Search results for "Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering"
showing 10 items of 1866 documents
Neural network prediction in a system for optimizing simulations
2002
Neural networks have been widely used for both prediction and classification. Back-propagation is commonly used for training neural networks, although the limitations associated with this technique are well documented. Global search techniques such as simulated annealing, genetic algorithms and tabu search have also been used for this purpose. The developers of these training methods, however, have focused on accuracy rather than training speed in order to assess the merit of new proposals. While speed is not important in settings where training can be done off-line, the situation changes when the neural network must be trained and used on-line. This is the situation when a neural network i…
Study of the use of methanol-filled Er-doped suspended-core fibres in a temperature-sensing ring laser system
2013
We report on an experimental/numerical investigation into the use of methanol-filled Er-doped suspended-core fibres (SCFs) in temperature-sensing ring laser systems. We have adopted a ring laser configuration that includes an Er-doped SCF as a temperature-dependent attenuator (TDA) with a step-index Er-doped fibre (EDF) as the laser active medium. The laser performance dependence on the temperature was measured both in continuous wave (CW) and transient regimes. CW laser output power and build-up time values are compared with those of similar laser systems based on other types of Er-doped PCFs or using other laser configurations. A notable variation of 0.73% °C−1 was achieved in CW operatio…
An NDC approach to helping pensioners cope with the cost of long-term care
2018
The aim of this paper is to analyse whether it would be possible to provide retirement and long-term care benefits using the same unfunded notional defined contribution scheme. We extend the multi-state overlapping generations model developed by Pla-Porcel et al. (2016) to include two new features: a long-term care benefit graded according to the annuitant's degree of disability and a minimum pension benefit for both contingencies. This brings the model closer to the reality of social insurance and enhances its political attractiveness. The paper contains a numerical example to show how the model functions and focuses especially on the mortality rates for dependent persons, the inception ra…
Low cost three-dimensional virtual model construction for remanufacturing industry
2018
Remanufactured products can save up to 80% of production and energy costs whilst generating lower CO2 emissions. The key success factors for remanufacturing are quality, lead-time and cost. Extensive work within the industry and the detailed analysis of the remanufacturing process has shown that component inspection has significant bearing on overall productivity. Remanufacturing lacks automation because activities are predominantly manual. Automation of remanufacturing process will not only decrease the number of non-remanufacturable components, through decreasing cost and increasing consistency in quality, but also attract industries to design for remanufacture. A digital model of the com…
DETERMINATION OF TDC IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES BY A NEWLY DEVELOPED THERMODYNAMIC APPROACH
2010
Abstract In-cylinder pressure analysis is nowadays an indispensable tool in internal combustion engine research & development. It allows the measure of some important performance related parameters, such as indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), mean friction pressure, indicated fuel consumption, heat release rate, mass fraction burned, etc. Moreover, future automotive engine will probably be equipped with in-cylinder pressure sensors for continuous combustion monitoring and control, in order to fulfil the more and more strict emission limits. For these reasons, in-cylinder pressure analysis must be carried out with maximum accuracy, in order to minimize the effects of its characteristic…
Processing and characterization of highly oriented fibres of biodegradable nanocomposites
2015
Abstract Biodegradable polymeric materials are becoming day by day ever more important in packaging, agriculture, single-use cutleries and other large consumer applications. The major part of those materials is used under the form of film, i.e. subjected to elongational flow, but the main problem is that they often offer poor mechanical properties. Adding nanofillers, like Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) may solve this problem but only if there is a full control of their orientation inside the material. Aim of this work is to investigate the processing-properties-morphology relationships for a system prepared under elongation flow of MaterBi and commercial MWCNTs. The materials were …
High performance composites containing perfluoropolyethers-functionalized carbon-based nanoparticles: Rheological behavior and wettability
2016
Abstract Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) based composites filled with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon black (CB) modified by perfluoropolyethers (PFPE) have been formulated. All composites show a segregated morphology with nanofillers selectively localized at the polymer particle–particle interface. The composites rheological properties have been deeply investigated: the PFPE functionalities linked on CNTs facilitate the semi-3D nanofillers network formation in the composites that show a solid-like behaviour even at lower investigated filler contents, reaching the rheological percolation threshold at lower nanofiller content than bare CNTs filled composites. For composi…
Towards sustainable production of minerals and chemicals through seawater brine treatment using Eutectic freeze crystallization and Electrodialysis w…
2022
European policy encourages the adoption of sustainable systems that promote the efficient use and recovery of minerals and chemicals. In this respect, desalination brines do contain a dramatic amount of valuable minerals and can be valorized through appropriate treatments rather than releasing them into the environment. This paper proposes an innovative brine recovery system for obtaining high purity chemicals through the integration of Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) and Electrodialysis with Bipolar Membrane (EDBM) technologies. Two separate laboratory-scale experimental campaigns were carried out to validate the potential integration of the two processes. Mirabilite (Na2SO4∙10H2O) h…
Assessing, measuring and modelling erosion in calanchi areas: A review
2016
Calanchi are erosion landforms characterised by a heavily dissected terrain with steep, unvegetated slopes and channels with a dendritic pattern, which rapidly incise and extend headwards. Recent literature focusing on badland systems highlights their similarity with other larger fluvial landforms, stating that these behave as a full size laboratory, due to their rapid development in space and time and to the diversity of geomorphic processes involved. In this paper, a brief review of the most important results on badland research is firstly presented. Then, the morphometric similarity between calanchi and other erosion landforms is discussed. Finally, models quantitatively relating the vol…
A review on basalt fibre and its composites
2015
Abstract In recent years, both industrial and academic world are focussing their attention toward the development of sustainable composites, reinforced with natural fibres. In particular, among the natural fibres (i.e. animal, vegetable or mineral) that can be used as reinforcement, the basalt ones represent the most interesting for their properties. The aim of this review is to illustrate the results of research on this topical subject. In the introduction, mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of basalt fibre have been reviewed. Moreover, its main manufacturing technologies have been described. Then, the effect of using this mineral fibre as reinforcement of different matrices as po…