Developing systems thinking in a Project-Based Learning environment

As science and engineering projects are becoming increasingly more complex, sophisticated, comprehensive and multidisciplinary, there is a growing need for systems thinking skills to ensure successful project management. Systems thinking plays a major role in the initiation, effective management, and in facilitating inter-organizational tasks. This research assesses the capacity for engineering systems thinking and its contribution in carrying out a multidisciplinary project. The research also reviews the cognitive process through which systems thinking skill is acquired. The study focused on a group of students who have completed their senior design projects in high-tech industry, while their plans were being integrated into existing larger projects in the respective industrial sites. The systems thinking skill of the students was examined according to a questionnaire for assessing the Capacity for Engineering Systems Thinking (CEST). Statistical analysis shows significant differences in the students capacity for systems thinking at the beginning and end of the work (p<0.001). This research demonstrates that systems thinking skills can be improved through awareness and involvement in multidisciplinary projects

The T-shape dilemma in the industrial engineering and management

Purpose: This paper concerns the undergraduate “Industrial Engineering and Management” curriculum. The purpose of the research was to examine the extent to which there is in-depth coverage of teaching/learning in the combined field of industrial engineering and management, as opposed to breadth in multidisciplinary teaching/learning in this field (the T-shaped dilemma). In line with this aim, the following research question was derived: With respect to the breadth of multidisciplinary teaching and the depth of teaching in industrial engineering and management, what is the desired situation as opposed to the actual situation? Design/methodology/approach: To examine the T-shaped dilemma, 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with senior-level managers in industry, and with leading academics in the fields of industrial engineering and management. The interviewees were asked questions regarding the planning and design of the curriculum in these fields. The analysis of the interviews was carried out by ascribing categories to the data, and presenting the categories with the highest frequencies in all of the interviews. Findings and originality/value: One of the most significant results was the considerable variability between the answers of senior-level managers in industry and those of the academics. Whereas individuals in the business field (senior-level managers) place great importance on focusing on the management/business aspect and the acquisition of multidisciplinary knowledge, academics emphasize the importance of understanding the theories and rationale behind the material studied, studying the basic principles and thus acquiring a strong theoretical foundation, the implementation of which is then expressed in diverse applications. Research limitations/implications: Owing to time constraints, the research only included 16 in-depth interviews. In order to increase the external validity of this research, more interviews should be executed. Originality/value: The framework of this research is unique in terms of the topic and analytic processes.Peer Reviewe

Parameterization of the Satellite-Based Model (METRIC) for the Estimation of Instantaneous Surface Energy Balance Components over a Drip-Irrigated Vineyard

A study was carried out to parameterize the METRIC (Mapping EvapoTranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration) model for estimating instantaneous values of albedo (shortwave albedo) (αi), net radiation (Rni) and soil heat flux (Gi), sensible (Hi) and latent heat (LEi) over a drip-irrigated Merlot vineyard (location: 35°25′ LS; 71°32′ LW; 125 m.a.s. (l). The experiment was carried out in a plot of 4.25 ha, processing 15 Landsat images, which were acquired from 2006 to 2009. An automatic weather station was placed inside the experimental plot to measure αi, Rni and Gi. In the same tower an Eddy Covariance (EC) system was mounted to measure Hi and LEi. Specific sub-models to estimate Gi, leaf area index (LAI) and aerodynamic roughness length for momentum transfer (zom) were calibrated for the Merlot vineyard as an improvement to the original METRIC model. Results indicated that LAI, zom and Gi were estimated using the calibrated functions with errors of 4%, 2% and 17%, while those were computed using the original functions with errors of 58%, 81%, and 5%, respectively. At the time of satellite overpass, comparisons between measured and estimated values indicated that METRIC overestimated αi in 21% and Rni in 11%. Also, METRIC using the calibrated functions overestimated Hi and LEi with errors of 16% and 17%, respectively while it using the original functions overestimated Hi and LEi with errors of 13% and 15%, respectively. Finally, LEi was estimated with root mean square error (RMSE) between 43 and 60 W·m−2 and mean absolute error (MAE) between 35 and 48 W·m−2 for both calibrated and original functions, respectively. These results suggested that biases observed for instantaneous pixel-by-pixel values of Rni, Gi and other intermediate components of the algorithm were presumably absorbed into the computation of sensible heat flux as a result of the internal self-calibration of METRIC

Simulasi dan Analisis Trajektori Mobile Cable Driven Parallel Robot

Mobile Cable Driven Parallel Robot (MCDPR) memiliki kemampuan memanipulasi geometri struktural untuk menggerakkan end effector. Kemampuan ini dapat dimanfaatkan untuk memudahkan proses search and rescue pada lingkungan pasca bencana. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mensimulasikan mobile base beroperasi dalam skenario trajektori yang bervasiasi. Parameter norm tegangan dan percepatan kabel dalam masing-masing skenario di analisis dan dibandingkan satu sama lain sehingga diperoleh skenario terbaik. Skenario meliputi pengangkutan beban 1 kg pada trajektori yang telah dirancang. Trajektori berdurasi satu menit dan terdiri dari enam segmen dimana segmen pertama dan terakhir memiliki pose yang sudah ditentukan. Ketinggian dari end effector dijaga pada 0.2 m dan ketinggian dari crane dijaga pada 0.83 m. Pengujian kemampuan MCDPR dalam menjalankan objektif dilakukan dengan memvariasikan segmen kedua trajektori menjadi tiga yaitu rotasi mobile base 2 dan 3 sebesar ±90°, ±135°, dan ±180°. Kondisi kinematis dan dinamis MCDPR disimulasikan menggunakan software MATLAB. Parameter yang dianalisis adalah tegangan dan percepatan dari kabel MCDPR. Metode Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) digunakan untuk menilai parameter norm tegangan dan percepatan kabel masing-masing trajektori yang disimulasikan sehingga diperoleh trajektori terbaik. Berdasarkan data simulasi diperoleh respon tegangan dan percepatan kabel maksimum pada skenario 1 adalah 8.4648 N dan 0.0304 m/s^2 untuk kabel 1 dan 7.8836 N dan 0.0113 m/s^2 untuk kabel 2 dan 3. Respon tegangan dan percepatan kabel maksimum pada skenario 2 adalah 8.4678 N dan 0.0304 m/s^2 untuk kabel 1 dan 7.8836 N dan 0.0157 m/s^2 untuk kabel 2 dan 3. Respon tegangan dan percepatan kabel maksimum pada skenario 3 adalah 9.8014 N dan 0.0304 m/s^2 untuk kabel 1 dan 8.1031 N dan 0.0267 m/s^2 untuk kabel 2 dan 3. Hasil perhitungan fungsi SAW untuk skenario 1, 2, dan 3 secara berurutan adalah 2.1048, 2.1069, dan 2.1628. Skenario 1 adalah skenario terbaik berdasarkan parameter norm tegangan dan percepatan kabel yang paling minimum ================================================================================================================================= The Mobile Cable Driven Parallel Robot (MCDPR) can manipulate structural geometry to drive the end effector. This capability can be utilized to facilitate search and rescue processes in post-disaster environments. This research was conducted to simulate the mobile base operating in various trajectory scenarios. Parameters of the norm cable tension and cable acceleration in each scenario are analyzed and compared with each other to obtain the optimal scenario. Scenarios include transporting a load of 1 kg on a trajectory that has been designed. The trajectory is one minute long and consists of six segments where the first and last segments have defined poses. In addition, the height of the end effector is maintained at a height of 0.2 m and the height of the crane is maintained at a height of 0.83 m. To test the ability of the MCDPR to carry out the objective, the second trajectory segment was varied into three, namely, the rotation of mobile bases 2 and 3 of ±90°, ±135°, and ±180°. The kinematic and dynamic conditions of MCDPR are simulated using MATLAB software. The parameters analyzed are the tension and acceleration of the MCDPR cable. To determine the best trajectory, the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method was used to assess the norm cable acceleration and tension parameters for each simulated trajectory. After simulation, the maximum cable acceleration and tension response in scenario 1 is 8.4648 N and 0.0304 m/s^2 for cable 1 and 7.8836 N and 0.0113 m/s^2 for cable 2 and 3. Maximum cable acceleration and tension response in scenario 2 is 8.4678 N and 0.0304 m/s^2 for cable 1 and 7.8836 N and 0.0157 m/s^2 for cable 2 and 3. The maximum cable acceleration and tension response in scenario 3 is 9.8014 N and 0.0304 m/ s^2 for cable 1 and 8.1031 N and 0.0267 m/s^2 for cable 2 and 3. After calculating the SAW function for scenarios 1, 2, and 3 respectively are 2.1048, 2.1069, and 2.1628. Scenario 1 is the best scenario based on the parameters of minimum norm cable tension and cable acceleratio

Mathematical modelling of atmospheric pollution Application of some Eulerian-Langrangian trajectographic models to the prediction of atmospheric pollution. Thesis &quot;en co-tutelle&quot;submitte for the degree Doctor of Philosophy

Available from STL Prague, CZ / NTK - National Technical LibrarySIGLECZCzech Republi

Risk Management for Defense SoS in a Complex, Dynamic Environment

Identifying and assessing risk is one of the most important processes in managing complex systems and requires careful consideration. The need for an effective, efficient approach to risk management is considerably more important for defense industries, because they are exposed to risk in the early stages of development. This paper uses heterogeneity and homogeneity analysis between risk factors with Cochran’s Q test and multidimensional scaling in order to present the complexity of the risk factors relevant to defense systems of systems (SoSs), and it proposes a methodology for identifying, analyzing, and monitoring the risks that they face. Findings from an in-depth analysis of 46 classified defense SoSs shows a need to focus on three main risks faced by defense projects: insufficient human resources, changes in the original specifications, and lack of other (nonhuman) resources. The paper also presents some recommendations for minimizing risk factors in defense SoSs

Examining Criteria for Choosing Subcontractors for Complex and Multi-Systems Projects

Numerous companies from diverse industries use subcontracting in their operations. In complex projects, subcontractor selection is a crucial managerial decision that significantly impacts project success. The current mixed-methodology study examines that criteria that high-tech defense and civilian companies use to choose optimal subcontractors. The qualitative aspect derives from semi-structured interviews; the quantitative findings were obtained using three statistical methods: Friedman&rsquo;s two-way analysis of variance by ranks, hierarchical cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling (PROXSCAL). Data analysis yielded twelve leading criteria for subcontractor selection, categorized into four clusters of varying strength. The three highest-rated criteria were significantly stronger than the others and included system reliability and quality, level of service, and flexibility to change. The lowest rated criteria were leadership and innovation, and number of systems supplied in the past. The findings provide practical insights applicable to subcontractor selection and expand our knowledge of complex project management