The overwhelming majority of methodologies for the flexible flow shop scheduling problem proposed so far have a common feature, which is the assumption of constant time and cost for the execution of individual technological operations (ignoring an optimal selecting combination of individual employees and tools). Even if the existence of the influence of the selection of production resources on the course of operations is signaled in the available works, the research so far has not focused on the measurable effect of such a solution that takes into account this phenomenon in scheduling. The proposed production scheduling methodology, including the influence of employees and tools, turned out to be more effective in terms of minimizing the maximum completion time and the cost of the production process compared to existing solutions. The efficiency of the new proposed scheduling methodology was assessed using examples of four technological processes. The research was carried out on the basis of a dedicated adaptation of the Monte Carlo optimization algorithm in order to determine the actual effect of the new solution. The algorithm itself is not an integral part of the proposed solution, and the universal methodology developed will ensure significant profit for any optimization algorithm correctly implemented.
The process of platinum recovery from used car catalysts is highly desirable for both economic and environmental reasons. From the many available methods of processing used car catalysts, the article conducted both numerical and experimental studies using a device based on the collector metal method with lead as a modified medium through a magnetohydrodynamic pump for washing platinum from the channels of the ceramic catalyst carrier. It was assumed that lead alloys with the addition of lithium increase the extraction of platinum from thin catalytic layers and accelerate the platinum dissolution reaction in the Pb-Li alloy, which is the result of a greater affinity of lithium for platinum compared to lead. This assumption was verified by numerical simulations as well as laboratory tests. Tests were carried out for the secondary supply voltage range between 40 and 60 V and the catalyst flushing time between 240 and 480 s. Graphical results of the research were discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.