Department of Industrial Engineering: Research Groups • Engineering Management and Sustainable Systems • Operations Management and Supply Chain Management • Supply Chain Economics • Operations Research • Computer Simulation and Information Systems • Simulation Modelling • Value Capture Systems • Asset Care • PRASA Rail Research Chair • Advanced Manufacturing • Innovation for Inclusive Development • Industrial Engineering for Financial Services • Health Systems Engineering • Operational Excellence • Enterprise Engineering, Economics, Project- and Risk management • Industrial Engineering for a South African Economy
Engineering Management and Sustainable Systems Ø Research focus areas: • Socio-technical transitions to a green economy • Complex systems analyses: – Energy-Water-Food nexus – Nexus technologies – Energy and the Economy • Management interventions • Developmental planning – First and second economy Ø Links to other research groups and funding opportunities:
Operations Management and Supply Chain Management Ø Typical research topics • Industry specific Supply Chain Performance Measurement Frameworks • Developing a decision making tool for the re-use of glass bottles in the wine industry • Developing Supply Chain Planning Frameworks (S&OP, Demand Planning, Distribution Planning, etc.) • Supply Chain Strategy – how to select the appropriate strategy • Operational Excellence Frameworks – development and application of such frameworks Ø Funding Opportunities • Wine Supply Chain project ( Research for benefit of wine industry)
Supply Chain Economics Smart factories & logistics Real-time visual management Gaming for learning Ø International opportunities • Exchange programs Germany, Netherlands Ø Double Degree Master (US & Germany) Ø Internships – African logistics Remote factory Ø Additional funding control • bursaries, international travel support Cost to serve & Ø Practical implementations: learning factory, client profitability smart factory (Some) present topic areas include: Automation; games and learning; serious gaming; JSE; “smart” products, factories and logistics; visual management; real-time visualization and monitoring; remote factory control
Operations Research: Stellenbosch Unit for Operations Research in Engineering Traffic Simulation Vehicle Routing Maintenance Scheduling Other areas Ø Weapon assignment scheduling Ø Placement of fire bases in Conservation Areas Ø Optimisation of water distribution systems Ø Sugarcane harvest scheduling Ø Threat detection in maritime surveillance Ø Water release strategies for large reservoirs
Computer Simulation and Information Systems: Unit for Systems Modelling and Analysis (USMA) Ø Topics: • Adding multi-objective optimisation capability to an electricity utility energy flow simulator • Real-time cloud-based stochastic scheduling incorporating mobile clients and a sensor network • The relationship between social media activities and identity fraud • A new framework for multi-objective simulation optimisation • Identifying Technical Inefficiencies and Quality Concerns in Institutional Pharmacies of Private Hospital Groups using Data Envelopment Analysis • A framework and methodology for evaluating e-commerce websites • Multi-objective optimization in CO gas management at Tronox KZN Sands
Simulation Modelling Ø Agent-based simulation modelling ( modelling individual components ) • Insect infestations in sugarcane and determining strategies on how to control them ( Potential funding through South African Sugarcane Research Institute) • Open to crafting projects around student’s interests and exposure ( Some internal funding available + NRF + Harry Crossley etc. ) • Current skripsie topics: – Simulating the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) to combat rhino poaching – Simulating a machine learning-inspired approach to maze solving – Decision-support in strategic airline fleet composition – Simulating the ant colony algorithm in the context of a travelling salesman problem – Alleviating traffic congestion on the N1 through dynamic speed limit imposition
Value Capture Systems (VCS) Ø Our aim: • Researching how developing countries can improve growth and attain improved economic, social and environmental outcomes Ø Our projects: • Investigating how South Africa can do more with its mineral wealth • Understanding the factors that make countries more competitive • Investigating the impact of global production networks on host nations • Developing models to assess the inclusiveness of innovation projects Ø Possible funding (over and above our group incentive scheme): • Mintek collaboration bursary investigating the ways South Africa can strengthen its Steel and Manganese industry • NRF bursary in support of an ongoing PhD on competitiveness levers Ø Collaborators: • University of Cambridge, KU Leuven, Mintek, UCT
Asset Care Ø Research Topics: • Big data analysis; smart asset management; asset whole life cycle modelling; multi-variable decision making; risk modelling; value modelling Ø Funding: • Pragma “work while you study” bursaries • ACRG/industry funding
PRASA Rail Research Chair Ø Typical research topics: • Rail Asset Management: Reliability improvement, asset care strategies. • Energy Management in Rail: Energy saving strategies, “green” rail. • Rail Business Process Re-engineering: Scheduling and Planning BPR. • Productivity Improvement in Rail: Simulation studies, dynamic layout planning. • Rail Supply Chain Management: Improvements using lean principles. • Human Resources: Skills matrices, competency profiling. Ø Funding opportunities: • Full postgraduate bursaries available.
Advanced Manufacturing Ø Resource Efficient Titanium Process Chains • M and PhD Bursaries available Ø Intelligent Bio-medical Implants • M Bursaries available Ø Additive Manufacturing of Carbides • M and PhD Bursaries available Ø Community Container Factories • M Bursaries available
Innovation for Inclusive Development Ø Innovation and ICTS for development: • Innovation projects to help build industries of the future Ø Technology platforms programme: • Through this programme we explore how innovation and technology development may contribute to improve the delivery and access to services across the sub-Saharan continent Ø Innovation eco-systems and innovation systems in the developing world: • How can we strengthen the capacity of the innovation system to effectively develop, adopt and diffuse new technologies towards providing inclusive growth and development? Ø Validation, feasibility and M&E : • This programme will not only include independent evaluations, but to help companies setup their intervention programmes 12
Industrial Engineering for Financial Services Ø The programme focuses on developing a capacity area around Mergers and Acquisitions Ø The programme objectives are to develop roadmaps and decision support tools. The major research objectives are: • A M&A landscape review – what transactions are common and which deal types need to be prioritized? • Review types of frameworks and analysis that are conducted for each defined phase of M&A and what processes / tools / data do they require to be concluded. • Develop an overarching systemic approach to support M&A deals – specific to particular transactions Ø A second focus area of the programme is to develop a capacity area in Fintech, Legaltech and block chain in the finance sector; 13
Health Systems Engineering Ø Research focus areas and themes: • Supply and distribution: How can we improve the effectiveness and efficiency of supply chains and distribution networks to get the necessary resources, medicines and treatments to healthcare facilities and people? • Infrastructure and delivery network design: How can we ensure that the right kind of infrastructure and delivery network design is put in place? How can we ensure that this is sustainable? • Operations: How can we improve healthcare delivery operations to increase effectiveness and efficiency with the ultimate goal of improved utilisation of finite resources to improve access? • Technology transfer and innovation: How can we develop and utilise innovations and adopt technologies to reduce costs of, facilitate and improve access to primary healthcare? • Healthcare policy and finance: How can we consider the design of government policies and support mechanisms to improve access to primary healthcare in Southern Africa? Ø Collaboration: The research group has a strong network of local and international collaborators from academia, the private sector and government. Ø Funding: Numerous, competitive funding opportunities are available. 14
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