Pricing and assembly rate decisions for a prefabricated construction supply chain under subsidy policies

Prefabricated construction has attracted worldwide concern and promotion due to its environmental friendliness, high quality, and high efficiency. In China, the application of prefabricated construction still lags due to its high cost. To improve prefabricated construction development, the Chinese government and provinces have launched subsidy policies for different objects that offer subsidies to the assembler, the manufacturer, or consumers. Subsidy policies for different subsidy objects have different impacts on the manufacturer wholesale price and assembler retail price and assembly rate and make their decisions more complicated. Therefore, this study uses game theory and builds three models to analyze the effects of government subsidies on manufacturer pricing, assembler pricing, assembly rate decisions, and profit. We find that government subsidy policies can bring more profit to prefabricated construction enterprises, reduce their costs, and benefit the promotion of prefabricated construction. Through comparison and numerical analysis, we also find that when the government subsidizes enterprises more, it is better to subsidize the assembler, because it is good for all three parties. First, consumers can obtain a lower retail price. Second, enterprises can obtain more profits. Finally, for the government, this approach can increase the demand for prefabricated construction and increase the assembly rate, which is conducive to the promotion of prefabricated construction. When the government subsidizes customers more, it is better for the assembler and the manufacturer to subsidize customers, because they can obtain more profits. It is better for the government and customers to subsidize the assembler or the manufacture, because consumers can get the lower retail price. Although the assembly rate and enterprises’ profits are not optimal, they have also been improved. In addition, when the government directly subsidizes enterprises, the enterprises will actively cooperate with the subsidy policy and are more willing to adopt prefabricated construction. This approach will benefit the promotion of prefabricated construction.

Application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology in the quality management of prefabricated buildings

Recent years, China is focus on promoting prefabricated buildings in the field of construction and increasing the assembly rate of various buildings throughout the country, and it should pay more attention to the quality issues of prefabricated construction. BIM technology is a emerging science and technology, it has the advantages to control the quality of the construction, and play the critical role in the production and construction of prefabricated buildings. The application ideas of BIM technology and put forward, which provide a reference for improving the quality of prefabricated buildings.

Case analysis on indirect economic benefits of industrial building construction

In this paper, the economic benefits of prefabricated buildings which are not directly reflected in the economic returns of investors are called indirect economic benefits. Based on the literature mining of the indirect economic relationship of a large number of prefabricated buildings, this paper constructs an analysis framework of indirect environment and social and economic benefits. Through BIM modeling software, the three prefabricated building models are modified into traditional building models. The indirect economic benefits of the project are calculated by using the index system. The functional relationship between the indirect economic benefits of prefabricated buildings and the assembly rate is established by using the SSPS statistical data processing software, which more intuitively shows the law of the indirect economic benefits of prefabricated buildings with the assembly rate It shows the impact of prefabricated building on environment and society, which is of great significance for the harmony between prefabricated building and society and environment, and the healthy and sustainable development of construction industry.

Design and Evaluation of Human–Machine Interface for NEXUS: A Custom Microassembly System

Microassembly systems utilizing precision robotics have long been used for realizing three-dimensional microstructures such as microsystems and microrobots. Prior to assembly, microscale components are fabricated using micro-electromechanical-system (MEMS) technology. The microassembly system then directs a microgripper through a series of automated or human-controlled pick-and-place operations. In this paper, we describe a novel custom microassembly system, named NEXUS, that can be used to prototype MEMS microrobots. The NEXUS integrates multi-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) precision positioners, microscope computer vision, and microscale process tools such as a microgripper and vacuum tip. A semi-autonomous human–machine interface (HMI) was programmed to allow the operator to interact with the microassembly system. The NEXUS human–machine interface includes multiple functions, such as positioning, target detection, visual servoing, and inspection. The microassembly system's HMI was used by operators to assemble various three-dimensional microrobots such as the Solarpede, a novel light-powered stick-and-slip mobile microcrawler. Experimental results are reported in this paper to evaluate the system's semi-autonomous capabilities in terms of assembly rate and yield and compare them to purely teleoperated assembly performance. Results show that the semi-automated capabilities of the microassembly system's HMI offer a more consistent assembly rate of microrobot components and are less reliant on the operator's experience and skill.

Design and Evaluation of Human-Machine Interface for NEXUS: A Custom Microassembly System

Microassembly systems utilizing precision robotics have long been used for realizing 3-dimensional microstructures such as microrobots. Prior to assembly, such components are fabricated using Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) technology. The microassembly system then directs a microgripper through automated or human-controlled pick-and-place operations. In this paper, we describe a novel custom microassembly system, named NEXUS. The NEXUS integrates multi-degree of freedom (DOF) precision positioners, microscope computer vision, and micro-scale process tools such as a microgripper and vacuum tip. A semi-autonomous human-machine interface (HMI) is programmed by NI LabVIEW® to allow the operator to interact with the microassembly system. The NEXUS human-machine interface includes multiple functions, such as positioning, target detection, visual servoing, and inspection. The microassembly system’s HMI was used by operators to assemble various 3-dimensional microrobots such as the Solarpede, a novel light-powered stick-and-slip mobile microcrawler. Experimental results are reported in this paper that evaluate the system’s semi-autonomous capabilities in terms of assembly rate and yield and compare them to purely teleoperated assembly performance. Results show that the semi-automated capabilities of the microassembly system’s HMI offer a more consistent assembly rate of microrobot components.

Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Performance of Prefabricated Buildings

Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the construction industry continue to increase at an annual rate of 1.5%. It is particularly important to understand the characteristics of the building life cycle to reduce its environmental impact. This paper aims to assess the environmental impact of prefabricated buildings and traditional cast-in-situ buildings over the building life cycle using a hybrid model. A case study of a building with a 40% assembly rate in Japan was employed for evaluation. It concluded that the total energy consumption, and carbon emissions of the prefabricated building was 7.54%, and 7.17%, respectively, less than that of the traditional cast-in-situ building throughout the whole life cycle. The carbon emissions reduction in the operation phase reached a peak of 4.05 kg CO2/year∙m2. The prefabricated building was found to cost less than the traditional cast-in-situ building, reducing the price per square meter by 10.62%. The prefabricated building has advantages in terms of reducing global warming, acid rain, and health damage by 15% reduction. With the addition of the assembly rate, the carbon emissions and cost dropped, bottoming out when the assembly rate was 60%. After that, an upward trend was shown with the assembly rate increasing. Additionally, this study outlined that the prefabricated pile foundations is not applicable due to its high construction cost and environmental impact.

PLC Based Fault Identification in Conveyors

In today’s world, the assembly rate has accrued staggeringly. Commonly, engineering industries keep producing same models with slight distinction tall, colour, weight and form. And here fault identification plays a major half. In such circumstances industries can’t vacant golem errors. Therefore it's necessary to develop mechanism for characteristic faults in these product in actual manner. Industrial automation primarily focuses on developing automations having low value, low maintenance, long sturdiness and to create systems user friendly as potential. Finally, here we tend to have developed a system for sorting the light-weight weight objects on the basis of height variation mistreatment proximity sensors that is controlled by Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and the conveyor within the system passes the object in front of sensors and therefore fault identification is completed.

On the relation between filament density, force generation, and protrusion rate in mesenchymal cell motility

Lamellipodia are flat membrane protrusions formed during mesenchymal motion. Polymerization at the leading edge assembles the actin filament network and generates protrusion force. How this force is supported by the network and how the assembly rate is shared between protrusion and network retrograde flow determines the protrusion rate. We use mathematical modeling to understand experiments changing the F-actin density in lamellipodia of B16-F1 melanoma cells by modulation of Arp2/3 complex activity or knockout of the formins FMNL2 and FMNL3. Cells respond to a reduction of density with a decrease of protrusion velocity, an increase in the ratio of force to filament number, but constant network assembly rate. The relation between protrusion force and tension gradient in the F-actin network and the density dependency of friction, elasticity, and viscosity of the network explain the experimental observations. The formins act as filament nucleators and elongators with differential rates. Modulation of their activity suggests an effect on network assembly rate. Contrary to these expectations, the effect of changes in elongator composition is much weaker than the consequences of the density change. We conclude that the force acting on the leading edge membrane is the force required to drive F-actin network retrograde flow.