Equipment Planning Research Articles

Prioritization of Personal Protective Equipment Plans for Construction Projects Based on an Integrated Analytic Network Process and Fuzzy VIKOR Method

The risk of both fatal accidents and non-fatal injuries in the construction industry is significantly high in most countries. To reduce this construction safety risk, the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the major measures on the jobsite. In this research, in order to comprehensively assess the PPE plans, a three-phase framework was proposed to identify the optimal solution for PPE planning from a set of alternatives. As a result, four main criteria and fifteen sub-criteria were identified based on a systematic literature review, and a decision-making model integrating the analytic network process (ANP) and VIekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje was developed. As the assessment information in the survey was incomplete and vague, the fuzzy sets theory was adopted to transform the linguistic terms into fuzzy numbers for evaluation. The model further calculated the weight of each criterion and prioritized the potential PPE plan alternatives. Finally, the presented model was implemented in a case study to verify its feasibility and applicability for practical construction management. The proposed method enables the selection of the most compromising solution as the optimal PPE plan. This research assists decision-makers and safety planners at construction workplaces to improve the overall safety performance and reduce accident risks, which significantly contributes to construction safety management and practice.

Pushing Scuba to New Heights: Approach, Decompression, and Logistical Considerations for High-Altitude Diving.

There is interest among technical, expedition, commercial, and military divers in expanding diving operations to high altitude. However, altitude diving presents unique challenges including acclimatization, increased decompression sickness (DCS) risk, and logistical and equipment considerations. Divers must plan altitude acclimatization strategies conservatively to reduce risk of acute mountain sickness and dehydration before diving. Several methods of augmenting sea level diving tables to be used at altitude have been theorized and tested both in simulated dives and high-altitude expeditions. With proper acclimatization, augmentation of standard diving tables, equipment, and safety planning, diving at high altitude may be performed in many contexts safely while minimizing risk of DCS or injury.

Disassembly sequence planning of equipment decommissioning for industry 5.0: Prospects and Retrospects

Disassembly sequence planning of equipment decommissioning for industry 5.0: Prospects and Retrospects

Machine learning-aided risk-based inspection strategy for hydrogen technologies

Although technically challenging, effective, safe, and economical transport is crucial for enabling a widespread rollout of hydrogen technologies. A promising option to transport large amounts of hydrogen lies in employing retrofitted natural gas pipelines. Nevertheless, H2-rich environments tend to degrade pipeline steels, reducing their load-bearing capability and accelerating crack propagation. Regular inspection and maintenance activities can preserve the pipelines’ integrity and guarantee safe operations. The risk-based inspection (RBI) approach is based on estimating the risk for each component item. It focuses most inspection activities on high-risk components to reduce costs while maximizing the plant’s safety and availability. However, the RBI standards do not consider hydrogen-induced degradations and cannot be adopted for industrial equipment operating in H2 environments. This study proposes a novel ad-hoc methodology for the risk-based inspection planning of hydrogen handling equipment. A machine-learning model to predict the fatigue crack growth in gaseous hydrogen environments is developed and integrated with the conventional RBI approach. The proposed methodology is validated on three pipelines transporting hydrogen and natural gas in different concentrations. The results show how similar operating conditions can determine different degradation rates depending on the environment and highlight how hydrogen-enhanced fatigue can reduce the pipelines’ lifetime.

Effective Laboratory Management: Efforts to Improve Science Education Management in Islamic Boarding Schools

Effective laboratory management can be applied as an effort to improve science education management in secondary schools. This study aims to explore effective laboratory management as an effort to improve science education management at MA Citra Cendekia South Jakarta. The research method used was a descriptive qualitative method with a case study approach. Data were collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews with teachers and laboratory staff, and analysis of related documents. The results showed that effective laboratory management involves several important aspects, namely careful planning, procurement and maintenance of adequate laboratory equipment, and competency development of teachers and laboratory technicians. In addition, collaboration between science teachers and laboratory staff in designing and conducting experiments also contributes significantly to improving the quality of science learning. The implementation of good laboratory management at MA Citra Cendekia South Jakarta is proven to be able to increase student learning motivation, improve understanding of science concepts, and produce more interactive and contextualised learning. This study concludes that effective laboratory management is one of the key factors in improving the quality of science education in Islamic educational institutions.

Preventive maintance plan for SKF Latin Trade SAS equipment

This research presents the design and implementation of the preventive and predictive maintenance plan developed for the seven polishing machines of the Swedish multinational SKF, of the LSB (Large Size Bearing) line. Based on Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), which allows identifying the most relevant equipment for the process through a criticality analysis adopting strategies in order to eliminate the occurrence of failures. The methodology implemented in this research allowed the generation of maintenance tasks that facilitated the management and visualization of the information of each asset. The company provides maintenance services for large bearings used in cement plants, foundries and industrial material transport machines, seeking to optimize production methods and the application of this theoretical and analytical procedure allowed verifying that the conditioning services offered by the company are more efficient, demonstrating with figures the retribution of the plan.

Multinetwork constrained planning of hydrogen-power supplying facilities under double-layer coupling mechanisms

The proliferation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles calls for effective planning of hydrogen supply facilities. This paper focuses on renewable energy-based distributed hydrogen supply networks (DHSNs), with on-site production and vehicle-based transport. To explore the energy synergism effect, we propose multinetwork constrained planning of hydrogen-power supplying facilities. Considering the double-layer coupling mechanism (DCM), multiple DHSN equipment planning is coordinated with the generation planning of the power distributed networks (PDN). Firstly, the DCM is proposed considering structured multi-component equipment, inter-layer hydrogen couplings, and cross-network power couplings. Secondly, to formulate the DCM, we develop a structured deployment model for DHSN equipment to enhance system integrality and non-redundancy. Specially, to release more flexibilities, inter-layer transport is modeled by proposing a spatiotemporal extended vehicle routing problem model incorporating multiple loading stations with trip coordination. Thirdly, a planning method is proposed to coordinate the planning of hydrogen-power supply facilities in coupled networks, incorporating the double-layer coupling constraints, station operation constraints, and PDN constraints. Test systems are employed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Optimizing maintenance logistics on offshore platforms with AI: Current strategies and future innovations

Offshore platforms are vital assets for the oil and gas industry, serving as the primary facilities for exploration, extraction, and processing. Maintenance logistics plays a crucial role in ensuring these platforms operate efficiently and safely. However, the remote and harsh environments of offshore platforms present significant challenges for maintenance activities. Traditional maintenance strategies often struggle to meet the demands of these environments, leading to inefficiencies, increased costs, and potential safety risks. This review discusses the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in optimizing maintenance logistics on offshore platforms. Current strategies involve a combination of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance approaches. Preventive maintenance schedules regular inspections and replacements based on predetermined intervals, while predictive maintenance utilizes data analytics to predict equipment failures and plan maintenance activities accordingly. Corrective maintenance addresses issues as they arise, often in response to unexpected failures. AI offers opportunities to enhance these strategies by leveraging advanced data analytics, machine learning, and optimization algorithms. AI-enabled predictive maintenance can analyze vast amounts of data from sensors, historical maintenance records, and environmental factors to forecast equipment failures with greater accuracy. This allows for proactive maintenance planning, minimizing downtime and reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, AI can optimize maintenance logistics by improving resource allocation and scheduling. Through real-time monitoring and analysis, AI systems can prioritize maintenance tasks based on urgency, equipment criticality, and resource availability. This ensures that maintenance crews are deployed efficiently, reducing idle time and improving overall productivity. Future innovations in AI for maintenance logistics on offshore platforms include the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and autonomous systems. IoT sensors can provide real-time data on equipment condition and environmental factors, enabling more precise predictive maintenance models. Autonomous maintenance robots equipped with AI algorithms can perform routine inspections and minor repairs, reducing the need for human intervention in hazardous environments. However, implementing AI in offshore maintenance logistics also poses challenges, including data quality, cybersecurity, and workforce readiness. Ensuring data accuracy and reliability is crucial for effective AI models, requiring robust data collection and management processes. Cybersecurity measures must be strengthened to protect AI systems from malicious attacks that could disrupt operations or compromise safety. Additionally, workforce training and education are essential to prepare personnel for working alongside AI systems and interpreting AI-generated insights. Optimizing maintenance logistics on offshore platforms with AI offers significant benefits in terms of efficiency, cost savings, and safety. By leveraging AI technologies, current maintenance strategies can be enhanced, and future innovations can revolutionize offshore maintenance practices, making operations more sustainable and resilient in the face of evolving challenges.

Energy Efficiency Examination and Analysation in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have risen as a vital innovation empowering a horde of applications extending from natural checking to mechanization. In any case, the constrained vitality assets of sensor hubs pose critical challenges to the life span and execution of these systems. This theory presents a comprehensive audit of procedures and techniques to move vitality proficiency forward in WSNs. The survey starts by analyzing power efficient equipment plan approaches, counting low power microcontrollers, energy harvesting frameworks, and ultra low power communication conventions. Besides, it investigates energy aware steering conventions that optimize information transmission ways to minimize vitality utilization, such as Filter (Moo Vitality Versatile Clustering Progression) and its variations. Moreover, rest planning instruments are examined, which permit sensor hubs to interchange between dynamic and rest states to preserve vitality while keeping up an organized network. Additionally, the theoretical dives into the part of information conglomeration and compression procedures in decreasing excess transmissions and maintaining vitality at the arranged level. It highlights the importance of versatile obligation cycling instruments, where sensor hubs powerfully alter their obligation cycles based on natural conditions and application prerequisites. Moreover, progressions in energy efficient MAC (Medium Get to Control) conventions are analyzed, centring on conventions like IEEE 802.15.4 and their improvements for WSNs. Furthermore, the integration of machine learning and optimization calculations for energy efficient operation and asset assignment in WSNs is examined. At last, the theory concludes with a viewpoint on rising patterns and future headings in the field, counting the integration of energy harvesting advances, the improvement of self sustainable sensor hubs, and the investigation of novel communication standards such as unmistakable light communication.

Perancangan dan Penempatan Alat Pemadam Kebakaran Jenis Sprinkler

The fire suppression ability of this sprinkler installation compared to other fire extinguishing equipment has been proven to be more effective. Because the sprinkler system does not require an operator when operating, fires can be prevented earlier before causing greater losses. For this reason, the implementation of sprinkler systems in buildings is crucial. According to KEPMEN PU NO. 10/KPTS/2000, a building must have elements that can maintain structural stability to a certain level during a fire. This research was conducted directly in the field, and the necessary data was obtained independently through interviews with relevant parties. The author conducted research observations in the archive warehouse to obtain both primary and secondary data. Primary data included field documentation and calculations. Planning calculations were done directly by calculating the number of sprinklers, water requirements, and reservoirs to determine the precise needs. Based on the survey, it was found that the size of the archive warehouse is 48 x 48 m, totaling 2304 m2. The maximum distance between sprinklers used was 4.6 m. Therefore, the effective distance between sprinkler heads is 193 units. The result of the calculation for the water supply for the sprinkler system obtained 34,139.77 liters, with the total overall cost for the equipment and materials used being Rp. 63,121,925.74. Based on the data and calculation results regarding the planning and design of fire protection equipment in open active spaces adhering to the NFPA-13 Standard for the Year 2019, it is expected to provide comfort and safety against the threat of fire incidents.

Modern Cybersecurity Software Helps Utilities Avoid Cyberattacks

For small public water systems, vulnerability to cyberattacks is a serious concern. This is especially true for systems operating on a low budget for upgrading outdated information technology equipment and cybersecurity plans.

Counseling Experiences of the Safe Healthcare Environment Advisory Program at Chiayi Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan

<p>近年國內多起醫療機構火災事件導致人員傷亡，顯示醫療機構環境安全之重要性。民眾對於醫療環境安全愈加重視，醫院應更加重視防火安全，並從病人安全及消防安全著手。嘉義醫院為建構安全的醫療環境品質，特參加2023年醫療機構環境安全諮詢計畫「防火安全模組」輔導計畫，獲取外部專家意見，建構更安全的醫療就醫環境。本次透過全員參與，全面性、系統性的盤點各項硬體設備與緊急應變計畫，瞭解自身的風險脆弱點，提升火災發生時緊急應變處理能力。借助國內外專家學者經驗，現場審視與指導，依照醫院特性或高潛在風險因子，在有限資源下，討論改善的優先順序與相關替代方案。希望藉由本文分享參加輔導計畫之過程與經驗，提供醫療機構共參考，共同提升醫院環境安全。</p> <p> </p><p>In recent years, numerous fires in healthcare institutions in Taiwan have resulted in casualties, highlighting the importance of environmental safety in medical facilities. With growing public concern over the safety of healthcare environments, hospitals must prioritize fire safety, focusing on both patient and fire safety measures. Chiayi Hospital staff participated in the 2023 Fire Safety Module counseling project of the Safe Healthcare Environment Advisory Program to establish a safe medical environment. This program incorporated guidance from external patient safety and fire safety experts to construct safe treatment environments. A thorough inventory of equipment and emergency response plans was conducted, involving the collaborative participation of all staff members to identify institutional vulnerabilities and enhance emergency response capabilities in the event of a fire. On-site inspections and guidance leveraged the counsel of domestic and international experts and scholars to address risk factors unique to the hospital, discussing solutions and areas of improvement to prioritize in accordance with the hospital’s limited resources at hand. This paper outlines Chiayi Hospital’s experiences in the Safe Healthcare Environment Advisory Program to benefit other hospitals and enhance hospital environmental safety throughout Taiwan.</p> <p> </p>

Evaluation of medical equipment maintenance and skilled manpower requirement among private dental centres in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A pilot study.

Adequate equipment maintenance is necessary to ensure efficient dental care facilities and satisfactory medical equipment performance. This study aimed to assess maintenance practices and manpower adequacy in private dental centres (DCs) across Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate equipment maintenance and manpower strength based on international and national standards. Thirty-three private DCs were visited in-person with the designed questionnaire to conduct the study. The Chi-square test and t-test were performed. Only 21 dental centres had a scheduled maintenance plan for medical equipment, whereas the rest had no plan. Furthermore, only 22 DCs maintained equipment maintenance records, while 11 DCs did not have any records. Additionally, the study found a lack of trained personnel to handle medical equipment and overall inadequate maintenance practices. Significant differences were observed between the responses for many questions (p< 0.05). These findings increase health risks to both the patient and the user. To address these issues, DC administrators should implement stricter measures to adhere to local DCs standards and hire qualified personnel who can periodically maintain and repair medical equipment.

Мавзолеи восточных районов Золотой Орды

The purpose of the study: To consider the composition of architecture in the eastern regions of the Golden Horde, using the example of monuments of memorial architecture. As well, to trace regional differences and the influence of various architectural schools and building traditions on the emergence and development of mausoleum forms. Research materials: Mausoleums which are the most numerous type of monumental architecture explored throughout the territory of the Golden Horde. The paper considers both archaeological sites and various images of mausoleums: drawings of the 18th–19th centuries and photographs of the early 20th century. Results and scientific novelty: The work collects and examines all the mausoleums of the eastern regions of the Golden Horde. The review shows that among all the buildings, based on construction technology, two directions of architecture can be distinguished – construction from stone and construction from brick (burnt and adobe). An analysis of the types of planning, construction techniques, and architectural details of mausoleums and construction equipment leads to the conclusion that several directions can be traced in the composition of memorial architecture. In their architectonics, the stone mausoleums of the Urals are closely related to the architecture of Volga Bulgaria which, in turn, arose under the strong influence of Seljuk Asia Minor and to some extent Transcaucasia. Most of the mausoleums are built of baked and mud bricks. Among them, a group of cubic mausoleums with a hipped dome on a drum and a massive portal stands out. These buildings find direct analogies among the monuments of Central Asia, primarily Khorezm. A group of tower or pyramidal mausoleums are buildings of an archaic appearance that replicate the memorial monuments of the Turks. Also in the eastern regions, two-chamber mausoleums were built, consisting of a room for rituals (ziyarat-khane) and a tomb (gur-khane). Mausoleums of this type have no direct analogues outside the Golden Horde and are a creative reworking of already known schemes.

A probabilistic approach to monitoring the condition of complex technical equipment

A probabilistic cascade-hierarchical approach is proposed for monitoring the condition of complex technical equipment in production, taking into account the types of controlled catches (software, hardware and mechanical) and types of control: technical means and the appropriate level of qualification of personnel based on polymodeling. In contrast to the deterministic control process, when sequential tests are carried out until a certain outcome is obtained, the proposed approach made it possible to form non-stationary rules for estimating the probabilities of process outcomes dynamically, relative to changing test conditions and the environment. The use of the KullbackLeibler measure to assess the divergence of the probability distribution functions of defects in complex technical equipment, having high sensitivity, allowed us to form a scheme of a two-circuit decision support system for dynamic test planning of complex technical equipment, which ultimately increased the degree of validity of the decisions made.

Efficient and precise docking trajectory optimization for the ship block assembly

The assembly of the ship block is an extremely important stage of the shipbuilding process. Nevertheless, currently, the manual assembly efficiency is low, the accuracy is poor, and collision is very easy to occur. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conduct technical research on the automatic docking of ship blocks. The core of the automated docking technology is the attitude estimation and the trajectory planning of the posturing equipment. However, current data measurement and point set matching methods lead to large attitude-estimation errors, and it is difficult to meet the accuracy requirements of the assembly. Moreover, the current ship block trajectory planning methods pay more attention to single metrics, for example, time or energy consumption, while omitting the shock degree. In response to the above, this study first proposes a high-precision matching method for measuring point sets, in order to estimate the exact attitude of the ship block. Subsequently, trajectory translation for the block is performed using the seventh-degree polynomial. On this basis, a nonlinear weighted improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) method is proposed to optimize the time, energy consumption and shock degree in the ship block trajectory planning process. Finally, the accuracy of the matching optimization is validated by simulation analysis and it is concluded that the seventh-degree polynomial leads to less shock than other polynomials. Furthermore, the shock force does not change abruptly even when the ship block is poised in steps. Through IPSO, the energy consumption and shock degree performance indices are optimized by 37.07% and 50.06%, respectively, in the ship block translation process.

Distributed or centralized? Long-term dynamic allocation and maintenance planning of modular equipment to produce multi-product natural gas based on life cycle thinking

With the increasing complexity of the natural gas trading market, enhancing the flexibility of multi-product natural gas production has practical significance for improving the whole life cycle benefits of gas fields. At present, the collaborative relationship between multi-product process optimization and modular equipment has not been studied enough; there is still a lack of integrated model coupling process optimization, modular equipment design, and scheduling optimization. Therefore, this paper utilizes the convenient scheduling technique across multiple blocks and establishes a distributed multi-product natural gas processing model based on life cycle thinking, facilitating the enduring, dynamic configuration and upkeep administration of modular equipment. The established optimization model is formulated to maximize the net present value of profits, allowing for the selection of optimal production strategy for various natural gas products, such as LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), NG (Natural Gas), mainly including volume distribution, capacity of gas, and installation, utilization, inter-block scheduling, and recovery of modular equipment, etc. Modular equipment within multiple blocks can be dynamically adjusted based on the production status of the gas field and the market demand for multi-product natural gas. By researching actual production cases, the effectiveness and reliability of this approach have been verified. The results indicate that the net present value of the equipment cost is 89 % of the traditional equipment, which significantly improves production system flexibility and economic benefits of the gas field. This study proposes new operational and management ideas for future distributed multi-product production models in gas fields by considering the efficiency of natural gas resource development and utilization, as well as the risk resistance of the multi-product natural gas industry chain.

Total Hip Arthroplasty After Proximal Femoral Nailing: Preoperative Preparation and Intraoperative Surgical Techniques

The combination of an aging population and increased utilization of total hip arthroplasty (THA) is leading to a higher incidence of conversion THA, defined as conversion from previous hip fracture surgery to THA. Conversion THA is a more technically challenging, time-consuming, and costly procedure compared to primary THA and frequently involve more medically complex patients.Thus, the aim of this review is to provide a rubric for surgeons to use when preparing for a conversion THA. We have assessed the compatibility of commonly available extraction devices with popular femoral nails. Furthermore, we review technical pearls for conversion THA including equipment planning, operative setup, intraoperative imaging, extraction sequencing, and troubleshooting commonly encountered obstacles.

Creation, evolution, and future challenges of ion beam therapy from a medical physicist's viewpoint (Part 3): Chapter 3. Clinical research, Chapter 4. Future challenges, Chapter 5. Discussion, and Conclusion.

Clinical studies of ion beam therapy have been performed at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL), National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), and Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), in addition to the development of equipment, biophysical models, and treatment planning systems. Although cancers, including brain tumors and pancreatic cancer, have been treated with the Bevalac's neon-ion beam at the LBL (where the first clinical research was conducted), insufficient results were obtained owing to the limited availability of neon-ion beams and immaturity of related technologies. However, the 184-Inch Cyclotron's helium-ion beam yielded promising results for chordomas and chondrosarcomas at the base of the skull. Using carbon-ion beams, NIRS has conducted clinical trials for the treatment of common cancers for which radiotherapy is indicated. Because better results than X-ray therapy results have been obtained for lung, liver, pancreas, and prostate cancers, as well as pelvic recurrences of rectal cancer, the Japanese government recently approved the use of public medical insurance for carbon-ion radiotherapy, except for lung cancer. GSI obtained better results than LBL for bone and soft tissue tumors, owing to dose enhancement enabled by scanning irradiation. In addition, DKFZ compared treatment results of proton and carbon-ion radiotherapy for these tumors. This article summarizes a series of articles (Parts 1-3) and describes future issues of immune ion beam therapy and linear energy transfer optimization.

Materials for Hydrogen Storage and Transport: Implications for Risk-Based Inspection

The growing interest towards hydrogen technologies and their implementation in the hydrocarbon and chemical process industry makes maintenance planning of storage and transport equipment an emerging safety aspect. With respect to high-pressure working equipment, Risk-Based Inspection methodology (RBI) aims at minimizing the risk of loss of containment due to materials’ deterioration mechanisms. This set of procedures focuses on the mechanical integrity of equipment to achieve crucial risk mitigation by means of risk-informed inspection planning and maintenance activities. In addition, hydrogen-induced damages are often generalized or even neglected by the existing RBI standards and recommended practices. On this basis, high-pressure vessels, process piping and storage tanks working in gaseous or liquid hydrogen environments, which are exposed to hydrogen-induced deterioration mechanisms, might be subjected to an inaccurate evaluation of the associated risk and hazards when these RBI standards are applied. For this reason, this work proposes a review of the pipelines steels commonly used for gaseous hydrogen transport to investigate the possible limitations of the standard RBI planning methodologies, when applied to hydrogen technologies. More accurately, the pipeline steels’ susceptibility to hydrogen-induced degradations mechanisms will be discussed to underline assumptions and hypothesis limiting the conventional RBI applicability. Therefore, the overall suitability of standard RBI planning with respect to hydrogen equipment is discussed, highlighting possible relevant gaps as a general result.