Extending the Ecological Interface Design process—Integrated EID

This article aims to extend the traditional Ecological Interface Design (EID) process. With the rapid pace of digitalization in technological systems, there is a need for a design process that can handle the systemic design goals and the experiential basis of interaction. Currently, the traditional EID is well-positioned to address these challenges. However, methodologically, it needs to be substantiated to make it accessible for designers, designing for novel arenas, such as Industry 4.0. Further, substantiating the design process will help designers, engineers, and human factors researchers with an accessible pathway that links the design brief to the final interface form. Therefore, this article delves into the “design” basis in the work of the Risø group and other prominent EID researchers and practitioners. In addition, it draws from a variety of themes in the discipline of design that addresses methodology. In particular, key insights are drawn from the design methods movement (1960s—); design, communication, and complexity from the Ulm school of design, 1953–1968; cognitive research conducted on designers and design activities; and finally, interaction design and communication design processes and models. All of these insights have been used syncretically to create the new integrated EID (iEID) process. This new design process consists of nine stages divided into three phases of divergence, transformation, and convergence, converting the initial design brief to the final interface. The steps of iEID are demonstrated using the example of interface design for a “digital twin” in the manufacturing sector.     

Design principles for autonomous agents: A case study of classification

Building artificial lifelike autonomous agents is still considered an art, rather than a science. A generally accepted precise methodology is missing, and—given the properties of the real world—it is doubtful whether such a methodology will ever be developed. Nevertheless, it is possible to define criteria and provide heuristics for good designs. We have developed a number of design principles which, when applied, lead to what we would consider good designs from a cognitive science or artificial life (ALife) perspective. The paper illustrates some of these principles using a case study of classification. Presented at the Internatial Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 18–20, 1996     

Optimisation-based scheduling: A discrete manufacturing case study

This work presents the development and implementation of a production scheduling system for an electrical appliance manufacturer. Based on recent advances in optimisation-based scheduling approaches, two different software architectures based on two different scheduling formulations, namely the RTN and the STN, are proposed to integrate information available in the different production units and stages with formal algorithmic tools. Optimization results indicate that significant economic benefits can be achieved (e.g. minimization of total operating costs) while ensuring full customer satisfaction as opposed to normal practices followed in the company relying on human expertise. The work indicates that it is possible to solve real-life manufacturing problems using optimization-based approaches but the integration of information in a timely fashion seems to be a major factor in successfully implementing the system and fully realizing its benefits.     

Object-oriented re-engineering of manufacturing models: A case study

Current manufacturing systems have a very structured production model, expecially when high complexity and precision is required, as in semiconductor devices manufacturing. In addition, rapid changes in both production and market requirements may occur, hence great flexibility is essential. This goals, together with the capability of adding new features as well as removing some model limitations, often impose to re-engineer periodically existing models, reducing as much as possible the time-to-market of a new product. Updating a model generally also requires to improve existing applications, both re-writing software components as well as adding new features to existing components. Here the model currently used inside STMicroelectronics facilities to define production flow (the sequence of operations to be performed in order to make products) is considered. First, the model is described highlighting its limitations, then an enhanced object-oriented model is introduced, in order to provide both a better management of all entites through aggregational and constitutional hierarchies and a significant time reduction of production flow definitions through a flexible inheritance mechanism. In addition, required improvements on existing applications are considered, introducing an enhanced environment capable of supporting the enhanced model while preserving both technical and economic investments thus avoiding radical changes in existing environment.     

Information modelling for manufacturing systems: A case study

This paper addresses the information-modeling issue for SAIL 1, an integrated shopfloor manufacturing system with flexible manufacturing and material-handling capabilities at the City University of Hong Kong. Based on analyses of the system configuration and information flow structure of SAIL 1, this paper presents a data-modeling strategy to model its information system from the system-physical configuration, system-operation control and system-operation monitoring, respectively. By using the IDEF1x methodology to abstract, classify and define the information objects and the interrelationships between them, three semantic data models were constructed in accordance with the system requirements and modeling strategy, from which the internal and external schemata of the SAIL 1 information system can be derived correspondingly.     

基于串行外设接口实现扩展串口的设计

针对串口在通信和军事等领域应用广泛,处理器串口较少,提出了处理器扩展串口的需求。介绍了基于串行外设接口实现扩展串口的总体设计,然后从设计的硬件组成、原理组成框图、硬件设计、软件设计等方面进行了详细的描述,重点介绍了设计中需要解决的问题。设计完成后经测试证明,完全满足串行数据传输的要求,性能可靠。     

A business repository enrichment process: A case study for manufacturing execution systems

A key characteristic of the software applications supporting manufacturing business processes is their heterogeneity. This is due not only to differences in their development and deployment, but also to the variety of processes and actors in complex organizations. Heterogeneity at the semantic level is one of the major problems in any process of interoperability and/or integration. There is therefore a need for developing new approaches and methods to ensure interoperability between different software solutions. In the context of a case study with a consortium of MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) publishers, we propose a semantic alignment process of repositories used in the construction of a MES solution called “MES On Demand”, using multiple applications and driven by business processes. Through the study of semantic heterogeneities, we use an enrichment-based alignment for business repositories applied to ISO/IEC 62264. Finally, we evaluate the contribution of this approach to enterprise maturity in the application of standards and reference models, using Nascio’s Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model. This proposal, which is useful for practitioners and experts, is a contribution to academic study on semantic alignment for master interoperability.     

Design of cellular manufacturing systems—An industrial case study

This paper discusses the development of a cellular manufacturing system in a manufacturing company. A new clustering algorithm has been applied to the design of the system. The algorithm consists of two parts, a cluster-seeking process and the minimization of bottleneck machines. Two parameters are input by the user: (a) the desired number of machine cells or part families, and (b) the minimum number of parts within each cell or part family. A number of cells have been designed for a preparation shop, a fabrication shop, and a machine shop. Both the advantages and disadvantages of the algorithm have been analyzed, especially concerning its applications to industry.     

Applying principles of change management in ergonomic projects: A case study

The authors describe a project aimed at structuring the actions and clarifying the role of an ergonomist in large, political, multiclient projects in sectors with high physical workload. A general change management model (model of planned change; L. de Caluwé & H. Vermaak, 1999) was used as a starting point. Its applicability to the ergonomists' work within the noted context was checked through interviews with five project managers. The conclusion was that ergonomists can't apply the model as a whole, as they're not managing the change process. Parts of the model, however, were regarded helpful to structure the ergonomists' actions and attune these to the change process of the sector. Discussion sessions and interviews with ergonomists were then organized to incorporate the useful parts of the model into a practical framework: the change management in ergonomics framework. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 195–223, 2006.     

Australian technology meets American manufacturing: A case study of industrial collaboration

This article examines some of the issues that surround the development and application of Australian computer software in the collaborative design of cellular manufacturing operations in an American manufacturing operation. In examining the dynamic relationship between a national research-based organization and a multinational corporation, a detailed case study is presented of the collaborative venture between the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group. In 1988, the Wichita Division of Boeing applied Group Technology (GT) classification and coding to create a GT data base for 200,000 sheet metal parts. However, their aim to implement cellular work arrangements was constrained by the complexity of the manufacturing environment. In 1990, they became aware of some innovative cell-build software that had been developed in Australia. After some preliminary negotiations, a collaborative contract was signed between the CSIRO and Boeing. In charting the development of this joint project and consequent outcomes, the article draws out new insights on the practice of industrial collaboration in the development and implementation of cellular forms of work organization. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ecological Interface Design for Petrochemical Process Control: An Empirical Assessment

Abnormal events in process plants cost the petrochemical industry billions of dollars annually. In part, these events are difficult to deal with because contemporary interfaces do not adequately inform operators about the state of the process. Laboratory simulator studies have shown that, in comparison with contemporary interfaces, ecological interfaces can lead to more effective monitoring and control behavior. However, ecological interfaces derived from work-domain analysis differ from more traditional human-centered interfaces that use a task analysis to inform the design process. A companion paper demonstrated an ecological interface that integrates both work-domain- and task-based information. A second ecological interface was created, drawing exclusively from the traditional work-domain-based analysis. Professional operators used the novel interfaces in an industrial petrochemical process simulator to monitor for, diagnose, and respond to several types of process events. Operators using the work-domain-based ecological interface completed trials more quickly and executed fewer control actions than their counterparts using the current process displays. Operators using the integrated (task- and work-domain-based) ecological interface also showed these benefits and, in addition, showed improved fault diagnoses and better performance scores. The implications and opportunities for introducing ecological interfaces into industrial control rooms are discussed.     

A hybrid methodology for restructuring decision of a manufacturing system: A case study

The output performance of a manufacturing system depends on its operational continuity. However, a manufacturing system can stop for a short time or it can be out of service for a long time due to crucial problems such as poor performance of old machines, unexpected breakdowns or faulty plant and system design. Many firms try to restructure their manufacturing systems to avoid these crucial problems and to be more efficient, profitable and better organized. However, the decision to begin the process of restructuring is a difficult and critical choice for most decision makers due to the fact that the decision threshold of the process is ambiguous. This paper proposes a hybrid methodology for the decision makers who will decide on restructuring a manufacturing system. The proposed methodology provides crucial information for the decision makers combining fuzzy logic approach and reliability analysis.     

Offshoring manufacturing: Implications for engineering jobs and education: A survey and case study

One result of globalization is the rapid growth of offshoring, i.e., the outsourcing of functions and jobs to offshore locations. In the USA, offshoring has progressed to the point where it already affects everyday lives, from the cars we drive (of which a large portion of the work and components are outsourced) to computers (which are typically manufactured offshore and shipped back to the USA), to electronic diagnostics (where calls are answered overseas). This phenomenon has implications on our lives and on the jobs that engineers and scientists will assume both now and in the future. Further, it is something that all highly developed and even some lesser-developed countries must face. Consequently, the growth of outsourcing will have a major impact on the educational objectives of engineering programs and the resultant engineering curricula worldwide.

This paper presents recent data on product and job offshore migrations and discusses the various dimensions of this phenomenon. In addition to the potential loss of engineering and other high-end technical jobs, sociological and cultural aspects, intellectual property issues, strategic planning concerns, and macro-economic issues are presented. For example, the effects of offshoring on the societal fabric of the countries that are recipients of manufacturing and service center outsourcing, such as China and India, are significant, rapid, and controversial. Offshoring has also begun to change the way that engineering programs in these countries educate their students. In addition, intellectual property issues create a major risk to companies considering outsourcing to certain less-developed countries. These issues can be broadly categorized into: the robustness and strength of intellectual property laws, and the degree to which these laws are implemented and enforced. Further, such factors as currency fluctuations and geo-political conditions can substantially impact outsourcing decisions and profitability.

The phenomenon of offshoring, which is now affecting engineering careers, will play a major role in shaping engineering education worldwide. The next generation of engineers will need to possess the ability to work seamlessly across cultures, have outstanding communication skills and be familiar with the principles of project management, logistics, and systems integration. Some educational models that begin to address these requirements will be presented.     

Flexibility in manufacturing automation: A living lab case study of Norwegian metalcasting SMEs

Flexibility can be defined as the ability to respond efficiently to the changing demands of the customer and is different in SMEs (Small-to-Medium manufacturing Enterprises) than the traditional OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). Costs involved in implementing manufacturing flexibility to meet customer demand are more important in the SMEs, especially that are labor intensive for example metalcasting companies, when located in a high cost country like Norway. Therefore the Norwegian Research Council initiated the Autocast project to promote SME business cooperation and flexibility by automating the manufacturing processes within the Norwegian casting/foundry SMEs. The project intends to identify and improve the areas crucial for flexible manufacturing to help SMEs stay competitive in global competition. Literature confirms the difficulty in the development of objective measures for flexibility, for example, because of its property of multidimensionality. Nevertheless, an attempt has been made in this paper to identify the suitability of essential spheres of manufacturing flexibility to a foundry set-up accompanied by two living lab foundry case studies. The paper also completes the set of design rules specifically for foundry automation and assist flexibility in manufacturing. Efforts have been made to sustain the existing flexible automation implementation on the basis of poka-yoke principles. The findings from the living lab case study assist in proposing the design for flexible foundry automation (DFFFA) guidelines for flexible automation in a consortium collaborative environment could allow for better response to customer needs and support on-the-move interaction collaboration.     

Evaluating the performance of a discrete manufacturing process using RFID: A case study

The material flow is a major focus point in improving productivity in today’s product diversified manufacturing organizations. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of efficient methods to control material flow through manufacturing processes in cases where multi-item tracking is difficult to achieve. This paper presents an RFID-based RTLS (Real-Time Location System) solution for obtaining multi-item work-in-process visibility within a manufacturer. It delivers detailed performance metrics through RTLS data analysis in order to evaluate workflow performance and to obtain a lean process. We pre-filter the RTLS data through the development of a middleware data collection method to acquire near real-time performance evaluation. A case study illustrates the complete process including measurements before and after a workflow redesign. The increased level of detail from RFID measurements yields new insights into shop floor actions and the real effects of redesign efforts.     

Integrating Task- and Work Domain-Based Work Analyses in Ecological Interface Design: A Process Control Case Study

In this paper, we present a case study wherein several work analysis methods were incorporated in the design of a graphical interface for a petrochemical production process. We follow this case from the application of the work analysis methods, through the consolidation of information requirements, to the design of a novel interface that integrates the requirements. The findings confirm earlier assertions that task-based and work domain-based analysis frameworks identify unique and complementary requirements for effective information systems that are intended to support supervisory control of complex systems. It further provides the first industrial demonstration of ecological interface forms based on integrated task-and work domain-based work requirements.     

Extending model checkers for hybrid system verification: the case study of SPIN

A hybrid system is a system that evolves following a continuous dynamic, which may instantaneously change when certain internal or external events occur. Because of this combination of discrete and continuous dynamics, the behaviour of a hybrid system is, in general, difficult to model and analyse. Model checking techniques have been proven to be an excellent approach to analyse critical properties of complex systems. This paper presents a new methodology to extend explicit model checkers for hybrid systems analysis. The explicit model checker is integrated, in a non‐intrusive way, with some external structures and existing abstraction libraries, which store and manipulate the abstraction of the continuous behaviour irrespective of the underlying model checker. The methodology is applied to SPIN using Parma Polyhedra Library. In addition, the authors are currently working on the extension of other model checkers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Global manufacturing in the Mexican culture perspective: a case study

The objective of this work is to analyse and provide solutions to the problems encountered during the engineering processes undertaken by global companies established in Mexico. The considerations for this study are not only centred on the engineering work but also on its relation to the culture and the people within which this process takes place. One automobile consortium with a huge assembly plant in Mexico is researched, and a case study is developed for its engineering change process. The time delays in carrying out an engineering change are analysed. Important findings are reported in the areas of software operation, design process, engineers training, teamwork, adaptation to different cultures, technology transfer and language barriers. Concurrent engineering is proposed as a means to gain the time reduction sought by the plant in Mexico. Special attention is recommended for the education of personnel and their preparation for an important organisational change.     

Flexibility in component manufacturing systems: evaluation framework and case study

Traditional component manufacturing systems have been optimized for either small scale craft production or for mass production of a small variety of high volume parts. Trends towards intermediate volumes and larger variety of parts have exposed the need for intelligently embedding flexibility in manufacturing systems and processes. The literature offers only few attempts to value component fabrication flexibility in a systematic way. In this article a 5-step framework for valuing flexibility and ranking of manufacturing processes under uncertainty is developed. A discrete time simulation is used to predict profit, remaining tool value and machine utilization as a function of three probabilistic demand and specification scenarios. A case study demonstrates the simulation and contrasts both a high volume (automotive) and a low volume (aerospace) market situation across six different processes ranging from punching to laser cutting. It is found that for intermediate, uncertain production volumes alternative manufacturing processes that embed flexibility carefully in one or more dimensions can outperform traditional processes that are either completely non-flexible (e.g., stamping) or completely flexible (e.g., laser cutting). It is also shown that flexibility in parts manufacturing is a complex topic because flexibility can be embedded in the parts themselves, in tooling or in the process parameters.