Desenvolvimento de um sistema de planejamento, gestão de serviços e controle de custos em obras de construção civil

The increasing competitiveness of the construction industry, set in an economic environment in which the offer is now greater than the demand , causes the prices of many products and services, are strongly influenced by the processes of production and the final consumer. Thus, to become more competitive in the market and construction companies are seeking new alternatives to reduce and control costs, production processes and tools that allow for close monitoring of the construction schedule, with the consequent compliance deadline with the client. Based on this scenario, the creation of control tools, service management and planning work emerges as an investment opportunity and an area that can promote great benefits to construction companies. The goal of this work is to present a system of planning, service management and costs control that through worksheets provide information relating to the production phase of the work, allowing the visualization of possible irregularities in the planning and cost of the enterprise, enabling the company to take steps to achieve the goals of the enterprise in question, and correct them when necessary. The developed system has been used in a piece of real estate in Rio Grande do Norte, and the results showed that its use together allowed the construction company to accompany their results and take corrective and preventive actions during the production process, efficiently and effective

Fatores que afetam a competitividade na produção de hortaliças orgânicas no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The Brazilian organic market has growing year by year, and this commercialization is extremely important to the country, because it allows a bigger preoccupation with the environmental preservation, as well as to create employments and income to the rural workers. However, is necessary that these producers define forms of competition in the market, the way how they will compete, focusing aspects that really matters to the clients. So, the work objective is investigate, based in the rural producers perceptions, the facts which affect the competition the production of organics vegetables in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. With the aim of contribute to the made of strategic decisions related to the production and commercialization of these products in the agriculture scenery norte-rio-grandense, besides to contribute with information about the competition, helping as reference to others important researches. In the methodological view, this study can be qualified as an applied research study, with descriptive objective and quantitative approach. The instrument used was the formulary, resuming to producers of organics products in Rio Grande do Norte state, that grows the segment of organic types of vegetables and greens, been thirty two producers. The data was treated through of the descriptive analyze and the Cluster s analyze. The descriptive research results indicate that the main factors which affect the competition of the organics products in our State are the cost, the diversification and reliability. The Cluster s analyze shows that exists am group of organics producers who uses frequently a specialized technique and they give support to the bigger retail market, as supermarkets

A Produção mais Limpa como ferramenta em busca da sustentabilidade empresarial: um estudo de múltiplos casos em empresas do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

This study aimed to assess the Cleaner Production CP as corporate sustainable tool, through the multiple case studies within companies from Rio Grande do Norte State. In order to achieve this goal a research methodology approach was set. The initial stage of the research methodology was based on a literature review on which it was observed that the CP can be linked with corporate sustainable once it prevents pollution and reduces the operational risks among employees, community and environment. In addition, CP can useful for companies position within competitive position as well as being applied to process, products and services. In order to observe these factors, CP was used within food industry (Company 1), textile industry (Company 2) and in a car dealer (Company 3). Regarding the results, Company 1 changed its raw material as well as implementing housekeeping (control use of water, energy and condensed milk). In Company 2, it was observed the three levels of CP. In other words, housekeeping (e.g. cutting process and manipulation of chemical products), changing technology (high pressure washing machine) and internal and external recycling. In addition, Company 3 considered only level 3 external recycling. As consequence, it was observed that can be applied either within industry as well as service sector. Unfortunately, it was not possible to observe any social gains on a monetary basis. This is due to limitations of the CP methodology and study complexity. Therefore, it was observed improvements regarding to social, environmental and economic areas. Nevertheless, it is necessary more commitment from top level management in order to consider CP like effective sustainable tool

Sistema de gestão ambiental na produção de água mineral

It s more and more evident the subject of the shortage of water, worsened by the accelerated urbanization, growth of the population, increase of the demand and of the costs of its treatment, factors that are also tied up to the increase of the consumption of mineral waters, whose chemical composition or physical-chemistries characteristics do with that are considered beneficial to the health. The growth accelerated all over the world in its consumption aims the concern with the waters quality, the health and the incentive to the consumption of natural products. However, in spite of quite valuable, that resource is explored, most of the time, without optimization of production or actions that avoid wastefulness. This research is justified for the need of minimizing the negative environmental impacts caused by the mineral water s production, mainly in what it say about the generation of effluents and wastes in the productive process, through the study, development and application of cleaner production tools for the environmental management, pertinent for that section. The applicability of Environmental Management System was determined by means of the characterization of the environmental aspects of productive process in a company of the section, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte and of the discussion of the panoramas that demonstrate the tendency for a sustainable development. Actions as a reforestation, optimization of energy and water uses, recycle of solid residues and water reuse were applied during the research, resulting in the considerable reduction of wastes of raw materials and inputs and consequent environmental and economic won. A specific methodology was proposed with concepts of Environmental Management, integrating with Quality Management. As foundations for the elaboration of the methodology, it was realized a similarity analysis among the systems and, mainly, an analysis of the experiences observed in the case study, including specificities, needs and difficulties of the company. With these results, the implantation of a EMS as a company strategy has environmental, economic and social benefits, and this research can be applied and adequate to others companies and sectors

Proposta de localização de uma unidade de tratamento de óleo e gordura residual de fritura na cidade do Natal/RN para produção de biodiesel

This work addresses biodiesel by transesterification from the use of waste frying oil as a possible technological alternative for both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and by presenting themselves as an environmental call to designate a rational use of oil when no longer played in the environment to become renewable energy. It has proposed location of a residual oil and fat treatment plant to produce biodiesel, using models of Location and Routing for the improvement of routes. To achieve the goal, questionnaires were administered in establishments that use oil or vegetable fat in their productive activities in order to quantify the residue, to analyze actions and environmental perception of people who work directly with the residue on the destination you are being given to oil and fat used. It has indicated using of two single setup location, the method of Center of Gravity and the model of Ardalan, a geographical point that minimizes the costs of transporting waste to the treatment plant. Actions have been proposed for the improvement of collection routes this residue using the Routing Method of Scanning, as an illustration. The results demonstrated the lack of knowledge of the people who deal directly with large amounts of waste, on the environmental impacts caused by their incorrect disposal. The models used were uniform since point out to neighborhoods in similar regions. The neighborhoods of Lagoa Nova / Morro Branco (Ardalan) and Nova Descoberta (Center of Gravity) as ideal for the installation of treatment plant. However, it is suggested to be tested other models that take into account new variables than those used (supply of waste and the distance between points). The routing through the method of scanning has shown that it is possible, in a simple way to optimize routes in order to reduce distances and therefore the logistics costs in the collection of such waste. Introducing a route as a test to gather the twenty largest oil suppliers used in sample frying, using as a main factor time 8 hour of working shift every day

Competitividade na pequena produção agroindustrial: estudo na agroindústria da castanha de caju

This paper looks into the cashew nut industrial process as a factor in adding value to it and involves its productions, industrialization and marketing. Its competitiveness fundamentally depends in its ability to surpass technological and non technological difficulties that contributes to increase costs and diminishes attributes to better qualities which means values to the market. The methodology applied in this paper was application of a questionnaire with a Likert model scale with closed questions and constituted by variables that composed nominated groups: exporting obstacles, market strategy, competitive advantages, broken nuts index, productive potential and social-economic profile of members of the Cooperative. A descriptive analysis was the method employed for the data analysis. After identifying some of the quantitative gains in the industrial process of the cashew nuts, recommendations are presented to COOPERCAJU to promote courses to improve the members productivity as well as technical assistance, in order to get more efficacy in the cashew nuts industrial processing

Elaboração de um plano de gerenciamento integrado de resíduos sólidos no restaurante universitário da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The concern about preservation of the environment reaches different layers and sections of global society. The environmental prior quality of our planet can only be reached through changes in the attitudes taken in relation due to the waste generated by society, this also lead involving the education sector, in example of the Superior Education Institutions where the concept of ambiental management needs to gain a growing space.In the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, can be found the Universitary Restaurant as an example of a Food and Nutrition Unit, it is a restaurant destined to provide services to the academic comunity with the production and distribution of meals. In this operational context the work itself aims subsidies and funds to the search of as minimal generation of residues as possible, applying environmentally correct processes and practices. The work was developed in the period of September to October of 2009 in the Universitary Campus of Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, in the Universitary Restaurant of the referred institution. The project involved all the employees of the restaurant and used like method the action survey. The produced waste was characterized, arranged according with it s nature (organic or inorganic) classificated following the NBR ISO 14004, adapted by Kinasz (2004) that adjusts the Standards to the specific reality of Food and Nutrition Services being diagnosed an expressive amount of produced waste in the Universitary Restaurant, it can be assured that a culture of wasting is very present and exists, contributing to the rise of solid residues, damaging the environment and consequently reflecting in the costs and expenses of the Unity, a known fact that characterizes and justifies the need of a promoting and active action that leads to positive reflexes in the economic and environmental area, drafting a Plan for Integrate Management of Solid Residues on the Universitary Restaurant of Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte

Análise dos custos assistenciais de uma operadora de plano de saúde no Brasil

The relevance of rising healthcare costs is a main topic in complementary health companies in Brazil. In 2011, these expenses consumed more than 80% of the monthly health insurance in Brazil. Considering the administrative costs, it is observed that the companies operating in this market work, on average, at the threshold between profit and loss. This paper presents results after an investigation of the welfare costs of a health plan company in Brazil. It was based on the KDD process and explorative Data Mining. A diversity of results is presented, such as data summarization, providing compact descriptions of the data, revealing common features and intrinsic observations. Among the key findings was observed that a small portion of the population is responsible for the most demanding of resources devoted to health care

Modelo matemático para otimização dos custos de um sistema híbrido eólico-solar : aplicação no bombeamento de petróleo

This work purposes the application of a methodology to optimize the implantation cost of an wind-solar hybrid system for oil pumping. The developed model is estimated the implantation cost of system through Multiple Linear Regression technique, on the basis of the previous knowledge of variables: necessary capacity of storage, total daily energy demand, wind power, module power and module number. These variables are gotten by means of sizing. The considered model not only can be applied to the oil pumping, but also for any other purposes of electric energy generation for conversion of solar, wind or solar-wind energy, that demand short powers. Parametric statistical T-student tests had been used to detect the significant difference in the average of total cost to being considered the diameter of the wind, F by Snedecor in the variance analysis to test if the coefficients of the considered model are significantly different of zero and test not-parametric statistical by Friedman, toverify if there is difference in the system cost, by being considered the photovoltaic module powers. In decision of hypothesis tests was considered a 5%-significant level. The configurations module powers showed significant differences in total cost of investment by considering an electrical motor of 3 HP. The configurations module powers showed significant differences in total cost of investment by considering an electrical motor of 5 HP only to wind speed of 4m/s and 6 m/s in wind of 3 m, 4m and 5 m of diameter. There was not significant difference in costs to diameters of winds of 3 m and 4m. The mathematical model and the computational program may be used to others applications which require electrical between 2.250 W and 3.750 W. A computational program was developed to assist the study of several configurations that optimizes the implantation cost of an wind-solar system through considered mathematical model

Metodologia de análise e diagnóstico de fratura em um componente automotivo sujeito a cargas cíclicas alternadas

The competitiveness of the trade generated by the higher availability of products with lower quality and cost promoted a new reality of industrial production with small clearances. Track deviations at the production are not discarded, uncertainties can statistically occur. The world consumer and the Brazilian one are supported by the consumer protection code, in lawsuits against the products poor quality. An automobile is composed of various systems and thousands of constituent parts, increasing the likelihood of failure. The dynamic and security systems are critical in relation to the consequences of possible failures. The investigation of the failure gives us the possibility of learning and contributing to various improvements. Our main purpose in this work is to develop a systematic, specific methodology by investigating the root cause of the flaw occurred on an axle end of the front suspension of an automobile, and to perform comparative data analyses between the fractured part and the project information. Our research was based on a flaw generated in an automotive suspension system involved in a mechanical judicial cause, resulting in property and personal damages. In the investigations concerning the analysis of mechanical flaws, knowledge on materials engineering plays a crucial role in the process, since it enables applying techniques for characterizing materials, relating the technical attributes required from a respective part with its structure of manufacturing material, thus providing a greater scientific contribution to the work. The specific methodology developed follows its own flowchart. In the early phase, the data in the records and information on the involved ones were collected. The following laboratory analyses were performed: macrography of the fracture, micrography with SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) of the initial and final fracture, phase analysis with optical microscopy, Brinell hardness and Vickers microhardness analyses, quantitative and qualitative chemical analysis, by using X-ray fluorescence and optical spectroscopy for carbon analysis, qualitative study on the state of tension was done. Field data were also collected. In the analyses data of the values resulting from the fractured stock parts and the design values were compared. After the investigation, one concluded that: the developed methodology systematized the investigation and enabled crossing data, thus minimizing diagnostic error probability, the morphology of the fracture indicates failure by the fatigue mechanism in a geometrically propitious location, a tension hub, the part was subjected to low tensions by the sectional area of the final fracture, the manufacturing material of the fractured part has low ductility, the component fractured in an earlier moment than the one recommended by the manufacturer, the percentages of C, Si, Mn and Cr of the fractured part present values which differ from the design ones, the hardness value of the superior limit of the fractured part is higher than that of the design, and there is no manufacturing uniformity between stock and fractured part. The work will contribute to optimizing the guidance of the actions in a mechanical engineering judicial expertise

Estudo do aproveitamento do rejeito da mineração de esmeraldas na produção de refratários conformados isolantes

Emerald mining is an important area of the economy in Brazil, country which is in second place among the exporting nations of this gem. Due to the process of extraction, a great amount of reject is generated. Since there is no appropriate destination, the reject is abandoned around the mining industries, contributing to environment degradation. Nowadays, some of the most relevant things to an industry in general are: energy conservation, cost reduction, quality and productivity enhancement. The production of isolating, transformed refractory materials achieves the sustainability dimension when protection of the environment is incorporated to such process. This work investigates the use of emerald mining rejects in the ceramic body of refractory materials, aiming at obtaining a product whose characteristics are compatible with commercial products and, at the same time, allow the use of such rejects to solve the environmental issue caused by its disposal in nature. X-ray fluorescence analysis show that the emerald reject obtained after the flotation to extract molybdenum and mica has 70% of silica and alumina (SiO2+Al2O3) and 21% of a basic oxides and alkaline metals and earthy alkaline mixture (Na2O, K2O, CaO e MgO). Because of the significant amount of silica and alumina present in the reject, four refractory ceramic bodies were prepared. Samples with a rectangular shape and dimensions 100x50x10 mm were pressed in a steel mold at 27,5 MPa and sintered at 1200ºC for 40 min. under environment atmosphere in a resistive oven. The sintered samples were characterized in relation to the chemical composition (FRX), mineralogical composition (DRX), microstructure (MEV) and physical and mechanical properties. The results indicate that the mixture with 45% of reject, 45% of alumina and 10% of kaolin presents a refractory quality of 1420ºC, dimensional linear variation below 2.00%, apparent specific mass of 1,56 g/cm3 and porosity of 46,68%, which demonstrates the potential use of the reject as raw material for the industry of isolating transformed refractory materials

Avaliação, identificação e atividade enzimática de bactérias psicotróficas presentes no leite cru refrigerado

Extended storage of refrigerated milk can lead to reduced quality of raw and processed milk, which is a consequence of the growth and metabolic activities of psychrotrophic bacteria, able to grow under 7oC or lower temperatures. Although most of these microorganisms are destroyed by heat treatment, some have the potential to produce termoresistant proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes that can survive even UHT processing and reduce the processed products quality. Recently, the IN 51 determineds that milk should be refrigerated and stored at the farm what increased the importance of this group of microorganisms. In this work, psychrotrophic bacteria were isolated from 20 communitarian bulk tanks and 23 individual bulk tanks from dairy farms located at Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais State and from southeastern Rio de Janeiro. Selected milk dilutions were plated on standard agar and after incubation for 10 days at 7oC, five colonies were isolated, firstly using nutrient agar and after using McConkey agar for 24 hours at 21oC. The isolates were identified by morphology, Gram stain method, catalase production, fermentative/oxidative metabolism and by API 20E, API 20NE, API Staph, API Coryne or API 50 CH (BioMerieux). In order to ensure reproductibility, API was repeated for 50% of the isolates. Species identification was considered when APILAB indexes reached 75% or higher. 309 strains were isolated, 250 Gram negative and 59 Gram positive. 250 Gram negative isolates were identified as: Acinetobacter spp. (39), Aeromonas spp. (07), A. Hydrophila (16), A. sobria (1), A. caviae (1), Alcaligenes feacalis (1), Burkholderia cepacia (12), Chryseomonas luteola (3), Enterobacter sp. (1), Ewingella americana(6), Hafnia alvei (7), Klebsiella sp. (1), Klebsiella oxytoca (10), Yersinia spp. (2), Methylobacterium mesophilicum (1), Moraxella spp. (4), Pantoea spp. (16), Pasteurella sp. (1), Pseudomonas spp. (10), P. fluorescens (94), P. putida (3), Serratia spp. (3), Sphigomonas paucomobilis (1). Five isolates kept unidentified. Pseudomonas was the predominant bacteria found (43%) and P. fluorescens the predominant species (37.6%), in accordance with previous reports. Qualitative analysis of proteolytic and lipolytic activity was based on halo formation using caseinate agar and tributirina agar during 72 hours at 21oC and during 10 days at 4°C, 10oC and 7°C. Among 250 Gram negative bacteria found, 104 were identified as Pseudomonas spp. and 60,57% of this group showed proteolytic and lipolytic acitivities over all four studied temperatures. 20% of Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Alcaligenes, Burkholderia, Chryseomonas, Methylobacterium, Moraxella presented only lipolytic activity. Some isolates presented enzymatic activity in one or more studied temperatures. Among Gram positive bacteria, 30.51% were proteolytic and lipolytic at 10oC, 8.47% were proteolytic at 7oC, 10oC, and 21oC, 8.47% were proteolytic at all studied temperatures (4oC, 7oC, 10oC and 21oC) and 3.38% were proteolytic only at 21oC. At 4oC, only one isolate showed proteolytic activity and six isolates were lipolytic. In relation to Gram negative microorganisms, 4% were proteolytic and lipolytic at 7oC, 10oC and 21oC, 10% were proteolytic at 10oC and 4.4% were lipolytic at 4oC, 7oC, 10oC and 21oC, while 6.4% of all isolates were proteolytic and lipolytic at 10oC and 21oC as well as lipolytic at 4oC and 7oC. These findings are in accordance with previous researches that pointed out Pseudomonas as the predominant psycrotrophic flora in stored refrigerated raw milk

Levantamento e avaliação de critérios para a ampliação de escala da produção de biossurfactantes utilizando melaço como substrato

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic molecules synthesized by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast or filamented fungi cultivated in various carbon sources among sucrose and hydrocarbons. These molecules are composed by a hydrophilic and hydrophobic part. They operate mostly at interfaces of fluids of different polarities. Because of this characteristic, they are potentially employed in numerous industries, such as the textile, medical, cosmetics, food and mainly in the petrochemical ones. Therefore industry has interest in developing new biosurfactant production processes in high scale, in order to become them economically competitive when compared to synthetic biosurfactants. This work aims to evaluate the biosurfactant production applying a non-conventional substrate sugar cane molasses proceeding from the sugar industry thus reducing the production costs. The strain identified as AP029/GLIIA, isolated from oil wells in Rio Grande do Norte state and used in these experiments belongs to the culture collection of Antibiotics Department of UFPE. The fermentation were carried out using different conditions according to a factorial planning 24 with duplicate at center point, in which the studied factors were molasse concentration, nitrate concentration, agitation and aeration ratio. The experiments were performed in a shaker at 38ºC of temperature. Samples were withdrawn in regular periods of time of up to 72 hours of fermentation in order to analyze substrate consumption, cellular concentration, superficial tension, critical micelle dilution (CMD-1 e CMD-2) as well as extracelullar protein production. The results showed a production of 3,480 g/L of biomass, a reduction of 41% on superficial tension, 67% of substrate consumption and 0,2805 g/L of extracellular protein

Avaliação de métodos de análises para determinação da contagem de células somáticas no leite cru, mantido em tanque de resfriamento

We analyzed the quality of raw milk from eight dairy farms in Rio Grande do Norte stored in a cooling tank , in order to evaluate methods for determining somatic cell counts (SCC). The Somaticell® kit and a portable Direct Cell Counter (DCC) were compared with each other and with the MilkoScanTM FT+ (FOSS Denmark), which uses Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy). Direct cell counter data were processed for somatic cell scores (log-transformed somatic cell count) and analyzed with the SAS®, statistical package , Statistical Analysis System, (SAS, INSTITUTE, 1998). Comparison of means and correlation of somatic cell scores were conducted using Pearson s correlation coefficient and the Tukey Test at 1 %. No significant difference was observed for comparison of means. The correlation between somatic cell scores was significant, that is, 0.907 and 0.876 between the MilkoScanTM FT+ and the Somaticell® kit and Direct Cell Count (DCC) respectively, and 0.943 between the Somaticell® kit and Direct Cell Count (DCC). The methods can be recommended for monitoring the quality of raw milk kept in a cooling tank in the production unit

Caracterização genética de vacas leiteiras por meio de marcadores moleculares e suas implicações na composição e qualidade do leite

The objective of this study was to identify DNA polymorphisms at the genes leptin, β-lactoglobulin and pituitary-specific transcription factor in three genetic groups of Holstein x Guzerat dairy cows and investigate the relationship between their genotypes and the composition and quality of milk of dairy cows. Samples were collected in August 2009, being 113 blood samples from lactating crossbred cows and 58 milk samples. For analysis of DNA polymorphisms blood samples were collected, analyzed later in the Genetic Laboratory affiliated to the Zootechny Institute of São Paulo and individual milk samples were collected according to standards established by the laboratory of Management Program of Northeast Dairy Herds (PROGEN), at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) for analysis of milk composition and quality. The characterization of genotypes was performed by PCR-RFLP, for which were designed specific primers for each studied gene and restriction enzymes Kpn2I, HaeIII and HinfI that cut the DNA of the following genes: leptin, β-lactoglobulin and a PIT, respectively. The leptin estimate genotypic frequence were CC 0.112, TT 0.225 and CT 0.661, for β-lactoglobulin were AA 0.136, AB 0.323 and BB 0.539, and for PIT were ++ 0.655, -- 0.311 and +- 0.032. The results show that the population is in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium for leptin, β-lactoglobulin and a PIT due to excess of heterozygotes in the population, however, as these genes are associated with the milk production it is considered that the animals have genetic potential for milk production in the Brazilian semi-arid conditions. Through the characterization of the studied herd there were not found implications of the polymorphism of leptin, β-lactoglobulin and PIT in the composition and quality of milk from cows in the different genetic groups 1/2, 3/4 and 7/8 Holstein x Guzerat. Key words: β-lactoglobulin, crossbred cows, leptin, PCR-RFLP, PIT1, semi-arid.