RPA, robotbaserad processautomatisering, är en mjukvaruteknik som används för att automatisera repetitiva regelbaserade arbetsuppgifter. RPA-tekniken börjar bli vanligare för olika verksamheter att införskaffa. Syftet med denna studie är att designa en mjukvarurobot för en ekonomisk verifikation av kundreturer. För att kunna besvara studiens frågeställning har design science forskning använts, som övergripande är en forskningsmetod med riktlinjer för att utveckla och utvärdera artefakter. Det betyder i stora drag att en blandning av litteraturstudier, kvalitativa intervjuer och kreativa metoder tillämpas beroende på vilket steg i design science processen som bearbetas. En processmodell över det ekonomiska händelseförloppet togs fram genom att analysera svaren från intervjuerna, som genomfördes hos tre olika e-handelsföretag, och litteraturstudierna. Artefakten togs fram med hjälp av verktygen Uipath, Oneup och Gmail. Uipath är ett automatiseringsverktyg för RPA-mjukvarurobotar, Oneup är ett webbaserat ekonomisystem och Gmail är en e-posthanterare. Det teoretiska bidraget denna studie har tagit fram är ett fall som inte tidigare finns beskrivet i litteraturen. RPA används ute i praktiken för ekonomisk hantering men tidigare forskning, som beskriver konkreta metoder och principer för att stödja uppsättningen av RPA-mjukvarurobotar, är få. Det praktiska bidraget som studien har tagit fram är en generell prototyp av en mjukvarurobot för hantering av ekonomisk verifikation av kundreturer. Många fördelar som nämns i teorin har hittats ute i praktiken hos de företag som har intervjuats. Artefakten som har tagits fram har en returhanteringsprocess som går att generalisera men implementeringen är beroende av vilket affärssystem som används. Ett förslag på ny forskning är att undersöka de olika RPA-teknikerna för att ta fram en mer standardiserad lösning. / RPA, Robotic Process Automation, is a software technology that is used to automate repetitive rule-based tasks. The technology of RPA is becoming more common for various businesses to acquire. The purpose of this study is to design a software robot for efficient economical verification of customer returns. To be able to answer the study’s problem statement the method of design science research has been used, which is overall a research method with guidelines for developing and evaluating artifacts. This broadly means that a mixture of literature studies, qualitative interviews and creative methods are applied depending on which step in the design science process is being processed. A process model of the economic course of events was developed through the answers from the interviews, which were conducted at three different e-commerce companies, and from the literature studies. The artifact was developed from using the tools Uipath, Oneup and Gmail. Uipath is an automation tool for software robots, Oneup is a web-based economic system and Gmail is an email handler. The theoretical contribution by this study is that it describes something that has not been described in the previous research yet. The practical contribution is a general prototype that manages the economic verification of customer returns. Many advantages that have been mentioned in the theory have also been found in the three companies that were interviewed. The artifact’s return management process can be generalized. However, the artifact’s implementation is dependent on which system that is used. One suggestion for future research would be to investigate the different RPA-techniques to develop a standardized solution. This bachelor thesis will be written in Swedish.

Pallets are widely used to efficiently store and handle goods and are often subjected to bending and impact loads. The consequences of structural failure of a loaded pallet can include loss of goods, increased labor and equipment costs, and possible severe or fatal injury to humans. - The pallet industry, which annually consumes nearly 20% of all lumber manufactured in the United States, recognized a need for a rational design methodology, based upon engineering principles, to ensure consistent safety and economy in pallets of any geometry. To satisfy this need a cooperative research project between Virginia Tech, the U. S. Forest Service, and the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association was established. The objective of the project was to develop methods to design pallets for strength, stiffness, and durability. A primary expected benefit of the design methodology is to allow comparison of different pallet designs on a performance basis, without the need for extensive physical testing. This dissertation presents the results of this cooperative research project. The developed methodology was computerized (Pallet Design System (PDS)) and is intended to allow pallet manufactures to obtain estimates of the maximum safe load capacity or the member dimensions required to resist known loads. Additionally, the program produces estimates of the durability and cost-per-use for pallets in specific service environments. PDS is limited in scope to pallets with up to four stringers and a maximum of 15 deckboards. Five different load types and four support modes can be analyzed. These include uniformly distributed and concentrated loads, and racked, stacked, and sling support modes. The techniques for estimating the strength and stiffness are based on matrix structural analysis and classical beam theory. The deckboard-stringer joints are modeled as spring elements, the stiffness of which are based upon characteristics of the fastener. Most fasteners commonly used in pallet construction (i.e. threaded nails or staples) can be analyzed. A probabilistic design technique based on mean value methods was applied in PDS to ensure safety in the resulting designs. The safety index was calibrated to pallet designs associated with warehouse load data. The physical properties of the material are estimated using either a modified clear-wood property approach (ASTM D-245 method), or in·graded testing of pallet lumber. The durability estimates are based upon studies of field data and economic analysis. / Ph. D.

This publication demonstrates that determining the maximum speed or Ideal Cycle Time (ICT) of machinery or cyber-physical systems is crucial for uncovering the limits of automation in a given system. Possibly increasing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and identify opportunities for further digitization, automation, and AI integration. Based on literature review and expert interviews, methods for establishing ICT, mentioned in literature were identified and crosscheck with what practitioners in operation actually use and how they apply them. The identified methods were: Empirical Measurement and Data Analysis, Time Studies, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Benchmarking, Simulation and Modeling, Expert Judgment, and Continuous Improvement Practices we. We contrast these with insights obtained from interviews conducted with experts from companies in the German federal State of Brandenburg, representing diverse industries and sectors. Findings suggest that while companies recognize somewhat their ICT or maximum operational speeds, they often lack a structured method for determining them. They frequently use combinations of established methods inconsistently. We deduce that a formalized approach to defining ICT can better reveal system limitations and potential for expanding them through advanced automation and. We argue that a well-defined ICT is essential for pushing the boundaries of automated systems, contributing to more effective and Humanity–Centered Automation (HCA) solutions.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 B59 / Master of Science

ITC/USA 2006 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Second Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 23-26, 2006 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / A novel Automation System for the Flight Test Laboratory (SALEV) is developed in full compliance with EA-4/02 Standard (i.e. Expression of the Uncertainty of Measurement in Calibration) to compute the uncertainty of the measurement at the calibration laboratory of the Flight Tests Group (GEEV). The GEEV performs flight test campaigns to certificate and/or develop aircrafts and its systems. Then, flight tests instrumentation (FTI) systems are developed and installed in the test bed. The FTI data acquisition complies with IRIG Standard. The FTI is composed by a data acquisition system, which performs signal conditioning, sampling and quantization of all measurements provided by a set of transducers. All parameters are coded in a PCM format and represented in a non-dimensional numerical form (i.e. counts).To allow the establishment of a relation between the non-dimensional form and the physical quantity, a calibration process is carried out to provide the coefficients of a calibration curve. This process is also used to determine the systematic and random errors (i.e. the uncertainty). The accuracy and reliability of calibration process should comply with the requirements, which are customized for each flight test campaign. The satisfactory performance of the SALEV calibration process is achieved by automation in all steps. The SALEV development is presented, which includes the following steps: · Database definition; · Study of all steps and parts that forms the calibration process (i.e. from transducer to final uncertainty determination) to determine its associated uncertainties; · Automation of the entire calibration process (including the process itself up to the effective control of standard and instruments); · Development of algorithms to compute the uncertainty compliant with EA 4/02; and · System validation in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025. As result of the SALEV operation, it could be verified that measurement quality was improved, and the required time for calibration was substantially reduced. Also the standardization of this process allows failures forecast due to aging of systems parameters (i.e. bias).

ITC/USA 2006 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Second Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 23-26, 2006 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / Today Ranges are faced with the typical dilemma of doing more with less—less money, less time, and less experienced range personnel. Meanwhile, Ranges are being forced to make their operations more efficient in use of time, money, and functionality. As a result, Ranges are looking for automated ways to remotely configure and operate their tracking stations and to provide interoperability between ranges, sites, and equipment. RT Logic worked with numerous range operators and equipment vendors to create an open software architecture that provides rapid device configuration, equipment status at a glance, and automatic fault detection and isolation. RT Logic’s architecture utilizes the CORBA specification to achieve extensibility and scalability for future range requirements. Adoption of this architecture and approach will reduce costs, time, and mistakes.

ITC/USA 2007 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Third Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 22-25, 2007 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Imagine that a test vehicle has just arrived at your test facility and that it is fully instrumented with sensors and a data acquisition system (DAS). Imagine that a test engineer logs onto the vehicle’s DAS, submits a list of data requirements, and the DAS automatically configures itself to meet those data requirements. Imagine that the control room then contacts the DAS, downloads the configuration, and coordinates its own configuration with the vehicle’s setup. Imagine all of this done with no more human interaction than the original test engineer’s request. How close to this imaginary scenario is the instrumentation community? We’re not there yet, but through a variety of efforts, we are headed towards this fully automated scenario. This paper outlines the current status, current projects, and some missing pieces in the journey towards this end. This journey includes standards development in the Range Commander’s Council (RCC), smart sensor standards development through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts, efforts by the integrated Network Enhanced Telemetry (iNET) project, and other projects involved in reaching this goal.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / The Integrated Monitoring and Control COTS System (IMACCS) was developed as a proof-of-concept to show that commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products could be integrated to provide spacecraft ground support faster and cheaper than current practices. A key component of IMACCS is the Altair Mission Control System (AMCS), one of several commercial packages available for satellite command and control. It is distinguished from otherwise similar tools by its implementation of Finite State Modeling as part of its expert system capability. Using the Finite State Modeling and State Transition capabilities of the ALTAIR Mission Control System (AMCS), IMACCS was enhanced to provide automated monitoring, routine pass support, anomaly resolution, and emergency "lights on again" response. Orbit determination and production of typical flight dynamics products, such as acquisition times and vectors, have also been automated.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / The Integrated Monitoring, Analysis, and Control COTS System (IMACCS), a system providing real time satellite command and telemetry support, orbit and attitude determination, events prediction, and data trending, was implemented in 90 days at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in 1995. This paper describes upgrades made to the original commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS)-based prototype. These upgrades include automation capability and spacecraft Integration and Testing (I&T) capability. A further extension to the prototype is the establishment of a direct RF interface to a spacecraft. As with the original prototype, all of these enhancements required lower staffing levels and reduced schedules compared to custom system development approaches. The team's approach to system development, including taking advantage of COTS and legacy software, is also described.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 27-30, 1997 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Caterpillar Inc. has been testing construction and mining equipment using Computerized Analysis Vans for two decades. During our latest van upgrade, we chose to move to PCM/FM from FM/FM mainly to increase the channel count. We also replaced our old signal conditioning that used span and balance potentiometers with computer programmable signal conditioning. This new signal conditioning requires that the gain and balance point be calculated for every channel on each test. The formulas for these calculations depend on the sensor, the signal conditioning card used, and the test requirements. Due to the number and variety of machines tested at the Caterpillar Proving Grounds, these calculations needed to be automated. Using a few initial parameters and the information from our sensor calibration database, each channel’s balance point, gain, and expected slope are calculated. This system has increased productivity, accuracy, and consistency over manually calculating these parameters. This paper covers the sensor database, the calculated parameters and an overview of the way the system works.