Discrete Event Simulation Modelling for Dynamic Decision Making in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

With the increase in demand for biopharmaceutical products, industries have realised the need to scale up their manufacturing from laboratory-based processes to financially viable production processes. In this context, biopharmaceutical manufacturers are increasingly using simulation-based approaches to gain transparency of their current production system and to assist with designing improved systems. This paper discusses the application of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and its ability to model the various scenarios for dynamic decision making in biopharmaceutical manufacturing sector. This paper further illustrates a methodology used to develop a simulation model for a biopharmaceutical company, which is considering several capital investments to improve its manufacturing processes. A simulation model for a subset of manufacturing activities was developed that facilitated ‘what-if’ scenario planning for a proposed process alternative. The simulation model of the proposed manufacturing process has shown significant improvement over the current process in terms of throughout time reduction, better resource utilisation, operating cost reduction, reduced bottlenecks etc. This visibility of the existing and proposed production system assisted the company in identifying the potential capital and efficiency gains from the investments therefore demonstrating that DES can be an effective tool for making more informed decisions. Furthermore, the paper also discusses the utilisation of DES models to develop a number of bespoke productivity improvement tools for the company

A Scalable Safety Critical Control Framework for Nonlinear Systems

There are two main approaches to safety-critical control. The first one relies on computation of control invariant sets and is presented in the first part of this work. The second approach draws from the topic of optimal control and relies on the ability to realize Model-Predictive-Controllers online to guarantee the safety of a system. In the second approach, safety is ensured at a planning stage by solving the control problem subject for some explicitly defined constraints on the state and control input. Both approaches have distinct advantages but also major drawbacks that hinder their practical effectiveness, namely scalability for the first one and computational complexity for the second. We therefore present an approach that draws from the advantages of both approaches to deliver efficient and scalable methods of ensuring safety for nonlinear dynamical systems. In particular, we show that identifying a backup control law that stabilizes the system is in fact sufficient to exploit some of the set-invariance conditions presented in the first part of this work. Indeed, one only needs to be able to numerically integrate the closed-loop dynamics of the system over a finite horizon under this backup law to compute all the information necessary for evaluating the regulation map and enforcing safety. The effect of relaxing the stabilization requirements of the backup law is also studied, and weaker but more practical safety guarantees are brought forward. We then explore the relationship between the optimality of the backup law and how conservative the resulting safety filter is. Finally, methods of selecting a safe input with varying levels of trade-off between conservatism and computational complexity are proposed and illustrated on multiple robotic systems, namely: a two-wheeled inverted pendulum (Segway), an industrial manipulator, a quadrotor, and a lower body exoskeleton

SISTEM INFORMASI COMPUTER ASSISTED TEST (CAT) KEMENTERIAN AGAMA REPUBLIK INDONESIA

Biro Kepegawaian Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia mempunyai tugas melaksanakan pengelolaan data informasi kepegawaian, perencanaan, mutasi, assessment, dan pengembangan pegawai di lingkungan Kementerian Agama. Setiap tahunnya, Kementerian Agama mengadakan beragam ujian tes dengan anggaran yang besar. Untuk itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mewujudkan proses pelaksanaan ujian berbasis komputer yang tidak membutuhkan alur proses yang panjang, serta dapat meminimalkan angka kecurangan sehingga menjadi lebih jujur, adil, transparan, akuntabel, serta lebih efektif dan efisien dari segi waktu dan biaya, sehingga diharapkan dapat mengurangi penumpukkan berkas, redudansi data, meminimalisir tingkat kesalahan, dan menghemat anggaran, serta mempercepat hasil dalam pelaksanaan ujian seleksi berbagai bidang yang diadakan oleh Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan yakni observasi, wawancara, dan studi pustaka. Sedangkan metode pengembangan sistem menggunakan Rapid Application Development (RAD) dengan perancangan sistem menggunakan tools UML, tahap pengkodean dengan PHP, dan framework Code Igniter, serta MySQL sebagai Databasenya

A framework for integrating syntax, semantics and pragmatics for computer-aided professional practice: With application of costing in construction industry

Producing a bill of quantity is a knowledge-based, dynamic and collaborative process, and evolves with variances and current evidence. However, within the context of information system practice in BIM, knowledge of cost estimation has not been represented, nor has it been integrated into the processes based on BIM. This paper intends to establish an innovative means of taking data from the BIM linked to a project, and using it to create the necessary items for a bill of quantity that will enable cost estimation to be undertaken for the project. Our framework is founded upon the belief that three components are necessary to gain a full awareness of the domain which is being computerised; the information type which is to be assessed for compatibility (syntax), the definition for the pricing domain (semantics), and the precise implementation environment for the standards being taken into account (pragmatics). In order to achieve this, a prototype is created that allows a cost item for the bill of quantity to be spontaneously generated, by means of the semantic web ontology and a forward chain algorithm. Within this paper, ‘cost items’ signify the elements included in a bill of quantity, including details of their description, quantity and price. As a means of authenticating the process being developed, the authors of this work effectively implemented it in the production of cost items. In addition, the items created were contrasted with those produced by specialists. For this reason, this innovative framework introduces the possibility of a new means of applying semantic web ontology and forward chain algorithm to construction professional practice resulting in automatic cost estimation. These key outcomes demonstrate that, decoupling the professional practice into three key components of syntax, semantics and pragmatics can provide tangible benefits to domain use

Evolution of Decision Support Systems Research Field in Numbers

The scientific production in a certain field shows, in great extent, the research interests in that field. Decision Support Systems are a particular class of information systems which are gaining more popularity in various domains. In order to identify the evolution in time of the publications number, authors, subjects, publications in the Decision Support Systems (DSS) field, and therefore the scientific world interest for this field, in November 2010 there have been organized a series of queries on three major international scientific databases: ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore Digital Library and ACM Digital Library. The results presented in this paper shows that, even the decision support systems research field started in 1960s, the interests for this type of systems grew exponentially with each year in the last decades.DSS, Numbers, Research, Materials

A Scalable Safety Critical Control Framework for Nonlinear Systems

There are two main approaches to safety-critical control. The first one relies on computation of control invariant sets and is presented in the first part of this work. The second approach draws from the topic of optimal control and relies on the ability to realize Model-Predictive-Controllers online to guarantee the safety of a system. In the second approach, safety is ensured at a planning stage by solving the control problem subject for some explicitly defined constraints on the state and control input. Both approaches have distinct advantages but also major drawbacks that hinder their practical effectiveness, namely scalability for the first one and computational complexity for the second. We therefore present an approach that draws from the advantages of both approaches to deliver efficient and scalable methods of ensuring safety for nonlinear dynamical systems. In particular, we show that identifying a backup control law that stabilizes the system is in fact sufficient to exploit some of the set-invariance conditions presented in the first part of this work. Indeed, one only needs to be able to numerically integrate the closed-loop dynamics of the system over a finite horizon under this backup law to compute all the information necessary for evaluating the regulation map and enforcing safety. The effect of relaxing the stabilization requirements of the backup law is also studied, and weaker but more practical safety guarantees are brought forward. We then explore the relationship between the optimality of the backup law and how conservative the resulting safety filter is. Finally, methods of selecting a safe input with varying levels of trade-off between conservatism and computational complexity are proposed and illustrated on multiple robotic systems, namely: a two-wheeled inverted pendulum (Segway), an industrial manipulator, a quadrotor, and a lower body exoskeleton

Improving Computerized Provider Order Entry Usage in a Community Hospital

The healthcare industry is now faced with the balance between instituting computerized technology and providing safe, high quality, efficient, and lower cost patient care. An important aspect of computer technology is the direct entry of orders electronically by providers into the electronic health record, termed computerized provider order entry (CPOE). This translational research project begins by defining CPOE and discussing CPOE’s effect on patient safety and quality of care by reducing preventable medical errors and adverse drug events and CPOE’s effect on healthcare costs. Regulatory requirements pertaining to CPOE are discussed; providers are expected to be proficient in CPOE in order to meet these requirements. A literature review of barriers to CPOE usage, interventions to implement and improve usage of CPOE, and trends in CPOE usage is conducted and discussed. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve CPOE medication order usage among providers within a community hospital by utilizing the provider order entry user satisfaction and usage survey (POEUSUS) to identify barriers to the utilization of CPOE and by employing the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the provision of a CPOE facilitator on the patient care units for twelve hours per week for eight weeks. At the conclusion of the eight-week intervention, the CPOE utilization rates were determined and followed over an eight week interval and were compared to pre-intervention rates. Additionally, providers’ rated their satisfaction of the CPOE facilitator by completing a facilitator survey after each assistance session. The results of this project demonstrated an increase in CPOE medication order usage, from 45.4% CPOE medication order usage during the eight-week pre-intervention period to 55.6% CPOE medication order usage during the eight-week post-intervention period. A statistically significant improvement in provider CPOE satisfaction occurred after the intervention, and providers expressed high degrees of satisfaction with the real-time assistance of the CPOE facilitator. Aspects of CPOE admired by providers and recommendations of providers to changes in CPOE were determined. Finally, age was inversely related and previous computer experiment was positively related to CPOE medication order usage pre-intervention, meaning that younger providers and providers with more computer experience used CPOE more often

Systems Planning and Development in Finnish Newspapers

Newspapers are becoming a significant user of systems. This has changed the strategy, investment and personnel structure of Finnish newspaper production plants already during the 1970's National joint efforts and firm policies are reviewed. The reasons for this development are analyzed. At the same time as systems are implemented improvements have been obtained in work flow, productivity and economy. There are also problems as many newspapers cannot follow the accelerating technology transfer. In the most successful cases the firms change from passive buyers to active systems development and planning units which both create and transfer new technology. Newspaper systems are highly individual and require an essential software tailoring. On the other hand graphic mass communication -- such as newspaper -- gets new alternative and competing forms. Newspapers as many other institutions are interested in developing advertising and electronic media such as cable-TV, pay-TV, videotex and video recordings