A novel approach for part family formation using K-means algorithm

The reconfigurable manufacturing system （RMS） is the next step in manufacturing, allowing the production of any quantity of highly customized and complex parts together with the benefits of mass production. In RMSs, parts are grouped into families, each of which requires a specific system configuration. Initially system is configured to produce the first family of parts. Once it is finished, the system will be reconfigured in order to produce the second family, and so forth. The effectiveness of a RMS depends on the formation of the optimum set of part families addressing various recon figurability issues. The aim of this work is to establish a methodology for grouping parts into families for effective working of RMS. The methodology carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the correlation matrix is used as similarity coefficient matrix. In the second phase, agglomerative hier archical Kmeans algorithm is used for the parts family for mation resulting in an optimum set of part families for reconfigurable manufacturing system.

Cohabitation among Chinese minorities in Western countries: an alternative family formation strategy for disadvantaged groups?

Using data of Chinese immigrants extracted from the Belgian National Register registering a cohabitation or marriage between 2005 and 2015(N=3945),this study aims to advance the understanding of cohabitation among disadvantaged groups in local marriage markets.From the difference in prevalence of cohabitation between Chinese men and women,we conclude that Chinese immigrants could use cohabita-tion rather as a practical living arrangement in the context of recent migration rather than as an alternative to marriage,as the receiving society does.The practical living strategy of ethnic minorities enhances our understanding of cohabitation among dis-advantaged groups,for whom the choice for cohabiting would be largely influenced by the home familial culture.