257 research outputs found
Using an Online Virtual Server to Simulate Network Administration
Participants in the rapidly changing computer networking arena face the significant challenge of keeping up with technologies that are often expensive to deploy, making it particularly difficult to gain hands-on experience. A survey of current job descriptions indicates that Microsoft systems continue to experience strong interest among employers. Learning alternatives are considered with a focus on a new solution to the problem of hands-on experience that has been provided by Microsoft, a virtual server lab that is available on-line and is free. Features of this virtual lab are explained, and the results of an experiment to integrate this lab into a networking course are discussed
Analysis of manufacturing operations using knowledge- Enriched aggregate process planning
Knowledge-Enriched Aggregate Process Planning is concerned with the problem of supporting agile design and manufacture by making process planning feedback integral to the design function. A novel Digital Enterprise Technology framework (Maropoulos 2003) provides the technical context and is the basis for the integration of the methods with existing technologies for enterprise-wide product development. The work is based upon the assertion that, to assure success when developing new products, the technical and qualitative evaluation of process plans must be carried out as early as possible. An intelligent exploration methodology is presented for the technical evaluation of the many alternative manufacturing options which are feasible during the conceptual and embodiment design phases. 'Data resistant' aggregate product, process and resource models are the foundation of these planning methods. From the low-level attributes of these models, aggregate methods to generate suitable alternative process plans and estimate Quality, Cost and Delivery (QCD) have been created. The reliance on QCD metrics in process planning neglects the importance of tacit knowledge that people use to make everyday decisions and express their professional judgement in design. Hence, the research also advances the core aggregate planning theories by developing knowledge-enrichment methods for measuring and analysing qualitative factors as an additional indicator of manufacturing performance, which can be used to compute the potential of a process plan. The application of these methods allows the designer to make a comparative estimation of manufacturability for design alternatives. Ultimately, this research should translate into significant reductions in both design costs and product development time and create synergy between the product design and the manufacturing system that will be used to make it. The efficacy of the methodology was proved through the development of an experimental computer system (called CAPABLE Space) which used real industrial data, from a leading UK satellite manufacturer to validate the industrial benefits and promote the commercial exploitation of the research
A new MDA-SOA based framework for intercloud interoperability
Cloud computing has been one of the most important topics in Information Technology which aims to assure scalable and reliable on-demand services over the Internet. The expansion of the application scope of cloud services would require cooperation between clouds from different providers that have heterogeneous functionalities. This collaboration between different cloud vendors can provide better Quality of Services (QoS) at the lower price. However, current cloud systems have been developed without concerns of seamless cloud interconnection, and actually they do not support intercloud interoperability to enable collaboration between cloud service providers. Hence, the PhD work is motivated to address interoperability issue between cloud providers as a challenging research objective.
This thesis proposes a new framework which supports inter-cloud interoperability in a heterogeneous computing resource cloud environment with the goal of dispatching the workload to the most effective clouds available at runtime.
Analysing different methodologies that have been applied to resolve various problem scenarios related to interoperability lead us to exploit Model Driven Architecture (MDA) and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) methods as appropriate approaches for our inter-cloud framework. Moreover, since distributing the operations in a cloud-based environment is a nondeterministic polynomial time (NP-complete) problem, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) based job scheduler proposed as a part of interoperability framework, offering workload migration with the best performance at the least cost. A new Agent Based Simulation (ABS) approach is proposed to model the inter-cloud environment with three types of agents: Cloud Subscriber agent, Cloud Provider agent, and Job agent. The ABS model is proposed to evaluate the proposed framework.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - (Referencia da bolsa: SFRH SFRH / BD / 33965 / 2009) and EC 7th Framework Programme under grant agreement n° FITMAN 604674 (http://www.fitman-fi.eu
Digital strategy implementation in process manufacturing firms: the Sirmax case.
The elaboration aims to investigate how to effectively implement a digital strategy in process manufacturing firms. After having analyzed literature and benchmark cases, the focus is on the digital strategy implementation proposal for Sirmax, a process manufacturing firm.ope
Proceedings of the 2nd Conference on Production Systems and Logistics (CPSL 2021)
Proceedings of the CPSL 202
National freight transport planning: towards a Strategic Planning Extranet Decision Support System (SPEDSS)
This thesis provides a `proof-of-concept' prototype and a design architecture for a
Object Oriented (00) database towards the development of a Decision Support
System (DSS) for the national freight transport planning problem. Both governments
and industry require a Strategic Planning Extranet Decision Support System
(SPEDSS) for their effective management of the national Freight Transport Networks
(FTN).
This thesis addresses the three key problems for the development of a SPEDSS to
facilitate national strategic freight planning: 1) scope and scale of data available and
required; 2) scope and scale of existing models; and 3) construction of the software.
The research approach taken embodies systems thinking and includes the use of:
Object Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA/D) for problem encapsulation and
database design; artificial neural network (and proposed rule extraction) for
knowledge acquisition of the United States FTN data set; and an iterative Object
Oriented (00) software design for the development of a `proof-of-concept'
prototype. The research findings demonstrate that an 00 approach along with the use
of 00 methodologies and technologies coupled with artificial neural networks
(ANNs) offers a robust and flexible methodology for the analysis of the FTN problem
domain and the design architecture of an Extranet based SPEDSS.
The objectives of this research were to: 1) identify and analyse current problems and
proposed solutions facing industry and governments in strategic transportation
planning; 2) determine the functional requirements of an FTN SPEDSS; 3) perform a
feasibility analysis for building a FTN SPEDSS `proof-of-concept' prototype and
(00) database design; 4) develop a methodology for a national `internet-enabled'
SPEDSS model and database; 5) construct a `proof-of-concept' prototype for a
SPEDSS encapsulating identified user requirements; 6) develop a methodology to
resolve the issue of the scale of data and data knowledge acquisition which would act
as the `intelligence' within a SPDSS; 7) implement the data methodology using
Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) towards the validation of it; and 8) make recommendations for national freight transportation strategic planning and further
research required to fulfil the needs of governments and industry.
This thesis includes: an 00 database design for encapsulation of the FTN; an
`internet-enabled' Dynamic Modelling Methodology (DMM) for the virtual
modelling of the FTNs; a Unified Modelling Language (UML) `proof-of-concept'
prototype; and conclusions and recommendations for further collaborative research
are identified
Products and Services
Today’s global economy offers more opportunities, but is also more complex and competitive than ever before. This fact leads to a wide range of research activity in different fields of interest, especially in the so-called high-tech sectors. This book is a result of widespread research and development activity from many researchers worldwide, covering the aspects of development activities in general, as well as various aspects of the practical application of knowledge
Digital Twins in Industry
Digital Twins in Industry is a compilation of works by authors with specific emphasis on industrial applications. Much of the research on digital twins has been conducted by the academia in both theoretical considerations and laboratory-based prototypes. Industry, while taking the lead on larger scale implementations of Digital Twins (DT) using sophisticated software, is concentrating on dedicated solutions that are not within the reach of the average-sized industries. This book covers 11 chapters of various implementations of DT. It provides an insight for companies who are contemplating the adaption of the DT technology, as well as researchers and senior students in exploring the potential of DT and its associated technologies
A Framework for Industry 4.0
The potential of the Industry 4.0 will allow the national industry to develop all kinds of
procedures, especially in terms of competitive differentiation. The prospects and motivations
behind Industry 4.0 are related to the management that is essentially geared towards industrial
internet, to the integrated analysis and use of data, to the digitalization of products and services,
to new disruptive business models and to the cooperation within the value chain. It is through
the integration of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), into the maintenance process that it is
possible to carry out a continuous monitoring of industrial machines, as well as to apply
advanced techniques for predictive and proactive maintenance.
The present work is based on the MANTIS project, aiming to construct a specific
platform for the proactive maintenance of industrial machines, targeting particularly the case
of GreenBender ADIRA Steel Sheet. In other words, the aim is to reduce maintenance costs,
increase the efficiency of the process and consequently the profit. Essentially, the MANTIS
project is a multinational research project, where the CISTER Research Unit plays a key role,
particularly in providing the communications infrastructure for one MANTIS Pilot.
The methodology is based on a follow-up study, which is jointly carried with the client,
as well as within the scope of the implementation of the ADIRA Pilot. The macro phases that
are followed in the present work are: 1) detailed analysis of the business needs; 2) preparation
of the architecture specification; 3) implementation/development; 4) tests and validation; 5)
support; 6) stabilization; 7) corrective and evolutionary maintenance; and 8) final project
analysis and corrective measures to be applied in future projects.
The expected results of the development of such project are related to the integration of
the industrial maintenance process, to the continuous monitoring of the machines and to the
application of advanced techniques of preventive and proactive maintenance of industrial
machines, particularly based on techniques and good practices of the Software Engineering area
and on the integration of Cyber-Physical Systems.O potencial desenvolvido pela Indústria 4.0 dotará a indústria nacional de capacidades
para desenvolver todo o tipo de procedimentos, especialmente a nÃvel da diferenciação
competitiva. As perspetivas e as motivações por detrás da Indústria 4.0 estão relacionadas com
uma gestão essencialmente direcionada para a internet industrial, com uma análise integrada e
utilização de dados, com a digitalização de produtos e de serviços, com novos modelos
disruptivos de negócio e com uma cooperação horizontal no âmbito da cadeia de valor. É
através da integração dos sistemas ciber-fÃsicos no processo de manutenção que é possÃvel
proceder a um monitoramento contÃnuo das máquinas, tal como à aplicação de técnicas
avançadas para a manutenção preditiva e pró-ativa das mesmas.
O presente trabalho é baseado no projeto MANTIS, objetivando, portanto, a construção
de uma plataforma especÃfica para a manutenção pró-ativa das máquinas industriais, neste caso
em concreto das prensas, que serão as máquinas industriais analisadas ao longo do presente
trabalho. Dito de um outro modo, objetiva-se, através de uma plataforma em especÃfico, reduzir
todos os custos da sua manutenção, aumentando, portanto, os lucros industriais advindos da
produção. Resumidamente, o projeto MANTIS consiste num projeto de investigação
multinacional, onde a Unidade de Investigação CISTER desenvolve um papel fundamental,
particularmente no fornecimento da infraestrutura de comunicação no Piloto MANTIS.
A metodologia adotada é baseada num estudo de acompanhamento, realizado em
conjunto com o cliente, e no âmbito da implementação do Piloto da ADIRA. As macro fases
que são compreendidas por esta metodologia, e as quais serão seguidas, são: 1) análise
detalhada das necessidades de negócio; 2) preparação da especificação da arquitetura; 3)
implementação/desenvolvimento; 4) testes e validação; 5) suporte; 6) estabilização; 7)
manutenção corretiva e evolutiva; e 8) análise final do projeto e medidas corretivas a aplicar
em projetos futuros.
Os resultados esperados com o desenvolvimento do projeto estão relacionados com a
integração do processo de manutenção industrial, a monitorização contÃnua das máquinas e a
aplicação de técnicas avançadas de manutenção preventiva e pós-ativa das máquinas,
especialmente com base em técnicas e boas práticas da área de Engenharia de Software
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