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This study provides data and analysis on the state of digitalization of the manufacturing industries in the Baltic Sea Region. The compiled matrix contains entities on seven fields of operation and lists ten service and technology areas mapped from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. A comparison of the collected data estimates the level of digitalization as well as identifies potential strengths and weaknesses by region. The available support structure is analysed to find potentially suitable partners to improve the level of digitalization in the enterprises of a region. Furthermore, the strength areas of each country are compared to weak areas to develop a roadmap to improve the readiness for implementation and use of Industry 4.0 functionality and tools. Examples are provided on the generation of a Business­to­Business (B2B) focused platform to improve the level of technologies and services in use, an example is also presented to identify and implement a use case based on an identified need.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of fiber content and then silane treatment on the mechanical performance of the natural fiber composites of recycled acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) provided by the automotive sector. Wood and palmyra fibers were used as fillers in 10% and 20% fiber content composites. The fibers were treated with N-(2-Aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane to improve the interfacial adhesion between fibers and polymer matrices. The mechanical properties of the composites were determined by tensile and impact tests. Morphological analysis was later performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). According to the experiment results, the tensile and impact strength of both wood and palmyra fibers increase after silane treatment. However, for the low-wood-fiber-content composite, the tensile and impact strength decrease after silane treatment due to the presence of an excess amount of silane relative to fiber content. The addition of wood and palmyra fibers significantly improved the tensile modulus of composite material and further increases slightly after silane treatment. Finally, SEM analysis shows a homogenous mix of fibers and polymer matrices with fewer voids after silane treatment, thereby improving interfacial adhesion.

This article uses dimensional analysis to formulate the tool life in the turning process of metal cutting for small-lot production by considering the impacts of the most important parameters. The estimation of tool life specifies process efficiency, machining productivity, resource consumption, machining time, and cost. Many parameters influence tool life on the real shop floor in small-lot production. This literature review studies 29 parameters affecting tool life directly or indirectly. The results of this research are represented as a graph-based analysis in the form of a web of interdependencies and a relationship matrix. The relationship matrix illustrates the direct and indirect interdependencies of the parameters which influence tool life in the turning process. The graph visualizes the weight of the parameters for the estimation of tool life in small-lot production. A cause-and-effect diagram is extracted from the relationship matrix to study the parameters affecting tool life in small-lot production. A dimensional analysis is executed based on the cause-and-effect diagram in order to calculate the tool life. The functions of tool life involve the cutting conditions, tool and workpiece hardness, cutting force, and cutting temperature. The dimensional analysis shows that the cutting speed, feed rate, and workpiece hardness are the most effective factors impacting tool life in the turning process.

Risk of cardiovascular events within the diabetic population has decreased and survival increased with patients living longer and thus facing the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This calls for good care of patient with diabetes with a focus on hypertension. Patient data were collected from 42 Finnish primary care centres. Each was asked to enrol 10–12 consecutive patients with type-2 diabetes between March 2011 and August 2012. Along with the office blood pressure measurements and laboratory tests, the presence of albuminuria was measured and glomerular filtration rate estimated (eGFR). The 2013 ESH criteria for diabetic hypertensive patients (

Wood plastic composites (WPCs) have recently gained increased market share as a result of their beneficial properties and use of sustainable material sources. Currently, however, WPC products are limited to extruded profiles. More complex product shapes and geometries will increase market potential, but they demand additional post-processing after extrusion. Post-processing machinery coupled online with an extruder necessitates material handling, which is commonly achieved using belt conveyors. This paper considers transport of WPC material through a post-extrusion process using a belt conveyor system. Special emphasis is placed on studying the friction and surface energy properties of the belt conveyor. Friction at the interface of the raw material and belt cover was tested using a standard incline-plane method, and adhesion and stickiness were evaluated by determining the surface free energies of the belt cover and WPC material at 23 and 100 °C. On the basis of these measurements, this paper investigates key aspects of belt cover material selection and proposes a conveyor belt configuration for a prototype post-extrusion process line that can be utilized in commercial mass production of WPC products.

Wood-plastic composites (WPCs) – one of a number of promising classes of materials in the manufacturing industries – are experiencing rapid market growth. However, the favorable characteristics of this material and the development of new production processes and post-production processes suggest even greater potential for utilization of WPCs. This paper evaluates the formability of an extruded WPC material comprising nearly 45% wood fiber, 50% thermoplastic, and 5% of other additives in a novel extrusion-based post-production process. The press-forming process described in this work is used to form and cut the pre-determined profile shape to obtain the final product. After preliminary tests to determine the suitable temperature range, dimensions, and roughness range for a post-extrusion hot-pressing process of a sample WPC product, a diverse set of product quality tests were then conducted on pre-heated sheets of WPC material using forming tools attached to a hydraulic press. The forming process had high accuracy with respect to dimensional precision and acceptable repeatability. The forming process also reduced the surface roughness of the material. The test results clearly demonstrated the dependence of final product quality on the quality of the original extruded WPC profiles used, e.g., with respect to the thickness variation of the material.

The dimensional accuracy of packages has a great effect on operation of the production and supply chain. In this research, the dimensional accuracy of trays made of polymer-coated paperboard and the effect of all essential press forming process parameters on outer dimensions of the trays were studied to obtain data for the press forming and lid sealing process optimization and for the forming tool design. Paperboard trays were analysed and measured with a quality monitoring system that includes a smart camera and a backlit table. Trays with varying dimensions were sealed to investigate the effect of the package size and the product weight to the residual oxygen in the package’s headspace gas. Results showed that all heat related parameters, i.e., mould temperatures, dwell time, and pressing speed can be used to adjust the outer dimensions of the paperboard tray. Lid sealing process was found to reduce size of the trays and even out size differences substantially. All produced trays were measured to be bigger both in length and in width compared to the design values of the mould set. Therefore the mould set has to be designed undersized to obtain trays with certain outer dimensions.

Extruded wood-plastic composites (WPCs) are increasingly regarded as promising materials for future manufacturing industries. It is necessary to select and tune the post-processing methods to be able to utilize these materials fully. In this development, temperature-related material properties and the cooling rate are important indicators. This paper presents the results of natural cooling in a factory environment fit into a cooling curve function with temperature zones for forming, cutting, and packaging overlaid using a WPC material. This information is then used in the evaluation of manufacturability and productivity in terms of cost effectiveness and technical quality by comparing the curve to actual production time data derived from a prototype post-process forming line. Based on this information, speed limits for extrusion are presented. This paper also briefly analyzes techniques for controlling material cooling to counter the heat loss before post-processing.

The leakproof sealing of paperboard trays depends on factors such as the quality of the sealed tray and the parameters of the sealing process. Leakproof sealing is critical when food products are packed, as poor sealing can result in leakage and cause a reduction in the microbiological quality and sensory shelf life of packed food products. In this paper, factors affecting the leakproof sealing of paperboard trays, such as sealing pressure and the geometry of creases in the trays, were investigated. Trays were sealed with varied sealing pressure and temperature, and the sealed trays were inspected using a coloring solution test, oxygen content measurements, and microscopic analysis. The results show that the sealing pressure is a critical parameter in the sealing process. The minimum sealing pressure that resulted in leakproof within the materials investigated was 1.8 N/mm2. The depth of crease that can be sealed in a leakproof manner was found to be up to 150 µm.

The press forming process of paperboard trays is challenging. The production of trays that fulfill all functional and visual property requirements is demanding. Blank preparation is an essential part of paperboard tray press forming. The aim of this work was to study how a creasing pattern can be utilized in the compaction and folding of the substrate in tray corners. The investigation of creasing pattern designs focused on the positioning of creases, the optimization of the amount of creases, and the width of the creases. The results of the study show that the amount of creases in the tray corner is the most important variable in the pattern design. The substrate folds more evenly and the wall of the tray is smoother when the material has the optimum amount of folds for it to compact during the press forming process. Changes in the creasing pattern primarily affect the amount of unclosed creases in the flange of the tray, which can make tight lidding of the tray impossible. The outcome of the study is a morphological analysis of the introduced creasing pattern alternatives and a selection of formulas that can be utilized in the creasing pattern design process.

Although several authors have studied 3D forming using the press forming process, the gas tightness of polymer-coated paperboard trays has not been widely researched. In this paper, the effect of blank holding force on the surface quality and tightness of press-formed paperboard trays was researched. The press-formed trays were heat-sealed with a multilayer polymer lid. The tightness of the trays was analyzed by following the oxygen content of the packages over the course of 14 d and by using a penetrant coloring solution to locate possible leaks. The results indicate that the blank holding force had a great effect on the quality and tightness of the trays, especially in the case of a rectangular geometry. The geometry of the formed trays played a significant role in process parameter selection, and more demanding geometries emphasize the importance of parameter optimization. However, with the correctly selected parameters, the use of modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) in polymer coated paperboard trays was shown to be possible. The oxygen content of both analyzed geometries was found to be less than 1% 14 d after sealing. It was also demonstrated that the gas tightness of a seal cannot be confirmed using a penetrant solution test exclusively.

BackgroundSelf-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) appears to reduce BP in hypertension but important questions remain regarding effective implementation and which groups may benefit most. This individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was performed to better understand the effectiveness of BP self-monitoring to lower BP and control hypertension.Methods and findingsMedline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomised trials comparing self-monitoring to no self-monitoring in hypertensive patients (June 2016). Two reviewers independently assessed articles for eligibility and the authors of eligible trials were approached requesting IPD. Of 2,846 articles in the initial search, 36 were eligible. IPD were provided from 25 trials, including 1 unpublished study. Data for the primary outcomes-change in mean clinic or ambulatory BP and proportion controlled below target at 12 months-were available from 15/19 possible studies (7,138/8,292 [86%] of randomised participants). Overall, self-monitoring was associated with reduced clinic systolic blood pressure (sBP) compared to usual care at 12 months (-3.2 mmHg, [95% CI -4.9, -1.6 mmHg]). However, this effect was strongly influenced by the intensity of co-intervention ranging from no effect with self-monitoring alone (-1.0 mmHg [-3.3, 1.2]), to a 6.1 mmHg (-9.0, -3.2) reduction when monitoring was combined with intensive support. Self-monitoring was most effective in those with fewer antihypertensive medications and higher baseline sBP up to 170 mmHg. No differences in efficacy were seen by sex or by most comorbidities. Ambulatory BP data at 12 months were available from 4 trials (1,478 patients), which assessed self-monitoring with little or no co-intervention. There was no association between self-monitoring and either lower clinic or ambulatory sBP in this group (clinic -0.2 mmHg [-2.2, 1.8]; ambulatory 1.1 mmHg [-0.3, 2.5]). Results for diastolic blood pressure (dBP) were similar. The main limitation of this work was that significant heterogeneity remained. This was at least in part due to different inclusion criteria, self-monitoring regimes, and target BPs in included studies.ConclusionsSelf-monitoring alone is not associated with lower BP or better control, but in conjunction with co-interventions (including systematic medication titration by doctors, pharmacists, or patients; education; or lifestyle counselling) leads to clinically significant BP reduction which persists for at least 12 months. The implementation of self-monitoring in hypertension should be accompanied by such co-interventions.

The prevalence of hypertension is high in Finland. Only one fourth of the drug-treated hypertensive patients reach their target pressure. We evaluated a commercially available telemedicine system for impact in reaching better blood pressure control among Finnish hypertensive patients. A telemedicine system, the Doc@home, was used to assist blood pressure treatment in 19 Finnish hypertensive patients. Blood pressure control improved during the 3-month follow-up. Patient-to-Doc@home compliance was good, but study physicians found the system time consuming in the beginning. According to our results, the Doc@home telemedicine system showed a promising approach in hypertension treatment but needs some further development and trained staff to become a still more practical alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reprint of the article "Cholesterol microembolization syndrome: a complication of anticoagulant therapy," by Juha Varis and colleagues, which appeared at www.cmaj.ca. It discusses the case of an elderly man who experiences painful and purple-tinged toes for a year, in which he was treated with lercanidipine, candesartan, and warfarin. It states that the patient was identified to have cholesterol microembolization syndrome determined through echocardiographic examinations.