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For the last thirty years, manufacturers have attempted to integrate their information systems. The benefits of doing this for a manufacturer are both obvious and significant. Despite this, however, case studies describing centrally designed and integrated manufacturing information systems have been largely restricted to larger organisations. While it is not unusual for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to link some of their sub-systems, it remains relatively rare for such businesses to attempt to design and implement a single, integrated information system from the top down. This paper reports on a systems development project undertaken by the Manchester based SME, S+B Ltd. The company initiated an ambitious Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project in 2016 with the goal of designing and implementing fully integrated systems that embraced Computer Aided Design (CAD), manufacturing technology and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The projects objectives were three-fold; first to improve efficiency and eliminate duplication of effort. Second, to reduce the number of errors that are created by the ad-hoc transfer of data between sub-systems. Third and most important, to reduce the number of times information was transferred between subsystems to shorten lead-times to customers. This paper reports on the various steps undertaken during the project from the initial process mapping exercise through to the implementation of the new systems.

This paper summarises the lessons learnt from a study of continuous improvement and information system implementation in a ready-meal food manufacturing company. The objectives of the study were to increase flexibility and capacity within the manufacturing operation by reducing wastage and improving efficiency, and by implementing a more robust Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to enable further growth by improving transaction processing efficiency, customer service, standards and regulatory compliance, traceability, product cost, production and materials planning and performance analysis. The study started with a systematic review of existing activities and practices in the organisation and identified the factors causing waste and inefficiency in manufacturing operations and analysed these to generate potential solutions in the form of worksheets and areas of good practice. In addition, the options for different commercially available ERP packages were assessed to enable an informed choice to be made for implementation in order to realise operational improvement.

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is interested in the application of rehabilitation techniques to strengthen their AASTHO prestressed bridge girders for shear. Utah's bridges are exposed to deterioration from rain, snow, and the introduction of salt for ice removable. This requires innovative rehabilitation techniques to address the deteriorations of their highway bridges, especially the ends of bridge girders where water and salt are more common due to construction joints. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) are becoming more prevalent as a tool in highway bridge rehabilitation. This research investigates the application of various CFRP systems that can be used as shear reinforcement for prestressed concrete girders. The experimental program involved full-scale destructive testing of six 40-year-old, AASHTO prestressed I-girders that were salvaged from the 45th South/I-215 bridge in Salt Lake City, Utah. The testing involved retrofitting five of the girders with various configurations of CFRP fabric. Based on the initial tests, the most effective configuration was then applied to another set of I-shaped concrete girders for verifications. After the experimental testing, two analytical models developed for predicting the additional shear contribution of the CFRP reinforcement were compared with the measured results from the experimental program. After testing and comparisons, a CFRP reinforcement configuration and theoretical model was selected as a reliable and effective method for application of external shear reinforcement of AASHTO prestressed I-shaped girders.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aquatic environmental fate of triclopyr and its major metabolites, TCP and TMP. This review is primarily based on results of laboratory and field studies conducted by various Federal Agencies and the registrant to support the US aquatic registration for triclopyr TEA.

The book is divided into two sections: Section 1 - Introduces the subject as a whole and describes the key generic tools and techniques to support the manufacturing organisation. Section 2 - Modern planning and control methods at a detailed level.

Manufacturing Planning and Control (MPC) systems have attracted great interest in recent years. Teaching of this subject however is challenging because of the difficulty of providing appropriate examples in an academic environment. This paper describes a business game developed by a leading automotive components company. The objective of the game is to illustrate the benefits of reducing complexity within manufacturing systems in simplifying planning and control. The paper describes the development process for the game and provides detailed playing instructions. Finally, the paper reviews the use of the game in both an industrial and an academic context.