Volumen 21 (2016): Heft 1 (March 2016)

Building teams has a fundamental impact for execution of research and development projects. The teams appointed for the needs of given projects are based on individuals from both inside and outside of the organization. Knowledge is not only a product available on the market but also an intangible resource affecting their internal and external processes. Thus it is vitally important for businesses and scientific research facilities to effectively manage knowledge within project teams. The article presents a proposal to use Fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process ) and ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System) methods in working groups building for R&D projects on the basis of employees skills.

In correctly functioning maintenance systems it is most important to prevent possible failures. A reduction of the vibroacoustic effects accompanying the operation of machines and equipment, including transmissions, is among the factors that lower the probability of a failure. The paper presents the results of the research on the impact of operational factors on vibroacoustic conditions of transmissions. The factors covered by the analysis included a change in the mating conditions of gear wheels associated with the wear of tooth surfaces, operation of transmissions in subharmonic conditions of the main resonance and the temperature of the lubricating oil. The study demonstrated that it was possible to reduce the vibroacoustic effects generated by gear transmissions by changing the conditions of their operation. Based on the results obtained, it has been found that the operation of gear transmissions in accordance with the sustainable development principles requires technical services to take active measures consisting in the search for optimal operating conditions in terms of the vibroacoustic conditions.

The paper discusses the problem of principle methods of production control as a strategy supporting the production system and stimulating efficient solutions in respect management in production enterprises. The article describes MRP, ERP, JIT, KANBAN and TOC methods and focuses on their main goals, principles of functioning as well as benefits resulting from their application. The methods represent two diverse strategies of production control, i.e. pull and push strategies. Push strategies are used when the plans apply to the first and principle part of production and are based on the demand forecasts. Pull strategies are used when all planning decisions apply to the final stage and depend on the actual demand or orders from customers.

The paper discusses issues related to the development of solar energy production in Poland and selected EU countries in the years 2009-2014. The analysis of data concerning the production of solar energy in Poland and selected EU countries is presented as well as the strategic goals of the Union in respect the development of the ‘solar energy industry’. The article discusses the benefits and costs of the transformation of energy engineering and development of the production of solar energy, which is one of the most widespread and popular technologies of the production of energy from renewable resources in view of environment protection or reduction of the costs of energy consumption.

The aim of the paper is to present the philosophy of Lean Management as an instrument of improving sustainable management of enterprises. The article presents the origins, characteristics of the broadly understood concept of Lean Management and describes the idea of Sustainable Development (SD). At the same time implications for the application and development of the instruments which operationalize the assumptions of SD at the level of enterprises are discussed. The paper specifies those areas of functioning of contemporary companies in which Lean Management can be implemented and compares them with the features of traditional management in particular subjects.

The paper discusses the issue of the development of timber production market and timber industry in Poland and selected EU countries. The potential of forest resources in Poland against the background of other European countries is presented, as well as selected aspects exerting impact on the development processes of the sector of production. Particular attention is paid to the structure of ownership of forests in Poland and selected countries of the European Union. The structure of the use of means for research and development is analyzed with particular focus on those branches which allocate the biggest amounts for such purposes. Technological trends in the timber industry in Poland is described. Finally the prospects in the development of timber industry in the near future are discussed.

The paper discusses the problem of renewable energy sources, with particular focus put on wind energy. Special attention is paid to the development of this sector of production in Poland and selected UE countries in the recent years. Furthermore, selected legal acts and strategic document regulating the wind production market in Poland are pre4sented. At the same time the development potential of this are of energy production in Poland is discussed.

The mining organ of the longwall heading machine KGS-320 with radial tools was the subject of the analysis. Cooperation of single knife with the mined solid rock was estimated in order to determine values of the forces and moments that might occur in the mining process and to estimate the energy consumption of the mining process. Analogous determination of forces and moments values as well as energy consumption of the mining process for the whole mining organ with regard to all the knives installed. Following the thorough analysis of the solid rock mining process with the longwall tumble heading machine mining head the PC computer program simulating such organ’s mode of action has been developed. This program presents the simulation of the mining process in the part regarding direct contact of the cutting tool (knife) with the rock mass. The result of this simulation is force and moments distribution, which are transmitted via the mining organ (head) during one full turn (360o) and, as consequence, via whole longwall heading machine.

Spectral analysis is the key tool for the study of vibration signals in rotating machinery. In this work, the vibration analysis applied for conditional preventive maintenance of such machines is proposed, as part of resolved problems related to vibration detection on the organs of these machines. The vibration signal of a centrifugal pump was treated to mount the benefits of the approach proposed. The obtained results present the signal estimation of a pump vibration using Fourier transform technique compared by the spectral analysis methods based on Prony approach.

Alongside other disciplines in social sciences, management researchers use mixed methods research more and more in conduct of their scientific investigations. Mixed methods approach can also be used in the field of production engineering. In comparison with traditional quantitative and qualitative research methods, reasons behind increasing popularity of mixed research method in management science can be traced in different factors. First of all, any particular discipline in management can be theoretically related to it. Second is that concurrent approach of mixed research method to inductive and deductive research logic provides researchers with opportunity to generate theory and test hypothesis in one study simultaneously. In addition, it provides a better justification for chosen method of investigation and higher validity for obtained answers to research questions. Despite increasing popularity of mixed research methods among management scholars, there is still need for a comprehensive approach to research design typology and process in mixed research method from the perspective of management science. The authors in this paper try to explain fundamental principles of mixed research method, its typology and different steps in its design process.