Product intelligence in industrial control: Theory and practice

This paper explores the evolving industrial control paradigm of product intelligence. The approach seeks to give a customer greater control over the processing of an order - by integrating technologies which allow for greater tracking of the order and methodologies which allow the customer [via the order] to dynamically influence the way the order is produced, stored or transported. The paper examines developments from four distinct perspectives: conceptual developments, theoretical issues, practical deployment and business opportunities. In each area, existing work is reviewed and open challenges for research are identified. The paper concludes by identifying four key obstacles to be overcome in order to successfully deploy product intelligence in an industrial application. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Framework for integration of informal waste management sector with the formal sector in Pakistan.

Historically, waste pickers around the globe have utilised urban solid waste as a principal source of livelihood. Formal waste management sectors usually perceive the informal waste collection/recycling networks as backward, unhygienic and generally incompatible with modern waste management systems. It is proposed here that through careful planning and administration, these seemingly troublesome informal networks can be integrated into formal waste management systems in developing countries, providing mutual benefits. A theoretical framework for integration based on a case study in Lahore, Pakistan, is presented. The proposed solution suggests that the municipal authority should draw up and agree on a formal work contract with the group of waste pickers already operating in the area. The proposed system is assessed using the integration radar framework to classify and analyse possible intervention points between the sectors. The integration of the informal waste workers with the formal waste management sector is not a one dimensional or single step process. An ideal solution might aim for a balanced focus on all four categories of intervention, although this may be influenced by local conditions. Not all the positive benefits will be immediately apparent, but it is expected that as the acceptance of such projects increases over time, the informal recycling economy will financially supplement the formal system in many ways.

Future, opportunities and challenges of inkjet technologies

Inkjet printing relies on the formation of small liquid droplets to deliver precise amounts of material to a substrate under digital control. Inkjet technology is becoming relatively mature and is of great industrial interest thanks to its flexibility for graphical printing and its potential use in less conventional applications such as additive manufacturing and the production of printed electronics and other functional devices. Its advantages over traditional methods of printing include the following: it produces little or no waste, it is versatile because several different methods exist, it is noncontact, and it does not require a master template so that printed patterns can be readily modified on demand. However, the technology is in need of further development to become mainstream in emerging applications such as additive manufacturing (3D printing). This review contains a description of conventional and less common inkjet methods and surveys the current applications of inkjet in industry. This is followed by specific examples of the barriers, limitations, and challenges faced by inkjet technology in both graphical printing and manufacturing. © 2013 by Begell House, Inc.

Understanding and navigating industrial emergence

Industrial emergence is a broad and complex domain, with relevant perspectives ranging in scale from the individual entrepreneur and firm with the business decisions and actions they make to the policies of nations and global patterns of industrialisation. The research described in this article has adopted a holistic approach, based on structured mapping methods, in an attempt to depict and understand the dynamics and patterns of industrial emergence across a broad spectrum from early scientific discovery to large-scale industrialisation. The breadth of scope and application has enabled a framework and set of four tools to be developed that have wide applicability. The utility of the approaches has been demonstrated through case studies and trials in a diverse range of industrial contexts. The adoption of such a broad scope also presents substantial challenges and limitations, with these providing an opportunity for further research. © IMechE 2013.

Centrifuge coating for low-waste solution processing of transparent nanostructured electrodes

Centrifuge coating was implemented to fabricate nanostructured conductive layers through solution processing at room temperature. This coating procedure allows fast evaporation, thereby fixing the nanomaterials in their dispersed state onto a substrate by the centrifuge action. Material wastes were minimized by mitigating the effects of particle reaggregation. Using this method, we fabricate single-wall nanotube coatings on different substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate, polydimethylsiloxane, and an acrylic elastomer with no prior surface modification of the substrate. The effects of the choice of solvents on the morphology and subsequent performance of the coating network are studied. © 2002-2012 IEEE.

An exploration of risk management in global industrial investment

This article explores risk management in global industrial investment by identifying linkages and gaps between theories and practices. It identifies opportunities for further development of the field. Three related bodies of literature have been reviewed: risk management, global manufacturing and investment. The review suggests that risk management in global manufacturing is overlooked in the literature; that existing theoretical risk management processes are not well developed in the global manufacturing context and that the investment literature applies mainly to financial risk assessment rather than investment risk management structures. Further, there appears to be a serious lack of systematic industrial risk management in investment decision making. This article highlights the opportunities to deploy current good practices more effectively as well as the need to develop more robust theories of industrial investment risk management. The approach adopted to investigate this multidisciplinary topic included a historical review of literature to understand the diverse background of theoretical development. A case study research approach was adopted to collect data, involving four global manufacturing companies and one risk management advisory company to observe the patterns and rationale of current practices. Supporting arguments from secondary data sources reinforced the findings. The research focuses risk management in global industrial investment. It links theories with practice to understand the existing knowledge gap and proposes key research themes for further research. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 1460-3799 Risk Management.

Bioaccumulative characteristics of hexabromocyclododecanes in freshwater species from an electronic waste recycling area in China

Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) are now emerging ubiquitous contaminants due to their wide usage, persistence and toxicities. To investigate the bioaccumulative characteristics of HBCDs, sediments, Winkle (Littorina littorea), crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) were collected from two streams near an E-waste dismantling site in China. and HBCD exposure test was then conducted on Chinese rare minnow. The concentration of HBCDs was 14 ng g(-1) dry weight in sediments, 186. 377 and 1791 ng g(-1) lipid weight in winkle, crucian carp and loach, respectively. gamma-HBCD was found to be the dominant diastereoisomer in the sediments (63% of total HBCDs). However, alpha-HBCD was selectively accumulated in the biotic samples and contributed to 77%, 63% and 63% of total HBCDs in winkle, crucian carp and loach, respectively. Moreover, an enrichment of (-)-enantiomers of alpha- and gamma-HBCD were found in the winkle. The reverse results were observed in the crucian carp and loach. Similar observations of diastereoisomeric and enantiomeric composition were obtained in Chinese rare minnow with those found in the crucian carp and loach. These results indicate that the freshwater species from the streams are contaminated by HBCDs. alpha-HBCD can be selectively accumulated in organisms and the accumulative characteristics are enantioselective among species. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) monitored by tree bark in an E-waste recycling area

To investigate the environmental levels and profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), tree bark samples (n = 22) were collected from Luqiao, an E-waste recycling area, in east China in July 11-13, 2006. The average concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PBDEs, and PCBs determined by isotope dilution-high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) coupled with high resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) were 0.1 +/- 0.0, 1.4 +/- 0.2, and 6.5 +/- 0.8 lg g (1) lipid weight, respectively. PCDD/F-toxic equivalent (TEQ, WHO-1998), PCB-TEQs, and total dioxin-like TEQs were 1.3 +/- 0.1, 0.5 +/- 0.0, and 1.8 +/- 0.2 ng g (1) lipid weight, respectively. The profiles of these pollutants in the tree bark were also discussed. Tetra-CDFs, deca-BDE and tri-CBs were the main homologues and accounted for 47% of total PCDD/Fs, 79.3% of total PBDEs, and 33.2% of total PCBs, respectively; As for TEQs, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and PCB126 were the main contributors and accounted for 36% of the total PCDD/F-TEQs and 81.2% of the total PCB-TEQs, respectively. High accumulation of PCDD/Fs, PBDEs, and PCBs detected in the tree bark indicated heavy contaminations of these pollutants in Luqiao area. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes

Eco-innovations, eco-efficiency and corporate social responsibility practices define much of the current industrial sustainability agenda. While important, they are insufficient in themselves to deliver the holistic changes necessary to achieve long-term social and environmental sustainability. How can we encourage corporate innovation that significantly changes the way companies operate to ensure greater sustainability? Sustainable business models (SBM) incorporate a triple bottom line approach and consider a wide range of stakeholder interests, including environment and society. They are important in driving and implementing corporate innovation for sustainability, can help embed sustainability into business purpose and processes, and serve as a key driver of competitive advantage. Many innovative approaches may contribute to delivering sustainability through business models, but have not been collated under a unifying theme of business model innovation. The literature and business practice review has identified a wide range of examples of mechanisms and solutions that can contribute to business model innovation for sustainability. The examples were collated and analysed to identify defining patterns and attributes that might facilitate categorisation. Sustainable business model archetypes are introduced to describe groupings of mechanisms and solutions that may contribute to building up the business model for sustainability. The aim of these archetypes is to develop a common language that can be used to accelerate the development of sustainable business models in research and practice. The archetypes are: Maximise material and energy efficiency; Create value from 'waste'; Substitute with renewables and natural processes; Deliver functionality rather than ownership; Adopt a stewardship role; Encourage sufficiency; Re-purpose the business for society/environment; and Develop scale-up solutions. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body loadings and health risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans at an intensive electronic waste recycling site in China

This study is one of the very few investigating the dioxin body burden of a group of child-bearing-aged women at an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site (Taizhou, Zhejiang Province) (24 +/- 2.83 years of age, 40% were primiparae) and a reference site (Lin'an city, Zhejiang Province, about 245 km away from Taizhou) (24 +/- 2.35 years of age, 100% were primiparae) in China. Five sets of samples (each set consisted of human milk, placenta, and hair) were collected from each site. Body burdens of people from the e-waste processing site (human milk, 21.02 +/- 13.81 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat (World Health Organization toxic equivalency 1998); placenta, 31.15 +/- 15.67 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat; hair, 33.82 +/- 17.74 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) dry wt) showed significantly higher levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurnas (PCDD/Fs) than those from the reference site (human milk, 9.35 +/- 7.39 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat, placenta, 11.91 +/- 7.05 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) fat; hair, 5.59 +/- 4.36 pg WHO-TEQ(1998/g) dry wt) and were comparatively higher than other studies. The difference between the two sites was due to e-waste recycling operations, for example, open burning, which led to high background levels. Moreover, mothers from the e-waste recycling site consumed more foods of animal origin. The estimated daily intake of PCDD/Fs within 6 months by breast-fed infants from the e-waste processing site was 2 times higher than that from the reference site. Both values exceeded the WHO tolerable daily intake for adults by at least 25 and 11 times, respectively. Our results implicated that e-waste recycling operations cause prominent PCDD/F levels in the environment and in humans. The elevated body burden may have health implications for the next generation.

Sustainability: A new imperative in contaminated land remediation

Land is not only a critical component of the earth's life support system, but also a precious resource and an important factor of production in economic systems. However, historical industrial operations have resulted in large areas of contaminated land that are only slowly being remediated. In recent years, sustainability has drawn increasing attention in the environmental remediation field. In Europe, there has been a movement towards sustainable land management; and in the US, there is an urge for green remediation. Based on a questionnaire survey and a review of existing theories and empirical evidence, this paper suggests the expanding emphasis on sustainable remediation is driven by three general factors: (1) increased recognition of secondary environmental impacts (e.g., life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, energy consumption, and waste production) from remediation operations, (2) stakeholders' demand for economically sustainable brownfield remediation and "green" practices, and (3) institutional pressures (e.g., social norm and public policy) that promote sustainable practices (e.g., renewable energy, green building, and waste recycling). This paper further argues that the rise of the "sustainable remediation" concept represents a critical intervention point from where the remediation field will be reshaped and new norms and standards will be established for practitioners to follow in future years. This paper presents a holistic view of sustainability considerations in remediation, and an integrated framework for sustainability assessment and decision making. The paper concludes that "sustainability" is becoming a new imperative in the environmental remediation field, with important implications for regulators, liability owners, consultants, contractors, and technology vendors. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Framework for integration of informal waste management sector with the formal sector in Pakistan

Historically, waste pickers around the globe have utilised urban solid waste as a principal source of livelihood. Formal waste management sectors usually perceive the informal waste collection/recycling networks as backward, unhygienic and generally incompatible with modern waste management systems. It is proposed here that through careful planning and administration, these seemingly troublesome informal networks can be integrated into formal waste management systems in developing countries, providing mutual benefits. A theoretical framework for integration based on a case study in Lahore, Pakistan, is presented. The proposed solution suggests that the municipal authority should draw up and agree on a formal work contract with the group of waste pickers already operating in the area. The proposed system is assessed using the integration radar framework to classify and analyse possible intervention points between the sectors. The integration of the informal waste workers with the formal waste management sector is not a one dimensional or single step process. An ideal solution might aim for a balanced focus on all four categories of intervention, although this may be influenced by local conditions. Not all the positive benefits will be immediately apparent, but it is expected that as the acceptance of such projects increases over time, the informal recycling economy will financially supplement the formal system in many ways. © The Author(s) 2013.