Autonomous forklift handling systems is one of the most interesting research in the last decades. While research fields such as path planning and map building are taking the most significant work for other type of autonomous vehicles, detecting objects that need to move and picking it up becomes one of the most important research fields in autonomous forklifts field. We in this research had provided an algorithm for detecting paper reels accurate position in paper reels warehouses giving a map of the warehouse itself. Another algorithm is provided for giving the priority of papers that want to be picked up. Finally two algorithms for choosing the most appropriate direction for picking the target reel and for choosing the safest path to reach the target reel without damage it are provided. While working on the last two algorithms shows very nice results, building map for unknown stake of papers by accumulating maps over time still tricky. In the following pages we will go in detail by the steps that we followed to provide these algorithms started from giving an over view to the problem background and moving through the method that we used or we developed and ending by result and the conclusion that we got from this work.

Packaging has a major impact on the activities performed in a logistical value chain. Packaging can improve or decrease the efficiency of the outbound logistics process. It is therefore important to consider the activities and the value that they add to the overall process. ROL International is a Swedish store interior manufacturer that design, produce and distribute their products on a global basis. One of their basic products is the shelf concept. ROL wants to improve their efficiency and consider a change in the packaging method for the shelf concept. Two alternative packaging methods have been suggested and ROL want to know if either of the two alternatives would result in increased efficiency. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the two packaging alternatives and their impact on the activities connected to the outbound logistics at ROL International. Since the study was conducted at request from ROL International, it is considered as a qualitative single case study. Observations, mainly at ROL’s warehouse but also through an observation at one customer’s premises, were used for determination of the activities included throughout the studied process. In addition to the observations, interviews were conducted with key persons concerned with the effects of a change in packaging method. Secondary data in form of order and shelf statistics were important for the study due to its impact on the frequency in which the studied activities are performed. The study found that neither of the two suggested packaging alternatives are suitable for implementation in the present situation. This is mainly because of the increase in activities needed to perform the packaging of shelves, which would result in increased cost that cannot be justified through enhanced customer service and higher quality. More-over, the study also found that the current process for picking customer orders are ineffi-cient and might require a restructuring of the warehouse operation in order to become more efficient.

The suspension system of a vehicle is conventionally designed such that the spring-damper element is configured in the vertical direction, and the longitudinal connection between the vehicle chassis and wheels is always very stiff compared to the vertical one. This mechanism can isolate vibrations and absorb shocks efficiently in the vertical direction but cannot attenuate the longitudinal impacts caused by road obstacles. In order to overcome such a limitation, a planar suspension system (PSS) is proposed. This novel vehicle suspension system has a longitudinal spring-damper strut between the vehicle chassis and wheel. The dynamic performance, including ride comfort, pitch dynamics, handling characteristics and total dynamic behaviour, of a mid-size passenger vehicle equipped with such planar suspension systems is thoroughly investigated and compared with those of a conventional vehicle. To facilitate this investigation, various number of vehicle models are developed considering the relative longitudinal motions of wheels with respect to the chassis. A 4-DOF quarter-car model is used to conduct a preliminary study of the ride quality, and a pitch plane half-car model is employed to investigate the pitch dynamics in both the frequency and time domain. A 5-DOF yaw plane single-track half-car model along with a pitch plane half-car model is proposed to carry out the handling performance study, and also an 18-DOF full-car model is used to perform total dynamics study. In addition to these mathematical models, virtual full-car models are constructed in Adams/car to validate the proposed mathematical models. For the sake of prediction of the tire-ground interaction force, a radial-spring tire model is modified by adding the tire damping to generate the road excitation forces due to road disturbances in the vertical and longitudinal directions. A dynamic 2D tire friction model based on the LuGre friction theory is modified to simulate the dynamic frictional interaction in the tire-ground contact pitch. The ride quality of a PSS vehicle is evaluated in accordance with the ISO 2631 and compared with that of a conventional vehicle. It is shown that the PSS system exhibits good potential to attenuate the impact and isolate the vibration due to road excitations in both the vertical and longitudinal directions, resulting in improved vehicles’ ride and comfort quality. The relatively soft longitudinal strut can absorb the longitudinal impact and, therefore, can protect the components. The investigation of handling performance including the steady-state handling characteristics, transient and frequency responses in various scenarios demonstrates that the PSS vehicle is directionally stable and generally has comparable handling behaviour to a similar conventional vehicle. The application of PSS in vehicles can enhance the understeer trend, i.e. the understeer becomes more understeer, neutral steer becomes slightly understeer, and oversteer becomes less oversteer. The total dynamic behaviour combining the bounce, pitch, roll and the longitudinal dynamics under various scenarios such as differential brake-in-turn and asymmetric obstacle traversing was thoroughly investigated. Simulation results illustrate that the PSS vehicle has a relatively small roll angle in a turning manoeuvre. In some cases such as passing road potholes, the PSS vehicle has a better directional stability.

Canada’s workforce, as well as many other countries, is continuing to age as the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) ages and are remaining in the workforce longer. The number of older workers is estimated to double within the next 10 years (Perry 2010). With increased age, there are a number of factors that could influence worker performance and risk of injury. For example, aging is associated with decreased strength and cardiovascular fitness. However, it is unknown whether a worker’s estimates of how much they can safely lift (based on an approach called psychophysics, which is often used in the design of manual materials handling tasks) is lower for older compared to younger workers. The primary goal of this thesis was to test the hypothesis that psychophysical estimates of maximum acceptable forces would be lower for older workers than younger workers during selected lifting tasks. The secondary goal was to measure a host of variables to provide insights into what factors (e.g. kinematic, strength, cardiovascular) might be influencing potential age-related differences. The experimental testing protocol used a psychophysical approach to identify the maximum acceptable mass of an object during several lifting tasks. Participants comprised a total of 24 female workers (12 older (50+ years old) and 12 younger (20-30 years old)). The primary outcome of interest was the maximum acceptable weight of lift (MAWL) for an 8 hour work day that would allow each participant to ‘work as hard as they can without straining themselves, or becoming unusually tired, weakened, overheated, or out of breath’ (Snook and Ciriello 1991). The participants completed four lifting tasks: floor-to-knuckle height (1 lift/9s and 1 lift/2 min) and knuckle-to-shoulder height (1 lift/2 min and 1 lift/8 hr) by adding or removing lead shot to a lifting box. Tasks were 30 minute in duration; participants could adjust the load mass at any time during the trial. The dependent variables collected were the MAWL (the load mass at the end of the trial), maximum sagittal plane joint angles of the shoulder, hip and knee, overall and body part specific ratings of perceived exertion, and heart rate. Older workers selected MAWL values that were significantly lower (by approximately 24%) than their younger counterparts. These age-related differences were more prevalent for tasks which were constrained by strength (i.e. low frequency) compared to those with large cardiovascular requirements (i.e. high frequency). The only significant difference in the sagittal plane joint flexion angle was for the right hip during the 1 lift/2 min from floor-to-knuckle height lifting task, characterized by 34.4 degree decrease hip angle (more flexed) for the older workers. There were also no significant age-related differences in overall ratings of perceived exertion. The only body part-specific rating of perceived exertion with a significant age-related difference was for the knees, with the younger workers reporting the tasks more taxing on this joint than the older workers. Although there were no age-related differences in absolute heart rate values, the older workers were at a significantly higher percentage of their maximum heart rate. The results of this work suggest there is value in continued research probing whether current ergonomic and work design guidelines need to be updated to accommodate the aging working population. According to the results presented in this study, the current approaches often employed during the design of manual materials handling tasks (i.e. incorporating the loads that 75% of females could perform based on the Snook and Ciriello tables (1991) may not be sufficiently protective for older female workers in the workplace.

The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool went from being the largest grain handler in western Canada in the mid 1990s to undertaking a $405 million debt restructuring in January 2003. Provincial grain handling market share had been over 60 percent for two decades prior to the Pool becoming publicly traded in 1996. With the share conversion, the Pool began a capital expenditure program in an effort to adapt to industry deregulation and to compete with the multinationals that were entering western Canada. This program was not successful. SWPs long-term debt increased five fold over the period 19961999 and consecutive multi-million dollar net losses were incurred followed by the debt restructuring.<p>This thesis uses dominant logic theory and the principal-agent problem to analyze what went wrong at SWP. Theory suggests organizations faced with major industry change may have difficulty revising their dominant logic, which leads to organizational failure. Not only is there a tendency to hold on to established beliefs, but the creation of new beliefs is prone to error because of bounded rationality. The existence of a principal-agent problem can worsen an organizations ability to revise its dominant logic. Information asymmetry and the principals trust of the agent can lead to inaccurate beliefs and ineffective strategies being approved. <p>The results of personal interviews with twenty-one past management and elected Saskatchewan Wheat Pool personnel and grain industry affiliates are presented and analyzed in a case study format. The results suggest that deregulation of the grain handling industry and the anticipated arrival of multinational competitors pressured the Pool to respond quickly to major industry change. The Pool had difficulty revising its dominant logic; it retained outdated beliefs and accepted inaccurate new beliefs. Interviewees described how some investments were built on erroneous beliefs and lacked complete due diligence. Evidence suggests the principal-agent problem was also at play. The need for confidentiality after the share conversion increased information asymmetry, and management took advantage of the boards lack of experience as investments extended beyond the farm gate. The principal-agent problem in conjunction with an inaccurate revised dominant logic is a reasonable explanation for the Pools failure.

Problem Statement: The burden of musculoskeletal injuries among workers is very high, particularly so in direct care workers involved in patient handling. Efforts to reduce injuries have shown mixed results. Strong evidence for intervention effectiveness is lacking.<p> Specific Aims: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a patient handling injury prevention program implemented in the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR) comparing it with a non-randomized control group, Regina QuAppelle Health Region (RQHR), in a pre-post design. Injury rates, lost-time days, and claim costs were the outcomes of interest.<p> Intervention: A Transfer, Lifting and Repositioning (TLR) program, consisting of engineering and administrative ergonomic controls, was implemented in SHR hospitals from 2002-2005.<p> Methods: Data on time loss and non-time loss injuries, lost time days, and claims costs were collected from the SHR and RQHR for corresponding time periods one year pre and one year post-intervention. Age, length of service, profession, and sex were selected as covariates. Full Time Equivalents (FTE) data were collected for each time period. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression were performed.<p> Results: Rates for all injuries (number of injuries/100 FTE) dropped from 14.68 pre-intervention to 8.1 post-intervention. Control group all injury rates, while overall lower in absolute value, dropped to a lesser degree, from 9.29 to 8.4. Time loss injury rates decreased from 5.3 to 2.51 in the SHR, while they actually increased from 5.87 to 6.46 in the RQHR, for the same intervention periods. Poisson regression showed the greatest reduction in injury rate, both time loss (Rate ratio=0.48, 95% C.I: 0.34-0.68) and non-time loss (Rate Ratio=0.25, 95% C.I: 0.15-0.41) in the smaller long term care facility controlling for hospital size. Analysis of injury rates, incidence rate ratios, and incidence rate differences showed significant differences between the intervention and comparison group for all injuries and time loss injuries. Mean claim cost/injury decreased from $3906.20 to $2200.80 and mean time loss days/claim decreased from 35.87 days to 16.23 days for the SHR.<p> Conclusions: The study provides evidence for the effectiveness of a multi-factor TLR program for direct-care health workers, and emphasizes their implementation, especially in smaller hospitals.

En positiv eller negativ livsinställning, djur, natur, tro och utbildning, är det faktorer som har skyddande egenskaper? Personerna som fått behandling professionellt, har bearbetat händelserna de varit med om bättre än de som inte har fått hjälp med bearbetning. De personer som har en positiv livsinställning, i kombination med att de fått professionell hjälp av någon, har bearbetat de traumatiska händelser de varit med om bättre, än personer som har en negativ livsinställning, eller inte fått professionell hjälp. Några av personerna som intervjuats har även haft stor hjälp av att vistas ute i naturen tillsammans med sina hundar. Hundarna har varit ett stort stöd mentalt och en god vän som lyssnat när de mått dåligt. / A positive or negative approach to life, animals, nature, faith and education, are those factors with protective characteristics? Persons that have got professional treatment, have processed the experienced incidents, better than those who have not received help to process the incidents. Those who have a positive approach to life, combined with professional treatment, have processed traumatic experiences better than persons with a negative approach to life, or those with no professional treatment offered. Some of the interviewed persons have gained a lot by spending time with their dogs in nature. The dog has acted as mental support and a good friend, who has listened when the person has been depressed and in need of support.

Background: Material handling is a large part of a company´s internal work and represents between 15 % and 70 % of the total cost of a manufactured product. By improving the internal handling of material, more efficient distribution and manufacturing flows are possible. The material handling process is an input to the production and assembly process that has to be defined and mapped so that it can be improved. The material handling process studied at Volvo CE Braås includes goods receiving, storage, packaging as well as the order/delivery process to assembly, and will finish with the material transport to the assembly line. Research questions: How can the material handling process, from goods receiving to assembly line, at Volvo CE in Braås be described by using VSM? What kinds of waste can be identified? By proposing a future-state map, how can the identified problems and waste be reduced or eliminated? Methodology: This thesis is a descriptive case study and was conducted with a deductive approach. Data was collected by our own observations, personal interviews, statistics, benchmarking and questionnaire. The scientific credibility of this thesis was secured by for example using many sources, avoidance of assumptions, studying a common process and following standardized steps of the VSM tool. Conclusions: The material handling process was described in the separated areas of goods receiving, storage and assembly line. Visualization was given in a current-state map. Five different kinds of waste were identified. Finally, suggestions of improvements were presented along with a future-state map. Suggestions on future research: A more detailed VSM including information flow and lead times could be studied. Scenario simulations of critical areas within the material handling process could be preformed. Furthermore, an ABC classification of articles and storage locations can be done to optimize storage.

This thesis presents the development of a model for analyzing the design of an automated live-bird transfer system (LBTS) developed at Georgia Tech. One of the most fundamental tasks in the automated transferring is to design and control a grasping system that is capable of accommodating a specified range of objects without causing damage. However, unlike grasping in robotic research that focuses on dexterous manipulation of a single object, repetitive transfer of live objects in a production line requires continuous grasping at high-speed. This thesis research investigates the use of rotating fingers (capable of undergoing large deflections) to cradle live birds on a moving conveyor for subsequent handling. As compared to fingers with multiple active joints, flexible fingers have many merits, for they are lightweight and have no relative individually moving parts. Their ability to accommodate a limited range of varying sizes, shapes, and the natural reactions of some objects makes rubber fingers an attractive candidate for use as graspers in a high-speed production setting. However, the advantages of flexible fingers are seldom exploited for grasping because of the complex analysis involved in the design. In order to reduce the number of birds and hardware/software design configurations to be tested, a good understanding of the object dynamics throughout the grasping process is necessary. In this thesis, a quasi-static model has been developed for predicting the contact force between a moving object and a rotating finger. The model has been validated with the experimentally measured data and the computed results using finite element (FE) methods. Finally, an illustrative application of the validated model has been demonstrated in the design of a rotating hand used in the automated LBTS. As illustrated in the simulation results, the computed contact forces can be used as a basis for predicting potential bruises on the bird that may be caused by the rotating fingers. The analytical model presented in this paper provides a rational basis for optimizing the design of the grasping system and developing a controller for a high-speed transfer system. It is expected that the analysis presented here can be readily extended to other dynamic systems involving the use of flexible beams.

Coastal atmospheric concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured at top of a building on campus of the National Sun Yat-sen University of Kaohsiung. Concentrations of 52 PAH compounds were analyzed in both gaseous and particulate phases in air samples collected from May 2008 through April 2009. PAHs diagnostic, Hierarchical Analysis (HCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were employed to determine the potential sources of PAHs. The Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH) was applied to relate atmospheric PAH concentration to air quality variables like SO2 and O3, as well as meteorological conditions like precipitation and temperature. During the sampling period the mean of total PAH concentrations was 14.2 ng/m3. Over all, PAH concentrations in winter were higher than summer, with the lowest concentrations of PAHs occurred in June (2.22 ng/m3), while the highest occurred in January (32.4 ng/m3). The night-time concentrations of PAHs are higher than daytime. The 2, 3-ring PAHs were mostly present in the gaseous phase, 4-ring were dominant in the gaseous phase, while 5, 6, 7-ring PAHs were mostly present in the particulate phase. During the Ghost festival and Asian dust storm events, atmospheric concentrations of PAHs and PAHs/TSP ratios were both found increased. Meteorological conditions, such as temperature and relative humidity, may strongly affect PAH concentrations, the gaseous and particulate PAHs correlate significantly with SO2, NOx, and PM10. Result from analyses of diagnostic rations, HCA and PCA, indicates the major sources of PAHs include gasoline and diesel exhaust. By using GMDH, a reasonable appraisal index was obtained for the pattern forecast potency with the meteorological and air quality variables. The GMDH algorithm obtained during 2008~2009 was tested in predictions and compared with what measured in 2007~2008.