Mario Rapaccini

Life Cycle Assessment of electricity production from poplar energy crops compared with conventional fossil fuels

The environmental impact of electric power production through an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) fired by dedicated energy crops (poplar Short Rotation Forestry (SRF)) is analysed by a Life Cycle Assessment approach. The results are compared with the alternative option of producing power by conventional fossil fueled power plants. The energy and raw materials consumption and polluting emissions data both come from experimental cases. Thermodynamic models are applied for simulation of the energy conversion system. The results establish relative proportions for both consumption and emissions of the two energy systems, in detail. Considerable differences emerge about the environmental impact caused by the different gasification conditions. The evaluation of the environmental effects of residues of the pesticides in ground/surface water and in the soil required a particular care, as well as the characterisation of all chemicals (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) used for the crops.

Service development in product-service systems: a maturity model

The paper proposes a model for assessing the maturity of new service development (NSD) processes in manufacturing companies that offer product-services. The model adopts a five-stage scale on which key elements are evaluated according to the following dimensions: (1) the approach used to manage processes and projects (2) the use of specific resources, skills and tools (3) the involvement of customers, suppliers and other stakeholders and (4) the adoption of performance management systems. An empirical application of the model was carried out based on an inter-company workshop and in-depth interviews. Such a model allows not only to describe the maturity of NSD processes of a company but also to identify the main gaps and to prioritize improvement actions.

The role of digital technologies for the service transformation of industrial companies

The role of digital technologies in service business transformation is under-investigated. This paper contributes to filling this gap by addressing how the Internet of things (IoT), cloud computing (CC) and predictive analytics (PA) facilitate service transformation in industrial companies. Through the Data–Information–Knowledge–Wisdom (DIKW) model, we discuss how the abovementioned technologies transform low-level entities such as data into information and knowledge to support the service transformation of manufacturers. We propose a set of digital capabilities, based on the extant literature and the findings from four case studies. Then, we discuss how these capabilities support the service transformation trajectories of manufacturers. We find that IoT is foundational to any service transformation, although it is mostly needed to become an availability provider. PA is essential for moving to the performance provider profile. Besides providing scalability in all profiles, CC is specifically used to implement an industrialiser strategy, therefore leading to standardised, repeatable and productised offerings.

Using simulation for supply chain analysis: reviewing and proposing distributed simulation frameworks

Simulation modelling and analysis can be an extremely effective tool for supply chain performance analysis. Many development proposals apply distributed simulation to this context. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of such standards, models and/or architectures, describing the technological choices related to each of them, and to propose how and when a distributed supply chain simulation framework is to be used. Our proposal includes brief examples and experiences from experimental researches. Though detailed implementation of the framework is not in the scope of this paper, references for further information are given. In order to provide a coherent presentation of the proposal, this paper will be organised as follows: Section 1 introduces the context of supply chain management. Section 2 shows how distributed supply chain simulation (DSCS) can be an extremely effective tool for performance analysis in supply chain planning and optimisation. Section 3 points out the available technologies and the technological aspects of a distributed simulation framework, such as inter-process communication (IPC) standards and real-time infrastructures. Section 4 describes how the DSCS framework can be utilised. Section 5 reports on framework validation and gives an outlook on the experimental researches. Finally, section 6 concludes the paper summarising the proposal and discussing its benefits and drawbacks.

Pricing strategies of service offerings in manufacturing companies: a literature review and empirical investigation

This paper presents the strategies used by manufacturing companies to price service offerings. After reviewing the extant literature on this subject, the paper forwards propositions that are relevant to illustrate the relationships between servitization, pricing strategies, bundling options, revenue models and pricing capabilities. Using multiple case-based research, this study makes three contributions to the literature on servitization of manufacturing firms. It extensively explores the relationship between servitization and pricing practices, it suggests which factors can moderate this relationship and it examines the capabilities demanded to the firm to introduce innovative pricing practices.

Computerized Maintenance Management Systems in SMEs: a survey in Italy and some remarks for the implementation of Condition Based Maintenance

Abstract Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) is considered one of the most relevant policies for the improvement of maintenance management for the next future. The CBM consists of a maintenance program that recommends maintenance actions based on the information collected through condition monitoring (Jardine, 2006). With the rapid development of computer and advanced sensor technologies, data acquisition has become more powerful and less expensive, making condition monitoring more affordable. However, this seems not to be enough. Condition monitoring data are only the measurements related to the health condition of the physical asset. Asset life cycle management requires more than that: for example, a registry of event data for the physical asset (information on what happened, e.g., installation, breakdown, overhaul, etc., and what was done, e.g., minor repair, preventive maintenance, oil change, intervention from a third party, etc.), which is normally handled in Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), cannot be overlooked when doing CBM (Jardine, 2006). Indeed, the event data are relevant parts since they enable integration between health assessment of a physical asset with the maintenance actions subsequently decided, the used resources and costs. Therefore, before considering any evolution of CBM thanks to the advancement of techniques for diagnosis or prognosis or IT systems etc, it was deemed important to consider the availability of the CMMS as a basic cornerstone to go ahead. Reasoning by analogy, it is like saying that now, within this work, we are more interested in recognizing if “the building is good” (being based on some very basic elements such as the CMMS) rather than evaluating if “we can live better in the building due to new living solutions therein” (i.e., new technologies for CBM programs). This paper focuses on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to understand the “quality of their building”. An empirical research aims at: (i) understanding whether a CMMS is there or not, and if it is, (ii) which kind of implementation is preferred, and, last but not least, (iii) if this preference is affordable or not for developing advanced maintenance management systems such as those based on CBM programs. The focus on SMEs was selected both because SMEs’ high presence in Italy and of their probable lack of economic resources, computer science and maintenance competences, leading to poor maintenance information systems, which may eventually determine a poor “building” where to make CBM live. It should be clear to the reader, since now, that we do not intend to conclude anything about the possibilities of CBM in a SME. In opposition, we intend only to provide empirical evidences of the features of the maintenance information system of SMEs which is, for sure, a constraint for deciding when and how much a CBM strategy is implemented.

Devising hybrid solutions: an exploratory framework

In this study, we present an exploratory framework to support the development of hybrid solutions within the context of product-centric servitisation. We hypothesise that the development of hybrid solutions should be driven by two main variables: the potential value in use of the product and the perceived risk associated with the value creation process. Moreover, we suggest splitting the perceived risk into availability, use, process and environment-related components. Hence, based on these variables, we suggest: (i) the services that should be attached to a product; (ii) the effect of these attached services on the customer value creation process; and (iii) the benefits that both customer and supplier can achieve from the delivery of hybrid solutions. The practical implications of this study are discussed with respect to several case examples.

Innovating Product-Service Systems Through Augmented Reality: a Selection Model

Within PSS context, after-sale services, including technical services play a key role. To improve the performances of these services, due to the increasing installed base and product complexity, companies must provide dispersed field workers with information needed to perform tasks. However, to transfer information, the display mode that can affect tasks efficiency, up to now is scarcely considered. In this context, Augmented Reality technology, in its several aspects, gives its contribution, facilitating information display and collaboration with remote users. This paper proposes a selection model with the aim of guiding managers in selecting the AR solution most suitable for their field service context.

Technical and Organizational Issues about the Introduction of Augmented Reality in Maintenance and Technical Assistance Services

Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging technology that can provide support to the provision of maintenance and technical assistance services by dispersed technicians, who are not convenient skilled to deal with the increasing complexity of modern products. This paper, through a case study in an industrial context, presents the main technical and organizational challenges that have to be faced in order to introduce AR in the delivery process of maintenance services.

New maintenance opportunities in legacy plants

Abstract Applying condition based maintenance may be the only way to keep the performance of many legacy plants high enough. Commercial applications for condition based maintenance might often be too rigid to be applied to older machines. Sometimes they can be extremely specialized for some families of products or in very specific fields of application. In addition we can have several external providers of maintenance services and this can lead to a sort of confusion in maintenance actions. In this paper we suggest an approach to achieve a condition based maintenance in old plants, without peculiar exceptions for the technology involved, maintained through a collaborative network of enterprises. A little plant prototype was built as a test case for the functioning of the expert system to manage the condition based maintenance and the network of skills involved.