This book is about the behaviour of systems. Systems are important, for we interact with them all the time, and many of the actions we take are influenced by a system - for example, the system of performance measures in an organisation influences, often very strongly, how individuals within that organisation behave. Furthermore, sometimes we are involved in the design of systems, as is any manager contributing to the definition of what those performance measures might be. That manager will want to ensure that all the proposed performance measures will drive the 'right' behaviours rather than (inadvertently) encouraging dysfunctional 'game playing', and so anticipating how the performance measurement system will work in practice is a vital part of a wise design process. Some of the systems with which we interact are local, such as your organisation's performance measurement system. Some systems, however, are distant, but nonetheless very real, such as the healthcare system, the education system, the legal system and the climate system. Systems, therefore, exist on all scales, from the local to the global. And all systems are complex, some hugely so. That's why understanding how systems behave can be very helpful. Systems are complex for two main reasons. First, the manner in which they behave over time can be very hard to anticipate - and anticipating the future sensibly is of course a key objective of management. Second, the 'entities' within a system can be connected together in very complex ways, so that an intervention 'here' can result in an effect 'there', perhaps a long time afterward. Sometimes this can be surprising, and so we talk of 'unintended consequences' - but this is of course a euphemism for 'because I didn't understand how this system behaves, I had not anticipated that'. Systems thinking, the subject matter of this book, is the disciplined study of systems, and causal loop diagrams - the 'pictures' of this 'picture book' - are a very insightful way to represent the connectedness of the entities from which any system is composed, so taming that system's complexity.

While simulation has a vast area of application, this textbook focuses on the use of simulation to analyse business processes. It provides an up-to-date coverage of all stages of the discrete-event simulation (DES) process, covering important areas such as conceptual modelling, modelling input data, verification and validation and simulation output analysis. The book is comprehensive yet uncomplicated, covering the theoretical aspects of the subject and the practical elements of a typical simulation project, demonstrated by cases, examples and exercises. It also shows how simulation relates to new developments in machine learning, big data analytics and conceptual modelling techniques. Guidance is provided on how to build DES models using the Arena, Simio and Simul8 simulation software, and tutorials for using the software are incorporated throughout. Simulation Modelling offers a uniquely practical and end-to-end overview of the subject, which makes it perfect required or recommended reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying business simulation and simulation modelling as part of operations research, business analytics, supply chain management and computer science courses.

This open access book presents the proceedings of the 3rd Indo-German Conference on Sustainability in Engineering held at Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India, on September 16-17, 2019. Intended to foster the synergies between research and education, the conference is one of the joint activities of the BITS Pilani and TU Braunschweig conducted under the auspices of Indo-German Center for Sustainable Manufacturing, established in 2009. The book is divided into three sections: engineering, education and entrepreneurship, covering a range of topics, such as renewable energy forecasting, design & simulation, Industry 4.0, and soft & intelligent sensors for energy efficiency. It also includes case studies on lean and green manufacturing, and life cycle analysis of ceramic products, as well as papers on teaching/learning methods based on the use of learning factories to improve students'problem-solving and personal skills. Moreover, the book discusses high-tech ideas to help the large number of unemployed engineering graduates looking for jobs become tech entrepreneurs. Given its broad scope, it will appeal to academics and industry professionals alike.

This book discusses the problems of complexity in industrial data, including the problems of data sources, causes and types of data uncertainty, and methods of data preparation for further reasoning in engineering practice. Each data source has its own specificity, and a characteristic property of industrial data is its high degree of uncertainty. The book also explores a wide spectrum of soft modeling methods with illustrations pertaining to specific cases from diverse industrial processes. In soft modeling the physical nature of phenomena may not be known and may not be taken into consideration. Soft models usually employ simplified mathematical equations derived directly from the data obtained as observations or measurements of the given system. Although soft models may not explain the nature of the phenomenon or system under study, they usually point to its significant features or properties.

This book offers a systematic literature review and a set of empirical studies on supply chain integration. Supply chain management is recognized as an essential means for firms to achieve competitive advantages, in which supply chain integration is regarded as the core for operational excellence: shorter lead time, lower inventory, faster delivery, and higher product and service quality. Using data from an international survey of manufacturing firms, an interrelated set of studies that investigate supply chain integration from different perspectives at multiple levels are conducted. Intra-organizational factors such as products, production systems, and socio-technical systems are examined to understand their effects on supply chain integration, indicating that firms need to implement different types of supply chain integration for specific competitive priorities. Then, the outcomes of supply chain integration, including its impact on risk management and sustainability management, are investigated from an inter-organizational perspective. The firm is embedded in a manufacturing network, a global supply chain, or both, and it can use supply chain integration as a strategic action for risks. Sustainability has been a vital issue for manufacturers, and supply chain integration can enhance its success. This book makes significant contributions to the relevant literature on supply chain integration and offers insights to supply chain managers in manufacturing industries.

This book outlines the methodologies, approaches and tools for modelling chemicals in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) perspective, and also covers the main advantages and drawbacks of applying LCA to chemical processes. In the first part of this book, authors pay close attention to the limitations of modelling the environmental and social impacts of chemical processes, providing valuable insights to the problems of the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis for chemical processes. In the second part of this book, readers will learn about the LCA application to chemical processes in the laboratory and industrial scale. In each chapter of this book, readers will also find specific case studies on the modelling and application of LCA in the chemical industry.

This book surveys recent applications of inspection models, maintenance models and cumulative damage models, as well as discusses the policies involved with these models. It explains how a stochastic approach can be applied to systems using real-world examples. The book begins by introducing and summarizing standard inspection models. It dedicates chapters to random inspection models and general inspection models, before moving on to discuss inspection policies and checkpoint models. The book discusses inspection of reliability systems, such as missile maintenance systems, as well as Markov models of inspection. The book concludes with a summary of other inspection models, problems they face, and solutions to these problems. Each chapter utilizes examples to illustrate the various models, methods, and policies. This book is of interest to engineering students, researchers, and design and production engineers working in system manufacturing.

Manufacturing Data Structures "Comprehensive yet easy-to-read…Manufacturing Data Structures is filled with anecdotes, yet stresses the importance of maintaining data accuracy. It is valuable reading for all manufacturing managers." Jim Carnall Manufacturing Manager, Eastman Kodak "An entertaining and informative look at an important aspect of day to day business in the MRP II environment. It clearly shows how data structuring methodology can be directly applied to process industries such as the Personal Products/Health and Beauty business." Jeff L. Stevens Manager, Packaging Sciences, Chesebrough-Ponds Canada "Manufacturing Data Structures shows, in a very practical way, how manufacturing data can be used as a competitive weapon. It’s a comprehensive guide, filled with solutions to everyday problems." Jim Hendrickson Plant Manager, Reckitt & Colman "An excellent book…Very useful on the subject of data foundations for manufacturing. It has suggested further opportunities for improvement in my own organisation." R.A. Watson Rolls-Royce Motor Cars "Manufacturing Data Structures will be of immense value to the practitioner…" Chris Cage ICI Pharmaceuticals

Discrete stochastic models are tools that allow us to understand, control, and optimize engineering systems and processes. This book provides real-life examples and illustrations of models in reliability engineering and statistical quality control and establishes a connection between the theoretical framework and their engineering applications. The book describes discrete stochastic models along with real-life examples and explores not only well-known models, but also comparatively lesser known ones. It includes definitions, concepts, and methods with a clear understanding of their use in reliability engineering and statistical quality control fields. Also covered are the recent advances and established connections between the theoretical framework of discrete stochastic models and their engineering applications. An ideal reference for researchers in academia and graduate students working in the fields of operations research, reliability engineering, quality control, and probability and statistics.

Features Includes insight questions to support class discussion Written in broadly non-mathematical terms, designed to be accessible to any level of student or practicing AP to read, understand, and implement the concepts Each section introduces the ideas through real-life case studies

Business Intelligence (BI) is a solution to modern business problems. This book discusses the relationship between BI and Human Resource Management (HRM). In addition, it discusses how BI can be used as a strategic decision-making tool for the sustainable growth of an organization or business. BI helps organizations generate interactive reports with clear and reliable data for making numerous business decisions. This book covers topics spanning the important areas of BI in the context of HRM. It gives an overview of the aspects, tools, and techniques of BI and how it can assist HRM in creating a successful future for organizations. Some of the tools and techniques discussed in the book are analysis, data preparation, BI-testing, implementation, and optimization on GR and management disciplines. It will include a chapter on text mining as well as a section of case studies for practical use. This book will be useful for business professionals, including but not limited to, HR professionals, and budding business students.

Reliability, Yield, and Stress Burn-In explains reliability issues in Microelectronics Systems Manufacturing and Software Development with an emphasis on evolving manufacturing technology for the semiconductor industry. Since most microelectronics components have an infant mortality period of about one year under ordinary operating conditions, and many modern systems, such as PCs, are heavily used in the first few years, the reliability problem in the infant mortality period becomes extremely important. Burn-in is an accelerated screening procedure that eliminates infant mortalities early on in the shop before shipping out the products to the customers. This book will also help readers to analyze systems that exhibit high failure rate during a long infant mortality period. Reliability, Yield, and Stress Burn-In presents ways to systematically analyze burn-in policy at the component, sub-system, and system levels. Various statistical methods are addressed including parametric, nonparametric, and Bayesian approaches. Many case studies are introduced in combination with the developed theories. Included in the book is an introduction to software reliability. Reliability, Yield, and Stress Burn-In will help manufacturers and system designers to understand and to design a more reliable product given constraints specified by the users and designers. An understanding of the infant mortality period will solve many reliability problems, including those faced in the semiconductor industry and software industry.

Control Theory Applications for Dynamic Production Systems Apply the fundamental tools of linear control theory to model, analyze, design, and understand the behavior of dynamic production systems In Control Theory Applications for Dynamic Production Systems: Time and Frequency Methods for Analysis and Design, distinguished manufacturing engineer Dr. Neil A. Duffie delivers a comprehensive explanation of how core concepts of control theorical analysis and design can be applied to production systems. Time-based perspectives on response to turbulence are augmented by frequency-based perspectives, fostering new understanding and guiding design of decision-making. The time delays intrinsic to decision making and decision implementation in production systems are addressed throughout. Readers will discover methods for calculating time response and frequency response, modeling using transfer functions, assessing stability, and design of decision making for closed-loop production systems. The author has included real-world examples emphasizing the different components of production systems and illustrating how practical results can be quickly obtained using straightforward Matlab programs (which can easily be translated to other platforms). Avoiding unnecessary theoretical jargon, this book fosters an in-depth understanding of key tools of control system engineering. It offers: A thorough introduction to core control theoretical concepts of analysis and design of dynamic production systems Comprehensive and integrated explorations of continuous-time and discrete-time models of production systems, employing transfer functions and block diagrams Practical discussions of time response, frequency response, fundamental dynamic behavior, closed-loop production systems, and the design of decision-making In-depth examples of the analysis and design of complex dynamic behavior requiring approaches such as matrices of transfer functions and modeling of multiple sampling rates Perfect for production, manufacturing, industrial, and control system engineers, Control Theory Applications for Dynamic Production Systems will also earn a place in the libraries of students taking advanced courses on industrial system digitalization, dynamics, and design.

This book provides details on various micro and precision manufacturing and finishing operations performed by conventional and advanced processes, including micro-manufacturing of micro-tools and precision finishing of engineered components. It describes the process mechanism, principles and parameters while performing micro-fabrication and precision finishing operations. The text provides the readers with knowledge of micro and precision manufacturing and encourages them to explore the future venues in this field.

Manufacturing systems, regardless of their size, have to work with scarce resources in dynamic environments. Managers are asked to assign production facilities over time to parallel activities respecting operational constraints and deadlines while keeping resource costs as low as possible. Thus, classic scheduling approaches are not adequate when (i) a task simultaneously requires a set of different resources and (ii) a trade-off between different objectives (like time, cost and workload balance) should be reached. In such a case, more sophisticated models and algorithms should be brought to the attention of managers and executives of manufacturing companies.

Effective Resource Management in Manufacturing Systems aims to provide robust methods for achieving effective resource allocation and to solve related problems that occur daily and often generate cost overruns, specifically focusing on problems like resource levelling, sizing of machines and production layouts, cost optimization in production planning and scheduling. This approach is based on providing quantitative methods, covering both mathematical programming and algorithms, leading to high quality solutions for the analysed problems. Details of extensive experimentation is provided for the proposed techniques to put them in a practical perspective, so that, on the one hand, the reader can reproduce them, and, on the other hand, it appears clear how they can be implemented in real scenarios.

This book will be a valuable resource for postgraduate students studying business, engineering or computer science. It will also be of interest to researchers in the fore-mentioned areas.

While simulation has a vast area of application, this textbook focuses on the use of simulation to analyse business processes. It provides an up-to-date coverage of all stages of the discrete-event simulation (DES) process, covering important areas such as conceptual modelling, modelling input data, verification and validation and simulation output analysis. The book is comprehensive yet uncomplicated, covering the theoretical aspects of the subject and the practical elements of a typical simulation project, demonstrated by cases, examples and exercises. It also shows how simulation relates to new developments in machine learning, big data analytics and conceptual modelling techniques. Guidance is provided on how to build DES models using the Arena, Simio and Simul8 simulation software, and tutorials for using the software are incorporated throughout. Simulation Modelling offers a uniquely practical and end-to-end overview of the subject, which makes it perfect required or recommended reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying business simulation and simulation modelling as part of operations research, business analytics, supply chain management and computer science courses.

This book analyzes the continuous operation of a power plant with condensing power units in combined heat and power mode (CHP-mode) over a period of one year. Focusing on the operation of one and two power-unit systems with differing heat exchanger configurations, this book uses mathematical modeling of the steam-water cycle of a 370 MW power unit to calculate the operating characteristics and mass-energy balance of the system. Featuring comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of the quasi-unsteady operation of power units in cogeneration for electrical power generation, as determined by the Polish Power System, this work also includes an economic analysis of the power plant, presenting the costs and economic effectiveness of such a system.

This book takes the advanced precision forging technology of aluminum alloy parts as the main line, presents the content of precision forging process analysis, process parameter design, mold structure design, numerical simulation of forming process, and process test, combined with a large number of application examples classified according to the structural characteristics of parts. It introduces the theoretical basis of several new technologies and new equipment for precision forging, including the small flash precision forging technology, flow control forming technology, casting and forging combined forming technology, and new CNC precision forging hydraulic presses and servo hydraulic presses, which inspire readers to innovate on new technology and new equipment development.This book provides readers with the latest knowledge of aluminum alloy precision forging, which is of great reference value in the context of the current increasing attention to lightweight and the increasing application of aluminum alloy parts in automotive, aerospace, marine, and other fields. This book can be used as a reference book for engineering and technical personnel engaged in aluminum alloy forging technology and can also be used as a reference book for researchers, undergraduates, and graduate students interested in materials processing.

This book presents the select peer-reviewed proceeding of the International Conference on Advanced Production and Industrial Engineering (ICAPIE) - 2021 held at Delhi Technological University. It covers recent trends in various fields of mechanical engineering. The broad range of topics and issues covered include mechanical system engineering, materials engineering, micro-machining, renewable energy, industrial engineering and additive manufacturing. This book will be useful for students, researchers and professionals working in the area of mechanical and allied engineering discipline.

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.This book presents results relevant in the manufacturing research field, that are mainly aimed at closing the gap between the academic investigation and the industrial application, in collaboration with manufacturing companies. Several hardware and software prototypes represent the key outcome of the scientific contributions that can be grouped into five main areas, representing different perspectives of the factory domain:1) Evolutionary and reconfigurable factories to cope with dynamic production contexts characterized by evolving demand and technologies, products and processes.2) Factories for sustainable production, asking for energy efficiency, low environmental impact products and processes, new de-production logics, sustainable logistics.3) Factories for the People who need new kinds of interactions between production processes, machines, and human beings to offer a more comfortable and stimulating working environment.4) Factories for customized products that will be more and more tailored to the final user's needs and sold at cost-effective prices.5) High performance factories to yield the due production while minimizing the inefficiencies caused by failures, management problems, maintenance.This books is primarily targeted to academic researchers and industrial practitioners in the manufacturing domain.

The current perspectives of smart and sustainable manufacturing systems hold important implications for current practices and understanding these concepts for further implications. This comprehensive reference text discusses both centralized and decentralized production systems, using variety of new cutting-edge approaches to solve the problem. The text covers simulation-based approaches including social network-based approaches, discrete event-based approaches, and knowledge based for smart and sustainable systems. It further covers mathematical models such as single-objective, multi-objective, and many-objective. The text discusses important topics including energy efficiency, transportation constrains for efficient and effective production, meta-heuristic and hybrid algorithms, and real-time monitoring and analysis for smart and sustainable production. This book- * Presents approaches to improve the objectives of sustain-ability and smart production systems. * Discusses Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) concepts and its implementation for production systems. * Covers social network analysis method in distributed manufacturing systems. * Examines reckoning prognostics and diagnostics to monitor the health of the systems in perspective of distributed manufacturing. * Discusses aspects of Industry 4.0 in specific production systems. The text will be useful for graduate students and professional in the fields of mechanical engineering, production engineering, industrial engineering, and manufacturing.

This book deals with critical infrastructure safety analysis based on reliability modelling of multistate ageing system. It shows how changes of the operation process as well as climate-weather changes in the operating area of the critical infrastructure do influence the safety parameters of its assets. Building upon previous authors' research, the book formulates an integrated modeling approach where the multistate critical infrastructure safety model is combined with semi-Markov models for its operation process and for the climate-weather change process. This approach is shown to be successful in determining basic critical infrastructure safety, risk and resilience indicators, regardless of the number of assets and the number of their safety states. Besides the theory, the book reports on a successful application to the safety analysis of a real critical infrastructure, such as a port oil terminal. All in all, this book proposes a comprehensive and timely review of cutting-edge mathematical methods for safety identification, prediction and evaluation of critical infrastructures. It demonstrates that these methods can be applied in practice for analyzing safety of critical infrastructure under time-varying operation and climate-weather change processes.

This introductory book describes the initial (first) level of studying the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) from the series "TRIZ from A to Z," and presents the most general methods for solving inventive problems and generating new ideas. Chapter 1 examines traditional technologies for problem solving, based on trial and error. Chapter 2 describes the general concept of TRIZ, while Chapter 3 explains the main notions of "system" approaches, like system thinking, system and its hierarchy, system effect, emergency, synergetic effect and systematicity. In turn, Chapter 4 describes the notion of "ideality" and Chapter 5 addresses the notion of resources, their types, and methods for using them. Chapter 6 acquaints readers with one of the most important aspects of TRIZ: contradiction. Chapter 7 describes the inventive principles, while Chapter 8 includes descriptions of the systems of trends proposed by G. Altshuller and the author. In closing, the author makes recommendations on how to most effectively use TRIZ tools, on how readers can improve their knowledge, skills and habits concerning the use of TRIZ, and on how they can hone their inventive thinking skills. The book also features Appendices that include analyses of selected problems, a list of the main websites related to TRIZ, and lists of examples, problems, illustrations, tables and formulae.

This book is an implementation guide for creating a Lean Culture from the ground up while gaining buy-in from key stakeholders and being able to sustain the results. Everyone talks about implementing a Lean Culture, but only provides Lean Tools for the implementation. This book discusses implementing the entire system from three main aspects. It covers the people (structural and cultural), the operation system, and the tools. Also included is a full set of case studies to show real-life implementations as well. FEATURES: Discusses Leader Standard work for all employees Covers the escalation process for tiers and daily accountability Shows how to deal with a change of SOP's and standardization within an organization Presents exercises for Lean Tools Implementation Offers real-life case studies of implementing a Lean Culture while sustaining it Building a Sustainable Lean Culture: An Implementation Guide discusses Lean Leadership from a managerial standpoint and ensures the Lean journey succeeds through accountability, standardized work, and technological advances utilizing Lean Systems. Useful in manufacturing, services, IT, and healthcare, this book includes the implementation of empowering employees to want to build a Lean Culture.

Process Plant Layout, Second Edition, explains the methodologies used by professional designers to layout process equipment and pipework, plots, plants, sites, and their corresponding environmental features in a safe, economical way. It is supported with tables of separation distances, rules of thumb, and codes of practice and standards. The book includes more than seventy-five case studies on what can go wrong when layout is not properly considered. Sean Moran has thoroughly rewritten and re-illustrated this book to reflect advances in technology and best practices, for example, changes in how designers balance layout density with cost, operability, and safety considerations. The content covers the 'why' underlying process design company guidelines, providing a firm foundation for career growth for process design engineers. It is ideal for process plant designers in contracting, consultancy, and for operating companies at all stages of their careers, and is also of importance for operations and maintenance staff involved with a new build, guiding them through plot plan reviews.