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Based on problems with the Small Medium Enterprise (SME) of welding machine services. The Manual Metal Arch welding machine produced has a complex design, which causes high production prices and makes it uncompetitive in the market. Based on this issue, we need to analyze, redesign, and estimate assembly costs using the Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) approach, which will increase quality and reduce assembly costs. This research produces a new design using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material. ABS has a better dielectric constant than sheet metal carbon steel, it can increase user safety. The use of ABS can reduce 54.39% of the number of components from 57 to 26 parts and reduce 36.16% of the total weight from 4013 to 2562 g. It is easier for user mobility. In addition, the use of DFMA methods can reduce 53.61% assembly time from 477.71 to 221.61 seconds, reduce 0.0999 $ assembly cost from 0.1863 to 0.0864 $/pcs, and increase assembly efficiency from 8.79 to 18.95%.

In view of the requirement of cost reduction and efficiency increase for large-scale wind turbine blades, a medium-reactivity epoxy infusion resin system was developed, which contained 20% fast curing agent and 80% slow curing agent. The properties of medium-reactivity epoxy infusion resin system were evaluated via physical and chemical analysis, application process ability analysis, resin clear casting mechanical properties analysis, and laminate specimens mechanical properties analysis. The results indicated that the mechanical properties of this medium-reactivity epoxy infusion resin system can meet the requirements of blade design, and the pre-curing time of the resin was reduced from 3.0h to 2.3h. The application process ability of medium-reactivity epoxy infusion resin system in large-scale wind turbine blade was also verified. The blade parts pre-curing time was shortened by 0.5-1 hour, which meets the target of blade cost reduction and efficiency increase.

Due to profuse bureaucracy and high costs of high purity potassium nitrate (KNO3), we intend to check the possibility of replacing this reagent with a similar commercial mineral fertilizer that costs less and is easier to procure. The experiment consisted of seven treatments with the fertilizer Dripsol® NKS, replacing the high purity potassium nitrate (KNO3 PA) in the culture medium for rooting gerbera. The control treatment (T1) consisted of inorganic MS salts, containing 1.9 g L-1 KNO3 PA and, in the other treatments, the KNO3 of the MS medium was replaced by the fertilizer in the following concentrations (g L-1): T2 0; T3; 0,5; T4; 1,0; T5; 1,5; T6; 2,0 e T7; 2.5. In the rooting phase, after 35 days in the growing room, the average length of the root, the average length of the aerial part, the number of leaves, and the fresh biomass average value of the hybrid Gerbera DTCS were evaluated. Fertilizer at a concentration of 0.5 g L-1 generated results equal to or greater than those of the control treatment for all variables analyzed in vitro conditions. In the ex vitro experiment, seedlings from the in vitro cultivation with commercial fertilizer were acclimated and later transplanted to a vivarium where their development was monitored until flowering. In this experiment, the average root length, average number of roots, average length of the aerial part, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh biomass average value, and absorption of macronutrients (during the vegetative phase) were assessed. No morphological changes were observed. In view of the results, it was possible to prove the feasibility of replacing KNO3 (PA) for the commercial NKS® fertilizer in the preparation of the culture medium for in vitro propagation of gerbera, in a smaller rate, thus reducing approximately 97.0% of costs and eliminating bureaucratic obstacles applicable to the procurement of KNO3.

Background The substantial increase in the use of expensive anticancer drugs has been accompanied by an increase in the amount of disposing residual liquid from drug preparations. Many Western countries, including the United States, have implemented drug vial optimization (DVO) to prevent the waste of anticancer drugs and have reported the reductions in the total drug costs. This study was designed to estimate the expected reduction in spending on anticancer drugs by Japanese cancer hospitals when DVO was implemented instead of individual preparations and to test the effectiveness of this approach. Methods We investigated the doses of drugs used and quantity specifications for individually prepared vials for patients who received anticancer drug treatment in December 2017 at the Outpatient Treatment Center of the National Cancer Center Hospital East. Based on these findings, we calculated the total quantity of each drug used on a given day, and the minimum cost for preparation of the number of specified combinations corresponding to the total cost (DVO preparation). Based on the differences in these two costs, we estimated the economic impact of implementing DVO. Results While the cost for anticancer drugs for the 1-month study period was US$3,305,595 (US$1 = \\110) for individual preparations, the estimated cost for DVO preparations was US$3,092,955, equivalent to a reduction of US$212,640. Conclusions Based on these study results, implementation of DVO-based preparation of injectable anticancer drugs in Japan in 2017 would have resulted in saving approximately US$460 million. This calculation revealed the need for the Japanese government to modify the methods employed to calculate drug costs in the insurance system and develop policies for the proper and optimal use of medical resources.

This article investigates the implementation of integrated evolutionary algorithms based for solving the capacitor placement optimisation problem with reduced annual operating cost. Differential evolution and pattern search (DE-PS) are used as meta-heuristic optimisation tools to solve optimal capacitor placement problem. The objective function is formulated to enhance bus voltage profiles effectively within the specified voltage constraints and reduce line active energy losses whereas maximising the benefits of installing reactive compensators. To tackle and reduce the search space process and computational CPU time, the potential buses candidate for capacitor allocations are pre-identified. At that moment, hybrid DE-PS approach is used for the estimation of required optimum level/size of shunt capacitive compensations. The overall accuracy and reliability of the developed approach were validated and tested on several radial distribution systems with different topologies and varying sizes and complexities. Computational results obtained showed that the proposed approach is capable of producing high-quality solutions, and demonstrated its viability. The results are compared with one of previous studies using recent heuristic methods.

PurposePractitioners and academics are starting to recognize the benefits of green IT/IS practices. Despite these benefits, this study aims to know more regarding the factors that would drive organizations to use green IT/IS practices within their IT function and across the enterprise. To further understanding in this area, this study applies a strategic cognition framework of firm responsiveness and institutional theory to determine the extent to which an organization uses green IT/IS practices in response to stakeholder concerns. This study investigates the extent to which two organizational logics – expressive and instrumental – and three institutional pressures – coercive, mimetic and normative – jointly affect an organization's use of both green IT practices and green IS practices.Design/methodology/approachThis study tested the hypotheses with survey data collected from 306 organizations. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.FindingsFindings support four joint effects: (1) individualistic identity orientation and coercive pressure positively affect green IT practices; (2) collectivistic identity orientation and normative pressure positively influence green IS practices; (3) cost reduction orientation and mimetic pressure positively affect green IT practices; and (4) revenue expansion orientation and normative pressure positively influence green IS practices.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by providing evidence for joint drivers of green IT and green IS practices. Green IT and IS practices represent organizations' different levels of commitment to environmental sustainability and responsiveness to stakeholders (i.e. green IT/IS practices). Organizations of different expressive and instrumental orientations are attuned to institutional pressures to various degrees, which leads to different green IT/IS practices.

Purpose: This study investigates the effect of lean implementation on production cost reduction and the moderating role of lean manufacturing maturity.Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a cross-sectional survey, of which the samples were drawn using a cluster sampling procedure from 151 middle and top-level management of medium and large manufacturing companies gathered from the Federation of Manufacturers Malaysia (FMM). Data were analyzed using the PLS-SEM approach through SmartPLS4 software.Findings: The result revealed that lean implementation does not leverage production cost reduction as the lean journey requires long-term orientation, which finally leads to valid cost reduction. The moderating role of lean manufacturing maturity was significant and positive in the relationship between lean manufacturing implementation and production cost reduction.Research limitations/implications: Future research should include longitudinal settings as this study is cross-sectional, and future research might put the present model to the test in multiple industries and regions, including a cross-country comparison to improve the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, further studies could extend this study using a mixed-method approach.Practical implications: By offering a holistic perspective, this study expands the existing literature, contributes to knowledge of integrated lean implementation and supports the management in planning their path towards cost-cutting performance.Originality/value: This study answers the inconclusive finding between lean implementation and operational performance in terms of production cost reduction. The study contributes to the body of knowledge and, most importantly, to the practitioners in planning their lean journey.

This study estimates the budgetary impact of the introduction of amino-acid formula (AAF) as first-line management in the elimination diet of infants with suspected cow milk protein allergy (CMPA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from a health-care payer's perspective. A global decision tree model was adapted to compare estimated costs in current practice (extensively hydrolyzed formula [eHF] or soy formula [SF] with the proposed approach of early introduction of AAF as first-line treatment of CMPA in non-breast-fed infants). Model inputs were derived from explorative literature reviews and medical experts' opinions. All costs were reported in local currency, ie, Saudi Riyal (SAR) for KSA, Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) for Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) for the UAE. Cost savings with the early introduction of AAF were 10% (SAR 15102542) in KSA, 10% (KWD 306565) in Kuwait, 17% (AED 1842018) in the UAE government sector and 13% (AED 4232932) in the UAE private sector. The highest cost reduction was observed in the cost of soy formula (SF), with a 58% reduction both in KSA (SAR 4204540) and UAE public sector (AED 110331). A significant cost reduction in medication costs in Kuwait (37%; KWD 5630) and medical examination costs in the UAE private sector (50%; AED 1508918) was observed. Results indicated that the introduction of AAF as the first line in the management of CMPA is a cost-saving strategy for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries-KSA, Kuwait, and UAE- from a health-care payer's perspective.

PurposeStudies comparing the consequences of payroll cost reduction methods (i.e. cutting pay and downsizing) have been limited, with no studies comparing these methods' impact on job-seeker attraction. The current research tries to close this gap by comparing the effects of cutting pay and downsizing on job-seeker attraction outcomes.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies are conducted. The first study compares the effects of the two payroll cost reduction methods (i.e. cutting pay vs downsizing) on job-seeker attraction through a within-subject design experiment of people in the United States. The second study analyzes secondary data in South Korea to compare the two methods' effects on the number of job applicants applying for job openings.FindingsThe results demonstrate that organizations with a history of pay cuts yield more favorable job-seeker attraction outcomes than organizations with a history of downsizing.Practical implicationsAlthough firms that choose to downsize may better maintain the morale of surviving employees, the decision of downsizing can have long-term costs, such as having a worse capability to attract job-applicants than firms that choose to cut pay and share the pain as a group.Originality/valueThe research provides an insight into which payroll cost reduction method yields better outcomes in terms of job-seeker attraction. The research responds to the call in the payroll cost reduction method literature of identifying a feasible alternative to downsizing in terms of various outcomes other than the morale of current (or remaining) employees.

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) have garnered extensive attention as a target of carbon neutrality in China. The development trend of international CCUS projects indicates that the cluster construction of CCUS projects is the main direction of future development. The cost reduction potential of CCUS cluster projects has become a significant issue for CCUS stakeholders. To assess the cost reduction potential of CCUS cluster projects, we selected three coal-fired power plants in the coastal area of Guangdong as research targets. We initially assessed the costs of building individual CCUS projects for each plant and subsequently designed a CCUS cluster project for these plants. By comparing individual costs and CCUS cluster project costs, we assessed the cost reduction potential of CCUS cluster projects. The results show that the unit emission reduction cost for each plant with a capacity of 300 million tonnes per year is 392.34, 336.09, and 334.92 CNY/tCO 2. By building CCUS cluster project, it could save 56.43 CNY/tCO 2 over the average cost of individual projects (354.45 CNY/tCO 2) when the total capture capacity is 9 million tonnes per year (by 15.92%). Furthermore, we conducted a simulation for the scenario of a smaller designed capture capacity for each plant. We found that as the capture scale increases, the cost reduction potential is higher in the future.