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Purpose: This article introduces the innovative concept of the "organizational stress test" (OST), a methodology designed to address the limitations of traditional audit processes by integrating the key principles of stress testing models in order to generate an original questionnaire through an algorithm that enables a diagnosis closer to the concrete situations experienced by companies in the workplace. Actually, the problem is that classical audits face significant limitations, including predictability and procedure‐oriented checks that overlook real effectiveness, which leads audits to prioritize certification over genuine improvement, sometimes making them costly and inefficient for achieving meaningful organizational progress. The goal of our proposal is to find a new way of continuous improvement. Unlike a classic audit, which primarily focuses on procedural compliance and documentation, the OST delves deeper into the resilience and robustness of an organization's quality management systems (QMSs), under extreme and realistic scenarios. This method not only assesses the company's ability to meet standard requirements but also evaluates how well it can withstand and recover from unforeseen challenges, thereby providing actionable insights for continuous improvement. By doing so, the OST offers a significant enhancement over conventional audits, providing a more dynamic, real‐world assessment that can reveal organizational vulnerabilities that a traditional audit might overlook. This article aims to equip manufacturing and service companies with a robust alternative to conventional auditing that promotes genuine organizational improvement beyond mere certification. Design/Methodology/Approach: Our methodology is based on a review of the original spirit of the ISO standards and on our analysis of financial stress tests to generate scenarios adapted to the specific QMS of a particular company thanks to a narrow AI. After a brief presentation of "lean standardization" and the weaknesses of conventional auditing, we present our scenario generation process using a multicriteria decision analysis algorithm. In order to illustrate the proposed method, some examples of implementation will be presented. Findings: To show the feasibility of the methodology, this article concludes with a summary of the results achieved in a single firm and draws some interesting conclusions. Results: The OST provides an emerging perspective on the auditing process by uncovering organizational deviations that traditional audits typically fail to detect. For instance, as will be illustrated in the practical application section, the OST was able to identify critical gaps in crisis management protocols and inefficiencies in communication within several companies, areas often overlooked in conventional audits, which tend to focus primarily on compliance with procedures. By thoroughly examining operational realities, the OST offers a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of the organization's resilience and effectiveness. In the following sections, we will explore specific cases where the OST's findings led to significant enhancements in organizational robustness, demonstrating the added value of this approach compared to conventional auditing methods. Research Limitations/Implications: The effectiveness of OST largely depends on the careful customization of scenarios to match each organization's unique needs. This process can be challenging, particularly for smaller firms or those with limited resources. In addition, the scenario‐based approach introduces variability, making it difficult to standardize across different industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat exchangers have found extensive applications in the engineering sector owing to the crucial need for heat transfer and temperature regulation in the process industry. The performance analysis of a heat exchanger can either be investigated experimentally or utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The simulation of flow conditions based on CFD principles is considered as a contemporary approach for conducting performance analysis and design optimization of the heat exchanger. The paper aims to present how the performance optimization parameters of shell and tube heat exchanger effect its performance in terms of the extent of heat transfer achieved and fall in the shell outlet temperature. A standard model (Model 1) was initially defined, and seven subsequent models were created with one varying parameter as compared to Model 1 to carry out the comparative analysis. The results showed that decrease in inlet velocity, increase in thermal conductivity of the heat exchanger material, reduction in baffle spacing and use of triangular tube bundle arrangement has significant influence on the reduction of the condensate temperature. The effects of the same parameters on the temperature distribution and heat transfer rate have also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxetic materials and structures have a negative Poisson’s ratio. When a tensile load is applied, they become thicker in lateral direction and vice versa. This paper presents a study on the mechanical behavior of a metallic re-entrant honeycomb auxetic structure manufactured by laser assisted Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) additive manufacturing technology. Effective modulus of the auxetic structure was estimated in tensile loading. The results of finite element analysis (FEA) were validated experimentally and show good agreement. Poisson’s ratio of the given structure was also estimated by FEA and validated with the analytical equation. Results show that direct metal deposition is an effective technique for producing intricate auxetic structures for various engineering applications.

Algae waste is one of the potential substrates for biogas and biohydrogen production and can comprehend multiple benefits of waste treatment and resource utilization. In view of the key bottlenecks such as low substrate degradation rate and poor productivity of algae waste production process, this study analyzes the combined effect of two metallic and metallic oxide nanoparticles with different substrate pretreatment methods (autoclave, ultrasonic, and microwave methods) to investigate the effect of anaerobic digestion of green algae (Enteromorpha). The results showed that out of the three pretreatment methods, microwave pretreatment and nanoparticles' synergistic effect significantly increases biogas production. The microbial community composition at the phylum level was analyzed. It was observed that the Firmicutes were most abundant across all samples. The relative abundance of Firmicutes for control, Ni NPs + MW, Co NPs + MW, and Fe3O4 NPs + MW groups were 51.78, 70.37, 75.77, and 83.93%, respectively. The second most abundant was of Bacteroidetes that also contributes to hydrogen production. This relatively high abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes promises its potential applications in a hydrogen production facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite bridges are usually constructed for rapid installation. The durability of the bridge is increased by stiffness, strength to weight ratio, and corrosion resistance. The main factors on which the design of the composite sandwiched bridge considerably depends are ply layers, material system, alignment of ply angles, and thickness of the core. In this work, a parametric design study for a bridge using finite element analysis (FEA) is presented. Two types of composite materials—carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP)—were used as the sandwich structure's skin, and three different types of woods were used as a core. Different design configurations were acquired based on material and instability constraints by using Euro-codes. Failure criterion of Tsai-Hill, Tsai-Wu, MS, equivalent stress, and maximum shear stress were implemented to analyze the overall failure of the bridge deck under Ultimate Limit State (ULS) conditions. The total deformation was examined under Serviceability Limit State (SLS) conditions, and the results were compared and verified by the previous study. The core was also examined using the core-factor and increasing the thickness of the core through parametric modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a methodology is proposed that can be used to predict the crack growth and fatigue life of a cantilever beam made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) manufactured with fused deposition modeling. Three beam configurations based on length (L = 110, 130, and 150 mm) are considered. Empirical relationships are formulated between the natural frequency and the crack growth. The analytical and experimental results are found to be in good agreement for all configurations. Using the experimental data, a global relation is formulated for the crack depth prediction. This global relation is useful for an in situ crack depth prediction with an error of less than 10%. Later, a residual fatigue life of these specimens is compared with a metallic structure (Aluminum 1050) of similar configuration available in the literature. It is found that the ABS material has more residual fatigue life compared with the metallic structure at the same frequency drop. Based on the remaining fatigue life, ABS material can be a potential material to manufacture machine components under cyclic loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pipeline systems serve a crucial role in an effective transport of fluids to the designated location for medium to long span of distances. Owing to its paramount economic significance, pipeline design field have undergone extensive development over the past few years for enhancing the optimization and transport efficiency. This research paper attempts to propose a methodology for flexibility analysis of pipeline systems through employing contemporary computational tools and practices. A methodical procedure is developed, which involves modeling of the selected pipeline system in CAESAR II followed by the insertion of pipe supports and restraints. The specific location and selection of the inserted supports is based on the results derived from the displacement, stress, reaction, and nozzle analysis of the concerned pipeline system. Emphasis is laid on the compliance of the design features to the leading code of pipeline transportation systems for liquid and slurries, ASME B31.4. The discussed procedure and approach can be successfully adjusted for the analysis of various other types of pipeline system configuration. In addition to the provision of systematic flow in analysis, the method also improves efficient time-saving practices in the pipeline stress analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of piping system requires a systematic consideration of various factors as addressed by the codes and standards. This research paper aims to provide a method for flexibility analysis of a selected area of process piping at an industrial plant. Analysis is done for the purpose of accommodating a spare heat exchanger in the process layout. The analysis follows a systematic procedure, with preparation of a tentative model of the system on CAESAR II software followed by insertion of different pipe supports. The selection and location of these supports is based on the results obtained from displacement, stress, reaction and equipment nozzle analysis of the piping system. The design is in accordance with ASME B31.3, which is the standard code for process piping. The proposed method can be adapted for piping configuration of any industrial plant. With the provision of a systematic procedure, the method ensures time saving and efficient flexibility analysis of any piping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]