1,439 research outputs found
An investigation into minimising total energy consumption and total completion time in a flexible job shop for recycling carbon fiber reinforced polymer
The increased use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) in industry coupled with European Union restrictions on landfill disposal has
resulted in a need to develop relevant recycling technologies. Several methods, such as mechanical grinding, thermolysis and solvolysis, have
been tried to recover the carbon fibers. Optimisation techniques for reducing energy consumed by above processes have also been developed.
However, the energy efficiency of recycling CFRP at the workshop level has never been considered before. An approach to incorporate energy
reduction into consideration while making the scheduling plans for a CFRP recycling workshop is presented in this paper. This research sets in
a flexible job shop circumstance, model for the bi-objective problem that minimise total processing energy consumption and makespan is developed.
A modified Genetic Algorithm for solving the raw material lot splitting problem is developed. A case study of the lot sizing problem
in the flexible job shop for recycling CFRP is presented to show how scheduling plans affect energy consumption, and to prove the feasibility
of the model and the developed algorithm
A methodology for the selection of new technologies in the aviation industry
The purpose of this report is to present a technology selection methodology to
quantify both tangible and intangible benefits of certain technology
alternatives within a fuzzy environment. Specifically, it describes an
application of the theory of fuzzy sets to hierarchical structural analysis and
economic evaluations for utilisation in the industry. The report proposes a
complete methodology to accurately select new technologies. A computer based
prototype model has been developed to handle the more complex fuzzy
calculations. Decision-makers are only required to express their opinions on
comparative importance of various factors in linguistic terms rather than exact
numerical values. These linguistic variable scales, such as ‘very high’, ‘high’,
‘medium’, ‘low’ and ‘very low’, are then converted into fuzzy numbers, since it
becomes more meaningful to quantify a subjective measurement into a range rather
than in an exact value. By aggregating the hierarchy, the preferential weight of
each alternative technology is found, which is called fuzzy appropriate index.
The fuzzy appropriate indices of different technologies are then ranked and
preferential ranking orders of technologies are found. From the economic
evaluation perspective, a fuzzy cash flow analysis is employed. This deals
quantitatively with imprecision or uncertainties, as the cash flows are modelled
as triangular fuzzy numbers which represent ‘the most likely possible value’,
‘the most pessimistic value’ and ‘the most optimistic value’. By using this
methodology, the ambiguities involved in the assessment data can be effectively
represented and processed to assure a more convincing and effective decision-
making process when selecting new technologies in which to invest. The prototype
model was validated with a case study within the aviation industry that ensured
it was properly configured to meet the
Analysis of the “make or buy” decision process in a research and development sme
Start-up SMEs face various challenges and difficulties during their existence and due to their nature they often lack knowledge and resources to fully address these challenges. Unlike large companies which have access to various resources, those resources are a significant gap for SMEs and the business owners have to rely on their own limited knowledge. The “Make or buy” decision is a critical decision in an organisation. This decision can affect current and future costs, capability and competences in the company and by taking best practice approaches and measures towards the decision making, extensive costs can be potentially saved. In this study, literature best practices have been reviewed. In addition a small company has been studied and the current practices of the company have been compared to academic best practices. The result of the study will be used to improve the “Make or buy” decision process in the company
Understanding the role of protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases
Protein aggregates are hallmark of several age related disorders including neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these aggregated proteins impair cellular functions and cause toxicity is not clear. I will discuss efforts from my laboratory to characterize these misfolded and aggregated protein structures and their associated toxicity.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/techtalks/1040/thumbnail.jp
A review of information flow diagrammatic models for product-service systems
A product-service system (PSS) is a combination of products and services to
create value for both customers and manufacturers. Modelling a PSS based on
function orientation offers a useful way to distinguish system inputs and
outputs with regards to how data are consumed and information is used, i.e.
information flow. This article presents a review of diagrammatic information
flow tools, which are designed to describe a system through its functions. The
origin, concept and applications of these tools are investigated, followed by an
analysis of information flow modelling with regards to key PSS properties. A
case study of selection laser melting technology implemented as PSS will then be
used to show the application of information flow modelling for PSS design. A
discussion based on the usefulness of the tools in modelling the key elements of
PSS and possible future research directions are also presented
Evaluation of the state-of-the-art in informatics in glucometers
This review evaluated the level of informatics in glucometers through an
assessment of the quantity and types of information and advice provided to
users. Manufacturer websites were investigated and the characteristics of
glucometers were examined. One hundred glucometers from 27 manufacturers were
analysed. Many glucometers contained simple informatics features and five also
contained on-device graphing features for users to monitor trends. Some
manufacturers have extended informatics via external software. A small number of
glucometers provided knowledge for the user by, for example, simple embedded
decision support protocols. However, it is suggested that glucometers could
better serve as primary care devices through the incorporation of more decision
support directly on the device
Requirements analysis for decision-support system design: evidence from the automotive industry
The purpose of this paper is to outline the requirements analysis that was carried out to support the development of a system that allows engineers to view real-time data integrated from multiple silos such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Warranty systems, in a single and visual environment. The outcome of this study provides a clear understanding of how engineers working in different phases of the product-lifecycle could utilise such information to improve the decision making process and as a result design better products. This study uses data collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and workshops that includes people working in various roles within the automotive sector. In order to demonstrate the applicability this approach, SysML diagrams are also provided
Discrete event simulation and virtual reality use in industry: new opportunities and future trends
This paper reviews the area of combined discrete
event simulation (DES) and virtual reality (VR) use within industry.
While establishing a state of the art for progress in this
area, this paper makes the case for VR DES as the vehicle of choice
for complex data analysis through interactive simulation models,
highlighting both its advantages and current limitations. This paper
reviews active research topics such as VR and DES real-time
integration, communication protocols, system design considerations,
model validation, and applications of VR and DES. While
summarizing future research directions for this technology combination,
the case is made for smart factory adoption of VR DES as
a new platform for scenario testing and decision making. It is put
that in order for VR DES to fully meet the visualization requirements
of both Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet visions of digital
manufacturing, further research is required in the areas of lower
latency image processing, DES delivery as a service, gesture recognition
for VR DES interaction, and linkage of DES to real-time data streams and Big Data sets
Layout Optimization of a repair facility using discrete event simulation
Technological advancements in the field of simulation have enabled production managers to model and simulate their facilities under various scenarios, in order to optimize system performance. In particular the reconfiguration of factory layouts can be time consuming and expensive; Discrete Event Simulation (DES) can be used to model and assess various scenarios to assist production managers with layout planning. Significant benefits can be achieved through the use of DES for factory layout optimization including: decreased lead times, reduced manufacturing costs, efficient materials handling and increased profit. This paper presents the development of a DES model in WITNESS for the analysis and factory layout optimization of a repair facility. The aim of the model is to allow decision makers to assess various layouts and configurations with a view to optimize production. The model has been built with a link to an Excel spreadsheet to enable data input and the visualization of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Specific functions have been built into the simulation model to set and save new layouts within Excel to facilitate layout optimization. The model will be used to optimize the factory configuration
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