7th EAI International Conference on Management of Manufacturing Systems

With the development of assistive technologies, it is possible to enhance the degree of independence of life in a home for the visually impaired persons. Assistive technologies today are not just a device, but represent a technology, service, and a system. Modeling of the system for applying assistive technologies needs to be considered through a precisely defined taxonomy of the technology and the devices that are used and the appropriate system architecture. The aim of such an approach is the delivery of precise and real-time information to the end user. Advanced communication technologies can provide all the relevant information to the end user. This chapter proposes the taxonomy of information and communication technologies and devices and the conceptual system architecture for the delivery of the service in a smart home of the visually impaired persons. Also, the efficiency of the operation of the most represented virtual assistants for the management of sensors, actuators, and devices in the smart home environment has been tested.

In this paper, we present the possibilities of implementing augmented reality in the automotive industry. We will show the directions of augmented reality applications and we focus primarily on head-up displays, specifically on augmented reality head-up displays. In the first part, the chapter presents the use of augmented reality in the automotive industry from research, development, assembly, disassembly to our chosen issue of head-up displays. Subsequently, we presented and compared the three basic principles of head-up displays. The first is a fully graphical head-up display projected on the windshield, the second is a head-up display projected on a retractable translucent screen, and the third type is a head-up display projected from a mobile phone using specific applications. Each of the evaluated technologies has its advantages and disadvantages. This chapter points out the required parameters and possibilities how to increase driving safety and shorten the time when the driver is not engaged in driving. In the end, the individual technical solutions and mobile applications are compared. In this chapter, we try to point out that projecting information about the vehicle and driving significantly simplifies the driving process and allows the driver to focus exclusively on the road.

This chapter discusses the 3D time-of-flight digitization solution Helios2 along with the ArenaSDK software package and their use in digitizing objects with different surface properties. Helios2 ToF camera is an advanced device that allows you to digitize physical objects in real time, which can be used for computer and robotic vision. The aim of this research was to verify the use and functionality of the camera for the needs of digitization of objects. The first part of the article describes the Helios2 device, its physical and software capabilities, and important features of the ArenaView GUI which affect the quality of the obtained point cloud. The second part describes polygonization process and software GOM Inspect. The preparation of the digitization was divided into hardware, software, and scene preparation. Three boxes made of cardboard with natural color were digitized. Subsequently, the obtained surface was imported into the GOM Inspect software and polygonized. Polygonization parameter values have been adjusted. The result was a polygonal model of the surface. In the process of polygonization, a decrease in the quality of the obtained data occurred caused by the field of view of the camera, black matte material, and multipath effect. Further research is needed for accurate and detailed digitization of objects using time-of-flight technology.

Recent studies show that intelligence planning and construction management, so the use of intelligence technologies and tools for interconnection, communication, and real-time interaction, are promising objects of research for many researchers and experts in the field of construction, architecture, and construction. By using intelligent tools, it is possible to contribute to increasing efficiency and effectiveness, high-quality management, and comprehensive health, safety, and environmental management. Based on these facts, the paper analyzes the current state of use of smart construction site tools in the Slovak construction industry. The research analyzed of current state of knowledge and use of smart tools in construction sector industry. The research examined the following aspects in detail: the degree of implementation, the main obstacles and benefits of implementing the principles of smart construction site, degree of use of tools ensuring protection of property, health and safety on site and the rate of use of construction robots and use of applications for the management and application of intelligence tools in the processes of planning and management of construction production.

This chapter describes the process of die forging, a forging made of semicrystalline polyamide (PA). The purpose of the conducted research was to assess the possibility of shaping plastic forgings with the use of metalworking technology. It is shown that the forging process using this technology can be successfully used to produce plastic with favorable properties and good surface quality. For this purpose, appropriate tooling, machines, and process parameters were designed and manufactured. The forging technology was selected because areas of very uneven deformation occur during this process and the starting material is required to be of appropriate structural quality and not have surface defects that cannot be removed in the forging process. If there are scratches or cracks on the surface of the stock, they will grow larger during forging, causing the forgings to fail. In the experimental part, PA was subjected to annealing under varying temperature conditions before being introduced into the forging process. The effect of annealing temperature on the hardness and structure of the PA forging shaped by the drop forging technique was evaluated. The results showed a significantly higher hardness of the surface of the unheated PA forging on the forging side compared to the surface of the opposite sample. In the case of heated PA forging samples at 160 °C, an increase in surface hardness and crystallinity due to recrystallization of PA was noted. The results showed a high dependence of the die forging process on the temperature of the polyamide annealing, which significantly affects the properties and structure. It was concluded that die forging sets a new direction in the manufacturing processes of plastic products.

This chapter describes an experimental measurement of the deviation from the diameter of a C45 steel workpiece using optical laser sensors and a mechanical micrometer. The aim of this experiment was to analyze and then compare the measured values of the diameter deviation Δ_d from the average for each type of measurement method. In the first part, we described the principle of measurement with an optical sensor (confocal and triangulation). In the second part, the measurements were performed on the machined bar. In the last part, we evaluated the results of the experiment, analyzing the measurement results of different measurement techniques.

The chapter deals with messages notifying errors in technological equipment in industrial production through the integration of IIoT equipment into the existing cloud infrastructure of an enterprise. At present, management of production is negatively impacted by the human factor. Through integration of the solution proposed, this impact is eliminated and the predictive capacity prevents premature and undesirable need for maintaining the technological equipment. The original messaging used to be done only in the form of a visual notification appearing on the control panel, addressed to the operators present, based on the software visualization platform Wonderware System Platform 2017. The new solution will consist of an original design, which will be supplemented with email and SMS notification using an IIoT device, thus making possible communication between the existing software platform and a GSM modem with a SIM card. The innovativeness of the solution also lies in messages being sent to several responsible persons in the production process rather than just one.

The work describes the application of numerical methods in determining the regression model of body cooling. For the theoretical model, a method for determining the exponential regression function for the given experimental data using numerical methods is given. This method of determining the regression function can also be used for some other types of nonlinear regression functions.

In this chapter, a method for the separation of mixed polymeric waste from the automotive industry for the efficient recovery of raw materials for mechanical recycling was proposed. The topic of the study was shredded mixed polymeric waste, which was subjected to separation in several stages (for liquids of different specific densities) using the sink-float density method. In this process, the mixed plastics were separated into a heavy fraction and a light fraction, consisting of plastics of lower specific density in comparison with the medium in which the flotation process was carried out. Next, the selected separated material fractions were subjected to heat pressing to prepare standardized test samples intended to evaluate the quality of the polymer blends produced. The mechanical properties were evaluated by a static tensile test in which the tensile modulus, tensile strength, elongation at maximum tensile strength, tensile at the break, and elongation at break were determined. Microscopic evaluation of the fractured surface obtained in the static tensile test was also evaluated. The obtained test results allowed us to evaluate the efficiency of the separation process using the flotation method and allowed us to determine the most advantageous composition of the composite. The study showed that by sink-float separation it is possible to recover pure polymer fractions for industrial applications.

Automotive coatings and methods of their application to automotive components are examples of cutting-edge surface technologies. In addition, they also satisfy a number of other requirements, which are mainly long life of materials, satisfaction of consumers’ aesthetic standards, optimized performance, and they should also meet environmental regulations. These achievements are the result of 100 years of trial and error experience, methodologies, technological advances, but also scientific research. The varnishing process of cataphoresis consists of several steps, namely: chemical degreasing, double hot rinsing, surface activation, zinc phosphate, double cold rinsing, passivation, cold rinsing, cataphoretic node, double ultrafiltrate rinsing, calcination, and cooling. The result of these operations is a surface that effectively resists corrosion, strikes, and is ready for further surface applications.

The aim of the work was to perform MSA and SPC analyses with the assistance of the Palstat software. The analyses help us to identify and prevent the occurrence of defects in the process of varnishing by cataphoresis. The software mainly uses the functions of statistics.

The control chart, one of the seven QC tools, is a good example of this. Finally, we have evaluated the technological process of cataphoretic varnishing of a selected product of the automotive industry using correctly chosen methods.

Due to technological and system developments, companies must constantly improve their production systems and processes. Production planning and control help to implement these changes and evaluate them based on correctly chosen methods. Production planning depends on customer demand. It is a process that ensures sufficient raw materials, labour, and resources to produce finished products according to a set plan and, simultaneously, manages these processes to be carried out on time and quality. With the help of a production plant, the company can streamline the flow of processes, ensure the purchase of material, and minimize costs and production time. Based on the analysis of the selected company, a proposal was adopted for streamlining the production process and operations. The research aimed to adopt solutions for the implementation of efficient production with sufficiently high-quality products, satisfied customers and employees with maximum efforts to gain and maintain a stable position of the company in the market. Through the proposed implementation of an information system for the management and operation of medium and large enterprises ERP ABRA Gen, the surveyed company can effectively plan and manage all processes “in one” to connect all work sections. This would make the operation of the whole company more efficient.

The process of control of complex parts is characterized by labor intensity, increased complexity, and requires careful selection of measuring tools. This article proposes a method of decision-making on the quality of the control process of complex parts. This method takes into account the main shortcomings of the process, which are the difficulties that may arise in the choice of universal and standardized measuring instruments that are ineffective in the presence of advanced and automated controls; in the appointment of measuring instruments, which is conducted separately for each operation, which is inefficient for multi-item production; in the high complexity of control in the absence of automated tools for the formation of control results, as well as the lack of training of controllers, in connection with the use of simple control and measuring instruments. Proposed method is based on the application of the proposed universal integrated indicator, “the quality level of the process of complex parts control”, based on which decisions are made. The article also offers recommendations for evaluating individual process indicators and suggestions for decision-making on the quality of the process.

Steel sheet is still the most widespread base material in the production of stampings. Due to its shape, the sheet metal is predestined for surface forming. Even complex, dimensional components can be produced from a flat semi-finished product as easily, quickly, and cheaply. Technical processing of new materials with new properties brings several problems because, in most cases, the indicators of their technological processability – compressibility – deteriorate. Verification of the compressibility of the material is therefore often necessary. The basic assessment of the formability of steel sheets is performed using the characteristic values ​​of the basic sheet metal tests. Based on the results of these tests, it is possible to get a clear idea of ​​the properties of the material and its potential use in practice. This paper aims to monitor the technological parameters in the sheet metal drawing process, their tribological characteristics, and the overall impact on the sheet metal drawing process.

Project buffer management while preventing the project from swelling results in efficient and reliable scheduling in the project. This research introduces a heuristic project buffer management (HPBM) algorithm. The purpose of this research is to determine the project buffer size in the planning phase. Introducing a heuristic algorithm to determine the buffer size of a project and implementing the algorithm in the implementation of a renewable wind farm is one of the innovations of this research. The proposed algorithm has two phases. In the first phase, the necessary operations to prepare a schedule of project activities are determined and in the second phase, the size of the project buffer is specified. The proposed algorithm for data analysis as well as its performance evaluation is coded and executed in MATLAB software, and the inputs of this project have been used and compared in several models recently presented by researchers. The results showed that the algorithm used had better results than the proposed models.

In the past, there have been several major and minor economic crises in global society. The financial crisis in 2008 was one of the biggest economic crises since the Great Depression in 1928. The crisis was a direct result of the decline in liquidity in global financial markets that arose in the United States as a result of the collapse of the US housing market. The Covid-19 pandemic crisis stunned all aspects of society and saw dramatic effects on society’s socio-economic spectrum. The paper analyzes the effects of selected crises on the profitability of sales. The research analyzed data from companies that belong to the TOP 100 construction companies operating in Slovakia and their activities began before 2008. The data used in the survey were obtained from the annual reports of selected companies and publicly available economic portals. The aim of the paper is to compare the profitability of sales and results of selected construction companies in three periods, namely during the financial crisis in 2008, in 2014, which can be specified as a transitional period, or the market stabilized after the financial crisis and the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey will result in conclusions and future recommendations that will help eliminate the adverse effects of future crises on the activities of construction companies.

Artificial intelligence can be considered a leading component of industrial transformation, but its application is also present in other areas, such as the telecommunications sector. Methodologies based on artificial intelligence, the most significant of which is machine learning, support these areas when predicting maintenance needs and reducing downtime. Machine learning has many algorithms and methods of its own. This research presents machine learning methods and the possibilities of their use in the areas of telecommunications and Industry 4.0. With the improvement of new technologies such as higher internet speeds and 5G mobile networks in the field of telecommunications or Industry 4.0, comes the need for new and improved management and support for systems that use these new technologies. Some types of machine learning can be used for collecting data to improve user’s quality of service. Also, some types of them can be used to collect data on network traffic or, in general, for any system that needs to collect data, cluster data points, and analyze data.

Based on this paper’s literature review, we provide guidelines for mitigating a common problem when using virtual reality (VR) applications – cybersickness. Cybersickness is a frequent side effect when immersed in the VR environment, especially when users participate in longer VR sessions (gaming, educational, training, or other kinds) using head-mounted display (HMD) systems. The root cause of cybersickness is the computer-generated environment, designed to envelop the user’s senses, which ultimately tricks the human sensory systems responsible for detecting a motion. The severity of the effect varies on an individual-to-individual basis. Still, in all cases, it causes discomfort to the VR users and negatively affects their quality of experience (QoE). Given that VR applications are increasingly being used for educational and training purposes in different industries, we will summarize previous studies’ experiences and results to derive a compact set of guidelines that could help the industry professionals mitigate the cybersickness risk and effects.

This research concentrates on the upcoming trends and changes within operations management generated by the digital transformation. The main aim is to investigate how the digital transformation influences on operations management practices. The individual in-depth interviews with selected experts and operations managers from Polish industrial medium enterprises were conducted to derive practical insights. Although most studies have emphasized on technological aspects of the Industry 4.0 concept, rather insufficient attention has been paid to operations management. Key expected outcomes of the digital transformation within planning, controlling, organizing, and staffing are the main findings of the article and they build a reference point to inspire scientists to conduct further research in this direction and improve the management methods in the Industry 4.0 environment. The research results are relevant to both practitioners and academics. The implications of this study can be useful in the development of a new approach to operations management, new business models, and finally can increase the overall effectiveness of the Industry 4.0 implementation. This study proposal is a part of a wider debate and should help to investigate the possibility of applying existing and creating new management methods for a successful digital transformation.