One of the attractions of fuzzy logic is its utility in solving many real engineering problems. As many have realised, the major obstacles in building a real intelligent machine involve dealing with random disturbances, processing large amounts of imprecise data, interacting with a dynamically changing environment, and coping with uncertainty. Neural-fuzzy techniques help one to solve many of these problems. Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems reflects the most recent developments in neural networks and fuzzy logic, and their application in intelligent systems. In addition, the balance between theoretical work and applications makes the book suitable for both researchers and engineers, as well as for graduate students.

Uncertainty has been of concern to engineers, managers and . scientists for many centuries. In management sciences there have existed definitions of uncertainty in a rather narrow sense since the beginning of this century. In engineering and uncertainty has for a long time been considered as in sciences, however, synonymous with random, stochastic, statistic, or probabilistic. Only since the early sixties views on uncertainty have ~ecome more heterogeneous and more tools to model uncertainty than statistics have been proposed by several scientists. The problem of modeling uncertainty adequately has become more important the more complex systems have become, the faster the scientific and engineering world develops, and the more important, but also more difficult, forecasting of future states of systems have become. The first question one should probably ask is whether uncertainty is a phenomenon, a feature of real world systems, a state of mind or a label for a situation in which a human being wants to make statements about phenomena, i. e. , reality, models, and theories, respectively. One cart also ask whether uncertainty is an objective fact or just a subjective impression which is closely related to individual persons. Whether uncertainty is an objective feature of physical real systems seems to be a philosophical question. This shall not be answered in this volume.

Sustainable Production and Logistics: Modeling and Analysis Subject Guide: Engineering - Industrial & Manufacturing This book presents issues faced by planners of production and distribution operations in terms of smart manufacturing and sustainability, using efficient quantitative techniques in a variety of decision-making situations. Addressing the state-of-the-art of the smart and sustainable sides of production and distribution planning operations, it highlights how a current issue can be effectively approached and what particular quantitative technique can be used. The book goes on to provide a foundation in the new and fast-growing digital journey, and includes logistics 4.0 inside Industry 4.0, along with case studies. The information in this book is useful worldwide, especially in the Americas, Europe, Turkey, and Japan. It is written for academicians, researchers, practitioners, and students.

Statistical Analysis for the Reliability Engineering Professional Effectively conduct reliability analysis using the world's leading statistical software. Reliability Analysis with Minitab (R) outlines statistical concepts and applications, explains the theory of probability, reliability analysis, and quality improvement, and provides step-by-step instruction on the use of Minitab. Minitab introduces reliability analysis tools that can be used to perform tasks that range from checking the distribution fit of lifetime data to estimating the warranty costs of a product. Perform the Analyses Needed to Minimize Product Failures and Reduce Costs Chock full of examples that include numerous case studies and over 200 screenshots, this book is a comprehensive guide to quality and reliability in the service and manufacturing industries. It illustrates the shapes of the most commonly used statistical distributions in reliability analysis, and in simple language demonstrates concepts that include parametric reliability analysis, nonparametric reliability analysis, warranty analysis, accelerated life testing, reliability test plans, and probit analysis. Illustrating the application of Minitab for reliability analysis, this book explains how to: Perform reliability analysis of a product with right-censored and exact failure time data Complete reliability analysis of a product with arbitrarily censored failure time data Achieve nonparametric reliability analysis of a product Predict the amount of money that is needed to cover the warranty costs for products in a specific period of time in the future Analyze the results from accelerated life testing on two different products Determine the reliability test sample size when the test time and the number of failures are constrained Regulate the testing time when test sample size and the number of failures are constrained Compare the reliabilities of parts from different vendors Test whether the reliability of a product depends on certain factors Predict the stress level at which a product will fail after a certain test period

Responsible Manufacturing has become an obligation to the environment and to society itself, enforced primarily by customer perspective and governmental regulations on environmental issues. This is mainly driven by the escalating deterioration of the environment, such as diminishing raw material resources, overflowing waste sites, and increasing levels of pollution. Responsible Manufacturing related issues have found a large following in industry and academia, which aim to find solutions to the problems that arise in this newly emerged research area. Problems are widespread, including the ones related to the lifecycle of products, disassembly, material recovery, remanufacturing, and pollution prevention. Organized into sixteen chapters, this book provides a foundation for academicians and practitioners, and addresses several important issues faced by strategic, tactical, and operation planners of Responsible Manufacturing. Using efficient models in a variety of decision-making situations, it provides easy-to-use mathematical and/or simulation modeling-based solution methodologies for the majority of the issues. Features Addresses a variety of state-of-the-art issues in Responsible Manufacturing Highlights how popular industrial engineering and operations research techniques can be effectively exploited to find the most effective solutions to problems Presents how a specific issue can be approached or modeled in a given decision-making situation Covers strategic, tactical, and operational systems issues Provides a foundation for academicians and practitioners interested in building bodies of knowledge in this new and fast-growing area

The exponential increase in the development of technology coupled with the customers' immense desire to possess the newest technological products makes for truncated product lifespans, which instigates a substantial upsurge in their rate of disposal. Attempts have been made to establish specialized product recovery facilities with the intention of diminishing the volume of accumulated waste delivered to landfills using product recovery procedure such as remanufacturing. The economic benefits produced by remanufacturing also portray the role of product recovery in a more attractive light. The quality of a remanufactured product is uncertain for some consumers. Therefore, these consumers possess insecurities in deciding whether or not the remanufactured products will render the same expected performance. This ambiguity regarding a remanufactured product could possibly result in the consumer deciding against its purchase. With such consumer apprehension, remanufacturers often seek market mechanisms that provide reassurance as to the stable durability that these products still maintain. One strategy that the remanufacturers often use is the utilization of the premise of offering product warranties with preventive maintenance on their products. This book is concerned with the practice and theory of warranty management and preventive maintenance, particularly in relation to remanufactured products' warranties. Models developed in this book can be used for making the right decisions in offering renewable, nonrenewable, one and two dimensional warranty policies, and for managerial decision in considering maintenance contracts or outsourcing maintenance for remanufactured components and products. Features Discusses a variety of warranty policies and preventive maintenance of remanufactured products (first book to do so) Presents mathematical models and applications for warranty policies using examples and simulation results Considers cost and optimization problems from the remanufacturer's and buyer's points of views Provides a foundation for academicians interested in building models in the area of warranty and preventive maintenance analysis of remanufactured products Offers the essential methodology needed by practitioners involved with warranty and preventive maintenance analysis, along with extensive references for further research

The rapid technological development of new products, coupled with the growing consumer desire for the latest technology, has led to a new environmental problem: products that are discarded prematurely. But behind every problem lies an opportunity. Many of these products can be reprocessed, leading to savings in natural resources, energy, landfill space, and ultimately, time and money. Strategic Planning Models for Reverse and Closed-Loop Supply Chains addresses complex issues caused by the inherent uncertainty involved in every stage of a closed-loop supply chain. The book presents quantitative models for the many multifaceted issues faced by strategic planners of reverse and closed-loop supply chains amid the challenges of uncertainty in supply rate of used products, unknown condition of used products, and imperfect correlation between supply of used products and demand for reprocessed goods. The models proposed in this book provide understanding of how a particular issue can be effectively approached in a particular decision-making situation using a suitable quantitative technique or suitable combination of two or more quantitative techniques. This information then translates into decision-making strategies and guidance for reverse and closed-loop supply chain management.

The exponential increase in the development of technology coupled with the customers' immense desire to possess the newest technological products makes for truncated product lifespans, which instigates a substantial upsurge in their rate of disposal. Attempts have been made to establish specialized product recovery facilities with the intention of diminishing the volume of accumulated waste delivered to landfills using product recovery procedure such as remanufacturing. The economic benefits produced by remanufacturing also portray the role of product recovery in a more attractive light. The quality of a remanufactured product is uncertain for some consumers. Therefore, these consumers possess insecurities in deciding whether or not the remanufactured products will render the same expected performance. This ambiguity regarding a remanufactured product could possibly result in the consumer deciding against its purchase. With such consumer apprehension, remanufacturers often seek market mechanisms that provide reassurance as to the stable durability that these products still maintain. One strategy that the remanufacturers often use is the utilization of the premise of offering product warranties with preventive maintenance on their products. This book is concerned with the practice and theory of warranty management and preventive maintenance, particularly in relation to remanufactured products' warranties. Models developed in this book can be used for making the right decisions in offering renewable, nonrenewable, one and two dimensional warranty policies, and for managerial decision in considering maintenance contracts or outsourcing maintenance for remanufactured components and products. Features Discusses a variety of warranty policies and preventive maintenance of remanufactured products (first book to do so) Presents mathematical models and applications for warranty policies using examples and simulation results Considers cost and optimization problems from the remanufacturer's and buyer's points of views Provides a foundation for academicians interested in building models in the area of warranty and preventive maintenance analysis of remanufactured products Offers the essential methodology needed by practitioners involved with warranty and preventive maintenance analysis, along with extensive references for further research

Educational psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other professionals are often asked by parents or teachers to intervene when 'normal' classroom strategies have failed children in their charge. This title, originally published in 1990, brought together for the first time some of the 'intervention strategies' available at the time and offers professionals vital information about the results of each strategy in practice. The contributors, acknowledged experts in their fields, present a critical and objective overview of the range of approaches available and apply them to the areas of poor school attendance, maladaptive behaviour, and poor reading levels. They stress the need to avoid replacing a traditional approach with an intervention strategy whose results are unproven. They also warn that different problems demand different approaches and that the consultant must avoid the dogmatic application of a single approach when the child's welfare is at risk. The need for consultants to deal sensitively with the professionals they are asked to advise is also emphasized. Teachers may feel, for example, that an educational psychologist is out of touch with the realities of teaching. Above all else, interventions should offer realistic and effective methods of improving children's lives. Intervention with Children provides in one volume practical, effective, and acceptable strategies for working with children. Educational psychologists, LEA advisers, researchers, and other professionals will still find it a valuable source of ideas and a model of good practice from which to develop their own intervention strategies. Written in a clear and accessible style, it will still be of interest to experienced teachers, social workers, and others involved in the management and care of children.

In the sixteenth century, the saint and scholar Sri Caitanya set in motion a wave of devotion to Krishna that began in eastern India and has now found its way around the world. Caitanya taught that the highest aim of life is to develop selfless love for God Krishna, the blue-hued cowherd boy who spoke the Bhagavad Gita. Although only a handful of poetry is attributed to Caitanya, his devotional theology was expounded and systematized by his followers in a vast array of poetical, philosophical, and ritual literature. This book provides a thematic study of Caitanya Vaishnava philosophy, introducing key thinkers and ideas in the early tradition, using Sanskrit and Bengali sources that have seldom been studied in English. The book addresses major areas of the tradition, including epistemology, ontology, aesthetics, ethics, and history, and every chapter includes relevant readings from primary sources.

In the sixteenth century, the saint and scholar Sri Caitanya set in motion a wave of devotion to Krishna that began in eastern India and has now found its way around the world. Caitanya taught that the highest aim of life is to develop selfless love for God Krishna, the blue-hued cowherd boy who spoke the Bhagavad Gita. Although only a handful of poetry is attributed to Caitanya, his devotional theology was expounded and systematized by his followers in a vast array of poetical, philosophical, and ritual literature. This book provides a thematic study of Caitanya Vaishnava philosophy, introducing key thinkers and ideas in the early tradition, using Sanskrit and Bengali sources that have seldom been studied in English. The book addresses major areas of the tradition, including epistemology, ontology, aesthetics, ethics, and history, and every chapter includes relevant readings from primary sources.

In order to ensure environmentally responsible production and disposal of products, local governments are imposing stricter environmental regulations, some of which even require manufacturers to take back their products at the end of the product's useful life. These government regulations, together with increasing environmental awareness, have forced manufacturers to invest in environment-conscious manufacturing. The multiple Criteria Decision Making Techniques presented in this book can be employed to solve the problems of environment-conscious manufacturers in product design, logistics, disassembly and remanufacturing.

Hotter temperatures, less arctic ice, loss of habitat-every other day, it seems, global warming and environmental issues make headlines. Consumer-driven environmental awareness combined with stricter recycling regulations have put the pressure on companies to produce and dispose of products in an environmentally responsible manner. Redefining industrial ecology, while reconsidering the original definition, Environment-Conscious Manufacturing explores topics such as industrial metabolism, product design for the environment, design of reverse and closed-loop supply chains, and disassembly modeling, using case studies to support the discussion. After introducing basic concepts and the historical roots of environment conscious manufacturing (ECM), the text covers algorithms and heuristics; design for disassembly; the environment, recycling, and remanufacturing; disassembly process planning and scheduling; environmental impact assessment models; lifecycle assessment; logistic aspects; product reuse and recovery; and sustainable products. The chapter contributors discuss the selection of economical products, collection centers, recovery facilities, production facilities, second-hand markets and new products, the optimal transportation of goods, and the evaluation of a marketing strategy and futurity of used products. The book ends with an overview of the barriers to ECM and explores how to use integrative structural modeling to investigate, analyze, and overcome them. "Environmentally friendly" has evolved from reluctant compliance with required regulations to a mechanism for gaining the competitive advantage and an important part of strategic management. Expected benefits of this paradigm shift include safer and cleaner facilities, lower future costs for disposal and worker protection, reduced environmental and health risks, and improved product quality at lower cost and higher productivity. Describing the basic elements of ECM, this book gives you the tool

The Chaitanya Vaishnava tradition is famous for its depth of devotion to Krishna, the blue-hued Deity. Chaitanya Vaishnavas are known for having refined the practice and aesthetics of devotion into a sophisticated science. This imposing devotional edifice was constructed upon a solid foundation of philosophical argument and understanding. In this book, Ravi Gupta sheds new light on the contribution of Chaitanya Vaishnavism to the realm of Indian philosophy. He explores the hermeneutical tools employed, the historical resources harnessed, the structure of the arguments made, and the relative success of the endeavor. For most schools of Vaishnavism, the supporting foundation consists of the philosophical resources provided by Vedanta. The Chaitanya tradition is remarkable in its ability to engage in Vedantic discourse and at the same time practice an ecstatic form of devotion to Krishna. The prime architect of this balance was the scholar-devotee Jiva Gosvami (ca. 1517 - 1608). This book analyses Jiva Gosvami's writing concerning the philosophy of the Vedanta tradition. It concludes that Jiva's writing crosses 'disciplinary boundaries', for he brought into dialogue four powerful streams of classical Hinduism: the various systems of Vedanta, the ecstatic bhakti movements, the Puranic commentarial tradition, and the aesthetic rasa theory of Sanskrit poetics. With training in and commitments to all of these traditions, Jiva Gosvami produced a distinctly Chaitanya Vaishnava system of theology.

New, Now, Next. Consumers' ever growing appetite to acquire new products and their short courtship with them has kept manufacturers busy not only expending resources at an alarming rate, but also depleting these resources and giving rise to waste and pollution at a correspondingly increasing and disturbing rate. Traditional manufacturing methods that use mainly virgin materials to produce new products and dispose of the used products at the end of their lives are quickly becoming unsustainable. In addition, regulations that require manufacturers to take back products and dispose of them responsibly have forced manufacturers to establish dedicated facilities for product recovery-systems that minimize waste and maximize remanufacturing and recycling. Remanufacturing Modeling and Analysis explores the design, planning and processing issues encountered in remanufacturing systems and provides examples of quantitative modeling methodologies to deal with them. The book covers the history, industry size and potential, comparison with other end-of-life options, benefits, conditions, challenges, and steps in a typical process. It provides a brief overview of each of the industrial engineering and operations research techniques used in the book and explains the models developed to increase the remanufacturability of product designs. The book also discusses how increasingly stringent environmental regulations and decreasing natural resources influence manufacturers toward more environmentally conscious manufacturing and product recovery initiatives. With easy-to-use mathematical or simulation modeling that demonstrates solutions for each remanufacturing issue, the book helps practitioners understand how a particular issue can be effectively modeled and how to choose the appropriate solution methodology. An in-depth look at quantitative analysis for remanufacturing systems, the book provides a foundation upon which to build a body of knowledge i

The questions used in this book have been developed and continuously updated over 15 years. 'MCQs in Paediatrics' includes questions and detailed answers submitted by paediatricians in all specialties, and covers the widest range of clinical skills and paediatric knowledge.The questions have been used in both undergraduate and postgraduate examinations at the DCH and MRCP level. All questions have been reviewed and refined following the analysis of examination results, and are designed to test the application of knowledge rather than just the facts. The answers are accompanied by detailed explanations which allow the book to be used both for self-assessment and as a guide for further study.

In order to ensure environmentally responsible production and disposal of products, local governments are imposing stricter environmental regulations, some of which even require manufacturers to take back their products at the end of the product's useful life. These government regulations, together with increasing environmental awareness, have forced manufacturers to invest in environment-conscious manufacturing. The multiple Criteria Decision Making Techniques presented in this book can be employed to solve the problems of environment-conscious manufacturers in product design, logistics, disassembly and remanufacturing.

The rapid technological development of new products, coupled with the growing consumer desire for the latest technology, has led to a new environmental problem: products that are discarded prematurely. But behind every problem lies an opportunity. Many of these products can be reprocessed, leading to savings in natural resources, energy, landfill space, and ultimately, time and money. Strategic Planning Models for Reverse and Closed-Loop Supply Chains addresses complex issues caused by the inherent uncertainty involved in every stage of a closed-loop supply chain. The book presents quantitative models for the many multifaceted issues faced by strategic planners of reverse and closed-loop supply chains amid the challenges of uncertainty in supply rate of used products, unknown condition of used products, and imperfect correlation between supply of used products and demand for reprocessed goods. The models proposed in this book provide understanding of how a particular issue can be effectively approached in a particular decision-making situation using a suitable quantitative technique or suitable combination of two or more quantitative techniques. This information then translates into decision-making strategies and guidance for reverse and closed-loop supply chain management.

This book presents cutting-edge research on the design and development of novel, advanced high-strength, light-weight materials via the incorporation of novel reinforcements, namely, metallic amorphous alloys/bulk metallic glasses (BMG), in light metal matrix composites (LMMCs) based on Al and Mg. The book begins with an introduction to conventional ceramic reinforced light metal matrix composites, along with the major drawbacks which limit their application. Metallic amorphous alloys/Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG) are new class of metallic materials that are distinctly differently from conventional metals/alloys in terms of their structure and thermal behavior, and exhibit extremely high strength (1 to 2 GPa) and large elastic strain limit (1 to 2%). Given these unique properties, upon their incorporation into Al/Mg-matrices, they provide superior interfacial properties, i.e. high degree of compatibility with the matrix due to their metallic nature when compared to conventional ceramic reinforcements, and thereby significantly enhance the mechanical performance of LMMCs. Amorphous/BMG reinforced LMMCs is an emerging research field and the existing literature is meager. This book discusses the various processing methods that would be suitable for these novel materials. A comparison of mechanical properties and strengthening mechanisms of amorphous/BMG reinforced composites with those of conventional ceramic composites is presented. Future research directions and wider research potential of the novel materials are discussed, and prospective applications are highlighted. For ease of understanding and comparison, appropriate schematics, tables, and figures are provided.

Hydrogen in Intermetallics I is the first of two volumes aiming to provide atutorial introduction to the general topic of hydrogen in intermetallic compounds and alloys. In the present volume, a series of chapters, each written by two experts in the field, gives a comprehensive review of thefollowing areas: -preparation of intermetallics and their hydrides on a laboratory and industrial scale; - thermodynamic properties; -crystal and magnetic structure; - electronic properties; - heat of formation models; - magnetism and superconductivity.

One of the attractions of fuzzy logic is its utility in solving many real engineering problems. As many have realised, the major obstacles in building a real intelligent machine involve dealing with random disturbances, processing large amounts of imprecise data, interacting with a dynamically changing environment, and coping with uncertainty. Neural-fuzzy techniques help one to solve many of these problems. Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems reflects the most recent developments in neural networks and fuzzy logic, and their application in intelligent systems. In addition, the balance between theoretical work and applications makes the book suitable for both researchers and engineers, as well as for graduate students.

Uncertainty has been of concern to engineers, managers and . scientists for many centuries. In management sciences there have existed definitions of uncertainty in a rather narrow sense since the beginning of this century. In engineering and uncertainty has for a long time been considered as in sciences, however, synonymous with random, stochastic, statistic, or probabilistic. Only since the early sixties views on uncertainty have ~ecome more heterogeneous and more tools to model uncertainty than statistics have been proposed by several scientists. The problem of modeling uncertainty adequately has become more important the more complex systems have become, the faster the scientific and engineering world develops, and the more important, but also more difficult, forecasting of future states of systems have become. The first question one should probably ask is whether uncertainty is a phenomenon, a feature of real world systems, a state of mind or a label for a situation in which a human being wants to make statements about phenomena, i. e. , reality, models, and theories, respectively. One cart also ask whether uncertainty is an objective fact or just a subjective impression which is closely related to individual persons. Whether uncertainty is an objective feature of physical real systems seems to be a philosophical question. This shall not be answered in this volume.

Winner of IIE Book of the Month, December 2013 The introduction of reverse supply chains has created many challenges in network design, transportation, selection of used products, selection and evaluation of suppliers, performance measurement, marketing-related issues, end-of-life (EOL) alternative selection, remanufacturing, disassembly, and product acquisition management, to name a few. Under the guidance of an expert editor and with contributions from pioneers in the field, Reverse Supply Chains: Issues and Analysis addresses several important issues faced by strategic, tactical, and operation planners of reverse supply chains, using efficient models in a variety of decision-making situations providing easy-to-use mathematical and/or simulation modeling-based solution methodologies for a majority of the issues. The book introduces the basic concepts of reverse logistics and systematically analyzes the literature by classifying more than 400 published references into five major types of product returns. It then identifies the basic activities and scope of reverse logistics, examining its drivers and barriers as well as major issues and challenges. The chapters cover metrics for quantitatively comparing competing new-product designs for end-of-life disassembly on a reverse production line, how to use the theory of constraints thinking processes to determine the core problems in reverse logistics, and an integrated multi-criteria decision-making methodology using Taguchi loss functions AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and fuzzy programming. They explore issues associated with remanufacturing and green and resilient supply chain management and propose system modeling based on graph theory and network flows application to analyze material resource flows in the life cycle of a product. Reverse supply chains is a new and fast growing area of research and only a handful of books are on the market, however t

Contents: A.B. Ray and M. Gupta: Withasteroids, a Growing Group of Naturally Occurring Steroidal Lactones. * L. Rodriguez-Hahn, B. Esquivel, and J. Cardenas: Clerodane Diterpenes in Labiatae. * Author Index. * Subject Index. The volumes of this classic series, now referred to simply as "Zechmeister" after its founder, L. Zechmeister, have appeared under the Springer Imprint ever since the series' inauguration in 1938. The volumes contain contributions on various topics related to the origin, distribution, chemistry, synthesis, biochemistry, function or use of various classes of naturally occurring substances ranging from small molecules to biopolymers. Each contribution is written by a recognized authority in his field and provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the topic in question. Addressed to biologists, technologists, and chemists alike, the series can be used by the expert as a source of information and literature citations and by the non-expert as a means of orientation in a rapidly developing discipline.

Winner of IIE Book of the Month, December 2013 The introduction of reverse supply chains has created many challenges in network design, transportation, selection of used products, selection and evaluation of suppliers, performance measurement, marketing-related issues, end-of-life (EOL) alternative selection, remanufacturing, disassembly, and product acquisition management, to name a few. Under the guidance of an expert editor and with contributions from pioneers in the field, Reverse Supply Chains: Issues and Analysis addresses several important issues faced by strategic, tactical, and operation planners of reverse supply chains, using efficient models in a variety of decision-making situations providing easy-to-use mathematical and/or simulation modeling-based solution methodologies for a majority of the issues. The book introduces the basic concepts of reverse logistics and systematically analyzes the literature by classifying more than 400 published references into five major types of product returns. It then identifies the basic activities and scope of reverse logistics, examining its drivers and barriers as well as major issues and challenges. The chapters cover metrics for quantitatively comparing competing new-product designs for end-of-life disassembly on a reverse production line, how to use the theory of constraints thinking processes to determine the core problems in reverse logistics, and an integrated multi-criteria decision-making methodology using Taguchi loss functions AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and fuzzy programming. They explore issues associated with remanufacturing and green and resilient supply chain management and propose system modeling based on graph theory and network flows application to analyze material resource flows in the life cycle of a product. Reverse supply chains is a new and fast growing area of research and only a handful of books are on the market, however t