Industrial Problem Solving Simplified provides a roadmap for solving manufacturing problems. Containing numerous examples of actual problems and their solutions in various industrial environments, it is for novice as well as experienced manufacturing owners, managers, quality representatives, consultants, trainers, and procurement professionals. Author Ralph Pawlak’s roadmap is a proven system that has been used to eliminate major manufacturing problems in electronics, casting, blow molding, and assembly operations. What’s more, it has been used effectively in the manufacture of toys, juvenile products, chemicals, automotive engines, and innumerable components of many manufacturing facilities—and in the U.S., Canada, China, and Europe. The book’s insights into problem causes and the methods to solve them once and for all are applicable to most problems in most industries. Pawlak, with decades of experience as manager of manufacturing, quality, and plant engineering for General Motors, Fisher Price, Vibratech, and others, offers tools to solve problems and shows how to use them. You’ll learn how to use tools like quality check sheets, flow diagrams, concept sheets, duo diagrams, variation plots, sketches, sum-of-extremes tests, good versus bad comparisons, fractionals with interactions, and many-level checks. What’s more, these are tools anyone can put to good use today. No special knowledge of statistics, or advanced math or engineering, is required. If you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide—and use your eyes and ears—you can learn to solve industrial problems like a pro. This book will help you: 1. Clarify the conditions that cause problems 2. Define the cause of problems 3. Generate clues as to the causes of problems and their solutions 4. Collect accurate and relevant data 5. Use specific tools to solve problems effectively 6. Establish consistent work processes to ensure problems do not return Industrial Problem Solving Simplified will empower you and your people not just to solve manufacturing problems but optimize processes, improve productivity, and save money. With the plans, examples, and worksheets in this book, you will become a proficient problem solver. What you’ll learn How to determine problem causes How to identify defects How to manage the problem and its solution through data collection and clue generation How to use simple analysis tools How to establish a consistent work process to maintain improvements after the problem is solved Who this book is for Owners, managers, line workers, quality controllers, consultants, trainers, purchasing agents, and others in any company that has manufacturing facilities in house or outsourced. Table of ContentsDefine the Problem Define Fault Characteristics Construct a Concept Sheet Develop a Plan of Attack Collect Relevant Data Clue Generation Choose and Use Analysis Tools Use Innovative Analysis Tools Establish Consistent Work Patterns Many-Level Reviews Summary Fractional Explained Interaction Explained Cracked or Broken Example Torque to Turn Example Confirmation of Sum of Ends Test Definitions

Industrial optimization lies on the crossroads between mathematics, computer science, engineering and management. This book presents these fields in interdependence as a conversation between theoretical aspects of mathematics and computer science and the mathematical field of optimization theory at a practical level. The 19 case studies that were conducted by the author in real enterprises in cooperation and co-authorship with some of the leading industrial enterprises, including RWE, Vattenfall, EDF, PetroChina, Vestolit, Sasol, and Hella, illustrate the results that may be reasonably expected from an optimization project in a commercial enterprise. The book is aimed at persons working in industrial facilities as managers or engineers; it is also suitable for university students and their professors as an illustration of how the academic material may be used in real life. It will not make its reader a mathematician but it will help its reader in improving his plant.

World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolu­tion, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, the developments are affecting all disciplines, economies, industries and governments, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. Artificial intelligence is already all around us, from supercomputers, drones and virtual assistants to 3D printing, DNA sequencing, smart thermostats, wear­able sensors and microchips smaller than a grain of sand. But this is just the beginning: nanomaterials 200 times stronger than steel and a million times thinner than a strand of hair and the first transplant of a 3D printed liver are already in development. Imagine “smart factories” in which global systems of manu­facturing are coordinated virtually, or implantable mobile phones made of biosynthetic materials. The fourth industrial revolution, says Schwab, is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history. He outlines the key technologies driving this revolution and discusses the major impacts expected on government, business, civil society and individu­als. Schwab also offers bold ideas on how to harness these changes and shape a better future—one in which technology empowers people rather than replaces them; progress serves society rather than disrupts it; and in which innovators respect moral and ethical boundaries rather than cross them. We all have the opportunity to contribute to developing new frame­works that advance progress.

Industrial mathematics is a fast growing field within the mathematical sciences. It is characterized by the origin of the problems which it engages; they all come from industry: research and development, finances, and communications. The common feature running through this enterprise is the goal of gaining a better understanding of industrial models and processes through mathematical ideas and computations. The authors of this book have undertaken the approach of presenting real industrial problems and their mathematical modeling as a motivation for developing mathematical methods that are needed for solving the problems. With each chapter presenting one important problem that arises in today's industry, and then studying the problem by mathematical analysis and computation, this book introduces the reader to many new ideas and methods from ordinary and partial differential equations, and from integral equations and control theory. It brings the excitement of real industrial problems into the undergraduate mathematical curriculum. The problems selected are accessible to students who have already taken what in many colleges and universities constitutes the first two-year basic Calculus sequence. A working knowledge of Fortran, Pascal, or C language is required.

Today’s world is continually facing complex and life-threatening issues that are too difficult or even impossible to solve. These challenges have been titled “wicked” problems due to their radical and multifarious nature. Recently, there has been a focus on global cooperation and gathering creative and diverse methods from around the world to solve these issues. Accumulating research and information on these collective intelligence methods is vital in comprehending current international issues and what possible solutions are being developed through the use of global collaboration. The Handbook of Research on Using Global Collective Intelligence and Creativity to Solve Wicked Problems is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on the collaboration between global communities in developing creative solutions for radical worldwide issues. While highlighting topics such as collaboration technologies, neuro-leadership, and sustainable global solutions, this publication explores diverse collections of problem-solving methods and applying them on a global scale. This book is ideally designed for scholars, researchers, students, policymakers, strategists, economists, and educators seeking current research on problem-solving methods using collective intelligence and creativity.