Finding Methods for Recognizing and Classifying Spare Part Criticality ��� Case Full Deposit Stripping Machines

The aim of this Master���s thesis is to find a method for classifying spare part criticality in the case company. Several approaches exist for criticality classification of spare parts. The practical problem in this thesis is the lack of a generic analysis method for classifying spare parts of proprietary equipment of the case company. In order to find a classification method, a literature review of various analysis methods is required. The requirements of the case company also have to be recognized. This is achieved by consulting professionals in the company. The literature review states that the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) combined with decision tree models is a common method for classifying spare parts in academic literature. Most of the literature discusses spare part criticality in stock holding perspective. This is relevant perspective also for a customer orientated original equipment manufacturer (OEM), as the case company. A decision tree model is developed for classifying spare parts. The decision tree classifies spare parts into five criticality classes according to five criteria. The criteria are: safety risk, availability risk, functional criticality, predictability of failure and probability of failure. The criticality classes describe the level of criticality from non-critical to highly critical. The method is verified for classifying spare parts of a full deposit stripping machine. The classification can be utilized as a generic model for recognizing critical spare parts of other similar equipment, according to which spare part recommendations can be created. Purchase price of an item and equipment criticality were found to have no effect on spare part criticality in this context. Decision tree is recognized as the most suitable method for classifying spare part criticality in the company.

Consumer neuroscience: usability of brain imaging methods in marketing research

Consumer neuroscience (neuromarketing) is an emerging field of marketing research which uses brain imaging techniques to study neural conditions and processes that underlie consumption. The purpose of this study was to map this fairly new and growing field in Finland by studying the opinions of both Finnish consumers and marketing professionals towards it and comparing the opinions to the current consumer neuroscience literature, and based on that evaluate the usability of brain imaging techniques as a marketing research method. Mixed methods research design was chosen for this study. Quantitative data was collected from 232 consumers and 28 marketing professionals by means of online surveys. Both respondent groups had either neutral opinions or lacked knowledge about the four themes chosen for this study: benefits, limitations and challenges, ethical issues and future prospects of consumer neuroscience. Qualitative interview data was collected from 2 individuals from Finnish neuromarketing companies to deepen insights gained from quantitative research. The four interview themes were the same as in the surveys and the interviewees��� answers were mostly in line with the current literature, although more optimistic about the future of the field. The interviews also exposed a gap between academic consumer neuroscience research and practical level applications. The results of this study suggest that there are still many unresolved challenges and relevant populations either have neutral opinions or lack information about consumer neuroscience. The practical level applications are, however, already being successfully used and this new field of marketing research is growing both globally and in Finland.

Letter to the Editor of the Globe

Letter Regarding the Burning of St. Davids (3 �� handwritten pages) A letter to the editor of the Globe regarding the lack of historical knowledge displayed by the Globe���s correspondent regarding the descendants of those who fought at Queenston Heights and the burning of St. Davids in 1813 or 1814 [July 18, 1814]. The letter also mentions the ���friendly Indians��� who encamped in St. Davids. The letter is not signed nor dated. A transcript of the letter is enclosed, [The burning of St. Davids by the American troops on July 19, 1814 was an unjustifiable act. The officer who led the attack was court-martialed and dismissed from the service.] n.d.

Letter to the Honourable William Dickson from the Editor of the Advocate

Letter to the Honourable William Dickson from the Editor of the Advocate regarding the discharge of Mr. Dickson���s account with the newspaper, June 5, 1832.

Predictability Of Share Prices In India: A Study Of The Applicability Of Technical Analysis

In spite of the far longed practices of technical analysis by many participants in Indian stock market, none have arrived at the exact position of technical analysis as a tool for foretelling share prices. There is no evidence supporting that one has established its definite role in predicting the behaviour of share price and also to see the extent of validity (how far reliable) of technical tools in Indian stock market. The problem is the vacuum in the arena of securities market analysis where an unrecognised tool is practised, i.e., whether to hold on to technical analysis or to drop it. Again, as already stated in this chapter, its validity need not continue forever. It may become futile as happened in developed markets. Continuous practice of a tool, which is valid only during discontinuous times is also an error. The efficacy of different market phenomena in terms of their ability to foretell the extent and direction of the price movements and reliability thereof remain as not yet proved in. This requires further study in this area so that this controversy may be settled. A solution to the problem requires enquiring and establishing the applicability of technical analysis, if any, there is in the Indian stock market. The study has the following two broad objectives for the purpose of confirming the applicability, if any, of technical analysis in the Indian stock market. The first objective is to ascertain the current validity of ���traditional holding with respect to patterns��� and the second objective is to ascertain the ���consistent superiority���, if any, of technical indicators over non-signal strategies in return generation. The study analyses the five patterns, which are widely known and commonly found in publications. They are: (1) Symmetrical Triangles, (2) Rising Wedges, (3) Falling Wedges, (4) Head and Shoulders Top and (5) Head and Shoulders Bottom.

A productivity map of cognitive pretest methods for improving survey questions

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Explaination of ArrayList remove() Methods

In the example code you can see that when the remove(Object o) method is called the Integer is not cast to an int and the matching is done using the object's .equals() method rather than using ==

Effects of innovative teaching methods on students??? academic performance : an empirical study on financial accounting

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Development of molecular monitoring methods and assessment of the environmental fate of the biological control agent of fire blight Pseudomonas fluorescens EPS62e

Pseudomonas fluorescens EPS62e es va seleccionar com a agent de biocontrol del foc bacteri�� per la seva efic��cia en el control de Erwinia amylovora. En aquest treball es van desenvolupar m��todes de tra��abilitat que van permetre la seva detecci�� espec��fica i quantificaci��. Mitjan��ant les t��cniques RAPD i U-PCR es van obtenir fragments d'amplificaci�� diferencial per EPS62e que es van seq��enciar i caracteritzar com marcadors SCAR per dissenyar una PCR en temps real. La PCR a temps real es va utilitzar simult��niament amb m��todes microbiol��gics per estudiar l'adaptabilitat epif��tica de EPS62e en pomera i perera. L'��s combinat de m��todes microbiol��gics i moleculars va permetre la identificaci�� de tres estats fisiol��gics de EPS62e: la colonitzaci�� activa, l'entrada en un estat de viable per�� no cultivable, i la mort cel��lular. Aquest treball mostra que EPS62e est�� ben adaptada a la colonitzaci�� de flors a camp, encoratjant la seva utilitzaci�� dins d'una estrat��gia de control biol��gic contra el foc bacteri��.

Case based reasoning as an extension of fault dictionary methods for linear electronic analog circuits diagnosis

El test de circuits ��s una fase del proc��s de producci�� que cada vegada pren m��s import��ncia quan es desenvolupa un nou producte. Les t��cniques de test i diagnosi per a circuits digitals han estat desenvolupades i automatitzades amb ��xit, mentre que aquest no ��s encara el cas dels circuits anal��gics. D'entre tots els m��todes proposats per diagnosticar circuits anal��gics els m��s utilitzats s��n els diccionaris de falles. En aquesta tesi se'n descriuen alguns, tot analitzant-ne els seus avantatges i inconvenients. Durant aquests ��ltims anys, les t��cniques d'Intel��lig��ncia Artificial han esdevingut un dels camps de recerca m��s importants per a la diagnosi de falles. Aquesta tesi desenvolupa dues d'aquestes t��cniques per tal de cobrir algunes de les mancances que presenten els diccionaris de falles. La primera proposta es basa en construir un sistema fuzzy com a eina per identificar. Els resultats obtinguts son for��a bons, ja que s'aconsegueix localitzar la falla en un elevat tant percent dels casos. Per altra banda, el percentatge d'encerts no ��s prou bo quan a m��s a m��s s'intenta esbrinar la desviaci��. Com que els diccionaris de falles es poden veure com una aproximaci�� simplificada al Raonament Basat en Casos (CBR), la segona proposta fa una extensi�� dels diccionaris de falles cap a un sistema CBR. El prop��sit no ��s donar una soluci�� general del problema sin�� contribuir amb una nova metodologia. Aquesta consisteix en millorar la diagnosis dels diccionaris de falles mitjan��ant l'addici�� i l'adaptaci�� dels nous casos per tal d'esdevenir un sistema de Raonament Basat en Casos. Es descriu l'estructura de la base de casos aix�� com les tasques d'extracci��, de reutilitzaci��, de revisi�� i de retenci��, fent ��mfasi al proc��s d'aprenentatge. En el transcurs del text s'utilitzen diversos circuits per mostrar exemples dels m��todes de test descrits, per�� en particular el filtre biquadr��tic ��s l'utilitzat per provar les metodologies plantejades, ja que ��s un dels benchmarks proposats en el context dels circuits anal��gics. Les falles considerades son param��triques, permanents, independents i simples, encara que la metodologia pot ser f��cilment extrapolable per a la diagnosi de falles m��ltiples i catastr��fiques. El m��tode es centra en el test dels components passius, encara que tamb�� es podria extendre per a falles en els actius.

Spatial variability of flow statistics within regular building arrays

Turbulence statistics obtained by direct numerical simulations are analysed to investigate spatial heterogeneity within regular arrays of building-like cubical obstacles. Two different array layouts are studied, staggered and square, both at a packing density of ��p=0.25 . The flow statistics analysed are mean streamwise velocity ( u��� ), shear stress ( u���w��������������� ), turbulent kinetic energy (k) and dispersive stress fraction ( u��w�� ). The spatial flow patterns and spatial distribution of these statistics in the two arrays are found to be very different. Local regions of high spatial variability are identified. The overall spatial variances of the statistics are shown to be generally very significant in comparison with their spatial averages within the arrays. Above the arrays the spatial variances as well as dispersive stresses decay rapidly to zero. The heterogeneity is explored further by separately considering six different flow regimes identified within the arrays, described here as: channelling region, constricted region, intersection region, building wake region, canyon region and front-recirculation region. It is found that the flow in the first three regions is relatively homogeneous, but that spatial variances in the latter three regions are large, especially in the building wake and canyon regions. The implication is that, in general, the flow immediately behind (and, to a lesser extent, in front of) a building is much more heterogeneous than elsewhere, even in the relatively dense arrays considered here. Most of the dispersive stress is concentrated in these regions. Considering the experimental difficulties of obtaining enough point measurements to form a representative spatial average, the error incurred by degrading the sampling resolution is investigated. It is found that a good estimate for both area and line averages can be obtained using a relatively small number of strategically located sampling points.