Search

Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a key indicator to measure the effectiveness of production systems. This paper aims to evaluate and improve a plastic production line based on OEE evaluation. An integrated framework is proposed to enhance the production system efficiency. This paper presents the data for a Plastic production line in Jordan under real working conditions. The data covers three months. A framework process to improve the OEE of the Plastic production system was proposed. Six major stoppage losses were inspected with the help of Pareto analysis. Furthermore, the actual availability, efficiency, and quality rate measures, together with the whole OEE for each working day, week, and month of the production line were shown. The methodology is based on determining the OEE of a Plastic production line after determining the causes of failures. The fishbone diagram tool is used to determine the root causes of failures. To improve the OEE measure, several losses are identified. The results reveal that the company should improve its policy to improve the production line’s performance and reduce losses. Top management should also pay attention to reducing the speed losses, which consist of 58.1%, and eliminate the planned and unscheduled disruptions covering 12.73% of all losses. This can be achieved by establishing a proper operation management procedure and strategy. This, in turn, optimized the equipment’s effectiveness. The quality procedure should include the changeover program that may be executed every day. Similarly, all preventive maintenance procedures for the six machines should be properly executed in predetermined intervals. There are several limitations in the research. Firstly, the research case study is only the plastic production system. Secondly, the research is related to the downtime or stoppage by analyzing it using fishbone diagram. Further, supported by other techniques such as the Pareto chart, six big losses analyses and CED. This research conducted on a Plastic industry. However, similar studies can be carried out in future in other manufacturing industries like electronic, pharmaceutical, textile industries, etc., and service industry. However, as future research work the contributions of this paper with other lean manufacturing concept like six sigma, quality function deployment, TQM, and just-in-time manu-facturing, can also be conducting to assess the overall production line efficiency. On the other hand, several statistical tests can be implemented based on data collected of TPM performance indicators. The proposed method supports policymakers in their decision-making process on the operations management line. Further-more, it improves the production systems’ productivity quality, and performance, reducing unplanned stop-pages and breakdowns, and reducing maintenance costs.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), thus it is pursues to improve their performance to stay in the global competitive markets through adopting an efficient manufacturing systems, one of them is lean production (LP). LP is a continuous improvement philosophy that based on using various lean activities to improve enterprise performance by eliminating various type of waste. In this paper, a Lean Level Assessment Methodology is proposed which integrated Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) to identify level of importance of lean activities and assess the level of SMEs leanness concerning five dimensions of lean activities. SMEs lean activities have surveyed through a comprehensive literature review, where twenty six lean activities have identified as the most common SMEs activities that classifying into five lean dimensions. A questionnaire was developed to collect data related to the levels of adoption of these lean activities by SMEs using a triple Likert scale. EFA was used to extract the most influencing lean activities on SMEs leanness based on questionnaire data. FAHP was used to determine the weights and the level of importance of these lean activities, while FTOPSIS was employed to investigate and assess the level of SMEs’ leanness related to the five lean dimensions activities. The proposed methodology has applied in four Iraqi SMEs (A1, A2, A3, and A4) for producing healthy water and soft drink in Baghdad. The results have explained that only 19 lean activities are the most influencing on SMEs leanness. Efficient manager is an important lean activity that has 58.90% level of importance. Although the four Iraqi SMEs have approximately acceptable level of leanness related the five lean dimensions, there is variation in adoption these lean dimensions activities by SMEs. SMEs management should develop a continuous improvement strategy based on utilizing SMEs’ efforts and resources to improve activities of the weaker dimension for improving their competitiveness and ensuring sustainability in the rapidly changing business environment. One limitation of this paper is the difficulty in obtaining data related to lean activities and their performance through SMEs’ processes and activities.

Value stream mapping is one of the basic tools used in the processes improvement or design – in accordance with the Lean concept. This paper presents a model of designing production processes and introducing new products to the market based on the analysis of the value streams flow in the production process. Particular attention was paid to the importance of input data necessary to plan a properly functioning production process, which results in a high-value product (from the customer’s point of view). In the paper also the list of all the most important tools supporting all stages of designing new production processes or improving existing processes has been presented. Also the advantages of big pictures analysis using was highlighted. In this case value stream mapping and big picture analysis were oriented on quality in the product development process and contribute to: creating value (based on customer requirements) while maintaining timely deliveries and constant costs (Value Stream Mapping), sustainable use of tangible and intangible resources (removing waste at the design stage). However, from the company point of view, and particular in the cost level, the product can gain value because a lower input is required for its production. After improvement, the process lead time has been shortened in an area where value was not added, but the consequence of implementing the change is an increase in the production volume while maintaining the process transition time – therefore, unit costs of production will change.

The Multi-skilled Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (MS-RCPSP) is a complex and multi-faceted problem that involves scheduling activities whilst considering various resource constraints. These constraints include limited availability of workers, equipment, and materials, with each activity requiring a minimal set of skills to be executed. Furthermore, for a better resemblance to reality, workers/machines are assumed to be multi-skilled/multi-purpose posing another dimension of complexity to the problem. The objective is to minimize project duration, cost, or other relevant criteria while accounting for the inherent resources flexibility. This paper provides a systematic review of the literature pertaining to MS-RCPSP, and an in-depth analysis of 171 papers published between 2000 and 2021 inclusive. The conducted bibliometric analysis identifies the top contributing authors, most influential papers, existing research tendencies, and thematic research topics within the field. In addition, this review highlights different aspects of the MS-RCPSP, spanning the significance of performance measures, solution approaches, application areas, and the incorporation of time constraints. While project completion time, cost, and tardiness are common performance indicators, other measures such as multi-skilled staff assignment and schedule robustness are also deemed important. Although various methods have been employed to solve the MS-RCPSP including exact and approximate approaches, the selection of the most-suited approach depends on the problem’s scale, complexity, and constraints, necessitating careful consideration of each method’s strengths and weaknesses. Interestingly, several studies have jointly addressed resource and time constraints in the context of MS-RCPSP, often considering tardiness, and have proposed different algorithms, models, and metaheuristics to tackle these challenges. This paper clearly highlights research gaps and promising avenues for future research. This work provides valuable insights for project managers to effectively schedule tasks in the presence of multiple flexible resources.

This paper explores Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA). Graphical methods are used to gain insights in EDA and these insights can be useful for forming tentative hypotheses when performing a root cause analysis (RCA). The topic of EDA is well addressed in the literature; however, empirical studies of the efficacy of EDA are lacking. We therefore aim to evaluate EDA by comparing one group of students identifying salient features in a table against a second group of students attempting to identify salient features in the same data presented in the form of a run chart, and then extracting relevant conclusions from such a comparison. Two groups of students were randomly selected to receive data; either in the form of a table or a run chart. They were then tasked with visually identifying any data points that stood out as interesting. The number of correctly identified values and the time to find the values were both evaluated by a two-sample t-test to determine if there was a statistically significant difference. The participants with a graph found the correct values that stood out in the data much quicker than those that used a table. Those using the data in the form of a table too much longer and failed to identify values that stood out. However, those with a graph also had far more false positives. Much has been written on the topic of EDA in the literature; however, an empirical evaluation of this common methodology is lacking. This paper confirms with empirical evidence the effectiveness of EDA.

The dynamic evolution of the economy and the evolving demands necessitating adaptability are primary catalysts for the emergence of Industry 5.0 which, building on the foundations of Industry 4.0, is oriented towards meeting human needs and expectations while ensuring the responsible functioning of the workforce. This is particularly salient in sectors experiencing rapid advancements in manufacturing concepts, characterized by the integration of advanced IT, information and data utilization, automation, and the deployment of collaborative robots, often referred to as “cobots”. The study outlines the key prerequisites concerning the development and operation of Industry 5.0, as specified in European Union guidelines, and evident in research literature. Three critical facets pertinent to the effective implementation of Industry 5.0 are extensively addressed, encompassing the imperative to effectively cater to human-related requisites and highlighting the potential benefits therein. The paper offers an overview of openly accessible, previously published materials on the subject. The author’s examination encompasses studies regarded as milestones, which build on the foundations of Industry 4.0 to advance the conceptual framework of Industry 5.0. Rather than centering on statistical analysis, this research attempts to explore relationships that warrant further in-depth investigation to ascertain existing correlations. The paper seeks to outline factors to be considered in the course of implementing Industry 5.0. Its conclusions may be of use in supporting people responsible for organizational development and specifically in helping them to identify potential issues so as to give their organization an edge in the global competitive environment.

The paper is devoted to the construction and design solutions of the power supply and drive systems of a prototype, lightweight LHD (Load-Haul-Dump) loader with an innovative “in-wheel drive” transmission system. The loader is a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) with replaceable energy storage. It is intended for use in underground mines with no explosion hazard, especially in metal ore mines. The developed model contains four independent, electric drive systems installed in the road wheels. The paper presents the results of simulation tests, which enabled estimating the required driving power and electricity demand in various regimes and working conditions of the loader. The results of the calculations were used to determine the parameters of the drive system components and the battery capacity. Challenges and problems faced by constructors of BEV LHD loaders with an in-wheel drive have been pointed out.

The objective of this paper is to propose effective methods to implement sustainable development principles among young people, both in schools and universities. The authors of this article recognize the significant potential among young individuals whose actions and choices have a substantial impact on the environment. By analyzing the knowledge and behaviors of young people towards sustainable development and environmental protection, based on surveys conducted among pupils and students from the south-eastern region of Poland, this paper identifies gaps that require improvement and proposes actions aimed at raising pro-ecological awareness among the youth. The analysis revealed that only 25% of the respondents have heard about the “Agenda for Sustainable Development – 2030”, 20% were familiar with the goals of sustainable development, and few have participated in initiatives for sustainable development. However, 58% of respondents claimed to engage in activities for environmental protection in their daily lives. The article also presents the degree of compliance with the assumptions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on both global and local scales. Furthermore, the paper analyzes two aspects of students’ awareness of sustainable development: their knowledge of goals and documents, and their pro-ecological behavior in daily life. Based on the findings, this paper proposes ways to introduce sustainable development principles in selected areas of school and university functioning to enhance ecological awareness and shape pro-ecological attitudes among young people. Concrete actions to facilitate implementation are also suggested.

The smart city concept, influenced by societal changes, technology, and geopolitics, is transitioning towards a human-centered model—Smart City 3.0. Emphasizing community engagement, this model ensures that new technologies are tailored to each city’s unique needs. The creation of a participatory society is essential for this approach, fostering public involvement in decision-making. Core mechanisms include public consultations and participatory budgeting, as legislated, enhancing co-management between authorities and residents. To successfully implement Smart City 3.0, it is vital to build a partnership based on mutual trust between local authorities and communities. Opinions must not only be expressed, but factored into city planning and development. Advisory bodies like city youth councils illustrate this approach, engaging youth in meaningful roles and ensuring their interests are represented. This paper investigates the vital role of community members in the creating of smart city. Additionally, the paper conducts a comprehensive review of various models of participation, evaluating their respective strengths and weaknesses within the context of smart city development.

The availability of digital infrastructures and the fast-paced development of accompanying revolutionary technologies have triggered an unprecedented reliance on Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques both in theory and practice. Within the AI domain, Machine Learning (ML) techniques stand out as essential facilitator largely enabling machines to possess human-like cognitive and decision making capabilities. This paper provides a focused review of the literature addressing applications of emerging ML tools to solve various Project Scheduling Problems (PSPs). In particular, it employs bibliometric and network analysis tools along with a systematic literature review to analyze a pool of 104 papers published between 1985 and August 2021. The conducted analysis unveiled the top contributing authors, the most influential papers as well as the existing research tendencies and thematic research topics within this field of study. A noticeable growth in the number of relevant studies is seen recently with a steady increase as of the year 2018. Most of the studies adopted Artificial Neural Networks, Bayesian Network and Reinforcement Learning techniques to tackle PSPs under a stochastic environment, where these techniques are frequently hybridized with classical metaheuristics. The majority of works (57%) addressed basic Resource Constrained PSPs and only 15% are devoted to the project portfolio management problem. Furthermore, this study clearly indicates that the application of AI techniques to efficiently handle PSPs is still in its infancy stage bringing out the need for further research in this area. This work also identifies current research gaps and highlights a multitude of promising avenues for future research.

Currently, the development of information technology in all fields is very rapid, including in the manufacturing sector, thus making the social environment of manufacturing change a lot. Traditional manufacturing research focuses on applying technology, such as production models, supplier arrangements, automation, advanced machines in the manufacturing industry, etc. Global competition and increasingly diverse customer demands are a phenomenon that occurs today. Social manufacturing is a new distributed, collaborative, and intelligent manufacturing, that every consumer can participate in the entire process of product design, manufacture, and even marketing. This study aims to examine the development of social manufacturing systems and the latest research in social manufacturing. The method used is to review the latest papers related to social manufacturing that provide a new paradigm for the manufacturing industry, then map based on the concepts, frameworks, and technologies used. The results of this review paper are in the form of mapping research papers taken from the database of a reputable international journal, Scopus. The mapping includes data on the author, co-author, terms on social manufacturing paper, year of publication, type of document and publisher. This systematic literature review can be one of the references for basic research on social manufacturing.

In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, manufacturing firms face more competitive environments, rapidly changing information and communication technologies (ICTs), and customers’ preferences than ever before. This paper analyzes relevant literature and proposes a systemic customer-centric knowledge-based production value chain (KPVC) to leverage distinctive core competencies (DCCs) and create sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in manufacturing contexts. The paper introduces an integrative customer-centric KPVC model that enables companies to respond to environmental drivers, leverage DCCs, and create SCA. It adopts an exploratory approach to developing a unified and inherently interdisciplinary model based on a review of relevant scholarly literature. The KPVC integrated model comprises production value chain (PVC), knowledge management (KM) processes, and business process re-engineering (BPR) enabling activities. A successful move to KPVC requires a fully integrated and automated system allowing firms to define, track, and manage their work processes. Effective KPVC is a principal approach for leveraging DCCs in the quest for achieving SCA in today’s competitive business world and generating better values for customers and companies.

In this paper, the authors focused on the analysis and evaluation of factors affecting the level of occupational risk in “small” enterprises, with a particular emphasis on psychophysical factors in the manufacturing sector. The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. The results were verified using the strucla interview method with elements of observation. The purpose of the paper was to draw attention to – often overlooked in the assessment of occupational risks by employers – psychophysical hazards with particular emphasis on psychosocial hazards. Respondents – employees of enterprises with a particular focus on the manufacturing sector – point to psycho-physical hazards as those that, right after hazardous (accident) hazards, significantly affect the level of occupational risk. However, the assessment of factors determining the level of occupational risk changes with the age of respondents. Older workers, more often than younger ones, perceive the factors that affect the level of occupational risk. Their experience and ability to reliably identify risks can be very useful in creating awareness of safe behavior among the youngest workers, who are most vulnerable to occupational accidents. The article also presents analyses and assessments of the symptoms of occupational stress, which is one of the factors shaping psycho-physical risk that is so often underestimated by many workers and employers.

The purpose of this paper is to indicate the possibility of applying cognitive technologies in smart city services and analyze their impact on strategic management in the city. The subject of this study is the use of cognitive technologies in big data as one of the tools of smart city. The study also identifies the risks that may occur when using modern technologies at the local level. At the same time, it refers to features that can provide a form of safeguards for an individual’s rights and freedoms. This article also covers legal issues that affect the use of cognitive technologies in local government units. This paper indicates that the challenge that local governments should now meet is to build a Smart Sustainable City. Implementation of modern solutions should strive to improve the lives of all residents and thus prevent the exclusion of social groups or individuals.

Changes in the environment of industry may affect the expectations related to the competencies of the employees. Changes to the education system and curricula may be required. The main purpose of this research paper was to analyze the expectations of the industries related to competencies of graduates of engineering programs. The paper presents preliminary research. The survey was conducted at twenty-eight companies within the area of technical university in Poland. Based on the survey, data was collected related to the level of preparation of engineering graduates as well as the industry expectations related to the preparation of engineering graduates. This was done for the purpose of determining the gap between industry expectations and the level of preparation of the engineering graduates. Enterprises expect a wide range of competences from engineering graduates. The most important areas of competence included soft competences and practical knowledge and skills. The biggest gap between industry expectation and graduate’s preparation are the soft skills. Recommendations were suggested which would be incorporated in the engineering curriculum for the purpose of continuous quality improvement.

The paper focuses on Customer Relationship Management (CRM), based on latest national and international studies of the subject. The goal of the paper is to identify how the selected companies that operate in Slovakia understand the concept of CRM and to what degree they actively use it. Thereafter authors compare different approaches to management of company’s relationship with customers. They wanted to focus on a deeper analysis and decided to use in our orientation and evaluative research also a different approach, such as collaboration with international experts. In the paper the authors identify level of use of social CRM in selected companies in Slovakia and based on expert opinions of members of an international group they design an optimal model of CRM.

The purpose of the study is to review the internationally recognised CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) standards, codes of conduct (cross-industry and industry-specific used in electronics, automotive and steel industry) and selected codes and supplier evaluation approaches applied by individual customer organisations. It also aims to identify problems related to CSR compliance demonstration from the view of supplier organization supplying its products for more industry sectors. Literature review, interview with the selected large manufacturing organisation and synthesis of information were conducted to achieve the purpose of the study. The difficulties for supplier organisations during CSR verifications and audits conducted by customers or third parties according to a variety of standards are discussed in the paper. It often results from different structure, terminology and content of the CSR standards and codes. One of the possible solutions is to create and maintain the intelligent database of CSR requirements of customer organisations. There is a lack of studies dealing with the existence of various CSR standards and codes and its impact on suppliers supplying their products to more industry sectors. The paper contributes to fill the knowledge gap and extend the existing literature.

The submitted paper deals with the issue of change in structure, hardness and thermally affected zone of the samples of a toothed wheel part produced by technology of cutting by plasma, laser and water jet. The cutting process by laser and plasma technology causes intensive thermal affection of material and change in structure and microhardness in the cutting area referred to as thermally affected zone. The paper describes three material cutting technologies of the toothed wheel part. The experimental part contains description of experimental sample preparation, its hardness measurement and examination of structure along with further evaluation through graphs and photo documentation of structures.

The paper focuses on the analysis of the impact of technical, organizational and human factors on accident rate in small-sized enterprises. The research was carried out using the authors’ questionnaire. The results were verified using the method of direct interview with elements of observation. The results were compared with the trends prevailing in enterprises of EU countries. The respondents, i.e. production company workers, indicate technical factors as those which most significantly affect the occurrence of accidents at work. However, the assessment of the factors changes with the age of the respondents. Older workers, more often than younger employees, indicate the ones related to man or work organization as the most important factors affecting accidents at work and, consequently, the level of occupational safety. The presented results are a part of a larger whole project the authors of this paper are working on.

Supply chain management is one of the most important elements of sustainable development. And due to the fact that the world market is driven by supply and demand, and the determinant of access to products is regional and international logistics, this paper focuses on the possibilities of implementing a green transport strategy in the context of sustainable development in logistic enterprises. This paper presents the results of the SWOT analysis pointing out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of green vehicles market for the transport enterprises. It was noticed that the situation on the green vehicles market for the transport enterprises is characterized by the advantage of strengths and these strengths should be used to maximize the use of green vehicles. It emphasized that subsidies for green vehicles would allow to invest in a modern fleet, new solutions (e.g. own charging stations) can have an impact on the greater energy efficiency (self-sufficiency), increase of social awareness would force enterprises to take appropriate actions in the field of environmental protection and development of public transport based on green vehicles.

In the paper the problem of personnel allocation under threat was presented. The possibilities of undertaking optimization measures in the process of workers’ health and safety and expenses incurred were emphasized. A mathematical model for this issue has been formulated. An algorithm solving the problem of staff allocation was presented. The evaluation criterion for this assignment was the minimization of worker safety risks. Simultaneous optimization of expenses incurred in the implementation of production tasks was taken into account. The productivity of the staff and all existing jobs with the skills of the employees also was considered. This problem was solved using GNU Octave. The example presented in the paper shows that in case of the most unfavorable allocation of tasks to employees, it will lead to a significant reduction in profits and may increase the risk of undesirable situations. The proposed analysis is the starting point for determining the risk in case of multi-position work.

The paper describes the structural design of a laboratory device that allows for presenting operation, simulating work procedures and checking functionality of the elevator “rope sensors” when equalizing different tensile forces in partial ropes of a rope system of traction elevators. The laboratory device is modified for checking operations of commonly used rope sensors. In an overwhelming number of cases, elevator technicians use them for setting up the unequally distributed tensile forces in elevator ropes. The device is equipped with three, mutually attached pulleys, over which the rope is installed. The unknown tensile force in the rope is determined by an “indirect method”, i.e. from the resultant of the forces of the rope bent over the pulleys, which have an effect on the force sensor. The tensile force along the rope axis can be determined numerically, but also experimentally, from the inclination angle of the rope installed on the pulleys, diameter of the pulleys, diameter of the rope and the force detected by the force sensor of the stretched rope. The paper presents experimentally obtained tensile force values at the rope sensor, deduced from stretching the rope. The paper also describes the procedure for determining the measured load in the rope by rope sensors of the SWR, SWK and RMT-1 types based on the variable axial force in the rope.

Making a Master Production Schedule (MPS) is a very important activity for a manufacturing industry. This is due to the fact that MPS serves as an input for material and production planning. Between the years 2020 and 2022, there were significant fluctuations observed in container freight rates. As response, a lot of manufacturing industry focus on optimizing their container delivery schedule. Hence, there is a need for aligning the master production schedule with the delivery schedule. This paper presents the development of a novel heuristic approach to address problems with the creation of MPS. Specifically, the focus is on the situation where container delivery schedules are prearranged and serve as a main input for creating the MPS. There are two objective functions that are going to be reached: 1) minimize the total number of product variations or Stock Keeping Units (SKU) per month; and 2) minimize the number of SKU per container. The proposed heuristic approach uses the similarity concept to group objects in a clustering technique. It is then implemented in a real-world case of a furniture manufacturing company. Further results were obtained and then compared to the heuristic technology that had previously been used by business entities. The results show that the number of product variations (SKU) that must be performed per month is 10% lower than that of the existing heuristic. In addition, the ratio of SKU variations per container is 9% lower than that of the existing heuristic. The time required to complete the task of creating MPS is less than one minute, as opposed to the one working day required by the company’s existing heuristic.

Over the last decade, our world exposed to many types of unpredictable disasters (recently Coronavirus). These disasters have clearly shown the uncertainty and vulnerability of supply chain systems. Also, it confirmed that adopting Just-in-Time (JIT) strategy to reduce the logistic chain cost may lead to inbuilt complexity and risks. Efficient tools are therefore needed to make complexity optimized supply chain decisions. Evolutionary algorithms, including genetic algorithms (GA), have proven effective in identifying optimal solutions that address the trade-offs between total supply chain cost and carbon emissions regulatory policy represented by carbon tax charges. These solutions pertain to the design challenges of supply networks exposed to potential disruption risks. However, GA have a set of parameters must be chosen for effective and robust performance of the algorithms. This paper aims to set the most suitable values of these parameters that used via GA – ased optimization cost and risk reduction model in firms using a JIT as a delivery system. The model has been conceptualized for addressing the design complexities of the supply chain, referred to as SCRRJITS (Simultaneous Cost and Risk Reduction in a Just-in-Time System). A complete analysis of the different parameters and operators of the algorithm is carried out using design of experiments approach. The algorithm performance measure used in this study is convergence of solutions. The results show the extent to which the quality of solution can be changed depending on selection of these parameters.

The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into industrial processes has seen substantial development, characterized by the shift from Industry 4.0 to the future concept of Industry 5.0. The article identifies a significant gap in knowledge regarding how openness in AI engagement influences consumer trust and confidence in news media. This gap highlights the need for further exploration into the relationship between transparency in AI processes and consumer perceptions. The research utilises a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, gathering insights from academic literature, industry viewpoints, and actual data. We conduct an extensive analysis of existing literature to investigate the process of incorporating artificial intelligence into news creation and its influence on the level of confidence consumers have in the news. We have identified a significant lack of knowledge about the impact of openness in AI engagement on consumer views and trust in news media. Expanding on this discrepancy, we suggest a systematic methodology that incorporates controlled experiments and surveys to evaluate the influence of different degrees of openness on consumer trust and involvement with AI-generated news content. In addition, the paper examines the difficulties in establishing confidence in artificial intelligence (AI) inside the European Union, including several aspects such as technological, ethical, social, and legal considerations. The document presents a thorough plan to guarantee the secure development and execution of AI, with a focus on the significance of transparency, ethics, and teamwork. The study’s results provide vital insights for politicians, news organisations, and industrial businesses as they navigate the intricate process of integrating AI. Comprehensive Plan for Secure AI Development, to address the challenges outlined, the article presents a thorough plan for ensuring the secure development and execution of AI within the European Union. This plan emphasizes the significance of transparency, ethics, and collaboration in building trust and confidence in AI technologies.

Numerous research studies have focused on the Simple Assembly Line Balancing Problem (SALBP). Although many of these studies have attempted to minimise the number of workstations for a given cycle time (SALBP-1) or min-imise the cycle time for a given number of workstations (SALBP-2), few have focused on the E-type of the SALBP, which is a general NP-hard problem. Therefore, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) in this area is extremely important. The SALB-E problem involves scheduling a given set of tasks in an orderly sequence of workstations, where task precedence relations are satisfied, and finding the optimal pair of number of workstations and cycle time that maximises line efficiency. The aim of this systematic review was to examine existing research on SALB-E issues and predict future directions for studies on this topic. A systematic methodology was used to review papers published between 1995 and 2023, selected from the Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar data-bases. The review showed that future studies should focus on multi- and mixed-model U-shaped and two-sided lines in the SALBP-E. In addition, it may be important to evaluate multiple objective functions rather than just a single one. To solve this problem, it is preferable to develop and refine genetic algorithms and investigate new approaches within the metaheuristic framework.

With the concept of Industry 4.0 production processes are moving towards autonomy and intelligence. Technologies equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) are involved into processes that are more and more digitized. Collaborative technologies are a feature of discrete processes. The automotive industry has achieved many successes in the process innovation towards smart factories. Other plants, such as smelters or coal mining are also striving to develop smart manufacturing with integrated computer systems to support processes. A continuous production is different from a discrete or batch production. Industry 4.0 concept is focused on discrete production (with high level of automation and robotization of manufacturing) meanwhile there is a gap in implementation of these approach in the continuous production. The objective of the publication is to prepare and design the integrated computer management system based on processes realized in coal and steel manufacturing. Coal and steel production are key elements in a chain of any industrial manufacturing e.g. automotive or machinery engineering. These processes are crucial in building of smart value chain. In our paper we present the structure of processes for the continuous production. Based the processes model we proposed the next steps to build the smart manufacturing for continuous production.

The inducted paper discusses economic effect resulting from industrial activities realized within national economy of the chosen country. The country of selection represents Poland. Economic impact is scrutinized through reflexing on gross domestic product. Industrial segment is deputized over various indicators whose scope strives to include different views on the industry field. The main point of this paper is to identify the exact relationship between dependent variable (gross domestic product) and a group of independent variables (picked industrial representatives). Such determination offers thereafter the possibility to estimate dependent variable’s value and its next forecast. What is more, the eventual sorting of involved industrial indicators is facilitated according to their importance. The multiple regression analysis is utilized as the method of investigation. Findings answer the stated questions and aims with a suggestion of an appropriate equation.

On the basis of legal, environmental, social, and economic factors, reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain issues have attracted attention among both academia and practitioners. A growing number of publications is an expression of reverse logistics trend in the literature which has been lasted for around 40 years. Hence, a comprehensive literature review of recent and state-of-the-art papers is vessential to draw a framework of the past, and to support researchers in their works by indicating journals or adequate references. The aim of this paper was to prepare appropriate literature review procedure and following it to review all papers whose main topis was reverse logistics. The papers were analyzed and categorized to construct a useful foundation of past research with respect to the scale of number of research on reverse logistics, considering stages of reverse logistics development, targeted journals, main research centres and leading countries. Moreover there were reccommended the most valuable papers as references.

The presented paper provides the alternative options for determining the condition of belt gear based on the testing and monitoring. In order to carry out experimental measurements, a newly developed device for testing, monitoring and diagnostics of belt drives was designed, as well as the possibility of determination of limit states by extreme loads. The designed measuring stand allows to determine the point of destruction of the belt for an extreme load. The main objective of the experimental measurement was to determine the slip of the wedge-shaped belt. The slip was evaluated by the coefficient of belt creeping and the specific belt slip by means of the measuring stand. The measurements on the proposed device can be made when the input speed from the electric motor and the transmitted torque of the belt gear are constant while the tensioning force of the belt drive is changing or the measurements can be made when the tensioning force and input speed of the belt drive are constant and the torsional moment changes. The monitoring of specified parameters for determining the belt gear slip is made by means of sensors located at predetermined locations from which data is processed by a PC. In the paper, the analytical calculation is processed, from which the values are compared with the values measured on the proposed device.

The automotive industry faces challenges in maintaining quality control while at the same time reducing costs and improving efficiency. Outsourcing has emerged as a potential solution. Such an approach can create issues such as communication barriers, quality control problems, and limited visibility into the manufacturing process. This study proposes a cloud-based quality reporting solution to overcome these challenges by providing real-time data analytics, facilitating proper communication, and enabling visibility into quality control processes. This solution significantly reduces waiting times for information regarding product quality status and allows interested parties to access data immediately. The outsourcing company, product producer and customer receive flexible, traceable, mobile cloud-based analytics in real-time. Challenges of this solution are the need to secure data, manage access and ensure the appropriate quality of data by persons performing control. The paper provides practical recommendations for implementing cloud-based quality reporting systems.

Innovation is the key to the growth of each business in a fast-changing world. Innovations affect financial activities because the successful innovation opens the new markets, gives the opportunity to reduce costs or introduce new products and services with a higher profit margin. Each organization, institution, enterprise or individual can be innovative. Innovations may not be implemented only in large enterprises, but also in medium or small. The aim of this paper is to innovate and optimize the polishing process in production plant with variant production. In this paper case study is used as research method which includes measurements and observation. The paper is focused on five variants of one product. We obtained the required data by measuring in a manufacturing plant in southern India in Madurai. At the end the results are summarized, and the optimization of the polishing process is proposed.

Contemporary world brings people more and more dangers. Creation of the Internet made it even easier to harm other users without consequences. However we still can do something about it. We can learn how to protect ourselves in the network. That is why it is so important to disseminate the main goals of safety management while using Internet. The paper presents main dangers awaiting for network users – both the youngest and the older ones, such as cyberbullying or phishing. The authors also point to the more frequent Internet addiction. The main goal of this paper is to indicate on how the on-line safety management should look like and how people can protect themselves from the dangers, of which they are sometimes even not aware. Children and adults shall be educated about the dangers in the Internet, and how to avoid them. Only then will they know, how to properly manage their on-line safety.

The objective of the paper is to present results of research carried out on the development of a logistics maturity model for enterprises. The proposed approach allows for companies to self-assess their level of advancement of logistics processes implementation with the use of logistics maturity model. Considering the results of the assessment, directions for further actions may be determined. The proposed model comprises three dimensions: SCOR model, phases of the industry logistics and logistics tools, what makes it original approach in the field of logistics maturity research. Moreover, the model described in the paper is dedicated for service industry, which is in research niche. The current state of research on maturity models is reviewed to serve as a basis for the model developed in the paper. There are inlcuded theoretical assumptions of the proposed logistics maturity model and presentation of the model’s concept, considering directions for future research on the specified issue.

The global objective of this paper is to analyze engineering risk of series production in Automotive Industries based on problems caused by supplied chain of products when a strong process to avoid engineering risk problems is missing. Automotive Industries Companies in Romania use just some theoretical tools like as D-FMEA (Design – Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) for engineering risk in their design products in ADAS domein. The main causes appear after the production starts and sometimes it brings the production to a halt. The risks reveal details of different levels and high risk can be caused by unforeseen challenges during of series production. On this paper, the method for engineering risk of management used is based on project management guide by Paul Roberts adapted to causes identification and risk plan.

Reliability of production systems in enterprises is increasingly dependent on the availability of ICT systems that supervise them. The research presented in this paper focuses on the improvement of the availability of ICT systems by identifying possibilities of further automation of their maintenance processes. After preliminary research, it has been concluded that the possibility of further automation by using artificial intelligence methods to support decision making regarding the improvement of ICT systems is worth considering. The main aim of the paper was to carry out research into the possibilities of using and implementing artificial intelligence to support decision making regarding the improvement of ICT systems.

The problem of reducing leaks along the pump or compressor shaft of pumped liquids and gases into the environment is very urgent. Serious difficulties have to be faced when sealing the shafts of machines that pump aggressive, toxic, explosive and fire-hazardous environments. According to modern occupational safety requirements, such pumps and compressors should use double seals with a barrier medium whose pressure exceeds the sealed one by 0.05-0.2 MPa. Currently, liquid-lubricated double mechanical seals are widely used in chemical production equipment, however, over the last decade of the 20th century, leading companies have developed a number of designs of double gas mechanical seals for pumps and chemical production devices, which significantly exceed liquid-lubricated seals in their performance characteristics. The vast majority of these seals use a gas-dynamic principle of operation, i.e. spiral, logarithmic, T-shaped or other micro grooves are made on the sealing faces of their rings, which, when rotated, create an additional gas dynamic force that ensures the functioning of these seals with a micron gap between the sealing pair. In this paper, the design, principle of operation and engineering methodology for calculating the main characteristics of a impulse gas barrier face seal, in which one pair of sealing rings performs the functions of a double mechanical seal, is considered. The design is simple, compact and, thanks to the more advanced principle of creating a gap between the sealing pair, is able to maintain operability in a wide range of sealing and barrier pressures. The existing experience of operating seals of this type on chemical production pumps has confirmed their high efficiency, reliability and safety.

Since there is so much empirical research in the field of lean manufacturing, to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on this subject, a bibliometric analysis was required. Through science mapping and multi-dimensional bibliometric analysis, this study aims to identify common themes in the most-cited research on lean manufacturing. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer, including keyword occurrence, co-authorship network, and bibliometric coupling network analyses. From the 4,648 results in the SCOPUS database search, the 100 most-cited articles were analyzed. The analysis found four research clusters: “lean manufacturing,” “productivity,” “manufacture,” and “value stream mapping.” It was also found that most of the most-cited papers came from journals with a Q1 ranking. Based on these results, scholars work to learn as much as they can about the field. The results are important to researchers because they show how far the research on lean manufacturing has come. As far as the author knows, no other study has been done on bibliometric analysis of the topic. By making a scientific map of what is known about lean manufacturing, this study adds to what is already known.

This paper presents a contribution to the field of numerical solutions for contact problems, which pose significant challenges in engineering and simulations. Specifically, we address the intricate task of connecting bodies that have been discretized using non-conforming and non-overlapping meshes. Our primary focus lies in investigating the efficacy of the mortar method with a segment-to-segment approach. In this context, we provide a concise overview of the underlying theoretical framework and present our implementation in the MATLAB programming environment. To ascertain the reliability and accuracy of our proposed methodology, we conduct a rigorous validation study by comparing the outcomes obtained from our implementation with those derived from the widely adopted commercial software, ANSYS. To enable a comprehensive evaluation, we select specific benchmark problems that involve the interaction of two elastic bodies. Through a meticulous analysis and comparison of results, we demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our approach. The findings of this study contribute substantively to the advancement of numerical techniques for solving contact problems. The validated methodology not only establishes a solid foundation for future research endeavors but also offers a reliable framework for conducting simulations in this domain. Furthermore, the insights gained from this study can potentially facilitate the development of more efficient and accurate computational algorithms for addressing contact problems encountered in various engineering applications.

The aim of the paper was to analyze risky behaviors in the mining industry on the example of the indicator analysis of the statistics on accidents at work. Selected criteria of generic analysis (structure index – causes of accidents) and indicator analysis (intensity index – frequency indicator of accidents) were used in the research. The source of data for the analysis of accident rate were the publications of the Statistics Poland entitled “Accidents at work” in Poland for 2010-2021. The study aimed at human causes, which included the following five groups: lack or improper handling of a material factor by the employee, failure to use protective equipment by the employee, improper willful behavior of the employee, improper mental and physical state of the employee, improper behavior of the employee. For the analysis of risky behaviors, the proposition of the frequency indicator of accidents at work was used in the form of the probability indicator of accidents caused by risky behaviors per 1,000 working people. Based on the indicator analysis of risky behaviors, a comparative analysis of statistics on accidents at work in the period 2010-2021 according to the criterion of human causes was developed for Poland and mining. The research is based on the data of the Statistics Poland (GUS), but can be extended with other data, e.g. industry data according to the State Mining Authority (WUG). The results of the research can be used for a comparative analysis of the statistics on accidents at work in relation to other sectors and sections of economic activity of the NACE (PKD). The publication contains the original results of the indicator analysis of the statistics on accidents at work according to the criterion of human causes in the mining industry, and they can be addressed to persons managing of mining plants and managers of mining supervision authorities.

The objective of this paper is to explore a multidisciplinary problem-solving team investigating a customer-reported failure using an Ishikawa diagram with a spreadsheet for prioritizing and tracking investigation actions in a manufacturing organization. A case study methodology is used with the actions taken to investigate a customer-reported failure explained. The highest priority failure hypothesis was found to be unrelated to the failure. Two medium-rated hypotheses were found to be causing the problem; leakage was occurring at the connection between two components due to a diameter deviation of one of the components. Identifying and prioritizing hypotheses from the Ishikawa diagram provided structure to the investigation and gave the investigation team leader a tool for tracking the investigation actions. This approach is suitable for all types of failure investigations in which an Ishikawa diagram is used to list hypotheses.

The paper deals with the implementation of key performance indicators (KPI) for the evaluation of the efficiency of production processes. A key performance indicator is a measurable indicator that expresses how effectively the company achieves key goals in both production and non-production areas. As part of the research, various process key performance indicators characterizing product quality were identified. The indicator of the number of faulty products in relation to the volume of production (EXTppm) was chosen for the research. The monthly development of EXTppm in the course of 2022 and the long-term development in the years 2012-2022 were evaluated. The research was also devoted to the analysis of the reasons for not achieving the KPI target values, and measures were proposed to eliminate poor quality, respectively reduction of the number of complained products.

Penn State Hazleton has recently developed and implemented a new Engineering program with a focus on energy efficiency and energy sustainability. To accelerate the implementation cycle of the program, it was necessary to very rapidly create and establish the components of an ecosystem needed for the Engineering program to prosper and grow. This paper describes the individual components of the ecosystem as well as the methods used to establish them. The paper also discusses the different initiatives to increase enrollment as well as placement rates for graduates. Continuous quality improvement procedure applied to maintain the quality of the program is also being discussed.

Poland has a strong ambition to evolve rapidly into a knowledge-driven economy. Since 2004, it has been the largest beneficiary of European Union cohesion policy funds among all member states. Between 2007 and 2013, Poland was allocated approximately EUR 67 billion, whereas for 2014-2020 the EU budget earmarked EUR 82.5 billion for Polish cohesion policy. This means that in the coming years, Poland’s R&D intensity will grow. But the question remains: is 27 years of free market economy enough to enable a country’s economy to become knowledge-based ? This paper offers an analysis of Polish R&D expenditures and investments in terms of their sources (business, government or higher education sectors), types (European Union or state aid) and areas of support (infrastructure, education or innovation). It also characterises the Polish R&D market with its strengths and weaknesses. Then, it examines the process of technology transfer in Poland, comparing it to best practice. Finally, the paper lays out the barriers to effective commercialisation that need to be overcome, and attempts to answer the question raised in its title.

Paper addresses the different methods for protecting intellectual property in modern knowledge-based economies. The focus of the paper is a comparison between the procedures for applying for patents in Poland and the United States. The comparison has been made from the perspective of the cost of obtaining and maintaining a patent in Poland, the United States and some other countries. The comparison has also been made from the perspective of the procedures for applying for a patent in different countries based on the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The paper also includes a comparison of the time needed for processing the patent application. Low cost provisional twelve-month patent pending protection available in the United States is also being discussed. The paper also provides some guidance and recommendations for conducting a patent search in order to validate the originality of the invention.

Modern manufacturing entities often operate in capital groups, and their role is sometimes limited to the function of cost centers. From the legal point of view, however, they are separate entities obliged to apply transfer pricing regulations. Meeting the requirements of the arm's length principle can be very difficult at this time, given the relationships and conflicts of interest in the capital group. Complexity increases in capital groups operating in different countries, due to differences in tax regulations. The main purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that the need to valuate the sale of finished goods to a manufacturing entity, which is a subject to a different tax jurisdiction, may lead to a problem of compliance with the arm's length principle. In addition, the paper proposes a methodology for comparability analysis that may be used by manufacturing entities to defend conditions of setting transfer pricing. The paper presents the different functional profiles of manufacturing entities and points out the difficulties that they may encounter when preparing the comparability analysis. It has also been noted that there are differences in transfer pricing regulations in different countries, for example by analyzing Polish and Czech regulations. The lack of uniform benchmarking legislation can cause inconsistencies in the selection of comparable data, resulting in differences in transfer pricing. The paper uses the method of legal regulation review and analysis of results of published studies concerning the scope of transfer pricing and comparability analysis. The paper also adopts a case study analysis.

The paper analyzes the conditions of safe use of industrial gas systems and factors influencing gas hazards. Typical gas installation and its basic features have been characterized. The results of gas threat analysis in an industrial enterprise using FTA error tree method and ETA event tree method are presented. Compares selected methods of identifying hazards gas industry with respect to the scope of their use. The paper presents an analysis of two exemplary hazards: an industrial gas catastrophe (FTA) and an explosive gas explosion (ETA). In both cases, technical risks and human errors (human factor) were taken into account. The cause-effect relationships of hazards and their causes are presented in the form of diagrams in the drawings.

In a world of increasingly advanced technology and market turbulence caused by geopolitical turmoil and the spread of diseases of affluence, there is a growing need to adapt products and services to current market requirements in response to consumer expectations. The need to find its place in a constantly changing further and closer business environment has been also recognized in the agri-food sector. Consumers, looking for alternatives to industrially produced food and wanting to improve their well-being, have in mind, above all, not only the health quality of the food but also the absence of physical and chemical contaminants, and therefore, they are increasingly inclined to purchase organic food products. Under these circumstances, many Polish enterprises that choose this type of production are looking for solutions that allow them to respond quickly to changing consumer expectations. This paper first critically analyzes the scientific literature by compiling publications on aspects of enterprise agility to analyze issues related to quality assurance and its improvement as a manifestation of meeting customer expectations. This allowed for the identification of the research gap and formulation of the research objective, i.e. the assessment of the quality improvement activities as important problems of agility in Polish organic food processing. The main part of the empirical research was conducted in 2021-2022 using a questionnaire dedicated to entities involved in organic food production. The research was comprehensive in nature. The questionnaire was distributed to the entire population surveyed whereas the amount of the results leads to the conclusion that the sample is representative. Statistical analysis and inference were carried out using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk, ANOVA-Kruskal-Wallis, and U-Mann-Whitney tests.

The paper reviews the performance measurement in the domain of interest. Important data in asset management are further, discussed. The importance and the characteristics of today’s ICTs capabilities are also mentioned in the paper. The role of new concepts such as big data and data mining analytical technologies in managing the performance measurements in asset management are discussed in detail. The authors consequently suggest the use of the modified Balanced Scorecard methodology highlighting both quantitative and qualitative aspects, which is crucial for optimal use of the big data approach and technologies.

Big Data and Internet of Things will increase the amount of data on asset management exceedingly. Data sharing with an increased number of partners in the area of asset management is important when developing business opportunities and new ecosystems. An asset management ecosystem is a complex set of relationships between parties taking part in asset management actions. In this paper, the current barriers and benefits of data sharing are identified based on the results of an interview study. The main benefits are transparency, access to data and reuse of data. New services can be created by taking advantage of data sharing. The main barriers to sharing data are an unclear view of the data sharing process and difficulties to recognize the benefits of data sharing. For overcoming the barriers in data sharing, this paper applies the ecosystem perspective on asset management information. The approach is explained by using the Swedish railway industry as an example.