Maintenance Of Stock Research Articles

Spare Parts Supplier Selection Design: A Case Study of A Railway Company

Spare parts support is essential for rolling stock maintenance management. The current supplier selection model determines the selected supplier based on evaluating one aspect of the criteria (product aspect). The selection of suppliers with poor performance occurred between 2018-2020 related to the delivery of goods that exceeded the deadline and goods that did not meet specifications. The first objective of this research is to analyze and determine the relevant priority criteria for selecting suppliers of rolling stock spare parts for railway companies. The second objective is to determine the rolling stock spare parts supplier by using the evaluation criteria determined in the previous process. The method used in this research is the integration of the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Technique for Others Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solutions (TOPSIS). FDM is used to select important criteria for the selection of suppliers of rolling stock parts. AHP is used to assist in choosing various criteria through evaluation in determining the criteria's weight. TOPSIS is used to assess supplier ratings. A total of 13 criteria from 19 alternative criteria have been selected for railway companies, especially in selecting rolling stock spare parts suppliers. Furthermore, the selection becomes the basis for bidding. Finally, Supplier A is the supplier with the highest relative closeness value (0.591), followed by Supplier B (0.545), and the lowest is Supplier C (0.282).

Safe grain storage- post harvest technology: an Indian perspective

Due to green revolution and technological advancement in crop production, India has attained sufficiency in food grain productivity, yet a large population in our country goes hungry. The major reason for this is the postharvest losses that occur during storage, procurement and distribution. Factors such as improper and inadequate storage facilities, climatic conditions, ineffective management policies lead to physical, chemical and biological deterioration of food grains. Abiotic factors such as grain moisture content, temperature, initial grain condition and aeration system are crucial considerations for safe storage. Biological deterioration and losses due to fungi, mites, insects, birds and rodents are also significant. In India, Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the nodal agency, under the Ministry of consumer affairs, responsible for procurement of food grains at minimum support price (MSP), movement of produce to deficit regions, public distribution system (PDS) and maintenance of buffer stocks. Government of India constituted a high-level Shanta Kumar Committee in 2014 to recommend ways to rationalize and minimize postharvest losses, in addition to the already existing government policies. Futuristic approach to prevent these losses are to have bold and proactive reforms in India's grain management systems by implementing the recommendations of the Committee, using appropriate storage protocols, continuing subsidy only to the poor under Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY), controlling the subsidized grain distribution under NFSA (National Food Security Act-2013), intervention of private sectors and liquidation of stocks to contain inflation.

Determination of engine oil change interval for patrol engines based on actual operating time

Introduction. This paper shows the results of a study of the frequency of maintenance of passenger cars in various operating conditions, and provides recommendations for replacing the engine oil of gasoline engines (category SN classification according to API) according to the actual engine operating time (moto-hours). The service book of passenger cars contains the regulations for car maintenance with a list of operations that must be performed. The oil change intervals specified in the Regulations on Maintenance and Repair of Rolling Stock of motor Transport and the factory instructions do not take into account the specifics of the operation of vehicles. Depending on the road and climatic conditions and the operating mode, the standard maintenance schedule can be adjusted, in particular, the frequency of engine oil changes. The scientific novelty of the work is to determine the intervals of car maintenance for specific operating conditions.Materials and methods. The paper presents an analysis of Russian and foreign car maintenance systems, in particular, the oil change intervals of gasoline engines in European countries, the United States and Japan.The results of operational and resource tests of motor oils of gasoline engines carried out by methods of measuring their physical and chemical properties are presented.Results. In this paper, based on the analysis of the problem, recommendations for changing oil in gasoline engines by motorcycle hours for the conditions of the Republic of Dagestan (RD) are developed.The use of external and built-in technical means for calculating the motor hours allows you to determine the recommended oil change interval.Discussion and conclusion. In this paper, on the basis of research on a certain number of vehicles operating in various (including difficult) conditions, recommendations are developed that allow you to determine the rules of car maintenance for various operating conditions.

Impact of decision horizon on post-prognostics maintenance and missions scheduling: a railways case study

ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a study of the decision horizon duration for rolling stock mission assignment and maintenance planning in a prognostics and health management (PHM) context. The aim is to determine the best decision horizon duration that allows the construction of a suitable schedule that assigns railway vehicles to missions and integrates required maintenance operations according to the current and future health of the vehicles. A genetic algorithm is used to minimize the overall cost of the joint schedule as a function of the decision horizon. The results are compared to three proposed heuristics to study the influence of the resolution method on the decision horizon duration. The best decision horizon duration is given for each used method for an illustration case.

The magic of genomics in creating hybrid potato

The magic of genomics in creating hybrid potato

Amazon plinthosols: carbon stocks and physical properties under different land uses

The population growth and the climate changes impose challenges to society, especially regarding food supply and the maintenance of desirable soil conditions. Besides, it is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, there is a necessity of studies addressing the understanding of soil conditions under different land uses, as soils can become carbon pools or sources depending on management practices. This study was conducted in soil profiles of Amazon Plinthosols under different land uses: undisturbed forests, cattle ranching pastures, and mixed crops. Soil density and carbon fraction were assessed at four depths (0-5, 5-10, 10-20, and 20-40 cm), while particle size and mineralogy were examined at 0-20 and 20-40 cm. Soils under undisturbed forests presented lower densities and higher carbon fractions when compared to other land uses. These soils also presented the highest carbon stock; however, the Tukey test indicated no significant differences. Soil densities were lower in forest environments. Cattle ranching pastures presented higher carbon stocks when compared to mixed crops (at age 10 years). Our results indicated that proper soil management practices are needed to maintain the soil productive capacity after converting forested areas for other uses. Plinthosols, due to its textural and mineralogical characteristics, presented high amounts of quartz, demonstrating how sensitive these environments are to changes in the landscape due to deforestation and how unstable the maintenance of carbon stocks is because of such conditions. This study provides useful information to the understanding of the carbon stock in Amazon Plinthosols. It may be helpful to improve the Brazilian Inventory of Anthropogenic Emissions and Removals of Greenhouse Gases and to understand the impacts of land-use change.

Анализ надежности узлов подвижного состава на основе эксплуатационных данных

Objective: To determine the most failure-prone rolling stock components and assemblies by processing statistical data obtained during operation using the classical reliability theory; to develop recommendations for maintaining the operational state of individual rolling stock components. Methods: Methods for calculating the quantitative reliability characteristics are used based on the rolling stock operational statistical data. Results: The 5-year operational data have been used to provide tabulated statistics on the failure rate of various rolling stock equipment. Reliability indicators have been calculated for various types of rolling stock equipment and the corresponding graphs have been plotted. Based on the calculations, the recommendations for the rolling stock maintenance have been developed. Practical importance: The calculations and the recommendations described determine the types of rolling stock equipment requiring more attention during maintenance

Formation of costs for the management and maintenance of the housing stock: procedure and methodology

Formation of costs for the management and maintenance of the housing stock: procedure and methodology

Impact of COVID 19 pandemic on blood transfusion services at a rural based district Hospital Blood-Bank, India

The timely availability of safe and quality blood is a lifesaving decisive factor. Maintaining a stable and adequate blood supply has become a huge challenge amidst COVID 19 pandemic, especially in developing countries like India. Impact of this pandemic on blood transfusion services and potential challenges faced are discussed in the present study which helps planning acute blood shortage even in future pandemics. 1. To know the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Blood bank service; 2. To suggest strategy to tackle acute crisis of blood in future disasters.: In the present study six month’s data pertaining to blood bank following, COVID 19 outbreak in district was compared with that of pre-COVID19 state. Donor attendance register, blood issue register, blood stock-component register, Voluntary blood donation camps, reagents and consumables stock inventory records are analyzed statistically. Mitigative measures adopted are discussed for smooth functioning of Blood bank services.: During COVID-19 outbreak there was drastic reduction in total number of voluntary blood donors visiting blood bank, cancellation of Voluntary blood camps, decreased number of blood components and discard rate of blood components was increased. Disruption of inventory stock maintenance was also seen.: COVID 19 pandemic had a negative impact on Blood transfusion services. A multi-centric approach with evidence based emergency preparedness plan helps to overcome acute crisis of blood supply and in future disasters.

The organization of the system of supply and management of stock of individual protection means in conditions of COVID-19 pandemic

In conditions of increasing of load caused by rapid development of new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic, health care systems of various countries faced the shortage of basic resources, including individual protection means for medical personnel and population that required taking complex measures to eliminate the situation. In the Tomsk oblast, the unified system of supplying medical organizations with individual protection means was organized. The system provides centralization of management of supplies and their distribution; standardization of approaches to using, accounting, storage and utilization of protection means depending on type and conditions of medical care support; monitoring system of provision of individual protection means applying lean manufacturing tools. The implementation of the project made it possible to ensure at the initial stage of the pandemic the maintenance of individual protection means stock in every institution not less than for 7 days and subsequently not less than 30 days demand.

A Circular Economy Is About the Economy

In this paper, I outline the scope and the potential of a ‘circular economy’ in the future, one which goes beyond a concentration on recycling and waste management. I argue that three key elements are paramount. The first, and most widely discussed, is its ‘circularity by design’ characteristics. Secondly, but rarely discussed, the intimate relationship between the materials cycle and money and finance systems. Thirdly, encompassing both but often ignored: the way in which a more holistic interpretation of the concept is attached to a worldview or ‘framework for thinking’. This last element is a perspective that understands the economy as less like a machine and more like a nested living system. This worldview includes a stock maintenance emphasis placed in relation to feedback-rich flows. It extends, ineluctably, to the regeneration of natural capital and the restoration of social capital. A systems perspective includes a renewed focus on creating a refreshed industrial or productive economy at all scales as opposed to an expanded extractive or ‘rentier’ economy which is parasitical. This is quite unlike the current, linear, economy which not only extracts and runs down natural and social capitals (or exchanges it for financial capital), but also sees surplus financial reinvested largely in existing assets rather than creating new ones. The opportunity exists to create a ‘systems aware’ circular economy, one which is consistent with our contemporary understanding of ecosystemic relationships, the maintenance of capitals or stocks, the interdependence of different scales and the clear distinction between effective and efficient.

WITHDRAWN: RFID Based Smart-Cart system with automated billing and assistance for visually impaired

Nowadays in shopping complexes and departmental stores, we use trolleys to collect things and get it billed in the billing counter. By doing so there exists an inordinate delay when the products are individually checked and billed. This delay may lead to long queues in the billing counter. Especially during rush hours, this wastes our valuable time as well as create discomfort. In the existing system, the shop owners need to monitor customer activities and maintain staff for manual checking of every commodity and its billing. Further, manual stock maintenance is performed. In order to overcome the above issues, we have proposed an advanced retail system using RFID enabled smart-cart with automated billing system. RFID readers are used to read the product tag while dropping into the trolley and taking out of the trolley. When the product is dropped inside the trolley a reader sends an appropriate product ID, quantity and price to the microcontroller. At the same time the updated bill amount will be displayed in the cart LCD. Similarly, when the product is taken out of the trolley another RF reader sends the product ID which is removed from the bill and the updated bill amount is displayed in the LCD. During both events the product and billing details are sent to the remote PC along with cart ID. When the customer finished the purchase, final bill is generated for the cart and the bill amount is displayed to the customer. This system also updates the stock of the product after every billing session. It also contains a smart stick that identifies the object using the same RFID technology for the blind people. Whenever, the stick is kept near the product, the information is announced through voice IC and speaker. Thus the proposed system avoids queuing, and gives us a pleasant shopping experience. In the shop owner’s view, this system reduces the need for surveillance and the manpower.

Virological screening of wild and farmed fish species: Application of innovative Taqman multiplex real-time PCR protocols

Global demand for seafood is growing and fish stock maintenance becomes a pressing issue, making aquaculture production of capital importance in terms of fish resources sustainability. Therefore, fish disease outbreaks are a significant constraint to fisheries trade and aquaculture production, affecting economic development worldwide. In this study, a virological screening in wild and farmed fish populations was performed by two TaqMan multiplex real-time PCR assays developed to identify/quantify, in a single run, four viruses responsible for major economic losses in fisheries, namely: infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) and viral nervous necrosis virus (VNNV). A total of 323 fish were assessed, being the majority from four species from the Atlantic coast: gilthead seabream and seabass, two extensively farmed species in aquaculture and captured in the wild, and sardine and Atlantic horse mackerel, two of the most consumed fish species in Portugal. The genomes of IPNV (genogroup II) and VHSV (genogroup Ie) were detected in one pool of gilthead seabream and one pool of Atlantic horse mackerel, confirming the importance of molecular tools for viral screening, especially in asymptomatic hosts, since viral infections may impart major economic losses to the fish industry.

Improved method of processing the output parameters of the diesel locomotive engine for more efficient maintenance

Modernization of aged rolling stock is one of the possibilities to adapt it to the current requirements for better environmental friendliness and economy of railway transport. However, some vehicle upgrades lead to new failures that were not observed in the original vehicles. The cause is the so-called “hybrid design”, built on a combination of original and selected new components. The aim of the work was to improve the situation with frequent failures and unavailability that occur on the modernized locomotive where a new diesel engine and new electronic control system was installed. Within the work, a simplified methodology for evaluating the outputs of diagnostic equipment was developped based on and applied to specific locomotive type and its diesel engine. The methodology resulted in a significant reduction of the time for assessing the condition of the vehicle’s diesel engine and more effective maintenance. The paper also presents other possibilities in the analysis of big data in the maintenance of rolling stock e.g. using fuzzy logic.

Improved method of processing the output parameters of the diesel locomotive engine for more efficient maintenance

Modernization of aged rolling stock is one of the possibilities to adapt it to the current requirements for better environmental friendliness and economy of railway transport. However, some vehicle upgrades lead to new failures that were not observed in the original vehicles. The cause is the so-called “hybrid design”, built on a combination of original and selected new components. The aim of the work was to improve the situation with frequent failures and unavailability that occur on the modernized locomotive where a new diesel engine and new electronic control system was installed. Within the work, a simplified methodology for evaluating the outputs of diagnostic equipment was developped based on and applied to specific locomotive type and its diesel engine. The methodology resulted in a significant reduction of the time for assessing the condition of the vehicle’s diesel engine and more effective maintenance. The paper also presents other possibilities in the analysis of big data in the maintenance of rolling stock e.g. using fuzzy logic.

Жилищные условия населения в регионах Арктической зоны РФ, или квартирный вопрос в Российской Арктике

The issues of population providing with comfortable and affordable housing are relevant, because it has special social importance for the socio-economic development of Russia. The availability of housing is a person’s primary need, the satisfaction of which allows solving many social problems. Many problems to improve the living conditions of the population are solved within the framework of the state social policy, including the construction of social housing, housing subsidies, and the provision of preferential housing. The article considers issues related to improving the living conditions of the population in the Arctic regions of the Russian Federation. The paper aims to analyze the living conditions of the population in the Russian Arctic regions and to assess the needs and opportunities of the population in improving their housing conditions. Research methods are analysis and synthesis of statistical information, grouping, generalization, comparison, visualization. The infrastructure and improvement of the housing stock and the housing provision of the population in the Arctic regions of the Russian Federation were assessed. The possibilities and needs of the population of the Arctic regions in improving housing conditions are estimated. The authors said that the specificity and complexity of solving the problem of improving housing conditions in the Arctic regions is, first of all, to increasing capital costs for the construction and maintenance of the housing stock and the high cost of utilities for the population. A set of measures has been proposed for revitalizing and recovering from a pandemic domestic consumer demand of residents of the Arctic regions for improving housing conditions in the region of residence, as well as to create conditions for the consolidation of the population and the solution of social problems associated with housing.

Optimising Indian Railways Infrastructure by AI

The pressure on the Indian railway (IR) networks has increased due to higher demand for mobility and growth in India’s population over past several decades. In order to meet the higher demand, IR has put priority in capacity building by increasing the number of coaches per train, running more trains, and building more tracks. Building more tracks or increasing the number of coaches or increasing the number of trains have the potential to solve the problem with high infrastructure cost. Unfortunately, it also comes with added vulnerability in safety in running the system. IR with its investment of over 5,00,000 Cr is presently struggling to make its Operating ratio (expenditure / earning) below 100 %. During the last 166 years of its operation, much technological input has been made on its Infrastructure, Locomotives and Rolling stock but its Train Control practices have remained Conventional – locally controlled and experience-based. The developments in the area of signal processing, communication systems, and artificial intelligence (AI) etc. have great potential for applications in Indian Railway right from ticketing to movement of trains, maintenance etc. The potential of AI has been felt in different applications like predicting delays, preventive maintenance of tracks and rolling stocks, forecasting algorithm for the railway systems. The use of AI in the operation of IR will improve performance by using clever algorithms with efficient software and hardware. This in turn will provide lower latency with information sharing and the use of AI in rail operation will surely improve the efficiency in train operation. This paper highlights the potential contributions of AI in improving the operation of India’s railway system and how the application of recent technological advancement in Information Science and Artificial Intelligence can bring a change in the train operation scenario at a railway station and Control Centre and add to the profitability of Indian Railways.

Development of Cloud-Based Agriculture Marketing System with Intellectual Weigh Machine

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy. Agriculture is most important occupation for the maximum number of the Indian families. Though technologies developed so much still farmers did not get the reasonable price in the market for their agricultural products because of intermediaries. Today most of the distribution systems are facing many challenges like intermediaries, in between the producers and the customers, seeking to earn more profit. Hence there is need for a more regularized system to avoid the intermediaries and agriculturist should get more gain out of their product. The aim of the system is to develop a better, efficient marketing system using intellectual weighing system using Load cell, Raspberry-pi module. It includes security and easy consolidation of the bill. The conventional system has intermediaries because of whom the profit of the producer will be getting affected. In the existing system, works which include entry, product weighing, product distribution and product delivery are done manually. Proposed system includes proper data from the databases to be sent to corresponding users. It facilitates the interaction between producer and buyers and enables the buyer to buy product easily. Stock maintenance in the distribution center is established.

Evolutionary constraints on tree size and above‐ground biomass in tropical dry forests

Abstract The extent (or lack) of phylogenetic signal for key ecological traits reveals the role of evolutionary processes on present‐day ecosystem function and hints on future ecological trends under climate change scenarios. This approach has been applied to South American tropical moist forests, but not to the highly threatened seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF), despite the acknowledgement of their unique evolutionary history. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the legacy of evolutionary processes on vital ecological characteristics among SDTF trees: regional dominance, tree size and soil preference. We used tree community data on 313 plots of SDTF (12.52 ha) and locally collected soil data in central‐eastern Brazil. For each assessed trait (three for regional dominance, three for tree size and nine for soil preference), we investigated the legacy of evolution using two different approaches: calculating the extent of phylogenetic signal and comparing the fit of four different models of evolution. Above‐ground woody biomass and tree size showed strong phylogenetic signal. Most of the SDTF biomass stock was concentrated on a few large‐sized and closely related tree genera. Among the soil preference variables, only phosphorus displayed significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal. Synthesis. Our study is the first to show that evolutionary constraints related to tree size significantly determine regional biomass stocks of seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF) in a few closely related tree lineages. This suggests that even isolated SDTF fragments with low taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity can play an important role in the global carbon cycle, storing disproportionally large amounts of carbon in trees that belong to high‐biomass lineages. Whether these lineages also share climate change‐induced mortality risk deserves future investigation, as they are largely responsible for the maintenance of regional SDTF biomass stocks.

Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning and Data Mining: A Pioneer Method Implemented to Greek Railways

In every business, the production of knowledge, coming from the process of effective information, is recognized as a strategic asset and source of competitive advantage. In the field of railways, a vast amount of data are produced, which is necessary to be assessed, deployed in an optimum way, and used as a mechanism, which will lead to making the right decisions, aiming at saving resources and maintain the fundamental principle of the railways which is the passengers’ safety. This paper uses stored-inactive data from a Greek railway company, and uses the method of data mining and applies machine learning techniques to create strategic decision support and draw up a risk and control plan for trains. We make an effort to apply Machine Learning open source software (Weka) to the obsolete procedures of maintenance of the rolling stock of the company (hand-written work orders from the supervisors to the technicians, dealing with the dysfunctions of a train unit by experience, the lack of planning and coding of the malfunctions and the maintenance schedule). Using the J48 and M5P algorithms from the Weka software, data are recorded, processed, and analyzed that can help monitor or discover, with great accuracy, the prevention of possible damage or stresses, without the addition of new recording devices—monitoring on trains, with the aim of predicting the diagnosis of the train fleet. The innovative method is capable of being used as a tool for the optimization of the management’s performance of the trains to provide the appropriate information for the implementation of planning and the technical ability of the trains in order to achieve the greatest target of importance for the railways, which is the passengers’ safety.