EE 413: Operations Research

& Quality Control

Chapter -1

Dr. Kamalakanta Muduli

Associate Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
Office: 104
 What is Operations Research?

◼ Operations Research seeks the

determination of best course of action
of a decision problem under
the restrictions of limited resources.

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 What is Operations Research?

◼ Whether it is a factory, firm, or any

domestic situations,
▪ the resources of Men, Money and Machines
have to be coordinated to achieve…
▪ the given objectives in a most efficient manner

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Operations Research: Defined

Operations Research is the application of the scientific

methods to the study of the operations of large,
complex organizations or activities…

Operations Research is the application of the

scientific methods to the analysis and solution of
managerial decision problems.
 Operations Research: Defined

Operations Research is the application of scientific

methods, techniques and tools, by interdisciplinary
team to problems involving the operations of organized
systems (men-machine) so as to provide those in
control of the operations with optimum solutions to the
problems.
Operations Research
Definition - summary

➢ Application of SCIENTIFIC METHOD

➢ Study of LARGE & COMPLEX SYSTEMS
➢ Analysis of MANAGERIAL PROBLEMS

➢ Finding OPTIMAL SOLUTION…

➢ Use of MATHEMATICAL MODELS

➢ Use of COMPUTERS & SPECIAL SW
 What is Operations Research?

Which product to produce?

2 units / Product $5 / PRODUCT

I-1 P-1
4 units / Product $8 / PRODUCT
I-2
6 units / Product Factory P-2
I-3 $10 / PRODUCT P-3

Types of Raw Materials I-1 I-2 I-3

RAW MATERIAL AVAILABILITY 10 20 24

 What is Operations Research?

◼ There usually are many constraints:

◼ Limitations of
◼ Production Hours
◼ Material
◼ Demand
◼ Men-hours…
◼ But in spite of all we have to
optimize(maximize) the profit or
optimize (minimize) the cost
 Operations Research: History

◼ The Origin of Operations Research was during the

Second World war
◼ At that time military management in England called upon
a team of scientist to study the strategic issues related to
Air and land defense of the country
◼ They had very little resources and they had given the
tactics of best utilization of resources…
◼ Because the team was engaged in research on
military operations; hence name of the technique was
coined as Operations Research
 Operations Research: History

◼ Later other countries also adopted the methods and techniques

◼ Now a days the impact of OR can be seen in many areas:
◼ Transportations

◼ Assignment of jobs to machines

◼ Air traffic control

◼ Hospitals…

◼ And many-many more

 Operations Research - Phases
Phase - I Phase - II
Recognition and Formulation and
Real-World Definition of the Construction of the
Problem Problem Mathematical
Model

Interpretation
Validation and Solution
Implementation Sensitivity Analysis of the Model
of the Model
Phase - V
Phase - IV Phase - III
Phase-I: Recognition and Definition
of the Problem

◼ A description of the goal or the objectives

of the study
◼ Identification of different alternatives /
decision alternatives of the system…
◼ Recognition of limitations, restrictions
and requirements
 Phase-II: Formulation and Construction
of the Mathematical Model

◼ Decide the most suitable model to

represent the system
◼ The model should specify the quantitative

expressions for the objectives and

constraints in terms of decision variables…
▪ Validation of the model
Classes of OR Models

Operations Research
Deterministic

Integer
Linear Non-linear
Programming Programming Programming
(LP) (IP) (NLP)

Stochastic

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 Operations Research Models

Deterministic Models Stochastic Models

• Linear Programming • Discrete-Time Markov Chains
• Network Optimization • Continuous-Time Markov Chains
• Integer Programming • Queuing
• Nonlinear Programming • Decision Analysis
Elements of Mathematical Model

◼ A mathematical model is defined by 3 main parts:

◼ Variables : unknowns, which is what model
seeks to determine?
◼ Constraints: restrictions, which limit variables of
the model
◼ Objective: goal, determines value of best
(optimum) solution among all feasible (satisfy
constraints) values of the variables

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 Phase-III, IV and V

Model Solution
➢ Feasible: one that satisfy the constraints
➢ Optimal: in addition to feasible, it gives the best answer or solution
➢ Infeasible: does not satisfy the constraints

Model Interpretation and Model Validation

Implementation
 The OR Problem Solving
Scheme

Formulation Monitoring

Realization

Modelling Implementation

Analysis Solution
 In Practice

Formulation Monitoring

Realization

Modelling Implementation

Analysis Solution
 Successful OR Applications
Techniques Annual
Company Year Problem
Used Savings
Designing buffers into production
Hewlett Packard 1998 Queuing models $280 million
line
Taco Bell 1998 Employee scheduling IP, Forecasting, Simulation $13 million
Redesign production & distributon
Proctor & Gamble 1997 Transportation models $200 million
system
Delta Airlines 1994 Assigning planes to routes Integer Programming $100 million
Queuing models,
AT&T 1993 Call center design $750 million
Simulation
Yellow Freight Systems, Network models,
1992 Design trucking network $17.3 million
Inc. Forecasting, Simulation
San Francisco Police
1989 Patrol Scheduling Linear Programming $11 million
Dept.
Bethlehem Steel 1989 Design an Ingot Mold Stripper Integer Programming $8 million
North American Van
1988 Assigning loads to drivers Network modeling $2.5 million
Lines
Linear Programming,
Citgo Petroleum 1987 Refinery operations & distribution $70 million
Forecasting
United Airlines 1986 Scheduling reservation personnel LP, Queuing, Forecasting $6 million
Dairyman's Creamery 1985 Optimal production levels Linear Programming $48,000
Phillips Petroleum 1983 Equipment replacement Network modeling $90,000
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OR- EXAMPLE

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OR- EXAMPLE

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OR- EXAMPLE

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 OR- EXAMPLE

Form a maximum area rectangle out of piece of wire of length L.

What should be the width and height of the rectangle?

How many Alternatives??

Not finite ( as height and width can assume infinite number of values)

Decision variables are: Maximize z=wh

w=width of rectangle
h=height of rectangle
Subject to the constraints
Restrictions are:
w+h = L/2 w+h = L/2
w>=0 and h>=0
w>=0 and h>=0
Objective is:
Maximize z=wh… 24
EXAMPLE- 1.2A(4)

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 EXAMPLE- 1.2A(4)

Let T = total time to move all four individuals to the other side of the river

Objective: transfer schedule that minimizes T

Let t = crossing time from one side to the other.
code 1 , represents Amy
code 2 , represents Jim
code 5 , represents John
code 10 , represents Kelly
EAST CROSSING time=t WEST
5,10 (1,2) 2 1, 2
1,5,10 (1) from west to east 1 2
1 (5,10) 10 2,5,10
1,2 (2) from west to east 2 5,10
none (1,2) 2 1,2,5,10
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