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Lean Production Systems are enterprise-specific, methodical frameworks for the continuous orientation of all enterprise processes to the customer in order to achieve overall objectives. Due to an increasing complexity of the digital transformation, the design of Lean Production Systems 4.0 is a challenging task for industrial engineering practice. For this, academia and industrial practice were analysed in a combined approach of a systematic literature review and a field study. The systematic literature review of 62 out of 1600 scientific papers shows that especially the tools, processes, and methods in Lean Production Systems are subject to digital transformation. By involving industrial practice in a field study, quantitative and qualitative insights were used to check scientific hypotheses and identify practical requirements by industrial engineers. As a result, 10 guidelines for the design of future Lean Production Systems 4.0 are derived. The practical implications of this paper enhance the evolution of enterprise-specific Lean Production System 4.0 frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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An automated material handling system (AMHS) is a production line component responsible for transporting products from one machine to another for manufacturing processes. The AMHS also acts as a buffer that enhances overall productivity by reducing the dependency on individual machine operations. This paper introduces a buffer parameter optimization algorithm designed for advanced AMHS with the capability to control the speed of individual products. The buffer parameters targeted for optimization are buffer length (distance between machines) and transfer speed. The algorithm addresses each parameter separately through two distinct optimization problems. The buffer length optimization problem is formulated with the constraint of limited space assigned to the production system. On the other hand, the transfer speed optimization problem is formulated based on the constraints of network resources and hardware limitations. The proposed algorithm employs an aggregation method to evaluate the performance of the production systems analytically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil organic carbon stock and litter mass in silvopastoral systems (SSP) implemented with Urochloa decumbens and different Eucalyptus spatial arrangements. The SSP was implemented in 2008 with the spatial arrangements of (3 × 2) + 20 m (434 trees ha−1), (2 × 2) + 9 m (909 trees ha−1) and 9 × 2 m (556 trees ha−1) formed by the Eucalyptus cultivars GG100, I144 and VM 58. Soil samples at 0 to 20 and 0 to 40 cm depths were collected in SSP in 2011 and 2015 to determine soil organic carbon stock. The soil organic carbon stock was 38.5% higher in 2015 compared to 2011 (111 vs. 80.7 Mg ha−1), which represented an annual sink of 6.22 Mg ha−1 and indicates an increase in carbon stock over years. Litter mass was greater under the canopy than between trees, probably due to the greater drop in biomass in this location. The silvopastoral systems showed similar volumes of litter and soil organic carbon, which indicates that the evaluated arrangements have similar capacities to store carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers a system approach to the creation of robotic production of small nano satellites to ensure their serial production. The analysis of key trends in the creation and development of modern satellite production was carried out; the factors characterizing serial robotic production are identified and systematized. An intelligent production cell is described as the main element of serial robotic matrix-type production. The main types of design solutions aimed at adapting the design of a small satellite for robotic assembly are presented. The description of the project to create a prototype for serial production of small satellites in the format of a cyberphysical factory, implemented at the advanced aerospace engineering school of Samara University, is given.

With the great opportunities created by the new advances in Industry 4.0, many manufacturers are testing and investing in new equipment and infrastructure to deploy these technologies. However, there are a huge number of small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) that are lagging behind due to the lack of in-house R&D capabilities and workforce shortage and/or financial constraints to afford such investment. Additionally, application of theoretical production research in SMMs often confront challenges such as low data availability and data quality, etc. In this paper, we describe a case study at a local medium-sized manufacturer of electromechanical devices for industrial, consumer, and medical applications, who was struggling to meet ever-growing market demand, and apply a novel approach of production system modelling to overcome the challenge of unavailability of the operation up-and downtime data. Specifically, the parametric model of the production system is identified using several system performance metrics derived based on the parts flow data of the in-process buffer. With the mathematical model constructed, the system bottleneck is analysed anda number of improvement scenarios are explored that can potentially enhance the system throughput. Finally, model sensitivity is analysed by calculating the deviation of the model-predicted performance metrics to those produced by a reference nominal model. This analysis demonstrates that the model constructed using our proposed approach is robust even when the system parameters vary from the baseline ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate due-date reliability evaluation of demand satisfaction is vital for due-time performance prediction of production systems. This paper proposes an improved multi-state reliability evaluation approach for production systems with finite buffers subject to time-dependent failures (TDFs), operation-dependent failures (ODFs). Instead of TDF machine model or ODF machine model, a modified machine reliability model considering both TDFs and ODFs is presented as a basis. And then an equivalent workstation reliability model is proposed by steady probability analysis of finite buffers. A united reliability calculating framework is constructed for the multi-state production system based on universal generating function. A case study of a piston production line is conducted to prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a reward model for the optimization of preventive maintenance for a complex production system functioning in any one of k unobservable operating states. The changes of the states are driven by a non-homogeneous Markov (NHM) process X(t) with known characteristics. The system fails according to a point process whose intensity is modulated by the unobservable state. Failures are rectified through minimal repairs (MRs) whose costs are associated with age and the state process X(t). The modeling approach also allows both the revenue stream and the preventive maintenance cost to be characterized by the state process X(t). The paper first formulates the reward model depending on the unobservable state process estimated through the filtering theorem argument by projection on the observed history including failure point process observations. The estimation of the state process allows failure prediction and maximizing revenue stream implemented through scheduling periodic overhauls. A case study is provided to illustrate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organization of business processes intended to maximize the utilization of the enterprise's production equipment is considered. The search for an optimal solution is based on a model of the production system. The proposed approaches improve the efficiency of the overall production system by making more complete use of the available production capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this research was creation and validation of a methodology for the development of production systems of suppliers of the automotive industry. The theoretical starting points analyze the available literary sources and point to the insufficient treatment of the issue by a comprehensive industry standard representing a gap in the current state of knowledge. The practical part of the research is divided into two stages. The subject of the first stage is the standardization of the methodology through a structured scientific procedure in intensive cooperation with a panel of experts. The subject of the second stage is testing the methodology on authentic projects of the application sector using case studies. The results of the testing showed that in all projects managed using the proposed methodology there was an increase in performance compared to projects managed in a traditional way. The successful confrontation of the proposed solution with reality (practice) is underlined by the confrontation with the current state of knowledge (theory). The practical benefits of the research are the possibility of implementing the methodology into the pedagogical process at training workplaces and, above all, its application into engineering practice to develop new production systems of suppliers of the automotive industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pig farming is one of the most profitable components of the livestock sector in agriculture, significantly contributing to economic development, food security, and improved livelihoods for local communities in Africa and globally. However, with the increasing concern for global environmental changes, pig production is considered one of the vulnerable livestock sectors likely to be affected the most. Africa, being a tropical continent with extraordinary geographical and biological diversity, is believed to have varieties of local pigs exhibiting valuable genetic traits that can be used to promote livestock productivity through breeding for climate-resilient breeds. Unfortunately, many of these valuable traits have not been fully identified and exploited. This study provides an overview of the current state of African pig genetic resources by highlighting their diversity and adaptability potential from both phenotypic and genetic evidence. Our results indicate that African local pigs hold potential genetic traits critical for climate change adaptation. However, these traits are threatened due to crossbreeding activities with commercial breeds that are now prevalent across the continent. Thus, to keep up with the rapid speed of climate change, efforts to realize and utilize these considerable potential traits must increase before they are permanently depleted. Africa is home to a wide diversity of locally adapted pig breeds whose genetic architecture offers important insights into livestock adaptation to climate change. However, the majority of these inherent traits have not been fully highlighted. This review presents an overview of the current state of African pig genetic resources, providing highlights on their population and production statistics, production system, population diversity indices, and genomic evidence underlying their evolutionary potential. The study results reveal an incomplete characterization of local pig genotypes across the continent. The characterized population, however, demonstrates moderate to high levels of genetic diversity, enough to support breeding and conservation programs. Owing to low genetic differentiation and limited evidence of distinct population structures, it appears that most local pig populations are strains within larger breeds. Genomic evidence has shown a higher number of selection signatures associated with various economically important traits, thus making them potential candidates for climate change adaptation. The reportedly early evidence of hybridization with wild suid groups further suggests untapped insights into disease resistance and resilience traits that need to be illuminated using higher-density markers. Nevertheless, gene introgression from commercial breeds is prevalent across Africa; thus, efforts to realize and utilize these traits must increase before they are permanently depleted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There are pre-hatch factors that can influence performance during the growing phase, such as the egg size and breeder age. Aims: Investigate the influence of egg weight and flock age separately on egg characteristics, hatching traits, hatchling weight, and initial offspring performance. Methods: Treatments consisted of eggs laid by 28-week-old (Y), 42-week-old (M), or 61-week-old (O) broiler breeder hens and different egg-weight classes, light (L, 56.6–62.2 g), average (A, 62.3–67.9 g), or heavy (H, 68–73.6 g). Eggs of a similar weight from hens of different ages (treatments YA/ML, YH/MA/OL, and MA/OA) were selected, which allowed us to assess specifically the effect of maternal flock age on the following variables: egg characteristics (eggshell, yolk, and albumen), incubation traits (egg weight loss (EWL), and hatchability), hatchling weight, and live performance of the progeny (7, 14 and 21 days). When data satisfied homogeneity of variance, they were submitted to the one-way ANOVA, and means were compared by Tukey's test at 5% probability level. Key results: Eggshell thickness and albumen height were lower, but albumen weight, yolk weight, and percentage of yolk were higher in eggs produced by older flocks. When eggs of the same weight were evaluated, the variables were also affected by flock ages. EWL increased with the hen age. The age of the hen and egg weight significantly affect the hatchability and hatchling weight. The maximum hatchability was recorded in eggs from broiler breeders at the age of 42 weeks (90.53%). In the average egg-size group (62.3–67.9 g), the young hens produced the lightest chick, and the old flock had the worst hatchability. Broiler's performance was influenced both by flock age and egg weight. Conclusions: The eggshell thickness is mainly influenced by the egg size. However, other egg features are affected by flock age. EWL and chick weight are reduced in young flocks. The oldest flocks produced heavier chicks and the positive effect on feed intake and bodyweight remained until 14 days of age. Implications: Egg size and broiler breeder age can influence the egg traits and performance of broilers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of flock age and egg weight on egg characteristics, incubation traits, hatchling weight, and initial offspring performance. Eggshell thickness and albumen height were lower, but albumen weight, yolk weight, and percentage of yolk were higher in eggs laid by older broiler breeders. Feed intake, bodyweight, and feed consumption rate were affected by the age of the hens and egg size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Kitchen garden crops are really important in the stability and balance of the agricultural ecosystem of the Sistan region. Regarding the significance of food, economy, and job creation, it is vital to study these ecosystems. Materials and Methods: Five production systems of kitchen garden products, including gandak, sefidak, pashmak, watermelon, and melon, were evaluated in the Sistan region, using emergy and economic indicators. The research data was collected via questionnaires and field measurements from 45 farms for gandak, 53 farms for sefidak, 37 farms for pashmak, 60 farms for watermelon, and 82 farms for melon. Results: The total supporting emergy of gandak, sefidak, pashmak, watermelon, and melon production systems were estimated as 5.83×1016, 5.56×1016, 3.45×1016, 6.48×1016, and 5.83×1016 MJ of solar emergy per hectare per year, respectively.the emergy renewability percentage (R%) of the gandak, sefidak, pashmak, watermelon, and melon production systems was calculated as 3.40, 3.57, 5.21, 3.06, and 3.40%, respectively. The higher R% in the pashmak production system compared to other systems is related to the large share of organic fertilizer use. The lowest amount of environmental renewability among the five systems was related to the watermelon system, which shows that in this system, a high percentage of emergy used is dependent on non-renewable environmental resources. Conclusion: The ecological sustainability of the watermelon production system is more than the other studied systems, and the assessments based on the calculation of 13 emergy and economic indicators designate that stopping erosion and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers can be effective in the ecological stability of these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual commissioning (VC), defined as the simulation and testing of systems in a virtual environment before physical implementation, plays a key role in addressing the challenges of integrating and validating complex systems efficiently and effectively. This paper focuses on the topic of virtual commissioning, summarizing and organizing existing research in the field. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of various design methods and technologies currently in use. A case study of virtual commissioning is also presented within the area of the Cyber-Physical Manufacturing Systems Laboratory of the Széchenyi István University, detailing the solution steps taken. Drawing on both research and practical experience, the paper proposes a novel framework to support virtual commissioning design, referred to as the "Virtual Commissioning House" (VCH). The methodology is evaluated through comparisons with existing virtual commissioning solutions, demonstrating its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAdvanced production systems, such as multi-step assembly processes, predominantly comprise of repetitive operations. The repetitive manual or human–robot integrated production operations call for new real-time process management technologies such as the increasing use of sensors and the development of system intelligence. Conventional process monitoring and management methods, which are often labor-intensive, fall short in providing immediate and actionable insights. To tackle this limitation, we develop an unsupervised embedding method to automatically delineate the process into different stages and predict real-time progress information. We propose a Contrastive Variational Autoencoder as a feature extractor to adeptly embed repetitive processes into a Gaussian Mixture Model. Based on the extracted features, we propose an adaptive change-point detection and an Iterative Dynamic Time Wrapping algorithm to identify and segment multiple standardized process stages automatically. Theoretically, we establish the asymptotic optimality of the detected change-points associated with the given precision of image and feature extractors, ensuring the high-quality process stage separation and labeling. The proposed method autonomously extracts essential features encapsulating progress information from a limited set of unlabelled process videos. Through four diverse case studies including production of an actual aircraft spoiler, our method exhibits very promising performance. Specifically, it achieves an average of 98.14% accuracy in predicting production progress and 0.9202 area under the curve in predicting progress deviation across three distinct production environments. The proposed process monitoring method in repetitive production systems has the potential to significantly improve productivity, promote standardization of repetitive operations, and predict production deviations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture has historically relied on fossil fuels as the primary source of energy, leading to significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and exacerbating climate change. Brazil, as the third-largest producer and exporter of agricultural goods globally, plays a pivotal role in the transformation towards more sustainable practices. To this end, we propose a methodology to estimate CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq) emissions in agriculture, leveraging previous research on energy use in 23 crops in Brazil. The methodology aims to facilitate the comparison of emissions across different crops and production systems. Indirect emissions account for 36% of the total, while direct emissions account for 64%. Most direct emissions are due to the consumption of fertilizers and pesticides. The average emission per mass of product was 749.53 kg CO2-eq Mg−1, with cotton having the highest emissions and eucalyptus having the lowest emissions per product. The results highlight the importance of assessing GHG emissions from crops to identify emission reduction opportunities and promoting more sustainable agricultural practices. The study's findings can inform policy recommendations and contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture practices globally, ultimately leading to a more environmentally friendly and economically viable agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal well drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing technologies are at the root of commercial shale gas development and exploitation. During these processes, typically, a large amount of working fluid enters the formation, resulting in widespread water-rock interaction. Deeply understanding such effects is required to optimize the production system. In this study, the mechanisms of water-rock interaction and the associated responses of shale fabric are systematically reviewed for working fluids such as neutral fluids, acid fluids, alkali fluids and oxidative fluids. It is shown that shale is generally rich in water-sensitive components such as clay minerals, acid-sensitive components (like carbonate minerals), alkali-sensitive components (like quartz), oxidative-sensitive components (like organic matter and pyrite), which easily lead to change of rock fabric and mechanical properties owing to water-rock interaction. According to the results, oxidizing acid fluids and oxidizing fracturing fluids should be used to enhance shale gas recovery. This study also indicates that an aspect playing an important role in increasing cumulative gas production is the optimization of the maximum shut-in time based on the change point of the wellhead pressure drop rate. Another important influential factor to be considered is the control of the wellhead pressure considering the stress sensitivity and creep characteristics of the fracture network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out to evaluate the availability, use as livestock feed and nutritional value of fruit waste in a few chosen urban (within) and peri-urban (around) areas of West Arsi and Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia. The study areas were chosen using a muti-stage purposive sampling technique and 306 respondents in total-102 from each of Shashemene, Hawassa and Yirgalem-were randomly chosen and interviewed. We used established methodology to examine the nutritional values of six (avocado seed, avocado peel with pulp, papaya pomace, mango, pineapple and banana peels) commonly used fruit waste (FBPs) samples for chemical composition and digestibility analysis. Chi-square was used to examine qualitative results while two-way analyses of variance were used for quantitative factors. Avocado, banana, mango, papaya and pineapple waste were the major useable FBPs for feeding livestock. These wastes were fed to livestock after chopping and wilting without mixing to other feeds. Perishability, health concern, shortage of storage facilities and knowledge were the major limitations whereas low price, high demands, good quality, palatability, use as a source of income and reduction in environmental pollution were the major opportunities for feeding livestock. The range of crude protein (CP) contents were from 5.49 to 19.51 % where papaya pomace contained the highest (p

Dairy production is practiced almost all over Ethiopia. Milk and milk products play an important role in human nutrition throughout the country but the quality of milk produced in Ethiopia is poor and below the standard due to poor pre-milking and postharvest handling practices. The study was carried out from October 2022 to May 2023 with the objective of assessing and document the traditional practices of farmer's milk and milk products handling in selected districts of north Wollo, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken on 254 using stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using semi structured questionnaire, observation, focused group discussion. Frequency of milking in morning and evening, morning only and evening only were significantly different (P

This study describes the goat production system and breeding practices in selected districts of North Wollo zone, Ethiopia. Data were collected from 180 respondents through a semi-structured questionnaire and group discussions. Descriptive and GLM procedures were employed for data analysis. A mixed crop-livestock production system was the main production system in the area. The mean number of goats per household is 9.66 and they are mainly kept for cash income and meat consumption. The flock structure of indigenous goats consisted of a large number of female goats. Natural pasture and crop residue were the major feed resources in the dry and wet seasons, with an overall mean of 37.53% and 54.26%, respectively. Feed shortage, diseases, and drought were the major constraints for goat production. Most goat owners (97.1%) practiced an uncontrolled mating system. Most farmers (88.93%) reported selecting breeding goats to be a parent for the next generation. Body conformation and coat colour were the preferred traits for the selection of goats. The current level of goat management and breeding methods would not significantly enhance goats’ productivity and profitability. Therefore, designing management and genetic improvement programmes would be vital to improving the productivity of indigenous goats.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the effects of housing systems (free-range and conventional cage) during the egg-laying phase on the growth, egg production, overall egg weight, and egg quality traits of a new Turkish laying hen hybrid, Akbay. A total of 600 (300 hens per housing system) Akbay laying hen hybrids were used in this study. At the end of the rearing cycle (17 weeks) the average live weight and cumulative feed intake for both groups were 1150.8g and 5067.52g, respectively. The live weight and cumulative feed intake at the onset of laying for both groups were 1198.42g and 5537.77g, respectively. Egg production, average daily feed intake, and average daily feed conversion ratio were significantly higher (p≤0.05) in free-range hens than in hens housed in cages. The live weight at peak production was significantly higher (p≤0.05) in hens housed in cages than in free-range hens. Significant differences (p≤0.05) in terms of internal and external egg quality traits were observed between the housing systems in this study. Generally, the free-range hens had better performance than the hens in cages. It was therefore concluded that the growth performance, egg production, overall egg weight, and egg quality traits of the new Turkish laying hen hybrid Akbay are better in the free-range production system than in convention cages; and that these hens can be housed in the free-range system without any negative effect on performance and egg quality traits.

In the European Union (EU), organic rabbit farming (ORF) remains uncommon (≈50 farms), found mainly in France, and to a much lesser extent in Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Italy. As rabbits are herbivorous, ORF is based mainly on grazing. This review summarises information on the functioning and performance of rabbit farming systems in France, with organic certification and/or access to pasture. Recent studies have quantified the grass intake (30 to 80 g dry matter/d/rabbit) and growth rate of rabbits on pasture (15 to 30 g/d). ORF has an extensive production cycle with a mean of 2.7 parturitions per doe and per year. The main concerns for the farmers developing ORF include available land and managing health and feeding. However, in France, a herd with 40 does on 4 ha (of pastures and complementary crops), can provide a halftime minimum salary. Since January 2022, a new regulation on ORF is applied for all EU member countries that recommends a maximum use of pasture but nevertheless allows farmers to keep a herd with 40 does on only 200 m² of pasture. It also does not require rotating rabbits on the pasture between batches of animals, wich increases the risk of parasitism. A smartphone application (GAELA) was recently developed to assist with daily management of rabbit farming, and to build a database of technical benchmarks to support the development of organic and pastured rabbit farming in France.

Pork production is a significant agricultural enterprise in the United States and Canada. The United States is the third-largest global producer of pork and Canada ranks seventh in pork production. The North American Free Trade Agreement and its successor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, have facilitated trade and integration between the two countries. The majority of production systems are modern and intensive, characterized by large vertically integrated farms using advanced technologies. Both nations benefit from their status as major producers of feed grains, with the United States leading in corn and soybeans, while Canada excels in canola and barley production. The regulatory frameworks for food safety, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship differ slightly, with the FDA and USDA overseeing these aspects in the United States, and Health Canada and the Canada Food Inspection Agency in Canada. The United States and Canada also have well-established distribution networks for pork products, relying on both domestic and international markets. Export markets play a crucial role, with the United States being a major importer of Canadian pigs, and both countries exploring opportunities in Asia. Despite a rise in global demand, domestic pork consumption trends differ, with per capita consumption remaining stable in the USA and declining in Canada. Changing consumer preferences, including a demand for ethically raised and locally sourced pork, may influence production practices. Future trends in pig production include a focus on consumer concerns, sustainability, disease prevention, reduction of antimicrobial use, and advancements in technology. The industry is adapting to challenges such as disease outbreaks and changing regulations, with a strong emphasis on animal welfare. Labor and workforce considerations, along with advancements in technology and automation, are expected to shape the efficiency of pork production in the future.

The threat of influenza A virus (IAV) remains an annual health concern, as almost 500,000 people die each year due to the seasonal flu. Current flu vaccines are highly dependent on embryonated chicken eggs for production, which is time consuming and costly. These vaccines only confer moderate protections in elderly people, and they lack cross-protectivity; thereby requiring annual reformulation to ensure effectiveness against contemporary circulating strains. To address current limitations, new strategies are being sought, with great emphasis given on exploiting IAV's conserved antigens for vaccine development, and by using different vaccine technologies to enhance immunogenicity and expedite vaccine production. Among these technologies, there are growing pre-clinical and clinical studies involving virus-like particles (VLPs), as they are capable to display multiple conserved IAV antigens and augment their immune responses. In this review, we outline recent findings involving broadly effective IAV antigens and strategies to display these antigens on VLPs. Current production systems for IAV VLP vaccines are comprehensively reviewed. Pain-free methods for administration of IAV VLP vaccines through intranasal and transdermal routes, as well as the mechanisms in stimulating immune responses are discussed in detail. The future perspectives of VLPs in IAV vaccine development are discussed, particularly concerning their potentials in overcoming current immunological limitations of IAV vaccines, and their inherent advantages in exploring intranasal vaccination studies. We also propose avenues to expedite VLP vaccine production, as we envision that there will be more clinical trials involving IAV VLP vaccines, leading to commercialization of these vaccines in the near future.

Relationships between innovations and competition are the main bases of an evolutionary approach to economic development. Innovation is recognized as a major force to achieve success in an intensively competitive environment, and competition is an essential element of the coordination mechanism required for economic changes to be successfully brought about. One of the first who well explore these relationships was Schumpeter. The idea that innovative competition may improve the positions of some groups of economic agents involved in the evolutionary processes is rooted within the neo-Schumpeterian research program. It suggests that the price mechanism typical for the routine behavior of agents should be replaced by a qualitative one to take into account the structural changes of an economy based on innovative and competitive processes as drivers of economic evolution. In this context, the main aim of this paper is to give a new setting of the phenomenon of innovative competition. This problem relates to the classification of different kinds of innovations and diversification among innovators. Moreover, two major concepts of competition are studied: the classical concept in which competition is viewed as a dynamic process and the neoclassical one in which competition is an end state of the evolutionary processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review describes the production systems and products pertaining to goats and sheep (GS) in Indonesia. These small ruminant species are found across 38 provinces in Indonesia. Almost 99% of the GS are farmed by smallholders, with the animals either being housed in an enclosure (small shed near the farmer's house) or in a mix of both grazing and confinement. The livestock are typically fed natural and/or artificial feed. Two sheep types, thin-tailed and fat-tailed are the most popular with smallholder producers, while Bali, Etawah, Boerawa, Jawa Randu Kosta, and Gembrong are the dominant goat breeds. As one of the biggest Muslim countries in the world, Indonesian production and consumption of GS is influenced by culture and religious systems. The Halal slaughter method applied is described, as are the religious/cultural festivals in Indonesia, which have a significant relationship on the GS demand and consumption, such as Eid al-Adha and Aqiqah. The preparation, processing, and consumption of GS meat in Indonesia are strongly influenced by the use of spices, being part of the Moluccas archipelago, also known as the "Spice islands" with over 30,000 species of spices grown. Some traditional meats and meat processing technologies in Indonesia are presented to provide insight into how GS meat is processed. The main challenges in the processing of GS meat in Indonesia and some current research on the development of GS production are presented in this paper. Implications: Goat and sheep belong to the most widely consumed meats in the world after pork, poultry, and beef. There are some reasons why GS meat has become one of the more popular protein choices for many families, of which its low-fat levels are one. GS meat is also considered one of the only meats with minimal religious taboos in the world. For these reasons, GS meat is also favored by Indonesian people in the most populous Muslim-majority country. However, information regarding goat and sheep in Indonesia is still lacking. This review aims to provide information on the distribution of GS in Indonesia over 38 provinces, the breed types that grow there, their production, and Indonesian consumption behavior, highlighting the religious festivals that cause the highest demand for these meats. This review provides information to the stakeholders of goat and sheep production chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the problems and challenges of the production and sale of agricultural products that Ukrainian farmers faced during the martial law. The need for agricultural enterprises to respond to unforeseen actions, while avoiding a complete structural restructuring or destruction of the system, has been determined. What exactly is determined by the flexibility of such enterprises? The priority ways of responding to problems with exports are outlined: increasing the volume of domestic consumption, attracting investments, expanding sales markets, using state support. Import problems that appeared with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine were identified. The main ones are the decrease in the number of countries that are ready to export their vegetable products to Ukraine due to the deterioration of the political and economic situation; an increase in the cost of transporting vegetable products due to an increase in the risks and costs of transportation through the conflict zone; deterioration of the quality of vegetable products due to difficult storage and transportation conditions; an increase in the cost of vegetable products due to an increase in the costs of its cultivation and processing in exporting countries; a decrease in the volume of imports due to a decrease in the demand for vegetable products in Ukraine. The indicated areas of the flexibility of agricultural production in the conditions of martial law: the ability to quickly change the types and volumes of cultivated crops in accordance with market conditions and changes in consumer preferences; the ability to quickly change the volume and range of products produced, the ability to effectively use resources such as water, fertilizers, energy and labor through the introduction of resource-saving technologies; the ability of enterprises to adapt their workforce to changing production requirements and conditions; ability to effectively manage finances, including budgeting, financial analysis and risk management to ensure financial sustainability and flexibility in production. Therefore, the flexibility of production in combination with the principles of universality, adaptability and adaptability is a key aspect in overcoming food security in modern conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain disruptions pose significant risks to production systems. Unfortunately, the number of publications that study the real-life impacts of supply chain disruptions on production systems is extremely small, and the question of how these disruptions affect production systems has not been fully investigated. This research seeks to fill this gap using assembly-line data from a vehicle manufacturer in China. With these data, the authors estimated econometric models to assess the impacts of minor disruptions on production using two different metrics: daily output in terms of number of vehicles manufactured, and the disruption duration in minutes. Time-dependent effects were also considered to assess the extent to which the effects of disruptions on daily output and disruption duration change over time. The resulting models were analysed to identify which disruption factors are the most impactful in terms of daily output and disruption duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pork production is a significant agricultural enterprise in the United States and Canada. The United States is the third-largest global producer of pork and Canada ranks seventh in pork production. The North American Free Trade Agreement and its successor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, have facilitated trade and integration between the two countries. The majority of production systems are modern and intensive, characterized by large vertically integrated farms using advanced technologies. Both nations benefit from their status as major producers of feed grains, with the United States leading in corn and soybeans, while Canada excels in canola and barley production. The regulatory frameworks for food safety, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship differ slightly, with the FDA and USDA overseeing these aspects in the United States, and Health Canada and the Canada Food Inspection Agency in Canada. The United States and Canada also have well-established distribution networks for pork products, relying on both domestic and international markets. Export markets play a crucial role, with the United States being a major importer of Canadian pigs, and both countries exploring opportunities in Asia. Despite a rise in global demand, domestic pork consumption trends differ, with per capita consumption remaining stable in the USA and declining in Canada. Changing consumer preferences, including a demand for ethically raised and locally sourced pork, may influence production practices. Future trends in pig production include a focus on consumer concerns, sustainability, disease prevention, reduction of antimicrobial use, and advancements in technology. The industry is adapting to challenges such as disease outbreaks and changing regulations, with a strong emphasis on animal welfare. Labor and workforce considerations, along with advancements in technology and automation, are expected to shape the efficiency of pork production in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research conducted at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute—NIR in Poland in 2020–2022 assessed the commercial quality of potato tubers depending on the production system (organic, conventional), variety, and weather conditions prevailing in the years of research. The tuber size distribution and the share of tuber defects was assessed. It was found that all tested factors influenced the commercial quality of the yield but to different extents. The production system had the greatest influence on most of the examined features, followed by weather conditions and the least influential factor being the variety. The production system had the greatest impact on such features as: tuber size distribution (all fractions), pest damage, scab infection, tuber deformations, and share of green tubers. Weather conditions had the greatest impact on scab infection, pest damage, deformation, cracks and share of large tubers. The variety factor had the greatest influence on such features as: deformations, cracks, green tubers, black scarf, and share of the smallest (non-commercial) tubers. In the conventional system, a significantly better tuber yield distribution was found. The share of tuber defects varied depending on the production system. In the organic system, a greater share of defects such as scab (68.3 and 41.3) and pest damage was found (6.8 and 0.2), while in the conventional system, a greater share of deformations (9.2 and 4.9), cracks (5.4 and 2.4), and rust spots (0.61 and 0.06) occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Traditional centralized industrial mass-production systems facilitate the efficient use of resources such as time, labor and materials by making use of scale effects. However, centralized production systems can also lead to an increase in resource demands, e.g. due to overproduction of consumer goods. Therefore, decentralized production systems are increasingly receiving attention, especially in densely populated urban areas. Advantages can be the usage of locally sourced materials to substitute virgin raw materials, the proximity to customers and the targeted manufacturing of products according to the customers' needs. But these approaches are in turn in conflict with scale effects. The question arises whether and how decentralized manufacturing systems can compensate for their expected efficiency disadvantages. This work examines relevant parameters of these manufacturing systems for various composures to identify favorable scenarios. The material and energy intensity of a production system for an exemplary case of an eyewear manufacturing system are investigated and analyzed by using a simulation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry 4.0 paradigm introduces information and communication technologies (ICT) that disperse information processing and decentralize decision-making to several autonomous and intelligent entities, such as production resources, operators, and products. To address Industry 4.0's decentralized decision-making and complex production systems, we developed a multi-agent simulation model that enables risk-free experimentation and performance optimization. This article presents a multi-agent system model; the proposed model is a decision support tool that allows simulation, evaluation, and amelioration of the performance of the production system. This decision support system aims to analyze logistics strategies, calculate production rates, and simulate different scenarios. Our results demonstrate its effectiveness in evaluating and improving production system equipment reliability, availability, and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of frequent observations of the intensity of production processes in the surface water layer in the Krasnovidovo pool of the Mozhaysk Reservoir from June 17, 2018 to September 26, 2018. Measurements were carried out using an automatic production meter developed by A.V. Goncharov, a system of water temperature recorders, subaquatic illumination, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and meteorological characteristics. No statistically significant relationship between gross production and the main predictors determining its value have been recorded throughout the measurement period, while its relationships with water temperature and illumination proved to be statistically significant for the period with no limitation of biogenic elements and for the autumn cooling period. According to the results, an important factor determining the amount of gross production is dynamic mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the European Union (EU), organic rabbit farming (ORF) remains uncommon (≈5), found mainly in France, and to a much lesser extent in Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Italy. As rabbits are herbivorous, ORF is based mainly on grazing. This review summarises information on the functioning and performance of rabbit farming systems in France, with organic certification and/or access to pasture. Recent studies have quantified the grass intake (30 to 80 g dry matter/d/rabbit) and growth rate of rabbits on pasture (15 to 30 g/d). ORF has an extensive production cycle with a mean of 2.7 parturitions per doe and per year. The main concerns for the farmers developing ORF include available land and managing health and feeding. However, in France, a herd with 40 does on 4 ha (of pastures and complementary crops), can provide a halftime minimum salary. Since January 2022, a new regulation on ORF is applied for all EU member countries that recommends a maximum use of pasture but nevertheless allows farmers to keep a herd with 40 does on only 200 m² of pasture. It also does not require rotating rabbits on the pasture between batches of animals, wich increases the risk of parasitism. A smartphone application (GAELA) was recently developed to assist with daily management of rabbit farming, and to build a database of technical benchmarks to support the development of organic and pastured rabbit farming in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into sensitivity analysis within simulation models of real systems, focusing on the impact of variability in independent input factors (x) on dependent system outputs (y). It discusses linear and nonlinear regression to analyse and represent relationships between input factors and system responses. This study encompasses three sensitivity analysis areas: factor screening, local sensitivity analysis, and global sensitivity analysis, highlighting their roles in understanding the significance of factors in simulation models. The practical application of sensitivity analysis becomes clear through a case study in a manufacturing system. The case study utilises the Simio simulation system to investigate the impact of input factors on production lead time and work in process (WIP). The analysis uses regression to quantify the impact of seven factors, showcasing the most significant ones with tornado charts and emphasising the application of sensitivity analysis to optimise system responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advances of Industry 4.0 technologies, developing rigorous, model-based algorithms for production system performance metrics calculation, control, and optimization has become a critical task to inject intelligence into the smart manufacturing practice, thus facilitating automated decision-making on the factory floor. This paper is intended to contribute to this area. Specifically, we consider serial production lines with finite buffers and machines following the Bernoulli reliability model. In addition, we assume that one can dynamically control the allocation of a shared workforce via real-time production bottleneck identification and mitigation. We first derive formulas to calculate the performance metrics of two-machine systems. Then, we extend the results to multi-machine cases by developing an aggregation-based analytical algorithm, whose accuracy is verified using numerical experiments. Based on this performance evaluation method, we study the optimization of the control policy. In particular, a space reduction technique is applied that decomposes the system into several sub three-machine lines and search algorithms are proposed to identify a good-quality control policy in the reduced policy space. Numerical experiments are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the optimized policy. An illustrative example is given to provide insights into the structure and operation of an effective control policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the heart of Moroccan oases, date palm trees stand as the lifeblood of local communities, serving as both a livelihood cornerstone and a dietary treasure trove. Morocco has long been a leading date fruit producer. Yet, amidst the palm groves, several environmental, technical, and socio-economic challenges have threatened the sustainability of this ancient crop. This study assesses the constraints and limitations of the date palm production system in Tafilalet oases that have kept this crop from reaching its full potential. A total of 56 producers were interviewed using an open- closed survey, illuminating interviews with key informants, dynamic focus group discussions, and direct observations in palm groves. The findings reveal that primary restrictions and barriers impeding the progress of this sector are: producers’ moderate education level and the limited adoption of technological innovation, few opportunities given to young producers, palm groves’ fragmentation, poor management of date fruits, low imports of the necessary inputs (fertilisers, irrigation, etc.), and the poor organisation of the marketing circuit (storage and packaging). Advocate renewed commitment to preserve and modernise palm groves, blending heritage with modern practices for thriving, sustainable date palm production. It is entirely conceivable to produce organic dates in the region since producers use a few quantities of chemical products, notably fertilisers and phytosanitary products.

This study aims to map out social manufacturing research and the distribution of social manufacturing research, which can be used as a reference for social manufacturing research. Various studies on social manufacturing have been carried out to explore various insights on social manufacturing in different domains. This study was conducted in 2021, and explored the social manufacturing literature using bibliometric analysis methods. The approach used in the bibliometric analysis is the citation analysis to see one article cited by another article, and the co-citation analysis approach to find two or more articles cited by one article. In this study, the data source used is from the Scopus database, with social manufacturing keyword. The results show the types of analysis that have been processed include co-authorship (authors, organizations, countries), citations (authors), and co-citations (sources, cited authors). This research still has limitations, because it use the Scopus database only, so for further research, it could be added with other sources, such as Web of Science, PubMed, Crossref, etc. In addition, there are still many visualization results using VOSviewer software that could be explored further, such as the type of analysis citation-document, citation-organization, bibliographic coupling, which has not been discussed in this study.

The security of agricultural sector development is increasingly becoming a relevant issue in modern conditions, as the agricultural sector determines the sustainability of the economy and ensures the country’s food security. Growing risks, such as climate change, economic difficulties and geopolitical conflicts, highlight the need to improve the security of agricultural production systems, which makes the study relevant. The study aimed to conduct a systematic analysis of innovative tools for managing the risks of production activities of agricultural enterprises and their impact on the formation of secure development in the agricultural sector of Ukraine. To achieve this goal, the method of analysis and modelling was used. Study results indicate that innovative approaches to risk management have a decisive impact on the sustainability and efficiency of agricultural production systems. To achieve a stable level of safe development of agricultural enterprises, it is necessary to focus on the implementation of key areas, such as maintaining the food base at a level sufficient to ensure a healthy diet, ensuring an adequate level of effective demand for the population and eliminating dependence on imports, aimed at protecting the interests of domestic producers of agricultural raw materials. The study demonstrated that institutional factors of risk management form an integrated system, where efficiency depends on the implementation of specific strategies for the development of agricultural institutions aimed at introducing innovative tools into the production cycle of agricultural enterprises. Furthermore, due to the accumulation of large amounts of production, financial, logistical and innovative potential of agricultural enterprises in the Forest-Steppe and Polissia regions, the level of safe development of agricultural enterprises is significantly increasing. This indicates their high capacity for sustainable reproduction of production and making a significant contribution to the agricultural sector of Ukraine. The study is of practical importance for agricultural enterprises, research institutions and government agencies, which can use the results to improve risk management strategies and increase the level of security of agricultural sector development

The goal of this research was creation and validation of a methodology for the development of production systems of suppliers of the automotive industry. The theoretical starting points analyze the available literary sources and point to the insufficient treatment of the issue by a comprehensive industry standard representing a gap in the current state of knowledge. The practical part of the research is divided into two stages. The subject of the first stage is the standardization of the methodology through a structured scientific procedure in intensive cooperation with a panel of experts. The subject of the second stage is testing the methodology on authentic projects of the application sector using case studies. The results of the testing showed that in all projects managed using the proposed methodology there was an increase in performance compared to projects managed in a traditional way. The successful confrontation of the proposed solution with reality (practice) is underlined by the confrontation with the current state of knowledge (theory). The practical benefits of the research are the possibility of implementing the methodology into the pedagogical process at training workplaces and, above all, its application into engineering practice to develop new production systems of suppliers of the automotive industry.