Computer simulations, one of the most powerful tools of science, have many uses. This paper concentrates on the benefits to the social science researcher. Based on our, somewhat paradoxical experiences we had when working with computer simulations, we argue that the main benefit for the researchers who work with computer simulations is to develop a mental model of the abstract process they are simulating. The development of a mental model results in a deeper understating of the process and in the capacity to predict both the behavior of the system and its reaction to changes of control parameters and interventions. By internalizing computer simulations as a mental model, however, the researcher also internalizes the limitations of the simulation. Limitations of the computer simulation may translate into unconscious constrains in thinking when using the mental model. This perspective offers new recommendations for the development of computer simulations and highlights the importance of visualization. The recommendations are different from the recommendations for developing efficient and fast running simulations; for example, to visualize the dynamics of the process it may be better for the program to run slowly.
The paper presents an author’s method of eco-efficiency assessment of mining production processes in hard coal mines, which enables integrating results of evaluating both environmental and economic aspects. The proposed method uses life cycle approach to assess environmental efficiency and the result of operating activities to assess economic efficiency. The comprehensive method of assessing mining production processes was proposed as the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in hard coal mines in Poland to be used to support decision making in mining companies.
The paper describes the problem of tool wear in machining processes. The importance of determining and analysing the demand of machining centres for electricity was emphasised and the potential relationship between tool wear and machine energy consumption was indicated. The paper presents the results of the measurements of cutting tool wear on the energy consumption of a machining centre based on the analysis of an actual technological process. The paper presents a method of obtaining and processing large amounts of data. The changes in the form of power consumption by the machine tool depending on the tool operation time and the machining cycle being implemented were shown. The researchers proposed the possibility of using the recorded data to develop an algorithm for automatic diagnosis of catastrophic tool wear. The usefulness of the collected and analysed data in the context of developing a method for determining the machine electricity demand was indicated.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.