Manufacturing, logistics and procurement - August 2019
Inspecting packaging materials and testing seals
A recent article (221 kB) published by Packaging Technology and Research discusses the testing of packaging seals. The article describes and compares various test methods and states the corresponding ASTM standards.
Researchers at Universitas Indonesia studied packaging material inspection within the baby milk industry. An article (575 kB) is published in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering.
Wooden packaging and ISPM 15
FEFPEB informs us that the EC has confirmed that you can apply the ISPM 15 treatment to wooden pallets and packaging already in circulation. According to Spanish regulations this was not allowed.
Blockchain
According to Lancaster University scientists, a kit made from everyday objects is bringing the blockchain into the physical world. The ‘BlocKit’ is aimed to help people understand how digital blockchains work and can also be used by designers. The work is outlined in a paper (908 kB) presented at DIS '19.
For their thesis (1.33 MB) at Lund University, Eric Trulsson and Louise Ragnarsson explored whether blockchain technology can help the paperboard packaging industry and its supply chain to meet the future challenges of the tracing of recycled fibers.
Robots, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT)
Researchers at Rutgers University have used artificial intelligence to control a robotic arm that provides a more efficient way to pack boxes. The study (4.46) was published at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.
The TU/e has announced the establishment of the Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI). TU/e will also lead the project ‘An Internet of Secure Things - INTERSECT’ aiming to provide the first impetus for "a blueprint" for the design, security and management of IoT systems.
Digital technologies—such as connected devices in IoT, AI and robotics—continue to receive significant attention. However, a Sikich survey found that many companies have yet to implement these new technologies. You can download the report after filling in your details.
Digital twins
DHL has released a report on digital twins in logistics. A digital twin is a unique, virtual representation of a physical thing that monitors and simulates both the physical state and behaviour of the thing. You can download the report after filling in your details.
Product development and product management
The European Innovation Scoreboard 2019, published by the EC, shows that innovation performance has been improving for 4 years in a row. For the first time ever, the EU outperforms the US.
On 8 August, Daan Nikkels held a speech entitled ‘Product Portfolio Management - A tool developed for managing product complexity’ as part of his master assignment at the University of Twente. Chairman of the assessment committee was professor Roland ten Klooster who holds the NVC Chair Packaging Design and Management.
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