Search results

Over the past decade the development of computer technology and its application to modern‐day business problems has revolutionised the whole process of business control and managment decision‐making. After initially being introduced in the financial and accounting sectors, the use of computers has been expanded to the extent that their impact is felt in nearly every department of the modern business organisation.

Presents a review on implementing finite element methods on supercomputers, workstations and PCs and gives main trends in hardware and software developments. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on the subjects retrospectively to 1985 and approximately 1,100 references are listed.

This monograph defines distributed intelligence and discusses the relationship of distributed intelligence to data base, justifications for using the technique, and the approach to successful implementation of the technique. The approach is then illustrated by reference to a case study of experience in Birds Eye Foods. The planning process by which computing strategy for the company was decided is described, and the planning conclusions reached to date are given. The current state of development in the company is outlined and the very real savings so far achieved are specified. Finally, the main conclusions of the monograph are brought together. In essence these conclusions are that major savings are achievable using distributed intelligence, and that the implementation of a company data processing plan can be made quicker and simpler by its use. However, careful central control must be maintained so as to avoid fragmentation of machine, language skills, and application taking place.

This paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element and boundary element parallel processing techniques from the theoretical and application points of view. Topics include: theory – domain decomposition/partitioning, load balancing, parallel solvers/algorithms, parallel mesh generation, adaptive methods, and visualization/graphics; applications – structural mechanics problems, dynamic problems, material/geometrical non‐linear problems, contact problems, fracture mechanics, field problems, coupled problems, sensitivity and optimization, and other problems; hardware and software environments – hardware environments, programming techniques, and software development and presentations. The bibliography at the end of this paper contains 850 references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations dealing with presented subjects that were published between 1996 and 2002.

Develops an original 12‐step management of technology protocol and applies it to 51 applications which range from Du Pont’s failure in Nylon to the Single Online Trade Exchange for Auto Parts procurement by GM, Ford, Daimler‐Chrysler and Renault‐Nissan. Provides many case studies with regards to the adoption of technology and describes seven chief technology officer characteristics. Discusses common errors when companies invest in technology and considers the probabilities of success. Provides 175 questions and answers to reinforce the concepts introduced. States that this substantial journal is aimed primarily at the present and potential chief technology officer to assist their survival and success in national and international markets.

This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming, powder metallurgy and composite material processing are briefly discussed. The range of applications of finite elements on these subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of the paper is to give FE researchers/users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in material processing for 1994‐1996, where 1,370 references are listed. This bibliography is an updating of the paper written by Brannberg and Mackerle which has been published in Engineering Computations, Vol. 11 No. 5, 1994, pp. 413‐55.

This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming and powder metallurgy are briefly discussed. The range of applications of finite elements on the subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of the paper is to give FE users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in material processing for the last five years, and more than 1100 references are listed.

In the past few years significant changes in computer technology have taken place. The development of the mini and micro computer for business applications has occurred in the past five years. New mass storage devices, faster central processing units and more sophisticated input/output devices have also been developed recently. These technological developments have fostered further use of the computer in the management of physical distribution operations. This paper describes the nature of the changes in distribution operations and in the distributions manager's use of the computer to control distribution activities. The survey reported in this paper explores the changes in the use of the computer to control all distribution management activities. Comparisons are drawn with a similar survey conducted in 1972. The paper also presents more detailed information about the use of the computer as a diagnostic and planning tool than has been presented before.

The writer contends that the mini‐computer provides a very substantial potential area of application for the processing of information, management control and physical control of warehouse plant. Mini‐computers can be coupled with a whole range of peripheral input/output devices, from which can be developed configurations extending from very simple systems costing as little as £3,500.