Projeto da estrutura e sistema de movimentação robotizado de linha automática de corte de chapa

Os robots de movimentação de chapa são bastantes úteis para as empresas de metalomecânica. De facto, cada vez mais existem máquinas de corte por jato de água, laser ou outros processos, nos quais os robots apresentam um papel importante na carga e descarga do material. O trabalho realizado apresenta novas soluções aos sistemas de movimentação existentes no mercado, e permite reduzir os custos na movimentação do material. Este projeto serve essencialmente para chapas em trajetória retilínea, e efetuar o seu levantamento do equipamento e deposição em estrutura de suporte (ou viceversa). A vantagem a ter em conta é a diminuição dos custos de movimentação do material. Neste trabalho apresentou-se a metodologia de dimensionamento de um robot automatizado que transporta chapas com um peso máximo de 3500 kg, tendo por base as normas do EC3-P1.8 e o Método de Elementos Finitos (MEF). No decurso do projeto foram abordadas os seguintes temas: Abordagem inicial da geometria através do Solidworks; Dimensionamento da estrutura por software de Elementos Finitos, o Solidworks; Dimensionamento das correntes, carretos/discos ou coroas e rolamentos; Dimensionamento e seleção dos moto-redutores, bomba de vácuo e ventosas; Cálculo das solicitações em cada membro da estrutura por software de análise estrutural, o Multiframe3D, e respetivo dimensionamento das ligações aparafusadas e soldadas; Elaboração dos desenhos de projeto finais, processos de fabrico e custos; Dimensionamento do acionamento, MG e disposição dos dispositivos no quadro elétrico. Como conclusão refere-se que se conseguiu realizar o projeto e obter uma solução final otimizada, com a ajuda de ferramentas importantes, como sejam o MEF, resultando num equipamento cujas solicitações para a estrutura e sistema de movimentação foram otimizadas, resultando num equipamento eficiente, robusto, seguro e de custo reduzido.

Maximum likelihood detection for OFDM signals with strong nonlinear distortion effects

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Biogenic amines in wine: gene transcription as a tool for selection of Oenococcus oeni starter strains

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology

Segregated modeling and selection of populations for polyhydroxyalkanoate production by mixed microbial cultures

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Selection of a co-operation agreement between EMOVE – Innovative Technologies and WavEC – Wave Energy Center

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Market selection and market entry recommendations for a non-profit organization's first international venture

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Food waste valorization through the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by mixed microbial cultures

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Calibration, selection and mosaicing of SMART-1 AMIE images

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from cheese whey - pH effect on the acidogenic fermentation stage and nutrient needs of the culture selection stage

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

Experimental visceral leishmaniasis in high and low antibody - producer mice (selection IV-A)

Leishmaniasis is a typical parasite infection whose protective immunity depends on macrophage activation. Susceptibility to Leishmania donovani infection was compared in H (high antibody responder) and L (low antibody responder) mice from selection IV-A. H mice infected intravenously with 10(7) amastigotes of L. donovani were more susceptible to infection than their L counterparts. This higher susceptibility was characterized by a higher splenic and hepatic parasite burden. An increased splenic index was observed in both lines after sixty days of infection. This splenomegaly was caused, at least partially, by an increase in the number of splenic cells as determined by direct counts of cells from spleen. The results show that selection IV-A is susceptible to visceral leishmaniasis, with the H line being more susceptible than the L line.

Comparative analysis of multicriteria decision making methods

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Return Migration, Self-Selection and Entrepreneurship in Mozambique

Does return migration affect entrepreneurship? This question has important implications for the debate on the economic development effects of migration for origin countries. The existing literature has, however, not addressed how the estimation of the impact of return migration on entrepreneurship is affected by double unobservable migrant self-selection, both at the initial outward migration and at the final inward return migration stages. This paper uses a representative household survey conducted in Mozambique in order to address this research question. We exploit variation provided by displacement caused by civil war in Mozambique, as well as social unrest and other shocks in migrant destination countries. The results lend support to negative unobservable self-selection at both and each of the initial and return stages of migration, which results in an under-estimation of the effects of return migration on entrepreneurial outcomes when using a ‘naïve’ estimator not controlling for self-selection. Indeed, ‘naïve’ estimates point to a 13 pp increase in the probability of owning a business when there is a return migrant in the household relative to non-migrants only, whereas excluding the double effect of unobservable self-selection, this effect becomes significantly larger - between 24 pp and 29 pp, depending on the method of estimation and source of variation used.

Enrichment of a PHA producing microbial community in a continuous bioreactor setup

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biosynthetic polyesters, biodegradable and biocompatible making them of great interest for industrial purposes. The use of low value substrates with mixed microbial communities (MMC) is a strategy currently used to decrease the elevated PHA production costs. PHA production process requires an important step for selection and enrichment of PHA-storing microorganisms which is usually carried out in a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). The aim of this study was to optimize the PHA accumulating culture selection stage using a 2-stage Continuous Stirrer Tank Reactor (CSTR) system. The system was composed by two separate feast and famine bioreactors operated continuously, mimicking the feast and famine phases in a SBR system. Acetate was used as carbon source and biomass seed was highly enriched in Plasticicumulans acidivorans obtained from activated sludge. The system was operated under two different sets of conditions (setup 1 and 2), maintaining a system total retention time of 12 hours and an OLR of 2.25 Cmmol/L.h-1. An average PHB-content of 3.3 % wt was obtained in setup 1 and 4.8% wt in setup 2. Several other experiments were performed in order to better understand the continuous system behaviour, using biomass from the continuous system. With the fed-batch experiment a maximum of 8.1% PHB was stored and the maximum substrate uptake and specific growth rates obtained in the growth experiment (1.15 Cmol Cmol-1.h-1 and 0.53 Cmol Cmol-1.h-1) were close to the ones from continuous system (1.12 Cmol Cmol-1.h-1 and 0.59 Cmol Cmol-1.h-1). The microbial community was characterized trough microscopic visualization, Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis and Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The last studied performed mimicked the continuous system by building up a SBR system with all the same operational conditions while adding an extra acetate dosage during the 12 h cycle, simulating the substrate passing from the feast to the famine reactors under continuous operation. It was shown that possibly the continuous system was not able to efficiently select for PHB storing organisms under the operational conditions imposed, although the selected culture was capable of consuming the substrate and grow fast. This main conclusion might have resulted from two major factors affecting the system performance: the ammonium concentration in the Feast reactor and the amount of substrate leaching from the Feast to the Famine reactor.

Internationalization strategy for MyHelpster.com with a focus on international market selection

International Market Selection is an important step towards a successful internationalization strategy. This is no different for startup companies like MyHelpster. This work project was intended to help MyHelpster with their internationalization process by completing the IMS portion of it. The IMS process presented in this paper lead to the conclusion that MyHelpster’s next market for expansion should be the USA. In order to find as much success as possible the author suggests being patient and only expanding when the company has the necessary capital, experience and credibility. Both primary and secondary data were used to compile the qualitative and quantitative analyses.

International market selection of Carrefour

Carrefour has been internationalizing into many countries and would like to continue growing. This study focuses on the potential future international market selection of Car-refour, comparing countries from the EU and South America, in a quantitative and qual-itative analysis. The purpose of the project is to help Carrefour to find the right market and the right mode to entry. Through semi-structured interviews and a literature research we found out that Sweden has the highest potential to entry with a Venture (Marketing), followed by Austria