Information Quality in Web-Based eCatalogue

Catalogues are important business strategy as they can provide customers with product descriptions and assist who have buying interest to not go through the floor areas and shelves, browsing aimlessly, trying to locate items that are of interest. Printed catalogue are cumbersome to use, require large storage areas, become dated soon after publication, and make search and comparison activities very difficult.The situation is further worsen when the quality of information provided is not regularly updated and is below customers’ expectations. eCatalogue has the potential to offer assistance to customer, and improve information quality.Therefore, an eCatalouge was developed in this study where 30 potential customers tried the proposed eCatalogue for a certain period. Nine information quality dimensions, which are Accuracy, Precision, Currency, Timeliness, Reliability,Completeness, Conciseness, Format, and Relevance, were used to measure the eCatalouge. Based on a three point scale (where 1= disagree and 3= agree),respondents agree that the information in the eCatalouge are somewhat current(mean =2.27), precise (2.20), accurate (2.17), reliable (2.17), and concise(2.17). However, they are not sure about the timely (2.00) and relevant (2.07) dimensions.Also they agree to some extent, the eCatalogue format is satisfying (2.20). Overall mean of quality measure is (2.15), which is indicates that the quality of information in the developed eCatalogue should be improved

Estudo de um sistema de informação e gestão de ferramentas

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia MecânicaA presente dissertação surge no âmbito do Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Mecânica da Universidade do Minho e foi desenvolvida em contexto prático na empresa Leica – Aparelhos Óticos de Precisão, S.A., na secção Mecânica, concretamente nos grupos produtivos de maquinagem. Um sistema de gestão de ferramentas é, atualmente, um tema de absoluta importância para a empresa, pois estas assumem uma parcela importante dos custos de produção e têm um papel importante na estabilidade e repetibilidade do processo produtivo. O presente projeto de dissertação pretende uniformizar a gestão de ferramentas, assim como gerir toda a informação associada, em todos os grupos produtivos da secção Mecânica. Com esse intuito, foram analisados os processos atuais e posteriormente implementadas diferentes propostas de melhoria, com objetivo de uniformizar os diversos componentes de uma ferramenta e a documentação técnica, diminuir o processo de requisição, criar bases de dados e centralizar a informação relativamente às ferramentas de corte e restante componentes, criar uma aplicação para registo e consulta de informação e diminuir o tempo de montagem de uma ferramenta. A implementação destas propostas resultou numa uma redução de 1 minuto e 30 segundos para a preparação e montagem de uma ferramenta. A extrapolação da redução para todas as trocas de ferramentas efetuadas, representa uma poupança anual de 32 032.5€.The present dissertation arises within the scope of the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minho and was developed in a practical context at the company Leica – Devices Óticos de Preciso, S.A., in the Mechanical section, specifically in the machining production groups. A tool management system is currently a crucial topic for the company, as they assume an important part of production costs and play a big role in the stability and repeatability of the production process. This dissertation project aims to standardize the management of tools, as well as manage all the associated information, in all productive groups of the Mechanics section. To this end, current processes were analyzed and different proposals for improvement were subsequently implemented, with the aim of standardizing the various components of a tool and technical documentation, reducing the request process, creating databases and centralizing information regarding the tools and other components, create an application to record and consult information and reduce the assembly time of a tool. The implementation of these proposals resulted in a reduction of 1 minute and 30 seconds for the preparation and assembly of a tool. The extrapolation of the reduction for all tool changes carried out, represents an annual savings of €32,032.5

Assessing information management as a tool for the ongoing maintenance of built assets

Much attention has been made of optimising information modelling in the construction sector. Government bodies have mandated collaborative working environments as a means of enhancing the process of delivering assets that not only meet user expectations, but also reduce project costs and enhance timely completion. An impetus is being placed on the need to reduce total lifecycle costs – 33% by 2020 (Construction Leadership Council, 2013) – so, more emphasis needs to be placed on the acceptance and use of information for the ongoing operation and maintenance of our built assets. Central to this concept is breaking down the disparate silos that constrict the architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and asset management (AM) industries. This research project attempts to explore the phenomenon of whole-lifecycle asset information management, from the perspective of those critical to the process, the asset managers. Using cases from the UK Higher Education (HE) sector, individuals at all levels of the organisational structure (i.e. managerial through to technician) were engaged and an understanding of the varying roles and responsibilities used as a starting point for discovery. A grounded theory approach is adopted, iteratively collating qualitative data from four universities, as well as concurrent thematic analysis of said data, finally validating the theoretical findings against a fifth university. Working a cross-section of universities through semi-structured interview sessions allowed for a fluid approach, capturing the true narrative of the individual whilst adapting one’s understanding of the overarching phenomenon. Findings highlighted: - The wasteful model of information management, as currently exists within HE AM departments; roles, timeliness, accuracy, duplication and missing information all contribute towards delays and costly resource demands. - Inefficient and ineffective handover from the capital AEC teams to the AM teams, at the point of practical completion; greater preparation was requested by means of pre-planned site visits at scheduled intervals. - AM subjects were generally unwilling to adapt to the increasing demands of digital technologies and visual displays; the process was therefore found to be superfluous activity. - AM subjects’ experiential knowledge was underutilised and not captured / incorporated within project development; cyclical lessons were not learned. This thesis contributes to knowledge by way of a theoretical framework, developed in response to the findings from the interviews. The PPTC Lifecycle Framework introduces the concept of ‘channels’ as an additional project dimension to the pre-existing ones of ‘people’, ‘process’, and ‘technologies’, linking each to key activities and their respective lifecycle stages. The framework highlights the necessity for a ‘softer landing’. It also provides the means for asset managers to be more inclusive in the end-to-end development of built assets, so that they can ensure the successful preparation of all asset management information for ongoing operation and maintenance

Computer aided tool management system : an implementation model.

In recent years considerable attention has been diverted towards devising new strategies to deal with the competitive nature of manufacturing environments. Such strategies are often influenced by the costs and quality of the manufactured products. An effective tool management and control system can significantly contribute to the efficiency of manufacturing facilities by maintaining the flow of production, reducing manufacturing costs, and be instrumental to the quality of finished goods. Most companies however, have consistently overlooked the importance of tooling and its impact on the efficiency of their manufacturing facilities, consequently it has become a maior production bottleneck. Hence, the need for uncovering the nature, extent, and underlying causes of tooling problems. Having recognised the importance of a Computer Aided Tool Management And Control Systems (CATMACS) as a partial solution to the efficient management of tooling resources, the study then looks at the implementation of CATMACS in fourteen manufacturing companies in the UK, developing some 40 propositions. Based on the developed propositions, a framework for the implementation methodology is constructed. The framework consists of five phases; Tool audit, Strategy, Design, Action, and Review. The framework has been evaluated and the inputs and outputs to the phases have been identified. The framework represents a significant step in understanding of CATMACS implementation, in particular: It addresses the need for such system. It provides the basis of an implementation toolkit. It provides guidance for the best way of implementing a CATMACS. It is constructed using hard data. </ul

Databases for technological information systems

Organization of tool management for mixed production includes today, in particular, the computer-supported management and organization of the flow of tools and data on them. The system supports the entire flow of tools in a production process including the tool store management, commissioning, mounting, dismantling and pre-setting of tools. The system contains the management of the tool database with all vital data on tools and ensures adaption of production requirements for meeting the needs for tools. The integral model for the selection of optimal cutting conditions in the computer aided tool management system (TOMS) is proposed. The integration of technological databases and tool management systems is urgently necessary. The target function for the OPTIS programme, worked out by the programme package Microsoft Visual Basic, is selection of optimal cutting conditions from commercial databases with respect to the lowest costs of machining by taking into account the technological limitations of the metal removal process. The newly developed OPTIS programme selects optimal cutting conditions with respect to the tool maker, workpiece material, type of machining, cutting machine, smallest and greatest cutting conditions, tool, data on series, type of clamping and workpiece geometry