IRIS - UNIRSM (Univ. degli Studi della Repubblica di San Marino)
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A meta-analysis of industry 4.0-related technologies that are suitable for lean manufacturing
No full textIndustry 4.0 and lean production are two key topics in manufacturing in the last decades, and they have attracted a great interest both from practitioners and researchers, as it is testified by the great number of studies and projects on those two topics. The diffusion of lean principles has revolutionized the industrial context, both from a manufacturing and from a logistics point of view. Several studies suggest that the right way to achieve the main goals of lean, i.e. reducing wastes and increasing value through the five concepts that aim at perfection, lies in the integration of physical machines and electronic devices through networks of sensors and software to forecast, plan, manufacture, and control products in a ‘digitised’ way. It is generally agreed that the digitisation of firms needs the adoption of key enabling technologies. What is not clear is which of these key enabling technologies are ‘lean enablers’, in the correctly redesigned business processes of a lean organisation. The objective of this article is to identify and analyse which key enabling technologies can be considered in a lean-oriented future state process or, alternatively, which other context of application is suitable for those technologies. The analysis is based on published literature, and it makes use of a quantitative systematic method known as meta-analysis, aimed at identifying future topics and research trends concerning Industry 4.0, its key enabling technologies and their implementations as possible enablers of lean thinking and lean manufacturing
Multiscale approach for three-phase CNT/polymer/fiber laminated nanocomposite structures
No full textThe free vibration analysis of laminated nanocomposite plates and shells using first-order shear deformation theory and the Generalized Differential Quadrature (GDQ) method is presented. Each layer of the laminate is modelled as a three-phase composite. An example of such composite material is given by a polymeric matrix reinforced with Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs enhance the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix and the nanocomposite is treated as an isotropic material; a micromechanics model is used to compute the engineering constants of the isotropic hybrid material. This approach based on the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka scheme takes into account the agglomeration of the nanoparticles in the matrix. The second step consists in combining this enriched matrix with unidirectional and oriented reinforcing fibers to obtain a fibrous composite with improved mechanical features. The overall mechanical properties of each orthotropic ply are evaluated through different micromechanics approaches. Each technique is illustrated in details and the transversely isotropic properties of the three-phase layers are completely defined. The effects of both CNTs agglomeration and the mass fraction of these particles are investigated comparing with the results obtained by various homogenization techniques
Recommendation of RILEM TC237-SIB: protocol for characterization of recycled asphalt (RA) materials for pavement applications
No full textTECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND UNIVERSITIES: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
No full textTechnology transfer (TT) may be defined generally as “the transfer of the results of research from universities to the commercial sector” [1]. TT programs are important to the academic institutions’ mission of education, research, and public service. Indeed, as highlighted in the literature [2], they provide a series of benefits for universities. To cite only some of these benefits, they allow universities a mechanism for important research results to be transferred to the public, represent a mean to faculty and inventors in dealing with industry arrangements and technology transfer issues, and provide a marketing tool to attract students, faculty, and external research funding. Due to the importance of TT in general and within universities in particular, we thus believe that a more general understanding of university–industry relationship may be useful. Based on these premises, the purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of TT within universities. Specifically, it focuses on synthesizing the more relevant research available in the literature to establish both what the authors know and do not know about this topic, thus identifying areas for future research. The research is based on a review of published papers on TT and universities available on the Web of Science (WoS) database, performed using BibExcel and Gephi. The authors have identified the most influential works based on citations and as well as the major clusters that provide potential opportunities for future investigation. The results may help researchers and practitioners to be aware of the benefits of TT within universities, and provide valuable insights
A MODEL FOR ACADEMIC SPINOFFS CREATION
No full textUniversities are key players in entrepreneurial ecosystems. A positive consequence of their knowledge production and dissemination activity is the creation of academic spin-offs [1]. In fact, the companies called academic spin-offs (ASO) represent entrepreneurial activities originated by academic personnel in university environments [2]. In recent years ASOs have received considerable attention from both policy makers and the scientific world [3]. Academic spin-offs are born with the aim of exploiting the results of research carried out in universities and today they are considered a central resource for economic growth. The positive impact on the processes of technological change and economic development of these companies is essential in a global economic context that sees innovation as a decisive added value [4]. Numerous researchers working in the economic and management fields have deepened the factors linked to the propensity of the university to generate ASOs. At the moment, several models for the creation of an ASO are present in the literature; the purpose of this paper is to provide a unique model, to be followed phase by phase in temporal succession. In particular, the work of [5] was chosen as the basis for the model definition. In fact, the five proposed phases cover the entire cycle of the spin-off creation and allow to deal with all the obstacles that can arise by inserting each one in a reference phase
Empowerment Journeys of Women with Disabilities: A Case Study
No full textSocial inclusion of women with disabilities is currently an extremely complex challenge, an educational emergency, which mainly involves Special Education.The development of the international normative framework did not help the majority of women with disabilities, who are still socially underprivileged and are often victims of multi-discrimination, which is part of an extensive process of feminization of poverty. Starting from the above mentioned daunting overview, the article aims at contributing to the debate on the need to reinforce a theoretical and methodological framework of interpretation. Such framework should be able to link the conditions of gender and disability together, thus pursuing an emancipating perspective.The article aspires to reflect on potential perspectives of social development, combining and balancing social protection elements with educational and employment opportunities through empowerment processes designed for women with disabilities. Such reflection will move its steps from the case-study on a journey of social and employment inclusion embraced by women with disabilities living in the difficult context of Gaza Strip
