide... more Healthcare information technology (health IT) is a critical factor of healthcare system worldwide. The aim of this paper is to propose an integrated performance measurement system to evaluate access to healthcare and healthcare cost reduction is proposed. This paper presents the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to prioritize all of the measures and strategies in a Balanced Scorecard framework (BSC). Results show that the methodological approach is very flexible and useful in several scenarios.

Electronic and electric devices are now applied in most human activities: their diffusion is incr... more Electronic and electric devices are now applied in most human activities: their diffusion is increasing worldwide; furthermore, most of them are characterized by a high replacement rate due to technological obsolescence. Consequently, environmental problems due to their diffusion are increasing; several aspects are involved from the energy consumption derived from their manufacturing processes and their use phases to their end-of-life (EOL) management. Such legislative (e.g. the European Energy Efficiency directive for household appliances) or voluntary interventions (e.g. based on the ISO standards) have been introduced for such devices: the aim is to incorporate environmental considerations in product design and manufacturing in order to benefit the environment. Some attempts are focusing on defining standardized models for the overall lifecycle including waste management. The aim of this paper is to introduce a reference model for comparing environmental product footprint of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). All life cycles of EEE will be evaluated: a specific focus is on the EOL management process as their waste management represents a complex problem for developed and developing countries. A multi-criteria decision-making model will be developed based on the well-known analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method: differently from traditional AHP applications, an absolute model has been proposed in order to compare EEE effectively from an environmental point of view. A case study validation regarding large household appliances is proposed.

Nowadays, many enterprises choose to outsource its non-core business to other enterprises to redu... more Nowadays, many enterprises choose to outsource its non-core business to other enterprises to reduce cost and increase the efficiency. Many enterprises choose to outsource their supply chain management (SCM) and leave it to a third-party organization in order to improve their services. The paper proposes an integrated and multicriteria tool useful to monitor and to improve performance in an outsourced supply chain. The Analytic Balanced Scorecard method (A-BSC) is proposed as an effective method useful to analyze strategic performance within an outsourced supply chain. The aim of the paper is to present the integration of two methodologies: Balanced Scorecard, a multiple perspective framework for performance assessment, and Analytic Hierarchy Process, a decision-making tool used to prioritize multiple performance perspectives and to generate a unified metric. The development of the framework is aimed to provide a performance analysis to achieve better sustainability performance of supply chain. A real case study concerning a typical value chain is presented.

The performance of the supplier is a crucial factor for the success or failure of any company. Ra... more The performance of the supplier is a crucial factor for the success or failure of any company. Rational and effective decision making in terms of the supplier selection process can help the organization to optimize cost and quality functions. The nature of supplier selection processes is generally complex, especially when the company has a large variety of products and vendors. Over the years, several solutions and methods have emerged for addressing the supplier selection problem (SSP). Experience and studies have shown that there is no best way for evaluating and selecting a specific supplier process, but that it varies from one organization to another. The aim of this research is to demonstrate how a multiple attribute decision making approach can be effectively applied for the supplier selection process.

International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, 2013

The techniques of the reliability allocation have been studied for the project development and fo... more The techniques of the reliability allocation have been studied for the project development and for the operating and maintenance management of complex systems. The maintenance management is an operating aspect consequent upon the project; on the contrary, the maintenance concerns project aspects. Therefore, from the point of view of the operating maintenance, the allocation of the reliability must be considered as "allocation of the criticalities", or rather as a methodology which allows to identify the sub-systems responsible for the unreliability of the whole system. This work intends to determine, through the application of the "Method of the Integrated Factors", the elements which are responsible for the reliable criticalities in a production sub-system, aiming at the realization of sintered products. The allocation method introduced, even if it supplies an analysis applicable to complex prototype systems during the planning phase, keeps general characteristics which permit its application also to the management and maintenance phases. The production sub-system taken into consideration makes it possible to carry out the drying of dusts. The main element is a piston pump for the realization of vacuum with the resulting recovery of the isopropyl alcohol. We considered it convenient to fix the unreliability factor of the sub-system as target, taken from the scientific literature.

The evaluation process of a company presents many difficulties, especially with regards to the at... more The evaluation process of a company presents many difficulties, especially with regards to the attribution of value to elements which are intangible by nature, such as the value of good management. Thus, it is essential for companies to have tools that permit the evaluation and quantification of the elements of organizational and managerial nature. The aim of this work is to analyze these issues by identifying and studying new indicators that take into account the characteristics and complexity of intangible assets. Many models have been proposed, which focused on the enhancement of one or more aspects of the organization and business management. In this work we have carried out through the multicriteria decision making technique known as ANP - Analytic Network Process, a decision support system or a model dedicated to the assessment and quantification of the elements of organizational and managerial nature typical of SMEs in the engineering industry.

Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is one of the formal techniques for evaluation of failure... more Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is one of the formal techniques for evaluation of failure mode in mechanical and electronic equipments. The FMEA may be a very helpful tool for identifying weak points in the design stage of a product/process. The aim of this paper is to develop a new maintenance decision strategy by integrating the criticality of various factors related to failure and repair of a component/subsystem as an alternative to traditional approach of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA). The methodology presented is based on Analytical Network Process (ANP), a multicriteria decision making technique. We propose a decision support tool analysis for determining maintenance priority action in which the typical FMEA parameters are modeled. The approach has been validated in a real case study concerning the European Train Control System - E.T.C.S.

Environmental challenges decisions are often characterized by complexity, irreversibility and unc... more Environmental challenges decisions are often characterized by complexity, irreversibility and uncertainty. Much of the complexity arises from the multiple-use nature of goods and services, difficulty in monetary valuation of ecological services and the involvement of numerous stakeholders. From this point of view multicriteria techniques are considered as a promising framework to take into account conflictual, multidimensional, incommensurable and uncertain effects of decisions explicitly. Also principles and practice of public participation can serve to promote environmental equity for disadvantaged social groups. Thus the objective of this paper is to propose a new methodological approach based on the Analytic Network process (ANP) and to examine the scope and feasibility of the ANP in incorporating participatory approach.

One often wonders why more people in organizations do not rush today to use a formal decision-mak... more One often wonders why more people in organizations do not rush today to use a formal decision-making approach to make their complex decisions. A strange thing about people is that they value money and other valuable resources over their own loosely defined and not well-organized subjective value systems. This paper places special emphasis on the measurement of intangible criteria and on their incorporation into the allocation process through a proper decision making approach. The purpose of decision-making is to help people make decisions according to their own understanding. In this paper, a well know decisionmaking method, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied to identify a quality model to evaluate Italian racecourses performances based upon the criteria: Quality organization of Racing, Infrastructure and Equipment, Attractiveness and Management Skill. The main conclusion is that the AHP model adopted can manage all the information of the real-world problem.

This article proposes a reference model to assess performance of human resource for the supervisi... more This article proposes a reference model to assess performance of human resource for the supervision and management of horse racing in the appraisal context. Performance appraisal is defined as the formal process of evaluating organizational members. The present paper uses Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate human performances and provides a way to rank the alternatives of the problem by deriving priorities.

The problem of the layout, in the most extensive meaning of the term, lies both in the choice of ... more The problem of the layout, in the most extensive meaning of the term, lies both in the choice of the location plan of the production sections and the auxiliary services inside the ground where the plant is built, as well as the location of the machinery and the work centres in each department, and, lastly, in the distribution of materials and labour. The present work takes into consideration a manufacturing firm of industrial vehicles, producing a wide range of products: trailers, semi-trailers, two-wheeled chariots, isotherms, tipping lorries, special equipment and means for the transport of vehicles. The study focused essentially on 3 products, as they constitute the most part of the production. The individuation of the parameters to be checked was the most exacting phase, preceding the modelling. Afterwards, a type of simulation was set up, using a specific simulation software, so that it could reflect the real situation as much as possible. Then, four possible alternative shapes of layout were proposed. Of the four outlines, according to the output given by the simulation programme, we then determined the best solution to implement for the plant.

Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) is developing fast and spreading over every part of mod... more Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) is developing fast and spreading over every part of modern life. This equipment includes diverse substances that may cause serious damage to the environment and have adverse effects on human health so it is essential to manage the waste (WEEE) resulting from EEE properly. The present paper proposes a multicriteria approach based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process, a useful method for the measurement of intangible criteria along with tangible ones through ratio scales, in order to improve WEEE management. In fact, a proper WEEE management system is difficult because it is based on a lot of criteria so AHP represents the strategic solution. The AHP model presented is based on the analysis of design, collection, treatment and recovery phases that may affect a successful implementation of a model for improving the environmental sustainability of WEEE.

This paper presents a methodology for safety analysis at workplace. The methodology incorporates ... more This paper presents a methodology for safety analysis at workplace. The methodology incorporates Bayesian approach to assess the safety associated with safety requirements specifications. In this paper we propose a particular bayesian network, called Knowledge Driven Bayesian Network (KDBN), able to solve the problem of data availability thanks to the particular structure of the network itself. A case study based on marble industry is used to demonstrate the methodology

This paper presents an approach to model and simulate industrial plant accidents as well as the r... more This paper presents an approach to model and simulate industrial plant accidents as well as the related emergency management; interoperable simulation is proposed as approach for applying High Level Architecture in this context. The authors are focusing their attention on the disaster simulation and its interaction with the emergency management. Modern simulation, by using technology enables such as mobile solution, enhance its support to first responders, the dynamic reaction to crisis evolution as well as the improvement in training and management of safe routing and handling of injured people. This paper introduces these elements as part of new research track devoted to get benefits from interoperable simulation in federating multidisciplinary models for industrial plant emergency management.

The proposed work analyses and applies a new reliability and redundancy allocation procedure. Sta... more The proposed work analyses and applies a new reliability and redundancy allocation procedure. Starting from a similar methodology previously developed by the authors, Integrated Factors Method (IFM), a new reliability allocation and optimization method is developed: Advanced Integrated Factors Method (AIFM). The new technique has been proposed to analyze complex systems in the pre-design phase, even if its general characteristics allow extending the method to different design and production phases. The previous method has been improved through the introduction of new indexes that help improve underperforming components in order to achieve the allocated reliability values. The method introduces a big number of factors, so it can be applied to a wide range of systems. It is characterized by a very simple mathematical formulation, that can be made more complicated for a more detailed analysis.

This paper presents the results of a simulation study that has involved a public Facility Healthc... more This paper presents the results of a simulation study that has involved a public Facility Healthcare, in particular an operative unit of intensive care. This unit represents the core of a healthcare facility where patients with abnormal vital signs as a result of diseases of the medical or surgical treatment of trauma are greeted. The approach proposed in this research work begins with the study and analysis of the processes that take place within the unit of intensive care; after that tools and methods of lean management are applied by using a Modeling & Simulation based approach. The work illustrates the improvement obtained with the application of Kanban technique and the 5S method. To this end, a simulation model of the intensive care unit considering the main processes and activities has been developed. Main goal of simulation was to see to which extent the operative unit is improved after the changes implemented through lean management tools and methods. The simulation model highlights the delays due to poor internal organization and the improvements achieved by redesigning the flows, minimizing the pathways and reengineering the layout of the operative unit. The results obtained by using the simulation model have been transferred to the real system with a relevant increase of the intensive care unit performances (giving a quantitative measure of the value added to care and wellness of patients).

Probability estimation is an integral part of risk analyses. This work intends to propose a proba... more Probability estimation is an integral part of risk analyses. This work intends to propose a probabilistic approach as a support system for risk assessment in order to establish a deeper understanding of accident causation pathways as a means for proposing improved preventive strategies, especially at the level of organizational and structural factors. This study addresses the problem of "damaging event" probability estimation with few statistics by the use of Knowledge Driven Bayesian Network (KDBN), that models the a priori knowledge of the risk context dynamics. Moreover the proposed approach aims at providing a quantitative methodological technique useful to monitor, prevent, and evaluate, and assess the risks at workplace.

The success parameters for any company are on time completion, within specific budget and with re... more The success parameters for any company are on time completion, within specific budget and with requisite performance. In particular an efficient and effective inventory management helps a firm maintaining competitive advantage, especially in a time of accelerating globalization. From this point of view several organizations employ the ABC analysis to have an efficient control on a large number of inventory items. With the increasing levels of integration in manufacturing and service systems conventional ABC analysis is limited because it accounts for only one criterion, mostly "annual dollar usage", for classifying inventory items. To alleviate this shortcoming, this paper proposes a modified version of ABC analysis and Cross Analysis based on Analytic Network Process, a multicriteria approach, that allows to consider several criteria all at once for the optimal choice of materials management.

Recent serious accidents happened in railway tunnels in the last few years have forced innovation... more Recent serious accidents happened in railway tunnels in the last few years have forced innovations in legislations applied several countries; thus, new methods are developing in order to evaluate safety levels of existing tunnels and to establish new safety measures. Current research effort is focused on developing a methodology which could be effectively applied to human-machine systems. The aim of our work is the development of a methodological approach for risk analysis in railway tunnels in order to ensure the safety of users, staff and the emergency services. The authors propose a RFID system performance model for the monitoring of critical parameters and the prevention of accidents.

A successful organization recognizes that when an effective strategy is properly implemented, it ... more A successful organization recognizes that when an effective strategy is properly implemented, it will result in a sustainable competitive advantage. But when you examine the formulation of an organizational strategy, you quickly realize that strategy is really about choice. In this context project risk management based on Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach is a systematic process of identifying, analyzing and responding to risks manage. This paper presents the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a potential decision making method in project risk management field. The final aim of our work is to define a model for evaluating the performance of product development in order to measure their achievement and activate pathways for improvement.

On-time delivery is the most critical issue for every profitable manufacturing enterprise. Meetin... more On-time delivery is the most critical issue for every profitable manufacturing enterprise. Meeting delivery requirements demands excellent production planning. The aim of the present paper is to show the results of a study realized at the manufacturing company in order to optimize the production flow and the productivity of the standard line of the TVs. TV is a very large consumer product and subject to rapid obsolescence. Besides, it has a strong "customization" (about 300 different units) due to two causes: 1) a strategic one, linked to the personalization of the TV as a result of a multiplicity of models required by the customers; 2) a technological one, linked, on the contrary, to the customers' heterogeneity themselves. Through techniques of simulation we have reduced the work in process and the dimension of the final storehouse with the introduction of a buffer opportunely dimensioned.

The paper proposes an innovative use of intelligent agents and computer simulation to support dec... more The paper proposes an innovative use of intelligent agents and computer simulation to support decision making in industrial and urban reorganization for preventing and mitigating disasters. The use of intelligent agents is devoted to reproduce the population behavior and its perception on the situation evolution, actions on the territory and reactions. The authors are proposing a methodology for using these tools integrated with new big data available from towns to improve the quality of life & safety and to crowdsource best solutions in complex problems.

Over the past years, technological developments have led to a decrease of accidents due to techni... more Over the past years, technological developments have led to a decrease of accidents due to technical failures through the use of redundancy and protection. However, the "human factor" contributes significantly in accident dynamics, both statistically and in terms of severity of consequences. In fact, estimates agree that the errors committed by man are causes over 60% of accidents and for the remaining part the causes are due to technical deficiencies. This paper deals with various aspects of human behavior that can influence operator reliability, considering the environment in which operator is working. The aim of the research is to propose a fuzzy cognitive map capable to represent human knowledge where the relationships are difficult to describe in mathematical terms.

In this work we proposed an integrated support system combining a meta-heuristic algorithm and a ... more In this work we proposed an integrated support system combining a meta-heuristic algorithm and a multicriteria decision analysis method to solve an orienteering problem applied to car-pooling system. For this purpose a Genetic Algorithm (GA), an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) are implemented. The research is based on the awareness that decision makers (DMs) often face situations in which different conflicting viewpoints (goals or criteria) are to be considered. Current car-pooling web platforms are focused on the exchange of information among potential users and drivers. The aim of this work is to include in web platform a decision procedure to support driver to organize the tour considering more criteria. The driver has to decide which tour does and which users to take into the trip Preliminary test are given to validate the functionality and usefulness of created integrated decision support system.