Title: Estimation of base rate by a goal programming approach: a case study from India

Authors: Vineet Gupta, Harwinder Singh, Binay Kumar

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Haryana College of Technology and Management, Kaithal 136027, Haryana, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana 141006, Punjab, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shree Ram Mulakh Institute of Engineering and Technology, Khorabura 134203, District-Ambala, Haryana, India

Abstract: Each equipment plays an imperative function and its malfunction leads to heavy cost and plant development. The current study is resolute on base-rate estimation of breakdowns of boilers at sugar plant (capacity – 2,500 tons crushed per day) under different set of parameters. It is relatively difficult to guesstimate the base rate, as one knows hardly the expenses incurred following a breakdown in terms of many associated expenditures. To estimate the base rate, a preemptive goal programming (GP) model is formulated that considers all major influencing factors. With any change in factors, maintenance time also gets pretentious. However, these factors are further sub-levelled for a very precise inference of optimal maintenance time. Additional constraints are obtained by providing priority-based benchmark jobs. Finally, the model is worked out within 3% variation from the benchmark jobs involved.

Keywords: goal programming; base-rate estimation; boiler breakdown; boiler maintenance; boilers; sugar plant; multi-objective; India; boiler failure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2011.042324

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2011 Vol.4 No.5, pp.543 - 557

Published online: 31 Jan 2015 *

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