Real-time Linux in electric drive systems

Reaaliaikaisten käyttöjärjestelmien käyttö sulautetuissa järjestelmissä on kasvamassa koko ajan. Sulautettuja tietokoneita käytetään yhä useammassa kohteessa kuten sähkökäyttöjen ohjauksessa. Sähkökäyttöjen ohjaus hoidetaan nykyisin yleensä nopealla digitaalisella signaaliprosessorilla (DSP), jolloin ohjelmointi ja päivittäminen on hidasta ja vaikeaa johtuen käytettävästä matalan tason Assembler-kielestä. Ratkaisuna yleiskäyttöisten prosessorien ja reaaliaikakäyttöjärjestelmien käyttö. Kaupalliset reaaliaikakäyttöjärjestelmät ovat kalliita ja lähdekoodin saaminen omaan käyttöön jopa mahdotonta. Linux on ei-kaupallinen avoimen lähdekoodin käyttöjärjestelmä, joten sen käyttö on ilmaista ja sitä voi muokata vapaasti. Linux:iin on saatavana useita laajennuksia, jotka tekevät siitä reaaliaikaisen käyttöjärjestelmän. Vaihtoehtoina joko kova (hard) tai pehmeä (soft) reaaliaikaisuus. Linux:iin on olemassa valmiita kehitysympäristöjä mutta ne kaipaavat parannusta ennen kuin niitä voidaan käyttää suuressa mittakaavassa teollisuudessa. Reaaliaika Linux ei sovellus nopeisiin ohjauslooppeihin (<100 ms) koska nopeus ei riitä vielä mutta nopeus kasvaa samalla kun prosessorit kehittyvät. Linux soveltuu hyvin rajapinnaksi nopean ohjauksen ja käyttäjän välille ja hitaampaan ohjaukseen.

Blended learning and student time-use in engineering education

Aiheen laajempi artikkeli on julkaistu konferenssi-CD:llä.

Opportunities, constraints and constrained opportunities – A study on mothers’ working time patterns in 22 European countries

The aim of this study was to analyse mothers’ working time patterns across 22 European countries. The focus was on three questions: how much mothers prefer to work, how much they actually work, and to what degree their preferred and actual working times are (in)consistent with each other. The focus was on cross-national differences in mothers’ working time patterns, comparison of mothers’ working times to that of childless women and fathers, as well as on individual- and country-level factors that explain the variation between them. In the theoretical background, the departure point was an integrative theoretical approach where the assumption is that there are various kinds of explanations for the differences in mothers’ working time patterns – namely structural, cultural and institutional – , and that these factors are laid in two levels: individual- and country-levels. Data were extracted from the European Social Survey (ESS) 2010 / 2011. The results showed that mothers’ working time patterns, both preferred and actual working times, varied across European countries. Four clusters were formed to illustrate the differences. In the full-time pattern, full-time work was the most important form of work, leaving all other working time forms marginal. The full-time pattern was perceived in terms of preferred working times in Bulgaria and Portugal. In polarised pattern countries, fulltime work was also important, but it was accompanied by a large share of mothers not working at all. In the case of preferred working times, many Eastern and Southern European countries followed it whereas in terms of actual working times it included all Eastern and Southern European countries as well as Finland. The combination pattern was characterised by the importance of long part-time hours and full-time work. It was the preferred working time pattern in the Nordic countries, France, Slovenia, and Spain, but Belgium, Denmark, France, Norway, and Sweden followed it in terms of actual working times. The fourth cluster that described mothers’ working times was called the part-time pattern, and it was illustrated by the prevalence of short and long part-time work. In the case of preferred working times, it was followed in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Besides Belgium, the part-time pattern was followed in the same countries in terms of actual working times. The consistency between preferred and actual working times was rather strong in a majority of countries. However, six countries fell under different working time patterns when preferred and actual working times were compared. Comparison of working mothers’, childless women’s, and fathers’ working times showed that differences between these groups were surprisingly small. It was only in part-time pattern countries that working mothers worked significantly shorter hours than working childless women and fathers. Results therefore revealed that when mothers’ working times are under study, an important question regarding the population examined is whether it consists of all mothers or only working mothers. Results moreover supported the use of the integrative theoretical approach when studying mothers’ working time patterns. Results indicate that mothers’ working time patterns in all countries are shaped by various opportunities and constraints, which are comprised of structural, cultural, institutional, and individual-level factors.

Finite size effects in superconducting nanocomposites

The present Master’s thesis presents theoretical description of the extraodinary behavior of the confined Indium nanoparticles. Superconducting properties of nanoparticles and nanocomposites are extensively reviewed. Special attention has been paid to phase fluctuation, shell and disordered effects. The experimental data has been obtained and provided by Dmitry Shamshur from Ioffe Physical Technical Institute. The investigated material represents a highly ordered system of silicate spheres filled with indium metal, where the In nanoparticles are interconnected between each other. Bulk indium is a superconductor with crititcal superconducting temperature Tc0 = 3:41 K. But indium nanoparticles exhibit different behavior, the critical temperature rise by approximately 20% up to 4.15 K. As well as transition of the indium particles to type-II superconductivity with high critical magnetic fields. Such diversity is explained by finite size effects which originate from nanosize of the samples.

Project Charter, Scope, and Time Management In the Movie Industry

This thesis explores how the project charter development, project scope management, and project time management are executed in a Finnish movie production. The deviations and analogies between a case movie production and best practices suggested in PMBOK are presented. Empirical material from the case is gathered with two semi-structured interviews with a producer and a line producer. The interview data is categorized according to PMBOK knowledge areas. The analysis is complemented with movie industry specific norms found in popular movie production guides. The described and observed methods are linked together and the relationship between them is discussed. The project charter development, which is referred as a green light process in the movie industry, is mostly analogous between all areas. The deviations are in the level of formality. The green lighting in the case movie was accomplished without bureaucratic reports described in movie production guides. The empirical material shows that project management conventions and movie industry employ similar methods especially in scope management. Project management practices introduce a work breakdown structure (WBS) method, and movie production accomplishes the same task by developing a shooting script. Time management of the case movie deviates on most parts from the methods suggested in PMBOK. The major deviation is resource management. PMBOK suggests creating a resource breakdown structure. The case movie production accomplished this through budgeting process. Furthermore the popular movie production guides also disregard resource management as sovereign process. However the activity listing is quite analogous between the case movie and PMBOK. The final key observation is that although there is a broad set of effective and detailed movie industry specific methods, a comprehensive methodology that would cover the whole production process, such as Prince2 or Scrum, seems to be missing from the movie industry.

Project charter, scope, and time management in the movie industry

This thesis explores how the project charter development, project scope management, and project time management are executed in a Finnish movie production. The deviations and analogies between a case movie production and best practices suggested in PMBOK are presented. Empirical material from the case is gathered with two semi-structured interviews with a producer and a line producer. The interview data is categorized according to PMBOK knowledge areas. The analysis is complemented with movie industry specific norms found in popular movie production guides. The described and observed methods are linked together and the relationship between them is discussed. The project charter development, which is referred as a green light process in the movie industry, is mostly analogous between all areas. The deviations are in the level of formality. The green lighting in the case movie was accomplished without bureaucratic reports described in movie production guides. The empirical material shows that project management conventions and movie industry employ similar methods especially in scope management. Project management practices introduce a work breakdown structure (WBS) method, and movie production accomplishes the same task by developing a shooting script. Time management of the case movie deviates on most parts from the methods suggested in PMBOK. The major deviation is resource management. PMBOK suggests creating a resource breakdown structure. The case movie production accomplished this through budgeting process. Furthermore the popular movie production guides also disregard resource management as sovereign process. However the activity listing is quite analogous between the case movie and PMBOK. The final key observation is that although there is a broad set of effective and detailed movie industry specific methods, a comprehensive methodology that would cover the whole production process, such as Prince2 or Scrum, seems to be missing from the movie industry.

Flexible multibody approach in bone strain estimation during physical activity:

Bone strain plays a major role as the activation signal for the bone (re)modeling process, which is vital for keeping bones healthy. Maintaining high bone mineral density reduces the chances of fracture in the event of an accident. Numerous studies have shown that bones can be strengthened with physical exercise. Several hypotheses have asserted that a stronger osteogenic (bone producing) effect results from dynamic exercise than from static exercise. These previous studies are based on short-term empirical research, which provide the motivation for justifying the experimental results with a solid mathematical background. The computer simulation techniques utilized in this work allow for non-invasive bone strain estimation during physical activity at any bone site within the human skeleton. All models presented in the study are threedimensional and actuated by muscle models to replicate the real conditions accurately. The objective of this work is to determine and present loading-induced bone strain values resulting from physical activity. It includes a comparison of strain resulting from four different gym exercises (knee flexion, knee extension, leg press, and squat) and walking, with the results reported for walking and jogging obtained from in-vivo measurements described in the literature. The objective is realized primarily by carrying out flexible multibody dynamics computer simulations. The dissertation combines the knowledge of finite element analysis and multibody simulations with experimental data and information available from medical field literature. Measured subject-specific motion data was coupled with forward dynamics simulation to provide natural skeletal movement. Bone geometries were defined using a reverse engineering approach based on medical imaging techniques. Both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were utilized to explore modeling differences. The predicted tibia bone strains during walking show good agreement with invivo studies found in the literature. Strain measurements were not available for gym exercises; therefore, the strain results could not be validated. However, the values seem reasonable when compared to available walking and running invivo strain measurements. The results can be used for exercise equipment design aimed at strengthening the bones as well as the muscles during workout. Clinical applications in post fracture recovery exercising programs could also be the target. In addition, the methodology introduced in this study, can be applied to investigate the effect of weightlessness on astronauts, who often suffer bone loss after long time spent in the outer space.

A Method for reducing throughput-time in industrial electronics

Lyhyet toimitusajat tuovat yrityksille kilpailuetua nopeasti muuttuvassa teollisuusympäristössä. Tämän diplomityön ensisijaisena tavoitteena on löytää kirjallisuuden avulla yrityksen käyttöön soveltuva menetelmä, joka soveltuu systemaattiseen läpimenoaikojen lyhentämiseen. Tärkeää on myös varmistaa valitun menetelmän soveltuvuus kohdeyrityksen ympäristöön. Työn toisena tavoitteena on ymmärtää, että minkälaisella panostuksella yhden päivän läpimenoaika voidaan saavuttaa. Kirjallisuustutkimuksen avulla on valittu tarkoitukseen sopiva toimintamalli. Menetelmä on testattu yhdellä tuotantolinjalla ja saadut tulokset sekä palaute osoittavat, että se näyttäisi soveltuvan kohdeyrityksen käyttöön. Tuotantolinjalle on tehty toimintasuunnitelma yhden päivän toimitusajan saavuttamiseksi vuoden 2013 aikana. Haasteen laajuutta koko kohdeyrityksessä on tutkittu erillisessä ideointisessiossa. Session tulosten perusteella on tehty prioriteettilista, joka antaa käsityksen toimitusajan merkittävän lyhentämisen vaatimuksista. Yleisesti ottaen kysynnän vaihtelun hallinta on suurin haaste, mutta useita ratkaisuvaihtoehtoja tämän hallitsemiseksi on tunnistettu.

Physical Attractiveness as a Signal of Biological Quality

It has been commonly thought that standards of beauty are arbitrary cultural conventions that vary between cultures and time. In my thesis I found that it is not so. Instead, I show that attractiveness and preferred traits serve as cues to phenotypic qualities that provide selective benefits for those who choose their mates based on these criteria. In the first study I show that attractive men have a stronger antibody response to the hepatitis b vaccine and higher levels of testosterone than their less attractive peers. Men with low levels of testosterone also tend to have high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, suggesting that their immune responses may have been inhibited by stress hormones. Thus, facial attractiveness may serve as an honest cue of the strength of immune defence in men. In the second study, I show that the attractiveness of the male body is also a cue of better immunity. In addition, I show that adiposity, both in men’s faces and bodies, is a better cue of the strength of immunity and attractiveness than of masculinity. In the third study, I test the preferences of women from 13 countries for facial cues of testosterone and cortisol. I show that there is cross-cultural variation in women’s preference for cues of testosterone and cortisol in male faces. I found a relationship between the health of a nation and women’s preferences for cues of testosterone in the male face and the interaction between preferences for cues of testosterone and cortisol. I show also a relationship between preferences for cues of testosterone and a societal-level measure of parasite stress. Thus, it seems that societal-level ecological factors influence the relative value of traits as revealed by combinations of testosterone and stress hormones. In the fourth study, I show that women’s immune responsiveness (amount of antibodies produced) does not predict facial attractiveness. Instead, plasma cortisol level is negatively associated with attractiveness, indicating that stressed women look less attractive. Fat percentage is curvilinearly associated with facial attractiveness, indicating that being too thin or too fat reduces attractiveness. This study suggests that in contrast to men, facial attractiveness in women does not indicate the strength of immune defence, but is associated with other aspects of long-term health and fertility: circulating levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the percentage of body fat. In the last study I show that the attractiveness of men’s body odor is positively correlated with stress hormone levels, suggesting also that the attractiveness of body odors may signal the phenotypic quality of males to females. However, the attractiveness of men’s body odor was not associated with testosterone levels. My thesis suggests that the standard of beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. Instead, our standard of beauty is hardwired in our brains by genes that are selected by natural selection and also influenced by current environmental conditions.

The Effects of Multifactorial Fall Prevention on the Psychological Risk Factors of Falling

Psychological factors, such as depression or depressive symptoms and fear of falling are linked to falls among the aged. According to previous studies, they may increase the risk of falls and injurious falls. In addition, depression or a high amount of depressive symptoms and fear of falling may hinder participation in preventive activities. Despite the severe consequences of both conditions and their high prevalence among the aged, they have rarely been studied in the context of fall prevention. The study aimed to assess the effects of multifactorial fall prevention on the psychological risk factors of falling (depressive symptoms and fear of falling) among the community-dwelling aged at increased risk of falling. In addition, it aimed to determine factors predicting high adherence to preventive activities. Volunteers aged 65 or over, who had fallen during the year previous to randomisation were recruited. Participants (n=591) were randomised into an intervention or a control group. The intervention group received a multifactorial fall prevention programme including geriatric assessment, individual guidance on fall and fracture prevention, group- and home-based physical exercise, psychosocial group activities, lectures and home hazards assessment. The control group had a one-time counselling on fall and fracture prevention. The data on psychological risk factors of falling were collected by self-rated questionnaires. Multifactorial fall prevention was not effective in reducing depressive symptoms or fear of falling compared to one-time counselling in the total sample. However, in subgroup analyses, depressive symptoms reduced statistically significantly more among the men and older participants of the intervention group compared to the control group. Female gender, high physical and cognitive abilities and low self-perceived probability of falling were independent predictors of higher adherence in organised activities. In conclusion, few psychological benefits were gained during this multifactorial fall prevention trial. More attention should be focused on adherence, especially among the aged with functional disabilities.

Green Field fluteboard factory infrastructure requirements in Russia

Russian corrugated board market is rapidly developing. Owing to that Russia becomes more and more attractive to the companies ¿ world leaders in corrugated board production. Thus, in order to strengthen or even to maintain its market position the firm should uninterruptedly develop improving volume and quality of the products. At the same time operations in the Russian market are commonlyassociated with various types of risks which should be avoided. Unfortunately, the information of the Russian corrugated board market is not systematized yet there is almost no theoretical background in this areaand, therefore, the thesis is mainly based on the practical experience of the managers of Stora Enso. The goal of the paper is to define and describe the main particularities of Russian corrugated board market which are lying in different areas and to concentrate on the difficultieswith which a corrugated board factory may face while functioning in the Russian market. The contribution of the thesis consists of forming general requirements and principles while establishing a corrugated boardproduction facility and maintaining its operations in order to avoid risks, to save time and financial resources and as a result to operate in the Russian market obtaining higher profits.

A novel procedure for establishing clinching parameters for high strength steel sheet

The building industry has a particular interest in using clinching as a joining method for frame constructions of light-frame housing. Normally many clinch joints are required in joining of frames.In order to maximise the strength of the complete assembly, each clinch joint must be as sound as possible. Experimental testing is the main means of optimising a particular clinch joint. This includes shear strength testing and visual observation of joint cross-sections. The manufacturers of clinching equipment normally perform such experimental trials. Finite element analysis can also be used to optimise the tool geometry and the process parameter, X, which represents the thickness of the base of the joint. However, such procedures require dedicated software, a skilled operator, and test specimens in order to verify the finite element model. In addition, when using current technology several hours' computing time may be necessary. The objective of the study was to develop a simple calculation procedure for rapidly establishing an optimum value for the parameter X for a given tool combination. It should be possible to use the procedure on a daily basis, without stringent demands on the skill of the operator or the equipment. It is also desirable that the procedure would significantly decrease thenumber of shear strength tests required for verification. The experimental workinvolved tests in order to obtain an understanding of the behaviour of the sheets during clinching. The most notable observation concerned the stage of the process in which the upper sheet was initially bent, after which the deformation mechanism changed to shearing and elongation. The amount of deformation was measured relative to the original location of the upper sheet, and characterised as the C-measure. By understanding in detail the behaviour of the upper sheet, it waspossible to estimate a bending line function for the surface of the upper sheet. A procedure was developed, which makes it possible to estimate the process parameter X for each tool combination with a fixed die. The procedure is based on equating the volume of material on the punch side with the volume of the die. Detailed information concerning the behaviour of material on the punch side is required, assuming that the volume of die does not change during the process. The procedure was applied to shear strength testing of a sample material. The sample material was continuously hot-dip zinc-coated high-strength constructional steel,with a nominal thickness of 1.0 mm. The minimum Rp0.2 proof stress was 637 N/mm2. Such material has not yet been used extensively in light-frame housing, and little has been published on clinching of the material. The performance of the material is therefore of particular interest. Companies that use clinching on a daily basis stand to gain the greatest benefit from the procedure. By understanding the behaviour of sheets in different cases, it is possible to use data at an early stage for adjusting and optimising the process. In particular, the functionality of common tools can be increased since it is possible to characterise the complete range of existing tools. The study increases and broadens the amount ofbasic information concerning the clinching process. New approaches and points of view are presented and used for generating new knowledge.

Strategic supply lead time management. Case Nokia Networks, Hardware Services

Teollisuuden palveluiden on huomattu olevan potentiaalinen lisätulojen lähde. Teollisuuden palveluiden dynaamisessa maailmassa räätälöinti ja kyky toimia nopeasti ovat kriittisiä asiakastyytyväisyyden ja kilpailuedun luomisprosessin osia. Toimitusketjussa käytetyn ajan lyhentämisellä voidaan saavuttaa sekä paremmat vasteajat, että alhaisemmat kokonaiskustannukset. Tutkielman tavoitteena on kuvata teollisuuden palveluiden dynaamista ympäristöä: asiakastarvetta, sekä mahdollisuuksia kaventaa pyydetyn ja saavutetun toimitusajan välistä eroa. Tämä toteutetaan pääosin strategisen toimitusajan hallinnan keinoin. Langattomien tietoliikenneverkkojen operaattorit haluavat vähentää ydinosaamiseensa kuulumatomiin toimintoihin, kuten ylläpitoon sitoutuneita pääomia. Tutkielman case osiossa varaosapalvelujen toimitusketjun kysyntä-, materiaali- ja informaatiovirtoja analysoidaan niin kvalitatiivisten haastatteluiden, sisäisten dokumenttien, kuin kvantitatiivisten tilastollisten menetelmienkin avulla. Löydöksiä peilataan vallitsevaa toimitusketjun ja ajanhallinnan paradigmaa vasten. Tulokset osoittavat, että vahvan palvelukulttuurin omaksuminen ja kokonaisvaltainen toimitusketjun tehokkuuden mittaaminen ovat ajanhallinnan lähtökohtia teollisuuden palveluissa.

Methods of Jet to Wire Speed Ratio Determination and Its Effect in Paper and Board Manufacture

Suihku/viira-nopeussuhde on perälaatikon huulisuihkun ja viiran välinen nopeusero. Se vaikuttaa suuresti paperin ja kartongin loppuominaisuuksiin, kuten formaatioon sekä kuituorientaatioon ja näin ollen paperin lujuusominaisuuksiin. Tämän johdosta on erityisen tärkeää tietää todellinen suihku/viira-nopeussuhde paperin- ja kartonginvalmistuksessa. Perinteinen suihku/viira-nopeussuhteen määritysmenetelmä perustuu perälaatikon kokonaispaineeseen. Tällä menetelmällä kuitenkin todellinen huulisuihkun nopeus saattaa usein jäädä tietämättä johtuen mahdollisesta virheellisestä painemittarin kalibroinnista sekä laskuyhtälön epätarkkuuksista. Tämän johdosta on kehitetty useita reaaliaikaisia huulisuihkun mittausmenetelmiä. Perälaatikon parametrien optimaaliset asetukset ovat mahdollista määrittää ja ylläpitää huulisuihkun nopeuden “on-line” määrityksellä. Perälaatikon parametrejä ovat mm. huulisuihku, huuliaukon korkeusprofiili, reunavirtaukset ja syöttövirtauksen tasaisuus. Huulisuihkun nopeuden on-line mittauksella paljastuu myös muita perälaatikon ongelmakohtia, kuten mekaaniset viat, joita on perinteisesti tutkittu aikaa vievillä paperin ja kartongin lopputuoteanalyyseillä.