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In the past decades, the German paper industry has been increasing the sustainability of paper production by continuously using more recovered paper. Today, recovered paper is an essential secondary raw material to produce new paper. Nevertheless, around 20 % of the paper produced in Germany is still not returned to the recovered paper stream and instead is mostly thermally used. To further increase the use of fibers from recovered paper as secondary raw material and thus, to reduce primary energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, new approaches to recycle recovered paper from mixed waste streams are needed. In the research project "Energy savings in paper production by opening up the value chains of recovered paper from lightweight packaging, residual waste and commercial waste" (EnEWA), a treatment process is developed to recover and recycle recovered paper from the mentioned waste streams. The advanced mechanical process to be newly developed consists of dry-mechanical sorting, the manufacturing of economically usable secondary raw materials (defibration), their wet-mechanical dissolution, separation and hygienization and finally their reuse in paper production. This enables the exploitation of new waste streams in material recycling and thus contributes to reduced energy consumption as well as CO2 emissions within the circular economy. Initial material characterization analyses show that on the one hand the quality of the paper discarded in mixed waste streams is sufficient to be used as secondary raw material and that on the other hand up to 50 % of the paper discarded could have been disposed of within the separate paper collection. The results are incorporated in the development of a sorting process for pre-concentrates, which serves as input material for the treatment process to recover paper fibers. In further steps, the results generated will be integrated, for instance, into the future development of the minimum standard for packaging recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissemination of emerging electronic devices increases considerably alongside with the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. Some key elements considered in these devices (e.g. rare-earth) are becoming critical materials and are associated with serious environmental concerns. Therefore, there is a major requirement for designing differently our electronic technologies at the early stages of the research process. Many reports present the promising properties of paper-based electronics as meant to address this challenge. Through technical and life cycle assessments, this article discusses the main design levers in terms of material and fabrication process choices for the eco-design of paper-electronics water quality sensors. Our results suggest conscientious choices of conductive nanomaterials and additive fabrication techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical for manufacturers to identify quality issues in production and prevent defective products being delivered to customers. We investigate the use of deep neural networks to perform automatic quality inspections based on image processing to eliminate the current manual inspection. A deep neural network was implemented in a real-world industrial case study, and its ability to detect quality problems was evaluated and analyzed. The results show that the network has an accuracy of 94.5%, which is considered good in comparison to the 70–80% accuracy of a trained human inspector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Paper and Pulp (P&P) industry resource management scenarios, such as processing cell(s) efficiency reduction, equipment break-down or failures, alternative energy source (biomass and solar energy) utilization/ synchronization with regular energy sources and management decided change in production rate or product quality often occur in industrial processes causing material flow disruption, energy and production losses. In such scenarios, immediate and appropriate actions are required to be taken to minimize energy and production losses. Emerging resource management options tackle these issues through four different ways i.e., by mixing of readymade pulp at various processing stages, by varying the percentage of input raw material, by adopting a parallel utilization of alternative energy sources and by switching on/off some processing units or parallel working segments. These ways are implementable with immediate effect, accurately monitorable and their degree of application can be regulated within a wide range, thus denoted as adaptive solutions. This research work proposes a discrete-event simulation based real-time resource management technique for paper and pulp industry, wherein some resource management challenges are addressed and solved strategically with adaptive solutions. The presented examples validate that using the developed approach, the effective adaptive strategy can be timely planned to resolve occasionally or permanently happening resource management challenges ensuring an un-interrupted material flow throughout the plant along with the minimization of productivity and energy losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small companies encounter difficulties to adapt to new markets with a sustainable perspective. The subject of this article is a paper transformation company which has been eager to develop the organic farming market by developing a new plant support. Alternatives made from plant fibres or plastics exist, such as jute and polypropylene. The main difficulty of this project was to ecodesign a paper product with a multicriteria approach. The factors considered have been divided into two categories. Firstly, the environmental impacts calculated according to the Life Cycle Assessment methodology (on raw material extraction, manufacturing and end-of-life) are summarised. Secondly, the characteristics of the product are discussed in regards to these results and sustainability questions as part of the interpretation phase. Finally, ways of improvement of the LCA methodology to improve the study in terms of geographical representativeness and societal considerations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been used to evaluate the life-cycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of pulp and paper production, and most previous studies rely on process-based models for specific product types (e.g., printing paper), industry-average data, or information from a few mills. In this work, a data-mining approach is used to quantify GHG emissions intensities of different paper products manufactured by the U.S. mills. Facility-level emission data collected from publically available governmental databases and mill-level production data collected from the private sector were integrated to track the GHG emissions for different product lines and paper products in mills (in total, 165 mills were matched and analyzed). The results highlight the ranges of GHG emissions intensities by different product groups and categories, and can be used as a transparent data source for LCA practitioners, policymakers, and the pulp and paper industry to perform further analysis on carbon accounting and strategic planning for GHG mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To improve energy efficiency of a Paper & Pulp industry, full capacity utilization of the processing equipment and diverse energy source utilities are promoted, while same time processing of diverse raw materials, meeting of strict processing time requirements, seamless material flow and obtaining required product quality are important concerns to be fulfilled. This is similar to a resources management problem while energy is considered as one of the measurable resources, wherein estimation of energy consumptions is crucial/complicated aspect. Discretized form of energy consumption (approximate energy consumed by unit amount of intermediate products at different intermediate processing stages) concept is utilized here with discrete event simulation for consumed energy estimation/analysis. The research deals with a real time working Paper & Pulp industry resource management problem, wherein overall energy consumption rate and production rate were analyzed for some commonly occurring situation of efficiency reduction of the processing station(s). Energy efficient solutions are evaluated with varying production flow (varying the percentage of raw material) and resources management options (turning on/off paper machines). Energy efficient solution which ensures minimum loss in production rate and minimizes disturbances in material flow is suggested for implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power of the rotating transverse paper cutting machine is huge because of unreasonable motion. The paper researched the motion mechanism of the structure, transformed the 3D trajectory of rotating blade and paper cutting marks into the same plane space. Ultimately the motion mechanism of the parameters of cutter and paper cutting are established and the reasonable cutting conditions are founded. At last the parameters are optimized according to the relationship of the planning and useless power consumption, achieve the goal of the roller rotate smoothly and the useless power consumption is zero in theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing “energy waste” has helped manufacturing companies to systematically improve their productivity. However, optimization goals related to the resource energy (energy efficiency, demand side management, integration of renewables) are still addressed in an isolated manner. Here we present a stepwise methodology on how to unite the different facets of energy usage in a factory planning process. Our results indicate that addressing the energy related planning goals in an integrated manner helps to reduce both life cycle costs and the environmental impact of factories. Future research will refine the presented planning framework and quantify the correlation between conventional and energy related planning targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional performance of mechanical components depends on their surface characteristics, surface integrity and geometric accuracy. It is critical to understand the influence of these surface properties on product performance, so the manufacturing processes can be designed to deliver the required performance. This paper presents the influence of surface characteristics on functional performance including surface topography, surface 2D/3D parameters, tribological parameters and residual stresses. It then discusses the surface properties created by various finishing methods such as hard turning, grinding, superfinishing, mass finishing, etc. Finally, it provides guidelines for the design and selection of finishing processes in order to yield the critical product performance characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new process to manufacture unidirectional reinforcements for eco-composite materials, made of natural fibers, is presented. Starting with flax rovings of different sizes, an apparatus was developed to feed and align the rovings over the wet-end section of a paper machine. The short kraft paper fibers are therefore mixed with the long flax roving as the machine is running, and at the end of the process, a sheet of the hybrid dry reinforcement is obtained and cut to size for impregnation with various resins, using different processes. This novel manufacturing process allows for high volume production of reinforcement. It is very flexible, and many different combinations of long and short fibers can be exploited for the production of a vast variety of dry reinforcements. In this paper, composite samples are obtained out of these reinforcements, using the resin infusion (RI) molding process with a commercial epoxy resin. The results are compared with those of usual glass fiber reinforcement. An interesting aspect is that the large variability, typical for natural fibers, is largely reduced when the short kraft fibers are present in the composite. In terms of permeability to resin, reasonably comparable values can be obtained compared to that of glass fabrics, if a low surface density of reinforcement is chosen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today there are many ideas investigated to find ways for industries to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. To reduce the energy consumption of machine tools and thus increase the efficiency of production, this paper discusses the idea of a heat accumulator based on a phase change material (PCM). In the context of biologisation in production technology, this work is based on the principle of heat storage in equi-warm organisms. Since machine tools deform under thermal influences and thus affect the machining process, they are often operated in idle mode before the work process to reach a thermally stable state and reduce thermally induced deformation during the production process. The machine is actively tempered using the cooling circuit to keep the temperature plateau constant. The idea of the PCM unit presented in this paper is to store this excess and otherwise dissipated energy. This can be used before the machines next process cycle to induce heat into the machine and reach the stable temperature plateau without operating the machine. The conditions under which the energy consumption can be reduced using this method and thus making the operation more sustainable are discussed and first simulations show that the goal is achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In automated material flow, in a wide variety of areas, the primary goal is usually to handle a wide spectrum of components as time- and cost-efficiently as possible. In view of the current and future challenges in industrial production, it is becoming apparent that ecological requirements are becoming increasingly important in automation solutions. For example, in form of resource efficiency, transformability and material efficiency. In this context, especially materials handling technology is subject of various optimization approaches, as no value is added to the part handled. The question: "How does material flow occur in nature?" thus offers biologically inspired approaches to thinking about transport in the industrial sector. This paper first presents a selection of concepts or existing mechanisms that are adaptable in materials- handling technology and have been developed based on a biological model. In the second part of this paper, a new concept is presented that is modeled on peristalsis as a transport mechanism. The approach presented here uses tensegrity-structures for assembly, which are characterized by their high material efficiency and flexibility. The transport movement is achieved by peristaltic typical contraction or relaxation of the respective structure parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological transformation represents one of the most promising optimization strategies for a sustainable economy. The rapid convergence of biotechnology, information technology and production technology provides a vast area of innovation. From an economic and innovation policy perspective, cooperation structures and value creation systems will change significantly in a biointelligent transformation process. In the future, many industries will produce personalized products in a much more decentralized manner based on locally provided, renewable resources using autonomous non-expert systems. Such a profound change affects not only products and processes but also the organization of companies and how innovations are evaluated and implemented. In this paper, we thus discuss the need for a reorientation of innovation management in companies in the context of biological transformation. This article focused the central question of how the innovation management can change in the context of biointelligence so that companies can be helped to invest strategically in biointelligent innovations. We then outline the basic elements of a framework and discuss key challenges for future research and development. In this paper, we present initial thoughts on a framework for the management of biointelligent innovation that aims to solve the complex requirements of BioIntelligence. Our approach is based on a holistic view of different methods and techniques to provide a comprehensive solution to the challenges. We discuss the basic concepts and goals of this framework as well as potential application areas and challenges. Furthermore, we present first approaches for implementation and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is aimed at the application of frugal engineering methods for enhancing the resilience of manufacturing supply chains. The frugal engineering methods are presented by discovering the cross-section of biological designs and equitable social innovations. Multiple global trends such as urbanization, climate changes, pandemics, growing global population, and others pose serious challenges to resiliency in manufacturing enterprises including supply chains. These challenges call for the development of novel and 'out-of-box' approaches to solutions. Biology achieves the co-existence of millions of species across varying habitats and disturbances for survival while maximizing the available resources through the utilization of frugality or frugal engineering principles. Strategies applied in biology deliver a collective balance for multifunctionality, resilience, and frugality while balancing the trade-offs between efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency. Frugality in this context is defined as the philosophy to minimize the use of available resources while maximizing the productive outputs. This concept of frugality has been increasingly used over the past few years, especially in business and sociological contexts to deliver social innovations. The paper discusses examples from biology and social innovations and critical analysis of the example case studies to propose a framework for frugal engineering-driven strategies for supply chain resilience in manufacturing. A hybrid model is proposed for a regionally resilient distributed network of micro supply chains that complement the giga-global supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and discusses the engineering knowledge, mainly production engineering knowledge, which is expected to be used for surgical support systems in the near future and beyond. With regard to artificial joint replacement, the paper discusses bone resection characteristics, focusing on the experimental results of cutting force and temperature rise. In addition, registration techniques, and measurement and resection accuracy are described. In the area of microsurgery, neurosurgery and ophthalmology are covered, and the introduction of AI is also introduced. In ophthalmology, the automation of peeling procedures is discussed. In remote surgery, experimental results on the relationship between force feedback and time delay, which is a crucial problem in remote surgery, are introduced. Furthermore, as future surgical support systems, the application of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and the use of microrobots are discussed. Finally, this paper describes the situations in which surgical robots are expected to play an active role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based methodology to determine baseline emissions for an aerospace manufacturer. Aerospace manufacturing entails high complexity and low throughput of a vast array of components. Rather than establishing the environmental footprint through waste, electric, and gas data alone; an LCA cradle-to-gate approach extends to a product's raw material acquisition and shipment to provide a comprehensive set of environmental performance indicators. The approach combines several products that follow a similar manufacturing process and can be denoted as a product family. This paper discusses the ability that LCA product families must develop baseline emissions for products validated with a case study of an aerospace component. The methodology can be extended to other product families manufactured within the facility which when combined will accumulate to a site-wide environmental footprint. The paper further evaluates how this methodology can identify environmental hotspots at a process and product level. The aerospace component case study incorporates several manual and automated stages. This work aims to demonstrate the ease of determining baseline emissions using an LCA product family and enable aerospace manufacturing companies to adopt a similar approach to establishing environmental hotspots. This can drive strategic internal change for sustainable manufacturing aligning with company environmental, social, and financial frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing market share of electric vehicles leads to a growing demand for raw materials such as lithium and cobalt, where the supply situation is fraught with risk. Product-specific challenges regarding high voltage, product state/variance, and labor shortage require flexible automated non-/ semi-/ destructive disassembly. However, there is a need to implement industrial, scalable automation approaches to deal with this problem. This paper addresses the development of a flexible robotic cell for the fully automated disassembly of battery modules from battery systems. The paper presents all required tools and processes for battery diagnoses, machine learning-based object recognition, loosening and removing fasteners, opening sealings, gripping components, separating cables and plugs, and removing the battery modules. Based on this, a sorted disposal/recycling of the material can be realized. Finally, the holistic robot cell, including a safety concept, is described using the example of an actual disassembly process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global discourse surrounding plastics has been marked by a profound perceptual schism, also for plastic packaging in the fresh food industry. The public opinion expresses mounting concerns in terms of such plastic packaging solutions. However, in many cases the unique material properties and the well-established methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) actually demonstrate the environmental advantage of plastics for food packaging. This paper delves into the chasm between the two perspectives, leveraging empirical evidence to resolve the divide. While performing both a consumer analysis and LCA, this paper underscores the potential for innovative, yet practical design solutions to harmonise the public opinion with counterintuitive positive environmental impacts. A transformative design solution that centres around the concept of shape and material renewal is proposed. It demonstrates how a simple, yet effective redesign can enhance both the environmental impact and consumer acceptance in the industry for mass-produced fresh food packaging. It emphasises the role of LCE in design, with a focus on the pre-consumer phase. The findings provide a practical approach, emphasising the need to reconcile theory with consumer desires, to forge a sustainable path forward in packaging design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent decades, sustainability has emerged as a crucial concern for governments and industries worldwide. While the political sphere appears to take the lead in the pursuit of a greener world from a societal standpoint, industries play a pivotal role in implementing innovative technologies. Certain industries, however, still heavily rely on natural gas consumption for their operations. Metal manufacturers, in particular, face significant energy demands due to their melting processes, which have historically necessitated the use of combustion. This paper focuses on examining the current workflow of secondary aluminum manufacturing, with a specific emphasis on rolled sheet production. By analyzing combustion intensive equipment involved in the process, the paper identifies inherent deficiencies and energy losses throughout the production process and propose strategies that can effectively reduce the industry's global carbon footprint. Results show that optimizing work flow to retain embodied energy and heat of intermediate products, as well as smart waste heat reuse can result in significant savings in secondary aluminum manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development should meet the needs of the present without compromising future generation needs. While political and standards approaches insist on regulatory directives, this paper proposes a quasi-satisficing methodology considering the sustainability topic within a larger encompassing framework. Starting from three reflections originated by the classical thermodynamics, the effect of knowledge accumulation on the Production Possibility Frontier (PPF), and a model for the human wellbeing in manufacturing ecosystem, this paper proposes a new production model and a heuristic approach to drive the decision process towards sustainable manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To implement environmentally sustainable, resource-efficient manufacturing, the quantification of the environmental impacts is a central task. This task requires suitable methods. Various lifecycle phases, including remanufacturing concepts, and the associated increasing complexity demand a change from static to dynamic assessment methods. Flexible changes must be considered. Thereby, data quality has a major impact on the subsequent assessment results. Though the available data amount in a manufacturing environment is constantly increasing, the influence of data quality on the respective method – and thus, the reliability of the results – remains a key issue. To address this problem, this paper investigates the necessary developments regarding data quality for environmental assessment methods in dynamically changing manufacturing settings. First, relevant data quality dimensions are identified. Subsequently, a cross-comparison of data quality dimensions and different approaches of environmental evaluation in manufacturing is developed. The necessary changes to data quality requirements in operational environmental assessments are derived. Finally, a concept for the improvement of data quality in dynamic assessments is proposed and discussed based on the use case of battery modules' remanufacturing. This paper contributes to the development of environmental assessment methods that are evolving from static, historical data-based evaluations to dynamic assessment tools of flexible productions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last years two factors have deeply affected research in Manufacturing: the growing interest around Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes and the need to reduce the anthropogenic environmental impact. As result, a large papers concerning the environmental impact performance of AM compared to conventional processes have been published. Specifically, very complex models accounting for the impact of each life cycle stage of AMed components have been released. Results revealed that AM, at present, guarantees energy savings only within some domains, and the potential saving depends on several factors: product complexity, eco-properties of the material, energy intensity of the material deposition, light-weighting enabled by AM approaches and extent of the use phase. Above all, the result of the comparative analysis depends both on the considered factors and on the selected system boundaries. The already proposed models are very complex and many inventory data are needed, this could make them unapplicable at industrial level. In the presented paper, simplified models are proposed and the performances of these are quantified with varying the analyzed scenario (considered factors and selected system boundary). Results revealed that, for given scenarios, simplified models characterized by low computational effort, can provide reliable results. Guidelines for the implementation of different models with varying the system boundary are provided for the cumulative energy comparison of Electron Beam Melting and conventional turning for the production of titanium alloys components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the first development of the industrial PhD project research project sponsored by Simonelli Group at Politecnico di Milano, aimed to develop and patent a heating system technology that enhances the energy efficiency of professional coffee machines. This paper crosses the issue of the sustainable design of products through a qualitative life cycle assessment on three professional coffee machines of Simonelli Group. The LCA analysis considers the manufacturing, use, and disposal phases. The analysis was performed using the Simapro software that integrates the Ecoinvent3 database. The life cycle impact assessment is carried out in accordance with other case studies in the literature, relying on the parameter "GWP" in accordance with the IPCC method. Laboratory tests are used to assess the kWh of energy consumed during the use phase of professional coffee machines. Following that," use phase scenarios" were created for the life cycle impact assessment, based on existing scenarios in the literature, and elaborated with the company's marketing support. The findings indicate that the most critical environmental phase is the use phase and that the heating elements are the most energy-consuming items in professional coffee machines. Click here and insert your abstract text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial technologies have evolved towards circular-oriented manufacturing. New approaches in the management of production systems are needed to guarantee the success of such a circular approach. This paper identifies three research questions related to the complexities of decision-making within CEs and defines the concept of Green Gateways in the circular economy. A Green Gateway is a type of decision that supports to realizing the full potential of products and materials. Indeed, the potential value of products and materials must be assessed and leveraged and the concept of Green Gateway will be useful to identify common decisions and to define a common framework in the future. The integration of digital information and digital twins of products, processes, and circular value and supply chains emerges as a key factor in guiding decision-makers effectively, especially for Green Gateways where adequate information, tools and methods must be used to manage value retention options, product flows, production and pricing decisions jointly with the multiple objectives of profitability and sustainability. Additionally, this paper explores specific examples of circular economy use cases, drawing attention to their similarities and highlighting key insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current challenges such as climate change, the limits of natural resources, and increasing customer-specific sustainability demands require a transformation of value creation. The aim is to move from global sourcing to more local value creation by creating synergistic energy and circular material flows and making better use of capacities while taking urban structures into account. This paper discusses an approach of Smart Glocal Production that combines spatially networked production in global enterprise networks. Based on a literature review, examples of Smart Glocal Production in Germany and Austria are presented. The core of the paper is a novel assessment approach for manufacturing companies to determine their readiness level for glocal production. On this basis, smart measures can be derived with special consideration of digitization initiatives to support manufacturing companies on their way to a more sustainable value creation in industrial areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upscaling of technology encompasses many facets a designer concerned with reducing environmental impacts must manage. Therefore, previous research proposed an environmental assessment for upscaling (EAU) methodology. This method hinges on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approaches (e.g., prospective, absolute) and coordinates the environmental modelling from an ecodesign perspective. The originality of this paper is to present an illustrative application on photovoltaic systems. The focus is on the modelling practices (step 3 of the method) using upscaling design levers and generating parametrized scenarios meant to be interpretable for a design team. Examples of data collection and upscaling modelling are provided for the upscaling of silicon-based photovoltaic technology in France from 2021 to 2050. This case study shows that integrating upscaling parameters, such as industrial process evolutions, the technology deployment strategy, and the socio-technical context associated with the technology upscaling phenomenon influence LCA results significantly. The paper, therefore, discusses recommendations for design teams to support them in assessing the environmental implications of their technology choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Industry 5.0 on the horizon, research and innovation is prioritising the transition to sustainable, human-centred and resilient manufacturing. In this context, Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) strategies combine tools, resources and rules with the aim of avoiding defects and increasing the sustainable performance of complex manufacturing systems. Five distinct strategies for ZDM have been identified in the literature: (I) detection, (II) prediction, (III) prevention, (IV) repair, and (V) mitigation or compensation. The main motivation of this paper is to discuss an extension of these five existing dimensions by three more, which will enable the transformation of classical ZDM towards a more sustainable production. The main objective of this paper is to conduct a systematic literature review that covers the state of the art of ZDM and highlights the need to add the three (Zero3) dimensions: i) Zero Resource Loss (resource and emission improvement) ii) Zero Human Potential Loss (productivity and stability improvement) iii) Zero Data Gap (increase in efficiency of data use). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The push to decarbonize has spurred the demand for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and wind turbines (WTs). These technologies rely on rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs), namely Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnets that in turn rely on rare earth elements (REEs), including Neodymium (Nd), and Dysprosium (Dy). As the demand for clean energy technologies increases, so will the demand for Nd and Dy-containing REPMs. Both Nd and Dy are critical elements that are prone to supply chain risks. As our reliance on them increases, it becomes essential to anticipate future market dynamics for these elements. This paper aims to address the current gap in the literature in the context of forecasting future Nd and Dy demand quantities. The Bass Diffusion Model is a widely used approach to forecast the adoption of new products or technologies and, to predict demand trends. Over the years, the model has found applicability in a wide variety of sectors including consumer durables, medical services, and agricultural innovations. This paper demonstrates the use of the Bass Diffusion Model to estimate future global Nd and Dy demands, enabling a better understanding of swiftly evolving clean energy technology and REPM-related market dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of effectively managing Configuration Lifecycle Management (CLM) processes for customizable products in the manufacturing industry presents challenges in striking the right balance between product customization and standardization, particularly for complex products like wind turbines. This paper addresses this issue through a comprehensive analysis and enhancement of CLM processes in a case company that manufactures, install, and service energy solutions focusing on wind turbines. This paper addresses the challenges in CLM processes through a comprehensive analysis and enhancement within a case company specializing in the manufacturing, installation, and servicing of energy solutions, with a specific emphasis on wind turbines. Specifically, within the CLM framework, the study delves into the Input Signal Management (ISM) process, addressing challenges associated with handling specific requirements, features, or functionalities that customers or stakeholders want in the product. The study maps the current state of the processes, identifies weaknesses, and proposes two suggestions to enhance the so-called Input Signal Management (ISM) process. The ISMs are the specific requirements, features, or functionalities that customers or stakeholders want to be included in the product. The challenge in the ISM process lies in handling a large number of requests, ensuring consistency, avoiding conflicts, and making timely decisions. Hence, the paper proposes two key enhancements to the process: the development of guidelines for data creation and categorization of ISM requests, and the prototyping of a Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based system for expedited request assessment. The paper emphasizes the significance of optimizing CLM processes for effective configuration management. Incorporating data-driven methods, the ISM process can become agile, efficient, and customer-centric, leading to better management of customization, reduced response times, and increased customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the machining of complex aerospace components, like integral compressor-rotors (blade integrated disks), is very cost-intensive, optimizing the process by means of process simulations is an active field of research. With the rise of Quantum Computing, a new instrument with high optimization potential is moving into focus. In this paper, a possible application of Quantum Computing for the machining simulation of multiaxis milling of thin-walled aerospace components is discussed. For this reason, a simulation framework used for the milling simulation is analyzed and each component is evaluated separately in relation to Quantum Computing. Parts of the Harrow, Hassidim, and Lloyd algorithm are proposed to enhance the Finite-Element simulation-based component, like the modal analysis for dynamics simulation. This algorithm can solve linear system problems with exponential speed-up over the classical method. The paper presents a roadmap on how the classical steps of a modal analysis for dynamics simulation could be replaced by quantum algorithms based on quantum phase estimation. The implementation of the first working steps is presented to validate this approach. The linear system problem, arising from the dynamics simulation, is analyzed in detail and a minimal value problem of linear coupled oscillators is derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In machine hammer peening, an actuator system moves a ram in oscillating motion, which is oriented in angular position, preferably perpendicular, to a workpiece surface. On the tip of the ram, a hammer head with application specific shapes can be mounted. The hammer head is moved across the targeted workpiece surface area by means of a machine tool or an industrial robot. The impacts in defined patterns enable modifications of the surface integrity like smoothing the surface roughness or increasing fatigue strength by induced compressive residual stresses. This paper presents a novel DC-driven actuator system using a highly dynamic short-stroke linear reluctance motor to provide a time or trigger controlled hammer head movement including a system for process monitoring. In contrast to conventional systems, Deterministic Impact Peening (DIP) can be realized by position or speed related triggering of the impacts. The reluctance-based actuator with its geometrically optimized mechatronic system design provides performance characteristics favorable to known machine hammer peening systems. The position-controlled triggering of the hammer head is able to achieve uniform or defined local elastoplastic deformations on the workpiece surface, thus resulting in deterministic residual stress distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface topography of workpieces is generated by and related to the manufacturing process. The blasting process specifically leads to dimples caused by accelerated particles hitting the surface. As the number of impacts increases over time, the surface topography changes. The scope of the study was to find a suitable areal roughness parameter or parameter set that correlates with this change. Additionally, the optimal time for creating a uniformly covered surface was analyzed. To conduct the research, an automated blast wheel process was applied. The workpieces were set on a rotating carrier with the spin wheel in the middle to ensure uniform coverage. 1.4301 steel specimens were blasted with spherical blast media at a spin wheel speed of 9000 min-1. The time varied between 1 and 20 minutes. The areal measurement was carried out by confocal microscopy. After obtaining the areal surface data, areal roughness parameters according to ISO 25178-2 and additional parameters based on motif analysis were calculated. For each measurement, 75 parameters are analyzed. The paper will present the applicability and correlation of the chosen parameters to the various blasting times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the surface texture on trapezoidal thread flanks manufactured by whirling, which is used for machining long threaded spindles. An analytical and numerical approach for describing surface texture is compared, and texture parameters are developed based on existing methods. Although the analytical model provides a good description of texture height and length, it has limitations in representing the surface as a topography. In contrast, the numerical approach enables detailed modeling of the surface topography on the thread flank as a function of the process parameters. The effective number of flank cutters is found to significantly influence the resulting topography, leading to differences between the measured values and the analytical model within a specified investigation range. Using a material removal simulation, this effect could be explained by the flank cutter position error. In addition, material removal simulation offers great potential for optimizing the surface texture on thread flanks and for tailoring tribologically optimized surfaces in the whirling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with a novel method for the edge preparation of cutting tools using an advanced approach. Cemented carbide cutting inserts were used as a sample in the experiment, and were prepared using plasma discharges in electrolyte. This technique is an environmentally-friendlier method in contrast to electropolishing treatment. The experiment aimed to determine the influence of process parameters of plasma treatment on the material removal rate and cutting edge radius size. In the experiment, concentration of electrolyte, voltage between electrodes, temperature of electrolyte, and operating time were varied. The material removal rate and cutting edge radius size increased faster with the decreasing concentration of electrolyte, decreasing voltage, and decreasing temperature of electrolyte. The material removal percentage increase was 155 percent, and 57 percent for cutting edge radius size during the 10 seconds of operation time in the specified range of process parameters. This change can be achieved by setting various process parameters. The results of the experiment proved that plasma treatment can control the forming of cutting edge radii. Cutting edge preparation using plasma discharges in electrolyte takes only a few seconds, depending on the cutting edge radius sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to improve surface and subsurface workpiece properties in steel grinding by using nearly spherical ceramic grains in an elastic bond system. To characterize and evaluate the potential of this rather new tool concept, the resulting workpiece microtopography and the subsurface characteristics are analysed and cover residual stresses, micrographic cross sections, and EBSD images. The results include the effect of the different process parameters on increased mechanical process loads resulting in favorable surface properties characterized by mechanically induced plastic deformation and compressive residual stresses. With regard to the metallographic analyses, an increased grain refinement was identified in micrographs and EBSD images, which results from the changed chip generation mechanisms. The sum of the above effects shows an increase in the residual compressive stresses introduced into the workpiece. This reveals the potential of spherical ceramic grains in an elastic bonding system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder metallurgy (PM) processed nickel-based superalloys are increasingly employed in the hot section of gas turbine engines for parts such as high-pressure (HP) compressors and turbine rotor discs over more traditional cast and wrought options such as Inconel 718 due to its improved high-temperature properties. In this paper, the surface integrity and geometrical/dimensional accuracy of holes initially rough drilled using worn tools and subsequently finish plunge end milled in a proprietary PM-processed Ni-based superalloy, were assessed and compared. The influence of tool wear on hole quality after finish plunge end milling was also investigated. Significant improvement in hole quality was evident following finishing with reductions in surface roughness (up to ~86%), subsurface microhardness (up to ~125 HK 0.05) and workpiece microstructure deformation/damage (up to ~80% in terms of average depth) compared to corresponding rough drilled holes. Evidence of chatter marks on holes machined with worn plunge end mills was observed, despite exhibiting reduced surface roughness levels (~45-73%). Generally, somewhat improved hole surface integrity (reduced subsurface deformation by ~47-64%) and geometrical accuracy (circularity decreased by ~10-25%) were produced when employing new tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-process detection of grinding burns has earned considerable interest from both researchers and industries in recent years. Various Non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies, including Eddy Current (EC), Barkhausen Noise (BN), and Acoustic Emission sensors (AE), have been employed to address this issue, yielding successful results for specific applications. However, a comprehensive understanding of burn generation and its prevention in grinding operations remains an area of interest that has not yet been fully resolved. This paper focuses on investigating the electromagnetic response of a custom-made EC sensor applied to UNE F-522 (AISI 01) steel during in-process inspections. Experimental grinding tests have been performed using a special EC inspection head installed in the grinding machine. The impedance change of the material during grinding is discussed in terms of the machine out-puts (Power consumption) and other grinding variables, such as number of passes, the roughing stock removal, and the finishing strategy. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed EC technology not only enables the detection of burns, but also enhances comprehension of the surface integrity changes occurring during the grinding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep rolling is a conventional machining process used to modify the surface and subsurface properties of components. It entails subjecting a component's surface to controlled plastic deformation through the application of mechanical forces. This technology is important in various technical fields, as it offers the possibility of improving the mechanical properties and performance of components. In the case of mechanical deep rolling tools, the deep rolling force is modified by altering the roller's position through displacement of the machine axis. When dealing with the deep rolling of hybrid components consisting of multiple materials, a highly dynamic change of the deep rolling force is required in the material transition zone for adapting the deep rolling force to the different materials. Therefore, a piezo-actuated deep rolling tool was developed to enable a precise and dynamic deflection of the rolling element. The paper focuses on the application behavior of this new tool. For this purpose, the influence of the rolling element's highly dynamic actuation on rolling force, tool temperature, and surface topography as a function of different material properties were investigated. Within the framework of these investigations, correlations between actuation frequency, amplifier amplitude, deep rolling force, as well as the resulting surface and subsurface properties were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is an important material in the tool industry due to its superior wear resistance and strength. Picosecond laser machining enables accurate cutting, geometric profiling, and precise dimensional features to be produced on PCD. The industrialisation of this manufacturing process necessitates the development of laser systems and process strategies that facilitate high throughput and quality. This paper investigates the feasibility of using a 300 W picosecond laser to machine PCD. It examines the influence of fluence, average power, pulse duration and number of passes on the material removal rate and surface quality. The surface integrity after machining is ascertained using a surface profilometer, optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results have shown that a high material removal rate of 33 mm3/min (0.11 mm3/min W) at a surface roughness of 2.3 μm is achievable using a fluence of 0.9 J/cm2 at 41.3 MHz and 300 W average power. Raman's analysis of the machined sample suggests a laser-induced graphitisation which is prevalent at high pulse overlap, peak power, and the number of passes. Overall, the study strengthens the idea that with optimised process parameters, a balance is established between productivity and high surface integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between machining conditions, boundary layer and mechanical component functionality are known qualitatively for selected Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (Wire EDM/WEDM) applications and continuous further developments of this manufacturing technology minimize the thermal influences significantly. Nevertheless, the use of WEDM processes has so far been severely limited in safety-critical applications, especially in the field of turbomachinery construction and aerospace. For example, the removal of the generated surface layers is often still mandatory, although cutting processes can also leave a distinct thermo-mechanically influenced rim zone on the component. This conservative approach currently unnecessarily reduces the manufacturing potential of WEDM processes considerably and calls for an objective comparison of component function. In this paper, therefore, the flexural bending fatigue strengths of differently wire-eroded surfaces based on roughing-finishing sequences and optional post-processing treatment are compared with industrially established reference process chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-walled aluminium components used in the structure of aircrafts are subjected to fatigue loads. Fatigue performance of those components is affected by the surface integrity generated in the last machining step. This paper proposes an analytical model to identify the fatigue crack initiation site considering the surface topography, residual stresses (RS) and mechanical properties induced by machining. To validate the model fatigue samples of aluminium 7050-T7451 were prepared by face milling. Machining-induced RS were measured by hole-drilling and the surface topography of the gauge region of the fatigue samples was characterised using a confocal microscope. Then, uniaxial fatigue tests were done at R = 0.1 and subsequently the fracture was analysed. The model predicted nucleation of cracks at the surface when the stress amplitude was above 290 MPa. Fatigue tests done at an amplitude of 350 MPa confirmed crack initiation at the points with the highest stress concentration predicted by the model. By contrast, the cracks were nucleated at the side of the samples when the stress amplitude was below 290 MPa. In fact, compressive RS induced by face milling protected the surface from crack nucleation at lower applied stresses as predicted by the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing processes for the production of large structural components, such as wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), offer great manufacturing potential due to their flexibility and design freedom, e.g. for the automotive industry. In order to achieve the desired surface and properties of the surface zone, additive manufacturing is usually followed by mechanical finishing. In this paper, the influence of the process parameters during WAAM and deep rolling (DR) on the residual stresses and the lifetime of AlSi12 components is investigated. Knowledge of the interactions between the process parameters in WAAM and DR as well as their effect on the surface zone properties and the application behavior is elementary. This enables the prediction of the component properties and quality. With the help of the appropriate selection of the process parameters, the residual stress state and the service life can be increased in such a way that components with high fatigue strength can be manufactured. This results in an average increase in service life of up to 17.8 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destructive testing methods, such as Vickers hardness test or hole drilling methods for residual stress evaluation have long been conventional approaches in manufacturing to investigate surface integrity and are widely being used in industry to date. However, their limitations in terms of material damage and high costs have spurred the exploration of non-destructive testing alternatives like Barkhausen noise analysis. So far almost exclusively data-driven and empirical models have been used to employ Barkhausen noise analysis as a non-destructive testing method in manufacturing. These models provide valid predictions for the manufacturing process and the specific material studied. However, they lack the capability to be generalized to other process conditions and materials. Physics-based models on the other hand provide the generalizability needed for widespread industrial applications. This strength turns out to be a weakness when trying to extract residual stress or microstructural properties from these models. The goal of this paper is, to provide an overview of published data-driven models in literature with thematic relevance to manufacturing processes and to propose a new, generalizable model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inconel 718 represents a large portion of high-temperature metals in key industries, where the machining-induced surface integrity is quite important. As the different grain size results in various densities of grain boundaries in the deformed area, the surface integrity can be significantly affected. This paper studies the effect of workpiece grain size on machining-induced surface integrity when cutting Inconel 718. Workpiece materials with fine or coarse grain features are prepared with various heat treatment methods. Orthogonal cutting experiments are conducted with uncoated carbide tools under different cutting speeds (20 - 100 m/min). The cutting force results indicate that Inconel 718 with larger grain size will cause lower cutting forces and the percentage reduction approximately ranges from 20 % to 33 %. An interesting phenomenon is found that the workpiece with coarse grains exhibits large-scale geometrical defects due to tearing within the grains at low cutting speed (v c = 20 m/min). This phenomenon can be diminished if the cutting speed v c is increased to 60 m/min. In addition, the subsurface deformation layer is reduced with decreasing workpiece grain size due to the barrier effect of grain boundary on plastic deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges in drilling nickel-based superalloys, such as Inconel 718 (IN718), are multifaceted. High requirement of hole surface quality in drilling such alloy must deal with extreme material properties and complex process condition in drilling operation. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the effect of PVD coated solid carbide drills under different internal cooling schemes on hole quality in drilling IN 718 alloy. Three types of solid carbide drills were used in the series of drilling experiments, including PVD coated and uncoated drills, and different design in the number of internal cooling channels, two channels and four channels. The objective of the investigation is to assess the effect of coating and efficiency of internal cooling on surface quality in drilling IN718 alloy. Surface quality on drilled holes in terms of roughness, burr formation, subsurface deformation and strain hardening has also been measured and analyzed on the machined specimen. The roughness and burr size on drilled holes demonstrated little differences among the three types of testing drills. Surface roughness was severely deteriorated by the chip trapped in the hole leaving scratch and smears on the surface. Nevertheless, the scheme of internal cooling channels and PVD coating exhibited noticeable influence on quality of drilled hole surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the metal cutting process, a substantial portion of the mechanical energy in the cutting zone is transformed into heat, causing a rapid rise in temperature. The uneven distribution of temperature results in workpiece distortion, leading to reduced machining accuracy. As the demand for higher product quality increases, the prediction of cutting temperature and compensation for thermally induced deformations has become a crucial area of research. This paper introduces a novel experimental setup that enables in situ monitoring of process temperature using infrared thermography. Through the analysis of experimental data, a numerical model is proposed and calibrated to quantitatively predict the temperature evolution in the workpiece. The derived model facilitated the prediction of workpiece distortion, and the results can enhance machining accuracy by integrating contour correction. The developed approach offers valuable insights into mitigating the adverse effects of temperature-induced distortions in turning operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) show enhanced mechanical and physical properties compared to monolithic alloys, which make them attractive for various engineering applications. However, their actual use in industry is limited due to their low machinability. The hard reinforcements present in the matrix may lead to high tool wear and poor surface integrity. In this context, the paper aims at studying the drillability of an Al-SiC MMC when using DLC-coated tungsten carbide tools at varying feeds. After the machining trials, a quantitative evaluation of the tool wear as well as the analysis of the hole surface roughness and damage was carried out. The results demonstrate that, at increasing feed, the tool wear, surface roughness, and surface defect density decrease, leading to the counterintuitive conclusion that increasing feed when drilling causes an increase in the MMC drillability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliable detection and precise assessment of white etching layers (WEL) are key challenges in the investigation of a component's surface integrity. This paper proposes an innovative methodology for evaluating the extent of WEL in quenched and tempered steels, machined by Boring and Trepanning Association (BTA) deep hole drilling. Micrographs obtained by light microscopy were partitioned into classes by three methods, separating the WEL from the base material and the embedding resin. Traditional manual segmentation was performed as a benchmark for automatic segmentation methods. A gray level thresholding-based method served for the segmentation of micrographs partitioned into subsets. In addition to conventional manual and thresholding-based segmentation, a machine learning-based approach for image segmentation was applied. The segmented images were further analyzed by a newly developed set of algorithms, implemented to obtain detailed information on the WEL, e.g. their average thickness as well as the area covered by WEL in the micrographs. Results indicate that both, gray level thresholding, as well as machine learning-based image segmentation, show potential for the automated diagnosis and assessment of WEL. They both yield quantitatively similar, but less biased results compared to manual segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biointelligent manufacturing represents one of the most promising innovation paths towards a sustainable restructuring of industrial production. In doing so, it assumes significantly changing framework conditions for the production of a wide variety of goods. A recurring element is the decentralization of value chain design, i.e. an increasing shift of the focus of value creation to the customer. While the concept of decentralization has been discussed in the context of systems and organization theory, green supply chain and life cycle management for quite some time, recent studies suggest that especially biointelligent manufacturing systems might represent a promising technological opportunity to truly realize this goal. However, up to now the concept appears somewhat vague, as neither the validity of the assumption of increasing decentralization nor the extent to which a reduction of supply chain length results in an improvement of environmental impact is resolved. This paper is intended to provide a foundation for the advancement of the research area by analyzing the state of knowledge and uncovering logical misconceptions. Although the findings indicate a clear technical decentralization potential of biointelligent manufacturing by various examples, a comprehensive dissemination as small-scale production units in industrial practice remains unlikely due to prevailing organizational and socio-political barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]