HALF DAY EVENT, organised by Prof. Jeff Griffiths
Two of the most eminent people in the OR world will be visiting Cardiff School of Mathematics. Abstracts of the talks are attached.
Speakers: David Ryan and Bill Pierskalla
Date: Thursday 20th May 2010

• David Ryan is from University of Auckland, New Zealand, and will be a Panel member of the forthcoming International Review of Mathematics.   David was also a member of the previous Review Panel. The Review, to be held later this year, will shape funding in Mathematical Sciences for the next 5 - 10 years; the last Review in 2004 was instrumental in recommending funding in OR which led to the NATCOR and LANCS initiatives.
• Bill Pierskalla holds positions at Stanford University, USA, and University of Pennsylvania, USA, and was a Panel member for the previous International Review; he led the Healthcare section of that Review.

Visit to Rockwool, Pencoed
Date/Time: Wednesday 28th April 2010

• Rockwool are the UK's leading supplier of stone wool insulation materials for thermal, fire and acoustic protection. Their state of the art manufacturing plant at Pencoed, Bridgend employs about 350 people and produces Rockwool stonewool. Please see http://www.rockwool.co.uk/ for further information about this company.

SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS: THE NHS, LEAN THINKING AND SIX SIGMA
Speaker: Ann Esian, Cardiff University. Senior Research Fellow, Lean Enterprise Research Centre, Cardiff Business School and Honorary Associate Professor, Clinical Systems Improvement, Warwick Medical School
Date/Time: Wednesday 14 April 2010.
Venue: Mathematics Institute, Cardiff Universiy.

• Abstract: Lean Thinking (Womack and Jones,1996) from its antecedence in Toyota’s practices (Krafcik, 1988) has migrated into general management practice. Some embrace the approach to address productivity issues, others customer satisfaction, less frequently the approach is connected with the development and fulfilment of strategic objectives (Fillingham, 2008).
  The spread has been premised on utilising promising practice (Leseure et al, 2004) from other sectors (Young et al, 2004; Miller, 2005; Spear, 2005; Bohmer, 2006). This idea of utilising techniques form other sectors into the service domain is not entirely new (Levitt, 1972; Heskett, 1983; Swank, 2003) and the momentum gained by the idea of Lean Healthcare seems to be motivating innovation of practice in the sector. This presentation discusses the emergence of the ‘Lean Healthcare’ and discusses the translation issues of adapting such a management concept from manufacturing to service, profit making organisational models to not for profit.

SCHEDULING ENGLISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES: PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES
Speaker: Professor Graham Kendall, University of Nottingham
Date/Time: Wednesday 3rd March 2010.
Venue: Cardiff University

• Abstract: Over the Christmas and New Year period every English football team, in the top four divisions, has to play two (or possibly four) fixtures. Various constraints have to be respected with the overall objective being to minimise the distance travelled by the supporters. In this talk, I will define the problem, outlining the constraints that have to be respected, and present the progress made to date. I will also describe some work which investigates how we can reduce policing costs by using a multi-objective approach. Our experiments use data from seven seasons. This involves significant data collection and I will describe some of the challenges that this has presented and the ways in which we have automated this process.

SEMINAR
Speaker: John Albiston, Operational Research Manager, Corus Strip Products UK
Date/Time: Wednesday 3rd February 2010.
Venue: M/0.40, School of Mathematics, Cardiff University

• Activities of the Operational Research Team in Corus Strip Products UK
  Corus Strip Products is part of Tata Steel and in based in South Wales. It produces strip products that go to a variety of markets including automotive, packaging and construction. The Operational Research team provides an in-house service covering a range of OR techniques. The objective of the seminar is to give an insight into how the team provides a service to the business. It will outline some of the techniques we use and give some examples of the type of projects that are undertaken.

VISIT TO EADS (Newport)
Date: Wednesday 18th of November 2009  

• Abstract: EADS Defence and Security is a leading UK supplier of end-to-end communications and information assurance.  The innovative approach to delivering tailored systems integration is proven by key roles in strategically important initiatives such as the MoD Defence Information Infrastructure and Communities and Local Government’s FiReControl project.

MODELLING IN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT: PRINCIPLES AND A CASE STUDY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Speaker: Pelham Barton, Senior Lecturer in Mathematical Modelling, Health Economics Unit, University of Birmingham
Venue: Cardiff School of Mathematics
Date/Time: Wednesday 14th of October 2009

• Abstract: Modelling for health technology assessment present a particular range of challenges. There are technical issues such as construction of an appropriate model, availability of data, outcome measurement, and appropriate presentation of model results. There are also issues to do with the political background in which health technology assessment takes place, particularly when informing the decisions of bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). This talk will discuss the underlying principles which govern modelling for health technology assessment and the range of techniques which are currently in common use. These will be illustrated by a case study in rheumatoid arthritis. The speaker has been involved in the development of the Birmingham Rheumatoid Arthritis Model (BRAM), which has been used in a number of NICE technology appraisals.

WORDS/SWORDS Joint talk
Would you trust a 'simple doctor'?! Current topics in healthcare modelling
Speaker: Professor Paul Harper
Date/Time: Wednesday April 22^nd 2009.
Venue: University of the West of England

• Abstract: Although many problems faced by operational researchers in healthcare are not analytically very different from problems in other industries, unique characteristics of healthcare delivery systems often present many challenges to researchers in this field. This talk will outline some of the current topics in healthcare modelling drawing on the presenter’s experience of working on a variety of projects with different healthcare organisations. A wide range of modelling methodologies and applications will be shown with a view to demonstrating the interesting and varied contribution that OR can make in supporting healthcare policy making (including working with ‘simple doctors’!...).
  Paul Harper holds the position of WIMCS ( Wales Institute of Mathematics and Computational Studies) Research Chair in Operational Research. His contribution to research in healthcare modelling has been reflected by major grant income with a variety of funding sources and in 2006 he was awarded the Goodeve Medal from the OR Society for his co-authored paper in the Journal of the OR Society (modelling targeted screening strategies for Chlamydia). His research profile has been previously featured in the Times Higher in an article on state-of-the-art applications of Mathematics, and during the last four years he has been invited to guest edit six special issues for various international journals. In 2008 he was co-chair of OR50, the Golden Anniversary conference of the OR Society. He has worked with a number of healthcare organisations on a range of modelling topics.

• The first SWORDS meeting of the 2005-2006 programme, will be held at the Mathematics Institute, Cardiff University. Tea and coffee will be available from 5.30pm in the Internet Café which is just inside the main entrance to the Mathematics Institute. The meeting will commence at 6.00pm in room M/0.40 (ground floor).
• Traditional performance measures in cricket include batting and bowling averages, and strike and economy rates. These measures are known to be inadequate and rarely tell the full story of players' performances, as the context in which runs are scored or conceded and wickets lost or taken are not considered.
• The talk will cover the development and application of measures of performance that are based on the Duckworth/Lewis methodology of one-day cricket. They will be applied, to a single match, to a series of matches and will look at players' performances over several series. The talk will show how fairer comparisons can be made not only amongst batsmen and amongst bowlers but also between batsmen and bowlers. Further, the measures are able to combine an individual's performance with both the bat and the ball to give an 'all-round' performance measure. Although an understanding of the game of one-day cricket will be assumed, sufficient background of the Duckworth/Lewis methodology will be supplied for the understanding of the concepts and results of the analyses described.

SWORDS Grand Slam Celebration!
Date: Wednesday 11th May 2005.
Venue: Millennium Stadium (1hr).

You will all be aware of the substantial contribution made by Operational Research to many aspects of Sport, and to celebrate this, together with the magnificent Wales Grand Slam Victory, the final SWORDS get together of the academic year will be a tour of the Millennium Stadium. Appropriate clothing recommended.
This will be followed by an informal Brains storming exercise.

A Genetic Algorithm For Single Machine Scheduling With Family Setup Times To Minimise Maximum Lateness
Speaker: Dr Julia Bennell, School of Management, Southampton University
Date: Tuesday 26th April 2005
Venue: Swansea University.

Abstract This paper discusses a genetic algorithm to minimise the maximum lateness of jobs for a single machine scheduling problem with family setup times. A family setup time is required at the start of the schedule and between batches, where a batch is a largest set of contiguously scheduled jobs from a same family. We propose a GA for this problem that uses a binary representation to define the partition of families into batches. The GA proposed utilises an optimised crossover in an effort to achieve enhanced solutions. The computational results are compared to a tabu search and descent method.

Swords Trip To Calsonic Kansei, Llanelli
Date: Tuesday 12th April 2005
Venue: Calsonic, Llethri Road, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

Leave M4 at Junction 48, take A 4138 towards Llanelli. Turn right at THIRD roundabout. Continue, bearing left, past the Technology Centre until you reach the Calsonic Kansei main entrance.
Calsonic's capabilities include the design and manufacture of heater and air conditioning systems, engine coolings systems, and exhaust systems including catalytic converters for the automotive industry.
Recently, building on their parent company's expertise, their capabilities have expanded to include the supply of front-end and cockpit modules. Customers include: Audi, BMW, Ford (Land Rover and Volvo), Honda, MG Rover, Mitsubishi, Nedcar, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Saab, Scania and VW.
Visit includes : introduction to Calsonic, an outlining of their history, products etc, a tour of factory, refreshments, questions.

Reflections on OR: Is the reflective practitioner a more effective practitioner?
Speaker: Prof Val Belton, Strathclyde University and President of the OR Society
Date: Tuesday 8th of February, 2004.
Venue: The meeting and AGM will be held at the Mathematics Institute, Cardiff University.

I would like to take the opportunity of this talk to reflect on issues currently facing the OR community, to explore ideas for addressing some of these, and to engage in discussion about these with you. After setting the scene, one particular idea I would like to explore is a  "Certificate in Reflective Practice".    The idea, prompted by the claim which is the title of this talk, is founded on Schon's notion of the reflective practitioner, someone who demonstrates the "professional artistry" necessary to operate in. the swamp of important but messy and indeterminate problems. Reflective practitioners are better skilled at adapting prior knowledge and experience to changing circumstances.  The CiRP would represent a conscious effort to develop these skills.  The CiRP would go beyond the development of individual skills, also building the communities of practice which could play a key role in maintaining an identity for the OR in an organisational environment which is moving towards greater fragmentation and dispersion of OR professionals.

Abstract: Simulation is recognised as a valuable tool in strategic and tactical planning. Simulation has been used extensively within the Department of Health. The presentation will describe one example of successful simulation, the Bed Capacity Implications Model, which has been flexibly used for a range of both national and local applications. National and local applications of the model will be discussed.
A Joint Talk between The OR Society Local Search Study Group (in association with the School of Mathematics, University of Cardiff) and SWORDS.

Ant Colony Optimisation (presentation available, 810KB)
Speaker: Dr Jonathan Thompson, Department of Mathematics, University of Cardiff
Date: Tuesday 26th October 2004

Ant colony optimisation (ACO) is an evolutionary search procedure based on the way that ant colonies co-operate in locating shortest routes to food sources. Early implementations focussed on the travelling salesman and other routing problems but it is now being applied to an increasingly diverse range of combinatorial optimisation problems. This talk will give an overview of ACO and demonstrate its effectiveness on both non-routing problems, specifically timetabling and scheduling problems, and dynamic problems (the dynamic vehicle routing problem). A number of enhancements and modifications to the original algorithm are introduced and shown to produce competitive results.

There is a security office at the entrance to the works and they will provide directions. Alternatively maps are available from myself, see contact details below. Please note that I will distribute a Health and Safety notice before the event. Sensible clothing and shoes are advisable. Protective coats, hard hats, goggles and ear defenders will be provided by Corus.

Due to several legal regulations, closed loop systems (e.g., for cars, electrical devices, packaging) are becoming increasingly important in most European countries. Therefore, Supply Chain Management (SCM) must be extended to Closed Loop Management (CLM). As a quantitative basis, a Material Flow Analysis helps to structure the complex network and to map several processes.
Using the packaging recycling system as an example, the lecture describes a top-down/bottom-up procedure for modelling cyclic systems. It gradually refines a general closed loop framework into material flow sheets. Additionally, it offers components for building up transformation networks. These components are distinguished by transformation type and process flexibility. The formal approach is based on generic linear activity models which can be linked directly to optimising OR models. The sorting of waste material mixtures, e.g., shows a similar structure to transportation models, but requires different valuation indicators in optimisation.

What leads to the successful implementation of the findings from a simulation (and, indeed, any OR) study? In this talk, it is proposed that ‘quality’ is a key driver of the implementation process. The talk will begin by identifying three modes of simulation practice: simulation as software engineering, simulation as a process of organisational change and simulation as facilitation. The meaning of quality in relation to simulation will then be explored in terms of three quality concepts: content quality, process quality and outcome quality. Results from an empirical study of simulation practitioners and customers will be discussed.

• The BBC is one of the world's largest programme making organisations delivering several thousand hours of television, radio and online content annually worth almost £1billon.The BBC needs a system with which to plan this programme making more effectively. The BBC is under continual pressure to reduce programme making costs. PA Consulting Group was brought in to develop a Production Planning system to support co-ordinated planning across TV and radio production. The primary objective was to optimise staff and resources at departmental, divisional and corporate level across the whole country. The solution drew on complex mathematical modelling techniques but also needed to be understood by BBC staff. This project was fundamental to improving the performance of the BBC and early indications show that realizable benefits of up to £20 million per annum could be achieved.

Summary: British Airways Maintenance Cardiff Ltd undertakes all the heavy maintenance on British Airways Fleet of Boeing 747 (Jumbo's) and 777 aircraft. Each aircraft check is a £0.5m project. A single major check relies on the completion of over 30,000 individual tasks in approximately 30 days. Such work includes the strip down, rebuild and testing of pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical and mechanical systems that are all interdependent. To achieve this BMAC changes between 0.5 to 1 million components each year. How does BMAC control these hugely complicated projects? Aircraft inputs are planned from 2 years out and controlled by the hour. Come and see how they do it.

Monitoring adverse events in cardiac surgery
Speaker: Steve Gallivan, of the Clinical Operational Research Unit (CORU), University College London
Date: Tuesday 4th February, 2003

Joint Presentation
Speaker: James Gibb, President of the OR Society and Jeff Griffiths, Cardiff University
Date: Tuesday the 26th November, 2002

Why OR isn't just applied maths
James Gibb, President of the OR Society
The Severn Bridge story
Professor Jeff Griffiths, University of Wales Cardiff
The first Severn Bridge was opened to traffic in 1966 but was soon plagued by problems. It became apparent that the bridge would not be able to cope with the increases in traffic which were forecast over the following years. This talk will describe how an OR approach was used to support the pleas for a Second Severn Crossing.

Locating ambulances in Riyadh: theoretical developments and practical application
Speaker: Othman Alsalloum and Graham Rand
Date: Wednesday15th of May, 2002, Cardiff University.

• The location of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is an important problem. Good locations, enabling rapid response, can save lives. Typical OR modelling for these problems tries to improve "coverage" which is defined as the ability to travel from a service station to a demand point in a pre-specified time. A model was developed to evaluate locations for the Saudi Arabian Red Crescent Society (SARCS), Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. In this model the usual 0-1 coverage definition (i.e. the demand is covered or not) is replaced by the probability of covering a demand within the target time. Second, once the locations are determined, the minimum number of vehicles at each location that satisfies the required performance levels is determined. Thus, the problem of identifying the optimal locations of a pre-specified number of emergency medical service (EMS) stations is addressed by goal programming. The first goal is to locate these stations so the maximum expected demand can be reached within a pre-specified target time. Then, the second goal is to ensure that any demand arising located within the service area of the station will find at least one vehicle, such as an ambulance, available. Erlang's loss formula is used to identify the arrival rates when it is necessary to add an ambulance in order to maintain the performance level for the availability of ambulances. The use of the model for the Riyadh EMS will be described.

• Nissan’s car production plant in Sunderland is amongst the most efficient in the world. Whilst traditionally supplying Europe and beyond with the Primera and Micra, from January 2000 the plant has also been producing the replacement for the Almera, increasing plant throughput by 30%. To deliver this third model without major additional plant investment requires Nissan to increase output efficiency even further, making best possible use of existing facilities.
• This is only possible if the production scheduling of over 10,000 vehicles per week within the large number of operational constraints ensures that vehicles are built in the optimal sequence. Each of the many different combinations of model specifications and colours available to the public can have a different workload impact. The presentation will describe a project to develop an advanced, user-friendly and visually based computerised scheduling tool to produce rapid, highly efficient sequences of cars to meet all the practical constraints present within the plant. The tool has been in constant use at the plant since August 1999 and is believed to be the first of its type in the world.