Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisor: Kenneth A. Johnson. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Although we cannot show a direct link between tool adoption and tool interoperability in this thesis, we have completed the first step by increasing our understanding of interoperability. This thesis shows how to use existing technology such as XML, SOAP and GXL to improve interoperability. Although the ideas behind XML are not new, XML has been used to increase interoperability between systems. While the goal is to improve interoperability, we also keep in mind other software engineering design concerns, such as ease of maintenance and scalability. To evaluate our ideas about improving interoperability, we completed a prototype, which allows us to compare our approach to other existing systems. Our prototype is a reverse engineering tool for which existing systems and requirements are readily available. Some of the more relevant requirements include tool customization, persistence, tool deployment and interoperability. These requirements were combined with the reverse engineering requirements in the design stages of development in the hope of creating a more cohesive system. In our quest to improve interoperability of reverse engineering tools, we considered three types of integration. Data integration refers to the extent to which applications can share or use each other's data. Control integration is the ability of one system to request another system to perform some action. Process integration is similar to other forms of integration in so far as it looks at how to easily move between two user processes or actions. In this thesis we compare our prototype, the ACRE Engine, with the Rigi system. The comparison focused on our understanding of interoperability. We found that the Rigi system has many data integration features-most of which stem from its proprietary data format, Rigi Standard Format (RSF). Rigi's ability to integrate control between applications is restricted to file system messages. We did find the Rigi system could complete process integration tasks effectively. In this thesis we show that the ACRE System is at least as good, and in most cases better than the existing Rigi system with respect to the three forms of interoperability mentioned above.

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The optimization of a reverse osmosis (RO) system includes optimization of the design of the individual membrane modules, the system structure and the operating conditions of the system. Most previous studies considered either the optimal design of individual modules only or optimization of system structure and operating conditions for fixed module dimensions. This thesis developed a method to simultaneously optimize the module dimensions, system structure and operating conditions. The method comprised rules for generating a general superstructure for an RO system given the number of modules along with rules for generating technically and mathematically feasible sub-structures. The superstructure was based on maximum connectivity between unit operations. A connectivity matrix was used to represent the superstructure. The matrix was useful for checking sub-structure's feasibility and deriving a model for the sub-structure's optimization, comprising the minimum number of variables and constraints which minimized computational time and increased accuracy. For optimization, a nonlinear objective function of the annualized profit of the RO system was formulated, consisting of the revenue obtained from permeate sales, capital costs of the unit operations and operating costs for the system. It was found that RO system optimization is a nonconvex optimization problem. The most effective optimization procedure involved a combination of evolutionary computation, which was good for locating the global optimum, and a gradient-based method, which was superior in finding the exact optimum. Small population size, adaptive mutation rate and steady state replacement were the most efficient parameter settings for the evolutionary computation. Optimal design of two-stage RO systems with and without energy recovery, bypass and recycle streams was studied. Dimensions of predicted optimal modules approached those of current commercial modules but with much shorter feed channels. The mathematical optimum also had higher operating pressures. The optimum system structure was a series arrangement with different module dimensions in each stage. A sensitivity analysis showed that trends in the optimal design were similar when unit costs changed. An investigation of the scalability of the method for a three-stage RO system revealed several weaknesses. These are probably surmountable with the addition of more RO system specific knowledge.

In the competitive world of manufacturing, companies are often searching for new ways to improve their process, customer satisfaction and stay ahead in the game with their competitors. Reverse logistics has been considered a strategy to bring these things to life for the past decade or so. This thesis work tries to shed some light on the basics of reverse logistics and how reverse logistics can be used as a management strategy. This paper points out the fundamentals of reverse logistics and looks into what kind of decisions today’s logistics managers have to take on a daily basis for the improvement of their logistics model. A growing concern has been developing to control rising global pollution, this paper also brings out some of the effects of reverse logistics decisions on the environment and vice versa. The thesis starts out by compiling the works of researchers and logistics experts in the field of logistics in the theoretical background section. Through a survey conducted in a few manufacturing firms in India, a small picture of the extent to which reverse logistics has penetrated the manufacturing world has been drawn.

A large number of organizations that offer products today are experiencing returns; whether it is the return of a book from an online book store, the return of a television to the electronic retailer or a garment to a fashion retailer. How organizations handle product returns (reverse logistics) differs and also how much focuses each organization places on it, be-cause after all; it is extremely difficult to actually make revenue on reverse logistics. Why spend time and money on it? This study focuses on comparing an electronic and a fashion organization, how they both are conducting reverse logistics in regards to e-commerce. This is of interest to examine and add to the literature based on research focusing on a comparison between two organizations of a different nature in terms of their reverse logistics. Furthermore, it was of interest to study how each organization operates internally. For example, what are the barriers and drivers of reverse logistics, do they work proactively or reactively and what is the focus in regards to recycling of products? A case study research strategy was applied with an inductive approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with each organization where qualitative data was gathered. Secondary data was collected from literature sources such as academic journals and books. Data was analysed in order to structure the large amount of data to be able to compare the two organizations and draw conclusions. From analysing the data it is concluded that both the electronic and the fashion retailer are experiencing a great amount of returns, which generally follows the sales trend. Furthermore, the two organizations are similar in several aspects regarding reverse logistics although they are selling different products. One of the main drivers for both organizations in regards to reverse logistics is satisfying their customers. Finally, one of the main barriers for each organization was the costs that play a major role in reverse logistics. Overall, the study shows that it greatly depends on the nature of the products how reverse logistics processes are handled in the organization.

I denna rapport presenteras utveckling och prototyptillverkning av ramen och tiltfunktionen till en tiltbar reverse trike. En reverse trike är ett fordon med ett bakhjul och två framhjul. Bakhjulet är det drivande hjulet medan de två framhjulen är de styrande. Ett personligt intresse har alltid funnits för cyklar och cykelliknande fordon med fler än två hjul. I stort sett samtliga cyklar av den typen som finns kommersiellt tillgängliga idag använder sig utav en stel ram med begränsad fjädring på respektive hjul. Problemet med dessa är att de inte ger samma inlevelse vid färd som exempelvis en vanlig tvåhjulig cykel eller en motorcykel där fordonet kan lutas vid kurvtagning för att bättre utnyttja vikt och tyngdpunkt för att inte tippa. Det är den känslan som saknas hos dagens cykelliknande fordon. Projektet är utfört som ett examensarbete inom Produktutveckling – konstruktion under våren 2014 på Mälardalens högskola och är på D-nivå (30 högskolepoäng). Frågeställningarna som ligger till grund för projektet är: 1. Vilka regler gäller för ett pedallöst cykelklassat fordon? 2. Vilket material bör användas för att få en lätt och hållbar konstruktion? 3. Vilken lösning lämpar sig bäst för fjädring? 4. Hur kan ramen konstrueras för att möjliggöra tiltning? Projektet inleds med en informationsinhämtning där lagar och regler kring den typen av fordon undersöks och problemscenarion tas fram. Resultaten ligger sedan till grund för genereringsprocessen som avslutas med en konceptrealisering och prototyptillverkning. Under arbetet har funktionslösningar analyserats och med beräkningar har hållfastheten på prototypen fastställts. Det slutliga konceptet är en ram för en rent eldriven cykel av typen reverse trike, det vill säga att cykeln har ett bakhjul och två stycken framhjul. Den är rent eldriven och det innebär att fordonet inte har pedaler för framdrivning utan att den endast drivs av en elmotor. Det som skiljer detta koncept från befintliga produkter och som dessutom är huvudsyftet med konceptet och gör det unikt, är möjligheten att tilta som idag är i stort sett obefintligt hos konkurrenterna. Det har inte kunnat utföras några tester då prototypen inte hann färdigställas. Konceptet uppfyller endast genom teoretisk analys de krav som har ställts. Prototypen tillverkas i aluminiumprofiler av typen EN6063-T6, Aluminiumplåt av typen EN6082-T6 samt ett antal detaljer i nylon och stål. Konceptet uppfyller kraven från Transporstyrelsen vilket gör den laglig att framföras i trafik enligt svensk lag.

Seit geraumer Zeit wird im Maschinenbau (und nicht nur dort) mit Reverse Engineering ein komplexes Vorgehen im Entwicklungsprozess bezeichnet. Bislang getrennt und in Etappen ablaufende Vorgehensweisen werden durch den Rechnereinsatz integriert. Schlüssel dafür sind computergrafische Algorithmen, die es erlauben, aus Scan-, Röntgen- und Messdaten (Punktwolken) Oberflächen zu rekonstruieren. Die als Polygonnetze beschriebenen Oberflächen können für CAD und CAM, für Optimierungsverfahren (FEM) oder für die Qualitätssicherung (Werkstoffprüfung) genutzt werden. [... aus der Einleitung]

The result of this work will be the description of the historical development and the inclusion of VAT in the VAT system of taxation in Czech Republic. The thesis also explains VAT accounting and the most important concepts that relate to VAT itself. The work describes the VAT law and its consistency with other legislation. The practical part of the thesis will focus on the amendment of VAT, which came into force in 2011. The main goal is to describe the reverse-charge system and its changes between 2011 and 2012. The main objective of this work is to determine whether these changes affect the companies and how.