bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Production Processes Choices
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

How SMEs arranged their factory floor and the kind of processes, proprietary, or other, they employed, including the extent of automation in use, are all important aspects of the process practices. Swiss SMEs have realized that reliance on product feature advantages alone, even if protected by patents, is not sufficient to guarantee a lasting competitive advantage. Many companies, over time, have developed proprietary processes that are not available on the open market. This can include proprietary production or custom equipment developed and built in-house for key steps of the production process. Automation and robotization are extensively applied throughout, much of this designed by the companies themselves. The longevity of the companies fosters long-term improvements that are not available on the free market.
Product Design Choices
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

How SMEs dealt with the trade-offs between functionality, design, and ergonomics to compensate for a high-cost production basis and offering customers a competitive in-use price is key to their overall competitiveness. Design for durability is an important practice as it decreases in-use costs over time and offsets higher acquisition costs. For marketing success, design flair can be used to enhance the product appearance and looks. A very important element is the ergonomics and ease of use of a product as this can both reduce in-use costs and make the higher price tag the most efficient solution after all. The chapter ends with a discussion of the more recent concept of design thinking and how some of the Swiss SMEs have applied this idea well before the term became fashionable.
Product Line Choices
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

Success in global markets is not only dependent on the quality and effectiveness of a single product. For many firms, even as they focus on narrow niches, the number of product variations they can cram into a narrow market space becomes a competitive advantage. How SMEs dealt with requirements for product line depth vs. breadth and, in particular, how they managed to use platforming and modularity to maximize product variations to increase the number of SKUs offered in their chosen market space. To enable such market cramming, companies have adopted extensive modularization strategies to create a maximum of product variations from a limited set of components. Platforming is another method companies use to create multiple variations from a single platform which is more efficient to produce and market. The combination of both modularization and platforming is allowing this game to be played to an even greater extent, permitting a small company to become a relative giant in a small space.
Sourcing the Defining Business Idea
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

How did the founders come upon their central, defining business idea that went on to shape the destiny of their companies? Although many of the firms profiled in this book are known for their products as of today, it is rarely known how they arrived at these ideas. Some left an unresponsive employer, some capitalized on personal experience, and others responded to walk-in innovators. There were those who listened to customer recommendations or were simply reading about an idea in a publication. Even a rejected job application turned out to be the source of a thriving company! By putting the spotlight on the idea finding process, the authors hope to trigger future generations of company founders to be more effective in identifying such ideas. A central idea described is the Open Mind or principle that emerged from the many conversations and interviews.
Innovation Processes
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

The extensive examination of the defining innovations, which were gleaned from the documented companies, was driven by the importance those early decisions had in shaping the companies. Most of these ideas were product innovations. The separation of the defining ideas from ongoing product innovations was based upon the need to show that following an initial Big Bang step, company management then had to refine these product ideas over time. While the first ideas were often generated from the outside and involved little or no formal research or development, the firms needed to engage in the constant renewal of their product lines in order to stay on top. It was observed that this is actually a different process: one that is most pronounced at those companies where the starting idea was built upon over a long period of time.
Organizing for Innovation
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

Given that innovative ideas are expected to be generated on a permanent basis, it is interesting to observe that among the documented firms, there were special practices in place to assure that ideas and improvements would roll off the assembly line of innovation. Such organizational practices were particularly prevalent in firms which could be classified as platformers, or those practicing and dependent on a steady stream of new product versions, or variants.
Leveraging Resources for Growth
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

Specific managerial practices adopted by the SMEs have been detailed in previous chapters. This chapter takes a step back and reviews the growth trajectories of the documented firms over their histories. Plotting growth (expressed in sales) over time (expressed in years) resulted in a scatter diagram that demonstrates substantial differences across the 36 sample firms. If these firms followed the managerial practices described earlier, what then accounted for the substantial differences in size and the speed of growth over the life of the companies? Were there differences as to which combinations of the chosen practices have been utilized?
Company Profiles
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

This final chapter, containing the full-length profiles of each of the 36 companies representing the base of this research project, plays an integral role in Masterpieces of Swiss Entrepreneurship. Although the various profiles have been quoted extensively as part of the analysis in the previous chapters, those excerpts were used to illustrate a particular concept, finding or practice. A reader, going through the previous chapters, cannot possibly gain a comprehensive understanding of the history and trajectory of a given company in the main book text; this section allows for a more in-depth reading, one company at a time. The company profiles are organized in the order of when each of the enterprises was founded.
Boards and Governance
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

Company boards play a big role in the governance of SMEs and different models were traced from family boards to foundations, as well as the impact of dual board structures frequently adopted. Covering governing arrangements, the chapter reports how SMEs dealt with board roles at public, family-owned, and foundation-owned companies. Discussion of the emergence of dual board structures and the structure of boards at investor-driven companies. The chapter ends with comments on the evolution of boards at SMEs.
Financing the Enterprise
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

This chapter examines the many different pathways company founders and successors pursued to finance their businesses, as well as the financial practices adopted to assure the longevity of the companies. Describing frugal beginnings such as setting up in garages and old factory buildings to start, the chapter deals with the bootstrapping mentality and experience with tapping family resources or personal savings. SME experience with leveraging external financing are reported. Finally, the chapter concludes with experiences of SMEs financing themselves internally, such as based upon cash flow and applying conservative financial policies.
Franchise Focus Choices
Authors: Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Volery Thierry , Bergmann Heiko , Amstutz Cornelia
Published: April 2021

This chapter centers around the concept of the customer franchise defined as a distinct group of users for whom a company offers a central element or product. Explanations are offered how companies attach such groups to their products and create loyalty. Examples are cited of companies that manage to create a single customer franchise around a distinct group of companies that rely on the supplier for a critical part of their business processes. Franchises may also be created around a particular industry or around institutions. Particular emphasis is placed on the creation of customer franchise anchored around a particular professional group with client companies. Solution-based franchises are built on supplying entire solutions for customers also leading to a systems-centered approach in franchise building. The chapter ends with company examples of consumer franchise building practiced by B2C firms and how this process differs from the franchise building in the B2B sectors.
Courses of Action for Improving the Safety of the Powered Cycle
Authors: Vinckx Luc , Davies Huw
Published: April 2021

This paper explores the possibility to include a number of safety features from passenger cars in powered cycles with three or four wheels, whilst complying with the legal definitions and requirements, and also the legal conditions to use the bicycle lanes. The differences between technical specifications contained within EU law for pedal cycle with pedal assistance, powered cycles, quadricycles and passenger cars will be explained. Further, examples of traffic code rules with respect to the use of bicycle lanes in different countries will be discussed. Finally, the need for new safety criteria for powered cycles, replacing the existing power limit, is highlighted. In addition to the above, the need for a different technical approach to deal with the stability of 1 m wide e-bikes with a vehicle height similar to a mainstream passenger car will be discussed.
Electrification of Urban Three-Wheeler Taxis in Tanzania: Combining the User’s Perspective and Technical Feasibility Challenges
Authors: Goletz Mirko , Ehebrecht Daniel , Wachter Christian , Tolk Deborah , Lenz Barbara , Kühnel Meike , Rinderknecht Frank , Hanke Benedikt
Published: April 2021

This study assesses the feasibility of electric three-wheelers as moto-taxis in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from a socioeconomic and technical point of view. The analysis is based on three pillars: (i) the acceptance of users (the moto-taxi drivers) for adoption, (ii) the vehicle specifications incl. battery type and size, and (iii) the role of the charging infrastructure. Findings are based on data from empirical field-work; methods used are qualitative and quantitative data analysis and modelling. Main findings include that moto-taxi drivers, who we see as most important adopters, are open towards electric mobility. They request however that vehicles should have similar driving characteristics than their current fuel-vehicles. As the market is very price sensitive, keeping the vehicle cost is of high importance. A high potential to lower these costs is seen by offering opportunity charging spots around the city. If such an infrastructure is being implemented the combination with suitable, cost competitive vehicles makes the transformation of the vehicle market towards electrification possible.
Product-Service Systems Development for Sustainability. A New Understanding
Authors: Vezzoli Carlo , Ceschin Fabrizio , Diehl Jan Carel
Published: April 2021

.This chapter introduces the concept of Sustainable Product-Service System (S.PSS). S.PSS is an offer model providing an integrated mix of products and services that are together able to fulfil a particular customer/user demand (to deliver a “unit of satisfaction”), based on innovative interactions between the stakeholders of the value production system (satisfaction system), where the ownership of the product/s and/or the life cycle services costs/responsibilities remain with the provider/s, so that the same provider/s continuously seek/s environmentally and/or socio-ethically beneficial new solutions, with economic benefits. Next it discusses the potentional environmental, socio-ethical and economical benefits of S.PSS.
Integrating S.PSS and DE
Authors: Balasubramanian Ranjani , Vezzoli Carlo , Ceschin Fabrizio , Matthew Jacob , Sinha Abhijit , Neusiedl Christoph
Published: April 2021

The combination of Sustainable Product-Service Systems (S.PSS) and Distributed Economies (DE) has been considered as a promising mode of developing sustainability through regional resilience and by empowering a shift to a more localized economic model. This chapter examines case studies from around the world that use combinations of S.PSS and DE to varying degrees and in different industry sectors to analyse the opportunities that it presents. The chapter then goes on to provide a framework for categorizing various models of S.PSS and DE combinations and ends with an analysis of the barriers to implement such models.
Designing S.PSS and DE: New Horizons for Design
Authors: Vezzoli Carlo , Petrulaityte Aine , Banerjee Sharmistha , Upadhyay Pankaj , Punekar Ravi Mokashi
Published: April 2021

Assuming S.PSS applied to DE is an opportunity for a locally based sustainability for all, as introduced in this volume, we envision a new role for designers: Designing Sustainable Product-Service Systems applied to Distributed Economies, or shortly System Design for Sustainability for All (SD4SA).
S.PSS and DE in Practice
Authors: Garcia Parra Brenda , Kohtala Cindy , Marttila Tatu , dos Santos Aguinaldo , Molina Mata Sandra , Zhong Fang , Xia Nan , Liu Xin , Zhang Jun , Banerjee Sharmistha , Upadhyay Pankaj , Punekar Ravi Mokashi
Published: April 2021

Contemporary challenges related to sustainability are shared across the globe. Their materializations, prioritizations and emphases, however, vary from one region to another. This chapter shares the experiences from LeNSin project seminars and pilot courses and discusses the potential of design education as a transdisciplinary matchmaker between various actors and networks.
Legal Issues Affecting Labour Market Integration of Migrants in Finland
Authors: Bontenbal Ilona , Lillie Nathan
Published: April 2021

Finland has only relatively recently become a country of immigration, and as a result most immigration and integration policy legislation is also relatively recent. Since the 1990s, the number of migrants to Finland has increased steadily, motivating the adoption of various policy measures to regulate migration and support integration. From the perspective of migrant labour market integration, the two most important legislative acts are the Aliens Act (FINLEX 301/2004) and the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (FINLEX 1386/2010), which lay out basic labour market integration supports for migrants, and determine who can work in Finland and on which grounds. Finland’s comprehensive residence-based welfare state policies and collective bargaining based labour regulation also shape labour market outcomes for migrants. Immigrants working in Finland are subject to the same labour regulations as native Finnish citizens. There are different justifications for labour market access for different groups of immigrants, depending on from which country they come, and what kind of work they are doing. The chapter will go over the principle legislation regulating migration and migrants working in Finland. Also, the legislative basis for applying for asylum is discussed.
Between Reception, Legal Stay and Integration in a Changing Migration Landscape in Greece
Authors: Bagavos Christos , Kourachanis Nikos , Lagoudakou Konstantina , Xatzigiannakou Katerina
Published: April 2021

Significant transformations in the migratory landscape of Greece have been observed recently. In practice, the mixed flows of migrants and refugees have modified the role of Greece as a migrant-receiving country. Immigration, in terms of either transit or settled immigrants, has become a major policy issue; additionally, it has mobilized national authorities, international bodies as well as formal and informal civil society organizations. Changes in the immigration landscape, along with adverse economic conditions, has led to further efforts by public authorities in the effective management of refugee flows and reducing the risks of irregular stay for a significant number of migrants. Despite significant developments in the legislative framework for the integration of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (MRAs) into the labor market, their access to employment remains more of a secondary issue for policy actors.
Social Background and Adult Socio-Demographic Outcomes in a Cross-National Comparative Perspective: An Introduction
Authors: Liefbroer Aart C. , Zoutewelle-Terovan Mioara
Published: April 2021

An individual choice paradigm, focusing on individual preferences and values, has long dominated our understanding of socio-demographic outcomes. Recently, a trend towards an unequal choice paradigm, stressing how inequality in opportunities structures socio-demographic outcomes, is observed. This chapter outlines these changes and argues for a comparative perspective to examine how childhood disadvantage impacts these socio-demographic outcomes. The expectation is that the consequences of childhood disadvantage for demographic outcomes in young adulthood and for socio-economic and well-being outcomes in middle and late adulthood depend on the opportunities that national contexts offer to abate the adverse impact of economic and social deprivation. Subsequently, all chapters of the book are briefly introduced and their contribution to understanding this key issue is discussed.
Flawed Progress: Criticisms of Residential Institutions for Child Migrants in Australia and Policy Responses, 1939–1945
Authors: Lynch Gordon
Published: April 2021

The positive view of child migration held by UK Government officials in the inter-war period was not based on any regular system of inspections of the institutions in Australia to which children were sent. During the Second World War, UK Government officials became more of reported problems at several of these institutions, relating to standards of accommodation, management, care, training and after-care. This chapter traces the growing awareness of these problems and the UK Government’s response to them. Whilst policy-makers’ positive assumptions about child migration were challenged, and specific issues and institutions were known to require significant improvement, overall confidence in the value of child migration remained. Despite evidence of organisational failings in Australia, Australian welfare professionals were trusted to address these problems, and suggestions about the need for greater control from the United Kingdom were seen as a backward-looking attempt to limit the autonomy of Britain’s Dominions.
‘Australia as the Coming Greatest Foster-Father of Children the World Has Ever Known’: The Post-war Resumption of Child Migration to Australia, 1945–1947
Authors: Lynch Gordon
Published: April 2021

This chapter examines the policy context and administrative systems associated with the resumption of assisted child migration from the United Kingdom to Australia in 1947. During the Second World War, the Australian Commonwealth Government came to see child migration as an increasingly important element in its wider plans for post-war population growth. Whilst initially developing a plan to receive up to 50,000 ‘war orphans’ shortly after the war in new government-run cottage homes, the Commonwealth Government subsequently abandoned this, partly for financial reasons. A more cost-effective strategy of working with voluntary societies, and their residential institutions, was adopted instead. Monitoring systems of these initial migration parties by the UK Government were weak. Whilst the Home Office began to formulate policies about appropriate standards of care for child migrants overseas, this work was hampered by tensions between the Home Office and the Commonwealth Relations Office about the extent to control over organisations in Australia was possible.
From Regulation to Moral Persuasion: Child Migration Policy and the Home Office Children’s Department, 1948–1954
Authors: Lynch Gordon
Published: April 2021

This chapter examines the wider policy context and administrative systems for child migration to Australia in the period 1948-1954. With stronger concerns about child migration being expressed by some professional and voluntary organisations in Britain, in 1949 the Home Office began a process of drafting regulations for the emigration of children from the care of voluntary societies. The chapter examines how the process of developing these regulations was delayed through a complex bureaucratic process, with a final draft of the regulations not completed until 1954. Concerns about the legal limitations of these regulations and their effective power in safeguarding child migrants once overseas contributed to a subsequent decision in the Home Office not to introduce them. This decision was also informed by an independent review of child migration to Australia by John Moss, published in 1953, which offered a broadly positive view of this work. The chapter considers why Moss—a former member of the Curtis Committee—took this view, and how broad policy standards such as the Curtis report were, in practice, interpreted and implemented in different ways.
‘If We Were Untrammelled by Precedent…’: Pursuing Gradual Reform in Child Migration, 1954–1961
Authors: Lynch Gordon
Published: April 2021

This chapter examines how British child migration policy became caught up in the political sensitivities of post-war assisted migration. By 1950, officials in the Commonwealth Relations Office were becoming increasingly doubtful about the strategic and economic value of assisted migration, but also concerned about adverse political reaction in Australia to any scaling back of this work. An agreement was reached between the Commonwealth Relations and Home Office in 1954 to continue child migration on the basis of encouraging gradual reform of standards in Australia. In 1956, a UK Government Fact-Finding Mission in 1956 recommended more urgent controls over child migration, but this was rejected by an inter-departmental review in view of these wider political sensitivities. Despite introducing more limited monitoring, British policy-makers struggled to reconcile their knowledge of failings in some Australian institutions with the political challenge of trying to address these in the absence of co-operation from the Australian Government.
Study of the Use of Sawdust and Mycelium Composite as a Substitute of EPS
Authors: Miralbes R. , Ranz D. , Zouzias D.
Published: April 2021

Expanded polystyrene foams are a petroleum-origin material that is usually used in some applications such as motorcyclist helmets. Despite it notably mechanical properties, it low density and its capability to absorb energy during an impact, it is necessary to find a renewable-origin substitute material. Thus, it has been studied the use of a sawdust and mycelium composite material under quasi-static and dynamic efforts. Sawdust is a waste material that has very small grains that are totally disaggregated so it has very low material properties. The use of oyster mushroom mycelium generates an internal structure that joins grains and, consequently, the resultant material has notably high mechanical properties. Then it has been compared the resultant properties (stress-strain curve, absorbed energy, decelerations, etc.) with the different densities EPS ones and it has been concluded that this composite material, despite it high density, it could be a suitable substitute material and in some cases it has better properties.
Design for Additive Manufacturing of a Topology Optimized Brake Caliper Through CAD-Platform-Based Systematic Approach
Authors: Dalpadulo Enrico , Pini Fabio , Leali Francesco
Published: April 2021

To implement the CAD platform-based approach of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and validate it in a real case, an entire design optimization process of a Formula SAE front brake caliper has been performed, to be printed by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) process. The DfAM consists in the use of a Ti6Al4V titanium alloy to better resist at high temperatures and a topology optimized shape allowed by the technology to save weight despite the density increase. Structural and thermal behavior has been discussed. DfAM process-specific techniques have been implemented for internal geometrical features and optimized shapes. The design for additive workflow is presented and finally the exploited design approach based on a CAD platform is synthesized.
Evaluation of the Effects Caused by Mandibular Advancement Devices Using a Numerical Simulation Model
Authors: Mandolini Marco , Caragiuli Manila , Landi Daniele , Gracco Antonio , Bruno Giovanni , De Stefani Alberto , Mazzoli Alida
Published: April 2021

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep disorder that causes pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) represent a non-invasive treatment for OSAS that has had the highest development in recent years. Nevertheless, literature has not primarily investigated the effects of mandibular advancement. This paper presents a finite element method numerical simulation model for evaluating the stress/strain distribution on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and periodontal ligaments caused by advancement devices used for the treatment of OSAS. Results highlight that the mandible lift phase generates significant stress values on TMJ, which cannot be neglected for extended usage of MADs. Furthermore, mandible molar teeth are more loaded than incisor ones.
Simulation of Dynamic Stresses on High Performance Engine Valve Spring System Considering Coil Clashing Effect
Authors: Calabretta Michele , Sitta Alessandro , Oliveri Salvatore Massimo , Sequenzia Gaetano
Published: April 2021

The valve train plays a major role in the performance of internal combustion engines by controlling the combustion process and it is therefore one of the key aspects for increasing the efficiency of combustion engines. Considering the dynamics, the spring force must be high enough to reliably close the valve preventing from seating bouncing due to surge modes after the valve closure. On the other side, the spring force should be kept as low as possible in order to reduce the engine friction losses and consequently the fuel consumption. In the high-performance engines, the valve springs have to be designed and optimized for sustaining higher stresses with compact dimensions leading to critical material and manufacturing processes. This requires a reduction of moving masses and a strong focus on design and process optimization of the coil springs for reducing the mechanical load and the friction losses at low engine speed. At the same time, valve train should be reliable at high engine speed. The calculation of stresses and contact forces for moving parts under dynamic load is essential for durability analysis. A method to calculate the contact of moving masses is described and proposed to justify valve motions experimental results. To fully understand the failure mechanism of test bed reliability trials, the dynamic stresses have been calculated modeling the real springs’ shape. The contact forces have been reproduced considering the coil clash effects and the dynamic behavior of the flexible spring.
Thread Couplings Stress Analysis by Radial Basis Functions Mesh Morphing
Authors: Calì Michele , Oliveri Salvatore Massimo , Biancolini Marco Evangelos
Published: April 2021

Traditional analytical methods are approximate and need to be validated when it comes to predict the tensional behavior of thread coupling. Numerical finite element simulations help engineers come up with the optimum design, although the latter depends on the constraints and load conditions of the thread couplings which are often variable during the system functioning. The present work illustrates a new method based on Radial Basis Functions Mesh Morphing formulation to optimize the stress concentration in thread couplings which is subject to variable loads and constraints. In particular, thread root and fillet under-head drawings for metric ISO thread, which are the most commonly used thread connection, are optimized with Radial Basis Functions Mesh Morphing. In metric ISO threaded connection, the root shape and the fillet under the head are circular, and from shape optimization for minimum stress concentration it is well known that the circular shape becomes seldom optimal. The study is carried out to enhance the stress concentration factor with a simple geometric parameterization using two design variables. Radial Basis Functions Mesh Morphing formulation, performed with a simple geometric parameterization, has allowed to obtain a stress reduction of up to 12%; some similarities are found in the optimized designs leading to the proposal of a new standard. The reductions in the stress are achieved by rather simple changes made to the cutting tool.
Computer-Aided Tolerancing Analysis of a High-Performance Car Engine Assembly
Authors: Petruccioli Andrea , Gherardini Francesco , Panari Davide , Leali Francesco
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes the analysis of the tolerances (values, types, datum) and their effects on a mechanical assembly, as a high-performance car engine, by means of a Computer-Aided Tolerancing software. The 3D tolerance stack-ups are investigated to assess the fulfillment of the functional requirements as well as the performance specifications of the assembly. Moreover, after identifying the tolerances that mainly affect the product variability, we finally propose some corrective actions on the tolerances and assess their functional allocation, tightening or relaxing their values, ensuring assemblability and cost reduction.
Systemic Approach for Local Energy Mix Assessment
Authors: Dougier Nathanael , Garambois Pierre , Gomand Julien , Roucoules Lionel
Published: April 2021

Whereas energy mainly comes from main national power plants, distributed energy resources and storage technologies would allow local territories to choose their energy sources and increase their autonomy. This paper presents a decision-support tool that propose to find new system architecture based compromises between economic, technical and environmental objectives. Based on a systemic approach, it takes into account a broad range of technologies and assesses multi-scale territories thanks to a physical modelling. Numerical simulations show the influence of different parameters on the ability of a system to balance power demand.
Comfort Driven Redesign: The Case of Library Chairs
Authors: Califano Rosaria , Fiorillo Iolanda , Baglivo Giovanni , Chirico Claudia , Russo Antonietta Dello , Garro Jose , Leo Michele , Pacheco Conrado , Vitolo Gianluca , Naddeo Alessandro
Published: April 2021

University students spend most of their time in a sitting position. Prolonged sitting on ill-fitted furniture and the resulting lousy posture is making students having different musculoskeletal disorders and is strictly related to students learning outcomes. This study aims to improve postural comfort of chairs placed inside the Science & Technology Library at the University of Salerno. A previous study about these library chairs showed that the lumbar area was the most suffering part while perceived (dis)comfort was dependent on time. Based on this, an ergonomic redesign and, consequently, manufacturing of the chair has been done. A perceived-comfort comparison between the library chair and the redesigned one has been performed. A statistical sample of 28 healthy students performed a 20-min experiment two times, alternatively on the library chair and the redesigned one. The 20-min experiment was divided into two 10-min tasks (“Reading & Writing” and “Laptop use”) to simulate a study day. The participants’ postures were acquired non-invasively using cameras and processed by Kinovea; questionnaires were used to rate the perceived subjective (dis)comfort. A procedure for improving an existing product through a comfort-driven redesign is proposed. Results showed the redesigned library chair lead on increasing postural comfort (particularly in the lumbar area) thanks to the new design and modifications.
Enhanced Material-Driven Design Methodology: Luffa Cylindrica’s Case
Authors: Plumed Alejandro , Ranz David , Miralbes Ramón , Vargas Gustavo
Published: April 2021

As society and regulations demand more ecological materials, we must focus on finding new properties in potential candidates that make them really feasible and open up new possibilities. A new methodology is established to reach that goal, based on already existing ones, but with a broader vision; more focused on the use, and not solely on the product. To put it into practice, it’s been applied on Luffa Cylindrica, a plant with interesting properties. A volumetric, mechanical and perceptual characterization of it has been carried out, so that we can create new concepts specially linked to that. One of these paths has been fully developed to the point of getting a physical prototype, while more complex ones have been suggested. The stated methodology may be used as a flexible guide to find new materials not only more environmentally-friendly, but better than what’s stablished.
A Well-to-Wheel Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Between Full Electric and Traditional Petrol Engines in the European Context
Authors: Cucinotta Filippo , Raffaele Marcello , Salmeri Fabio
Published: April 2021

Automotive sector is crucial for the economic and social system. Conversely, it also plays an important role in the global emissions balance with strong consequences on the environment. Currently the Research world is engaged in the reduction of the emissions, especially in order to contrast the Climate Change and reduce toxicity on humans and the ecosystem. This study presents a comparative Life Cycle Assessment, Well-to-Wheel, between the most common technology used in the automotive sector, i.e. the traditional petrol Internal Combustion Engine and the full Battery Electric Vehicle. The different configurations have been analysed within 17 different impact categories in terms of climate change, human health, resourced depletion and ecosystems. The Well-to-Wheel approach allows to focus the attention on the use stage of the vehicle, considering the local effects due to the direct emissions in high density urban zones and it mitigates the dependence of usage hypotheses, different scenarios and intrinsic differences between the various models of cars in circulation.
Magnitude Finger Forces Analysis During Simulating Pseudo-Haptic Spring
Authors: Chen Jingtao , Mitrouchev Peter , Coquillart Sabine , Quaine Franck
Published: April 2021

This paper focuses on finger force magnitude analysis during stiffness discrimination task. In the frame of theirStudy and research workMS students from the Université Grenoble Alpes specially designed an experimental bench allowing to simulate a pseudo-haptic spring. Then, a series of stiffness discrimination tests between reals springs and a pseudo-haptic spring were performed. Finger pressing forces and students’ (subjects’) perception of spring stiffness were recorded and analyzed. The analysis ofpsychometric curvesindicates that subjects underestimate the simulated stiffness of the pseudo-haptic spring. The results also indicate that the peak of finger force applied on pseudo-haptic spring increases as the simulated stiffness increases. Moreover, it was found that the relationships between the logarithm of stiffness and the finger force were linear for the real springs and the pseudo-haptic spring. Pseudo-haptics effect being provided by specially designed isometric force feedback device, the results of this study may be useful for computer-based rehabilitation tasks designed for motor disorder patients with muscle deficiency associated with limited joint movement range or for injured athletes in the process of rehabilitation.
Parametric Hull Design with Rational Bézier Curves
Authors: Mancuso Antonio , Saporito Antonio , Tumino Davide
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a tool able to support the sailing yacht designer during the early stage of the design process has been developed. Quadratic and cubic Rational Bézier curves have been selected to describe the main curves defining the hull of a sailing yacht. The adopted approach is based upon the definition of a set of parameters, say the length of water line, the beam of the waterline, canoe body draft and some dimensionless coefficients according to the traditional way of the yacht designer. Some geometrical constraints imposed on the curves (e.g. continuity, endpoint angles) have been conceived aimed to avoid unreasonable shapes. These curves can be imported in any commercial CAD software and used as a frame to fit with a surface. The algorithm and the related Graphical User Interface (GUI) have been written in Visual Basic for Excel. To test the usability and the precision of the tool, two sailboats with different characteristics have been replicated. The rebuilt version of the hulls is very close to the original ones both in terms of shape and dimensionless coefficients.
A Parametric Study of Additive Manufacturing Process: TA6V Laser Wire Metal Deposition
Authors: Cazaubon Valentine , Abi Akle Audrey , Fischer Xavier
Published: April 2021

Additive Manufacturing has proven to be an economically and industrially attractive process in building or repairing parts. However, the major issue of this new process is to guarantee a mechanical behavior identical to the subtractive manufacturing methodologies. The work, presented in this paper, is centered on the Laser Wire Metal Deposition (LMD-w) method with the metallic alloy TA6V. Its working principle is to fuse a coaxial wire on a substrate with a laser as a heat source. To better understand the interaction between the input parameters (Laser Power, Wire Feed Speed and Tool Speed) and the clad geometry output variables (Height, Width and Contact Angle) and the substrate displacement, we have realized an experimentation. We printed 9 clads according Taguchi’s experimental design. Pearson correlation coefficient and Fisher test performed on the experimental measures showed as main result: Tool Speed is the parameter with the most significant influence on the output variables.
Customization of Kayak Paddle Grips by Using Reverse Engineering, Computer Aided Design and Additive Manufacturing Tools
Authors: Solaberrieta Eneko , Amezua Xabier , Garikano Xabier , Iturrate Mikel , Oriozabala Jose Antonio , Martin Iñaki
Published: April 2021

In this paper, due to the importance of maintaining a secure grip with the control hand in kayaking, a simple three phase process is presented for the massive development of personalized grips which allow the improvement of this handgrip. This process consists of obtaining the 3D geometry of the paddler's handgrip by using Reverse Engineering (RE) tools, designing the grip from the obtained 3D geometry by using Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools and manufacturing the grip by using Additive Manufacturing (AM) tools. Therefore, this paper shows that the RE, CAD and AM tools available today allow the customization of products for many applications.
Sensitivity Analysis for Simulated Annealing-Based Fitting of CAD Models to Point Clouds of Digitized Parts
Authors: Shah Ghazanfar Ali , Polette Arnaud , Pernot Jean-Philippe , Giannini Franca , Monti Marina
Published: April 2021

This paper addresses the way a simulated annealing-based fitting strategy can be enhanced by leveraging a sensitivity analysis able to characterize the impact of the variations in the parameters of a CAD model on the evolution of the deviation between the CAD model itself and the point cloud of the digitized part to be fitted. The principles underpinning the adopted fitting algorithm are briefly recalled. The applied sensitivity analysis is described together with the comparison of the resulting sensitivity evolution curves with the changes in the CAD model parameters imposed by the simulated annealing algorithm. This analysis suggests several possible improvements that are discussed. The overall approach is illustrated on the fitting of single mechanical parts but it can be directly extended to the fitting of parts’ assemblies. It is particularly interesting in the context of the Industry 4.0 to update digital twins of physical products and systems.
Digital Operative Guides for Helping First Responders in Public Buildings During Emergency Interventions
Authors: Ruiz-Cartiel Antonio , García-Hernández César , Ubieto-Artur Pedro
Published: April 2021

Graphical tools for firefighters in emergency interventions have been proven to be very effective. Particularly, paper-based operational guides and digital guides with 360º images were already assessed during the drills developed, during a training program in a real, but obsolete and not in use, hotel. The obtained results were considered very interesting, being part of the study previously published by this research team. In the previous study, three different methods (two of them based on graphical contents) were compared in order to communicate the features of a building to firefighters, five minutes before starting a victim rescue during the drills of the mentioned live fire training program. These good results encouraged us to continue the development of the digital guides and this paper describes the first one created for a real building, placed in Zaragoza (Spain), which is in use nowadays. In this study, two versions of the digital guide are presented, one based on a PDF file and another one implemented with online 360º images.
Taking into Account Users’ Perceptions in the Design Process: Principles to Create a Digital Design Tool
Authors: Fonseca Livramento Da Silva Renato , Dias Leão Costa Angelina , Thomann Guillaume
Published: April 2021

User Centered Design approach is used in many sectors and appropriated by many design teams to defend principles of products adapted to the final users. In the Architectural and Industrial Design disciplines, architects and designers defend principles that could be able to create spaces, public areas or innovated products that are closer as possible as the user behavior. The issue is still the complexity of the user perception and the variability of its interpretation of the environment. The research method used in this research is to combine Universal Design and Usability approaches to be able to extract one first list of principles. The combination of this list with the five human sensorial systems identified in the literature give the structure of a tool that can be proposed to projectists like architects and industrial designers to better consider user perception during the designing process. The result of the research is the proposition of a software coupled with a user friendly interface dedicated to architects and industrial designer. It has the aim to simplify the organization of the early phases of the design process, taking into account designers and architects design priorities and integrating the final user specific sensorial situation.
A New Smart Web Platform for Plastic Injection Molds in Industry 4.0 Environments
Authors: Martin-Doñate Cristina , Shaikheleid Sliman , Torres-Alba Abelardo , Mercado-Colmenero Jorge Manuel
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a new smart web platform for plastic injection molds for use in industry 4.0 environments. The new platform requires as its only input the CAD model of the plastic part in a discrete format, the accuracy of the analysis, the thermoplastic material of which the part will be manufactured and the number of parts to manufacture per year. Using this information and through a fully automated process based on hybrid algorithms developed by the authors the smart platform generates an extended CAD model of the mold with additional expert information useful for industry 4.0 environments. In this way, it is possible to design a mold with uniform heat transfer, balanced ejection and a uniform filling phase of the mold cavity. The presented platform differ from other applications for mold designing in that the resulting mold meets all the geometric, functional and technological requirements of mold designing without needing CAE simulation software for its validation. The presented platform is considered as the first smart platform that does not require the interaction of the designer in the process of dimensioning and designing the different subsystems that compound the mold, being a tool to reduce time and costs in the initial phases of plastic part design and with the ability to integrate into a flexible manufacturing environment 4.0.
Causality Learning Approach for Supervision in the Context of Industry 4.0
Authors: Amzil Kenza , Yahia Esma , Klement Nathalie , Roucoules Lionel
Published: April 2021

In order to have a full control on their processes, companies need to ensure real time monitoring and supervision using Key Performance Indicators (KPI). KPIs serve as a powerful tool to inform about the process flow status and objectives’ achievement. Although, experts are consulted to analyze, interpret, and explain KPIs’ values in order to extensively identify all influencing factors; this does not seem completely guaranteed if they only rely on their experience. In this paper, the authors propose a generic causality learning approach for monitoring and supervision. A causality analysis of KPIs’ values is hence presented, in addition to a prioritization of their influencing factors in order to provide a decision support. A KPI prediction is also suggested so that actions can be anticipated.
Enhanced Manufacturing Execution System “MES” Through a Smart Vision System
Authors: El Zant Chawki , Charrier Quentin , Benfriha Khaled , Le Men Patrick
Published: April 2021

The level of industrial performance is a vital issue for any company wishing to develop and acquire more market share. This article presents a novel approach to integrate intelligent visual inspection into “MES” control systems in order to gain performance. The idea is to adapt an intelligent image processing system via in-situ cameras to monitor the production system. The images are thus analyzed in real time via machine learning interpreting the visualized scene and interacting with some features of the MES system, such as maintenance, quality control, security, operations, etc. This novel technological brick, combined with the flexibility of production, contributes to optimizing the system in terms of autonomy and responsiveness to detect anomalies, already encountered, or even new ones. This smart visual inspection system is considered as a Cyber Physical System CPS brick integrated to the manufacturing system which will be considered an edge computing node in the final architecture of the platform. This smart CPS represents the 1st level of calculation and analysis in real time due to embedded intelligence. Cloud computing will be a perspective for us, which will represent the 2nd level of computation, in deferred time, in order to analyze the new anomalies encountered and identify potential solutions to integrate into MES. Ultimately, this approach strengthens the robustness of the control systems and increases the overall performance of industrial production.