Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Production cell simulation'

The thesis explains the development process of a production cell simulation in 3D implemented using Unity3D. The developed simulation communicates with existing control software and aims to test this control software in a 3D environment with physics simulation. The final result includes 3D models and also works as a visualization since it allows us to present the control system, and this visualization can be viewed using most web browsers. The thesis also includes a brief study and comparison between currently popular game engines to choose an appropriate option for this project.This is a project in collaboration with a local company (ARiSA) and has a high practical relevance.

Control software plays an important role in industrial automation. Several domainspecific languages for control software implementation were designed and accepted in industry. Structured Text (ST)[1] is one of these languages. It is standardized by IEC 61131-3 standard and designed for programmable logic controllers. In this thesis two implementations of control software were developed: Java implementation as a reference model, and ST implementation as a test scenario for ST to C compiler. The functionality of both implementations was compared using the simulation model. It was concluded that resulting ST control software provides the same functionality as its reference model.

This final thesis was performed at Ecole Nationale Supériure D’Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) in Lille, France. The aim of the thesis has been to use two different simulation tools to analyse an existing production cell with focus on industrial engineering. The possible use and the usability of the simulation tools are also studied. The models built for simulation have been used to gather data about the cell. After analyse and discussion about the data we came to the following conclusions. The bottleneck in the cell is the Stäubli. A cheap and simple way to improve the cell is by adding new decision points (sensors) to it. The most efficient location of the new decision points is before and after the Stäubli. The production rate reaches its maximum rate for both settings with eight pallets. If the improvements are implemented then there is no reason to change the speed of the conveyor. With basic settings the speed can be increased for better productivity. The most efficient production type for short setup times is single, for both settings. Delmia is useful for visual representation. It’s also useful for measurements of time and distance since the accuracy is very high. Delmia is useful as common platform when to discuss and explain thoughts and ideas about a project. Flow simulation in Quest provides a great understanding of the production and the behaviour of the cell. It is very easy to get data in and out of the program and to compare results and impacts of changes.

Purpose:The primary purpose of the current thesis is to develop a virtual model using discrete event simulation (DES), which aims at supporting the decision-making process regarding automation solution proposals for SMEs.  Method:The research approach is positivism, and it considers quantitative and empirical information. A literature search is conducted to generate a base for obtaining the theory required for the current report to answer the research questions. This search included the trace of relevant and reviewed topics regarding automation, discrete event simulation, and production lines. Then, a scenario simulation is designed and studied based on empiric knowledge and how automation would affect it, followed by a collection of information from the simulation iterations. Findings& Analysis: Two scenarios are presented. One with a fully manually operated assembly line consisting of only human operators and a second scenario, a semi-automated assembly line that includes some robots in specific areas doing specific operations. The two scenarios are simulated to check to what extend the KPI’s and parameters improved between each scenario. The experiment result concludes that by introducing automation elements in the production line, there is an increase in the overall efficiency, throughput rate, and a considerable gap against humans in WIP. Conclusions and recommendations: The results obtained from the experimentation in discrete event simulation software and study from previous research show that discrete event simulation has a significant contribution when considering a decision-making tool's role. Since it allows to understand and study the specific scenario by imitation and try different solutions in the same production system, it also allows studying several indicators from the scenarios to be checked to what extent they could be improved. Delimitations: The current thesis includes several delimitations. First, it focuses only on an operational level. Also, this study consists of a specific type of product with many variants, and finally, there are only two scenarios studied: a fully manual scenario and a semi-automated scenario with the presence of robots.

Volvo is continually updating and replacing their equipment and want to investigate the possibility to shorten the time it takes to implement changes and shorten the time in commissioning projects. The use of an emulation model of a production cell can shorten the commissioning time since the equipment and sequence of the cell can be thoroughly tested before implementation. Volvo also wants to investigate the possibility to validate equipment using emulation. The main objectives are to find an emulation software that suits Volvo’s needs and build an emulation model of an actual production cell at Volvo called G750. A literature review was performed in which the authors gained knowledge about virtual commissioning, simulation and emulation and the usage of these. A market survey was conducted in order to find emulation software that could handle Volvo’s complex production equipment consisting of ABB robots and Siemens PLC. A method for building emulation models of existing production equipment was found during the literature review. The software used to build the emulation model was Simumatik3D. Other software used to make the model as realistic as possible includes RobotStudio, WinCC and PLCSIM. The emulation model handles approximately 350 inputs and outputs. When the emulation model was finished experiments were conducted in order to answer research questions and to reach the main objectives. The experiments validate that the emulation model is representative of the real production cell regarding programming, fail scenarios and movement.

This master thesis is the last part of the master program Production Engineering and Management at the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, in Stockholm. The thesis is conducted at Exeger Operations AB, in short Exeger. The company is in an expansion phase and wants to prepare for future production expansion. Thus, a simulation capability to test future production scenarios was desirable. The problem definition was defined by the company together with the authors and led to a literature study within simulation, TPS and Lean manufacturing. Following the literature study, a current state map was produced to achieve sufficient understanding of the production flow at the company. A simulation model was then built. The model was used to test three different ”what-if” scenarios. Buy or Optimize, Future ratio 3:1:1 and Buy or SMED. The authors’ findings in the Buy or Optimize scenario suggest that optimizing the process time in the printers is far better, from multiple perspectives, than investing in new machinery. A 3:1:1 ratio of printers, sinter 1 and assembly station was developed using the simulation model to achieve leveled production flow of these specific processes. Lastly, conducting a SMED on the sinter 1 machine, the setup-,and wait-times achieved a theoretical reduction up to 75 % by altering the SOP and allocating additional preparatory space, in accordance with Lean philosophy. This change would offer the same improvement to a full-scale production as investing in a new sinter 1 according to the simulation model. Future work may consist of Layout Planning and adopting the simulation model to new prerequisites.

The aim of this thesis was to describe how a manual assembly process of polycarbonate sheets for heat exchangers can be automated with an industrial robot. The objectives were to design suitable robot cell concepts and simulate them to describe how the automated process could be done and to present which machines and equipment that could be used. Additionally, productivity rates and investment costs was to be calculated.The project started with a situation assessment and a literature review. Experts and suppliers of robotic equipment were consulted, and the results served as a basis for the concept generation process. Several concept ideas were evaluated, and three ideas using adhesive for the assembly were chosen for further studies and simulation. Existing products and machines were used in the designs when possible. By modeling and simulating the cells in simulation software, feasible cell designs was created, and cycle times were measured.The three proposed solutions all utilize an industrial robot, a vacuum gripper and adhesive as the assembly method. Two of the concepts has the robot attending different adhesive dispensing machines; one gantry and one conveyor. In the third concept, the robot applies the adhesive. The cell design that achieved the lowest cycle time in the simulations was the conveyor concept, with a cycle time of 21 seconds per sheet. The conclusion of the study is that investing in a robot cell would increase productivity.
Syftet med detta arbete var att designa en robotcell anpassad för tillverkning av värmeväxlarpaket i moduler. Målet var att besvara hur tillverkningen av värmeväxlare kan automatiseras samt vilken robot och övriga verktyg och maskiner som kan användas. Vidare skulle den möjliga produktionstakten och investeringskostnaden för designförslagen beräknas. Arbetet inleddes med en nulägesanalys och en litteraturstudie. Ett flertal experter och leverantörer inom automationsområdet konsulterades. Resultaten från detta låg till grund för en konceptgenereringsprocess i vilken ett flertal designidéer togs fram. Tre av dessa designförslag valdes ut för vidare studier och simulering. Genom att modellera och simulera robotcellerna kunde de utformas realistiskt och möjliga cykeltider beräknas. De tre designförslagen använder alla en robotarm, ett vakuumgripdon samt lim som metod för monteringen. Två av koncepten består av en medelstor robotarm som betjänar en limappliceringsmaskin. I ena konceptet är det en kartesisk robot med limbord som används för limappliceringen, i det andra är det ett transportband som för plastskivan under ett antal limpistoler. Det tredje designförslaget låter en större robot, utrustad med verktygsväxlare, utföra alla moment i processen genom att den byter verktyg mellan vakuumgripdon och limpistol. Det koncept som uppnådde den lägsta cykeltiden i simuleringarna var lösningen med rullbandet, med en cykeltid på 21 sekunder per skiva. Studiens slutsats är att en investering i en robotcell skulle leda till ökad produktivitet jämfört med manuell produktion.

In line with the company-wide CS09 project being carried out at Volvo CE Components, Cell 14 will have changes in terms of distribution of machines and parts routing to meet the lean manufacturing goals established.  These changes are of course dependant on future production volumes, as well as lot sizing and material handling considerations.

In this context, an important emphasis is given to the awareness of the performance measures that support decision making in these production development projects.  By using simulation as a confirmation tool, it is possible to re-assess these measures by testing the impact of changes in complex situations, in line with the lean manufacturing principles.

The aim of the project is to develop a discrete event simulation model following the methodology proposed by Banks et al (1999).  A model of Cell 14 will be built using the software Technomatix Plant Simulation ® which is used by the Company and the results from the simulation study will be analyzed.

Over the past two decades, Lean Production has begun to replace traditional manufacturing techniques around the world, mainly due to the success of the Toyota Motor Company. One key to Toyota's success that many American companies have not been able to emulate is the transformation of their suppliers to the lean philosophy. This lack of supplier transformation in America is due to a variety of reasons including differences in supplier proximity, supplier relationships, supplier performance levels, and the ordering policies used for supplied parts. The focus of this research is analyzing the impact of ordering policies for supplied parts of a manufacturing cell utilizing Lean Production techniques. This thesis presents a simulation analysis of a multi-stage, lean manufacturing cell that produces a family of products. The analysis investigates how the ordering policy for supplied parts affects the performance of the cell under conditions of demand variability and imperfect supplier performance. The ordering policies evaluated are a periodic-review inventory control policy (s, S) and two kanban policies. The performance of the cell is measured by the flowtime of the product through the cell, the on-time-delivery to their customer, the number of products shipped each week, the amount of work-in-process inventory in the cell, the approximate percentage of time the cell was stocked out, and the average supplied part inventory levels for the cell. Using this simulation model, an experimental analysis is conducted using an augmented central composite design. Then, a multivariate analysis is performed on the results of the experiments. The results obtained from this study suggest that the preferred ordering policy for supplied parts is the (s, S) inventory policy for most levels of the other three factors and most of the performance measures. This policy, however, results in increased levels of supplied part inventory, which is the primary reason for the high performance for most response variables. This increased inventory is in direct conflict with the emphasis on inventory and waste reduction, one of the key principles of Lean Production. Furthermore, the inflated kanban policy tends to perform well at high levels of supplier on-time delivery and low levels of customer demand variability. These results are consistent with the proper conditions under which to implement Lean Production: good supplier performance and level customer demand. Thus, while the (s, S) inventory policy may be advantageous as a company begins transitioning to Lean Production, the inflated kanban policy may be preferable once the company has established good supplier performance and level customer demand.
Master of Science

The dynamic changes in the manufacturing sector have increased the competition between the industries. To sustain these disruptive changes and maintain competitiveness in the global market, companies need to continually improve their production performance, successfully developing and implementing innovative production practices, and producing high-quality products in shorter lead times at optimum costs. The variations and fluctuations in customer demands can be satisfied by introducing new technologies into manufacturing systems, which brings in varying flexibility and agility character into production. Introduction of robots in manufacturing system have increased the productivity and quality of the processes. Effective and efficient programming helps achieve flexibility in the production process because the robot programming aids the robot to perform various tasks and motion. ABB RobotStudio is one type of offline programming and simulation software that helps in stimulating the robot using a Virtual Robot controller. The simulation tool lets users recreate the production environment and program a robot and calculate the cycle time without a real robot.   This case study's objective is used to evaluate the aspect of simulation to be integrated into the case company's production development process and the use of simulation in optimizing the robot cell. Therefore, a case study was conducted at LEAX Group AB, a manufacturing industry. ABB RobotStudio was a tool used in this case study to simulate the existing production system.    The empirical findings have shown the mapping of flow and process mapping of the robot cell in LEAX Group. The empirical part highlights the building of the existing simulation model of the robot cell. The challenges faced while simulating the model are also discussed. The analysis part highlights the optimization of the robot cell and the integration of the simulation model into the production development process. Finally, a conclusion has been drawn by answering two research questions, and a recommendation is given. The conclusion highlights the integration of simulation in the production development process and the process of optimizing the robot cell.

L'épuisement annoncé dans les prochaines décennies des ressources fossiles qui fournissent actuellement plus de 70% du carburant consommé dans les transports terrestres, aériens et maritimes au niveau mondial, incite à l'identification et le développement de nouvelles sources d'énergies renouvelables. La production de biocarburants issue de l'exploitation de la biomasse représente une des voies de recherche les plus prometteuses. Si la première génération des biocarburants (production à partir de plantes sucrières, de céréales ou d'oléagineux) atteint ses limites (concurrence avec les usages alimentaires, en particulier), la deuxième génération, produite à partir de ressources carbonées non alimentaires (lignocellulosique, mélasse, vinasse...), pourrait prendre le relais, une fois que les procédés de conversion seront suffisamment maîtrisés. À plus long terme, une troisième génération pourrait voir le jour, qui reposerait sur l'exploitation de la biomasse marine (microalgues, en particulier) mais où de nombreux verrous restent toutefois à lever : optimisation des procédés de culture et de récolte, extraction à coût réduit, optimisation des voies métaboliques etc. Il est à retenir que la stratégie nationale de recherche et d'innovation (SNRI) a retenu quatre « domaines clés » pour l'énergie : le nucléaire, le solaire photovoltaïque, les biocarburants de deuxième génération et les énergies marines. Ceux-ci sont complétés, au nom de leur contribution potentielle à la lutte contre le changement climatique, par le stockage du CO2, la conversion de l'énergie (dont les piles à combustible) et l'hydrogène. Le présent projet de recherche s'intéresse à explorer des voies d'amélioration de l'efficacité de la biotransformation de matière organique non alimentaire de nature industrielle en biocarburants de deuxième génération. En particulier, on s'intéressera à deux aspects complémentaires : l'optimisation des organismes microbiens et des voies métaboliques pour l'amélioration du rendement biologique de fabrication de biocarburants ; l'optimisation des procédés de mise en culture des microorganismes et d'extraction des biocarburant. Le projet de thèse consiste à mettre en œuvre les biotechnologies blanches, la biologie de synthèse et le génie des procédés pour la caractérisation de souches bactériennes, de leurs voies métaboliques et de prototypes expérimentaux pour la fabrication de biocarburants, de méthane et d'hydrogène à partir de rejets provenant de l'industrie sucrière de La Réunion, à savoir la mélasse ou la vinasse. Ce projet permettrait d'envisager de nouvelles perspectives de valorisation pour ces déchets industriels et de participer à la construction, à terme, d'une industrie réunionnaise durable des biocarburants et de l'hydrogène
Hydrogen is a candidate for the next generation fuel with a high energy density and an environment friendly behavior in the energy production phase. Micro-organism based biological production of hydrogen currently suffers low hydrogen production yields because the living cells must sustain different cellular activities other than the hydrogen production to survive. To circumvent this, a team have designed a synthetic cell-free system by combining 13 different enzymes to synthesize hydrogen from cellobiose. This assembly has better yield than microorganism-based systems. We used methods based on differential equations calculations to investigate how the initial conditions and the kinetic parameters of the enzymes influenced the productivity of a such system and, through simulations, to identify those conditions that would optimize hydrogen production starting with cellobiose as substrate. Further, if the kinetic parameters of the component enzymes of such a system are not known, we showed how, using artificial neural network, it is possible to identify alternative models that allow to have an idea of the kinetics of hydrogen production. During our study on the system using cellobiose, other cell-free assemblies were engineered to produce hydrogen from different raw materials. Interested in the reconstruction of synthetic systems, we decided to conceive various tools to help the automation of the assembly and the modelling of these new synthetic networks. This work demonstrates how modeling can help in designing and characterizing cell-free systems in synthetic biology

The objective of this master thesis is to design a robotic work cell for automated insertion of thermostatic heads. The proposed design was based on the comprehensive analysis of the current workplace. By taking the demands of the company and customer into consideration, several possibilities of the robotic work cell design were proposed, from which the most suitable one was chosen and carefully elaborated. During the process of designing, several safety standards had to be taken into consideration in order to mitigate risks. For that purpose, a risk analysis was conducted as well. Using the Siemens Process Simulate software, the proposed robotic work cell concept was verified, including cycle time analysis. The last part of the thesis is an assessment of the initial expenditures of the robotic work cell equipment, as well as the return of the investment calculation. Drawing of the robotic work cell layout is attached to the thesis.

This master’s thesis deals with the design of a robotic cell for the automation of woodworking machine tending. The task of the robot is to manipulate with the specified laminated chipboards of various sizes, before and after machining. The boards are brought to the cell on pallets in three possible placement variants. After a brief research part, conceptual designs of cell layout were created. The optimal and further elaborated design came as a result of selected evaluation criteria. The next part of the thesis consists of designs and selection processes of individual components. These were later used to create a simulation model in Tecnomatix Process Simulate software (Siemens), that helped to verify the functionality of the cell layout, design the control logic and acquire the time of the manipulation cycle used for informative calculation of annual production. In the end, the final design was evaluated from an economic point of view with an emphasis on the return of the initial investment.

The aim of the thesis is conceptual design of robotic workplace with its subsequent simulation. The current workplace for manufacturing and deburring parts for automotive industry is operated manually. The plan is overall automation and replacement of operators by robots. The thesis deals with the concept of layout of elements in the cell, and the procedure of their selection or design. Process simulation is performed in the Process Simulate software from Siemens. For the purposes of the work is used RCS module, which on the basis of dynamic conditions can calculate the cycle of production very close to the reality. The production cycle is compared to the current workplace. The work also deals with the economic evaluation of the proposed workplace.

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
工業工程與管理系所
93
In order to cope with the business environment and marketing change, the product- ion has been changed by the differentiation and customization. It has been changed from mass to high mix and low volume oriented production. This kind of products have some features, like a small batch, short delivery time, and high technology. This study intends to look into the small and varied production by the simulation software eM-Plant to establish cell production. The research applies the cell production for the electronic assembly process as follows. First, the cell production can be establ-ished by simulation. Second, simulation is able to find suitable cell numbers and mod- els by experimental design. Third, performance evaluation for the different cell produ- ction models can be conducted. Last, we can analyze the experimental factors to see whether they have impact on the throughput or not. As a result, it can provide the top managers to make a strategic decision.

碩士
國立雲林科技大學
工業工程與管理研究所碩士班
100
In the traditional Push Manufacturing, the idea of scheduling mostly pursues mass production. As a result, some products are surplus and there are excessive accumulations of products waiting for processing in the bottleneck. By literatures, knowing that the cycle time will increase when the system accumulate too much work in process; likewise the influences of the bottleneck control for WIP are great. The Theory of Constraints provides some new ideas of these problems and get good effects. However, when we examined the common variety of releasing, dispatching rules, we found that there are still some unsolved problems. Therefore, this study develops a WIP controlled mechanism that realizes to the concept of TOC, called “A Self WIP-Adjusting Simulation Scheduling”. It also designs and implements this mechanism with the control methods of all kinds of rules based on WIP control group. Finally, integrated with Enterprise Resource Planning system and implemented as an Intelligent Factory Scheduling system (iFS) prototype. In this study, the solar cell example obtains scheduling results in the current batch mode. Compared with the current plans and literatures plans, it obtains good results. In the meantime, we also discuss better batch ways and then come to better results. Finally, the comparison between traditional DBR and iFS shows our research has nice controls of the scheduling after the bottleneck wandered.

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
工業工程與管理研究所
97
The product differentiation and customization strategy force the production system to shift from mass to high variety low volume production. In recent years, cell production system is proposed to cope with the requirement. In this research, we use the example case from a reference book "Learning to See" for experimental study. Six cell production models were constructed with simulation tool eM-Plant. The number of cells, batch size, rate of setup reduction, methods of kanban assignment are the experimental factors. In supermarket pull supply mode, the multi-cell production system with multi-skill operator, one-piece transfer batch, and dedicated cell rule performs better for demands with high variety low volume and low variety high volume. Setup reduction will make the gap of performance measure among the six cell production models smaller. In make-to-order supply mode, the multi-cell production system with multi-skill operator, one-piece transfer batch, and dedicated cell rule performs better for demands with high variety low volume. However, the single-cell production system with one-piece transfer batch performs better for demands with low variety high volume. In make-to-order supply mode, number of cells should be adjusted according to the shifting of product variety and volume.

碩士
國立高雄第一科技大學
運籌管理所
98
Due to rapid changes in business operation environments, ordering patterns have been shifted from low ordering frequencies with large volumes to that of higher frequencies and smaller volumes. Traditional production lines based on large volume requirement assumption have also been re-designed in cell production lines. Simulation performance analyses among different types of production lines are the focus of the research. A Taiwan hardware (door lock) manufacturer is taken as the study case. Current assembly-line conveyor layout of the case company was designed on mass production basis, which divided processes as detailed as possible to simplify the task and the process handled by each operator. However, such design required a large number of operators and reduced production flexibility. When it handles orders with higher ordering frequencies and smaller quantities, idle labor and labor cost will increase. Bottleneck stations will also shift from being managed effectively. Based on literatures, three types of cell production lines are considered along with current conveyor production line. Simulation mode for each line is constructed using AREA and is tested. Performances among these production lines are compared under selected criteria. Based on simulation results, following conclusions are drawn: 1. Balancing the production lines, different production lines are designed and are compared under the same basis. The short flow line results in a unit operation cost NTD2.97 which is NTD0.82 less than that of current conveyer production line. 2. Meanwhile, only NTD 0.80 unit line-change cost will be caused for short flow line, compared with NTD 1.04 of conveyer flow line. 3. However, cell production lines are usually designed by deleting, combining, or re-arranging tasks. Job enrichment and job training are usually required for operators.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Engenharia Informática apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
This report will detail the work done for the course of Internship/Dissertation at the University of Coimbra, within the Intelligent Systems specialization of the Master’s in Informatics Engineering.With growing concerns regarding global warming and the unsustainability of fossil fuels, research regarding cheaper and more efficient use of renewable energy has been intensifying. However, performing physical experiments is expensive, due to the need to acquire proper material and equipment, making computer simulations especially important. Not only do they allow researchers to quickly test and compare different parameters, obtaining detailed results every time; they are also able to perform automatic parameter fitting.Currently, researchers rely on generic computing software like Wolfram Mathematica and Matlab. While these programs are very powerful, demand for more specialized software that offers a deeper focus on a smaller number of features is growing.One of these specializations is the production of hydrogen using solar energy. The application developed during this internship is aimed at filling the demand for that type of simulation, specifically one that uses multi-layer Photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cells. The objective was to create a powerful desktop application that could fulfil the needs of any researcher in the area, without requiring any programming knowledge.During this internship, the Comsol Multiphysics software was used. This is a physics simulation program developed by Comsol Inc. in Sweden during 1986 that has been frequently updated since. Application Builder, a feature of Comsol Multiphysics, was the framework used. It allows for a quick implementation of standard Comsol Multiphysics features, while also facilitating the creation of new features using the JAVA programming language.This project was developed at the University of Žilina, at the satellite location Inštitút Aurela Stodolu in Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia. It was done as part of the Erasmus+ Internship Program.It comes in the sequence of research regarding PEC solar cells done by Dr. Peter Cendula, who served as the client for this project, at Zurich University of Applied Sciences; and work done on Comsol by Matúš Vaňko, at the University of Žilina. The former research focused on the more theoretical aspects of the use of PEC solar cells for hydrogen production. The latter work is more practical, exploring the creation of a GUI that allows users to simulate this situation.Current software used for simulating solar cells often requires a thorough understanding of the application itself, on top of the necessary knowledge about solar cells. The purpose of this project was to eliminate that barrier, making researcher’s jobs easier while still providing a very powerful specialized simulation tool.This internship was very valuable as an Informatics Engineering internship. Although learning about aspects of Scientific Simulation was important, the most relevant part of this project was the knowledge that could be gained related to Software Development. The necessity of writing good code, with proper documentation and testing, allowed for the opportunity to apply knowledge gained through the Informatics Engineering course, while also learning new things about Software Development such as, for example, good UI design.This report details every aspect of the creation of this app that is considered relevant. The Related Work section shows the research done about previous projects within the field and other related simulation apps.In Methodology and Planning, information about how the development process was organized is laid out, with the schedules for both the complete work and the development phase; along with the chosen software development methodology and the reasons for that choice. The Requirements and Architecture sections offer information used during the development and testing phases of the project.The following sections offer a more concrete look at the ideas behind the design of the application. Interaction Design and Final Interface explain the choices made regarding how the user is able to interact with the application, and how the application looks. Finally, some space is reserved for final remarks.
Este relatório irá detalhar o trabalho realizado no âmbito da Dissertação/Estágio na Universidade de Coimbra, dentro da especialização em Sistemas Inteligentes do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática.Com a preocupação crescente com o aquecimento global e com a falta de sustentabilidade dos combustíveis fósseis, tem-se vindo a intensificar a investigação na procura por usos mais baratos e eficientes de energias renováveis. No entanto, o preço de efetuar experiências físicas é elevado, devido à necessidade de adquirir materiais e equipamentos adequados, tornando simulações por computador especialmente importantes. Não só permitem aos investigadores testar e comparar diferentes parâmetros rapidamente, obtendo resultados detalhados; também permitem efetuar ajuste automático de parâmetros.Neste momentos, investigadores dependem de software computacional genérico como o Wolfram Mathematica e o Matlab. Enquanto estes programas são muito poderosos, a procura por software mais especializado com um foco mais aprofundado num número menor de funções.Uma destas especializações é a produção de hidrogénio usando energia solar. A aplicação desenvolvida durante este estágio tem como objetivo corresponder à procura por esse tipo de simulação, especificamente uma que usa células solares multi-camada fotoeletroquímicas (PEC). O objetivo foi criar uma aplicação de computador que conseguisse satisfazer as necessidades de qualquer investigador na área, sem requerer quaisquer conhecimentos de programação.Durante este estágio, o software Comsol Multiphysics foi usado. Trata-se de um programa do simulação de física desenvolvido pela Comsol Inc., na Suécia, em 1986, que tem sido frequentemente atualizado deste então. O Application Builder, uma funcionalidade do Comsol Multiphysics, foi a estrutura usada para realização deste projeto. Permite uma implementação rápida de funcionalidades do Comsol Multiphysics, ao mesmo tempo que facilita a criação de novas funcionalidades usado a linguagem de programação JAVA.Este projeto foi desenvolvido na Universidade de Žilina, na localização satélite Inštitút Aurela Stodolu em Liptovsky Mikulas, na Eslováquia. Foi feito como parte do Programa de Estágios Erasmus+. Vem na sequência de investigação relacionada com células solares PEC feito por Dr. Peter Cendula, que serviu como cliente deste projeto, na Universidade de Ciências Aplicadas de Zurique; e trabalho feito no Comsol por Matúš Vaňko, na Universidade de Žilina. O primeiro trabalho foca-se nos aspetos teóricos do uso de células solares PEC para produção de hidrogénio. O último trabalho e mais prático, explorando a criação de uma interface de utilizador que permite aos utilizadores simular esta situação. O software atualmente utilizado para simular células solares requer frequentemente uma compreensão profunda da aplicação em si, para além do conhecimento necessário sobre células solares. O propósito deste projeto foi eliminar essa barreira, tornando o trabalho dos investigadores mais fácil ao mesmo tempo que disponibiliza uma ferramenta de simulação especializada altamente poderosa.Este estágio foi muito valioso como um estágio de Engenharia Informática. Embora aprender sobre aspetos de Simulação Científica tenha sido importante, a parte mais relevante foi o conhecimento ganho relacionado com Desenvolvimento de Software. A necessidade de escrever bom código, com documentação e testes apropriados, perimitiu a oportunidade de aplicar conhecimentos ganhos ao longo do curso de Engenharia Informática, aprendendo ao mesmo tempo novas coisas sobre Desenvolvimento de Software como, por exemplo, bom desenvolvimento de Interfaces de Utilizador.Este relatório detalha todos os aspetos da criação desta aplicação que são considerados relevantes. A secção de Trabalho Relacionado mostra investigação feita em projetos prévios dentro da área e outras aplicações de simulação relacionadas.Em Metodologia e Planeamento, informação sobre como o processo de desenvolvimento foi organizado é disposta, com o plano para o trabalho completo e a fase de desenvolvimento; juntamente com a metodologia de desenvolvimento de software escolhida e as razões para essa escolha. A secção de Requisitos e Arquitetura oferece informação usada durante as fases de desenvolvimento e teste do projeto.As seguintes secções oferecem um olhar concreto às ideias por trás do desenho da aplicação. Desenho de Interação e Interface Final explicam as escolhas feitas sobre como o utilizador pode interagir com a aplicação, junto com o visual da aplicação. Finalmente, algum espaço foi reservado para comentários finais.
Outro - Parte do Programa Eramus+