VR-PMS: a new approach for performance measurement and management of industrial systems

A new performance measurement and management framework based on value and risk is proposed. The proposed framework is applied to the modelling and evaluation of the a priori performance evaluation of manufacturing processes and to deciding on their alternatives. For this reason, it consistently integrates concepts relevant to objectives, activity, and risk in a single framework comprising a conceptual value/risk model, and it conceptualises the idea of value- and risk based performance management in a process context. In addition, a methodological framework is developed to provide guidelines for the decision-makers or performance evaluators of the processes. To facilitate the performance measurement and management process, this latter framework is organized in four phases: context establishment, performance modelling, performance assessment, and decision-making. Each phase of the framework is then instrumented with state of-the-art quantitative analysis tools and methods. For process design and evaluation, the deliverable of the value- and risk-based performance measurement and management system (VR-PMS) is a set of ranked solutions (i.e. alternative business processes) evaluated against the developed value and risk indicators. The proposed VR-PMS is illustrated with a case study from discrete parts manufacturing but is indeed applicable to a wide range of processes or systems

An improved approach for automatic process plan generation of complex borings

The authors are grateful for funding provided to this project by the French Ministry of Industry, Dassault Aviation, Dassault Systemes, and F. Vernadat for his review and recommendations.The research concerns automated generation of process plans using knowledge formalization and capitalization. Tools allowing designers to deal with issues and specifications of the machining domain are taken into account. The main objective of the current work is to prevent designers from designing solutions that would be expensive and difficult to machine. Among all available solutions to achieve this goal, two are distinguished: the generative approach and the analogy approach. The generative approach is more adapted to generate the machining plans of parts composed of numerous boring operations in interaction. However, generative systems have two major problems: proposed solutions are often too numerous and are only geometrically but not technologically relevant. In order to overcome these drawbacks, two new concepts of feature and three control algorithms are developed. The paper presents the two new features: the Machining Enabled Geometrical Feature (MEGF) and the Machinable Features (MbF). This development is the result of the separation of the geometrical and the technological data contained in one machining feature. The second objective of the paper is to improve the current Process Ascending Generation (PAG) system with control algorithms in order to limit the combinatorial explosion and disable the generation of unusable or not machinable solutions

Intelligent feature based resource selection and process planning

Lien vers la version éditeur: https://www.inderscience.com/books/index.php?action=record&rec_id=755&chapNum=3&journalID=1022&year=2010This paper presents an intelligent knowledge-based integrated manufacturing system using the STEP feature-based modeling and rule based intelligent techniques to generate suitable process plans for prismatic parts. The system carries out several stages of process planning, such as identification of the pairs of feature/tool that satisfy the required conditions, generation of the possible process plans from identified tools/machine pairs, and selection of the most interesting process plans considering the economical or timing indicators. The suitable processes plans are selected according to the acceptable range of quality, time and cost factors. Each process plan is represented in the tree format by the information items corresponding to their CNC Machine, required tools characteristics, times (machining, setup, preparatory) and the required machining sequences. The process simulation module is provided to demonstrate the different sequences of machining. After selection of suitable process plan, the G-code language used by CNC machines is generated automatically. This approach is validated through a case

Proposition d'une méthodologie de modélisation géométrique en contexte collaboratif

Today, Internet technology proposes communication, exchange and data storage powerful tools. They are standardized and accessible to the companies. But usually, they are not adapted for a mechanical design use and they do not take into account the design process. So, in this context, we present a method allowing the definition of real needs for collaborative engineering in terms of creation, management and exchange of technical data and more specially, geometrical data. From the results of this analysis, we propose a model on which is based a geometrical modelling methodology for mechanical products in a integrated design and collaborative engineering context

Decision-making in the manufacturing environment using a value-risk graph

A value-risk based decision-making tool is proposed for performance assessment of manufacturing scenarios. For this purpose, values (i.e. qualitative objective statements) and concerns (i.e. qualitative risk statements) of stakeholders in any given manufacturing scenario are first identified and are made explicit via objective and risk modeling. Next, performance and risk measures are derived from the corresponding objective and risk models to evaluate the scenario under study. After that, upper and lower bounds, and target value is defined for each measure in order to determine goals and constraints for the given scenario. Because of the multidimensionality nature of performance, the identified objectives and risks, and so, their corresponding measures are usually numerous and heterogeneous in nature. These measures are therefore consolidated to obtain a global performance indicator of value and global indicator of risk while keeping in views the inter-criteria influences. Finally, the global indicators are employed to develop minimum acceptable value and maximum acceptable risk for the scenario under study and plotted on the VR-Graph to demarcate zones of “highly desirable”, “feasible”, “and risky” as well as the “unacceptable” one. The global scores of the indicators: (value-risk) pair of the actual scenario is then plotted on the defined VR-Graph to facilitate decision-making by rendering the scenarios’ performance more visible and clearer. The proposed decision-making tool is illustrated with an example from manufacturing setup in the process context but it can be extended to product or systems evaluation

The study of the relation between organizational climate and knowledge sharing behavior among employees at Isfahan university of medical sciences

The main purpose of this research was to study the relation between organizational climate and knowledge sharing behavior among employee at Isfahan University of medical sciences. For this purpose, 60 employees at medical school and pharmacy school were selected randomly. Two questionnaires of organizational climate designed by Lettwin & Stranger including 30 items, and self-made questionnaire for knowledge sharing behavior with 39 items were executed. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson regression coefficient test. The results showed that there is a positive and significant relation between organizational climate and knowledge sharing behavior at P<0.05. Findings also indicated that among organizational climate dimensions, reward, standard and identity are best predictor for employees knowledge sharing behavior. Based on findings, it is suggested that executives at University pay special attention to organizational climate dimensions especially reward, standard and identity

Determining the relationship between organizational learning and the employees' career job adaptability in Mahan-e-Sepahan steel company

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between the organizational learning and the employees' job career adaptability in Mahan-Sepahan steel company. Research method was descriptive-correlational study and the population included all 291 employees of Mahan-e-Sepahan steel company. The statistical sample size through Kerjis and Morgan (1970) table was assessed 175; however, the returned questionnaires were 152 cases. In order to select the employees the method of stratified random sampling appropriate for male and female statistical population was applied. The measurement instruments included Savikas (2007) 20-items questionnaire of job career adaptability with the reliability coefficient between 0.86 to 0.80 and the reliability of 0.70, and Fross (2003)16-item questionnaire of organizational learning with the validity and reliability coefficient of 0.80 and 0.83 respectively. In order to carry out the inferential data analysis the statistical methods of regression analysis, and correlation coefficient were applied. The observed "r" at p?0.05 showed the significant positive correlation between the organizational learning and job career adaptability and the components of job career concerns, curiosity, trust in the employees' job career in Mahan-e-Sepahan steel company. Keywords: organizational learning, job career adaptability, employees, Mahan–e- Sepahan steel compan

The study of the relation between organizational climate and knowledge sharing behavior among employees at Isfahan university of medical sciences

The main purpose of this research was to study the relation between organizational climate and knowledge sharing behavior among employee at Isfahan University of medical sciences. For this purpose, 60 employees at medical school and pharmacy school were selected randomly. Two questionnaires of organizational climate designed by Lettwin & Stranger including 30 items, and self-made questionnaire for knowledge sharing behavior with 39 items were executed. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson regression coefficient test. The results showed that there is a positive and significant relation between organizational climate and knowledge sharing behavior at P<0.05. Findings also indicated that among organizational climate dimensions, reward, standard and identity are best predictor for employees knowledge sharing behavior. Based on findings, it is suggested that executives at University pay special attention to organizational climate dimensions especially reward, standard and identity

Preparation and evaluation of the clinical efficacy and safety of tomato lotion containing lycopene 

Introduction: Skin aging starts at around age of 30 with wrinkling and pigmentations as its mainindicators. Delay and prevention of aging is a major concern for a great number of people. Thepurpose of this research was to develop and evaluate the efficacy of an anti-wrinkle tomato lotion,consisting of 5 w/w tomato powder in an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion.Methods: Different O/W emulsions were prepared and stability tests were done on them. Theformulation that successfully passed the stability tests, was chosen and the Solanum lycopersicumpowder was added to the oily phase of this O/W emulsion. The prepared lotion was evaluated forpharmaceutical tests. In vitro permeation studies were performed to measure permeation throughcellulose acetate membrane by diffusion cell at sink condition. In vivo trial for examination of theanti-wrinkle efficacy of lotion was done on 10 healthy women as case group compared with 10volunteers using the placebo lotion (lotion base without Solanum lycopersicum powder) as controlgroup.Results: According to the experimented results on the formulated lotion, the efficient time durationfor lotion effectiveness was 42 days. Tomato powder formulated in base of lotion significantlydecreased wrinkles. Our formulation was compatible with skin and caused no sensitivity reactionin human modelsConclusion: The Lycopene in Solanum lycopersicum in this formulation has anti-aging effect. Thisformulation might be a strong candidate for treatment of skin wrinkles

Methodology to develop a geometric modeling process according to collaborative constraints

A product design goes through a Digital Mock-Up which is based on the product geometric model. This latter has an important role in the design project whose exploitation mainly depends on how it has been established [1]. Furthermore, the growing competitive context hardly encourages firms to implement new working methods like collaborative engineering. However, its implementation in combination with product geometric data generates many problems in terms of project and data management. For this purpose, this article proposes a methodological solution to the problem at hand. Moreover the problem gets complicated as the project progresses. As a result, the detailed design phase becomes critical particularly in the face of this problem. Therefore, the current article focuses on this phase of the product design process through an example