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Learning factories present a promising environment for education, training and research, especially in manufacturing related areas which are a main driver for wealth creation in any nation. While numerous learning factories have been built in industry and academia in the last decades, a comprehensive scientific overview of the topic is still missing. This paper intends to close this gap establishing the state of the art of learning factories. The motivations, historic background, and the didactic foundations of learning factories are outlined. Definitions of the term learning factory and the corresponding morphological model are provided. An overview of existing learning factory approaches in industry and academia is provided, showing the broad range of different applications and varying contents. The state of the art of learning factories curricula design and their use to enhance learning and research as well as potentials and limitations are presented. Conclusions and an outlook on further research priorities are offered.
The wet chemical deposition of solution processed transparent conducting oxides (TCO) provides an alternative low cost and economical deposition technique to realize large-areas of conducting films. Since the price for the most common TCO Indium Tin Oxide rises enormously, Aluminum Zinc Oxide (AZO) as alternative TCO reaches more and more interest. The optoelectronical properties of nanoparticle coatings strongly depend beneath the porosity of the coating on the shape and size of the used particles. By using bigger or rod-shaped particles it is possible to minimize the amount of grain boundaries resulting in an improvement of the electrical properties, whereas particles bigger than 100 nm should not be used if highly transparent coatings are necessary as these big particles scatter the visible light and lower the transmittance of the coatings. In this work we present a simple method to synthesize AZO particles with different shape and size, but comparable electronical properties. We use a simple, well reproducible polyol method for synthesis and influence the shape and size of the particles by adding different amounts of water to the precursor solution. We can show that the addition of aluminum as dopant strongly hinders the crystal growth but the addition of water counteracts this, so that both, spherical and rod-shaped particles can be obtained.
Comments on “Solubility parameter of chitin and chitosan”, Carbohydrate Polymers 36 (1998) 121–127
(2017)
Results on the solubility parameters of chitin and chitosan presented in the paper DOI: 10.1016/S0144-8617(98)00020-4 were recalculated and data evaluation was redone. A number of misprints, erroneous calculations and data evaluations were found with respect to Hansen as well as total solubility parameters as derived according to group contribution methods by Hoftyzer-Van Krevelen and Hoy’s system. Revised numerical data are presented.
Propofol is a commonly used intravenous general anesthetic. Multi-capillary column (MCC) coupled ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS) can be used to quantify exhaled propofol, and thus estimate plasma drug concentration. Here, we present results of the calibration and analytical validation of a MCC/IMS pre-market prototype for propofol quantification in exhaled air.
Digitisation forms a part of Industrie 4.0 and is both threatening, but also providing an opportunity to transform business as we know it; and can make entire business models redundant. Although companies might realise the need to digitise, many are unsure of how to start this digital transformation. This paper addresses the problems and challenges faced in digitisation, and develops a model for initialising digital transformation in enterprises. The model is based on a continuous improvement cycle, and also includes triggers for innovative and digital thinking within the enterprise. The model was successfully validated in the German service sector.
Induced by a societal decision to phase out conventional energy production - the so-called Energiewende (energy transition) - the rise of distributed generation acts as a game changer within the German energy market. The share of electricity produced from renewable resources increased to 31,6% in 2015 (UBA, 2016) with a targeted share of renewable resources in the electricity mix of 55%-60% in 2035 (RAP, 2015), opening perspectives for new products and services. Moreover, the rapidly increasing degree of digitization enables innovative and disruptive business models in niches at the grid's edge that might be the winners of the future. It also stimulates the market entry of newcomers and competitors from other sectors, such as IT or telecommunication, challenging the incumbent utilities. For example, virtual and decentral market places for energy are emerging; a trend that is likely to speed up considerably by blockchain technology, if the regulatory environment is adjusted accordingly. Consequently, the energy business is turned upside down, with customers now being at the wheel. For instance, more than one-third of the renewable production capacities are owned by private persons (Trendsearch, 2013). Therefore, the objective of this chapter is to examine private energy consumer and prosumer segments and their needs to derive business models for the various decentralized energy technologies and services. Subsequently, success factors for dealing with the changing market environment and consequences of the potentially disruptive developments for the market structure are evaluated.
In vitro cultured cells produce a complex extracellular matrix (ECM) that remains intact after decellularization. The biological complexity derived from the variety of distinct ECM molecules makes these matrices ideal candidates for biomaterials. Biomaterials with the ability to guide cell function are a topic of high interest in biomaterial development. However, these matrices lack specific addressable functional groups, which are often required for their use as a biomaterial. Due to the biological complexity of the cell-derived ECM, it is a challenge to incorporate such functional groups without affecting the integrity of the biomolecules within the ECM. The azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click reaction, Huisgen-reaction) is an efficient and specific ligation reaction that is known to be biocompatible when strained alkynes are used to avoid the use of copper (I) as a catalyst. In our work, the ubiquitous modification of a fibroblast cell-derived ECM with azides was achieved through metabolic oligosaccharide engineering by adding the azide-modified monosaccharide Ac4GalNAz (1,3,4,6 tetra-O-acetyl-N-azidoacetylgalactosamine) to the cell culture medium. The resulting azide-modified network remained intact after removing the cells by lysis and the molecular structure of the ECM proteins was unimpaired after a gentle homogenization process. The biological composition was characterized in order to show that the functionalization does not impair the complexity and integrity of the ECM. The azides within this ‘‘clickECM” could be accessed by small molecules (such as an alkyne modified fluorophore) or by surface-bound cyclooctynes to achieve a covalent coating with clickECM.
Nowadays CHP units are discussed for the production of electricity on demand rather than for generation of heat providing electricity as a by-product. By this means, CHP units are capable of satisfying a higher share of the electricity demand on-site and in this new role, CHP units are able to reduce the load on the power grid and to compensate for high fluctuations of solar and wind power.
Evidently, a novel control strategy for CHP units is required in order to shift the operation oriented at the heat demand to an operation led by the electricity demand. Nevertheless, the heat generated by the CHP unit needs to be utilized completely in any case, for maintaining energy as well as economic efficiency. Such a strategy has been developed at Reutlingen University, and it will be presented in the paper. Part of the strategy is an intelligent management for the thermal energy storage (TES) ensuring that the storage is at low level in terms of its heat content just before an electricity demand is calling the CHP unit into operation. Moreover, a proper forecast of both, heat and electricity demand, is incorporated and the requirements of the CHP unit in terms of maintenance and lifetime are considered by limiting the number of starts and stops per unit time and by maintaining a certain minimum length of the operation intervals.
All aspects of this novel control strategy are revealed in the paper, which has been implemented on a controller for further testing at two sites in the field. Results from these tests are given as well as results from a simulation model, which is able to evaluate the performance of the control strategy for an entire year.