Advanced Materials Research Vol. 1036

Abstract: In the given work it is shown, that at machining the technological dimensional structures are optimum if they are similar to the design dimensional structure of a detail. The conditions of the locating and fastening, and also some technical requirements interfere achievements of similarity. In these cases the directed change of the design dimensional structure of a detail is recommended due to recalculation of the sizes. From this point of view creation of technological process represents a compromise of mutual approche of the dimensional structures of a detail and of a technological system. Technological process may be built from operation elements, but they (the operation elements) do not have the necessary characteristics to create the dimensional structures. These characteristics are not formed during decomposition because the relevant details dimensional structure is not taken into account. The most appropriate entity as element of which may be built the technological process is a technological mounting. The mounting has a dimensional structure and includes the communication elements - the sizes up to locating surfaces Thus, the dimensional designing of technological processes results in optimality if it is possible to achieve the similarity of design and technological dimensional structures in the following order: creation of the blank's dimensional structure similar to the detail's dimensional structure; formation of optimum technological dimensional links of the first technological operations or mounting (roughing) by resizing if necessary of the blank and of the detail; formation of optimum technological dimensional links on the subsequent technological operations or mounting by resizing if necessary of the detail in progress; formation of optimum technological dimensional links on the final technological operations or mounting by resizing if necessary the detail; calculation of the minimal machining allowances; the dimensional analysis of technology with calculation of the operational sizes, their tolerances and limit deviations; formation of drawings of the blank.

Abstract: The purpose of the article is to introduce possibilities of using Augmented Reality instructions in order to better understand technical drawings. The aim of these instructions based on 3D models is to create AR training applications and analyze their impact on the users. These instructions consist in a 3D model, superimposed over the technical drawing. The AR application also offers step by step instructions for 3D modelling in CAD software, which are very useful in creating the 3D model starting from a technical drawing. The AR application was tested by students from the Faculty of Engineering in Sibiu, obtaining great improvements in their 3D modelling times. The results of a survey that the students completed reveal that the AR modelling instructions also aids their spatial visualization capability.

Abstract: Using infinite servers queues systems parameters, focused on its busy period, the performance and the differential costs of a two echelons repair system are analyzed through a model constructed with this goal. This kind of repair systems may be useful, for instance, in the operation of a fleet either of aircraft, or of shipping or of trucks

Abstract: A high level of human resources motivation to share knowledge acquired during training programs or other training activities may be crucial for companies in achieving targets for customers and high organizational outcomes. The recent investigations of the roles of socio-technical, cultural and non-work factors and the technological development underlined the importance of the organizational context factors as outstanding drivers for employees motivation to share knowledge among their colleagues and to improve work performance. This article conducts a literature review and aims to identify the contextual factors determining employees motivation for exchanging knowledge at the workplace and, thus, improving the overall organizational performance. There will be also proposed the dimensions of motivation for knowledge sharing taking into account the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, based on the self-determination theory (SDT). Therefore, by analyzing the types of motivation according to self-determination theory, it is highlighted the importance of contextual factors in increasing knowledge sharing motivation in organizations. In this paper, we try to provide a framework to analyze the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in determining a high level of motivation to share knowledge, improving work performance and increasing organizational outcomes. Within this view, the research aims to provide an integrative research framework and to underline the tie between the most significant dimensions of organizational context influencing employees knowledge-sharing motivation in industrial firms. The new research framework resulted from identifying significant contextual factors which influence employees motivation to share knowledge will provide a new direction to improving work activities and to foster the performance level at the workplace. The selection of the relevant dimensions integrated into the research framework will be used for a further quantitative research applied to employees working in industrial firms from the North-East Region of Romania. The investigation proposed brings into light a useful approach for knowledge management, emphasizing the importance of establishing the most important organizational context factors which determine employees motivation to communicate knowledge among work colleagues, demonstrating also the contribution to improving job performance. The current framework can provide important insights for managers and academia in order to understand the importance of establishing a relationship between contextual factors influencing employees motivation to share knowledge and job performance.

Abstract: Intelligent agents have an important role when we are talking about a virtual enterprise. Its role has been widely discussed over the years. Electronic commerce has been gaining momentum and is already quite popular among common consumers. The paper tries to combine these ideas and develop other aspects that arise from here. The tests and the simulation results show what and how can be some consequences related to e-commerce, with direct implications of intelligent agents in a virtual enterprise.

Abstract: Shipping is permanently engaged in efforts to regulate the voyage energy efficiency and to control the marine GHG emissions. In order to achieve this, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed a series of technical and operational measures. The Energy Efficiency Operational Index is one of the operational measures that can be used as a monitoring tool for the voyage optimization and represents the mass of CO₂ emitted per unit of transport work. The purpose of this study is to analyze the competitiveness of using different types of marine fuels during the voyage and also to emphasize their influence over the Energy Efficiency Operational Index. The emissions from ships are directly proportional to the bunker consumption and with its quality, and this paper presents the Energy Efficiency Operational Index value for one complete voyage, varying the type of fuel for different legs for the main consumers: main engine, diesel generators, boiler and inert gas generator. The results consist in the cost to quality ratio, where the cost is the sum of money spent for different types of fuel and the quality is the ships Energy Efficiency Operational Index. The cost-to-quality ratio is presented in graphs in order to allow the ship-owner to choose the solution of protecting the marine environment, acting over the EEOI, based on the cost involved.

Abstract: The business ecosystems domain emerged as result to the necessity of assessment of new economic procedures and mechanisms between the economic agents. Defined as a community of interrelated agents, a business ecosystems approach can emphasize the most important features of modern economy. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of business ecosystems with biological ones in order to identify the most important internal features which can describe the symbiosis process. In biological field, the symbiosis is defined as an association of individuals from different type of species. In the business field, this form of association is defined in terms of co-evolution and cooperation. From this point of view it is important to analyze main species who are involved into this type of relations. The starting point of this research is to define reference dimension whose knowledge is important in order to understand involved entities. At this step the concept of innovation will be considered as knowledge reference. The research method will be conducted based on the identification of different categories of elements, individuals and their integration into specific species. This integration will be realized by grouping individuals according to analyzed common features. The foreseen result is to highlight how the individuals knowledge about innovation contributes to the common vision of the entire group. The next step of the research framework will provide a comparative analysis between the established groups of individuals. The main outcome of this research is to provide a new model of reintegration of individuals from different domains of activity not limited by organizational boundaries. As result, this paper will provide a framework for understanding the symbiosis from two points of views: the fusion process between the agents and the knowledge transfer as its result.

Abstract: Using organizational performance management that is validated and used in active companies, this research aims to study business performance management in entrepreneurial frameworks. This study presents a conceptual approach based on some theories founded on the organizational performance management as a process, but adapted to the context of entrepreneurship. It is proposed the conceptual analysis and submitting the verification of the formulated hypotheses. An entrepreneurial framework is defined by some factors such as: entrepreneur, along with his personal and professional characteristics, who is the main actor of the so-called entrepreneurial process; business idea that entrepreneur wants to turn it into profitable business; market opportunity, which demonstrates that the business idea is valid, has novelty and can be fructified and developed; business plan, that needs to be well prepared in a very detailed manner and containing long run strategies; business start-up resources, including time resources allocated to implement the business plan, physical resources, information, financial and human resources; the environment where the business will be active; technology needed to develop the business activity. To study more closely the issue of performance management in entrepreneurial contexts, will be defined entrepreneurial performance management as a process, which can lead to the success rate of a business idea and to the rate of business sustainability. To perform this study it has been proposed a case study where an entrepreneur wants to develop a business in renewable energy, and more specifically, the development of a solar power plant that transforms solar energy into electricity, which then it’s been introduced into the national grid of electricity supply. So in this research will be studied the entire process by which the real business appears and a variant of the case that the solar power plant could be built in Romania and will be proposed a detailed system of performance indicators, specific to the entrepreneurial framework. Using a research methodology based on case study, this research has as a central objective, to define the entrepreneurial performance management through a set of specific performance indicators, which can then be used in practice, by entrepreneurs who want to start a new business in renewable energy.

Abstract: The brake system maintenance of railway wagons consists, amongst other matters, brake shoe replacement whose wear in time exceeds the maximum allowable limit. Their absence in stock leads to the maintenance process stagnation. This causes additional costs of procurement and very high costs because of shortage. Thus, the main objective in control of the brake shoe stocks, in a company carrying out maintenance activities of railway wagons is that of determining the quantity ordered and the interval between orders. Their optimal values will be reached when storage costs, expressed by the cost function (the total mean value of the costs) are minimal, leading to a normal unfolding of the corrective maintenance activities. For the management of the spare parts stocks to be applied various methods, depending on the certainty or uncertainty knowledge of the level demand; of their delivery time and of their supply costs. For avoiding increasing penalty costs due to lack in stock the authors propose, after the estimation of the relative variability of demand for these spare parts, the stochastic modelling utilisation, the demand and delivery time being discrete random variables (depending on season, type and random rhythmicity of the falls), known being the request repartitions of the brake shoes on the basis of statistical records. The research results led to the determination of the value necessary to brake shoes stock so that, the total losses of the company in which carried out the maintenance activities to be minimised, and to establish the range of cost in which is allowed the acquisition of a such spare part when she is missing from the stock.

Abstract: Increasing energy efficiency of the manufacturing process is one of the solutions to resolve the ecological issues, save manufacturing cost, and reduce environmental impacts. In crank shafts manufacturing process chain, the potential of energy saving is great due to the induction heating line and heat loss from the process. This paper proposes the method to increase energy efficiency of induction heating line which spends most of the energy in a whole crankshaft manufacturing process. To reduce the heat loss from work piece, an insulating system was designed through the analysis of heat flow. The optimization of the heating parameters was done based on the simulation model with the multi criteria optimization method. In addition, this work also addresses a concept of holistic optimization approach to decrease energy consumption in the manufacturing process of crankshaft. The optimization approach in conjunction with design of experiment, analytical method, regression, and the robust optimization algorithm was applied in order to systematically optimize manufacturing processes. The optimization process aims to identify significant process parameters, determine potential solutions, and obtain optimal parameters. The energy flow of sub-process, including heating line, shearing, and forging is carried out in terms of a holistic approach, i.e. in consideration of the interrelationship between energy consumption and relevant criteria (cycle time, manufacturing costs, product quality). The optimized results show that the induction heating line can increase 14.8% in energy efficiency, of which 9% is due to the effect of insulating cover and 5.8% is due to process parameter optimization and the forging process chain can reduce approximately 10% in energy consumption. This paper contributes to improve the energy efficiency of the crank shafts manufacturing process.