Manutenzione preventiva della Rail Line tramite il metodo MAGEC

L'elaborato è il risultato del progetto di tesi svolto presso l’azienda Lift Truck Equipment L.T.E. di Ostellato (Ferrara) che opera nell’ambito della progettazione e produzione di gruppi di sollevamento ed attrezzature per carrelli elevatori all’interno del gruppo Toyota Material Handling. Il progetto è stato svolto nel periodo da gennaio a marzo 2016 in collaborazione con l’ufficio di Ingegneria di processo di L.T.E. e riguarda l’applicazione del metodo MAGEC (Modi e Analisi dei Guasti e delle Criticità) per l’analisi dei guasti di una linea produttiva dell’azienda, la Rail Line. Nel primo capitolo viene inquadrato il sistema produttivo dell’azienda in aderenza con la filosofia del TPS (Toyota Production System) per chiarire l’ambito in cui è nato il progetto, le motivazioni che hanno portato al suo sviluppo e l’ottica secondo cui è stato svolto. Nel secondo capitolo è fornita una descrizione dell’approccio utilizzato, che consiste in una variante della FMECA, il metodo più utilizzato per le analisi in ambito affidabilistico. Inoltre sono riportate le attività di pianificazione che sono state svolte preliminarmente all’inizio del progetto. Successivamente nel terzo capitolo sono illustrati in modo dettagliato i vari step dell’implementazione del metodo, dalla raccolta dati, effettuata presso l’azienda, all’elaborazione. L’ultimo capitolo è dedicato ai risultati dell’analisi e a una breve descrizione di come tali risultati sono stati utilizzati nelle attività di manutenzione preventiva.

Implementation challenges of application of radio frequency identification (RFID) in warehouse

Warehouse is an essential component in the supply chain, linking the chain partners and providing them with functions of product storage, inbound and outbound operations along with value-added processes. Allocation of warehouse resources should be efficient and effective to achieve optimum productivity and reduce operational costs. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a technology capable of providing real-time information about supply chain operations. It has been used by warehousing and logistic enterprises to achieve reduced shrinkage, improved material handling and tracking as well as increased accuracy of data collection. However, both academics and practitioners express concerns about challenges to RFID adoption in the supply chain. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the problems encountered in RFID implementation at warehouses, discussing the theoretical and practical adoption barriers and causes of not achieving full potential of the technology. Lack of foreseeable return on investment (ROI) and high costs are the most commonly reported obstacles. Variety of standards and radio wave frequencies are identified as source of concern for decision makers. Inaccurate performance of the RFID within the warehouse environment is examined. Description of integration challenges between warehouse management system and RFID technology is given. The paper discusses the existing solutions to technological, investment and performance RFID adoption barriers. Factors to consider when implementing the RFID technology are given to help alleviate implementation problems. By illustrating the challenges of RFID in the warehouse environment and discussing possible solutions the paper aims to help both academics and practitioners to focus on key areas constituting an obstacle to the technology growth. As more studies will address these challenges, the realisation of RFID benefits for warehouses and supply chain will become a reality.

RFID adoption issues in the warehouse

In recent years the increased interest in introducing radio frequency technology (RFID) in warehousing was observed. First adopters of RFID reported numerous benefits, which included: reduced shrinkage, real-time tracking and better accuracy of data collection. Along with the academic and industrial discussion on benefits which can be achieved in RFID enabled warehouses there are reports on issues related to adoption of RFID technology in warehousing. This paper reviews results of scientific reports of RFID implementation in warehouses and discusses the adoption barriers and causes of not achieving full potential of the technology. Following adoption barriers are identified and set in warehousing context: lack of forseeable return on investment (ROI), unreliable performance of RFID systems, standarisation, integration with legacy systems and privacy/security concerns. As more studies will address these challenges, the realisation of RFID benefits for warehouses will become reality.

Modular system design and control for flexible assembly

Flexible Assembly Systems (FASs) are normally associated with the automatic, or robotic, assembly of products, supported by automated material handling systems. However, manual assembly operations are still prevalent within many industries, where the complexity and variety of products prohibit the development of suitable automated assembly equipment. This article presents a generic model for incorporating flexibility into the design and control of assembly operations concerned with high variety/low volume manufacture, drawing on the principles for Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) and Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery. It is based on work being undertaken in an electronics company where the assembly operations have been overhauled and restructured in response to a need for greater flexibility, shorter cycle times and reduced inventory levels. The principles employed are in themselves not original. However, the way they have been combined and tailored has created a total manufacturing control system which represents a new concept for responding to demands placed on market driven firms operating in an uncertain environment.

Design and construction of a portable force-reflecting manual controller for teleoperation systems

A man-machine system called teleoperator system has been developed to work in hazardous environments such as nuclear reactor plants. Force reflection is a type of force feedback in which forces experienced by the remote manipulator are fed back to the manual controller. In a force-reflecting teleoperation system, the operator uses the manual controller to direct the remote manipulator and receives visual information from a video image and/or graphical animation on the computer screen. This thesis presents the design of a portable Force-Reflecting Manual Controller (FRMC) for the teleoperation of tasks such as hazardous material handling, waste cleanup, and space-related operations. The work consists of the design and construction of a prototype 1-Degree-of-Freedom (DOF) FRMC, the development of the Graphical User Interface (GUI), and system integration. Two control strategies - PID and fuzzy logic controllers are developed and experimentally tested. The system response of each is analyzed and evaluated. In addition, the concept of a telesensation system is introduced, and a variety of design alternatives of a 3-DOF FRMC are proposed for future development.

Reproduzierbarkeit empirischer Erhebungen von Messdaten unter Anwendung statistischer Implikationen

Die Wahrung der Reproduzierbarkeit empirisch erhobener Messdaten fordert eine konsequente Anwendung einer einheitlichen und standardisierten Methode. Am IFL des KIT wurde deshalb eine Prozessbeschreibung entworfen, die speziell für die Messung von Fördermitteln der Intralogistik angewandt werden kann. Neben der Vorbereitung und Durchführung der Messungen müssen die erhobenen Daten anschließend statistisch ausgewertet und interpretiert werden. Die Methode wird in diesem Beitrag vorgestellt und am Beispiel von Leistungs- und Energiemessungen angewandt.

GridSorter – Dezentral gesteuertes Materialflusssystem zum Transport unterschiedlich großer Ladungsträger

Der GridSorter ist ein neuartiges Fördersystem zur effizienten und platzsparenden Sortierung von Gütern. Durch seine dezentrale Steuerung und den modularen Aufbau aus baugleichen rechteckigen Fördermodulen lässt er sich leicht an sich verändernde Anforderungen anpassen. In diesem Artikel wird ein neuer Reservierungsalgorithmus vorgestellt, welcher den Transport von Ladungsträgern erlaubt, die größer sind als ein Fördermodul. Dadurch wird nicht nur die Menge an möglichen Transportgütern erweitert, sondern es kann, wie in einer Simulation gezeigt wird, auch eine Effizienzsteigerung durch eine Verringerung der Modulgröße erreicht werden.

Simulation Optimization of the Crossdock Door Assignmnet Problem

The purpose of this report is to present the Crossdock Door Assignment Problem, which involves assigning destinations to outbound dock doors of Crossdock centres such that travel distance by material handling equipment is minimized. We propose a two fold solution; simulation and optimization of the simulation model - simulation optimization. The novel aspect of our solution approach is that we intend to use simulation to derive a more realistic objective function and use Memetic algorithms to find an optimal solution. The main advantage of using Memetic algorithms is that it combines a local search with Genetic Algorithms. The Crossdock Door Assignment Problem is a new domain application to Memetic Algorithms and it is yet unknown how it will perform.

Simulation Optimization of the Crossdock Door Assignmnet Problem

The purpose of this report is to present the Crossdock Door Assignment Problem, which involves assigning destinations to outbound dock doors of Crossdock centres such that travel distance by material handling equipment is minimized. We propose a two fold solution; simulation and optimization of the simulation model - simulation optimization. The novel aspect of our solution approach is that we intend to use simulation to derive a more realistic objective function and use Memetic algorithms to find an optimal solution. The main advantage of using Memetic algorithms is that it combines a local search with Genetic Algorithms. The Crossdock Door Assignment Problem is a new domain application to Memetic Algorithms and it is yet unknown how it will perform.

The Use of Cryogenic Air in Supplied Air Respiratory Protection

The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 implemented new regulations in the underground coal mining industry that allow for the certification of non-compressed gas equipment for respiratory protection in underground coal mines. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Biomedical Research and Engineering Laboratory (BRL) is investigating the potential to expand cryogenic air supply systems into the mining and general industries. These investigations have, so far, resulted in four separate comparison and hardware development programs. The Propellant Handlers Ensemble (PHE) and Level “A” Ensemble Comparison (LAE): This study compared worker thermal stress while using the industry standard Level A hazardous material handling ensemble as opposed to using the similarly protective Propellant Handler’s Ensemble (PHE) that utilizes a cryogenic air supply pack, known as an Environmental Control Unit (ECU) as opposed to the compressed air Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) used in the LAE. The research found that, in a 102°F environment, test subjects experienced significantly decreased body temperature increases, significantly decreased heart rate increases, and decreased sweat loss while performing a standard work routine while using the PHE, compared to the same test subjects performing the same routine while using the LAE. The Cryogenic Refuge Alternative Supply System (CryoRASS) project: The MINER Act of 2006 requires the operators of underground coal mines to provide refuge alternatives that can provide a safe atmosphere for workers for up to 96 hours in the event of a mine emergency. The CryoRASS project retrofitted an existing refuge chamber with a liquid air supply instead of the standard compressed air supply system and performed a 96 hour test. The CryoRASS system demonstrated that it provided a larger air supply in a significantly smaller footprint area, provided humidity and temperature control, and maintained acceptable oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the chamber for the required amount of time. SCBA and Mine Rescue System (CryoBA/CryoASFS) Another requirement of the MINER Act is that additional emergency breathing equipment must be staged along evacuation routes to supplement the Self Contained/Self Rescue (SCSR) devices that are now required. The BRL has developed an SCBA known as the Cryogenic Breathing Apparatus (CryoBA), that has the ability to provide 2 hours of breathing air, a refill capability, and some cooling for the user. Cryogenic Air Storage and Filling Stations (CryoASFS) would be positioned in critical areas to extend evacuation time. The CryoASFS stations have a significantly smaller footprint and larger air storage capacity to similar compressed air systems. The CryoBA pack is currently undergoing NIOSH certification testing. Technical challenges associated with liquid breathing air systems: Research done by the BRL has also addressed three major technical challenges involved with the widespread use of liquid breathing air. The BRL developed a storage Dewar fitted with a Cryorefrigerator that has stored liquid air for four months with no appreciable oxygen enrichment due to differential evaporation. Testing of liquid breathing air was material and time intensive. A BRL contract developed a system that only required 1 liter of air and five minutes of time compared to the 10 liters of air and 75 minutes of time required by the old method. The BRL also developed a simple and cost effective method of manufacturing liquid air that joins a liquid oxygen tanker with a liquid nitrogen tanker through an orifice controlled “Y” fitting, mixing the two components, and depositing the mixed breathing air in a separate tanker.

Report on handling railway stores material.

Mode of access: Internet.

Storage and handling of hazardous material.

"May 1992."

Handling and disposal of unwanted radioactive material.

"May 1988."