Supply Industry Research Articles

From Data to Design

This paper explores the application of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the automotive and supplier industries, with a particular focus on the use of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems to streamline information retrieval from technical documentation. The research, part of the CoLab4DigiTwin project, investigates how digital twins supported by smart services can enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and reduce the reliance on manual data searches. We developed a pipeline utilizing a RAG architecture which uses a vector database for efficient data management and fast access to relevant information, eliminating the need for expensive computational resources. The performance of various open-source LLMs, which are finetuned on German, was evaluated, focusing on readability, clarity, and accuracy. The results show decent performance of the system without the need for model fine-tuning. Future research will aim to refine these processes and extend the applicability of RAG systems, highlighting the potential of Large Language Models to transform industrial data interaction.

Development of a condition monitoring of heat exchangers for corrosion progress and coolant condition

The transport sector, and thus also rail transport, needs to be completely decarbonised by 2050 at the latest. Considering the long service life of rail vehicles, this goal means enormous innovation and growth potential for the vehicle and supplier industry of railway technology in the coming years. This contribution presents the first results of an R&D project to reduce the total cost of ownership of passenger and freight rail vehicles. The reduced life cycle costs can be achieved over the operating life, among other things, with condition monitoring approaches for critical components of cooling systems to enable diagnosis-based maintenance. Based on guided elastic waves, an integrated system is being developed to analyse the depth and position of corrosion damage to heat exchangers in rail vehicles. This method is to be supplemented by a refractive index sensor integrated in the coolant circuit which can be used to derive influences of the coolant condition on corrosion. First, an acoustic measuring technique was put into operation. Suitable piezoelectric transducers were selected and test measurements, including the introduction of artificial damages, along different paths on a representative heat exchanger were carried out and evaluated. Measurement signals can be received over different distances, and a monitoring of larger areas of the heat exchanger seems possible. For the development of the monitoring of the coolant, plasmonically active sensor substrates with a gold nanostructure were produced and installed in a measuring flow cell. In laboratory tests, concentrations of water-coolant mixtures could be distinguished with the refractive index sensor. In the future, the refractive index sensing will be carried out by means of bypass flow measurement. Since the coolant is pumped in a circuit, the sensor system can be attached to one of the inlet/outlet lines.

SUPPLIER SELECTION CRITERIA OF RESTAURANT: A CROSS-INDUSTRY LITERATURE REVIEW

Previous studies have extensively explored supplier selection criteria; however, there has been a notable scarcity of in-depth investigations into the specific criteria for selecting suppliers in the restaurant industry. Thus, this research commences with an overview of supplier selection criteria, followed by a comprehensive review of criteria employed across diverse industries. Through this review, this study identify and distill five key criteria uniquely suited for restaurants: Finance, Technology, Product Quality, Cost, and Service of Supplier. These criteria are subsequently subjected to thorough analysis. This study ultimately contributes novel insights into supplier selection within the restaurant sector, providing the industry with robust decision-making support and practical guidance.

Supplier–buyer (in)congruence in environmental management accounting for sustainable development in the context of Japan

AbstractThis study provides a comprehensive perspective on the integration of Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) in translating environmental management strategies into corporate outcomes, both at the firm and supply chain levels. Grounded in legitimacy theory and agency theory, we introduce a conceptual framework to comprehensively investigate the impact of EMA implementation on corporate environmental performance (CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP). Additionally, by considering the dynamics of supplier–buyer relationships, this research delves into the influence of supplier–buyer alignment in EMA on corporate performance, encompassing CEP and CFP within a supply network. To collect empirical data, we partnered with two prominent information firms in Japan, Toyo Keizai Inc. and., Nikkei Inc and gathered EMA data from chief financial officers of publicly listed companies spanning multiple industries in Japan. We manually paired these public firms with their business partners, including industry buyers and suppliers, to establish focal firm‐business partner pairs. Our findings indicate a positive correlation between the extent of EMA implementation and both CEP and CFP. Furthermore, we observe that board gender diversity enhances the relationship between EMA implementation and CFP, while it exerts no influence on the connection between EMA implementation and CEP. Lastly, our study reveals that supplier–buyer congruence in EMA implementation yields positive effects on the performance of focal firms operating within a supply chain network.

Air quality perceptual index approach: Development and application with data from two Nigerian cities

Due to the world's population growth, poor air quality (PAQ) has become a major health and environmental issue. Cities, in particular, have had to face the challenge of PAQ as a result of traffic and, in the case of the developing world, the use of diesel generators for domestic and industrial energy supply. As with other societal issues, such as corruption, that have perceptual indices to aid with their assessment, an Air Quality Perception Index (AQPI) could be pivotal in the assessment of air quality (AQ). The use of reference or instrument-measured information has been at the forefront of environmental assessment, but a perception-based index could provide a valuable supplementary approach. This paper discusses the potential for an AQPI based on research that took place on perceptions of air quality by residents in two cities, Abuja and Enugu, in Nigeria. The research was based on a survey of respondents who were asked to score various perceptual indicators of AQ. Utilizing the three most frequently perceived indicators of AQ identified in the survey, dust, smoke and smell/odour, an AQPI is presented and illustrated. The proposed AQPI follows a similar logic to that set out for the Human Development Index, with values that range from 0 to 1, with higher values suggesting better AQ. The paper makes the case for the AQPI as a complement to instrument-measured outcomes especially when the latter are rarely available such as in many cities of the global south due to high cost and operational capacity requirements.

A CV‐type WPT system based on CLC‐N compensation with compact receiver

AbstractThe demand for wireless power transfer (WPT) systems that can maintain a constant voltage (CV) output characteristic is gradually increasing in some practical application areas of WPT, such as industrial power supplies. However, existing CV‐type systems are often limited by the parameter design of the loosely coupled transformer (LCT), and the configuration of the receiver side is not compact enough. Therefore, this paper proposes a strongly coupled system with a CV output function composed of capacitor‐inductor‐capacitor‐none (CLC‐N) topology. The system's transmitter uses a CLC compensation, while the receiver conforms to a minimalist design without the need for compensation components such as capacitors and inductors. The initial segment of the paper pertains to the discussion of the conditions required to satisfy both the zero‐phase‐angle (ZPA) and CV output functionality of the suggested system. Subsequently, an in‐depth approach to parameter design is outlined, accentuating that the output voltage remains unrestricted by the LCT's parameters. Additionally, this paper examines the realization of zero‐voltage switching (ZVS) within the suggested system as well as the influence that variations in compensation components have on the CV output function. To underscore the benefits of the suggested CV‐type WPT system that employs CLC‐N compensation, the paper presents a comparison with a range of other CV‐type WPT systems. Ultimately, an experimental prototype is fabricated to test the theoretical framework, and the results from these experiments confirm the feasibility of the suggested CV‐type WPT system based on CLC‐N compensation.

Successful Foreign Direct Investment Through the Development of Parts Supply Industries in the Host Country: A Study of India's Automobile Manufacturing Sector

Several large multinationals and a few local assemblers dominate the Indian automobile industry. The largest multinational, Maruti Suzuki, entered the Indian automobile industry with a policy of developing local automotive parts manufacturers to achieve high local content ratio. This study seeks to determine the extent to which foreign direct investment (FDI) in host countries contributes to the growth of automobile parts manufacturers. We use district‐level panel data from 2000 to 2008 to assess the linkage between the production of major automobile assemblers and the development of automotive parts suppliers located in the same and adjacent districts to those assemblers. Our regression results show the heterogeneity of the linkages, suggesting that the formation of industrial clusters by local parts suppliers and the expansion of their production capacity are likely to be key determinants of the success of FDI in the Indian automobile industry, rather than relying on in‐house parts production or imports.

The Reshaping Face of Merger and Acquisition in Indian Chemical Industries

Introduction: In 2023, PCBL Ltd, a distinguished player in the chemical supplies industry, agreed to gather a hundred percent stake in Pune-based Aquapharm Chemicals Pvt. Ltd for a consideration of ₹3,800 crore. This acquisition was once regarded as a strategic move by way of the potential of PCBL Ltd to adorn its market presence and diversify its product offerings Purpose: To analyze the strategic cause behind PCBL Ltd's acquisition of Aquapharm Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. Methods: The quantitative analysis includes the comparison of financial and operational data, as properly as the assessment of the statistical importance of the results in the SPSS output. The qualitative evaluation entails the evaluation of enterprise reports, media articles, and interviews with key stakeholders to reap a deeper grasp of the strategic and organizational elements underlying the acquisition. Results: The findings recommend that the acquisition has had a high-qualityeffect on the financial and operational performance of the mixed entity, as properly as on PCBL Ltd's market position. However, the successful integration of the two businesses and the recognition of anticipated synergies can also have posed sizeable challenges. Conclusion: In conclusion, the acquisition of Aquapharm Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. by way of PCBL Ltd in 2023 seems to have been a strategic and profitable move. The evaluation suggests that the combined entity has skilled better operational and financial performance, as nicely as extended market position. While the integration manner can also have posed some challenges, the awareness of expected synergies has contributed to the ordinary success of the acquisition.

Evaluating the Event Industry for a Web-Based Event Supplier Management System

Managing a diverse range of suppliers can often become a logistical challenge in the dynamic world of event planning. The multitude of event suppliers frequently leads to miscommunication, delays, and exceeding budgets. Motivated by the necessity for a more efficient solution, the study intends to propose a web-based event supplier management system to revolutionize the process of organizing events. The research approach integrates advanced technology with intuitive interfaces to simplify supplier coordination. With the proposed system, event suppliers can efficiently handle contracts, monitor deliveries, and communicate seamlessly with clients in real time. By combining automated notifications and centralized data storage, the system method ensures that all stakeholders remain informed and aligned throughout the event planning process. The analysis of the needs of the proposed system has yielded significant results from various event suppliers in Surigao City. Based on surveys of 10 event industry professionals and suppliers, it is evident that the limited availability of venues, schedules, and suppliers poses a significant challenge in managing event bookings, with 60% of professionals agreeing. Coordination with other suppliers and communication issues with clients are not significant difficulties for 80% of respondents, and 60% of suppliers are neutral about managing changes or cancellations, though 30% find it difficult. Additionally, 100% of event planners believe collaboration and communication among suppliers are crucial, 90% emphasize the importance of an accessible booking system, and 60% agree that real-time synchronization would enhance efficiency, particularly with a user-friendly interface tailored to local needs in Surigao City. Event suppliers have reported notable reductions in administrative overhead, fewer instances of miscommunication, and improved overall event coordination. Suppliers can allocate resources more effectively through our platform, leading to smoother events and increased client satisfaction. The results of the study will be the basis in proposing web-based event supplier management system in order to address the challenges of suppliers in the event industry

Analyzing the Eucalyptus Timber Value Chain in Thailand: Profit Distribution and Opportunities for Improvement

The Thai forestry sector relies greatly on Eucalyptus as a raw material. The rapid expansion of plantations during the last few decades and the high demand for Eucalyptus for several purposes has led to numerous supply chain practices. A comprehensive understanding of the Eucalyptus value chain is lacking in Thailand, which has consequences for optimization, sustainability, and profitability aspects. This study analyzed actors and their activities along the value chain and estimated added value and profit margin benefit distributions. The study method involved a value chain analysis approach, whereby input data were collected from the following groups: seedling suppliers and developers, farmers and tree growers, timber traders and collectors, intermediaries, processors, wholesalers, and consumers via key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and group discussions. The results revealed the vertical integration of Eucalyptus timber businesses, where sapling breeders were the major input suppliers with a significant role in the value chain based on the role of controlling the majority of seedling production, promoting cultivation, and ensuring the raw material supply for the pulp industry through a full-cycle membership program. Total gross marketing margin was highest (90.6%) in the path of the pulp mill industry and lowest in the path of the biomass power plant (73.4%). The profit share of growers varied between 9.9% and 26.6% depending on the path and chain. The overall benefit distribution analysis demonstrated a positive gross profit margin but minor distribution to the growers. Our study determined that decision-makers should create supportive programs, funding opportunities, and infrastructural support for research and development, capacity building, and regulation to ensure suitable benefits for all actors in the Eucalyptus timber value chain in Thailand.

Complex Network-Based Resilience Assessment of the Integrated Circuit Industry Chain

With the improvement of social production efficiency and the enhancement of the supply chain system, the traditional linear supply chain model is gradually evolving into a more complex and dynamic industrial chain network. This article uses complex network theory combined with the basic attributes of the industrial chain and supply chain to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the integrated circuit industry chain. Firstly, a cooperative network model of the integrated circuit industry chain in Shaanxi Province is established based on the supply chain relationships of enterprises. Secondly, the study analyzes the basic characteristics of the collaborative network model. Thirdly, this study explores the efficiency, resilience, and innovation capacity of industrial chains using a novel set of indexes: the industry chain efficiency index (ICEI), the industry chain resilience index (ICRI), and the industry chain innovation capability index (ICICI). By employing principal component analysis (PCA), the study provides a comprehensive evaluation of industrial chain performance. The findings reveal that the ICEI highlights the critical importance of average path length and network density, showing that shorter paths and higher density are associated with greater efficiency. The ICRI emphasizes the roles of average degree and standard deviation, indicating that higher connectivity and lower variability contribute to resilience. The ICICI identifies the clustering coefficient and network density as key factors, suggesting that tight-knit networks foster innovation. These results offer significant insights into the dynamics of industrial chain collaboration and provide practical recommendations for enhancing supply chain management. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through a case study. The results of the case study indicate the following: (1) Key Enterprises’ Identification: The analysis identified key enterprises like Samsung Semiconductor and HT-tech with the highest betweenness centrality, highlighting their crucial intermediary roles within the network; (2) Efficiency and Innovation Assessment: Compared with foreign-owned and other immigrant businesses, local businesses generally perform below average in terms of efficiency and resilience, indicating that there is room for improvement in technology adoption and innovation capabilities.

Delineating the embodied CO2 emissions in Canada's exports: Routes, drivers, and paths

AbstractThis study combined the World Input–Output Database and Asian Development Bank's Multiregional Input–Output database to investigate Canada's embodied CO2 emissions in exports (EEE) for the period of 2000–2018. We examined the key drivers and paths through structural decomposition analysis and structural path analysis. First, the results showed that embodied emissions in the intermediate exports were the major contributor to Canada's EEE, and emission paths involving more than three countries were on the rise, indicating that the expansion of the global industrial supply chains has complicated the paths of Canada's EEE. Second, the factors such as emission intensity of sectors, export structure, and export scale, had varying influences on Canada's EEE over time. For several sectors, the benefit from reduced emission intensity was largely offset by the additional emissions from the increased export scale. Hence, the design of emission regulations should consider the heterogeneity of industrial sectors in order to mitigate emissions for the diverse industries in Canada. Third, energy and resource industries (e.g., electricity, petroleum, wood, metals, and so on) played an essential role in Canada's exports. A significant amount of embodied emissions was transferred from these sectors to the downstream sectors along the supply chain, indicating that abatement measures should be adopted from the whole life cycle perspective of a product/service through an integrated governance of the supply chain. This article met the requirements for a Gold–Silver JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Thermal Performance Design and Analysis of Reversed Brayton Cycle Heat Pumps for High-Temperature Heat Supply

This study examined the performance of reversed Brayton cycle heat pumps to supply heat above 300 °C. The aim was to overcome the current temperature limitations faced by heat pump technology in industrial heat supply sectors by examining the viability of the reversed Brayton cycle. In particular, the effects of the operating conditions on the cycle performance, such as the waste and return heat temperatures, were analyzed through thermal performance analysis. The reversed Brayton cycle heat pumps showed improved performance over conventional vapor compression cycle heat pumps when a heat supply above 215 °C was required. Furthermore, integrating additional heat exchangers into the cycle configuration was proposed in this study as a method to enhance waste heat utilization and recover unused heat from industrial processes. By incorporating preheating and recuperated cycles, these modifications broaden the operational range under the same operating conditions. They also improve the coefficient of performance (COP) of the reference cycle by up to 23% and 27.4%, respectively. This study explored the potential of reversed Brayton cycle heat pumps to supply heat above 300 °C and provided fundamental guidelines for the efficient design and operation of reversed Brayton cycle heat pumps. The results are expected to enhance our understanding of the performance characteristics of reversed Brayton cycle heat pump technology and expand its use as an alternative to fossil-fuel-based heat supply systems.

Comparative techno-economic and environmental analysis of a relocatable solar power tower for low to medium temperature industrial process heat supply

The primary objective of this study is to promote the adoption of solar power tower (SPT) technology in low to medium-temperature industrial process heat (IPH) applications and compare it with other heat generation alternatives. Through comprehensive techno-economic and environmental analyses, a proposed relocatable SPT-based IPH plant (PR-SPT-IPH), with a capacity of 1 MWth, is thoroughly evaluated against traditional concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) technologies like parabolic trough collectors (PTC) and linear Fresnel reflectors (LFR), as well as natural gas (NG) and photovoltaic (PV)-based IPH systems. The techno-economic assessment of the PR-SPT-IPH is performed using an in-house developed MATLAB code, while the system advisor model (SAM) is used to simulate equivalent PTC-, LFR-, and PV-based IPH plants. The primary techno-economic assessment metric is the levelized cost of heat (LCOH), while the environmental analysis quantifies the avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants resulting from NG combustion. The results show that the PR-SPT-IPH plant achieves the lowest LCOH of 2.42 cents/kWhth, generating annual thermal energy of 5.62 GWhth with a capacity factor of 48.27 %. With certain assumptions, this cost can be further reduced to 1.5 cents/kWhth, meeting the U.S. Department of Energy targets. The PR-SPT-IPH plant could annually avoid emitting 1112 kg of CO2, 54 kg of particulate matter, 1201.76 kg of NOx, and 5.08 kg of SO2. It could also save annual external costs between $43,100.28 and $153,194.67, while the annually saved fuel cost could reach $151,632. The study indicates that the PR-SPT-IPH plant surpasses PTC-, LFR-, NG-, and PV-based IPH plants both technically and financially. With reduced capital costs and appropriate incentives, the PR-SPT-IPH plant emerges as an economically and environmentally viable choice for low to medium-temperature IPH applications.

Farmers’ perceived effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship to preparedness and risk perception

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the agri-food sector was significant and pervasive, challenging farmers' resilience through multiple disruptions to the supply chain. To support forward planning in face to future shocks, this research examines the perceived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by farmers themselves, providing insights from the UK. Using a nation-wide online survey carried out during two distinct waves of the pandemic in 2021, the study reveals changing perceptions and the relationship between preparedness and perceived impacts. Results indicate that perceptions of both the severity of the COVID-19 impacts and preparedness for such impacts in the future, were scaled down as the pandemic evolved. Findings suggest that a farmer feeling more prepared in the present to withstand shocks is positively influenced by them perceiving the impact of COVID-19's in their business as severe. This effect is reinforced for farmers that felt more prepared to withstand COVID-19's impacts when the pandemic unfolded, as well as for those that perceive the impact of COVID-19 as long-term. Farmers in our sample appear to have adapted to the shocks to their businesses through supply-side interventions, focusing on having higher flexibility in delivery of products and diversifying their supply networks. Doing so requires them to absorb an increase in both fixed and variable costs, which can end-up been transferred to the consumer. Government support moving forward should focus on strengthening and, perhaps, re-imagining the whole supply industry and re-defining the role of farmers as more than food producers, but also as stewards of climate and food resilience.

Impact of temperature dependent coefficient of performance of heat pumps on heating systems in national and regional energy systems modelling

To successfully transition towards fully renewable energy systems, energy sectors that today are primarily autonomous should be closely integrated to increase system flexibility and maximise synergy from effective sector coupling. Heat pumps are one of the sector coupling technologies which enable a mutual integration of power and heat sectors. Heat pumps are viewed as a low-cost source of sustainable heat for both space heating and industrial processes. However, representation of heat pumps in energy system models is typically oversimplified by using a uniform coefficient of performance, which limits perception of the hourly temperature changes on heat pump efficiency, or by using generic heat pumps for all individual residential, district, or industrial heat supplies. The LUT Energy System Transition Model was expanded to examine the impact of utilisation of hourly coefficient of performance profiles and specific heat pumps for different applications. The results indicate that, in cold climate countries, the use of hourly coefficient of performance profiles has little impact on the heat supply structure and overall primary energy demand, but has a noticeable impact on the electricity supply and energy storage system. Though the cost of the optimised system stays on the same level, application of hourly COP profiles leads to a more accurate simulation of electricity consumption and energy storage operation. The separation of district and industrial heat pumps leads to a higher share of heat pumps in industrial heat supply and allows for a reduction in overall energy system primary energy demand by 1.8%.

Sedimentary and hydraulic characterization to identify hydrofacies in Barreiras Formation, Rio de Janeiro state - Brazil

The use of analogous outcrops in characterizing hydrogeological heterogeneities is widespread worldwide. It is a powerful tool for sediment characterization and determination of hydraulic parameters in rural and urban areas lacking hydrogeological information. This study investigates and characterizes the depositional and post-depositional factors that control the quality of the porous aquifer of the Barreiras Formation, Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The integrated analysis between petrological and hydraulic parameters in two outcrops analogous to the Barreiras aquifer demonstrated the role of post-depositional processes, which altered the original deposition conditions. The two outcrops are predominantly composed of sandy and muddy facies, with hydraulic conductivity ranging between 10−4 to 10−5 cm/s and 10−5 to 10−8 cm/s, respectively. This allowed the definition of two hydrofacies, formed by sandy layers as reservoirs and by muddy layers acting as hydraulic barriers. In this context, the Barreiras Formation can be characterized as a poor aquifer, differing from the typical braided fluvial deposits. This evidence draws attention to the indiscriminate use of typical sedimentary models in environments with a high rate of chemical-biological weathering, not only in underground flow models but also in studies of underground resources protection and exploitation, such as the Barreiras aquifer, which consists of one of the main water sources for public, industrial and agricultural supply.

Selection of pure and binary working fluids for high-temperature heat pumps: A financial approach

High-temperature heat pumps are increasingly being recognized for decarbonizing industrial heat supply up to 200 °C. In the open literature, the operating conditions, working fluids and configurations of high-temperature heat pumps are typically optimized for achieving a maximum Coefficient of Performance (COP). This work however presents a method that optimizes the operating conditions, working fluid and configuration of the heat pump, based on a combined financial and technical appraisal. In this regard a financial model to calculate the levelized cost of heat (LCOH) of a heat pump unit is developed. The model screens a large set of working fluids and therefore allows for subcritical, transcritical and supercritical operation and includes (zeotropic) binary mixtures. The methodology is applied to a large set of generic temperature profiles, with process temperatures between 160 °C and 200 °C and heat source temperatures between 80 °C and 120 °C. The results indicate that designing a heat pump solely based on maximum COP may lead to a sub-optimal financial solution. Overall, binary mixtures, either zeotropic or azeotropic, of natural working fluids often performed best. The benefits of zeotropic mixtures are twofold: improved temperature matching and flexibility in their thermophysical properties. However, for industrial processes with high temperature glides, pure fluids operating in the transcritical regime proved to be the most promising. The study also highlights the sensitivity of the financial performance to the electricity price, annual operating hours and heating capacity.

Microtextural Characteristics of Ultramafic Rock-Forming Minerals and Their Effects on Carbon Sequestration

Ultramafic rocks are promising candidates for carbon sequestration by enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) mineralization strategies due to their highly CO2-reactive mineral composition and their abundant availability. This study reports the mineralogy and microtextures of a representative ultramafic rock from the Ma-Hin Creek in northern Thailand and provides evidence of CO2 mineralization occurring through the interaction between CO2 and the rock in the presence of water under ambient conditions. After sample collection, rock description was determined by optical petrographic analysis. The rock petrography revealed a cumulated wehrlite comprising over 50% olivine and minor amounts of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and chromian spinel. Approximately 25% of the wehrlite had altered to serpentine and chlorite. A series of CO2 batch experiments were conducted on six different rock sizes at a temperature of 40 °C and pressure of 1 atm over five consecutive days. The post-experimental products were dried, weighed, and geochemically analyzed to detect changes in mineral species. Experimental results showed that product weight and the presence of calcite increased with reducing grain size. Additionally, the modal mineralogy of the wehrlite theoretically suggests potential CO2 uptake of up to 53%, which is higher than the average uptake values of mafic rocks. These findings support the rock investigation approach used and the preliminary assessment of carbon mineralization potential, contributing to enhanced rock weathering techniques for CO2 removal that could be adopted by mining and rock supplier industries.

Including validation of process control systems’ engineering into the technical debt classification

The Technical Debt (TD) concept depicts a situation in which a technical compromise is selected despite a better solution available. The associated risks to TD may be critical if TD is overlooked or not fixed properly. For instance, the product might not be used safely (in the healthcare supplies industry) or be contaminated (in the food & beverage sector) due to a design fault not adequately addressed. This work extends the TD classification for process automation systems that need to undergo a validation process according to Good Automated Manufacturing Practice (GAMP), which is required for pharmaceutical production or food processing, for example. The approach analysed industrial engineering documents to identify such TD types and sub-types. Three selected TD use cases confirmed by industry experts are reported. The presented meta-analysis approach on engineering documents can be employed as a TD identification method for such process control systems. The TD classification for process automation was thereby enlarged for an especially critical type of machine that may harm the health of many humans.