Yes / Manufacturing is a global activity that started during the industrial revolution in the late 19th century to cater for the large-scale production of products. Since then, manufacturing has changed tremendously through the innovations of technology, processes, materials, communication and transportation. The major challenge facing manufacturing is to produce more products using less material, less energy and less involvement of labour. To face these challenges, manufacturing companies must have a strategy and competitive priority in order for them to compete in a dynamic market. A review of the literature on the decomposition of manufacturing processes outlines three main processes, namely: high volume, medium volume and low volume. The decomposition shows that each sub process has its own characteristics and depends on the nature of the firm’s business. Two extreme processes are continuous line production (fast extreme) and project shop (slow extreme). Other processes are in between these two extremes of the manufacturing spectrum. Process flow patterns become less complex with cellular, line and continuous flow compared with jobbing and project. The review also indicates that when the product is high variety and low volume, project or functional production is applied. / The financial support by the Malaysian Government, Universiti Malaysia Pahang and Bradford University for this research is gratefully acknowledged.

This research investigates analytical models that might serve to support decisions in the early stages of designing high volume small parts order picking systems. Because the development of analytical closed-forms is challenging, a common approach is to use simulation models for detailed design performance assessment. However, simulation is not suitable for early stage design purposes; because simulation models are time-consuming (thus expensive) to construct and execute, especially when the number of alternatives to evaluate is large. If available, analytical models are computationally cheaper. They provide faster and more flexible solutions and though usually less detailed, may be adequate to support early stages of design. The challenge is to develop generic analytic models providing useful results for a class of problems. This research focuses on a class of problems in high volume small parts order picking systems with pick-to-buffer technology. This is a new technology, and not yet in widespread use. The novelty in the modeling approach is the distinct separation of item-picking and order assembly operations which permits the development of performance models for both throughput and service level. Essentially the system is modeled as a tandem queue, and the two detailed models for the picking and assembly subsystems are developed based on detailed description of the operations. Solving the model provides estimates for performance measures, such as order cycle time and system throughput, which are essential in design. The approximation method requires estimating the squared coefficient of interdeparture times from the classical GX/G/1 queuing model, and a suitable approximation is derived in this thesis. Computational tests show the model to provide reasonably accurate estimates of system performance, with minimal computational overhead. To support the proposed queuing model, new models are developed for estimating mean and squared coefficient of variation for pick and assembly operation times. These models include the variability of order contents and the picking process, along with the physical layout. Results of the estimation compare very well with that of simulation.

The goal of this study was to quantify the ambient air concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from three locations within the Howard Curren Wastewater Treatment Facility located in Tampa, Florida. PBDEs have been linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, developmental concerns in children, as well as other toxic effects; however their precise roles concerning these deleterious effects remains to be determined. The present study was motivated by these potential health concerns posed by inhalational exposure to PBDEs. Ambient air was monitored with a Tisch Environmental PUF high volume sampler for 48 hours with collection on three types of media-quarts filter, PUF (polyurethane foam) and XAD-2 resin. The samples were then analyzed with GC/MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) for eight PBDEs that are routinely detected. The results showed elevated levels of PBDEs at the 2nd and 3rd sampling locations indicating a possible increased presence in the ambient air at the facility. Levels of PBDE 47 ranked highest amongst the detected congeners. PBDE 209 was not detected at any site. The present results indicate that PBDEs may lead to an inhalational exposure, thus future experimentation is needed to fully evaluate the health complications associated with inhalational exposure route to PBDEs.

Orientador: Lourdes Aparecida Martins dos Santos-Pinto / Banca: Celso Luiz de Angelis Porto / Banca: Maria Cristina Borsatto / Resumo: O sistema de abrasão a ar funciona por meio de energia cinética produzida por um jato pressurizado de partículas de óxido de alumínio, que tem a finalidade de abrasionar a superfície dentária. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a efetividade do sistema de sucção, disponível em consultório odontológico, na captação das partículas de óxido de alumínio emitidas pelo aparelho de abrasão a ar. Um dispositivo metálico, que reproduzia as posições e as distâncias de trabalho do cirurgião-dentista, foi elaborado para a deposição das partículas de óxido de alumínio presentes no campo operatório durante a utilização do sistema de abrasão a ar. Para a aspiração do pó de óxido de alumínio foram empregadas as sucções de alta potência e odontológica convencional com sugadores convencional e modificado por funil. A quantificação das partículas foi obtida pela massa de óxido de alumínio depositada após a aplicação do aparelho de abrasão a ar. Os resultados obtidos pela estatística descritiva gráfica revelaram que a maior deposição das partículas ocorreu a 20 cm do centro da cavidade bucal e na posição de trabalho 9 horas, quando se utilizou o sugador convencional em alta potência de sucção. / Abstract: The air abrasion system works using kinetic energy produced by pressurized air with aluminum oxide particles resulting in abrasion of the dental surface. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of high-volume evacuation (HVE) and conventional dental suction (CDS) in aluminum oxide particles evacuation. A metallic device was elaborated to reproduce the dentist operatory positions and to aluminum oxide particles deposition. The dust collection was made by conventional saliva ejector and modified ejector by funnel-shaped. The amount of particles showed that the greatest abrasive particles deposition occurred at the 20cm of distance from the center of the mouth at 9 o'clock operatory position with the conventional saliva ejector attached to high-volume evacuation (HVE). / Mestre

No description available.

Smart infrastructure has become increasingly prevalent in recent decades due to the emergence of sophisticated and affordable sensing technologies. As sensors are deployed more widely and higher sampling rates are feasible, managing the massive scale of real-time data collected by these systems has become fundamental to providing relevant and timely information to decision-makers. To address this task, a novel open-source framework has been developed to manage and intuitively present high-volume data in near real-time. This design is centered around the goals of making data accessible, supporting decision-making, and providing flexibility to modify and reuse this framework in the future. In this work, the framework is tailored to vibration-based structural health monitoring, which can be used in near real-time to screen building condition. To promote timely intervention, distributed computing technologies are employed to accelerate the processing, storage, and visualization of data. Vibration data is processed in parallel using a publish-subscribe messaging queue and then inserted into a NoSQL database that stores heterogeneous data across several nodes. A REST-based web application allows interaction with this stored data via customizable visualization interfaces. To illustrate the utility of this framework design, it has been implemented to support a frequency domain monitoring dashboard for a 5-story classroom building instrumented with 224 accelerometers. A simulated scenario is presented to capture how the dashboard can aid decisions about occupant safety and structural maintenance. / Master of Science / Advances in technology have made it affordable and accessible to collect information about the world around us using sensors. When sensors are used to aid decision-making about structures, it is frequently referred to as Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). SHM can be used to monitor long-term structural health, inform maintenance decisions, and rapidly screen structural conditions following extreme events. Accelerometers can be used in SHM to capture vibration data that give insight into deflection patterns and natural frequencies in a structure. The challenge with vibration-based SHM and many other applications that leverage sensors is that the amount of data collected has the potential to grow to massive scales. To communicate relevant information to decision-makers, data must be processed quickly and presented intuitively. To facilitate this process, a novel open-source framework was developed for processing, storing, and visualizing high-volume data in near real-time. This framework combines multiple computers to extend the processing and storage capacity of our system. Data is processed in parallel and stored in a database that supports efficient data retrieval. A web application enables interaction with stored data via customizable visualization interfaces. To demonstrate the framework functionality, it was implemented in a 5-story classroom building instrumented with 224 accelerometers. A frequency-domain dashboard was developed for the building, and a simulated scenario was conducted to capture how the dashboard can aid decisions about occupant safety and structural maintenance.

No description available.

In this investigation, SCCs were prepared by keeping the total mass of cementitious materials (cement and fly ash) constant at 500 kg/m3, in which 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70% of cement, by weight, was replaced by the high-lime and low-lime fly ash. For comparison, a control SCC mixture without any fly ash was also produced. The fresh properties of the SCCs were observed through, slump flow time and diameter, V-funnel flow time, L-box height ratio, U-box height difference, segregation ratio and the rheological parameters (relative yield stress and relative plastic viscosity). Relations between workability and rheological parameters were sought. Setting times and temperature rise of the SCC were also determined. The hardened properties included the compressive strength, split tensile strength, drying shrinkage and permeation properties (absorption, sorptivity and rapid chloride permeability tests) up to 360 days. The results obtained indicated that it is possible to produce SCC with a 70% of cement replacement by both types of fly ash. The use of high volumes of fly ash in SCC not only improved the workability and permeability properties but also made it possible to produce concretes between 33-40 MPa compressive strength at 28 days.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-02-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:56:50Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 scannavino_flf_me_arafo.pdf: 459200 bytes, checksum: 7da03a73587b35e389935c5420bccdb6 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O sistema de abrasão a ar funciona por meio de energia cinética produzida por um jato pressurizado de partículas de óxido de alumínio, que tem a finalidade de abrasionar a superfície dentária. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a efetividade do sistema de sucção, disponível em consultório odontológico, na captação das partículas de óxido de alumínio emitidas pelo aparelho de abrasão a ar. Um dispositivo metálico, que reproduzia as posições e as distâncias de trabalho do cirurgião-dentista, foi elaborado para a deposição das partículas de óxido de alumínio presentes no campo operatório durante a utilização do sistema de abrasão a ar. Para a aspiração do pó de óxido de alumínio foram empregadas as sucções de alta potência e odontológica convencional com sugadores convencional e modificado por funil. A quantificação das partículas foi obtida pela massa de óxido de alumínio depositada após a aplicação do aparelho de abrasão a ar. Os resultados obtidos pela estatística descritiva gráfica revelaram que a maior deposição das partículas ocorreu a 20 cm do centro da cavidade bucal e na posição de trabalho 9 horas, quando se utilizou o sugador convencional em alta potência de sucção. / The air abrasion system works using kinetic energy produced by pressurized air with aluminum oxide particles resulting in abrasion of the dental surface. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of high-volume evacuation (HVE) and conventional dental suction (CDS) in aluminum oxide particles evacuation. A metallic device was elaborated to reproduce the dentist operatory positions and to aluminum oxide particles deposition. The dust collection was made by conventional saliva ejector and modified ejector by funnel-shaped. The amount of particles showed that the greatest abrasive particles deposition occurred at the 20cm of distance from the center of the mouth at 9 o'clock operatory position with the conventional saliva ejector attached to high-volume evacuation (HVE).

This study focused upon the manufacturing lead time management in California's electrical and electronic machinery, equipment, and supplies industry. Manufacturing firms with one hundred or more employees were invited to participate in the research. Six subproblems relating to manufacturing lead time were selected and six appropriate null hypotheses were tested. The subproblems identified (1) factors influencing manufacturing lead time, (2) production planning processes influencing manufacturing lead time accuracy, and (3) techniques reducing manufacturing lead time. These factors, production planning processes, and techniques were then IV investigated to determine the importance of each of them in two environments: (1) high-volume continuous-production (HVCP) and (2) job-shop production-to-order (JSPTO).