Volume 29 (2021): Issue 3 (September 2021)

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a systematic approach for evaluating the potential failure modes in a system, and is mainly employed in three distinct tasks labelled: (1) Functional FMEA – evaluating those failures associated with product functional definition, (2) Design FMEA – analysing those failures associated with design definition and (3) Process FMEA – assessing potential failures in manufacturing and assembly processes. The literature review has shown limited works on the field of synchronising these different tasks into a working model. To address this gap, this research developed a framework for integrating these tasks of FMEAs, and then qualitatively validating the proposed framework. This research adopted a semi-structured questionnaire to collect experts’ feedback and validate the proposed framework. The t-test was then employed to evaluate the collected feedback. The findings highlight that the proposed framework is applicable and could facilitate the synchronisation of the different tasks of FMEA. This research presents a methodological approach for executing and synchronising FMEAs. Therefore, the proposed framework is practically relevant as an aid for the practitioners in catching the cascading failures and reducing the relevant impact.

The paper is aimed at measuring innovation and qualification of technological operations in automotive production within the quality management system. Quality requirements according to ISO/TS 16949 promote a process approach for the design and development, production, installation and servicing of automotive products, which can result in increased quality, reduced variation and increase of efficiency. The solution focuses on the process of approval of parts in series production (Production Part Approval Process – PPAP). The PPAP purpose is to determine whether an organization properly understood all customer requirements listed in the specifications and records of the technical design of the product. PPAP further verifies that the process has the potential to produce a product in series production so that customer requirements will be met, in actual production volume and at the agreed rate of production. Specifically, a toothed winch of hydroelectric generator is solved by the case study.

Due to an increase in energy price and pollution plus environmental regulations, companies start to adopt green policies. In fact, companies are encouraged by governments to develop strategies to achieve more sustainable operations. Based on this literature review the contribution of Lean Manufacturing on environmental performances will be discussed, a survey of 50 different automotive companies based in Morocco, shows how they are carrying out manufacturing and environmental practices. The result of this study shows a positive impact of advanced Lean Manufacturing’s tools on the environmental performance and contribute to the present literature on environmentally friendly Manufacturing. The findings and proposals of this paper can be a beginning step for Moroccan companies to completely use their capability of environmental practices and improve their manufacturing productivity performance while identifying trends in organizational development.

The epidemic is affecting the global economy, plunging many industries. The global scale of the epidemic and government controls, restrictions and constraints have led to imbalances in world trade and have put many companies under pressure. The epidemic is a test of individual companies’ ability to operate effectively under new conditions, including occupational risk management. The research was conducted using a questionnaire method, the study was attended by 199 respondents. The research is burdened with an error in the selection of statistical sample units, which resulted from the respondents’ involvement and their truthfulness. The research was burdened with an estimation error of 0.07. The research was divided into two parts related to freezing the economy and social life and their defrosting. The aim of the article is to assess the occupational risk management activities that determine the prevention of OSH in an extreme situation, which was the immediate freezing of the economy and social activity in connection with the epidemic and then their gradual unfreezing. The conducted research allowed confirming the accepted hypothesis that the effectiveness of actions protecting the health of employees, and thus the production capacity of enterprises in a crisis situation, is related to the size of the plant, and this may be indirectly related to the system of organization of occupational health and safety services in the country.

The article presents the results of the research on the level of implementation of Lean instruments in the ceramics industry. The research was carried out in ceramic factories in Poland and Germany. Based on the results obtained, the most commonly used Lean instruments in the ceramics industry were defined. The dependence of the use of Lean instruments on the size of the enterprise was also determined. It was established that the Lean activities undertaken in the ceramics industry are focused solely on the implementation of individual methods and tools, without a pre-defined goal. This approach in the ceramics industry is ineffective, but unfortunately it is most often used in the implementation of the Lean philosophy, especially in small ceramics enterprises.

The article aims to support the Safety Management System’s implementation in the Visegrad Four (V4) countries by introducing supporting documentation at the national level or national legislation. The research subjects are the V4 countries (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia), where 39 air carriers operate. Safety management in today’s world is already necessary, yet introducing a Safety Management System (SMS) is voluntary in many areas, including some transport modes. In air transport, it is mandatory, and the general principles and guidelines of this system are set out in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which has issued several regulations and recommendations. The lists of ICAO standards and essential translations can be considered a minimum, which is also approached by different authorities. The article points out the primary differences in SMS in individual V4 countries and presents which country provides the strongest support in implementing this system.

To specify the problems and priorities of state regulation of foreign economic activity (FEA) of cement industry enterprises of Ukraine, it is proposed to use the tool for assessing the state of FEA of cement industry enterprises, which is based on the expert method. The FEA development index of the cement industry is constructed with the usage of the method of expert assessments and analysis of the hierarchies of significance of each factor. Due to this, it was found that producers underestimate their own abilities to compete in foreign markets regarding the assortment structure, unsatisfactory financial condition, fierce competition and recession in foreign markets, especially traditional for Ukraine; unsatisfactory state policy of support of the development of the cement industry, in particular in terms of transparency of resource provision, assistance in updating the technical and technological base of the industry, the implementation of state infrastructure projects in Ukraine. On this basis, the priorities of state regulation of foreign economic activity of cement industry enterprises were determined by the following groups: sales, institutional and instrumental ones.

Managing a sustainable supply chain is a concept related to many areas of the economy. Its efficient functioning depends on the implementation of SDG activities and the development of industry (first-fourth/fifth industrial revolution). Due to the likelihood of different priorities in the implementation of the sustainable development goals, it is important to build such relationships, e.g. in the supply chain, so that their implementation could take place under similar conditions. Digitization, or the circular economy concept (CE), create an opportunity for the SME sector to build relationships as part of industry networks, for instance, where the managed supply chain would have a common and realistic goal to achieve. This goal will be a priority in business models based on sustainable development. The article presents the results of research regarding the furniture industry in Poland (key industry, referred to as smart specialization). The results of the analysis show that the industry has a large production potential, and the natural resources used in it are constantly increasing. However, there are doubts raised by the lack of stability in the dynamics of the sold production in the industry. Ultimately, the business model of the industry supply chain should focus on the environmental aspect (sustainable management of the raw material supply chain) and on eco-friendly consumption (sustainable management of the product supply chain), so that it can be managed in a sustainable way.

The aim of this research is to study theoretical and practical aspects of the ecological and economic losses from the use of solid domestic waste (SDW) as energy resources in the heat power industry of Ukraine. The methodical approaches to evaluating the ecological and economic losses caused by solid domestic waste (SDW) comprise: the developed algorithm, which evaluates the ecological and economic losses in the SDW use as fuel and energy resources in comparison with basic and project variant; the investigated morphological composition of SDW in the Ukrainian regions, on the basis of which there is proposed a matrix for further calculations of the ecological and economic loss from atmospheric pollution as a result of the energy-intensive SDW combustion at the power plants by the Ukrainian regions. The efficiency of using SDW as secondary energy resources, which essentially depends on the conventional energy resources combustion, is proved. According to the chemical and morphological composition of SDW, the average amount of harmful substances by their element constituents of SDW is determined. The economic loss from the combusting 1 ton of SDW as energy resources is estimated. Reasonability of using SDW as energy resources, based on the optimal ratio between conventional resources and energy-intensive SDW through minimizing total production costs and possible ecological and economic loss, is grounded. It is proved that while estimating the ecological and economic losses, it is necessary to consider the SDW morphological composition and regional specific features regarding the location of heat and power enterprises and organized storage landfills. It is grounded that the obtained estimates of the ecological and economic losses may be used for identifying the ecological and economic evaluation of the SDW efficiency use in the heat power industry at the regional level.

During mechanical disintegration of the rock, for mining works are used also roadheaders. Roadheaders, in comparison with disintegration by blasting operations can without interuption, and works changes with one machine, dissolve, load and at the same time mine disintegrated rock. These electro-hydraulic machines cause no harmful vibrations and are ideal for mining coal and other soft rock minerals. Mechanical mining is safer, protects the rock environment, allows mining without further breaks, allows you to achieve a higher level of daily progress and also saves work. The analysis of occupational accidents in the Slovak Republic shows that it is necessary require from employees increased attention in any work activity and attention in the work performed (mainly work in handling material, objects and burdens). In the underground coal mines further attention needs to be paid to securing hazardous areas, it is necessary to proceed in such a way as to prevent as much as possible the fall of rock as much as possible Underground roads require modification and equipment in accordance with regulations. It is necessary to follow health and safety instructions mentioned in operating and maintenance documentation. Correction of some deficiencies is ordered by a decision of the Mining Office. Most measures are aimed at adhering to technological discipline, to complement operating documentation, to prevent rock falls, to equip some machinery and transport equipment, to work procedures for handling loads, to maintenance of mining works and for explosion and anti-vapor prevention. In this article, we assess the safety risks of two roadheaders for coal mining works in Slovak conditions. Pairwise comparisons of the criteria of selected roadheaders were used to determine the safety risks, as well as taking into account the risks and safety measures according to the mixed methods following to the standard.