How Do Organizational Capabilities Sustain Continuous Innovation in a Public Setting?

Just as private organizations rely on dynamic capabilities to sustain their innovative capacity and competitive advantage, the public sector may resort to them to improve its ability to address citizens’ needs. But how do innovation and organizational capabilities interact in a public setting? This analysis of the Congestion Charge Zone implemented by the Municipality of Milan in Italy explores this issue, and highlights the role played by interorganizational and cross-sector collaborative innovation. Results show that multi-actor engagement within a multilevel collaborative environment enhances the system’s ability to understand the problems to be addressed, to create and implement appropriate solutions, and to foster ownership of the innovation. They confirm that sharing knowledge and engaging in interorganizational learning are central to the development of innovation; however, they also highlight that these dynamics strengthen collective capabilities at the organizational and system’s level, thereby producing a reinforcing effect on innovative capacities at both levels. Based on these findings, a framework for continuous public innovation through collaboration is proposed which, first, provides a tool for mapping the factors and dynamics that shape collaborative innovation in a public setting and, second, explains how the process of collaborative innovation fosters organizational dynamic capabilities that, in turn, sustain the organizations’ capacity to innovate in the longer run.

EXCITONS IN FUNCTION TO THE BINDING COEFICIENT IN MONOCRISTALLINE SILICON BASE.

The exciton is a particle formed between one or more electrons intermediate levels with one or more holes in the valence band. These two particles are bonded by electrical interactions. These interactions are modeled by a coupling coefficient denoted b. Thus in this article, a study of the variation of the excess excitons density in the base in function to the binding coefficient was done. This study shows that, the excess excitons density is zero at the junction of the base and the space charge zone. By cons, in depth, the excitons density increases as a function to the coupling coefficient. Indeed, when one enters deep, interactions between holes and electrons become very important modeled by a high coupling coefficient. These result a reduction of the excess minority carriers mobility in the base and the formation of exciton complexes, hence the increase of the excess excitons density in the base. The reduction of the excess excitons density at the rear face is due to a very high excitons recombination in this region. This is due to a lack adhesion of the metal contact and disruption of the crystal lattice in this region. When the cell is under polychromatic light, the excess excitons density in the base is very high compared to that obtained when the cell is in dark.

Comparison the Physico-Chemical Model of Ferrosilicon Smelting Process with Results Observations of the Process under the Industrial Conditions

Based on the minimum Gibbs Free Enthalpy algorithm (FEM), model of the ferrosilicon smelting process has been presented. It is a system of two closed isothermal reactors: an upper one with a lower temperature T1, and a lower one with a higher temperature T2. Between the reactors and the environment as well as between the reactors inside the system, a periodical exchange of mass occurs at the moments when the equilibrium state is reached. The condensed products of chemical reactions move from the top to the bottom, and the gas phase components move in the opposite direction. It can be assumed that in the model, the Reactor 1 corresponds to the charge zone of submerged arc furnace where heat is released as a result of resistive heating, and the Reactor 2 corresponds to the zones of the furnace where heat is produced by electric arc. Using the model, a series of calculations was performed for the Fe-Si-O-C system and was determined the influence of temperatures T1, T2 on the process. The calculation results show a good agreement model with the real ferrosilicon process. It allows for the determination of the effects of temperature conditions in charge zones and arc zones of the ferrosilicon furnace on the carbothermic silica reduction process. This allows for an explanation of many characteristic states in the ferrosilicon smelting process.

Projectile Driving Band Interactions With Gun Barrels

This paper discusses results from a series of trials carried out to determine the effect of the projectile driving band on the stress applied to a 155mm gun barrel during firing. The interference between the driving band and gun barrel can apply significant loads to the barrel and, in extreme cases, lead to premature cracking and failure of the barrel. Strain gage data from firing trials has been used to characterize the external strain from firing different projectiles and charges to identify potential problems and provide information for fatigue analysis. Very high band strains were routinely measured under “oiled bore” conditions, i.e., after barrel cleaning and also during the first one to three rounds of a serial following a long pause in firing, such as at the start of a day’s firing. In general, the strain associated with the driving band was seen to decrease with increased charge zone, barrel wear, and, at higher charge zones, distance along the barrel. In the majority of tests fired at maximum charge, there was no strain peak associated with the driving band in the forward part of the barrel. In conjunction with these experimental observations, a laboratory study has been carried out on the effect of a narrow pressure band on the deformation of a thick-walled tube. An apparatus was constructed in order to pressurize a known length of a smooth-bore cylinder. Sealing width at the edges of the band was minimized to reduce edge effects, and an oversize pressurized “cap” was used to ensure that the bandwidth remained constant during the experiments. Spacer disks were used to vary the bandwidth and also to adjust the cylinder position relative to the band. Measured external strains on the tubes were compared to calculations based on analytical solutions for step pressure changes and are shown to be in good agreement.

Optimisation of high pressure gas quenching by application of CFD analysis

At Aichelin GmbH an experimental high pressure gas quenching facility was used for heat treatment of automotive parts. Since uniformity and core strength of the heat treated parts were insufficient, a CFD-analysis was carried out to investigate the influence of the flow field on the performance of the facility. The results showed that the design of the facility was quite unfavorable from a fluid dynamics point of view. Large variations of flow velocity occurred in the charge zone and high pressure loss was produced by reduced cross section at shut-off valves. An optimization of the existing facility did not seem promising. Consequently, a new facility concept was designed, incorporating the results of the previous simulation and again tested by means of numerical simulation. The charge was simulated by a grid of cylindrical parts and in addition the gas pressure was increased to 20 bars. The new design demonstrated a very homogeneous flow field in the vicinity of the charge and pressure drop was reduced by three quarters. However the attempted quenching performance was not yet achieved with the initial blower. The results from the simulation led to the design of a full scale industrial gas quenching facility with an improved fan. This facility was able to meet the requirements in terms of core strength and uniformity from the beginning.