Order picking operations play a critical role in the order fulfillment process of distribution centers (DCs). Picking a batch of orders is often favored when customers’ demands create a large number of small orders, since the traditional single-order picking process results in low utilization of order pickers and significant operational costs. Specifically, batch picking improves order picking performance by consolidating multiple orders in a "batch" to reduce the number of trips and total travel distance required to retrieve the items. As more pickers are added to meet increased demand, order picking performance is likely to decline due to significant picker blocking. However, in batch picking, the process of assigning orders to particular batches allows additional flexibility to reduce picker blocking. This dissertation aims to identify, analyze, and control, or mitigate, picker blocking while batch picking in picker-to-part systems. We first develop a large-scale proximity-batching procedure that can enhance the solution quality of traditional batching models to near-optimality as measured by travel distance. Through simulation studies, picker blocking is quantified. The results illustrate: a) a complex relationship between picker blocking and batch formation; and b) a significant productivity loss due to picker blocking. Based on our analysis, we develop additional analytical and simulation models to investigate the effects of picker blocking in batch picking and to identify the picking, batching, and sorting strategies that reduce congestion. A new batching model (called Indexed order Batching Model (IBM)) is proposed to consider both order proximity and picker blocking to optimize the total order picking time. We also apply the proposed approach to bucket brigade picking systems where hand-off delay as well as picker blocking must be considered. The research offers new insights about picker blocking in batch picking operations, develops batch picking models, and provides complete control procedures for large-scale, dynamic batch picking situations. The twin goals of added flexibility and reduced costs are highlighted throughout the analysis.

Rapid advances in speech recognition theory, as well as computing hardware, have led to the development of machines that can take human speech as input, decode the information content of the speech, and respond accordingly. Real-time performance of such systems is often dominated by the evaluation of likelihoods in the statistical modeling component of the system. Statistical models are typically implemented using Gaussian mixture distributions. The primary objective of this thesis was to develop an extension of the Bucket Box Intersection algorithm in which the dimension with the optimal number of splits can be selected when multiple minima are present. The effects of normalization of mixture weights and Gaussian clipping have also been investigated. We show that the Extended BBI algorithm (EBBI) reduces run-time by 21% without introducing any approximation error. EBBI also produced a 12% lower word error rate than Gaussian clipping for the same computational complexity. These approaches were evaluated on a wide variety of tasks including conversational speech.

The diploma thesis deals with the design of the measuring bucket of bucket wheel excavator KR400Nk. The main part of this thesis is the strength analysis of the supporting structure and the measuring bucket, which is done using the finite element method. In addition, examinations of the elements replaced in the finite element model are performed. Appropriate adjustments are proposed based on strength analysis. This diploma thesis was prepared in cooperation with company NOEN, a. s..

This master’s thesis deals with the construction of parts of a bucket-wheel stacker/reclaimer designed to operate lignite stockyard at coal power plant. First the basic parameters of machine and loads applied in service are defined. The work also includes the design of steel structure of bucket-wheel boom, bucket-wheel, buckets, bucket-wheel drive, shaft, bearings and other parts of bucket-wheel boom. These parts are verified by analytical or finite element analysis.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Grain Science / Bhadriraju Subramanyam / Mark E. Casada / In commercial grain elevators and feed mills, the boot and pit areas contribute to commingling of insects with grain that moves through the elevator leg. A pilot-scale bucket elevator leg with a modified removable boot, or slip-boot, was used to measure the magnitude of commingling as a function of stored-product insect density and boot holding time in tests with wheat and corn. Pilot-scale tests showed that clean grain transferred over infested boots was infested with about 1 insect/kg when transferred immediately after the boot was infested; this increased to 2 insects/kg after incubating the boot for 8 wk. Larger numbers of kernels with internal infestations were picked up by clean grain during transfer compared with externally infesting insects, because the mobility of the latter enabled them to move away from buckets during transfer. Monthly surveys over two years at elevators and feed mills revealed several stored-product insects in grain residues from the boot and pit areas and bulk load-out samples. Insect densities in the boot and pit areas were impacted by seasonal temperatures and facility sanitation practices. Recommended sanitation guidelines for the boot and pit areas include: (1) boot residual grain clean-out every 30 d, (2) removal of grain spillage and floor sweepings from the pit area, and (3) proper disposal of boot and pit residual grain. Facilities following these sanitation guidelines could avoid costly grain discounts, increase income of the business operation and minimize or prevent cross contamination of clean grain by infested grain in the boot and pit areas.

A network service provider typically sells service at a fixed traffic rate to customers. This rate is enforced by allowing or dropping packets that pass through, in a process called policing. Distributed policing is a version of the problem where a number of policers must limit their combined traffic allowance to the specified rate. The policers must coordinate their behaviour such that customers are fully allowed the rate they pay for, without receiving too much more, while maintaining some semblance of fairness between packets arriving at one policer versus another. A review of prior solutions shows that most use predictions or estimations to heuristically allocate rates, and thus cannot provide any error bounds or guarantees on the achieved rate under all scenarios. Other solutions may suffer from starvation or unfairness under certain traffic demand patterns. We present a new global ``leaky bucket'' approach that provably prevents starvation, guarantees full utilization, and provides a simple upper bound on the rate allowed under any incoming traffic pattern. We find that the algorithm guarantees a minimum 1/n share of the rate for each policer, and achieves close to max-min fairness in many, but not all cases. We also suggest some experimental modifications that could improve the fairness in practice.

A network service provider typically sells service at a fixed traffic rate to customers. This rate is enforced by allowing or dropping packets that pass through, in a process called policing. Distributed policing is a version of the problem where a number of policers must limit their combined traffic allowance to the specified rate. The policers must coordinate their behaviour such that customers are fully allowed the rate they pay for, without receiving too much more, while maintaining some semblance of fairness between packets arriving at one policer versus another. A review of prior solutions shows that most use predictions or estimations to heuristically allocate rates, and thus cannot provide any error bounds or guarantees on the achieved rate under all scenarios. Other solutions may suffer from starvation or unfairness under certain traffic demand patterns. We present a new global ``leaky bucket'' approach that provably prevents starvation, guarantees full utilization, and provides a simple upper bound on the rate allowed under any incoming traffic pattern. We find that the algorithm guarantees a minimum 1/n share of the rate for each policer, and achieves close to max-min fairness in many, but not all cases. We also suggest some experimental modifications that could improve the fairness in practice.

IEEE 802.16標準是針對無線城域網路(Wireless Metropolitan Area Network)而設計的，它支援服務品質(QoS)，而且具有相當高的傳輸速率。每一種應用服務都有不同的型態，根據這些不同的型態，802.16 定義了四個不同的服務品質類別。然而，最關鍵的部份－封包排程卻沒有被定義在802.16標準裡面。在這篇論文中，我們提出了一套完整的允入控管(call admission control)和上行封包排程的架構。首先，我們先以令牌桶(token bucket)機制為基礎，設計了一套802.16專用的允入控管和上行封包排程的模組。接著我們介紹如何將令牌桶機制套用至一般的連線。我們找出了一個預測連線的延遲(delay)和漏失率(loss rate)的模型，接著可以利用這個模型，並透過簡單的搜尋演算法來找出適合的令牌速率和令牌桶的大小。模擬的結果表示，我們的允入控管和上行封包排程能夠確實對具有即時性質的連線的提供保證，且我們將令牌桶機制套用到一般連線的模組也能準確的運作。最後，我們也提出了一個簡單的整合實例並評估其效能。 / The IEEE 802.16 standard was designed for Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). It supports QoS and has very high transmission rate. According to different application types, there are four QoS classes defined in the IEEE 802.16 standard. The key part of 802.16 for QoS– packet scheduling, was undefined. In this thesis, a complete call admission control (CAC) and uplink packet scheduling is presented. We first proposed a token-bucket based uplink packet scheduling combined with CAC. Then a model of characterizing traffic flows by token bucket parameters, namely token rate and bucket size, is presented. We proposed a queuing model to predict the delay and loss rate for a token bucket controlled traffic flow. In order to fulfill token bucket based CAC, we need to find appropriate token rate and bucket size for any flows. A simple search algorithm coupled with our queuing model can be used to achieve this. Multiplexing of two traffic flows is also introduced. The simulation results show that our CAC and uplink packet scheduling can promise the delay requirement of real-time flows and prevent each class from starvation. The precision of our token rate estimation model is also validated. Finally, a simple integration of our CAC, uplink scheduling, and multiplexing is evaluated.

The goal of this master’s thesis is design of belt bucket elevator for wheat transportation. The first part of this thesis is focused on drive’s design with slightly marked bond to surrounding facilitie and structure. The following part is focused on design solution of the head and bottom unit of bucket elevator and other constructive details like type of bucket pouring, belt tensioning, driving shaft mounting in head unit, connection of drum with shaft, the way of attaching buckets etc.

This diploma thesis deals with the design of a robot head, which is intended for transfering plastic buckets from the belt conveyor to the pallet. The document comprises of the analysis of various solutions, the part with calculations of selected components, the pneumatic circuit design and the proposal for a periodic service system. The complete drawing documentation can be found in the appendixes.