Product development process: Using real options for assessments and to support the decision-making at decision gates

Enterprises need continuous product development activities to remain competitive in the marketplace. Their product development process (PDP) must manage stakeholders' needs - technical, financial, legal, and environmental aspects, customer requirements, Corporate strategy, etc. -, being a multidisciplinary and strategic issue. An approach to use real option to support the decision-making process at PDP phases in taken. The real option valuation method is often presented as an alternative to the conventional net present value (NPV) approach. It is based on the same principals of financial options: the right to buy or sell financial values (mostly stocks) at a predetermined price, with no obligation to do so. In PDP, a multi-period approach that takes into account the flexibility of, for instance, being able to postpone prototyping and design decisions, waiting for more information about technologies, customer acceptance, funding, etc. In the present article, the state of the art of real options theory is prospected and a model to use the real options in PDP is proposed, so that financial aspects can be properly considered at each project phase of the product development. Conclusion is that such model can provide more robustness to the decisions processes within PDP.

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering as an analytical tool for single molecule detection

A perylene derivative, n-(n-butyl)-n'-(4-aminobutyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide (simplified as nBu-PTCD-(CH2)(4)-NH2) has been chosen as the target molecule for studies involving single molecule detection (SMD) using Raman scattering. The enhancement of the Raman signal is the result of the multiplicative effects of two phenomena, resonance Raman scattering (RRS) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which leads to the resulting surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) process. The SERRS spectra from a single molecule have been collected using both silver and gold colloids. The SMD detection of the fundamental vibrational frequencies characteristic of nBu-PTCD-(CH2)(4)-NH2 is complemented with the detection of some overtones and combinations from ring stretching modes at the single molecule level. The background characterization of the ensemble vibrational spectroscopy of the target perylene and its SERRS is also presented, which includes the UV-vis absorption, experimental and calculated Raman scattering and infrared absorption, and molecular organization using reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS).

Plasma nitriding of sintered AISI 316L at several temperatures

Samples of sintered AISI 316L stainless steel were plasma nitrided in a mixture of H-2-20% N-2, for 3 or 4 h. The treatment temperature was selected in 400-550 degreesC interval, in steps of 50 degreesC. X-ray diffraction (glancing angle geometry-GAXRD), conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS), optical microscopy and Vickers microhardness were used as analytical techniques. For T greater than or equal to 500 degreesC and t = 4 h, a 40-mum layer is formed. The GAXRD results showed a transformation of the austenite gamma phase to the martensite in the sinterization process and showed as well, that the gamma' (Fe4N) phase is the predominant nitride besides small amounts of epsilon-Fe2N, gamma(N) CrN, Cr2O3 and the fcc nitrogen supersatured solid phase gamma(N). The CrN phase seems to decrease with temperature while the gamma(N) phase fraction is almost less than or equal to10%, independently on the temperature. The CEMS results indicated that while the gamma(N) fraction decreases with temperature of plasma nitriding, the gamma' fraction increases proportionally. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Corrosion protection of stainless steel by polysiloxane hybrid coatings prepared using the sol-gel process

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Optimisation of a fermentation process for butanol production by particle swarm optimisation (PSO)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Pore size distribution of unsupported SnO2 membranes prepared by sol-gel process - Code: EP21

Unsupported SnO2 membranes were prepared by sol-gel process and characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and X-ray diffraction. Results show that the texture of dried samples does not change appreciably with the concentration of electrolyte. All of the pore size range used in ultrafiltration process was screened using sintering temperature between 300 and 700°C. © 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

One-dimensional analytical model for oxide thin film growth on Ti metal layers during laser heating in air

This paper presents the theoretical and experimental results for oxide thin film growth on titanium films previously deposited over glass substrate. Ti films of thickness 0.1 μm were heated by Nd:YAG laser pulses in air. The oxide tracks were created by moving the samples with a constant speed of 2 mm/s, under the laser action. The micro-topographic analysis of the tracks was performed by a microprofiler. The results taken along a straight line perpendicular to the track axis revealed a Gaussian profile that closely matches the laser's spatial mode profile, indicating the effectiveness of the surface temperature gradient on the film's growth process. The sample's micro-Raman spectra showed two strong bands at 447 and 612 cm -1 associated with the TiO 2 structure. This is a strong indication that thermo-oxidation reactions took place at the Ti film surface that reached an estimated temperature of 1160 K just due to the action of the first pulse. The results obtained from the numerical integration of the analytical equation which describes the oxidation rate (Wagner equation) are in agreement with the experimental data for film thickness in the high laser intensity region. This shows the partial accuracy of the one-dimensional model adopted for describing the film growth rate. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.

Analytical/numerical hybrid solution for one-dimensional ablation problem

Ablation is a thermal protection process with several applications in engineering, mainly in the field of airspace industry. The use of conventional materials must be quite restricted, because they would suffer catastrophic flaws due to thermal degradation of their structures. However, the same materials can be quite suitable once being protected by well-known ablative materials. The process that involves the ablative phenomena is complex, could involve the whole or partial loss of material that is sacrificed for absorption of energy. The analysis of the ablative process in a blunt body with revolution geometry will be made on the stagnation point area that can be simplified as a one-dimensional plane plate problem, hi this work the Generalized Integral Transform Technique (GITT) is employed for the solution of the non-linear system of coupled partial differential equations that model the phenomena. The solution of the problem is obtained by transforming the non-linear partial differential equation system to a system of coupled first order ordinary differential equations and then solving it by using well-established numerical routines. The results of interest such as the temperature field, the depth and the rate of removal of the ablative material are presented and compared with those ones available in the open literature.

Evaluation of the combined solar TiO2/photo-Fenton process using multivariate analysis

The effect of combining the photocatalytic processes using TiO 2 and the photo-Fenton reaction with Fe3+ or ferrioxalate as a source of Fe2+ was investigated in the degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4CP) and dichloroacetic acid (DCA) using solar irradiation. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the role of three variables: iron, H2O2 and TiO2 concentrations. The results show that TiO2 plays a minor role when compared to iron and H2O2 in the solar degradation of 4CP and DCA in the studied conditions. However, its presence can improve TOC removal when H2O2 is totally consumed. Iron and peroxide play major roles, especially when Fe(NO3)3 used in the degradation of 4CP. No significant synergistic effect was observed by the addition of TiO 2 in this process. On the other hand, synergistic effects were observed between FeOx and TiO2 and between H 2O2 and TiO2 in the degradation of DCA. © IWA Publishing 2004.

A methodology and a tool to design of mixed-signal technology

This paper presents a tool box developed to read files describing a SIMULINK® model and translates it into a structural VHDL-AMS description. In translation process, all files and directory structures to simulate the translated model on SystemVision™ environment is generate. The tool box named MS2SV was tested by three models of commercially available digital-to-analogue converters. All models use the R2R ladder network to conversion, but the functionality of these three components is different. The methodology of conversion of the model is presents together with sort theory about R-2R ladder network. In the evaluation of the translated models, we used a sine waveform input signal and the waveform generated by D/A conversion process was compared by FFT analysis. The results show the viability of this type of approach. This work considers some of challenges set by the electronic industry for the further development of simulation methodologies and tools in the field of mixed-signal technology. © 2007 IEEE.

Estimation of electrical machine speed using sensorless technology and neural networks

The use of sensorless technologies is an increasing tendency on industrial drivers for electrical machines. The estimation of electrical and mechanical parameters involved with the electrical machine control is used very frequently in order to avoid measurement of all variables related to this process. The cost reduction may also be considered in industrial drivers, besides the increasing robustness of the system, as an advantage of the use of sensorless technologies. This work proposes the use of a recurrent artificial neural network to estimate the speed of induction motor for sensorless control schemes using one single current sensor. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed approach. ©2008 IEEE.

Properties advanced of the silicon nitride based ceramics and recent performance on automotive parts manufacture by machining process: Advanced Ceramics, demand Forecast

Automotive parts manufacture by machining process using silicon nitride-based ceramic tool development in Brazil already is a reality. Si 3N4-based ceramic cutting tools offer a high productivity due to their excellent hot hardness, which allows high cutting speeds. Under such conditions the cutting tool must be resistant to a combination of mechanical, thermal and chemical attacks. Silicon nitride based ceramic materials constitute a mature technology with a very broad base of current and potential applications. The best opportunities for Si3N 4-based ceramics include ballistic armor, composite automotive brakes, diesel particulate filters, joint replacement products and others. The goal of this work was to show latter advance in silicon nitride manufacture and its recent evolution on machining process of gray cast iron, compacted graphite iron and Ti-6Al-4V. Materials characterization and machining tests were analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Vickers hardness and toughness fracture and technical norm. In recent works the authors has been proved to advance in microstructural, mechanical and physic properties control. These facts prove that silicon nitride-based ceramic has enough resistance to withstand the impacts inherent to the machining of gray cast iron (CI), compacted graphite iron (CGI) and Ti-6Al-4V (6-4). Copyright © 2008 SAE International.

Optimal clone identifier based on dynamic rules and process algebra

The rule creation to clone selection in different projects is a hard task to perform by using traditional implementations to control all the processes of the system. The use of an algebraic language is an alternative approach to manage all of system flow in a flexible way. In order to increase the power of versatility and consistency in defining the rules for optimal clone selection, this paper presents the software OCI 2 in which uses process algebra in the flow behavior of the system. OCI 2, controlled by an algebraic approach was applied in the rules elaboration for clone selection containing unique genes in the partial genome of the bacterium Bradyrhizobium elkanii Semia 587 and in the whole genome of the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri. Copyright© (2009) by the International Society for Research in Science and Technology.

Low cost technology applied to thermometry of grains

Modern agriculture demands investments in technology that allows the farmers to improve productivity and quality of their products, aiming to establish themselves in a competitive market. However, the high costs of acquiring and maintaining such technology may be an inhibiting factor to its spread and acceptance, mainly to a large number of small grain Brazilian farmers, who need low cost innovative technological solutions, suitable for their financial reality. Starting from this premise, this paper presents the development of a low cost prototype for monitoring the temperature and humidity of grains stored in silos, and the economic implications of cost/benefit ratio of innovative applications of low cost technology in the process of thermometry of grains. The prototype was made of two electronic units, one for acquisition and another one for data reception, as well as software, which offered the farmers more precise information for the control of aeration. The data communication between the electronic units and the software was reliable and both were developed using low cost electronic components and free software tools. The developed system was considered as potentially viable to small grain Brazilian farmers; it can be used in any type of small silos. It provided reduction of costs of installation and maintenance and also offered an easy expansion system; besides the low cost of development when compared to similar products available in the Brazilian market.

Reproductive technology in domestic carnivorous

Background: The delay in development of artificial reproduction techniques on carnivorous could be due to countless reasons, but the lack of commercial interest is probably the most important one. The majority of canines are small structures, canidae are extremely fertile and a great number of species are adapted to domestication or captivity. Finally, the canine gamete physiology presents a difficult adaptation of technology knowledge obtained from other species. Furthermore, domestic felines are animals of company and there is no interest in reproducing them in a large scale, as it has been observed in other domestic animals, however, besides of being a valuable model for the development of in vitro techniques, the domestic cat is also used as an embryo receptor for different species of small wild felines due to physiological similarities among them, in vitro embrionary development, Review: It was reviewed the main insights about the reproductive physiology in female dogs, in vitro oocytary maturation (IVM), pregnancy and conception rate with dogs' frozen/unfrozen semen and PIV in domestic cats. The majority of mammal oocytes restart meiosis spontaneously after ovulation and reaches MII in artificial environment; in an in vitro maturation system in bovines, around 90% of oocytes complete their maturation, although its development capacity can be reduced subsequently. The success of IVM in canidae have been limited, with maturation rate varying from 0 to 58%, usually around 20%. The greatest difficulties include oocyte quality, hormonal environment, protein supplementation, cumulus / oocyte cell interaction, donor breed and age, culture systems, oxygen tension, amino acids, growth factor and sequential means. The freezing process reduces the quality of the semen, firstly because it reduces the number of living sperms and secondly because freezing produces cell modifications that could alter the sperm motility, longevity, integrity of membranes and its fertilizing capacity. Conclusion: Nowadays, several researches are being performed with the aim of increasing viability after dogs' and cats' semen is unfrozen, using extenders, cryoprotectors, freezing and unfreezing curves, addition of antioxidant substances. The aim of this text is to inform about the improvements obtained on the artificial reproduction techniques, emphasizing the oocytary maturation in female dogs, semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination in domestic dogs and cats.