Preparing Distributed Computing Operations for the HL-LHC Era With Operational Intelligence

As a joint effort from various communities involved in the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid, the Operational Intelligence project aims at increasing the level of automation in computing operations and reducing human interventions. The distributed computing systems currently deployed by the LHC experiments have proven to be mature and capable of meeting the experimental goals, by allowing timely delivery of scientific results. However, a substantial number of interventions from software developers, shifters, and operational teams is needed to efficiently manage such heterogenous infrastructures. Under the scope of the Operational Intelligence project, experts from several areas have gathered to propose and work on “smart” solutions. Machine learning, data mining, log analysis, and anomaly detection are only some of the tools we have evaluated for our use cases. In this community study contribution, we report on the development of a suite of operational intelligence services to cover various use cases: workload management, data management, and site operations.

Lean Enhancement by Application of Total Interpretive Structural Modelling

Prioritizing of factors for effective lean manufacturing poses a challenge to management due to complexities in interrelationships. Diligent understanding of measures of lean manufacturing assumes great importance. Essential manufacturing flexibilities take care of uncertainties driven by dynamics of the market. Interrelationship between factors of manufacturing flexibility and lean manufacturing adds to complexity. Judicious analysis of these factors is imperative to understand their effect on lean manufacturing. Total interpretive structural modeling methodology is used for establishing relationships among the factors affecting lean performance. Case studies have been carried out and TISM is applied to understand the dynamism of factors. Study brings out how the organization of the companies and level of automation help in understating the driving and dependence power. The study helps in understanding the influence of hierarchy and level of factors identified by TISM technique on lean performance as also the factors which merit attention of top management to achieve better results

Design and Development of Low-Level Automation for the Picking and Placing of the Object Using Pneumatic Suction

Pneumatics suction is being used in the food factory for picking and placing the ingredients of food. A clean environment inside the food factory is very much needed the maintain the quality of packaging food. The present work focuses on the low level of automation so that investment cost for processing the raw ingredient goes down. Two double-acting pneumatic cylinders, one pneumatic suction gripper, three pneumatic direction control valves, one screw compressor, one DC motor, two relays, a Push button, and a 24-volt power supply have been used the implement the system. A combination of pneumatic actuation and electrical actuation is used for controlling the motion of the system. A simple control ON/OFF system was used for the actuation. Pneumatic component drive with the help of compressed air via a direction control valve and motor direction control using the relay. By pressing the push button whole, the setup can be controlled in a very easier way and it is very user-friendly for the operator. Several testings have been done on the setup and an excellent result were obtained during execution.

Feasibility Assessment of Grape Vineyards in the Midwest U.S.A.

The production of grapes in the Midwest U.S.A. is not free of challenges. Growers are presented with a long list of strategic and operational decisions when planning a vineyard. This article uses survey data and secondary data to prepare sample budgets and examine costs, expected returns, and economic feasibility of grape vineyards under different production systems. Departing from two sample budgets that resemble the reality of American-hybrid and vinifera grape growers in the Midwest, we examine the economic feasibility of 24 plausible production scenarios by simulating changes in operational and technical parameters of production. Our results show that economies of scale, level of automation, and adequate balance between capital and labor use are determining factors for economic feasibility. Small-scale hybrid vineyards (10 acres or less) are seldom feasible as a stand-alone project. Vinifera vineyards tend to reach superior performance due to scale, decisions regarding automation, and efficiency of field operations. Following the feasibility analyses and results, our discussion helps explain why grape vineyards are frequently integrated with wineries and other business units across the Midwest.

INTERFACE INTERACTION OF THE BIM SOFTWARE WITH MS OFFICE

The paper examines the necessity and possibility of interface interaction of the information modeling program Revit Autodesk with the common office program MS Excel. Such interaction makes it easier to prepare project documentation in accordance with the requirements of Russian standards, GOST. An analysis of the capabilities of the built-in Revit tools for creating specifications and their design according to GOST requirements showed an insufficient level of automation of these processes. Ready-made foreign and Russian solutions in the field of Revit plugins that implement interaction with Excel have a number of disadvantages. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the capabilities of the application programming interface (API) for creating applications using the example of a developed software solution for automating the unloading of information from a BIM model into an Excel electronic document, in order to bring data presentation standards in line with GOST requirements. The application is developed using a tool environment: the C# programming language, the MS Visual Studio development environment, the WPF user interface creation tool, the Revit-side application programming interface .Net API, an interface for interacting with Excel ClosedXML files. As a result, the interface of the developed plugin is presented. The program allows you to export documents-statements and specifications - to Excel, designed according to the requirements of GOST. The user-friendly tab-based user interface, the compliance of the program design with the Revit system and the implemented functionality give the program advantages over its analogues. The application is available for free download to any Revit user, which is of practical importance.

Open-source multi-purpose sensor for measurements in continuous capillary flow

Limited applicability and scarce availability of analytical equipment for micro- and millifluidic applications, which are of high interest in research and development, complicate process development, control, and monitoring. The low-cost sensor presented in this work is a modular, fast, non-invasive, multi-purpose, and easy to apply solution for detecting phase changes and concentrations of optically absorbing substances in single and multi-phase capillary flow. It aims at generating deeper insight into existing processes in fields of (bio-)chemical and reaction engineering. The scope of this work includes the application of the sensor to residence time measurements in a heat exchanger, a tubular reactor for concentration measurements, a tubular crystallizer for suspension detection, and a pipetting robot for flow automation purposes. In all presented applications either the level of automation has been increased or more information on the investigated system has been gained. Further applications are explained to be realized in the near future. Article highlights • An affordable multipurpose sensor for phase differentiation, concentration measurements, and process automation has been developed and characterized • The sensor is easily modified and can be applied to various tubular reaction/process units for analytical and automation purposes • Simple integration into existing process control systems is possible Graphical abstract

Monitoring of resistance spot welding process

Resistance spot welding is a process with high productivity and high level of automation. This rises a number of tasks related to development of quality evaluation and process monitoring systems operating in real-time mode which would allow to detect non-compliant joints during the process run of shortly after it is finished. The more complex task is to make such system as much universal as possible, consisting of relatively simple equipment and with a possibility of full automation of evaluation process. Research was focused on electrical welding parameters which determine the thermal cycle of the welding process as well as the state of metal in the welding zone and its plasticity. Experiments were performed for work pieces with different pre-welding state of surface. Developed method also allows to monitor the state of working surfaces of electrodes and to detect splashes with a relatively high accuracy.

Use of algorithms in BIM-based audit processes

Building information modeling is a complex and structure-based methodology. It applies predefined steps and frameworks; however, an audit procedure can be complicated and time-consuming. The steps of the evaluations are based on logical connections that also form algorithms in a manual workflow. Algorithms can be interpreted by computers with the help of software languages. A higher level of automation, more efficient workflows, and more economical and accurate results can be developed by using algorithms.

Methods of evaluation of production and technological work with shipbuilding

Оценка и анализ производственно-технологических работ судостроительных предприятий обусловлен необходимостью обеспечения конкурентоспособности вновь создаваемых объектов морской техники с показателями качества на уровне лучших мировых образцов с одновременным повышением темпов технико-экономического развития их производства. Названная проблема диктует необходимость адекватной оценки состояния технического оснащения производства, а также наиболее эффективных направлений вложения средств на техническое перевооружение. Техническое оснащение производства во многом зависит от уровня автоматизации, механизации технологических процессов, объёмов ручных работ, конструктивно-технологических особенностей создаваемых объектов морской техники, серийности производства и т.д. Для судостроения, судового машиностроения с учётом единичного и мелкосерийного производства характерна высокая доля ручного труда, особенно при выполнении механомонтажных работ. В статье предложен принципиально новый подход к оценке производственно-технологических работ (уровней технического оснащения производства) судостроительных предприятий. Приведены результаты расчётов и оценки на примере переделов (видов работ) механомонтажного производства для группы отечественных судостроительных предприятий. Предложенный метод оценки производственно-технологических работ (потенциалов) универсален для любых видов судостроительных и машиностроительных работ. Evaluation and analysis of production and technological works of shipbuilding enterprises is conditioned by the need to ensure the competitiveness of newly created marine equipment facilities with quality indicators at the level of the world's best samples, while increasing the pace of technical and economic development of their production. This problem dictates the need for an adequate assessment of the state of technical equipment of production, as well as the most effective ways of investing funds for technical re-equipment. The technical equipment of production largely depends on the level of automation, mechanization of technological processes, the volume of manual work, the design and technological features of the created objects of marine equipment, serial production, etc. For shipbuilding, marine engineering, taking into account single and small-scale production, a high proportion of manual labor is characteristic, especially when performing mechanical installation work. The article proposes a fundamentally new approach to the assessment of production and technological works (levels of technical equipment of production) of shipbuilding enterprises. The results of calculations and estimates on the example of repartitions (types of work) are given mechanical assembly production for a group of domestic shipbuilding enterprises. The proposed method of evaluation of production and technological works (potentials) is universal for all types of shipbuilding and machine-building works.