PAQ – Programa de avaliação da qualidade de produtos e serviços de informação: uma experiência no SIBi/USP

Descreve a experiência de implantação do Programa de Avaliação da Qualidade dos Produtos e Serviços (PAQ) do Sistema Integrado de Biblioteca da Universidade de São Paulo (SIBi/USP) e apresenta parte dos resultados obtidos na pesquisa. Baseados no modelo SERVQUAL, foram elaborados cinco diferentes questionários, enfocando as dimensões receptividade, empatia, confiabilidade, garantia e tangibilidade, utilizando-se escalas para a indicação do grau de importância e de satisfação do usuário para os itens apontados. A entrevista foi aplicada a um número acidental de usuários, durante uma semana. A análise dos questionários e das entrevistas apontou doze indicadores comuns nos dois métodos de abordagem. São apresentadas as principais recomendações para o aperfeiçoamento da metodologia empregada no estudo, bem como os indicadores que poderão ser incluídos nas próximas etapas do programa

Quality management in product design and development: a contribution to effectiveness evaluation.

Este trabalho aborda a avaliação do processo de projeto e desenvolvimento do produto do ponto de vista do projetista de nível superior. Ao fazê-lo, o autor espera estar pavimentando um caminho, que eventualmente, conduza a um método mais amigável de avaliar a qualidade do processo de projeto do produto e que possa vir a ser realmente considerado útil por divisões e/ou organizações de projeto. As razões para a seleção desta abordagem são explicadas. Ressalta-se também, que o trabalho envolve duas fases: a pesquisa preliminar e a pesquisa propriamente dita. Apresenta-se em seguida uma discussão que conduz à seleção de uma metodologia que combina a utilização da abordagem SERVQUAL e do método do incidente crítico (CIT) na primeira fase. Introduz-se o conceito central de fator de eficácia, bem como se estabelece suas relações com os itens de satisfação e as dimensões SERVQUAL. Com base nos resultados da fase preliminar, elabora-se um questionário de pesquisa abrangente, que é submetido a um grupo de projetistas de nível superior do setor automotivo, compreendendo as operações brasileiras de duas grandes montadoras internacionais, de dois fornecedores diretos (Tier 1) das montadoras e de uma grande montadora internacional de caminhões e ônibus. Os dados obtidos através das respostas ao questionário são compilados, apresentados e discutidos dentro de cada ambiente organizacional. Faz-se então uma análise conjunta, a fim de identificar aquelas ações gerenciais consideradas pelo setor automotivo como sendo mais importantes, tanto para garantir, quanto para avaliar a eficácia do processo de projeto e desenvolvimento do produto. Classifica-se essas ações em ações gerenciais de garantia e de avaliação de acordo com critérios fornecidos pelas normas ISO da qualidade. Finalmente, com base nas ações gerenciais de avaliação, define-se indicadores e se propõe um índice de eficácia único e flexível, que pode ser calculado utilizando-se, tanto dados organizacionais, quanto setoriais para fins de avaliação e benchmark.This work approaches the subject of product design process evaluation from the designer?s point of view. In so doing, the author hopes to be paving the way that may eventually lead to a more ?friendly? method of evaluating the quality of the product design process and which may actually be found useful by design divisions and/or organizations. The reasons for selecting such an approach are explained. It is also pointed out that the work involves two phases: Preliminary research and research proper. Then, a discussion is made leading to the selection of a methodology combining SERVQUAL and the critical incident technique (CIT) for the first phase. The central concept of effectiveness factor is introduced and its relationship with satisfaction items and SERVQUAL dimensions is established. Based on the results of the preliminary phase a comprehensive questionnaire is drawn up, and submitted to a selected group of designers in the automotive industry, comprising Brazilian plants of two major car manufacturers, two tier 1 suppliers and one major truck (lorry) and bus manufacturer. Data provided by the answers to said questionnaire are compiled, presented and discussed within each organizational environment. A joint analysis is then carried out in order to identify those management actions that are considered by the automotive industry as being more important for both assuring and evaluating the effectiveness of the product design and development process. Assurance and evaluation management actions are classified according to criteria supplied by the ISO quality management standards. Finally, based on the evaluation management actions indicators are defined and a single and flexible effectiveness index is proposed, which can be calculated using both company and industry data for evaluation and benchmark purposes

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Este trabalho procura apresentar, de forma concatenada e abrangente, os princípios fundamentais que devem nortear o emprego dos sistemas isolantes em inúmeras aplicações em estaleiros, a bordo de navios, de estruturas oceânicas e nas mais diversas atividades ligadas ao mar. Inicialmente, após uma introdução para apresentar o assunto a ser tratado, aborda-se de forma sucinta os fundamentos da transmissão de calor, com o objetivo de colocar o assunto em sua perspectiva científica correta. Em seguida, apresenta-se as finalidades e aplicações da isolação térmica e se ressalta a importância dessa área técnica, não apenas nas aplicações marítimas, mas para toda a atividade industrial e comercial do País. Segue-se uma abordagem das características e propriedades dos materiais que compõem um sistema isolante: materiais isolantes propriamente ditos, materiais de revestimento e vedação e materiais de fixação. Em seguida, trata-se dos aspectos relativos ao projeto dos sistemas isolantes, incluindo exemplo ilustrativo de um procedimento que pode ser adotado para projetar sistemas com qualquer grau de complexidade. Finalmente, apresenta-se algumas ideias para pesquisas futuras.This work is an attempt to present in a coherent and comprehensive way the fundamental principles which should guide the use of termal insulation systems in shipyards, on board ships and offshore structures, and in all sorts of sea-related activities. Following an introduction some brief considerations on the fundamentals of heat transfer are made in order top lace the subject within its correct scientific perspective. Then the main functions of termal insulation systems are enumerated and the importance of this technical area, not Only to the maritime field but also to the whole of industrial and comercial activities in this country is emphasized. There follows a discussion of the characteristics and properties of those materials which make up termal insulation systems: insulating materials proper, covering and sealing materials, and accessories. The main aspects relating to the design of termal insulation systems are them introduced, and an example is given which illustrates one type of procedure for the design of termal insulation systems with any degree of complexity. Finally some ideas for future research are put forward

Maintenance Strategy Optimization of a Coal-Fired Power Plant Cooling Tower through Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets

Determining the ideal size of maintenance staff is a daunting task, especially in the operation of large and complex mechanical systems such as thermal power plants. On the one hand, a significant investment in maintenance is necessary to maintain the availability of the system. On the other hand, it can significantly affect the profit of the plant. Several mathematical modeling techniques have been used in many different ways to predict and improve the availability and reliability of such systems. This work uses a modeling tool called generalized stochastic Petri net (GSPN) in a new way, aiming to determine the effect that the number of maintenance teams has on the availability and performance of a coal-fired power plant cooling tower. The results obtained through the model are confronted with a thermodynamic analysis of the cooling tower that shows the influence of this system’s performance on the efficiency of the power plant. Thus, it is possible to determine the optimal size of the repair team in order to maximize the plant’s performance with the least possible investment in maintenance personnel

Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets for Planning and Optimizing Maintenance Logistics of Small Hydroelectric Power Plants

Maintenance plays a crucial role in the availability of an asset. In particular, when a company’s assets are decentralized, logistical aspects directly impact maintenance management and, consequently, productivity. In the energy generation sector, this scenario is common in enterprises and projects in which distributed energy resources (DERs), such as small hydroelectric power plants (SHPPs), are considered. Hence, the objective of this work is to propose an application of generalized stochastic Petri nets (GSPN) for the planning and optimization of the maintenance logistics of a DER enterprise with two SHPPs. In the presented case study, different scenarios are modeled considering logistical aspects related to the availability of spare parts and the sharing of maintenance teams between plants. From the financial return resulting from the estimated energy generation and the operating cost of each simulated scenario, the most profitable one can be estimated. The results demonstrate the ability of GSPNs to estimate the influence of the number of spare parts and maintenance teams on the availability of DERs, allowing the optimization of costs related to maintenance logistics

Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets for Planning and Optimizing Maintenance Logistics of Small Hydroelectric Power Plants

Maintenance plays a crucial role in the availability of an asset. In particular, when a company’s assets are decentralized, logistical aspects directly impact maintenance management and, consequently, productivity. In the energy generation sector, this scenario is common in enterprises and projects in which distributed energy resources (DERs), such as small hydroelectric power plants (SHPPs), are considered. Hence, the objective of this work is to propose an application of generalized stochastic Petri nets (GSPN) for the planning and optimization of the maintenance logistics of a DER enterprise with two SHPPs. In the presented case study, different scenarios are modeled considering logistical aspects related to the availability of spare parts and the sharing of maintenance teams between plants. From the financial return resulting from the estimated energy generation and the operating cost of each simulated scenario, the most profitable one can be estimated. The results demonstrate the ability of GSPNs to estimate the influence of the number of spare parts and maintenance teams on the availability of DERs, allowing the optimization of costs related to maintenance logistics

A Novel Approach to Defining Maintenance Significant Items: A Hydro Generator Case Study

The operation and maintenance of industrial plants constitute a major concern among managers, scientists, and engineers. To allow the prioritization of maintenance actions for improved continuous equipment operation, this paper presents a novel method focused on identifying the most critical components of a plant’s systems. In a complex engineering approach, this method uses tools and techniques borrowed from several fields of knowledge, including an innovative technique devised by the authors, as well as a multi-criteria decision method in the criticality determination process. To illustrate the method, a case study is presented considering a 150 MW Kaplan hydro generator from a hydroelectric power plant located in the north of Brazil. An uncertainty analysis is presented, considering variations in the scores of each criterion, to verify the robustness of the proposed method. The results show that the method responds in a solid and structured way, allowing decision making from qualitative and quantitative data and eliciting the opinion of experts on the factors that can affect the degradation of the performance of a system. In addition, the method’s robustness is confirmed since the uncertainty propagation related to the criteria scores is small for the items classified as most significant from its application

PAQ - Programa de avaliação da qualidade de produtos e serviços de informação: uma experiência no SIBi/USP Quality evaluation program for information services and products: an experiment at the SIBi/USP

Descreve a experiência de implantação do Programa de Avaliação da Qualidade dos Produtos e Serviços (PAQ) do Sistema Integrado de Biblioteca da Universidade de São Paulo (SIBi/USP) e apresenta parte dos resultados obtidos na pesquisa. Baseados no modelo SERVQUAL, foram elaborados cinco diferentes questionários, enfocando as dimensões receptividade, empatia, confiabilidade, garantia e tangibilidade, utilizando-se escalas para a indicação do grau de importância e de satisfação do usuário para os itens apontados. A entrevista foi aplicada a um número acidental de usuários, durante uma semana. A análise dos questionários e das entrevistas apontou doze indicadores comuns nos dois métodos de abordagem. São apresentadas as principais recomendações para o aperfeiçoamento da metodologia empregada no estudo, bem como os indicadores que poderão ser incluídos nas próximas etapas do programa.This paper describes the initiative taken by the Integrated System of Libraries of the University of São Paulo (SIBi/USP) in order to put into action the Quality of Products and Services Evaluation Program (PAQ). Partial results so far obtained are presented. Based on the well known SERVQUAL model, five different questionnaires were drawn up focusing respectively on the following dimensions: responsiveness, empathy, reliability, assurance and tangibles, and scales were used to measure both the degree of importance and of users´ satisfaction for said dimensions. Interviews were applied to an accidental number of users during one week. The analysis of questionnaires and interviews pointed to twelve common indicators in both methods of approaching users. Recommendations are presented for improving the methodology that was employed in the study, as well as indicators that may be used in the coming phases of the program