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- Intelligent Logistics Management in Industry 4.0: An Application Based on an Automated Intelligent VehiclePublication . Menezes, César; Castro, Helio; Ávila, Paulo; Bastos, João; Putnik, Goran; Cunha, Maria; Ferreira, LuísCompanies that faces transport challenges and require logistics efficiency need to implement solutions based on automation, provided in Industry 4.0. Intelligent Logistics Management, satisfying the demanding requirements of the customer, using new technologies and advanced tools to control and to act along the supply chain are mandatory. To address this topic, this paper presents an application of an Automated Intelligent Vehicle.
- An analysis about the resources selection process in agile/virtual enterprisesPublication . Pires, António; Putnik, Goran; Ávila, PauloWe intend in the context of this work, to do an analysis on studies, literary revisions and mainly on existent models, in the universe of virtual enterprises resources selection, in order to allow us to put on perspective, in a sustainable way, new slopes to be incorporated that contributes to an improvement of the whole global process. This analysis for the A/VE was focused in several areas and basic slopes for the whole global process of the problem in question, namely in terms of the pre-selection phases and requisites; selection phases, requisites and methods; mathematical models, used tools and other important areas. There were incorporated the decision process of create an A/VE project and the requisites of the process principal phases. We approach the essential aspects for the work that is intended to develop, such as the integration of the existent models with the tasks plan (PT) of the product, namely if there are contemplated the eformulation and evaluation of the PT, and other important characteristics such as the weighting of resources and the incorporation of the value concept in the existent models, being that in our opinion an integration of a methodology of the type of Value Analysis will be able to incorporate surplus values in all this process. Conclusions were withdrawn on the whole global process, pointing to gaps and limitations and trying to do an approach which allows to sinthetize and put in perspective an efficient analysis of the whole extent of the problem in question.
- Lean learning academy: an innovative learning concept in engineering curriculaPublication . Martens, Ignace; Colpaert, Jan; De Boeck, Liesje; Vaz de Carvalho, Carlos; Ávila, Paulo; Lopes, Manuel; Bastos, João; Fonseca, LuísToday, companies are faced with decreasing profit margins due to economic crisis and global competition. At the same time, in many higher educational institutions, students attend rather unattractive courses by sitting and listening to lecturers teaching ex-cathedra. This paper describes how Lean Learning Academy, an innovative training programme on lean manufacturing, can contribute to the competitiveness of companies, to the employability of employees and students, to the motivation of students, and to the attractiveness of engineering curricula. The training programme can be considered as a successful innovative alternative for the traditional way of teaching.
- Framework for a risk assessment model to apply in Virtual / Collaborative EnterprisesPublication . Ávila, Paulo; Mota, Alzira; Bastos, João; Patrício, Leonel; Pires, António; Castro, Helio; Cruz-Cunha, Maria Manuela; Varela, LeonildeRisk assessment is a theme of large spectrum applied in different fields. In the context of Virtual / Collaborative Enterprises there are several risks whose assessment should be aware to avoid undesirable consequences either for entire networked or for a partner in particular. The objective of this work is centered on the creation of a framework / guidelines to serve as a basis for the creation of a better risk assessment model for Virtual / Collaborative Enterprises. This work analyzed the few models available in the literature and identified some gaps that were used to purpose complementary guidelines for the design and / or improve the future risk assessment models. The pointed guidelines covered three important topics: risk factors; assessment methods; and the impact in different life cycle phases of a Virtual / Collaborative Enterprise. Considering the results of the work it is our conviction that there is space to improve the research in this field and a more robust and flexible risk assessment model should be developed.
- Revision, Application and Evaluation of Electronic Markets in PortugalPublication . Campos, Nuno; Ávila, Paulo; Bastos, JoãoThe electronic markets are information systems used for several different organizational entities, within one or several levels in economic value chains. Electronic markets are considered platforms of commercial transactions between companies or business to business platforms. According to Bakos (1998), play a central role in the economy, facilitating the exchange of information, goods, services, and payments. In the process, they create economic value for buyers, sellers, market intermediaries, and for society at large. The objectives of this paper are: to perform the identification of the current state and evolution of B2B markets in Portugal; characterize the platform features of these markets; and finally, to create a guideline set to support companies that pretend to adhere to these markets.
- Broker and Market of Resources as Organizational Mechanisms for Sustainability of Resources Selection Processes In Agile / Virtual EnterprisesPublication . Ávila, Paulo; Putnik, Goran; Cunha, Maria; Pires, AntónioOur Agile / Virtual Enterprises (A/V E) model, it is associated with the creation of temporary net of several physical organizations (or resources), with the intention to develop and produce one or more products/services, in the quantity and quality desirable, answering rapidly to a market solicitation. Our model has to satisfy four functional requirements: virtuality, distributivity, integrability and agility. The main mechanisms, or tools, for assuring satisfaction and implementation of these requirements, by the Virtual Enterprises Architecture Reference Model (BM_VEARM), are the Broker, the Market of Resources and the virtuality (as the specific organization architectural, or structural, pattern). In this paper, Broker and Market of Resources, and their roles and relationship within the process of resources selection, as one of the main processes of the A/V E as well as one of the “agility” processes, are considered. Both of them, Broker and Market of Resources, are independent physical entities, with own juridical identification, that inter-working between them and the Principal (the mentor of a business opportunity), could origin an A/V E creation. We will show in this article the main functions and its organizational position, associated to the triple Broker – Resources Market – Principal, for the A/V E configuration and operation. For the resources system selection those functions will be more detailed explained and identified its tools or type of tools, and its desired performance to assure the A /V E integrability and agility. One of these kinds of tools, are expected to be quality assurance tools, namely the value analyses.
- ISO 9001 Certification Benefits: A Principal Component AnalysisPublication . Fonseca, Luís; Cardoso, Maria Cristiana; Pereira, Maria Teresa Ribeiro; Ávila, PauloThis research addresses the benefits of ISO 9001 to understand the reasons behind its worldwide adoption. By applying principal component analysis to the results of a survey encompassing 526 valid responses (24.4% response rate), a more business-oriented scale than the traditional internal/external type of motivation with three main categories of benefits is proposed: operational improvement benefit (regarded as the most relevant), profitability and, market. The internal benefits related to the operational improvement are the benefits most felt by organizations, highlighting the contribution of ISO 9001 to improve learning processes and knowledge generation. Concerning the organization size, medium sized organizations attribute greater importance to the market and competitiveness. However, there are no statistical differences in the reporting of benefits felt in operational improvement and profitability. In relation to the year of certification, organizations certified before the year 2000 report higher market benefits when compared to those certified later. The investigation of ISO 9001 within Industry 4.0 and digital processes are suggested for future research.
- The potential of value analysis application in the furniture industry – a case study at IKEAPublication . Pires, António; Ávila, Paulo; Putnik, Goran; Varela, Leonilde; Cruz-Cunha, Maria Manuela; Caldeira, RitaValue analysis methodology uses a structured and methodical job plan contemplating several steps to ensure success in its application. This paper intends to perspective the potential of value analysis application, namely in the furniture industry. To draw conclusions of this potential a case study was developed at an IKEA factory in Portugal. To characterize the customer needs in a clear language and to quantify the value of a product (a bookcase) produced in this factory, a value analysis study was developed. Functional analysis is the most known and distinctive phase of value analysis and is, nowadays, an autonomous tool. With this functional analysis, the authors intend to describe the functions that the product performs, to provide a better knowledge of the product, to evaluate the degree of satisfaction of the product through its functional performance and to facilitate the search for alternative solutions. The results obtained allowed us to reach some important conclusions about the application of value analysis in this type of industry and can be an initial step to promote the use of this tool in this kind of industry.
- Optimization of the quality plan in Saint-Gobain Mondego, SA - a case studyPublication . Ávila, Paulo; Putnik, Goran; Sá, Catarina; Contente, JoãoThe quality plan is one of the most important documents into the quality management systems. It brings to the system how the quality control should be done in order to assure the product quality and the customer’s satisfaction. Nowadays the production systems have to continue to improve its performance in order to be more competitive and the quality plan has to follow this trend too. In this work we will present a case study developed in Saint-Gobain Mondego, SA, whose goal was to improve the quality plan in order to reduce the product non conformities and simultaneously the costs associated with the quality. The present work makes firstly a presentation of the enterprise production process and an overview of how the quality controls it is performed during the process. After that, we will characterize the problem that Saint-Gobain proposes to study; our propose to decrease the problem; the tests effectuated and the analysis of the results; and the final conclusions about this case. How we will see, there are strong signs that the proposal tested will bring quality improvement associated with a cost reduction and consequently better satisfaction for the customer.
- Agile Project Management: A Communicational Workflow ProposalPublication . Loiro, Carina; Castro, Helio; Ávila, Paulo; Cruz-Cunha, Maria Manuela; Putnik, Goran D.; Ferreira, LuísEmbracing agility brings change to companies and everyone involved, so people have a fundamental role in project development. It is essential that teams have a good communication, motivation and concern about quality and client satisfaction, Agile Manufacturing is using Agile Project Management to provide the right team to performance difficult tasks and achieve goals. This paper proposes a team that deals with Agile Project Management, named as AGILE team, composed by a product owner, a team leader and team members, and a communication workflow proposal concerning the conjunction of 3 momentums (requirements analyze, planning and design) along the Agile Project Management. The proposed model is being implemented in a lightening manufacturing company in a very early stage.