A framework of justification criteria for advanced manufacturing technology implementation in small and medium enterprises

Today in order to stay in businesses and prosper, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are seeking higher electiveness and competitiveness across the entire cycle of marketing, product design, manufacture, test and sales. SMEs play an increasingly important role in all aspects of competitiveness: both products and production techniques, but also management methods, the organization of the firm and human resources training. One of the ways by which SMEs can achieve a competitive advantage in manufacturing is through the implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT). An increasing number of them have chosen and are choosing various levels of AMT as the solution. Realizing the importance of SMEs, an attempt has been made in this paper to review the application of AMT in SMEs. Also, a framework has been offered for the implementation of AMT in SMEs. Finally, a summary of findings and conclusions are presented

Perception and Cognition Are Largely Independent, but Still Affect Each Other in Systematic Ways: Arguments from Evolution and the Consciousness-Attention Dissociation

The main thesis of this paper is that two prevailing theories about cognitive penetration are too extreme, namely, the view that cognitive penetration is pervasive and the view that there is a sharp and fundamental distinction between cognition and perception, which precludes any type of cognitive penetration. These opposite views have clear merits and empirical support. To eliminate this puzzling situation, we present an alternative theoretical approach that incorporates the merits of these views into a broader and more nuanced explanatory framework. A key argument we present in favor of this framework concerns the evolution of intentionality and perceptual capacities. An implication of this argument is that cases of cognitive penetration must have evolved more recently and that this is compatible with the cognitive impenetrability of early perceptual stages of processing information. A theoretical approach that explains why this should be the case is the consciousness and attention dissociation framework. The paper discusses why concepts, particularly issues concerning concept acquisition, play an important role in the interaction between perception and cognition

Generic unified modelling process for developing semantically rich, dynamic and temporal models

Models play a vital role in supporting a range of activities in numerous domains. We rely on models to support the design, visualisation, analysis and representation of parts of the world around us, and as such significant research effort has been invested into numerous areas of modelling; including support for model semantics, dynamic states and behaviour, temporal data storage and visualisation. Whilst these efforts have increased our capabilities and allowed us to create increasingly powerful software-based models, the process of developing models, supporting tools and /or data structures remains difficult, expensive and error-prone. In this paper we define from literature the key factors in assessing a model’s quality and usefulness: semantic richness, support for dynamic states and object behaviour, temporal data storage and visualisation. We also identify a number of shortcomings in both existing modelling standards and model development processes and propose a unified generic process to guide users through the development of semantically rich, dynamic and temporal models

Gate Delay Fault Test Generation for Non-Scan Circuits

This article presents a technique for the extension of delay fault test pattern generation to synchronous sequential circuits without making use of scan techniques. The technique relies on the coupling of TDgen, a robust combinational test pattern generator for delay faults, and SEMILET, a sequential test pattern generator for several static fault models. The approach uses a forward propagation-backward justification technique: The test pattern generation is started at the fault location, and after successful ¿local¿ test generation fault effect propagation is performed and finally a synchronising sequence to the required state is computed. The algorithm is complete for a robust gate delay fault model, which means that for every testable fault a test will be generated, assuming sufficient time. Experimental results for the ISCAS'89 benchmarks are presented in this pape

Design thinking support: information systems versus reasoning

Numerous attempts have been made to conceive and implement appropriate information systems to support architectural designers in their creative design thinking processes. These information systems aim at providing support in very diverse ways: enabling designers to make diverse kinds of visual representations of a design, enabling them to make complex calculations and simulations which take into account numerous relevant parameters in the design context, providing them with loads of information and knowledge from all over the world, and so forth. Notwithstanding the continued efforts to develop these information systems, they still fail to provide essential support in the core creative activities of architectural designers. In order to understand why an appropriately effective support from information systems is so hard to realize, we started to look into the nature of design thinking and on how reasoning processes are at play in this design thinking. This investigation suggests that creative designing rests on a cyclic combination of abductive, deductive and inductive reasoning processes. Because traditional information systems typically target only one of these reasoning processes at a time, this could explain the limited applicability and usefulness of these systems. As research in information technology is increasingly targeting the combination of these reasoning modes, improvements may be within reach for design thinking support by information systems

Design development of machine shop area for the case TSF-8.171.137 manufacture including the study of cutting tool geometrical parameters influence on cutting force parameters

The thesis develops the design of machine shop area for manufacturing the case and researching the impact of cutting tool geometrical parameters on cutting force components and tool lifeCONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1. ANALYTIC CHAPTER 1.1. Service purpose and characteristics of the object of production. 1.2. Analysis of technical requirements for the part. 1.3. Analysis of the technological design of the part. 1.4. Analysis of the basic technological process. 1.5. Conclusions and problem statement for the diploma project. 2. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CHAPTER 2.1. Characterization of the cutting tool geometry. 2.2. Setting up the experimental criterias, technical and cutting conditions. 2.3. Research the experimental results of cutting-edge preparation and cutting-edge radius influences on tool life and cutting forces. 2.4. Research of edge treatment influence on total force load and component of cutting force Fz. 3. TECHNOLOGICAL CHAPTER 3.1. Characteristics of the type and organizational form of production. 3.2. Choice and justification of workpiece's obtaining method. 3.3. Requirements for the workpiece. Calculation of the workpiece. 3.4. Calculations of leakage to the surface of the part in an analytical way. 3.5. Development of routing technological process of mechanical processing of the body of TSF 8.171.137. 3.6. Methods of providing technological requirements in the processing of parts. 3.7. Description of the route process for operations. 3.8. Development of operational process. 3.8.1. Description of the trajectories of the motion of the cutting tool on the operations performed on CNC machines. 3.8.2. Selection of cutting and normalization of operations of the technological process. 3.8.2.1. Calculations of cutting and normalization modes of turning-threading operation 015. 3.8.2.2. Calculations of cutting and normalization modes of vertical milling operation 025. 3.8.2.3. Calculation of the cutting and normalization modes of coordinate-boring operation 045 with CNC. 3.9. Determination of errors of the base of the workpiece. 3.10. Calculations of the forces of fastening the workpiece. 3.11. Calculate the parts for durability. 4. DESIGNING CHAPTER 4.1. The choice of equipment, equipment and bases for the design version of the case. 4.2. Design of machine tool adaptation. 4.2.1. Description of the design and principle of the selected devices. 4.2.2. Assembly and operation of the device. 4.2.3. Choice and calculation of power drive. 4.3. Design of cutting and measuring tools. 4.3.1. Design of cutting tool. 4.3.2. Calculations of the measuring instrument. 4.4. Means of increasing the technological indicators of coordinate-boring operation 045 with CNC. 5. SPECIAL CHAPTER 5.1. Subsystems of optimization in CAD. 5.2. Review of the most common CAD of world manufacturers. 5.3. Methods of designing technological processes for manufacturing parts using the package of applied programs "CCI CAD". 5.3.1. Preparing the source information. 5.3.2. Block diagram of the algorithm for automated design of the process of manufacturing the case. 5.4. Analysis of the technological process, obtained with the help of CAD of the TP. 6. PLANNING CHAPTER 6.1. Determination of annual needs in technological equipment. Build summary hardware. 6.2. Selection of the type and calculation of the number of lifting and transport vehicles. 6.3. Calculation of the number of industrial and production personnel. 6.3.1. Monthly time fund estimates. 6.3.2. Calculations of the number of production workers. 6.3.3. Settlements of the number of auxiliary workers. 6.3.4. Calculations of the number of engineering workers and junior service staff. 6.4. Calculation of necessary production area and construction of site planning scheme. 7. ECONOMIC BACKGROUND 7.1. Determination of the technological cost of manufacturing the case. 7.1.1. Feasibility study of the method of obtaining the workpiece. 7.1.2. Determination of the wage fund of production workers and the magnitude of their average monthly earnings. 7.1.3. Overhead billing. 7.1.3.1. Calculation of total production costs. 7.1.3.2. Calculation of administrative expenses. 7.1.3.3. Calculations of sales expenses. 7.1.4. Calculations of full cost and price details. 7.2. Determination of economic efficiency of the design variant of the technological process of manufacturing the case with CNC machines. 7.2.1. Determination of output data for economical comparison of the basic and project variants of technology. 7.2.2. Determination of capital investments in comparable variants. 7.2.3. Determination of technological cost of annual production of parts in comparable variants. 7.3. Basic technical and economic indicators of the site. 7.4. Substantiation of economic efficiency of the developed technological process. 8. HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES 8.1. Organization of labor protection at work. 8.2. Dangerous production factors at the site and measures to reduce them. 8.3. Analysis of harmful production factors at the site and measures to eliminate them. 9. ECOLOGY 9.1. The relevance of environment protection. 9.2. Environmental pollution resulting from project implementation. 9.3. Measures to reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases, protect the environment and reduce environmental pollution. CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES APPENDICE

Institutional logics, blended and suspended

This paper examines how a new institution, a code of conduct, arises and develops over time. It shows how the process of debate airs competing logics, questions and fails to question assumptions taken for granted, and yet achieves a large degree of legitimacy without having resolved certain core issues. The UK code of corporate governance has been emulated around the world as a model of good practice. By examining in detail one aspect of the debate – the issue over unitary or two-tier boards – the paper shows how the contest of logics leads not just to new, blended or hybrid logics, but also to suspended logics. The process of consultation brings together actors from differing organizational fields and institutional orders, offering an opportunity to create a new field in a different order, with specific lessons for the practice of corporate governance and general lessons for institution-building