A Methodology for Variability Reduction in Manufacturing Cost Estimating in the Automotive Industry based on Design Features

Organised by: Cranfield UniversitySmall to medium manufacturing companies are coming to realise the increasing importance of performing fast and accurate cost estimates at the early stages of projects to address customers’ requests for quotation. However, they cannot afford the implementation of a knowledge-based cost estimating software. This paper explains the development and validation of a consistent methodology for the cost estimating of manufactured parts (focused on pistons) based on the design features. The research enabled the identification of the sources of variability in cost estimates, and the main one is the lack of formal procedures for the cost estimates in manufacturing SMEs. Finally, a software prototype was developed that reduces the variability in the cost estimates by defining a formal procedure, following the most appropriate cost estimating techniques.Mori Seiki – The Machine Tool Compan

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the diagnosis of fasciolosis in sheep and its application under field conditions

[EN] Background: Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a very specific, efficient, and rapid gene amplification procedure in which the reaction can run at a constant temperature. In the current study we have developed a LAMP assay to improve the diagnosis of Fasciola spp. in the faeces of sheep. Findings: After the optimisation of the LAMP assay we have shown similar results between this technique and the standard PCR using the outer primers of the LAMP reaction. In both cases the limit of detection was 10 pg; also, the diagnosis of fasciolosis was confirmed during the first week post-infection in experimental infected sheep by both techniques. In eight naturally infected sheep, the infection with F. hepatica was confirmed in all animals before a treatment with triclabendazole and on day 30 post treatment in two sheep using the LAMP assay; however, when we carried out the standard PCR with the outer primers, the results before treatment were the same but on day 30 post-treatment the infection was only confirmed in one out of the two sheep. On the other hand, the standard PCR took around 3 h to obtain a result, comparing with 1 h and 10 min for the LAMP assay. Conclusions: The LAMP assay described here could be a good alternative to conventional diagnostic methods to detect F. hepatica in faeces since it solves the drawbacks of the standard PCRSIWe thank Drs Manga-González and González-Lanza (Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-ULE, Spain) for providing DNA samples of D. dendriticum and C. daubneyi. This study has been funded by the national project INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrarias: RTA2010-00094-C03-02), Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad), and also co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (Fondos Feder

Gobernador central y ejercicio intenso.

La ergoespirometría es una “herramienta” de todos los labo- ratorios que se dedican a valorar la respuesta y adaptación del organismo al ejercicio y entrenamiento respectivamente, sea en personas sanas o con determinadas patologías

El náhuatl en la educación indígena de la región huasteca

En el presente trabajo, se analiza una muestra de materiales didácticos usados en las Escuelas Primarias Bilingües de la Región de la Huasteca para determinar sus principales características lingüísticas como son el sistema de escritura, la morfología de la palabra y la variación léxica. De la misma manera, se revisa el papel que tiene la didáctica de esta lengua en la adquisición de la lecto-escritura y en la preservación, fortalecimiento y desarrollo de la cultura dentro de un marco educativo

Nanopartículas

Traducción de Patente Europea E01974554 (fecha de solicitud, 16/10/2001).-- Prioridad: GB200010162000254144.-- Titulares: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Midatech Limited.Nanopartícula que comprende un núcleo de átomos metálicos unidos de manera covalente a por lo menos 20 ligandos, donde los ligandos comprenden grupos de hidratos de carbono.Peer reviewe

Inherited inequality: a general framework and an application to South Africa

Scholars have sought to quantify the extent of inequality which is inherited from past generations in many different ways, including a large body of work on intergenerational mobility and inequality of opportunity. This paper makes three contributions to that broad literature. First, we show that many of the most prominent approaches to measuring mobility or inequality of opportunity fit within a general framework which involves, as a first step, a calculation of the extent to which inherited circumstances can predict current incomes. The importance of prediction has led to recent applications of machine learning tools to solve the model selection challenge in the presence of competing upward and downward biases. Our second contribution is to apply transformation trees to the computation of inequality of opportunity. Because the algorithm is built on a likelihood maximization that involves splitting the sample into groups with the most salient differences between their conditional cumulative distributions, it is particularly well-suited to measuring ex-post inequality of opportunity, following Roemer (1998). Our third contribution is to apply the method to data from South Africa, arguably the world’s most unequal country, and find that almost threequarters of its current inequality is inherited from predetermined circumstances, with race playing the largest role, but parental background also making an important contribution

Relationship between fibre orientation and tensile strength of natural collagen membranes for heart valve leaflets

Heart valve prostheses are used to replace native heart valves which that are damaged because of congenital diseases or due to ageing. Biological prostheses made of bovine pericardium are similar to native valves and do not require any anticoagulation treatment, but are less durable than mechanical prostheses and usually fail by tearing. Researches are oriented in improving the resistance and durability of biological heart valve prostheses in order to increase their life expectancy. To understand the mechanical behaviour of bovine pericardium and relate it to its microstructure (mainly collagen fibres concentration and orientation) uniaxial tensile tests have been performed on a model material made of collagen fibres. Small Angle Light Scattering (SALS) has been also used to characterize the microstructure without damaging the material. Results with the model material allowed us to obtain the orientation of the fibres, relating the microstructure to mechanical performanc

Aplicación de la mecánica de la fractura a la rotura frágil de fibras de sémola

La rotura por tracción de fibras frágiles ha sido estudiada tradicionalmente por métodos estadísticos, entre los que destaca el Modelo de Weibull. En este trabajo se estudia la aplicabilidad de este modelo y de la Mecánica de la Fractura Elástica Lineal a la rotura por tracción de fibras frágiles, empleándolos para analizar la rotura de fibras de sémola de trigo duro, ordinariamente conocidas como espaguetis. Se ha comprobado que los modelos estadísticos de rotura, entre ellos el de Weibull, no reproducen adecuadamente el efecto de tamaño en la carga de rotura al variar la longitud de la fibra cuando los defectos no tienen una distribucion estrictamente aleatoria, como sucede en el caso de las fibras de sémola. Por el contrario, este trabajo demuestra que la Mecánica de la Fractura Elástica Lineal es aplicable a la rotura de este tipo de fibras, en particular en presencia de defectos internos de muy diferentes posiciones y tamaños

Turismo en República Dominicana y España

Facultad de Ciencias de la EmpresaUniversidad Politécnica de Cartagen