A digital shadow cloud-based application to enhance quality control in manufacturing

In Industry 4.0 era, rapid changes to the global landscape of manufacturing are transforming industrial plants in increasingly more complex digital systems. One of the most impactful innovations generated in this context is the "Digital Twin", a digital copy of a physical asset, which is used to perform simulations, health predictions and life cycle management through the use of a synchronized data flow in the manufacturing plant. In this paper, an innovative approach is proposed in order to contribute to the current collection of applications of Digital Twin in manufacturing: a Digital Shadow cloud-based application to enhance quality control in the manufacturing process. In particular, the proposal comprises a Digital Shadow updated on high performance computing cloud infrastructure in order to recompute the performance prediction adopting a variation of the computer-aided engineering model shaped like the actual manufactured part. Thus, this methodology could make possible the qualification of even not compliant parts, and so shift the focus from the compliance to tolerance requirements to the compliance to usage requirements. The process is demonstrated adopting two examples: the structural assessment of the geometry of a shaft and the one of a simplified turbine blade. Moreover, the paper presents a discussion about the implications of the use of such a technology in the manufacturing context in terms of real-time implementation in a manufacturing line and lifecycle management. Copyright (C) 2020 The Authors

Assessing Radon-in-air from streamflow, comparing two study cases: Labso-Laura and Capodifiume springs (Campania region, southern Italy)

This paper deals with a particular kind of radon-in-air Springs: the degassing from spring and related channels in a rural and urban landscape. The two study areas are located, the first, at the Cilento Geopark Geosite of Capodifiume spring group and, the second, in the Montoro alluvial plain (southern Italy). Based on previous hydro-geological studies, field measurements campaigns have been carried out during the 2013 spring-autumn time on monitoring stations located along springs and downstream irrigation channels. Laboratory analysis and environmental calculations have yet provided insight on space-time radon distribution in spring and stream flow, confirming radon as effective tracer in hydro-geomorphological analysis. Beside this, field experiments on radon-in-air concentration and diffusion by radon degassing from the surface flowing water have been performed in order to define influenced areas by radon diffusion. Results give effective insights in radon risk assessment for urban planning and radon mitigation actions

Dinuclear [OSSO]-Fe complexes for the reaction of CO2 with epoxides

A dinuclear iron-based catalytic system, bearing a new alkyl-bridged bis-[OSSO]-type ligand, for the coupling of CO2 with epoxides is reported. A turnover frequency up to 1680 h(-1) was recorded for propylene carbonate formation. A bimetallic cooperative reaction mechanism is proposed on the basis of kinetic analyses. These results give insights into the development of more efficient catalysts

CAEUp - Update of CAE models on actual manufactured shapes

Engineering fields with high technological contents involve manufacturing requirements in which the control of the margins of tolerance, as well as the verification of the manufactured components, has economic impacts in the relationships with customers. The verification of the actual geometry after manufacturing then acquires paramount importance, and it can be substantially improved by adopting the digital twin approach: the CAE model of the system is adapted onto the actual manufactured shape making the numerical prediction individual manufactured component specific. CAEUp aims at implementing a cloud-based software tool whose core is the comparison of the structural performances between the CAE model relative to the nominal design of a certain product and the digital twin of the real product as built. The digital twin is updated on High Performance Computing (HPC) cloud infrastructure and the performance prediction recomputed adopting a variation of the CAE model shaped like the actual manufactured part. The process is demonstrated adopting a specific example: the structural assessment of a simplified turbine blade geometry. The baseline geometry, available as a CAD model, is adopted to define the reference FEA model for the ANSYS® MechanicalTM solver so that key performance indexes can be computed (stress level and stiffness). The actual manufactured shape is surveyed and available as a tesselated surface (the standard STL format is herein adopted). The projection and adaption using mesh morphing allows to morph the baseline FEA model onto the actual manufactured shape; finally the updated FEA model is run again to extract performance indexes and decide whether the component fulfills the design specifications

Assessing Radon in the karst spring waters: the case-study of the Capodifiume spring mixed waters, National Park of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni-European Geopark (Southern Italy)

Based on the results of previous geological, hydrogeological and geomorphological surveys, hydrochemical and isotopic tracer techniques have been applied for investigating the origin of significantly elevated Radon (222Rn) activity concentrations detected at the highly NaCl / CaCO3 mineralized Capodifiume karst spring group, located near the archaeological site of Poseidon-Paestum, Southern Italy. Compared to other karst springs in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano Geopark both Radon concentration and salinity show remarkably high values as well as a good correlation. Latest Trends in Energy, Environment and Development ISBN: 978-960-474-375-9 50 Radon concentrations range between 367±20 and 111±8 Bq/l with an average of 230 Bq/l. The high Radon levels of the spring water can neither be explained by the composition of the karst aquifer rocks or the attached travertine deposits (limestone and dolomite), which both show low Radium (226Ra) concentrations, nor by the dissolved Radium content of the spring water. In order to explain the contemporary high levels both of Radon and salinity, several measurement campaigns were carried out and collected data were analyzed, considering the Radon and Electrical Conductivity and Temperature, as useful parameters to differentiate between groundwater of different origin. Results suggest the presence of two different groundwater fluxes at Capodifiume springs originating from different karst aquifer. In fact the similar behavior of the three parameters in the area can be explained by the mixing of different kinds of groundwater. Considering the correlation and the similar behavior of Radon activity concentration, electrical conductivity and temperature, two different groundwater fluxes have been individuated. A different hydro-geological origin and pathway could be assumed to explain their characteristics. This is a first step of a future investigation that will focus on a quantitative analysis and assessment of the groundwater mixing at Capodifiume springs

Sample Size for oxidative stress and inflammation when treating multiple sclerosis with interferon-β1a and coenzyme Q10

Studying multiple sclerosis (MS) and its treatments requires the use of biomarkers for underlying pathological mechanisms. We aim to estimate the required sample size for detecting variations of biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. This is a post-hoc analysis on 60 relapsing-remitting MS patients treated with Interferon-β1a and Coenzyme Q10 for 3 months in an open-label crossover design over 6 months. At baseline and at the 3 and 6-month visits, we measured markers of scavenging activity, oxidative damage, and inflammation in the peripheral blood (180 measurements). Variations of laboratory measures (treatment effect) were estimated using mixed-effect linear regression models (including age, gender, disease duration, baseline expanded disability status scale (EDSS), and the duration of Interferon-β1a treatment as covariates; creatinine was also included for uric acid analyses), and were used for sample size calculations. Hypothesizing a clinical trial aiming to detect a 70% effect in 3 months (power = 80% alpha-error = 5%), the sample size per treatment arm would be 1 for interleukin (IL)-3 and IL-5, 4 for IL-7 and IL-2R, 6 for IL-13, 14 for IL-6, 22 for IL-8, 23 for IL-4, 25 for activation-normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), 26 for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, 27 for IL-1β, and 29 for uric acid. Peripheral biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation could be used in proof-of-concept studies to quickly screen the mechanisms of action of MS treatments

18F-FDG PET AND PET/CT IN THE LOCALIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH OVARIAN CANCER

Aim: The aim was to compare the imaging findings of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET and integrated PET/CT in patients with primary, recurrent or metastatic ovarian cancer. Materials and methods. 21 women with ovarian cancer were evaluated. All patients had a integrated PET/CT scan. Localization, infiltration and uptake intensity of [18F]FDG were evaluated on PET and PET/CT. The certainty of localisation and characterisation was scored on a 3 point scale (L1 definite localisation; L2 probable localisation; L3 uncertain localisation; C1 benign; C2 equivocal; C3 malignant). Results. PET scored as L1 54 lesions (44%), as L2 51 (42%), and as L3 17 (14%). On the other hand, PET/CT scored as L1 120 lesions (98%), as L2 2 (2%), and none as L3. Thus PET/CT allowed a better localization in 54% of lesions. Moreover, PET scored as C1 25 lesions (20%), as C2 62 (51%), and as C3 35 (29%) . On the other hand, PET/CT scored as C1 57 lesions (47%), as C2 13 (11%), and as C3 52 (42%). Thus PET/CT allowed a sensible reduction in the number of equivocal lesions (40%). Even when patients were subgrouped on the basis of clinical stage of the disease, PET/CT was capable of better definition of the lesions either for localization and for characterization. Conclusions. In patients with ovarian cancer, PET/CT allows better anatomical localisation of pathologic uptake providing high accuracy for staging and restaging of ovarian cancer when compared with PET alone