The effective use of computer based tools to support decision making in manufacturing industry is critical to business success. One of the most critical areas is during product design and especially in design for manufacture. This research will help in understanding of how manufacturing knowledge can be effectively maintained for an existing knowledge base. The work will use modern product lifecycle management tools in combination with a knowledge based environment in order to explore the effectiveness of the methods produced. This work is a part of the SAMULET (Strategic Affordable Manufacturing in the UK through Leading Environmental Technologies) research program and was done in association with an aerospace manufacturing company. The main focus of this research is to define a novel method for maintaining the machining knowledge associated with manufacturing of Xtra Wide Body (XWB) High Pressure (HP) turbine blade. The four main elements explained in this thesis are, a) the literature review done on knowledge management and knowledge maintenance, b) industrial investigation done on a manufacturing facility, c) detailed explanation of a novel manufacturing knowledge maintenance method d) four iterative case studies used for the evaluation and iterative improvement of the method. The research concludes that the aspect of knowledge maintenance is important. It is imperative to set out a formalised and mandated knowledge maintenance process in an organisation to keep the knowledge up-to-date and relevant. It has been shown that a novel task based knowledge maintenance method comprising a Knowledge Maintenance Process (KMP) and a Knowledge Maintenance Template (KMT) provides an effective route to knowledge maintenance. Three maintenance tasks, check relevancy, knowledge filtering, and integrity checking have been considered in detail for successful knowledge maintenance. Four iterative case studies have been conducted for the experimental evaluation of the maintenance method. As the result of these evaluations a novel method for maintaining the machining knowledge of XWB HP turbine blade was defined.

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans le cadre d'un projet pluridisciplinaire, le projet DRAMA, qui consiste à générer des scènes virtuelles 3D à partir des descriptions contenues dans les textes théâtraux. L'un des objectifs de ce projet consiste à simplifier au maximum la tâche des utilisateurs finaux en leur offrant un outil simple, rapide, et efficace. Ainsi, la technique adoptée dans cette étude est axée sur la modélisation déclarative d'environnements virtuels qui s'appuie sur trois phases (description, génération et prise de connaissances). La phase de description permet au concepteur de décrire l'environnement à partir d'un ensemble de propriétés, interprétées en un ensemble de contraintes destinées à un système de génération qui produit un ou plusieurs environnements virtuels solutions.Dans le cadre de ce projet DRAMA, des nouvelles méthodes de balisage ont été proposées afin de détecter les éléments essentiels pour la création d'une pièce théâtrale, notamment les informations sur les placements d'objets. Par ailleurs, les utilisateurs peuvent, aussi, lancer des requêtes au niveau du texte à partir de ces balises. Les propriétés sur les placements seront traduites en contraintes spatiales grâce aux données initialement stockées dans une base de connaissance qui utilise le langage XML. Une technique adoptant la méthode des métaheuristiques est ensuite utilisée pour la résolution des contraintes de placements obtenues précédemment. La gestion des propriétés physiques des objets (collision, gravité, friction) a été aussi gérée à partir d'un moteur physique. À la fin, les scènes solutions finales seront proposées à l'utilisateur, en utilisant un moteur de rendu 3D. / This thesis is part of a multidisciplinary project, the DRAMA project, which attempts to generate 3D virtual scenes from the descriptions which are obtained from theatrical text. This project aims to simplify, as soon as possible, the tasks of the end-users by providing simple, fast, and effective tools. Thus, the technique used in this study is focused on the declarative modeling of virtual environments that is based on three phases (description, generation and management of knowledge). The description phase allows the designer to describe the environment from a set of properties, interpreted as a set of constraints for a generation system which produces one or several virtual environments solutions. This project, new tagging methods have been proposed to detect essential for the creation of scene, including information on the placement of objects. In addition, users can also run queries in the text from these tags. Placement properties are translated into spatial constraints with the data originally stored in a knowledge base that uses XML. A technique adopting the method of metaheuristics is then used for solving constraints. The object physical properties (collision, gravity, friction) were also managed from a physics engine. At the end, the finals scenes solutions were be proposed to the user, using a 3D rendering engine.

Dissertation deals with fuzzy knowledge base supporting investor’s investment decision into the photovoltaic technologies during pre-design phase, when the engineering solution is not known yet. Probably, majority of investors have particular image about the cost and risk coming from investment into the photovoltaic technologies. However, this image is limited to the restricted knowledge areas of each investor. During the period, when the investor is planning investment into the costly photovoltaic technologies at complex, vague and heavily qualified information about the conditions and risks of investment in the specific region, where the environment is constantly inconsistent and multidimensional, it is possible to solve this complex situation with fuzzy logic. This dissertation is focusing on creation of fuzzy knowledge base with selected installed projects in Europe since 2008 and its use with expert system. Furthermore, is covering the definition and description of the variables, which are included in the investor decision making process. The complete designed architecture of the fuzzy knowledge base is tuned and five projects with different size are tested. The fuzzy knowledge base consists of overall 24 variables and 187 statements. The fuzzy knowledge base is tested with 5 projects.

The topic of this diploma thesis is focused on the analysis of the company's requirements for the selection of a system to support communication with customers - helpdesk. The beginning of the work is devoted to theoretical basics of helpdesk systems such as trouble ticket life cycle or knowledge base system. Furthermore, the use of the helpdesk system is described from the point of view of usage and then from the point of view of the roles that occur when using this system. At the end of the theoretical part are described ECS systems, which the helpdesk system is part of. The practical part describes the company for which this work is processed and its functional requirements for the selected system and systems directly related to it. In addition, 4 available solutions are selected, which include their pros and cons and then are evaluated based on seven criteria. The best solution is recommended to the company for selection. In the end of the work, the course of implementation of the solution chosen by the company is outlined.

The aim of this study is to explore and analyze experienced teachers understanding, as well as transformation, of the school subject civics. The study has focused on the content, methods, and evaluation of the education taking place in the class room as described by the teachers themselves. Teachers’ autonomy, within the education setting, and their knowledge base is the point of departure when assessing teachers understanding and transformation of the subject. A further aim of the study has also been to make visible, where possible, the role of a personal knowledge base in this transformation process. The findings of this study are based on interviews with teachers teaching civics at upper secondary level in various parts of Sweden. These findings show that it is possible to discern that teachers’ general dictum about content, methods, and evaluation are very much alike. The findings further show that when teachers describe their daily transformation of civics the most visible knowledge is their pedagogical content knowledge, knowledge of learner and their characteristics and knowledge of educational context. One conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that when autonomy and knowledge base is combined, then it is here one find that teachers’ general comprehension about the school subject civics seems to be very similar. However, when it comes to daily transformation within the classroom, then the subject transformation is modified to fit the learners, the school context, and sometimes to the teachers’ well-being. From this one can draw the conclusion that comprehension and transformation need not always go hand-in-hand.

The overall aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of development projects carried out by teachers within the Swedish 9-year compulsory school. The study concentrates on the everyday classroom work of the teachers, firstly when there were extra funds to use for the development projects, and secondly, when the funding had expired. Eight projects at the primary level were selected. Each project was visited three times during the first year. A follow up was made three years later. Data were collected by way of interviews, questionnaires and observations. The projects had different aims, contents and organization. Some projects changed or developed their aims and contents in the course of the project period, while others kept their original direction. Differences in the development of project activities were found to be related to such factors as the amount of personal support given by headmasters and colleagues, and on whose initiative a project was started, whether by the authorities or by the teachers themselves. Within the framework of the projects, the teachers often instigated relevant in-service training, developed new forms of cooperation, sought to integrate school subjects and tried new pedagogic practices. When financial support was terminated, the new ideas and the new practices were incorporated in the changed every day way of working. The project work tended to make the teachers feel more harmonious and whole, in that the activities tended to tie the teacher's personality and career more firmly together. Besides this personal development, the teachers felt that the project work enhanced more and closer cooperation in the schools. The teachers emphasized that it had become very important for them to collaborate, and that they felt they were no longer left alone with the responsibilities and problems in the classroom. The projects led to more committed pedagogical discussions in the staff- rooms resulting in a claim for more knowledge. The project teachers often invited lecturers and arranged other forms of in-service training. The results of the study are discussed in relation to theories of school development, teacher work and career as well as to gender theories. / digitalisering@umu

The modern medical diagnostic systems are based on the techniques using digital data formats – a natural feed for the computer based systems. With the use of modern diagnostic techniques the diagnosis process is becoming more complex as many diseases seem to have the same pre-symptoms at early stages. And of course computer based systems require more efficient and effective ways to identify such complexities. However, the existing formalisms for knowledge representation, tools and technologies, learning and reasoning strategies seem inadequate to create meaningful relationship among the entities of medical data i.e. diseases, symptoms and medicine etc. This inadequacy actually is due to the poor design of the knowledge base of the medical system and leads the medical systems towards inaccurate diagnosis. This thesis discusses the limitations and issues specific to the design factors of the knowledge base and suggests that instead of using the deficient approaches and tools for representing, learning and retrieving the accurate knowledge, use of semantic web tools and techniques should be adopted. Design by contract approach may be suitable for establishing the relationships between the diseases and symptoms. The relationship between diseases and symptoms and their invariants can be represented more meaningfully using semantic web. This can lead to more concrete diagnosis, by overcoming the deficiencies and limitations of traditional approaches and tools.

The sustainability and continued development of the chemical industry is to a large extent dependent on learning from past incidents. The failure to learn from past mistakes is rather not deliberate but due to unawareness of the situation. Incident databases are excellent resources to learn from past mistakes; however, in order to be effective, incident databases need to be functional in disseminating the lessons learned to users. Therefore, this research is dedicated to improving user accessibility of incident databases. The objective of this research is twofold. The first objective is improving accessibility of the database system by allowing the option of word search as well as folder search for the users. This will satisfy research needs of users who are aware of the hazards at hand and need to access the relevant information. The second objective is to activate the database via integration of the database with an operational software. This will benefit research needs of users who are unaware of the existing hazards. Literature review and text mining of Major Accident Reporting System (MARS) database short reports are employed to develop an initial taxonomy, which is then refined and modified by expert review. The incident reports in MARS database is classified to the right folders in the taxonomy and implemented in a database system based on Microsoft Excel, where the users can retrieve information using folder search as well as word search option via a user friendly interface. A program coded in JAVA is prepared for integrating the incident database with a Management of Change (MOC) software prototype. A collection of keywords on hazardous substances and equipment is prepared. If the keywords exist in the MOC interface, they will be highlighted, and with the click of a button, will return up to ten relevant incident reports. Using an active and knowledge-based system, people can learn from incidents and near-misses and will be more active to reduce the frequency of recurring incidents.

<p>The modern medical diagnostic systems are based on the techniques using digital data formats – a natural feed for the computer based systems. With the use of modern diagnostic techniques the diagnosis process is becoming more complex as many diseases seem to have the same pre-symptoms at early stages. And of course computer based systems require more efficient and effective ways to identify such complexities. However, the existing formalisms for knowledge representation, tools and technologies, learning and reasoning strategies seem inadequate to create meaningful relationship among the entities of medical data i.e. diseases, symptoms and medicine etc. This inadequacy actually is due to the poor design of the knowledge base of the medical system and leads the medical systems towards inaccurate diagnosis. This thesis discusses the limitations and issues specific to the design factors of the knowledge base and suggests that instead of using the deficient approaches and tools for representing, learning and retrieving the accurate knowledge, use of semantic web tools and techniques should be adopted. Design by contract approach may be suitable for establishing the relationships between the diseases and symptoms. The relationship between diseases and symptoms and their invariants can be represented more meaningfully using semantic web. This can lead to more concrete diagnosis, by overcoming the deficiencies and limitations of traditional approaches and tools.</p>

<p>Planning is indeed a highly regulated procedure at the operational level such as military related activities where the staff may benefit from documents such as guidelines that regulate the work process, responsibilities and results of such planning activities.</p><p>This thesis proposes a method for analyzing office documents that make up an operational order according to document ontology. With the semantic desktops aiming at combining semantic annotations and intelligent reasoning in desktop computers, the product of this project intends to add a plug-in to such environments such as IRIS semantic desktop, which accordingly enables such application to interpret documents whether the they  or change within the application.</p><p>The result of our work helps the end user to extract data using his/her favorite patterns such as goals, targets or even milestones that make up decisive points. This information eventually form semantic objects, which ultimately reside in the knowledgebase of the semantic desktop for further reasoning in the future referring of the application, whether automatically or upon the user's request.</p>