The problems surrounding the subject of distributed databases in real-time control were addressed at the workshop. The difficulties included finding new, high-level conceptual models as conventional solutions are rendered useless in distributed databases. The other problems covered include the difficulties faced due to huge transaction fluxes and time constraints. The papers cover these theoretical issues plus an applications section which provides case studies of efficient applied systems which will be important for the development of this essential field.

This fourth volume on detox fashion focuses on case studies, which are essential to showcase how practical applications have been accomplished, and provide an opportunity for others to (learn about and) adopt the best practices, challenges and practical implications. The book consists of three core chapters: Detoxifying the Supply Chain: Slow Production Networks in South-East European Garment Factories; Detoxifying the Luxury and Fashion Industry: The Case of Market-driving Brands; and Detox My Fashion under Mission 2020-Case Studies from Different Brands.

This book provides an overview of cleaner production, including how regulations have evolved, and presents a broad perspective on how it is being developed. Presenting several practical examples and applications of modern clean production technologies, it provides readers with ideas on how to extend these practices to other industry sectors in order to contribute to a better environment in the future. The authors start from the initial concepts of how to implement new cleaner production systems, before collecting recent developments in the area and demonstrating practical ways in which the latest knowledge can be applied. It motivates readers to develop new ideas on how to improve manufacturing systems to save energy and generate less waste, and discusses strategies on how to save, reuse and adapt materials, as well as techniques to reduce the waste and pollution produced. This book serves as a reference resource for industrial management engineers and researchers, and is also of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students looking for insights into cleaner production in industry.

Failure Mechanisms in Semiconductor Devices Second Edition E. Ajith Amerasekera Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, USA Farid N. Najm University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Since the successful first edition of Failure Mechanisms in Semiconductor Devices, semiconductor technology has become increasingly important. The high complexity of today's integrated circuits has engendered a demand for greater component reliability. Reflecting the need for guaranteed performance in consumer applications, this thoroughly updated edition includes more detailed material on reliability modelling and prediction. The book analyses the main failure mechanisms in terms of cause, effects and prevention and explains the mathematics behind reliability analysis. The authors detail methodologies for the identification of failures and describe the approaches for building reliability into semiconductor devices. Their thorough yet accessible text covers the physics of failure mechanisms from the semiconductor die itself to the packaging and interconnections. Incorporating recent advances, this comprehensive survey of semiconductor reliability will be an asset to both engineers and graduate students in the field.

The book gives a systematic and detailed description of a new integrated product and process development approach for sheet metal manufacturing. Special attention is given to manufacturing that unites multidisciplinary competences of product design, material science, and production engineering, as well as mathematical optimization and computer based information technology. The case study of integral sheet metal structures is used by the authors to introduce the results related to the recent manufacturing technologies of linear flow splitting, bend splitting, and corresponding integrated process chains for sheet metal structures.

This book identifies, analyzes and discusses the current trends of digitalized, decentralized, and networked physical value creation by focusing on the particular example of 3D printing. In addition to evaluating 3D printing's disruptive potentials against a broader economic background, it also addresses the technology's potential impacts on sustainability and emerging modes of bottom-up and community-based innovation. Emphasizing these topics from economic, technical, social and environmental perspectives, the book offers a multifaceted overview that scrutinizes the scenario of a fundamental transition: from a centralized to a far more decentralized system of value creation.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of quality and quality management. It also explores total quality management, covering its human, technological and analytical imperatives. It also examines quality systems and system standards, highlighting essential features and avoiding a reproduction of the ISO 9000 standard, as well as people-related issues in implementing a quality system. A holistic understanding of quality considerations, which now permeate every aspect of human life, should guide related policies, plans and practices. The book describes the all-pervasive characteristics of quality, putting together diverse definitions of "quality," outlining its different dimensions, and linking it with reliability and innovation. It goes on to assess the quality of measurements in terms of precision, accuracy and uncertainty and discusses managing quality with a focus on business performance. This is followed by a chapter on improving process quality, which is the summum bonum of quality management, and a chapter addressing the crucial problem of measuring customer satisfaction through appropriate models and tools. Further, it covers non-traditional subjects such as quality of life, quality of working life, quality assurance and improvement in education, with special reference to higher education, quality in research and development and characterizes the quality-related policies and practices in Indian industry. The last chapter provides a broad sketch of some recent advances in statistical methods for quality management. Along with the research community, the book's content is also useful for practitioners and industry watchers.

This book introduces state-of-the-art models and methods based on the matrix in the field of product design and change management. It develops several types of matrix models for a broad range of applications, with the goal of efficiently finding product design solutions and proactively analyzing design change propagation. The book offers readers an extensive introduction to design automation, highlighting fundamental and innovative concepts, as well as cutting-edge technologies. Further, it familiarizes them with the latest advances in design change propagation and prediction. Lastly, the book puts forward design change-oriented matrix models and includes a proactive analysis of change propagation. The book offers a valuable resource for graduate students, researchers and engineers in the fields of product design and methodology, design automation and related areas.

This book presents the proceedings of the 2nd Pacific Rim Statistical Conference for Production Engineering: Production Engineering, Big Data and Statistics, which took place at Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea in December, 2016. The papers included discuss a wide range of statistical challenges, methods and applications for big data in production engineering, and introduce recent advances in relevant statistical methods.

This book details the primary concepts of Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), integration of social aspects in product life cycles, quantification of social impacts in S-LCA, impact categorization in S-LCA, methodological aspects of S-LCA, and detailed case studies. As the societal implications of producing a product are coming to take on a new importance, the concept of Social Life Cycle Assessment has recently been developed and is becoming increasingly prominent. However, S-LCA is still in its infancy and its impact categories for many industrial segments are still under development.

This first volume on detox fashion discusses various interesting topics including a Toxic-Free Supply Chain for Textiles and Clothing; Environmental Issues in Textiles; Global Regulations, Restrictions & Research; Making the Change: Consumer Adoption of Sustainable Fashion; and Strategies for Detoxing Your Wardrobe. It provides an overview of the chemical-related issues confronting the fashion sector, summarizes global regulations, and discusses how to make the change by changing consumers' attitude towards adopting sustainable fashion, as well as the best strategies for detoxing our wardrobes.

This book broadens readers' understanding of proactive condition monitoring of low- speed machines in heavy industries. It focuses on why low-speed machines are different than others and how maintenance of these machines should be implemented with particular attention. The authors explain the best available monitoring techniques for various equipment and the principle of how to get proactive information from each technique. They further put forward possible strategies for application of FEM for detection of faults and technical assessment of machinery. Implementation phases are described and industrial case studies of proactive condition monitoring are included. Proactive Condition Monitoring of Low-Speed Machines is an essential resource for engineers and technical managers across a range of industries as well as design engineers working in industrial product development.

This edited work presents studies that clarify the basics of producing recombinant enzymes that finally lead to commercialization. It enables researchers to see what is crucial to the commercialization process, from examining the cloning method, using analytical techniques such as calculating the total protein content and enzyme activity, through considering upstream and downstream processes, to the final product. Readers will discover the importance of the cloning method as it influences the upstream and downstream processes and determines the level of success of the recombinant enzyme commercialization processes. We see that the two main factors that are particularly sensitive during the cloning process are the vector and the host. A discussion of analytical techniques is presented followed by studies on important stages during the upstream processes including the process of optimizing the media to get results and high enzyme activity. Downstream processes such as the cell disruption technique, purification and formulation of the final product are then considered. The reader is introduced to software that helps streamline recombinant enzyme production from the upstream to downstream processes, to facilitate the process of up-scaling production. This work includes a case study as tool, to guide understanding of the commercialization process. The work is written for researchers in the field and is especially suited to those who are under pressure to embark on the tough process of commercialization.

This book discusses the connection between fast fashion brands and customer-centric sustainability. It highlights what consumers can do with fast fashion and the important aspects that need to be addressed to make fast fashion sustainable. Fast fashion is an inevitable element in today's fashion business cycle and its adverse impacts on sustainable fashion are a major issue.

This handbook compiles state-of-the-art empirical studies and applications using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). It includes a collection of 18 chapters written by DEA experts. Chapter 1 examines the performance of CEOs of U.S. banks and thrifts. Chapter 2 describes the network operational structure of transportation organizations and the relative network data envelopment analysis model. Chapter 3 demonstrates how to use different types of DEA models to compute total-factor energy efficiency scores with an application to energy efficiency. In chapter 4, the authors explore the impact of incorporating customers' willingness to pay for service quality in benchmarking models on cost efficiency of distribution networks, and chapter 5 provides a brief review of previous applications of DEA to the professional baseball industry, followed by two detailed applications to Major League Baseball. Chapter 6 examines efficiency and productivity of U.S. property-liability (P-L) insurers using DEA, while chapter 7 presents a two-stage network DEA model that decomposes the overall efficiency of a decision-making unit into two components. Chapter 8 presents a review of the literature of DEA models for the perfoemance assessment of mutual funds, and chapter 9 discusses the management strategies formulation of the international tourist hotel industry in Taiwan. Chapter 10 presents a novel use of the two-stage network DEA to evaluate sustainable product design performances. In chapter 11 authors highlight limitations of some DEA environmental efficiency models, and chapter 12 reviews applications of DEA in secondary and tertiary education. Chapter 13 measures the relative performance of New York State school districts in the 2011-2012 academic year. Chapter 14 provides an introductory prelude to chapters 15 and 16, which both provide detailed applications of DEA in marketing. Chapter 17 then shows how to decompose a new total factor productivity index that satisfies all economically-relevant axioms from index theory with an application to U.S. agriculture. Finally, chapter 18 presents a unique study that conducts a DEA research front analysis, applying a network clustering method to group the DEA literature over the period 2000 to 2014.

The conference aims at forming a unique platform to bring together academicians and practitioners from industrial engineering and management engineering as well as from other disciplines working on production function applying the tools of operational research and production/operational management. Topics treated include: computer aided manufacturing, industry 4.0, big data and analytics, flexible manufacturing systems, fuzzy logic, industrial applications, information technologies in production management, optimization, production economy, production planning and control, productivity and performance management, project management, quality management, risk analysis and management, supply chain management.

This excellent book systematically identifies the issues surrounding the effective linking of project management techniques and engineering applications. It is not a technical manual, nor is it procedure--led. Instead, it encourages creative learning of project engineering methodology that can be applied and modified in different situations. In short, it offers a distillation of practical 'on--the job' experience to help project engineers perform more effectively. While this book specifically addresses process plants, the principles are applicable to other types of engineering project where multidisciplinary engineering skills are required, such as power plant and general factory construction. It focuses on the technical aspects, which typically influence the configuration of the plant as a whole, on the interface between the various disciplines involved, and the way in which work is done -- the issues central to the co--ordination of the overall engineering effort. It develops an awareness of relationships with other parties -- clients, suppliers, package contractors, and construction managers -- and of how the structure and management of these relationships impact directly on the performance of the project engineer. Readers will welcome the author's straightforward approach in tackling sensitive issues head on. COMPLETE CONTENTS* Introduction* A process plant* A project and its management* A brief overview* The engineering work and its management* The project's industrial environment* The commercial environment* The contracting environment* The economic environment* Studies and proposals* Plant layout and modelling* Value engineering and plant optimization* Hazards, loss, and safety* Specification, selection and purchase* Fluid transport* Bulk solids transport* Slurries and two--phase transport* Hydraulic design and plant drainage* Observations on multidiscipline engineering* Detail design and drafting* The organization of work* Construction* Construction contracts* Commissioning* Communication* Change and chaos* Fast--track projects* Advanced information management* Project strategy development* Key issues summary

Industrial Process Automation Systems: Design and Implementation provides a clear guide to the practicalities of modern industrial automation systems.Bridging the gap between theory and technician level coverage, it offers a pragmatic approach to the subject based on industrial experience, taking in the latest technologies and professional practices. Clear coverage of concepts and applications provides engineers with the knowledge they need before referring to vendor documentation, while clear guidelines for implementing process control options and worked examples of deployments translate theory into practice with ease. "Industrial Process Automation Systems: Design and Implementation" is ideal as a detailed introduction for junior level professionals and as an applied reference for more experienced practitioners.
Provides knowledge of the different systems available and their applications, enabling engineers to design automation solutions to solve real industry problems.Includes case studies and valuable practical knowledge, such as key items that need to be specified when procuring automation systems.Written by an experienced practitioner from a leading technology company

This book provides an overview of intelligent decision-making techniques and discusses their application in production and retail operations. Manufacturing and retail enterprises have stringent standards for using advanced and reliable techniques to improve decision-making processes, since these processes have significant effects on the performance of relevant operations and the entire supply chain. In recent years, researchers have been increasingly focusing attention on using intelligent techniques to solve various decision-making problems. The opening chapters provide an introduction to several commonly used intelligent techniques, such as genetic algorithm, harmony search, neural network and extreme learning machine. The book then explores the use of these techniques for handling various production and retail decision-making problems, such as production planning and scheduling, assembly line balancing, and sales forecasting.

This book addresses information technologies recently applied in the field of construction safety. Combining case studies, literature reviews and interviews to study the issue, it presents cutting-edge applications of various information technologies (ITs) in construction in different parts of the world, together with a wealth of figures, tables and examples. Though primarily intended for researchers and experts in the field, the book will also benefit graduate students.

This book provides readers with a timely and comprehensive yet concise view on the field of fuzzy logic and its real-world applications. The chapters, written by authoritative scholars in the field, report on promising new models for data analysis, decision making, and systems modeling, with a special emphasis on their applications in management science. The book is a token of appreciation from the fuzzy research community to Professor Christer Carlsson for his long time research and organizational commitment, which have among other things resulted in the foundation and success of the Institute for Advanced Management Systems Research (IAMSR) at Abo Akademi University, in Abo (Turku), Finland. The book serves as timely guide for the fuzzy logic and operations research communities alike.

Most of the world s redundant ships are scrapped on the beaches of the Indian sub-continent, largely by hand. As well as cargo residues and wastes, ships contain high levels of hazardous materials that are released into the surrounding ecology when scrapped. The scrapping process is labour-intensive and largely manual; injuries and death are commonplace.

Ship breaking was a relatively obscure industry until the late 1990s. In just 12 years, action by environmental NGOs has led to the ratification of an international treaty targeting the extensive harm to human and environmental health arising from this heavy, polluting industry; it has also produced important case law.

Attempts to regulate the industry via the "Basel Convention" have resulted in a strong polarization of opinion as to its applicability and various international guidelines have also failed because of their voluntary nature. The adoption of the "Hong Kong Convention" in 2009 was a serious attempt to introduce international controls to this industry."

Although maintaining assets is now recognized as a significant engineering function, attention has usually been focused, particularly in the developing countries, on the acquisition of assets. "Maintenance Standardization for Capital AssetS" explores maintenance management systems, stressing the need for manufacturers and maintenance engineers to develop a maintenance policy and systems as early as the design stage, and suggests ways to approach this need. Also included are strategies for developing countries and their donors to organize systems which can minimize failures and predict maintenance problems.