A methodology to assess and manage material and machine tool risks for a manufacturer

Globalization and competition have forced manufacturers to analyze their processes to minute levels in order to improve the quality and on-time delivery of the product. Due to the increased complexity of manufacturing and the associated supply chain, a wide range of additional risk factors have been introduced that impact the manufacturing processes. A process that is constantly exposed to such risks may not be able to meet customer expectations such as the on-time delivery of products. Extensive research has been done on enhancing the capabilities of the manufacturing processes. However the focus of this effort is to develop a methodology to manage risks that have a high impact on the process lead time and will enhance the ability to sustain process performance. The purpose of this study is to identify key risks associated with manufacturing and develop a framework to assist manufacturers mitigate the risks resulting in increasing the manufacturing lead time. The framework takes on the format of an assessment that investigates the multiple risk dimensions associated with material and tooling. Inputs to the assessments are confidence interval of 95%. Finally a mathematical analysis using AHP is done for prioritization of risk mitigation activities. A case study is presented to the methodology

Risk Assessment Model Applied on Building Physics: Statistical Data Acquisition and Stochastic Modeling of Indoor Moisture Supply in Swedish Multi-family Dwellings

Though it is highly appreciated and asked for by the practitioners there is a lack of tools to perform proper risk assessment and risk management procedures in the area of building physics. Many of the influential variables, such as outdoor temperature and indoor moisture supply, have stochastic variations, thus a general approach for risk assessment is complicated. The aim of this study is to define risk concepts in building physics and develop a risk assessment model to be used in the field. The study is based on hazard identification tools used in process industry, such as What-if, HAZOP, FMEA and VMEA. The tools are compared and used in the modeling process which leads to identification of noise factors during design, construction and service life. A literature survey is conducted in order to find statistical input data that should be used in the applicability study, based on stochastic simulations and air flow path modeling in CONTAM. By combining the hazards and safeguards in a scenario, together with Monte Carlo simulations, gives results with a distribution, dependent on the variability of the noise factors. The applicability study shows good correspondence with measurements performed on the indoor moisture supply in Swedish multi-family dwellings. Risk and safe scenarios are defined by comparing the result of the scenario with an allowed level of consequences. By implementing risk management into building physics design, it is possible to indentify critical points to avoid extra unwanted costs. In addition, risks concerning indoor climate, health and durability are clarified

Risk Assessment Model Applied on Building Physics: Statistical Data Acquisition and Stochastic Modeling of Indoor Moisture Supply in Swedish Multi-family Dwellings

Though it is highly appreciated and asked for by the practitioners there is a lack of tools to perform proper risk assessment and risk management procedures in the area of building physics. Many of the influential variables, such as outdoor temperature and indoor moisture supply, have stochastic variations, thus a general approach for risk assessment is complicated. The aim of this study is to define risk concepts in building physics and develop a risk assessment model to be used in the field. The study is based on hazard identification tools used in process industry, such as What-if, HAZOP, FMEA and VMEA. The tools are compared and used in the modeling process which leads to identification of noise factors during design, construction and service life. A literature survey is conducted in order to find statistical input data that should be used in the applicability study, based on stochastic simulations and air flow path modeling in CONTAM. By combining the hazards and safeguards in a scenario, together with Monte Carlo simulations, gives results with a distribution, dependent on the variability of the noise factors. The applicability study shows good correspondence with measurements performed on the indoor moisture supply in Swedish multi-family dwellings. Risk and safe scenarios are defined by comparing the result of the scenario with an allowed level of consequences. By implementing risk management into building physics design, it is possible to indentify critical points to avoid extra unwanted costs. In addition, risks concerning indoor climate, health and durability are clarified

Managing innovations in engineering industries

It has been shown in this thesis why innovations are regarded as the lifeline of engineering industries. Continuous flow of novel ideas is the source of innovations but the encouragement, creation and nurturing of such ideas requires many distinct managerial attributes. Hence, management of innovations is complex but an important area of study which is not amenable to standard analyses due to its multidisciplinary nature and dependence on a large number of intangible variables. It has been shown that proper management of innovations would involve at least three distinct but closely linked activities, namely: (a) managing people, in particular the innovators, as well as inspiring others to become innovators; (b) managing the environment so that it is conducive to innovations; and (c) managing innovative processes in order to ensure that innovations are properly nurtured, well targeted and economically implemented within clearly defined time and budgetary constraints. The thesis has been divided into eight chapters; an outline of the chapters is given below. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the subject of managing innovations in engineering industries. It sets the scene for carrying out research in this field, identifies the problems to be tackled and makes a clear statement of the aims. Chapter 2 offers a critical review of the published works relevant to the field of research covered in this thesis. The purpose of this study was to understand the state of the art approach to: (a) creating and maintaining the innovative environment; (b) inspiring and leading engineers to come up with innovative solutions for engineering problems; (c) managing the innovative processes for better efficiency. Finally, in view of the comprehensive review of the relevant published literature, this chapter justifies the aims of this research. Chapter 3 describes research methodology i. e. the procedure for conducting this programme of research. The purpose of this study was to ensure that the research programme was conducted in accordance with the scientific method as closely as practicable. For sake of clarity, chapter 4 first draws distinction between inventions, innovations and engineering design and later identifies a large number of intangible factors that influence the three principal components, i. e. innovative environment, innovators and the innovation process. It is suggested that the innovativeness of engineering companies depends on these three principal components. Hence, innovativeness may be assessed by determining the influence of each on the principal components with the help of suitable computational techniques. Two computer applications have been developed to: (a) evaluate the innovativeness of engineering organisations; and (b) analyse the risks embedded in either accepting innovative ideas or implementing innovative projects. These applications are based on questionnaires and may serve as computer aided management (CAM) tools for dealing with the multidimensional problem of managing innovations speedily and efficiently. Chapter 5 analyses the influence of factors identified in chapter 4 and uses the two aforementioned applications to survey the innovativeness of four engineering organisations for their innovativeness and evaluate two projects for the risks surrounding them. These assessments were carried in the form of six case studies. Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 present the results of the six case studies and a focused discussion of the results and other observations made during the course of this research. Chapter 8 draws conclusion from this research and proposes further work that may be carried out in order to study yet unknown factors, refine the questionnaires conduct further tests in different industrial environments to build confidence in the use of CAM Applications as tools for rapid response management of innovations in engineering industries

Water models and scenarios inventory for the Danube region

This technical report presents an inventory of existing models currently used in the Danube Region by local, regional, national authorities and scientific institutes for the development of a hydro-economic multi-model ensemble for the Danube with a common database. It also presents a first identification of regional scenarios of policy options relevant for river basin management planning.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Best Practices and Methodological Guidelines for Conducting Gas Risk Assessments

The EC Regulation concerning measures to safeguard security of gas supply (EC/994/2010) requires member states to make a full assessment of the risks affecting the security of gas supply. According to Article 9, this risk assessment must: (a) use the infrastructure and supply standards (articles 6 and 8); (b) take into account all relevant national and regional circumstances; (c) run various disruption scenarios; (d) identify the interaction and correlation of risks with other Member States. (e) take into account the maximal interconnection capacity of each border entry and exit point. The objective of this report is to provide guidance and advice for performing risk assessments. It will do so by first providing a literature review, and then by proposing a basic structure for undertaking a gas security risk assessment, in accordance with best practices and standard procedures found in risk management.JRC.F.3-Energy securit

Risk Management of NASA Projects

Various NASA Langley Research Center and other center projects were attempted for analysis to obtain historical data comparing pre-phase A study and the final outcome for each project. This attempt, however, was abandoned once it became clear that very little documentation was available. Next, extensive literature search was conducted on the role of risk and reliability concepts in project management. Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) techniques are being used with increasing regularity both in and outside of NASA. The value and the usage of PRA techniques were reviewed for large projects. It was found that both civilian and military branches of the space industry have traditionally refrained from using PRA, which was developed and expanded by nuclear industry. Although much has changed with the end of the cold war and the Challenger disaster, it was found that ingrained anti-PRA culture is hard to stop. Examples of skepticism against the use of risk management and assessment techniques were found both in the literature and in conversations with some technical staff. Program and project managers need to be convinced that the applicability and use of risk management and risk assessment techniques is much broader than just in the traditional safety-related areas of application. The time has come to begin to uniformly apply these techniques. The whole idea of risk-based system can maximize the 'return on investment' that the public demands. Also, it would be very useful if all project documents of NASA Langley Research Center, pre-phase A through final report, are carefully stored in a central repository preferably in electronic format

Temporal, cognitive and behavioral dimensions of transaction costs: To an understanding of hybrid vertical inter-firm relations

transaction costs;costs and cost price

Simulation and optimization model for the construction of electrical substations

One of the most complex construction projects is electrical substations. An electrical substation is an auxiliary station of an electricity generation, transmission and distribution system where voltage is transformed from high to low or the reverse using transformers. Construction of electrical substation includes civil works and electromechanical works. The scope of civil works includes construction of several buildings/components divided into parallel and overlapped working phases that require variety of resources and are generally quite costly and consume a considerable amount of time. Therefore, construction of substations faces complicated time-cost-resource optimization problems. On another hand, the construction industry is turning out to be progressively competitive throughout the years, whereby the need to persistently discover approaches to enhance construction performance. To address the previously stated afflictions, this dissertation makes the underlying strides and introduces a simulation and optimization model for the execution processes of civil works for an electrical substation based on database excel file for input data entry. The input data include bill of quantities, maximum available resources, production rates, unit cost of resources and indirect cost. The model is built on Anylogic software using discrete event simulation method. The model is divided into three zones working in parallel to each other. Each zone includes a group of buildings related to the same construction area. Each zone-model describes the execution process schedule for each building in the zone, the time consumed, percentage of utilization of equipment and manpower crews, amount of materials consumed and total direct and indirect cost. The model is then optimized to mainly minimize the project duration using parameter variation experiment and genetic algorithm java code implemented using Anylogic platform. The model used allocated resource parameters as decision variables and available resources as constraints. The model is verified on real case studies in Egypt and sensitivity analysis studies are incorporated. The model is also validated using a real case study and proves its efficiency by attaining a reduction in model time units between simulation and optimization experiments of 10.25% and reduction in total cost of 4.7%. Also, by comparing the optimization results by the actual data of the case study, the model attains a reduction in time and cost by 13.6% and 6.3% respectively. An analysis to determine the effect of each resource on reduction in cost is also presented