The application of Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs) has an effect in competitiveness, not only of individual companies but of those countries whose manufactured exports play a significant part in their economy (Hartley, 1984). However, the increasing use of FM Ss to effectively provide customers with diversified products has created a significant set of operational challenges for managers (Mahmoodi et al., 1999). In more recent years therefore, there has been a concentration of effort on FMS scheduling without which the benefits of an FMS cannot be realized. The objective of the reported research is to investigate and extend the contribution which can be made to the FMS scheduling problem through the implementation of computer-based experiments that consider real-time situations.

This thesis is an exploration into the development and professionalism of management in the Ordnance Factories from 1855 to 1925. Writing in 1969, Ashworth commented that: "Naval historians have usually been concerned much more with warfare, politics, the careers of great leaders than with the business side of the service. The technical characteristics of warships and their annament have received much attention, but the economic question (apart from the simple demand for money), which have been inseparably linked with technical advance, has attracted less study. Yet there are several ways in which the provision and running of a large and growing navy must have a peculiar significance and interest for the economic historian." (Ashworth, 1969: 491) This is also similar to the development of the Anny from 1855. Recent historians have focused on the Ministry of Munitions as the catalyst for management change within government departments. In particular Loft (1986, 1988, 1994) and Marriner (1980) have explored the change in government accounting procedures within the Ministry of Munitions due to the proliferation of professional accountants into the wartime government as temporary civil servants. There is a notion in history that the pre-I915 War Office was regarded as an inefficient organisation whereas the temporary and monolithic Ministry of Munitions is heralded as the organisation of change, having the services of "the men of push and go" (Lloyd- George, 1938; Adams, 1978). The refonns of the Ordnance Factories from 1862 were mainly accounting driven and the catalyst for these changes were probably due to the logistical failures of the British Anny in the Crimean War. The refonns themselves were undertaken by civil servants although there was a nucleus of military talent, the concept of the soldier technologist was never as influential as the American experience. However, the Ordnance Factories did evolve into a factory system in the post-Crimean era, whereas the contemporary engineering industry was still dominated by the myth of the craft skill, subcontracting and a workshop ethos. By 1915 the Ordnance Factories reflected a high degree of professionalism within its management ethos which probably was better than that experienced by the contemporary private sector.

For additive manufacturing, research has shown that the chemistry and microstructural properties of the feedstock powder can significantly affect the properties of the consolidated material. Thermal treatment and recycling parameters for powders used in both solid and liquid state processes can further affect the microstructure and properties of the consolidated parts. Understanding the powder microstructure and effects of powder pre-treatment can aid in optimizing the properties of the final consolidated part. This research proposes a method for the characterization and optimization of powder pre-processing thermal parameters using aluminum alloy powder as examples. Light microscopy, electron microscopy, and hardness were used to evaluate each condition.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

No description available.

Dissertação (Mestrado em Engenharia Mecânica) - Centro Universitário da FEI, São Bernardo do Campo, 2015

This body of research focused on the development of prototype tooling and manufacturing processes to produce resonators, rims, and necks for building banjos. The resulting fixtures and manufacturing processes were designed for ease of use by a single employee in a small shop environment. This research required proficiency in interdisciplinary mediums (ie. 2D modeling, 3D modeling, centerline tool path program generation, 2D modeling, 3D modeling, rendering, design, and woodworking). The resonator required development of a matching set of forming surfaces, a bending/gluing fixture, a work-holding fixture for utilizing a wood lathe, and a steam chamber required for bending strips of wood into the sides of the resonator. The rim was made using a block rim method and was made out of three laminations of staves, creating the necessary thickness for the rim. The same work-holding fixture was redesigned to accommodate the rim for turning. The goal for building banjo necks on the AXYZ CNC router was to produce a fully shaped neck out of a single piece of wood. The tall heel and angled headstock made this process difficult and resulted in more material being removed than if the neck had been shaped by hand utilizing shop equipment. Three resonators were made, one using a non-turning method and two that utilized a redesigned gluing method for creating a scarf joint. While two rim blanks were made, the first was successfully turned, allowing the second to demonstrate how the rim was made. The banjo neck design required many prototypes, both in foam and poplar, and yielded a fully-shaped banjo neck out of maple. In October of 2012, after a year of effort, the three major wooden components were assembled with hardware, creating a working (i.e., playable) banjo.

Utah is fast becoming an industrial state. A wide variety of industrial concerns, both large and small, have arisen during recent years in mining, manufacturing, processing, refining, transportation and related fields of industry. With the further development in water power, uranium, natural gas, oil, steel, fertilizer and others, many more industrial organizations will likely come into the industrial picture in Utah.

<p>Examensarbetets uppdrag är att skapa en bild av dagens situation gällande duglighet vid de två bearbetande verkstäderna TMA och TMG. Vidare ska en analys av duglighetsarbete i dagsläget utföras och en modell för hur arbetet kan ske i framtiden tas fram.</p><p>Syftet med examensarbetet är att erbjuda berörd personal vid Volvo Construction Equipment AB Component Division i Eskilstuna en modell för arbete med duglighetsstudier och uppföljning så att dugligare processer kan uppnås. Det primära syftet är att skapa rutiner så att man fortsätter arbetet efter ett duglighetsindex beräknats och inte endast konstaterar att resultatet är bra eller dåligt. I efterarbetet ska man försöka koppla bidragande faktorer från ett otillfredsställande utfall till de 4M:en (Maskin, Människa, Metod och Material).</p><p>På CMP sker självklart ett kontinuerligt kvalitetsarbete då ett av Volvos starka kärnvärden är kvalitet, men trots det ständiga arbetet når man inte alltid de uppsatta kvalitetsmålen. Ett steg i att förändra situationen är införandet av ”The CMP Zero Tolerance Program” som är ett led till att förbättra kvaliteten och sänka antalet defekter till 600 PPM. Detta examensarbete är en del i det programmet och fokuserar på duglighetsarbetet.</p><p>För att nå dugligare processer krävs ett kontinuerligt förbättringsarbete. Det förutsätter att man aktivt fortsätter projektet efter att man beräknat ett duglighetsindex samt lokaliserar orsakande faktorer och förbättrar läget. För att få till detta arbete krävs rutiner och engagemang. Rapporten levererar en modell för hur man vardagligt kan arbeta med duglighet men även rutiner för en effektivt förbättringsarbete.</p>

No description available.