Process design data for prok chilling

In 1993 legislation is being enacted throughout the European Community (EC) that will require the maximum temperature of pork carcasses to be below 7°C before cutting or transportation. Results from a survey of UK abattoirs are summarized to highlight the problems and inadequacies of current commercial chilling systems. Design data are presented for conventional pork-chilling systems, which detail the effects of air temperature, air velocity and carcass weight on chilling times. Four novel or modified chilling systems are discussed: ultra-rapid chilling with air at −30°C; immersion chilling in brine at 0°C; ice-bank chilling in humid air at 2°C; and spray chilling in two stages, at 10°C for 2 h followed by 4°C for 21 h. The potential of such systems for the acceleration of chilling rates and for substantial weight savings is identified.     

The ethical debate about the gig economy: A review and critical analysis

The gig economy is a phenomenon that is rapidly expanding, redefining the nature of work and contributing to a significant change in how contemporary economies are organised. Its expansion is not unproblematic. This article provides a clear and systematic analysis of the main ethical challenges caused by the gig economy. Following a brief overview of the gig economy, its scope and scale, we map the key ethical problems that it gives rise to, as they are discussed in the relevant literature. We map them onto three categories: the new organisation of work (what is done), the new nature of work (how it is done), and the new status of workers (who does it). We then evaluate a recent initiative from the EU that seeks to address the challenges of the gig economy. The 2019 report of the European High-Level Expert Group on the Impact of the Digital Transformation on EU Labour Markets is a positive step in the right direction. However, we argue that ethical concerns relating to algorithmic systems as mechanisms of control, and the discrimination, exclusion and disconnectedness faced by gig workers require further deliberation and policy response. A brief conclusion completes the analysis. The appendix presents the methodology underpinning our literature review.     

Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) manufacturing strategy for network innovation agility: the case of Taiwanese manufacturing networks

Manufacturing companies in newly industrialized countries contribute substantially to their global innovation networks. Those manufacturers perform not only production and physical distribution functions, but also design and engineering functions in the processes of bringing new products world-wide. This paper examines the relationship between manufacturing strategy of those original equipment manufacturers (OEM) suppliers and network innovation agility. No single best strategy can fit all OEM suppliers. They can choose either to be dedicated OEM service providers or to sell their own-brand products. Either strategy can be effective in terms of innovation agility. However, once the OEM manufacturing strategy has been chosen, a manufacturer should adopt an appropriate way to manage its product innovation process. A dedicated OEM supplier should emphasize manufacturing flexibility and pursue a product modularity strategy to enhance network innovation agility, while cross-functional integration is the key for successful manufacturers with own-brand products. For both dedicated OEM suppliers and own-brand ones, market orientation is essential for network innovation agility. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.     

Agility index measurement using multi-grade fuzzy approach integrated in a 20 criteria agile model

This paper reports a research carried out to assess the agility level of an organisation using a multi-grade fuzzy approach. Agility refers to the capability of an organisation to respond quickly in accordance with the dynamic demands of the customers. During this research, an agility index measurement model containing 20 criteria incorporated with the multi-grade fuzzy approach was designed. Subsequently, the data gathered from a manufacturing company was substituted in this model and the proposals for enhancing the agility level of this company were derived. The usage of the model contributed in this paper will indicate the actions required to enhance an organisation's agility level. This process will accelerate the absorption of agility characteristics in modern organisations.     

Life sciences issues affecting space exploration

The U.S. space program is undertaking a serious examination of new initiatives in human space exploration involving permanent colonies on the Moon and an outpost on Mars. Life scientists have major responsibilities to the crew, to assure their health, productivity, and safety throughout the mission and the postflight rehabilitation period; to the mission, to provide a productive working environment; and to the scientific community, to advance knowledge and understanding of human adaptation to the space environment. Critical areas essential to the support of human exploration include protection from the radiation hazards of the space environment, reduced gravity countermeasures, artificial gravity, medical care, life support systems, and behavior, performance, and human factors in an extraterrestrial environment. Developing solutions to these concerns is at the heart of the NASA Life Sciences ground-based and flight research programs. Facilities analogous to planetary outposts are being considered in Antarctica and other remote settings. Closed ecological life support systems will be tested on Earth and Space Station. For short-duration simulations and tests, the Space Shuttle and Spacelab will be used. Space Station Freedom will provide the essential scientific and technological research in areas that require long exposures to reduced gravity conditions. In preparation for Mars missions, research on the Moon will be vital. As the challenges of sustaining humans on space are resolved, advances in fundamental science, medicine and technology will follow.     

Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance in Europe

It is obvious that food and feed should be safe and wholesome in order to protect the consumer and to ensure animal health and welfare. Animal health and welfare are important factors that contribute to the maintenance of food quality and safety.All stakeholders require a risk-based, proportionate,integrated and transparent approach to 'farm to fork'official control across all EU member states and between major world trading partners. Also consumers and industry require a consistent EU and global approach to food law implementation and enforcement to prevent differences in food safety and trading conditions developing.To monitor compliance with feed and food law samples have to be analysed by laboratories in EU member states and in other countries who export into the EU. Many analytical methods applied for such official controls are complex. This is particularly the case for methods used for the detection of approved and unapproved additives, veterinary and pesticide residues and natural and process contaminants.How do we ensure consistency and comparability of analytical measurements between laboratories and between countries? How do we predict and anticipate the target analytes that we may have to detect and determine in samples from the food chain next week, next month, and next year? As a consequence, how do we prepare analytical methods that will be capable of addressing these challenges and how do we demonstrate that they are robust, validated and provide data that will withstand challenge?These are problems that are faced by laboratories in all trading nations. This article will review the issues, describe a project that aims to anticipate problems that may affect the food chain in the future and review approaches that enable laboratories to demonstrate the reliability of their methods of analysis via the use of validation protocols, reference materials and proficiency testing schemes.     

Control for Intelligent Manufacturing: A Multiscale Challenge

The Made in China 2025 initiative will require full automation in all sectors, from customers to production. This will result in great challenges to manufacturing systems in all sectors. In the future of manufacturing, all devices and systems should have sensing and basic intelligence capabilities for control and adaptation. In this study, after discussing multiscale dynamics of the modern manufacturing system, a five-layer functional structure is proposed for uncertainties processing. Multiscale dynamics include: multi-time scale, space-time scale, and multi-level dynamics. Control action will differ at different scales, with more design being required at both fast and slow time scales. More quantitative action is required in low-level operations, while more qualitative action is needed regarding high-level supervision. Intelligent manufacturing systems should have the capabilities of flexibility, adaptability, and intelligence. These capabilities will require the control action to be distributed and integrated with different approaches, including smart sensing, optimal design, and intelligent learning. Finally, a typical jet dispensing system is taken as a real-world example for multiscale modeling and control.     

Building Biomedical Materials using Photochemical Bond Cleavage

Light can be used as an external trigger to precisely determine where and when a process is initiated as well as how much of the process is being consumed. Phototriggers are a type of photoresponsive functional group that undergo an irreversible photolysis reaction by selectively breaking a chemical bond, enabling three fundamental functions: the photoactivation of fluorescent and bioactive molecules; the photocleavable degradation of macromolecular materials; and the photorelease of drugs, active groups, or surface charges from carriers and interfaces. With the expanded applications of light‐controlled technology, particularly in living systems, new challenges and improvements of phototriggers are required to fulfill the demands for better sensitivity, faster kinetics, and more‐demanding biomedical applications. Here, improvements to several conventional phototriggers are highlighted, and their notable, representative biomedical applications and their challenges are discussed.     

Sharing Tacit Knowledge Online: A Case Study of e-Learning in Cisco's Network of System Integrator Partner Firms

This paper contributes to an ongoing debate about the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the interpersonal sharing of tacit knowledge. Drawing upon the philosophical writings of Michael Polanyi and an original case study of e-learning in Cisco Systems, the paper challenges the widespread argument that ICT-mediated communication is inadequate for the sharing of tacit knowledge. The main conclusion is that advanced e-learning systems—particularly remote laboratories—make possible efficient sharing of tacit knowledge between internationally dispersed technicians. However, successful knowledge-sharing depends crucially on the degree to which the users are motivated to acquire new knowledge online. Motivation can be facilitated through the participation in online networks of practice, but in order to access and benefit from these networks people require a certain threshold level of technical relevant knowledge, which is the most easily generated in local communities of practice.     

Statistical process monitoring of time-dependent data

ABSTRACT

During the last decades, we evolved from measuring few process variables at sparse intervals to a situation in which a multitude of variables are measured at high speed. This evidently provides opportunities for extracting more information from processes and to pinpoint out-of-control situations, but transforming the large data streams into valuable information is still a challenging task. In this contribution we will focus on the analysis of time-dependent processes since this is the scenario most often encountered in practice, due to high sampling systems and the natural behavior of many real-life applications. The modeling and monitoring challenges that statistical process monitoring (SPM) techniques face in this situation will be described and possible routes will be provided. Simulation results as well as a real-life data set will be used throughout the article.     

Supply chain agility: the influence of industry culture on asset capabilities within capital intensive industries

Supply chain agility in capital-intensive industries is argued as strongly linked to the capabilities of the individual processing assets comprising the chain. Therefore the desired asset capabilities conducive to overall agility need to be designed in to plant and equipment. However, in addition to asset design, how the assets are used in the production process is an important factor in determining capabilities. In culturally-conservative industries the penetration of modern operations management (OM) practices is expected to be limited and this will hold back the contribution that assets can make to supply chain agility.

First the paper begins by reviewing the need for agility in supply chains and links this to agile plant capabilities. Next the research context and collaboration is described, which focused upon the speciality chemicals industry and involved three UK universities and thirteen industrial partners. Experiences drawn from industrial case studies undertaken in the research initiative are used to illustrate in a practical manner the key asset capability underpinning agility, that of reconfigurability. The paper adopts a novel focus on a process industry to complement the work on agility that is more usually grounded in discrete manufacturing.     

Multiscale Soft–Hard Interface Design for Flexible Hybrid Electronics

Emerging next-generation soft electronics will require versatile properties functioning under mechanical compliance, which will involve the use of different types of materials. As a result, control over material interfaces (particularly soft/hard interfaces) has become crucial and is now attracting intensive worldwide research efforts. A series of material and structural interface designs has been devised to improve interfacial adhesion, preventing failure of electromechanical properties under mechanical deformation. Herein, different soft/hard interface design strategies at multiple length scales in the context of flexible hybrid electronics are reviewed. The crucial role of soft ligands and/or polymers in controlling the morphologies of active nanomaterials and stabilizing them is discussed, with a focus on understanding the soft/hard interface at the atomic/molecular scale. Larger nanoscopic and microscopic levels are also discussed, to scrutinize viable intrinsic and extrinsic interfacial designs with the purpose of promoting adhesion, stretchability, and durability. Furthermore, the macroscopic device/human interface as it relates to real-world applications is analyzed. Finally, a perspective on the current challenges and future opportunities in the development of truly seamlessly integrated soft wearable electronic systems is presented.     

Historical review and update to the state of the art of automation for plasma coating processes

Automation is the technique by which man is removed from the process and the resulting system operates automatically. A properly designed automated system will best take advantage of the man-machine combination using the machine for tedious or repetitive tasks and will use the man for those functions for which it is too difficult or costly to teach the computer or controller. Automated plasma coating facilities have been used historically to remove the operator from direct involvement in the coating process for several purposes, i.e. safety, process consistency and increased productivity. There is some natural overlap in these areas and the decision to automate a process can be motivated by all three concerns and perhaps even others such as available space or the search for prestige.Each of these areas is discussed with special interest given to increased productivity. Some specific systems are reviewed which illustrate the present state of the art of automation for the plasma spray process including both part handling and control systems.     

Protein folding and misfolding: a paradigm of self-assembly and regulation in complex biological systems

Understanding biological complexity is one of the grand scientific challenges for the future. A living organism is a highly evolved system made up of a large number of interwoven molecular networks. These networks primarily involve proteins, the macromolecules that enable and control virtually every chemical process that takes place in the cell. Proteins are also key elements in the essential characteristic of living systems, their ability to function and replicate themselves through controlled molecular interactions. Recent progress in understanding the most fundamental aspect of polypeptide self-organization, the process by which proteins fold to attain their active conformations, provides a global platform to gain knowledge about the function of biological systems and the regulatory mechanisms that underpin their ability to adapt to changing conditions. In order to exploit such progress effectively, we are developing a variety of approaches, including procedures that use experimental data to restrain the properties of complex systems in computer simulations, to describe their behaviour under a wide variety of conditions. We believe that such approaches can lead to significant advances in understanding biological complexity, in general, and protein folding and misfolding in particular. These advances would contribute to: a more effective exploitation of the information from genome sequences; more rational therapeutic approaches to diseases, particularly those associated with ageing; the responsible control of our own evolution; and the development of new technologies based on mimicking the principles of biological self-assembly, for instance in nanotechnology. More fundamentally, we believe that this research will result in a more coherent understanding of the origin, evolution and functional properties of living systems.     

Topical review of artificial intelligence national policies: A mixed method analysis

A number of countries have adopted national policies and directives to balance the advantages and disadvantages of innovative technologies. The purpose of this paper is to identify the most prominent topics addressed by national AI policies, as well as their relative importance across nations. This paper integrates the results of a topic modeling analysis of 30 national AI policies with a qualitative content analysis of the policies. Based on this analysis, fourteen main common themes have been identified among national AI policies, which predominantly relate to educational, technological, government, ethical/legal, and social good concerns. Following this, we conducted a co-occurrence analysis of topics across countries to determine the extent of topic prioritization in each country. In this investigation, several marginalized AI policy topics were also identified. In general, the challenges and concerns of the majority of policies pertain to education, technology, and the government. Governments refer to real-world projects and investments in AI technologies without developing shared digital governance platforms that promote responsible and sustainable AI among technology titans and mitigate the negative effects of surveillance capitalism. Although governments acknowledge the ethical and legal aspects of AI development and frequently cite the GDPR, they limit their discussion to the data level, particularly data sharing, and marginalize ethical algorithms and other phases of data and AI management and design. In addition, government policies marginalize AI startups and the API economy, even though they play a crucial role in fostering the AI ecosystem. The paper contributes to the existing literature on AI policy and will serve as a guide for AI policymakers to help them better understand the topical similarities across countries and the neglected or marginalized challenges that require further attention.     

Improved new product development through enhanced design architecture for engineer-to-order companies

There are many challenges that face companies today in the new product introduction process. These can include reduced design times, fast times to market, improved quality and the need for constant price reductions in order to keep up with the competition. Engineer-to-order firms face even more challenges because of the ‘build to order’ way that they must do business. This study presents new ways for these companies to meet the challenges posed by the market using a business case relating to the product introduction process at a mid-size (～$75 million annual sales) engineer-to-order manufacturer of flexible printed circuits. The company has developed a new product introduction process that seeks to improve quality and delivery times as well as process development for the project at hand. These suggested outcomes of the improved process are generic and widely applicable to contract manufacturers involved in the new product introduction process enabling them to work closely with customers thereby effectively addressing their design concerns. The updated procedures are examined in-depth and the associated forms and record-keeping methods are presented and analysed. The new product introduction process utilises Deming's plan, do, check and act process improvement cycle. Finally, various contributions emanating from the study that enhance our understanding of any engineer-to-order new product development environment are presented.     

Biomaterials innovation: it’s a long road to the operating room

 An innovative process for forming a wide variety of porous biomaterials was conceived of and developed over several years at a University and later by a company that licensed the early patents. The family of patents formed the basis for several promising innovative biomaterials devices. However, only one commercial product has been realized. That product is the very successfull coralline hydroxyapatite (HA) now widely used in orthopaedic surgery, oral and maxillofacial bone repair and plastic surgery. This paper challenges the equation of discovery with a genuine innovation which reaches the marketplace. The paper reviews several aspects of the innovation and development history with an emphasis on the challenges of bringing any new biomaterial through all the conceptual, developmental, business and regulatory hurdles. New class three medical devices require huge investments of time and money typically requiring a minimum of eight years and 15–20 million dollars per new device to take it from concept to an approved product. These hurdles are so high that most research innovations in biomaterials never get put into the developmental pipeline. This paper is presented from an anecdotal perspective of an innovator who has had a continuous research and development involvement in the technology but has no significant management involvement beyond the early startup activities. It differs from predecessors is that it deals not only with the initial step of discovery but in the very difficult steps that follow on the road to a real innovation. Several strategies that may help other R&D groups outside the biomedical industry shorten the development cycle and increase the probability that a given biomaterials innovation can be seen through to approved product are discussed. Guidelines are suggested for culling out ideas that are technically sound but that likely won’t lead to successful products. Received: 2 January 1997 / Accepted: 27 March 1997     

Neuro-Knowledge-Based Expert System (NKBES) for Optimal Scheming of Die Casting Process

We develop a neuro-knowledge-based expert system (NKBES) frame in this work. The system mainly concerns with decision of gating system and die casting machine based on a neuro-inference engine launched under the MATLAB software environment. For enhancement of reasoning agility, an error back-propagation neural network was applied. A rapidly convergent adaptive learning rate (ALR) and a momentum-based error back-propagation algorithm was used to conduct neuro-reasoning. The working effect of the system was compared to a conventional expert system that is based on a two-way (forward and backward) chaining inference mechanism. As the reference, the present paper provided the neural networks sum-squared error (S5E) and ALR vs iterative epoch curves of process planning case mentioned above. The study suggests that the neuro-modeling optimization application to die casting process design has good feasibility, and based on that a novel and effective intelligent expert system can be launched at low cost.     

A review on parenteral delivery of peptides and proteins

The recent advances in pharmaceutical industry in the area of drug delivery and development have resulted into wide variety of biomolecules, particularly peptides and proteins, to palliate the treatment for severe diseases. The rampant development of peptides and proteins in industry mandate the understanding of their characteristic nature and developability. Despite their therapeutic potential, peptides and proteins pose complex challenges in drug delivery and require scientist to contemplate to achieve suitable delivery system. As most of the commercial products for proteins and peptides are available as a parenteral delivery and freeze drying process is one commonly used technique, it is imperative to understand the complex steps of development for better and faster product development. This review provides an overview of the stability and formulation development for peptides and proteins. The most common route for protein delivery, parenteral, has been focused on parenteral solution and lyophilization as formulation strategy. Additionally, new drug delivery and half-life extension approaches will further the reach of this unique class of molecules. Efforts are underway to explore the area with new technologies and development.     

Methodologies for rapid and effective response to requests for quotation (RFQs)

The ability to respond quickly and effectively to requests for quotation (RFQs) from customers can be a significant source of competitive advantage to manufacturing companies. This paper presents a new paradigm for processing RFQs and describes methodologies for rapid and accurate estimation of manufacturing cost for modified standard products and custom-made products. Insights gained through industry collaboration on the development of rapid cost estimation systems are also discussed. The work presented in this paper complements ongoing efforts by government and industry to establish the infrastructure and enabling technologies for electronic commerce, and can therefore contribute to significant gains in supply chain agility.