Upravljane proizvodnjom zasnovano na modelu

Business environment demands an instant replay to different influences that appear in the production process and in the global market. The synthesis of plant-wide control structures is recognized as one of the most important production-management design problems in the process industries. To develop a production control system, an appropriate model of the production process is needed to evaluate the various control strategies. Within the model different production Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be identified which are used to extract the relevant information about the state of the production process. The control systems in production plants are structured hierarchically into several levels. Closed-loop control at the production-management level using production KPIs as controlled variables was implemented. In this article, the simulation model of a polymerization production plant is presented. The plant can be controlled by its input variables, which are Production speed, Raw materials’ quality and Batch schedule and the efficiency of the production is determined based on three characteristic KPIs: Productivity, Mean product quality and Mean production costs. These KPIs are used to control the process of the procedural model. To help the manager with the decisions a model predictive controller (MPC) was used. With the controller it is assured to keep Productivity and Mean product quality indicators at the defined set-points. Preliminary results show the usefulness of the proposed methodology.Poslovno okruženje zahtijeva trenutni odgovor na razne utjecaje proizvodnog procesa i globalnog tržišta. Sinteza sustava upravljanja cjelokupnim proizvodnim pogonom prepoznata je kao jedan od najznačajnijih problema procesne industrije. Za razvoj sustava upravljanja proizvodnjom nužan je odgovarajući model proizvodnog procesa za vrednovanje raznih struktura upravljanja. Razni proizvodni Kjučni Indikatori Kakvoće (KIK) mogu se identificirati u okviru modela i koristiti za izlučivanje relevantnih informacija o stanju proizvodnog procesa. Sustav upravljanja proizvodnim postrojenjem strukturiran je u nekoliko hijerarhijskih razina. Na razini upravljanja proizvodnjom izvedeno je upravljanje u zatvorenoj petlji s proizvodnim KIK kao upravljanim varijablama. U radu je prikazana simulacija polimerizacijskog proizvodnog postrojenja. Tim se postrojenjem može upravljati pomoću njegovih ulaznih varijabla, koje su: brzina proizvodnje, kakvoća sirovine i slijed šaržnog procesa. Učinkovitost proizvodnje određuje se na osnovi sljedeća tri KIK: proizvodnost, očekivana kakvoća proizvoda i očekivani proizvodni troškovi. Ovi su KIK korišteni za upravljanje proceduralnim modelom procesa. Primijenjen je modelski prediktivni regulator za pomoć menadžerima u donošenju odluka. Regulator održava proizvodnost i očekivanu kakvoću proizvoda na zadanim vrijednostima. Preliminarni rezultati ukazuju na korisnost predložene metodologije

Mining business knowledge for developing integrated key performance indicators on an optical mould firm

[[abstract]]The supply chain for Taiwanese optical components accounts for 39.7% of the total supply chain of the optical mould industry. However, some critical elements of the optical mould industry are difficult to predict; these include personnel, mechanical equipment, material, environmental and complex management factors. Therefore, these enterprises need flexibility to fine-tune their organisational structure, so that the main functions of various departments operate with the best processes. Beside case firm database, this study collects subjective data by designing a questionnaire with nominal scale question to investigate employees’ potential attitude and behaviour in relation to the case firm's key perfomance indicators KPIs. A total of 250 questionnaires were sent and 220 questionnaires were returned, including 207 effective questionnaires. All data source are designed on a entity relationships ER model and constructed on a relational database. In addition, this study applies a data mining approach using association rules, an Apriori algorithm, and cluster analysis to develop the integrated KPIs for a Taiwanese optical mould company. This study investigates the data mining process and considers how the development of the integrated KPIs for this company might serve as a business intelligence example for other firms and industries.[[notice]]補正完畢[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]紙

Desenvolvimento de indicadores econômicos de produção a partir da aplicação do método de custeio da unidade de esforço de produção (UEP)

Devido ao crescimento da competição no ambiente industrial, há uma grande procura por medidas de desempenho de produção que sejam mais fidedignas, pois uma tomada de decisão apoiada em informações inexatas pode ocasionar grandes perdas para a organização. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho possui como objetivo principal a geração de indicadores econômicos de desempenho (que incorporam tanto valores técnicos quanto financeiros em uma mesma base) a partir de uma coleta de informações confiável do processo produtivo de uma empresa multiprodutora. Assim, propõe-se uma sistemática que permita a geração de indicadores econômicos de produção, tornando possível tomadas de decisões oportunas para a sobrevivência no mercado competitivo. A sistemática proposta se baseia na parametrização técnica e econômica dos processos produtivos por intermédio do método de custeio UEP, visto que este método possui a característica de unificar a produção através de uma métrica econômica abstrata. Esta sistemática foi aplicada em uma empresa, a partir de um estudo de caso, e os indicadores definidos para proporcionar suporte às decisões sob os pontos de vista econômico e operacional foram: eficiência, eficiência padrão, eficácia, produtividade horária e produtividade econômica. Como resultado, esses indicadores tornaram possível tanto a análise e avaliação do desempenho global da empresa quanto de seu desempenho por setor fabril, identificando onde é necessário atuar para melhorar os resultados econômicos de produção. Conclui-se, então, que esta pesquisa demonstrou que essa sistemática simplifica o processo de gestão industrial e ainda reduz possíveis distorções que possam ser provocadas ao utilizar indicadores oriundos de outros métodos de custeio.Due to the increased competition in the industrial environment, there is a great demand for a measure of production performance that is more reliable, since important decisions supported by inaccurate information can cause great losses for the organization. In this context, the main objective of this work is the generation of economic performance indicators (which incorporate both technical and financial values in the same database) from a reliable information collection of the productive process of a multiproducing company. Thus, a systematic that allows the generation of economic indicators of production, making possible timely decisions for survival in the competitive market. Based on the technical and economic parameterization of the productive processes, this systematic uses the costing method called Production Effort Unit (PEU), since this method has the characteristic of unifying the production by an abstract economic metric. This methodology was applied in a company, based on a case study, and the indicators defined to support decisions from the economic and operational point of view were efficiency, standard efficiency, efficiency, hourly productivity and economic productivity. As a result, these indicators have made it possible to analyze and evaluate the overall performance of the company and its performance of each manufacturing sector, identifying where it is necessary to act to improve the economic results of production. Therefore, this research demonstrated that this systematics simplifies the process of industrial management and reduces possible distortions that can be provoked when using indicators from other costing methods

Solvents, Ionic Liquids and Solvent Effects

Solvents and ionic liquids are ubiquitous within our whole life since ancient times and their effects are actually being studied through basic sciences like Chemistry, Physics and Biology as well as being researched by a large number of scientific disciplines.This book represents an attempt to present examples on the utility of old and new solvents and the effects they exercise on several fields of academic and industrial interest. The first section, Solvents, presents information on bio-solvents and their synthesis, industrial production and applications, about per and trichloroethylene air monitoring in dry cleaners in the city of Sfax (Tunsia) and on the synthesis of polyimides using molten benzoic acid as the solvent. The second section, Ionic Liquids, shows information about the synthesis, physicochemical characterization and exploration of antimicrobial activities of imidazolium ionic liquid-supported Schiff base and its transition metal complexes, the technology of heterogenization of transition metal catalysts towards the synthetic applications in an ionic liquid matrix, the progress in ionic liquids as reaction media, monomers, and additives in high-performance polymers, a pre-screening of ionic liquids as gas hydrate inhibitor via application of COSMO-RS for methane hydrate, the extraction of aromatic compounds from their mixtures with alkanes from ternary to quaternary (or higher) systems and a review on ionic liquids as environmental benign solvent for cellulose chemistry. The final section, Solvent Effects, displays interesting information on solvent effects on dye sensitizers derived from anthocyanidins for applications in photocatalysis, about the solvent effect on a model of SNAr reaction in conventional and non-conventional solvents, and on solvent effects in supramolecular systems

A Model-Centric Framework for Advanced Operation of Crystallization Processes

Crystallization is the main physical separation process in many chemical industries. It is an old unit operation which can separate solids of high purity from liquids, and is widely applied in the production of food, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemicals. While industries in crystallization operation quite rely on rule-of-thumb techniques to fulfill their requirement, the move towards a scientific- and technological- based approach is becoming more important as it provides a mechanism for driving crystallization processes optimally and in more depth without increasing costs. Optimal operation of industrial crystallizers is a prerequisite these days for achieving the stringent requirements of the consumer-driven manufacturing. To achieve this, a generic and flexible model centric framework is developed for the advanced operation of crystallization processes. The framework deploys the modern software environment combined with the design of a state-of-the-art 1-L crystallization laboratory facility. The emphasis is on developing an economically and practically feasible implementation which can be applied for the optimal operation of various crystallization systems by pharmaceutical industries. The key developments in the framework have occurred in three broad categories: i. Modeling: Using an advanced modeling tool is intended for accurate representation of the behavior of the physical system. This is the cornerstone of any simulation, optimization or model-based control approach. ii. Monitoring: Applying a novel image-based technique for online characterization of the particulate processes. This is a promising method for direct tracking of particle size and size distribution with high adaptability for real-time application iii. Control: Proposing numerous model-based strategies for advanced control of the crystallization system. These strategies enable us to investigate the role of model complexity on real-time control design. Furthermore, the effect of model imperfections, process uncertainty and decision variables on optimal operation of the process can be evaluated. Overall, results from this work presents a robust platform for further research in the area of crystal engineering. Most of the developments described will pave the way for future set of activities being targeted towards extending and adapting advanced modeling, monitoring and control concepts for different crystallization processes

Design and Implementation of an InfoStore for Key Performance Indicators

The efficiency of manufacturing systems becomes more and more significant in today’s factories due to the increasingly competitive market. As the rise of energy price, energy saving also becomes vital. The first step to increase efficiency and decrease energy use is to achieve real-time monitoring of the systems at the shop floor. Then the optimization of efficiency and energy use becomes possible. The use of modern information technologies is essential considering the large amount of information generated by the low level facilities. This thesis work presents the selection of a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to improve the awareness of different manufacturing assets including those related to energy and efficiency. The implementation relies on Service Oriented Architecture deployed by web services and the further processing of the generated events by the application of an Event Processing Language based on rules. The processed data are displayed on web as graphics and updated in real time. On the other hand, in order to fully exploit the potential of optimization algorithms for efficiency and energy savings in factory automation settings, it is needed to bring together engineers that have knowledge of signal processing algorithms with shop floor engineers that are experienced with real manufacturing processes and factory automation settings. This thesis work exposes the captured raw data and KPIs as a web service so that third party applications can acquire the data via URLs for their own use. The InfoStore is currently populated with data regarding equipment IPC-2541 state events, process/cell/production energy consumption, process/pallet production time, etc regarding a multi robot production line located at the premises of the Factory Automation Systems and Technology laboratory

Increase of energy recovery from sewage sludge

The use of the pyrolysis process to obtain valuable products from biomass is amongst the technologies being investigated as a source for renewable energy. The pyrolysis process yields products such as biochar, bio-oil and non condensable gases. The main objective of this project is to increase energy recovery from sewage sludge by utilising the intermediate pyrolysis process. The intermediate pyrolysis has a residence time ranging from 5 to 10 minutes. The main product yields from sewage sludge pyrolysis are 50 wt% biochar, 40 wt% bio-oil and 10 wt% non condensable gases. The project was carried out on a pilot plant scale reactor with a load capacity of 20 kg/h. This enabled a high yield of biochar and bio-oil. The characterisation of the products indicated that the organic phase of the bio-oil had good fuel properties such as having high energy content of 39 MJ/kg, low acid number of 21.5, high flash point of 150 and viscosity of 35 cSt. An increase in pyrolysis experiments enabled large quantities of pyrolysis oil production. Co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge was carried out on laboratory scale with mixed wood, rapeseed and straw. It found that there was an increase in bio-oil quantity with rapeseed while co-pyrolysis with wood helped to mask the smell of the sludge pyrolysis oil. Engine test were successfully carried out in an old Lister engine with pyrolysis oil fractions of 30% and 50% blended with biodiesel. This indicates that these pyrolysis oil fractions can be used in similar engine types without any problems however long term effects in ordinary engines are unknown. An economic evaluation was carried out about the implementation of the intermediate pyrolysis process for electricity production in a CHP using the pyrolysis oil. The prices of electricity per kWh were found to be very high

Characterisation of torrefied carbon For carbon dioxide capture and cofiring application

Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the globe, and the resulting atmospheric levels, have become the subject of many scientific studies in recent times. Managing and reducing CO2 emissions has remained a challenge for scientists and researchers in carbon capture science, despite technology advancements. Although recent technologies deployed suggest an improvement from the classical approaches, there is a need to explore other alternatives to optimise process performance and to reduce the cost of carbon capture and sequestration processes. In this study, torrefaction technology was employed to develop ‘torrefied carbon’ using renewable carbonaceous materials, such as Iroko (IR - hardwood) and Scottish Pine (SP - softwood), for CO2 capture from the combustion stacks of coal-powered plants. The study was divided into two parts: (a) developing the torrefied carbon using selected torrefaction conditions, at temperatures of (290 °C, 320 °C, 350 °C and 380 °C), a residence time of 60 min and heating rate (10 °C min-1), under CO2 atmosphere. The second is testing the torrefied carbons for CO2 adsorption potential and cofiring applications. The physicochemical characteristics of the torrefied carbons, such as hydrophobicity, calorific values and ultimate analysis, as well as the torrefaction performance indicators, such as energy gain, energy consumption, mass density and mass yield, amongst others, were assessed, allowing the fuel quality and potential use of the torrefied carbon once entirely spent for CO2 capture in same power plant to be evaluated. Given the results obtained, the torrefaction performance indicators showed there is energy gain for the selected torrefaction conditions. The highest energy gain values of 104 and 102 were found for the SP and IR, respectively, at the torrefaction condition of 320 °C, at a residence time of 60 min. The calorific values of the torrefied carbons developed at 320 °C and 350 °C, where - IR (26.49 MJ kg-1 and 26.75 MJ kg-1) and SP (26.13 MJ kg-1 and 29.12 MJ kg-1), respectively, which were higher than those of the low-ranked coal (23.20 MJ kg-1) investigated. For the adsorption studies, the torrefied carbons developed at 350 °C showed the highest CO2 adsorption capacity for both IR and SP carbons. The thermodynamic study of the CO2 adsorption using the Langmuir and isosteric heat of adsorption suggests the existence of heterogeneous surface sites on the torrefied carbon surfaces. The CO2 adsorption shows low heat of adsorption, given the values of the isosteric heat, for IR320 (-45 KJ mol-1), IR350 (-58 KJ mol-1), SP320 (-28 KJ mol-1) and SP350 (-41 KJ mol-1), an indication that the CO2 adsorption process is governed by physisorption. The kinetics of the CO2 adsorption of the torrefied carbons followed the Double Exponential Model, described by two distinct rate-determining steps. The rate of CO2 adsorption on the torrefied carbons appeared fast, given the equilibration time of an average of < 8 min for the IR and 11 min for the SP carbon, suggesting that the short time of equilibrium based on the Pressure Swing Adsorption process indicates a good potential from the materials on a kinetic basis. Within the study context, it was determined that the torrefied carbons could be employed for cofiring in coal-powered plants following a CO2 capture process. Although the structural features exhibited by the torrefied carbons were not fully explored in this work, due to the research limitations, the study opens up an opportunity into the potentials of torrefied carbon utilisation as a cost-intensive alternative in CCS applications.Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the globe, and the resulting atmospheric levels, have become the subject of many scientific studies in recent times. Managing and reducing CO2 emissions has remained a challenge for scientists and researchers in carbon capture science, despite technology advancements. Although recent technologies deployed suggest an improvement from the classical approaches, there is a need to explore other alternatives to optimise process performance and to reduce the cost of carbon capture and sequestration processes. In this study, torrefaction technology was employed to develop ‘torrefied carbon’ using renewable carbonaceous materials, such as Iroko (IR - hardwood) and Scottish Pine (SP - softwood), for CO2 capture from the combustion stacks of coal-powered plants. The study was divided into two parts: (a) developing the torrefied carbon using selected torrefaction conditions, at temperatures of (290 °C, 320 °C, 350 °C and 380 °C), a residence time of 60 min and heating rate (10 °C min-1), under CO2 atmosphere. The second is testing the torrefied carbons for CO2 adsorption potential and cofiring applications. The physicochemical characteristics of the torrefied carbons, such as hydrophobicity, calorific values and ultimate analysis, as well as the torrefaction performance indicators, such as energy gain, energy consumption, mass density and mass yield, amongst others, were assessed, allowing the fuel quality and potential use of the torrefied carbon once entirely spent for CO2 capture in same power plant to be evaluated. Given the results obtained, the torrefaction performance indicators showed there is energy gain for the selected torrefaction conditions. The highest energy gain values of 104 and 102 were found for the SP and IR, respectively, at the torrefaction condition of 320 °C, at a residence time of 60 min. The calorific values of the torrefied carbons developed at 320 °C and 350 °C, where - IR (26.49 MJ kg-1 and 26.75 MJ kg-1) and SP (26.13 MJ kg-1 and 29.12 MJ kg-1), respectively, which were higher than those of the low-ranked coal (23.20 MJ kg-1) investigated. For the adsorption studies, the torrefied carbons developed at 350 °C showed the highest CO2 adsorption capacity for both IR and SP carbons. The thermodynamic study of the CO2 adsorption using the Langmuir and isosteric heat of adsorption suggests the existence of heterogeneous surface sites on the torrefied carbon surfaces. The CO2 adsorption shows low heat of adsorption, given the values of the isosteric heat, for IR320 (-45 KJ mol-1), IR350 (-58 KJ mol-1), SP320 (-28 KJ mol-1) and SP350 (-41 KJ mol-1), an indication that the CO2 adsorption process is governed by physisorption. The kinetics of the CO2 adsorption of the torrefied carbons followed the Double Exponential Model, described by two distinct rate-determining steps. The rate of CO2 adsorption on the torrefied carbons appeared fast, given the equilibration time of an average of < 8 min for the IR and 11 min for the SP carbon, suggesting that the short time of equilibrium based on the Pressure Swing Adsorption process indicates a good potential from the materials on a kinetic basis. Within the study context, it was determined that the torrefied carbons could be employed for cofiring in coal-powered plants following a CO2 capture process. Although the structural features exhibited by the torrefied carbons were not fully explored in this work, due to the research limitations, the study opens up an opportunity into the potentials of torrefied carbon utilisation as a cost-intensive alternative in CCS applications

Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injuries

Stem cell-based therapies are an emerging branch of medicine with the purpose of restoring tissue function for patients with serious injuries, such as a spinal cord injury. As a result, scientists and engineers are increasing research efforts in the field of regenerative medicine. Due to the delicate nature of stem cells, producing the large quantity required for a successful therapy has proved challenging. In recent years, research has shown the potential of stem cell-based therapies, and thus there is a need for the commercialization of these treatments. The proposed facility targets the demand for spinal cord injury treatments and can support production for both clinical trials and a commercial release. Bioreactors designed specifically for the culture and growth of stem cells have flexibility in their ability to support different stem cell lines for various therapies. Small reactors in parallel can easily adapt to changes in production size. This process also takes advantage of the best options currently available for purification and preservation to maximize the product yield. Due to the strict regulations set in place by the FDA and lack of adequate funding, there is an untapped market for stem cell therapies for spinal cord injuries. Approximately 250,000 people in the United States suffer from spinal cord injuries, varying in severity, and this patient base increases at a rate of 12,000 new injuries every year (“Spinal Cord Injury Facts and Figures”, 2009). Future markets include expansion into Europe and Asia. There are two steps to this proposal: the upstream process and the downstream process. The upstream process includes the scale-up, differentiation, and purification of human embryonic stem cells; the downstream process consists of the scale-up of neurons for injection. The upstream process will be built initially and yield enough cells for clinical trials, without incurring the capital costs of building the entire plant. Upon success of the clinical trials, the downstream process will be built for maximum production. The profitability of this proposal is based on running 26 batches a year at 1.02x1010 cells per batch or 2.66x1011 cells per year. By targeting 5,000 patients, two percent of the current market, and charging $45,000 per dose, a profitable profile can be created. Assuming 50$961,892,600, and 242.81% respectively. Using a 50% production capacity allows for higher profit margins upon expansion. The proposed plan will meet the need of this growing market