Antonina Kieleczawa

Power Industry Computer Control System Design and Implementation Problems: A Case Study of Poland

The design and implementation team of computer automation systems for the Polish power industry faced many difficult problems connected with the lack of experience in this domain in the country. Another kind of problems was implied by different levels of information and communication technology in that country and in well developed ones. The differences were generated by both internal (importation limitations) and external (various embargos) reasons. But perhaps the most severe problems were the political ones, implied by the omnipotent communist system, that could spoil and often spoiled even many-year work of design and implementation teams. The paper tries to answer how, in such adverse conditions, it was possible to design and develop very successful power industry computer automation systems.

A Case Study: History of Polish Computer Applications in Power System Control

In spite of the difference in the country development level, especially in computer and automation technology, between Poland and well developed countries, the history of local computer control applications in the Polish power industry is rather interesting. The paper has been prepared by the IFAC Technical Committee SWISS due to significant social political and cultural aspects of power system control and describes the history of the power system projects implemented in the country by the leading power system automation centre.

Power Generation/Distribution Control Systems Topology Selection Based on Robustness Evaluation

Abstract The problem of the data acquisition/control system topology for distributed control systems in big power plants and/or power distribution centres is usually solved in a rather arbitrary way. The paper presents some reasonable approached based of evaluation of the system robustness, using the μ function as the measure or robustness. The paper proposes a method feasible for actual system designers since computational effort is rather low for communication systems described with time-delay members only.

Technology Change and Transfer Costs: A Case Study of Polan

Abstract The present paper discusses the problems of costs of the technology change and transfer in the domain of automation and ICT in a rather poorly developed country. The costs that had to be paid by the leading designers of large-scale projects are the basic concern. The paper presents some of the projects led by a single leading designer and the costs paid deliberately by the leading designer. The further discussion reveals that the costs are much lower than those paid by other pioneering system designers.

Technology Proliferation and Transfer Ethical Aspects: A Case Study of Wroclaw, Poland

Abstract The Lower Silesia, in particular Wroclaw, is the ex-capital city of Polish ICT and Automation. Therefore, the technology proliferation and transfer processes have been more much more advanced and easy for observation there than in other areas. The paper presents the basic working conditions of the actual Polish ICT Automation pioneers and technology proliferation in the past and some ethical aspects of the technology transfer processes after the political change in that country on the turn of the eighties. The paper is directed mainly to the ICT and Automation technology transfer process recipients, blowing the whistle to warn them of possible negative results of the processes, and the technology providers to warn them of possible results of the processes, negative even from the point of view of their own interests.

Barriers to Ethical Behaviour: A Case Study of Poland

Abstract Before the political change in the Case-study country of Poland, the system governing there encouraged unethical behaviour or even forced it. The paper discusses the most frequent methods used by the unethical power to force the actual pioneers of ICT and automation in the case study country to abandon performing their professions. The example of the most experienced leading designer of ICT and automation in the pioneering era in Poland depicts some effective ways to struggle with the improper actions of the power.

A Case Study: Risks & Challenges for Training Nurses in Diabetes Problems

The primary health care nurses have a very important role to play in prophylaxis and treatment of diabetes. But this need rather fast training of ca. 20000 nurses in diabetes problems in Poland. This, in fact, implies application of the distant learning methods on the scale of the overall country. Prior initiating a project of a ubiquitous system of such a complexity, social importance and of a severely limited prior experience, its challenges and risks should be predicted and analysed. The paper presents shortly the proposed technical solution of the problem, specifies the challenges and the basic measures needed to meet them, enumerates the basic possible risks and specifies the counteractions planned to avoid the risks. The challenges and risks disclosed during the earlier history of the project are also discussed.

Optimal management network topology in a CIMM system: A case study

Abstract CIMMs (Computer Integrated Manufacturing systems) are important systems for overall automation of manufacturing enterprises, especially big ones. The general issues of the computer system topology were analyzed earlier. The present case study concerns the detailed design of the optimum LAN for the managerial sphere, based on the actual data for a big Polish household appliance manufacturer. For the data, the optimal LAN topology is determined, assuming development of democratic networks.

Engineering Ethics Problems in a Developing Country

The paper draws on case studies of the experiences of successful leading designers in the areas of hardware, software, applications and research to discuss ethical issues related to working in the ICT and automation industry in Poland. The situation both before and after the political and economic changes in 1989 is considered, with developments in the subsequent period based almost exclusively on technology transfer. A number of ethical theories are applied to analyse the action of leading designers, large corporations post-1989 and the authorities in the state-owned firm Elwro pre-1989. Similarities and differences in the experiences of leading designers in the two periods are noted, and various suggestions for surviving while behaving ethically are made.

Optimal Management Network Topology in a CIMM System The General Case

Abstract CIMMs (Computer Integrated Manufacturing systems) are important systems for overall automation of manufacturing enterprises, especially big ones. The general issues of the computer system topology were analyzed earlier. The present case study concerns the detailed design of the optimum LAN for the CIMMs sphere, based on the actual data for a big Polish household appliance manufacturer. For the data, the optimal LAN topology is determined, assuming development of democratic networks. In addition, the optimal topology for the general case is derived.