Failure analysis method for enhancing circularity through systems perspective

Recently, a circular economy has attracted global attention as an approach for addressing material security and resource-efficiency issues. As our societies shift toward a circular economy, manufacturers need to not only produce environmentally conscious products but to also realize reliable systems that will ensure the closure of the loops of the products, components, and materials. To do so, early-stage design is crucial to effectively and efficiently detect possible failures and then take adequate countermeasures against them. Although a few methods of failure analysis have been proposed to address environmental issues, these methods have failed to consider the cause–effect relationships among failures. This will hinder manufacturers from identifying core problems that should be addressed in a given system. Therefore, this study extends failure mode and effect analysis, which is an engineering technique used to address potential failures, by addressing the entire system reliability in relation to circularity. As a result of a case study of a manufacturer aiming to increase circularity with their products on the market, we revealed that the proposed method is useful in the early stage of design to (a) identify failure modes where effects are largely given to or received from other failures, (b) develop countermeasures effectively by addressing root causes of failures, and (c) find an opportunity to collaborate with external actors

Maintenance policy selection considering resilience engineering by a new interval-valued fuzzy decision model under uncertain conditions

Different maintenance policies, including preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance, are introduced to enhance the execution of systems. Maintenance professional experts have faced numerous challenges with distinguishing the proper maintenance policy, among which causes of failure, accessibility, and the capability of maintenance should be regarded seriously. Moreover, most organizations do not have a deliberate and compelling model for evaluating maintenance policies under uncertainty to deal with real-world conditions. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new interval-valued fuzzy (IVF) decision model for the selection of maintenance policy based on order inclination with comparability to ideal solutions by Monte Carlo simulation. This paper introduces novel separation measures and a new IVF-distinguish index via possibilistic statistical concepts (PSCs) which can assist maintenance decision makers to rank maintenance policy candidates. Also, resilience engineering (RE) factors are considered along with conventional evaluation criteria. Finally, the steps of the proposed IVF model-based PSCs are applied to survey a real case in manufacturing industry. Results of the presented model are compared with the recent literature and could help maintenance personnel in identifying the best policy systematically

Endoscopic Management of Obstruction due to an Acquired Bronchial Web

Bronchial webs are thin, membrane-like diaphragms that may obstruct the airway. Several congenital cases have been reported. Though rare, the true incidence of these lesions is probably underestimated because many of them are unrecognized. The case of a 71-year-old woman with an acquired bronchial web causing right main stem bronchus obstruction that went unrecognized for 47 years post-trauma is reported. The lesion was successfully treated using rigid bronchoscopy with laser therapy, balloon dilation and stent placement. This is the first reported case of an acquired bronchial web formation. It is also the first reported case that was successfully treated with this technique

Building Integrated Pathways to Independence for Diverse Biomedical Researchers: Project Pathways, the BUILD Program at Xavier University of Louisiana.

Background and purpose: Xavier University of Louisiana is a historically Black and Catholic university that is nationally recognized for its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula. Approximately 73% of Xavier\u27s students are African American, and about 77% major in the biomedical sciences. Xavier is a national leader in the number of STEM majors who go on to receive M.D. degrees and Ph.D. degrees in science and engineering. Despite Xavier\u27s advances in this area, African Americans still earn about 7.5% of the Bachelor\u27s degrees, less than 8% of the Master\u27s degrees, and less than 5% of the doctoral degrees conferred in STEM disciplines in the United States. Additionally, although many well-prepared, highly-motivated students are attracted by Xavier\u27s reputation in the sciences, many of these students, though bright and capable, come from underperforming public school systems and receive substandard preparation in STEM disciplines. The purpose of this article is to describe how Xavier works to overcome unequal education backgrounds and socioeconomic challenges to develop student talent through expanding biomedical training opportunities and build on an established reputation in science education. Program and key highlights: The National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)-funded BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity) Program at Xavier University of Louisiana, Project Pathways, is a highly-innovative program designed to broaden the career interests of students early on, and to engage them in activities that entice them to continue their education towards biomedical research careers. Project strategies involve a transformation of Xavier\u27s academic and non-academic programs through the redesign, supplementation and integration of academic advising, tutoring, career services, personal counseling, undergraduate research training, faculty research mentoring, and development of new biomedical and research skills courses. The Program also focuses on mentor training and providing faculty members with opportunities to improve their teaching skills as well as their research competitiveness. In addition to the wide range of activities supported by BUILD within the institution, Xavier University is partnering with a number of major research universities across the nation to achieve Project Pathways\u27 goals. Implications: The strategies developed by Project Pathways are designed to address the challenges and barriers Xavier students face as they work towards graduate studies and entering the biomedical workforce. Xavier University of Louisiana has a long history of providing high quality, rigorous education to African American students in a very supportive environment with highly dedicated faculty and staff. The program highlighted here could be used by other institutions as a model program for assisting students in STEM and other biomedical fields of study to successfully matriculate through college and graduate school and develop their research careers