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 Gaming for learning Smart factories & logistics Real-time visual management Ø International opportunities Exchange programs Germany, Netherlands Ø Double Degree Master (US & Germany) Ø Internships African logistics Cost to serve & client profitability Ø Ø Additional funding bursaries, international travel support Practical implementations: learning factory, smart factory Remote factory control (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
Operational Excellence Ø Solving advanced management problems through the integration, exploitation and integration of innovative engineering concepts with contemporary management science An engineering approach to measuring the quality of strategy execution in the insurance industry Quantification of the value contribution of management control systems in service delivery organizations A multivariate regression model to correlate employee engagement and strategic communication An optimized operating model for Emergency Care Units in Public Hospitals developed through simulation Multivariate regression analysis to quantify the impact of the killers of strategy execution on the share price of public companies Ø Bursaries available Ø Collaboration with the University of Tennessee 15
Enterprise Engineering, Economics, Project- and Risk management Ø Research focus areas: Building an Enterprise for the South African future Enterprises as living organisms: Antifragility Design Structure Matrices Organisation of functional units for adaptation Project Management in a start-up economy Risk and feasibility management, removing the straw that breaks the camel s back Ø Key considerations for the field: Very inclusive of other fields of study Transdisciplinary problem solving Niche engineering skills development
Industrial Engineering for a South African Economy Ø Research focus areas: Improving the delivery of functional outputs: The case for Industrial Engineers (IEs) in: General Government Services Personal Services/Healthcare, etc. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Electricity, Gas and Water The representation of IEs: Addressing the slow transformation in a transformative discipline Bridging the employer expectancy divide: Raising the platform for technical IEs The rise of females in IE: A look into the growth of female IEs IE academic admission requirements: Does stringent mean better? Industrial Engineering: Creating a Knowledge Base and Analysis Mechanism
Contact us! Ø Prof Alan Brent Postgraduate Coordinator Department of Industrial Engineering 021 808 9530 acb@sun.ac.za 18