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Manufacturing
Kinds of Manufacturing Terms modified by Manufacturing Selected AbstractsOUTSOURCING TYPES, RELATIVE WAGES, AND THE DEMAND FOR SKILLED WORKERS: NEW EVIDENCE FROM U.S. MANUFACTURINGECONOMIC INQUIRY, Issue 1 2009AEKAPOL CHONGVILAIVAN Existing studies on the impact of outsourcing on relative wages and the demand for skilled workers mainly focus on aggregate outsourcing, in which imported intermediate inputs are used as a proxy. We depart from the existing studies by focusing on various types of outsourcing based on the six-digit NAICS U.S. manufacturing data. We show that downstream materials and service outsourcing are skill biased, whereas upstream materials outsourcing is not. We also produce other supplementary results pertaining to the impact of technology, different capital inputs on relative wages, and the demand for skilled workers. (JEL C33, F14, F15) [source] TRADE REFORMS AND PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING BETWEEN 1989/90 AND 1996/97ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 2 2002KANKESU JAYANTHAKUMARAN First page of article [source] DETERMINATION OF pH CHANGE KINETICS DURING DIFFERENT STAGES OF KASHAR CHEESE MANUFACTURING FROM RAW AND PASTEURIZED MILK WITH ADDITION OF THERMOPHILIC, MESOPHILIC AND MIXED THERMOPHILIC CULTUREJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2008AHMET FERIT ATASOY ABSTRACT The pH change kinetics during Kashar cheese production from raw and pasteurized milk with addition of thermophilic, mesophilic and mixed thermophilic-mesophilic lactic acid bacteria were evaluated. The kinetics of pH change were determined during milk ripening, cooking/holding and pressing/fermentation phases of Kashar cheese. The pH decreased logarithmically, nonlinearly, with time in the milk ripening period, and reduced linearly with time in the cooking/holding and pressing/fermentation stages. Pasteurization of milk retarded the rate of change in pH during the three periods. The highest rate of pH change was determined in the addition of thermophilic culture, followed by mixed thermophilic-mesophilic and then mesophilic ones during milk ripening. The pH change characteristics of cheese made with thermophilic starter were similar to the cheese made with mixed thermophilic-mesophilic culture, but different from mesophilic lactic acid bacteria during cooking/holding and pressing/fermentation stages. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS One of the important factors in the control of cheese quality is the extent of acid production in the vat. Acid development at a desired rate is important during cheese making. The progress of acidification is monitored by pH change in the industrial Kashar cheese production. Three main stages have been recognized with respect to pH change: milk ripening, cooking/holding and pressing/fermentation. This study evaluated and compared the pH change kinetics during various stages of Kashar cheese making using raw, pasteurized milk with the addition of thermophilic, mesophilic and mixed thermophilic culture. This work may help in the comparison of raw and pasteurized milk, and in the selection of appropriate starter culture for Kashar cheese production. [source] EVALUATION OF GLOBAL YIELD, COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND COST OF MANUFACTURING OF EXTRACTS FROM LEMON VERBENA (ALOYSIA TRIPHYLLA[L'HÉRIT.] BRITTON) AND MANGO (MANGIFERA INDICA L.) LEAVESJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2007CAMILA G. PEREIRA ABSTRACT In this work, the global yields, composition and antioxidant activity (AA) of extracts from lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) and mango (Mangifera indica) leaves obtained by different separation processes were determined. Lemon verbena extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), while mango leaf extracts were obtained by SFE, low-pressure solvent extraction (LPSE) and hydrodistillation. The extract's constituents were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/flame ionization detector. The AA of the extracts was evaluated by the coupled reaction of , -carotene/linolenic acid. The cost of manufacturing (COM) was estimated for the SFE extracts. Higher global yields were obtained using SFE at 350 bar/45C (1.49%) for lemon verbena and LPSE (3.04%) for mango. The AAs of the extracts were larger than that of the , -carotene for both plants. The minimum values of COM were U.S.$26.96 and 52.45/kg of extract for lemon verbena and mango, respectively. [source] TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT IN POLLUTION CONTROL IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIAN MANUFACTURINGTHE DEVELOPING ECONOMIES, Issue 4 2001John Olatunji ADEOTI First page of article [source] GLAZED CERAMIC MANUFACTURING IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY (ITALY): EVIDENCE OF TECHNOLOGICAL CONTINUITY THROUGHOUT THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD (10TH,14TH CENTURIES),ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 1 2008C. FORTINA Archaeometric investigation allowed the characterization of two important classes of ceramics: ,vetrina sparsa' and ,invetriata grezza'. Their archaeological peculiarity makes them particularly suited for tracing the evolution of glaze manufacturing in southern Tuscany throughout the medieval period (10th,14th centuries). These ceramics were found in different sites of historical importance, and also from a mining perspective. Local copper, lead, zinc and iron mineralizations supported the growth of several settlements in the vicinity of the mines. The many castles and different archaeological finds (ceramics, glazed ceramic, slag etc.) attest to the intense mineral exploitation of the area from at least the first millennium bc up to the modern period. In light of these geological and archaeological characteristics, archaeometric investigation was intended to provide insight into ancient technical knowledge of ceramic glazing and to determine the source area for raw materials in the medieval period (10th,14th centuries). Ceramic bodies were analysed through OM, XRDp, SEM,EDS and XRF, while coatings were investigated through SEM,EDS. Mineralogical, petrographic and chemical analyses revealed slightly different preparation and firing processes for the two classes of ceramics. These data suggest the continuity through the centuries of the ,vetrina sparsa' and ,invetriata grezza' production technology. The mineralogical phases, such as monazite, xenotime, zircon, barite, Ti oxide, ilmenite, titanite, tourmaline and ilvaite, and the lithic (intrusive and volcanic) fragments detected within the ceramic bodies suggest a source area in the vicinity of the Campiglia mining district. Lastly, the presence of Cu,Zn,Pb (Ag) and Fe sulphide mineralizations (materials used to produce glaze) in the area supports the hypothesis of local manufacture. [source] ,LONG SLOW BOOM'?: MANUFACTURING IN NEW ZEALAND, 1945,70AUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW, Issue 1 2006Article first published online: 8 MAR 200, Jim McAloon industrialisation; management; New Zealand; productivity change Many studies of post-war New Zealand economy are highly critical both of economic policy and of the business sector, emphasising protection, complacency and sclerosis. This article argues that such accounts are excessively simplistic and, by analysing the structure and performance of New Zealand manufacturing during 1945,70, suggests that there was considerable innovation in both technological and organisational spheres. The result was that, to a greater extent than current accounts allow, New Zealand manufacturing pursued efficiency and international competitiveness. [source] Technological Maturity and Development without Research: The Challenge for Malaysian ManufacturingDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2000Suresh Narayanan Propelled largely by direct investment via multinationals, Malaysia's manufacturing sector has grown rapidly and is changing its output-mix. In 1992, the share of high-tech products in Malaysian manufacturing exceeded that of Japan, Korea or Taiwan. However, this ,maturity' was acquired without a strong research base. This article provides a framework which looks at the role of research and development (R&D) in conferring technological maturity and assesses the progress Malaysian manufacturing has made in this regard. The authors find that while multinationals have transferred many aspects of production, they have been slow in transferring R&D expertise. Neither has indigenous innovation filled this gap. Consequently, the long-term sustainability of the industrial transformation process in Malaysia is in jeopardy. The article concludes with suggestions for corrective policies. [source] Cost-Affordable Technique Involving Equal Channel Angular Pressing for the Manufacturing of Ultrafine Grained Sheets of an Al,Li,Mg,Sc Alloy,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2010Rustam Kaibyshev A two-step process consisting of modified equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) and subsequent isothermal rolling (IR) was developed to produce thin sheets of aluminum alloys with ultra-fine grained (UFG) structure. Significant increase in the efficiency of ECAP was attained by using flat billets and a back pressure system. The incorporation of final IR into technologic route provides a reduced strain which is necessary to impose for the fabrication of thin sheets with UFG structure. In addition, it allows producing relatively "long billets." In order to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique an Al,5.1Mg,2.1Li,0.17Sc,0.08Zr (wt %) alloy was subjected to ECAP at 325,°C to a total strain of ,8 using processing route CX. The operation time of this processing did not exceed 15,min. Subsequent IR at the same temperature with a total reduction of 88% was applied to produce thin sheets with a 1.8,mm thickness and an average size of recrystallized grains of ,1.6,µm. These sheets exhibit extraordinary high superplastic ductilities. In addition, this material demonstrated almost isotropic mechanical behavior at room temperature. The maximum elongation-to-failure of ,2700% was attained at a temperature of 450,°C and an initial strain rate of 1.4,×,10,2 s,1. Thus it was demonstrated that the two-step processing consisting of ECAP with a back pressure followed by IR was a simple technique providing potential capability for the fabrication of superplastic sheets from an Al,Mg,Li,Sc alloy on a commercial scale. [source] Manufacturing of Net-Shape Reaction-Bonded Ceramic Microparts by Low-Pressure Injection Molding,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 5 2009Nadja Schlechtriemen Reaction-bonded oxide ceramics based on intermetallic compounds are able to compensate the sintering shrinkage completely due to their high increase in volume caused by oxidation. Using low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) for shaping ceramics avoids needless materials loss and affords the manufacturing of complex formed structures. The combination of both, reaction-bonded ceramic and LPIM-processing, offers the manufacturing of ceramic microparts by keeping a high accuracy and replication quality. [source] Dip-coating of Fibrous Natural Materials for Alumina Tube Manufacturing,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 3 2008S. Gaydardzhiev Hollow ceramic microtubes have been prepared by dip-coating of fibrous plants with water based alumina gel-casting slurries using hemp and coconut fibres as templates. Good correlation between the diameters of the template fibres and the resulting channels have been found. Hemp fibres used as bundles have lead to the formation of multi channel patterns (see figure) and the coconut fibres-templated process resulted in uniform monochannel materials. The micro tubes show good mechanical handling. [source] Convergence in Structure and Productivity in European Manufacturing?GERMAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 1 2004Klaus Gugler Structural convergence; productivity convergence; growth of industries; European integration Abstract. We find fast convergence in productivity for 99 three-digit European industries over the 1985,98 period. Half of any productivity gap is closed on average in about 10,15 years. We explicitly formulate the steady-state assumptions for structural convergence to hold. Convergence in industrial structure is much slower than productivity catch-up with a half-life of around 50 years, a stylized fact which cannot easily be explained by the existing models of trade and growth. [source] International Trade and the Changing Demand for Skilled Workers in High-Tech ManufacturingGROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2008JULIE A. SILVA ABSTRACT States and localities in the U.S. put considerable effort into attracting and maintaining high-tech manufacturing industries to preserve manufacturing employment. However, little work has examined whether high-tech industries respond differently than traditional manufacturing to changing trade pressures. This study investigates the impact of international trade on skilled and unskilled labor demand across manufacturing sectors. Results of this study indicate that changes in exchange rates and trade orientation have similar effects across high-tech and traditional manufacturing sectors. In addition, findings suggest that there is a high degree of variation in the trade-related effects on labor demand across individual high-tech sectors, and that the direction of these effects often runs counter to the predictions of traditional trade theory. [source] Manufacturing and the new ANSI S2.70-2006 hand,arm vibration exposure standardHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 6 2008Donald E. Wasserman Since 1918, hand,arm vibration (HAV) exposure, principally from but not limited to vibrating power tools and processes, affects some 1.5 to 2 million regularly exposed U.S. workers and many more worldwide. These HAV exposures usually lead to an irreversible disease of the fingers/hands called hand,arm vibration syndrome whose prevalence is as high as 50% in exposed worker populations. HAVS results not only in hand,arm deterioration, but invariably job loss. To help combat the mounting HAV problem, domestic and international consensus HAV exposure standards were developed and promulgated in the early 1980s; but for the first time, the European Union in 2005 passed into law exposure standards for both HAV and whole-body vibration. In response, in 2006 in the United States, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) developed, replaced, and promulgated its 1986 HAV exposure standard S3.34 with a completely revised HAV standard,S2.70-2006,thus ushering in new profound implications for power tool users and tool manufacturers and countless related manufacturing operations throughout the United States. The background, salient aspects, safety and health, and manufacturing implications of this new ANSI S2.70 HAV standard are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Scaffold Design and Manufacturing: From Concept to ClinicADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 32-33 2009Scott J. Hollister Abstract Since Robert Langer and colleagues pioneered the concept of reconstructing tissue using cells transplanted on synthetic polymer matrices in the early 1990s, research in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has exploded. This is especially true in the development of new materials and structures that serve as scaffolds for tissue reconstruction. The basic tenet of the last two decades holds scaffolds as degradable materials providing temporary function while enhancing tissue regeneration through the delivery of biologics. Although a number of new scaffolding materials and structures have been developed in research laboratories, the application of such materials practice even has been extremely limited. This paper argues that better integration of all these factors is needed to bring scaffolds from "concept to clinic". It reviews current work in all these areas and suggests where future work and funding is needed. [source] Potential and Bottlenecks of Bioreactors in 3D Cell Culture and Tissue ManufacturingADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 32-33 2009David Wendt Abstract Over the last decade, we have witnessed an increased recognition of the importance of 3D culture models to study various aspects of cell physiology and pathology, as well as to engineer implantable tissues. As compared to well-established 2D cell-culture systems, cell/tissue culture within 3D porous biomaterials has introduced new scientific and technical challenges associated with complex transport phenomena, physical forces, and cell,microenvironment interactions. While bioreactor-based 3D model systems have begun to play a crucial role in addressing fundamental scientific questions, numerous hurdles currently impede the most efficient utilization of these systems. We describe how computational modeling and innovative sensor technologies, in conjunction with well-defined and controlled bioreactor-based 3D culture systems, will be key to gain further insight into cell behavior and the complexity of tissue development. These model systems will lay a solid foundation to further develop, optimize, and effectively streamline the essential bioprocesses to safely and reproducibly produce appropriately scaled tissue grafts for clinical studies. [source] Cell Production and Workplace Innovation in Japan: Toward a New Model for Japanese Manufacturing?INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 4 2002Katsuhide Isa This article investigates the current trend toward cell production and other workplace innovations in Japan using a large,scale sampling survey of manufacturing firms and in,depth interviews with four leading electrical and electronic establishments. The quantitative analysis reveals the correlation between the use of cell production and the ratio of female to male workers and production strategy variables, as well as the positive effect of cell production on operating profit rates and ordinary profit rates. The case studies reveal the following points: First, processes and organizations have been decentralized to the degree that individual workshops move toward taking primary responsibility for customer relations, production decisions, and delivery. Corporate headquarters increasingly play a coordinating rather than decision,making role. Second, firms have steadily implemented make,to,order systems by tightening links to suppliers and customers and developing new inventory and cost,control systems. Third, firms have started to implement more performance,based personnel practices. However, considerable variance among firms is observed in complementary changes, particularly personnel innovations. [source] Cross-Sectoral Patterns of Efficiency and Technical Change in ManufacturingINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 1 2001Gary Koop This article uses data from 11 countries for 19 years to investigate the forces driving output change in 6 manufacturing sectors. A flexible model is adopted that allows for the decomposition of output changes into three types of change: technical, efficiency, and input. This framework allows, among other things, for the investigation of (1) the relative roles of the three components of output growth in each sector, (2) the manner in which efficiency change moves over the business cycle, and (3) potential technical spillovers from one sector to another. [source] An updated review of Listeria monocytogenes in the pork meat industry and its productsJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006D. Thévenot Abstract Pork meat and processed pork products have been the sources of outbreaks of listeriosis in France and in other European countries during the last decade. The aim of this review is to understand how contamination, survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes can occur in pork meat products. This study discusses the presence of L. monocytogenes in raw pork meat, in the processing environment and in finished products. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes generally increases from the farm to the manufacturing plants and this mainly due to cross-contamination. In many cases, this pathogen is present in raw pork meat at low or moderate levels, but foods involved in listeriosis outbreaks are those in which the organism has multiplied to reach levels significantly higher than 1000 CFU g,1. In such cases, L. monocytogenes has been able to survive and/or to grow despite the hurdles encountered during the manufacturing and conservation processes. Accordingly, attention must be paid to the design of food-processing equipment and to the effectiveness of the cleaning and disinfecting procedures in factories. Finally, the production of safe pork meat products is based on the implementation of general preventive measures such as Good Hygiene Practices, Good Manufacturing and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. [source] Manufacturing, mechanical characterization, and in vitro performance of bioactive glass 13,93 fibersJOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006E. Pirhonen Abstract Fibers were manufactured from the bioactive glass 13,93 by melt spinning. The fibers were further characterized by measuring their tensile and flexural strength, and their in vitro performance was characterized by immersing them in simulated body fluid, which analyzed changes in their mass, their flexural strength, and surface reactions. The strength of glass fibers is highly dependent on fiber diameter, test method, and possible surface flaws, for example, cracks due to abrasion. In this study, the thinnest fibers (diameter between 24 and 33 ,m) possessed the highest average tensile strength of 861 MPa. The flexural strength was initially 1353.5 MPa and it remained at that level for 2 weeks. The Weibull modulus for both tensile and flexural strength values was initially about 2.1. The flexural strength started to decrease and was only ,20% of the initial strength after 5 weeks. During the weeks 5,40, only a slight decrease was detected. The flexural modulus decreased steadily from 68 to 40 GPa during this period. The weight of the samples initially decreased due to leaching of ions and further started to increase due to precipitation of calcium phosphate on the fiber surfaces. The mass change of the bioactive glass fibers was dependent on the surface area rather than initial weight of the sample. The compositional analysis of the fiber surface after 24 h and 5 weeks immersion did confirm the initial leaching of ions and later the precipitation of a calcium phosphate layer on the bioactive glass 13,93 fiber surface in vitro. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006 [source] Productivity Growth, Efficiency and Outsourcing in Manufacturing and Service IndustriesJOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SURVEYS, Issue 1 2003Almas Heshmati This paper is a survey of recent contributions to, and developments of, the relationship between outsourcing, efficiency and productivity growth in manufacturing and services. The objective is to provide a thorough and up,to,date survey that provides a significant discussion on data, as well as on the core methods of measuring efficiency and productivity. First, the readers are introduced to the measurement of partial and total factor productivity growth. Different parametric and non,parametric approaches to the productivity measurement in the context of static, dynamic and firm,specific modelling are discussed. Second, we survey the econometric approach to efficiency analysis. The issues of modelling, distributional assumptions and estimation methods are discussed assuming that cross,sectional or panel data are available. Third, the relationship between outsourcing and productivity growth in manufacturing and services is discussed. The correspondence between a number of hypotheses and empirical findings are examined. Examples of varieties of relevant empirical applications, their findings and implications are presented. Fourth, measurement of inputs and outputs in manufacturing and services are discussed. Finally, to promote useful research, a number of factors important to the analysis of outsourcing, efficiency and productivity growth in the service sector are summarised. [source] Mergers and acquisitions, employment, wages, and plant closures in the U.S. meat product industries,AGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2009Sang V. Nguyen The purpose of this article is to evaluate the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on wages, employment, and plant closures in the meat packing, prepared meat products, and poultry slaughter and processing industries during two merger periods, 1977,1987 and 1982,1992. The analysis relies on two balanced panel datasets of all plants owned by meat and poultry firms that existed in the 1977 Census of Manufacturing and survived until 1987 and another dataset of plants that existed in 1982 and survived until 1992. We find that (a) M&As are positively associated with wages in the meat packing and prepared meat products industries during 1977,1987, but not during 1982,1992; (b) changes in employment are positively related to M&As in all three meat and poultry industries during 1977,1987, but only in the poultry industry during 1982,1992; and (c) M&As are generally negatively associated with plant closures [EconLit. Citations: J630]. © 2009 wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] The Future of Japanese Manufacturing in the UKJOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 8 2002Glenn Morgan The expansion of Japanese FDI into the UK manufacturing sector during the 1980s and early 1990s gave rise to the debate on the Japanization of British industry. The paper argues that this debate was constructed from a Western perspective. It did not locate the strategies and structures of Japanese subsidiaries within the broader context of how Japanese multinational corporations were evolving in this period. The necessity to look at these issues from a more global perspective is reinforced by the changes which have occurred since the mid 1990s in the environment for Japanese multinationals. The global economy offers more choices to firms about their location as well as facing them with a more competitive environment. In the Japanese case, this is leading to a growing differentiation between standardized mass production (which can be located in Asia and Eastern Europe) and science,led sectors of industrial production (which necessitate location near to centres of research and development expertise in the USA and Europe). This means that Japanese firms are reconsidering the strategy and structure of their subsidiaries in the UK. Standardized mass production will only survive in the UK as long as costs can be pushed further down and productivity increased, both of which are difficult conditions to meet given possibilities elsewhere in the world for cheap mass production. The growing area of investment will be in science,based manufacturing, though here the UK will be competing against the USA and Germany for Japanese investment. Here, however, the organizational and management characteristics of Japanese subsidiaries will make the necessary connections with local managers and local networks of expertise difficult to achieve. Thus Japanese subsidiaries in the UK are in a period of prolonged uncertainty about their role in the future. These changes open up the necessity for a new agenda of research which goes beyond the Japanization approach and is concerned with the organization and management of Japanese multinationals in an era of global competition. [source] SME Competitive Strategy and Location Behavior: An Exploratory Study of High-Technology ManufacturingJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2008Craig S. Galbraith Forty-four Scottish small and medium-sized high-technology manufacturing firms were surveyed regarding their technology strategies and the impact of regional- and site-specific infrastructure requirements on their location behavior. An empirically derived typology of technology content for high-technology firms was developed via cluster analysis and utilized, together with selected technology and manufacturing strategy variables, to investigate whether significant linkages existed between these variables and firms' related location decisions. Results suggest that location decisions are directly correlated to a firm's competitive strategy and that they should actually be considered a dynamic dimension of strategy rather than a static one-time choice. [source] Accounting for Strikes: Evidence from UK Manufacturing in the 1980sLABOUR, Issue 3 2000Daphne Nicolitsas The decrease in the number of strikes in the UK during the 1980s has revived the discussion on the explanatory factors of strike frequency. This paper investigates explanations for the time variation of strike frequency in different industries of British manufacturing. The framework used is that of the joint cost model of strikes; strike frequency is inversely related to strike costs. The results from a panel of 90 manufacturing industries for the period 1983,88 show some support for the hypothesis that strikes decreased because they became more expensive. In the main, we find that factors that affect both employers and employees (such as revenue, inventories) are significant in explaining variations in strike frequency. Factors that affect only employees, however, such as the unemployment rate, are not. [source] CO2 Laser , Workhorse for Industrial ManufacturingLASER TECHNIK JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009Flexible, reliable, well proven tool for a large variety of laser processing systems For more than 30 years lasers are used for industrial production with high success. Modern efficient production would not be imaginable without lasers and laser processes. Since the beginning days CO2 lasers were dominating the market of continuous cutting and welding applications (referred here as "Macro" applications) because of their high power and electrical efficiency, reliability and cost efficiency. [source] Assembling Women: The Feminization of Global Manufacturing by Teri L. CarawayAMERICAN ETHNOLOGIST, Issue 1 2009MARY BETH MILLS No abstract is available for this article. [source] Expectations Formation and Business Cycle Fluctuations: An Empirical Analysis of Actual and Expected Output in UK Manufacturing, 1975,1996OXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 4 2000Kevin Lee Direct measures of expectations, derived from survey data, are used in a Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model of actual and expected output in eight industries in the UK manufacturing sector. No evidence is found with which to reject rationality in the derived expectations series when measurement error is appropriately taken into account. The VAR analysis illustrates the importance of intersectoral interactions and business confidence in explaining the time profile of industrial outputs, examines the mechanisms by which shocks are propagated across sectors and over time and investigates the relative importance of sectoral and aggregate shocks of different types. [source] Preface: phys. stat. sol. (b) 245/3PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 3 2008Christopher W. Smith This is the third Special Issue of physica status solidi (b) focusing on materials with a negative Poisson's ratio or other ,anomalous' physical properties. This issue contains selected papers from the First International Conference on Auxetics and Anomalous Systems held at the University of Exeter, UK, on 4,6 September 2006. Around 50 participants from all over the world as well as from a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines contributed to what was a highly successful conference. This conference follows in the footsteps of two previous workshops held at the Mathematical Research and Conference Centre in B,dlewo near Pozna,, Poland, in 2004 and 2005 [1, 2]. The papers selected for this issue publish recent results obtained for ,anomalous systems' in experiment, theory and computer simulations. In the following we summarize very briefly their contents. Alderson and Coenen compare the performance of auxetic composites to similar systems with conventional positive Poisson's ratios. They find that there are indeed differences which appear to arise from the change of the overall Poisson's ratio of the composite, some beneficial like a rise in impact tolerance at low impact rates, and others deleterious such as the reduced tolerance at higher impact rates. This is one of the first investigations of possible applications for auxetic materials. The two papers by Gaspar and Koenders both examine the effects of disorder upon anomalous properties, especially negative Poisson's ratio. In the first one Gaspar demonstrates how a mean strain estimate fails to predict negative values of Poisson's ratio because of an inability to account for local fluctuations in elastic properties. For instance it is shown that the volume fraction of auxetic regions in an globally auxetic material (measured experimentally) are smaller than a mean strain homogenisation would require. Koenders and Gaspar explore the elastic properties, and especially Poisson's ratio, of a heterogeneous 2D network of bending beams. They predict auxetic behaviour arising from localised disorder in the packing, and therefore effective locally aggregated elastic properties of the beams. In the three articles by Gatt et al. and Grima et al. models based on simple geometry are used to explain the behaviour of seemingly disparate systems, i.e. 2D honeycombs systems and zeolite SiO2 networks. Two papers concerning honeycombs demonstrate relationships between elastic properties and structure and the bounds for auxetic behaviour. The paper concerning the zeolite Natrolite uses numerical force field based energy minimisation methods to simulate the response of this particular zeolite to applied forces and then simplifies the predicted properties even further by considering structural units as rigid 2D polyhedra linked by flexible hinges. In a similar vein, though using a different approach and concerning a very different form of matter, Heyes shows how the heterogeneity in an assembly of particles in a liquid can affect the elastic properties of a liquid and notably the infinite frequency Poisson's ratio. Heyes uses the Molecular Dynamics approach to simulate a Lennard,Jones fluid under various pressures, notably comparing behaviour under positive and negative pressures. In their first paper Jasiukiewicz and co-authors derive elastic constants of 2D crystals for all four classes of 2D crystalline solids: hexagonal (isotropic), quadratic, rectangular, and oblique systems. In their second paper they demonstrate conditions required for auxetic behaviour of 2D crystals. Auxetic solids are further divided into those with some negative Poisson's ratios (auxetic), all negative Poisson's ratios (completely auxetic) and no negative Poisson's ratios (non-auxetic). Lakes and Wojciechowski consider counterintuitive properties of matter, like negative compressibility, negative Poisson's ratio, negative thermal expansion, negative specific heat, and negative pressure. They present and interpret experimental observations of negative bulk modulus in pre-strained foams. They propose also a constrained microscopic model which exhibits negative compressibility. Finally, they solve a very simple thermodynamic model with negative thermal expansion. Martin et al. take a long stride toward a real world application of auxetic materials with a wide ranging study starting with numerical modelling of a wingbox section to experimental testing in a wind tunnel. They show that an auxetic core in a wing box section can allow a passive aero-elastic response which can be tailored by careful design of the core so that camber, and thus drag, is reduced with increasing airspeed but without sacrificing structural integrity. Miller et al. consider another anomalous physical property, negative thermal expansivity, and its application in the form of particulate composites for amelioration of stresses arising from thermal mismatch. They show via experiments that particles with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion may be used as a composite reinforcer to reduce overall thermal expansion and behave according to the standard volume fraction based models. Narojczyk and Wojciechowski examine the effects of disorder upon the bulk elastic properties of 3D fcc soft sphere systems in terms of particle size. Systems, such as colloids, can be thought of in such terms. The study shows that higher order moments of probability distribution do not influence the bulk elastic properties much, but that lower moments such as the standard deviation of particle size influence the elastic properties greatly. The "hardness" of the particle interaction potential is also important in this context. In general, it is shown that the effect of increasing polydispersity is to increase the Poisson's ratio, except the [110] [10] directions. Scarpa and Malischewsky in their paper on Rayleigh waves in auxetic materials show how the Rayleigh wave speed is affected by the Poisson's ratio. The behaviour is complex and depends upon the homogeneity within the material, for instance slowing with decreasing Poisson's ratio in isotropic solids, but showing the reverse trend and increased sensitivity to Poisson's ratio in laminate composites. Scarpa et al. explore the buckling behaviour of auxetic tubes via three types of model, a simple beam mechanics and Eulerian buckling model, a 3D linear elastic FE model and a bespoke non-linear continuum model. The more sophisticated models provide increasing insight into the buckling behaviour though the simple beam model predicts reasonably well in the pre-buckling linear region. Some unexpected and interesting behaviour is predicted by the continuum model as the Poisson's ratio approaches the isotropic limit of ,1, including increasing sensitivity to Poisson's ratio and rapid mode jumping between integer wave numbers. The paper by Shilko et al. presents an analysis of a particular kind of friction joint, a double lap joint, and explores the effects of altering the elastic properties of one component, in particular it's Poisson's ratio. The manuscript introduces the evolution of smart materials from monolithic materials, and the classification of composites exhibiting negative Poisson's ratios. The paper then presents the case of a double lap joint and performs a sensitivity type study, via a 2D FE model, of the effects of changing the elastic properties and degree of anisotropy of one section of the model on various parameters defining the limits of functionality of the joint. The main finding is that an enhanced shear modulus, via a negative Poisson's ratio, can endow such a friction joint with superior performance. Manufacturing of auxetic materials on a commercial scale has proved to be the largest obstacle to their fuller exploitation. The paper by Simkins et al. explores one route for post processing of auxetic polymers fibres produced by a conventional melt extrusion route. Simkins et al. showed that a post process thermal annealing treatment, with carefully optimised parameters, was able to even out otherwise inhomogenous auxetic properties, and moreover improve other elastic and fracture properties often sacrificed for auxetic behaviour. We gratefully acknowledge the support given by the sponsors of the conference, namely the EPSRC of the UK and Auxetic Technologies Ltd. (UK). We also thank the Scientific Committee, the Organising Committee, and all the participants of the conference. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Work-related amputations in Washington state, 1997,2005AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2010Naomi J. Anderson MPH Abstract Background Work-related amputations are infrequent but devastating injuries. Attempts to more accurately estimate the burden of amputations and industries at risk have led the Washington State occupational surveillance program to explore new methods for case identification in Washington State workers' compensation data. Methods Two methods were utilized for case identification of work-related amputations. The first method used the ANSI Z16 nature code for amputation. An alternative method utilized medical, hospital, and claim administration coding of medical bills and bill payment systems. After identifying suspected amputation claims, a sample of the medical records associated with different case identification methods were reviewed to verify that an amputation likely occurred. Results From 1997 to 2005, 2,528 amputations were identified using the ANSI Z16 code for amputation (Nature,=,100) and an additional 3,912 amputations were identified using the alternative method. There was an increasing trend of amputation injuries over the time period using the ANSI amputation definition; however, the trend in amputation injuries captured by the alternative method was decreasing. This may indicate a bias in estimating a trend due to misclassification of amputation injuries. The sectors with the highest amputation claims rates were Manufacturing; Construction; Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; Accommodation and Food Services; and Wholesale and Retail Trade. Conclusions Current methods to identify work-related amputations in the workers' compensation data system underestimate the burden of amputations in Washington State. By utilizing alternative case identification methods, we estimate that there were about 150% more amputations in Washington State over the time period. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:693,705, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||