A CASE STUDY OF THE NAVY EXCHANGE SERVICE COMMAND WEST COAST DISTRIBUTION CENTER’S PLANNING APPROACH TO AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

This study investigates the planning process for implementing automation and robotics in the warehouse operations of the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), a military retailer, within the Department of Defense. The study explores the current situation of warehouse operations, distribution center, and distribution processes at NEXCOM and why the retailer is motivated to shift and improve processes with advanced technologies. The research examines specifics to the unique challenges and considerations when integrating automation and robotics faced by a government-owned entity, focusing on the decision-making process within the military retail context. A qualitative analysis and a case study of NEXCOM’s West Coast Distribution Center in Chino, CA, provides insights into these complexities. Additionally, the research explores other alternatives to improve processes without the use of automation and robotics to aid in the decision-making process and evaluation of integrating and implementing automation and robotics.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Lieutenant, United States NavyLieutenant Commander, United States NavyLieutenant Commander, United States Nav

Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy of Antiparallel β-Sheet Secondary Structure

We investigate the sensitivity of femtosecond Fourier transform two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy to protein secondary structure with a study of antiparallel β-sheets. The results show that 2D IR spectroscopy is more sensitive to structural differences between proteins than traditional infrared spectroscopy, providing an observable that allows comparison to quantitative models of protein vibrational spectroscopy. 2D IR correlation spectra of the amide I region of poly-L-lysine, concanavalin A, ribonuclease A, and lysozyme show cross-peaks between the IR-active transitions that are characteristic of amide I couplings for polypeptides in antiparallel hydrogen-bonding registry. For poly-L-lysine, the 2D IR spectrum contains the eight-peak structure expected for two dominant vibrations of an extended, ordered antiparallel β-sheet. In the proteins with antiparallel β-sheets, interference effects between the diagonal and cross-peaks arising from the sheets, combined with diagonally elongated resonances from additional amide transitions, lead to a characteristic “Z”-shaped pattern for the amide I region in the 2D IR spectrum. We discuss in detail how the number of strands in the sheet, the local configurational disorder in the sheet, the delocalization of the vibrational excitation, and the angle between transition dipole moments affect the position, splitting, amplitude, and line shape of the cross-peaks and diagonal peaks.

Current Density Functional approach to large quantum dots in intense magnetic fields

Within Current Density Functional Theory, we have studied a quantum dot made of 210 electrons confined in a disk geometry. The ground state of this large dot exhibits some features as a function of the magnetic field (B) that can be attributed in a clear way to the formation of compressible and incompressible states of the system. The orbital and spin angular momenta, the total energy, ionization and electron chemical potentials of the ground state, as well as the frequencies of far-infrared edge modes are calculated as a function of B, and compared with available experimental and theoretical results.Comment: Typeset using Revtex, 17 pages and 13 Postscript figure

Process Knowledge Summary Report for Advanced Test Reactor Complex Contact-Handled Transuranic Waste Drum TRA010029

This Process Knowledge Summary Report summarizes information collected to satisfy the transportation and waste acceptance requirements for the transfer of one drum containing contact-handled transuranic (TRU) actinide standards generated by the Idaho National Laboratory at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Complex to the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) for storage and subsequent shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for final disposal. The drum (i.e., Integrated Waste Tracking System Bar Code Number TRA010029) is currently stored at the Materials and Fuels Complex. The information collected includes documentation that addresses the requirements for AMWTP and applicable sections of their Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permits for receipt and disposal of this TRU waste generated from ATR. This Process Knowledge Summary Report includes information regarding, but not limited to, the generation process, the physical form, radiological characteristics, and chemical contaminants of the TRU waste, prohibited items, and packaging configuration. This report, along with the referenced supporting documents, will create a defensible and auditable record for this TRU waste originating from ATR