This book develops innovative techniques from operational research and management science for the design and implementation of a reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS), and subsequently analyzes and assesses their performance. A reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) is a paradigm that can address many of the challenges posed by the modern market. Accordingly, substantial research is now being conducted on RMS, focusing on various levels of decision-making (strategic, tactical and operational). However, as a relatively new research area, there are still only very few books and articles available on reconfigurable manufacturing system design and management. In addition to filling that gap, this book provides a forum for investigating, exchanging ideas on, and disseminating the latest advances in the broad area of RMS applications in today's industry. Gathering contributions by experts from academia, industry and policy-making, it represents an essential contribution to the existing literature on manufacturing and logistics in general and industry 4.0 in particular.

The Pigments from Microalgae Handbook presents the current state of knowledge on pigment production using microalgae-based processes, and covers both the scientific fundamentals of this technology and its practical applications. It addresses biology, chemistry, biochemistry, analysis and engineering aspects, as well as applications of natural pigments in photosynthetic organisms. The book also describes the analytical procedures associated with the characterization of pigments and the engineering aspects of microalgal pigment production. It considers the three major classes of pigments(chlorophylls, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins) produced and surveys the main commercial applications of these chemicals. The book offers a valuable source of information for industrial researchers and practitioners in industrial biotechnology, as it covers various engineering aspects of microalgal pigment production, such as bioreactors and bioprocesses, industrial extraction processes, and the bioeconomy of production including life-cycle assessment. The book will also be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students of biochemistry, food chemistry, and industrial microbiology.

This is the first of two volumes that together provide an overview of the latest advances in the generation and application of digital twins in bioprocess design and optimization.Both processes have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, moving from data-driven approaches into the 21st-century digitalization of the bioprocess industry. Moreover, the high demand for biotechnological products calls for efficient methods during research and development, as well as during tech transfer and routine manufacturing. In this regard, one promising tool is the use of digital twins, which offer a virtual representation of the bioprocess. They reflect the mechanistics of the biological system and the interactions between process parameters, key performance indicators and product quality attributes in the form of a mathematical process model. Furthermore, digital twins allow us to use computer-aided methods to gain an improved process understanding, to test and plan novel bioprocesses, and to efficiently monitor them. This book explains the mathematical structure of digital twins, their development and the model's respective parts, as well as concepts for the knowledge-driven generation and structural variability of digital twins. Covering fundamentals as well as applications, the two volumes offer the ideal introduction to the topic for researchers in academy and industry alike.

This peer-reviewed book explores the technologies driving broadband internet connectivity in the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). It particularly focuses on potential solutions to introduce these technologies in emerging markets and rural areas, regions that typically form part of the digital divide and often have under-developed telecommunications infrastructures, a lack of skilled workers, and geographical restrictions that limit broadband connectivity. Research shows that ubiquitous internet access boosts socio-economic growth through innovations in science and technology, with the common goal of bringing positive change to the lives of individuals. Fifth-generation (5G) networks based on millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequency information transfer have the potential to provide future-proof, affordable and sustainable broadband connectivity in areas where previous-generation mobile networks were unable to do so. This book discusses the principles of various technologies that enable electronic circuits to operate at mm-wave frequencies. It examines the importance of identifying, describing, and analyzing technology from a purely technological standpoint, but also acknowledges and investigates the challenges and limitations of introducing such technologies in emerging markets. Presenting recent research, the book spearheads participation in Industry 4.0 in these areas.

This work examines the relationships among engineering leadership, technological change, and economic development. Specifically, it reviews the role and contribution of engineers--through their education and work--in the pursuit of excellence and effectiveness in our increasingly pervasive technological development. The relationship between the rate of technological development, technological diffusion, and success in its application, and the role or position of engineers in industry and government is interdependent. Frankel concludes that while the United States continues its dominance in basic scientific research and technology development, the growing lag in developing and applying technology in a timely and effective manner is largely a result of the lack of engineers in senior decisionmaking positions in industry and government.

This work will be of interest to practicing engineers, practicing managers, and scholars and students of economics and technology development.

This book is a compilation of selected papers from the fifth International Symposium on Software Reliability, Industrial Safety, Cyber Security and Physical Protection of Nuclear Power Plant, held in November 2020 in Beijing, China. The purpose of this symposium is to discuss Inspection, test, certification and research for the software and hardware of Instrument and Control (I&C) systems in nuclear power plants (NPP), such as sensors, actuators and control system. It aims to provide a platform of technical exchange and experience sharing for those broad masses of experts and scholars and nuclear power practitioners, and for the combination of production, teaching and research in universities and enterprises to promote the safe development of nuclear power plant. Readers will find a wealth of valuable insights into achieving safer and more efficient instrumentation and control systems.

This book comprises selected papers from the Fourth International Conference on Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (ICMME 2019). The contents focus on the latest developments in the synthesis and characterization of new materials, and highlights the challenges involved in the manufacturing and machinability of different materials. Advanced and cost-effective manufacturing processes and their applications are also discussed in the book. In addition, it covers topics like robotics, fluid dynamics, design and development, and different optimization techniques. The contents of this book will be beneficial to students, researchers, and industry professionals.

This book contains a collection of 13 carefully selected papers contributed by researches in technical and partial medical diagnostics as well as fault-tolerant control and constitutes a comprehensive study of the field. Nowadays technical diagnostics and fault-tolerant control are a field of intensive scientific research that covers well-established topics along with emerging developments in control engineering, artificial intelligence, applied mathematics and statistics. At the same time, a growing number of applications of different fault diagnosis methods, especially in the electrical, mechanical, chemical and medical areas, are being observed. The aim of the book is to show the bridge between technical and medical diagnosis based on analytical and artificial intelligence methods and techniques. The book is divided into three parts: I. Fault-Tolerant Control and Reconfiguration, II. Fault Diagnosis of Processes and Systems, III. Medical Applications. The book is of interest to scientists, engineers and academics dealing with the problems of designing technical diagnosis and fault-tolerant control systems. Its target readers are also junior researchers and students of control, artificial intelligence and computer engineering.

Based on the idea of a universal rule for problem solving, the book suggests that the "System-Fuzzy Approach (SFA)" Model can be applied to various complex real-world problems. It is the first book for problem solving in complicated problems with a universal project management tool. Systematic searching is an essential step in identifying the right direction in problem solving; and the fuzzy steps in concrete problem solving reflect the flexibility and compromises involved in the process. Nevertheless, the fuzzy steps also demonstrate human beings' impressively flexible problem-solving skills. Simulating human decision-making processes based on fuzzy information processing is essential in our digital era, in which many problems need to be solved by means of artificial intelligence; hence the Fuzzy-AI Model emerged. As a universal rule and tool, it can be applied to a broad range of real-world problems. Offering a valuable guide to fuzzy decision-making, this book is intended for researchers, scientists and graduate students in the fields of Engineering, Economics, Sociology, Managerial Science, Project Management etc.

This book provides a detailed explanation of the cold spray process from a practical standpoint. Drawing on the authors' 36 years of research and development experience, it is firmly rooted in theory but also substantiated by empirical data and practical knowledge, offering potential users the information they need to recognize the advantages, as well as the limitations, of cold spray. This sets it apart from previous works on the subject, which have been purely academic. Cold spray technology has made great dramatic strides over the last 10 years and is now being used extensively in the aerospace, electronics, automotive, medical, and even the petrochemical industries. Most recently, cold spray of near-net shaped parts was accomplished - something previously assumed to be impossible because of the limitations of commercially available cold spray systems and a lack of fundamental understanding regarding the process. The cost of cold spray has also declined, making it appealing to industry through the introduction of new powders, surface preparation techniques, and recovery systems tailored to the cold spray process. Though primarily intended for users of the technology, this handbook is also a valuable resource for researchers interested in advances in cold spray materials, improved feedstock powders, advanced hardware and software development, surface preparation techniques, and the numerous applications developed to date. For example, cold spray aluminum alloys have been developed that offer the strength and ductility of wrought material in the as-sprayed condition. This has yet to be achieved by conventional powder consolidation methods including laser sintering, electron beam, and ultrasonic techniques. Other topics covered include additive manufacturing, structural repair, nondestructive evaluation, advanced cold spray materials, qualification requirements, cold spray systems comparison, and, finally, helium recovery. Thanks to its practical focus, the book provides readers with everything they need to understand, evaluate, and implement cold spray technology.

This book details two elements of textile chemistry namely- sustainable/eco-friendly dyes and green chemistry. It presents latest topics in sustainable dyeing techniques, low impact dyeing methods, wool dyeing techniques and green chemistry. Certain case studies are also highlighted.

This book gathers selected papers presented at the 1st International Conference on Industrial Applications of Adhesives 2020 (IAA 2020). It covers a wide range of topics, including adhesive curing for electronic and automotive industries; adhesive testing with a torsion machine for rigorous mechanical properties determination; joint design using innovative techniques such as the meshless method; design methodologies in the automotive industry for joints under impact; temperature effects in joints typically found in civil engineering; and advanced nondestructive techniques such as terahertz spectroscopy to assess the durability of adhesive joints. Providing a review of the state-of the art in industrial applications of adhesives, the book serves as a valuable reference resource for researchers and graduate students interested in adhesive bonding.

In the agriculture, forestry, the primary and secondary wood working industry there are considerable resources of raw materials which can only be used in a rational manner for energetic purposes. Due to requirements from the users. one of the most retinal way of utilization is to make pellets with high density and specific energy content. Making pellets of 6-8 mm diameter, their utilization in furnaces allows an almost fully automated operation with high thermal efficiency. This book describes both the theoretical and practical aspects of pellet production including material requirements and preparation, pressing technologies, quality requirements, burning properties, investments and the overall economy of pellet production.

This is the second of two volumes that together provide an overview of the latest advances in the generation and application of digital twins in bioprocess design and optimization. Both processes have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, moving from data-driven approaches into the 21st-century digitalization of the bioprocess industry. Moreover, the high demand for biotechnological products calls for efficient methods during research and development, as well as during tech transfer and routine manufacturing. In this regard, one promising tool is the use of digital twins, which offer a virtual representation of the bioprocess. They reflect the mechanistics of the biological system and the interactions between process parameters, key performance indicators and product quality attributes in the form of a mathematical process model. Furthermore, digital twins allow us to use computer-aided methods to gain an improved process understanding, to test and plan novel bioprocesses, and to efficiently monitor them. This book focuses on the application of digital twins in various contexts, e.g. computer-aided experimental design, seed train prediction, and lifeline analysis. Covering fundamentals as well as applications, the two volumes offers the ideal introduction to the topic for researchers in academy and industry alike.

This book discusses several new, near-net-shape techniques for fabricating highly reliable, high-performance, complex ceramic parts. In the context of materials design, the creation of high-performance ceramic products of desired shapes has led to the need for new ceramic forming processes. The near-net-shape techniques combine both injection-molding and colloidal-forming processes. Reviewing and summarizing the research and latest advances, the book is divided into 6 parts: (1) the basic theory, development, and application of the colloidal injection molding of ceramics; (2) the tape casting technology; (3) the reliability of the product; (4) the colloidal injection molding of Si3N4 and SiC; (5) low-toxicity systems; and (6) the novel in-situ coagulation casting of ceramic suspensions via controlled release of high-valence counter ions and dispersant removal. It is intended for researchers and graduates in materials science and engineering.

This book presents the latest advances in flowsheet simulation of solids processes, focusing on the dynamic behaviour of systems with interconnected solids processing units, but also covering stationary simulation. The book includes the modelling of solids processing units, for example for comminution, sifting and particle formulation and also for reaction systems. Furthermore, it examines new approaches for the description of solids and their property distributions and for the mathematical treatment of flowsheets with multivariate population balances.

This book comprises select peer-reviewed papers from the International Conference on Emerging Trends in Electromechanical Technologies & Management (TEMT) 2019. The focus is on current research in interdisciplinary areas of mechanical, electrical, electronics and information technologies, and their management from design to market. The book covers a wide range of topics such as computer integrated manufacturing, additive manufacturing, materials science and engineering, simulation and modelling, finite element analysis, operations and supply chain management, decision sciences, business analytics, project management, and sustainable freight transportation. The book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners of various disciplines, in particular mechanical and industrial engineering.

This book provides a wealth of practical guidance on how to design parts to gain the maximum benefit from what additive manufacturing (AM) can offer. It begins by describing the main AM technologies and their respective advantages and disadvantages. It then examines strategic considerations in the context of designing for additive manufacturing (DfAM), such as designing to avoid anisotropy, designing to minimize print time, and post-processing, before discussing the economics of AM. The following chapters dive deeper into computational tools for design analysis and the optimization of AM parts, part consolidation, and tooling applications. They are followed by an in-depth chapter on designing for polymer AM and applicable design guidelines, and a chapter on designing for metal AM and its corresponding design guidelines. These chapters also address health and safety, certification and quality aspects. A dedicated chapter covers the multiple post-processing methods for AM, offering the reader practical guidance on how to get their parts from the AM machine into a shape that is ready to use. The book's final chapter outlines future applications of AM. The main benefit of the book is its highly practical approach: it provides directly applicable, "hands-on" information and insights to help readers adopt AM in their industry

This edited volume reviews the current state of the art in the additive manufacturing of optical componentry, exploring key principles, materials, processes and applications. A short introduction lets readers familiarize themselves with the fundamental principles of the 3D printing method. This is followed by a chapter on commonly-used and emerging materials for printing of optical components, and subsequent chapters are dedicated to specific topics and case studies. The high potential of additive manufactured optical components is presented based on different manufacturing techniques and accompanied with extensive examples - from nanooptics to large scale optics - and taking research and industrial perspectives. Readers are provided with an extensive overview of the new possibilities brought about by this alternative method for optical components manufacture. Finally, the limitations of the method with respect to manufacturing techniques, materials and optical properties of the generated objects are discussed. With contributions from experts in academia and industry, this work will appeal to a wide readership, from undergraduate students through engineers to researchers interested in modern methods of manufacturing optical components.

Between 1800 and 1900 the Industrial Revolution swept the United States. Behind this revolution were changes in business organization and advancement in science and technology. This book is concerned with the interaction of these social forces. It demonstrates when and for what reasons the introduction of new manufacturing led to business risks and losses. The study is based on the records of technological innovation in methods of producing iron and steel, in textile machinery, in machine tools, and in electric power equipment.

This book presents an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the production and use of microalgal biomass and bioproducts for energy generation. It also offers extensive information on engineering approaches to energy production, such as process integration and process intensification in harnessing energy from microalgae. Issues related to the environment, food, chemicals and energy supply pose serious threats to nations' success and stability. The challenge to provide for a rapidly growing global population has made it imperative to find new technological routes to increase the production of consumables while also bearing in mind the biosphere's ability to regenerate resources. Microbial biomass is a bioresource that provides effective solutions to these challenges. Divided into eight parts, the book explores microalgal production systems, life cycle assessment and the bio-economy of biofuels from microalgae, process integration and process intensification applied to microalgal biofuels production. In addition, it discusses the main fuel products obtained from microalgae, summarizing a range of useful energy products derived from algae-based systems, and outlines future developments. Given the book's breadth of coverage and extensive bibliography, it offers an essential resource for researchers and industry professionals working in renewable energy.

This book consists of select proceedings of the International Conference on Functional Material, Manufacturing and Performances (ICFMMP) 2019, and presents latest research on using the combined intelligence of people, processes, and machines to impact the overall economics of manufacturing. The book focuses on optimizing manufacturing resources, improving business value and safety, and reducing waste - both on the floor and in back-office operations. It highlights the applications of the latest manufacturing execution system (MES), intelligent devices, machine-to-machine communication, and data analysis for the production lines and facilities. This book will be useful to manufacturers of finished goods and of sub-assemblies in the automotive, agriculture, and construction equipment sector. It will also provide solutions to make production strategies exceptional and can be a useful reference for beginners, researchers, and professionals interested in intelligent manufacturing technologies.