Different Stages Of Production Research Articles

Looking beyond X-ray: Neutron tomography analyses of Late Bronze Age weapons from the Somló Hill

Three spearheads and an arrowhead from the Somló Hill (Veszprém County, Hungary) Urnfield site are selected for X-ray radiography and neutron tomography analyses. The four weapons can be dated to the late phase of the Urnfield period between Ha B1 and Ha B2 and originate from different contexts: spearheads Nos. 1–2 from Hoard I, spearhead No. 3 from Hoard III, and an arrowhead (No. 4) as a stray find. Macroscopic characteristics of these newly discovered weapons attest to different stages of production and use, from as-cast to finished, used and heavily used products. The applied methods provide information on the inside of the objects, with special attention to the quality of the casting and traces of repair. Neutron tomography potentially offers an unbiased and quantifiable evaluation of the objects’ porosities and their levels from a modern industrial perspective. All three spearheads from Somló Hill showed different levels of porosity inside, the morphological characteristics of which suggest that they were probably caused by gas porosity. The long spearhead No. 1 from Somló Hill also shows traces of a misrun defect repaired by the cast-on technique. Traces of production and use suggest that except for one spearhead (No. 3), which was cast almost solid and showed high levels of porosity together with other types of defects, such as flashes and incomplete casting, all other studied objects were finished products used for combat and hunting.

REVIEW PAPER- “A STUDY ON GOODS AND SERVICES TAX (GST)”

Goods and Services Tax is an indirect tax to support and enhance the economic growth of the country. Most of the Developed countries have implemented Goods and Services Tax Bill (GST). However, in India, GST was established in 1999. A committee was set up to design the model of GST. But GST was re-launched on 1 July 2017 by the Indian government. There was a big hue and cry for its implementation. The GST replaced all the multiple taxes which were taken by state and central government. That is why it is said One Nation One Tax which means there is no need to pay any other tax in all over the country. The study systematically reviews the impact of GST in India. The study provides the bibliometric visualization and sentiment analysis of Goods and Services Tax (GST). It was found that the government’s motive of GST was to bring all the citizens of the nation under the tax and to prevent the flow of black money. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a type of indirect tax that has replaced various other indirect taxes in many countries, including India. It is designed to simplify the tax structure and make it more transparent. Instead of multiple taxes at different stages of production and distribution, GST consolidates them into a single tax at the point of consumption.

Vertical Spillovers in Global Value Chains

This paper uses input-output relationships across highly disaggregated products to establish two empirical regularities with bilateral trade data. First, countries are likely to have revealed comparative advantage (RCA) in a product if they also have RCA in products that are upstream or downstream to that product. Second, the RCA of a product improves over time if the country experiences export demand shocks to its inputs or outputs. This suggests that being integrated as suppliers into the global production network can benefit countries by improving their capabilities across different stages of production.

Market power, optimal scale and competition promotion in banking: Analysis in the GCC region

AbstractWe propose an approach to identify optimally scaled banks and analyse the competition levels among banks in different stages of production in six countries of the Gulf region. The empirical results show that the global financial crisis curbed the rise in the market power of banks, but the market power continued to increase straight after 2009. Also, we show that the existing methods fail to identify that a significant proportion of banks across different countries, up to 90%, are operating at an optimal scale. Finally, we discuss the misclassification of banks by the traditional approach to scale analysis and its implications for decision‐making by competition authorities and central banks that assess and promote competition in banking. We advocate a more nuanced approach to competition policy that recognizes the potential impact of various phases of banks' production process on the competition.

Lifespan increase of electrical terminal crimping punches for the automotive industry

In the Automotive Industry (AI), and in all other industries linked to it, the increase in competitiveness and the compliance with environmental requirements are mandatory. Thus, the efforts to increase the lifespan of fabrication equipment and tooling are greater than ever. This work was developed around this real need, seeking to increase the lifespan of electrical terminal crimping punches for the AI. The process to achieve the objective of the practical work began with the collection of samples from the main competitors in the market, to be able to analyze and characterize them. Subsequently, brainstorming sessions were carried out, enabling to choose which alternative samples would be produced, analyzed, and characterized. New crimping punches were then characterized at different stages of production, to study the importance and impact of the finishing stages of the production process. Finally, new samples were produced, put to the test at a real customer and advanced characterization tests were done, which allowed a better understanding of the evolution of tool wear during its lifetime. This work contributed to a better clarification of the lifespan of crimping punches, making it possible to identify potential wear mechanisms and, consequently, propose a solution that maximizes the lifespan of crimping punches. Moreover, significant lifespan improvements were attained with marginal production cost variation.

Non-destructive optical indices to estimate isoprenoids with nutritional value in packed rocket and spinach

The quantification of phytochemicals with nutritional benefits relies on accuracy yet time-consuming, expensive and destructive methodologies. In contrast, optical indices widely employed in disciplines such as ecology can serve as fast, low-cost, and non-destructive tools for tracking pigment changes. However, their potential application in postharvest phases and commercialization (i.e., supermarkets) remains underexplored. In this context, this work aimed to investigate the feasibility of using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the chlorophyll content index (CCI) and the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) to estimate phytochemicals of nutraceutical interest (chlorophylls, carotenoids and tocopherols). A fully factorial and randomized experimental design (combining different illumination, packaging, and collecting time) was conducted in two green leafy packaged vegetables (rocket and spinach). With this design that induced differences in physiological parameters a database with variable content of isoprenoids (carotenoids, chlorophylls, and tocopherols) based on treatments was created. By establishing correlations and models between isoprenoids and optical indices, the NDVI was revealed as a valuable tool to estimate chlorophyll content in both species, while the PRI tracked both tocopherol and carotenoid (except for β-carotene) content. Taking this approach, estimation of the sum of total carotenoids and tocopherols was achieved using the PRI. This study confirms the possibility of extending the use of the NDVI and PRI to real-time nutritional monitoring in different stages of production and commercialization. A future application envisions integrating this technology into refrigerators for enhanced consumer access to nutritional information.

Study of the Failure Mechanism of a High-Density Polyethylene Liner in a Type IV High-Pressure Storage Tank.

The use of Type IV cylinders for gas storage is becoming more widespread in various sectors, especially in transportation, owing to the lightweight nature of this type of cylinder, which is composed of a polymeric liner that exerts a barrier effect and an outer composite material shell that primarily imparts mechanical strength. In this work, the failure analysis of an HDPE liner in a Type IV cylinder for high-pressure storage was carried out. The breakdown occurred during a cyclic pressure test at room temperature and manifested in the hemispherical head area, as cracks perpendicular to the liner pinch-off line. The failed sample was thoroughly investigated and its characteristics were compared with those of other liners at different stages of production of a Type IV cylinder (blow molding, curing of the composite material). An examination of the liner showed that no significant chemical and morphological changes occurred during the production cycle of a Type IV cylinder that could justify the liner rupture, and that the most likely cause of failure was a design-related fatigue phenomenon.

A Study on Goods and Services Tax (GST)

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a type of indirect tax that has replaced various other indirect taxes in many countries, including India. It is designed to simplify the tax structure and make it more transparent. Instead of multiple taxes at different stages of production and distribution, GST consolidates them into a single tax at the point of consumption Goods and Services Tax is an indirect tax to support and enhance the economic growth of the country. Most of the Developed countries have implemented Goods and Services Tax Bill (GST). However, in India, GST was established in 1999. A committee was set up to design the model of GST. But GST was re-launched on 1 July 2017 by the Indian government. There was a big hue and cry for its implementation. The GST replaced all the multiple taxes which were taken by state and central government. That is why it is said One Nation One Tax which means there is no need to pay any other tax in all over the country. The study systematically reviews the impact of GST in India. The study provides the bibliometric visualization and sentiment analysis of Goods and Services Tax (GST). It was found that the government’s motive of GST was to bring all the citizens of the nation under the tax and to prevent the flow of black money. But it was observed that lots of Indian citizens’ sentiments were in a dilemma. So it is recommended to revisit the structure and keep a scope of continuous improvement Key Words: GST, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Tax, Goods and Services Tax Bill, Sentiment Analysis

Evolution of Production Spaces: A Historical Review for Projecting Smart Factories

Factories are transforming not only mechanically and technologically but also architecturally due to emerging developments in the industry and fabrication: This new process, called the Second Machine Age or Industry 4.0, a new model is designed in production by providing the human-machine partnership over a virtual network. It is aimed that the machines used in production and the people participating in different stages of production can work in different spaces. In time, jobs that require human power will be replaced by robots, and a new order is being considered where there will be no people in production spaces, and they can work in the virtual environment. Production for human beings is mostly from material production to digital production; labour will turn into digital labour. For this reason, it is thought that production spaces will turn into smart factories with only machines and production robots and no workers. And now the question is: what is a smart factory? The revolutions in the industry history started with the invention of the steam engine; then, new technological revolutions were experienced with the use of electricity in production, the development of automation systems and internet-based systems. While technology and production tools are constantly changing, these developments also affect production spaces. Factories are also transforming to keep up with these rapid and continuous physical and fictional innovations. This study focuses on the architectural evolution of factories by following the technological revolutions of the industry. It examines the main criteria in the process of change and transformation of factories and spatial reflections of the revolutions. It establishes a relationship between production technology and the needs of the production spaces and seeks references from past samples. The study aims to review the historical background for generating a projection to new production spaces and to be a new discussion for future factories.

Corporate Social Responsibility along the global value chain

Locating substantial parts of the production process in developing and emerging economies, many firms face an increasing demand by stakeholders for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) along their value chains. Contractual incompleteness between firms and their suppliers at different stages of production can exacerbate the ability to meet these demands. We analyze a model of sequential production with incomplete contracts where CSR by independent suppliers differentiates the final product in the eyes of caring consumers. Progressing down the value chain, our model predicts an increasing CSR profile from upstream suppliers with low CSR to downstream suppliers with higher CSR. We confirm this prediction using Indian firm-level data – computing a firm’s value chain position by combining its product-level sales information with the World Input–Output Database. We find that more downstream firms report higher CSR expenditures as measured by a combination of staff welfare spending and social community spending.

Classification of light Yorkshire pigs at different production stages using ordinary least squares and machine learning methods

Pig homogeneity and growth are major concerns for the pig industry today. Variability in pigs’ size has a strong impact on profitability as uniformity plays a key role in the overall economic value of pigs produced. This research focused on statistical methods to identify pigs at risk of growth retardation at different stages of production. Data from 125 083 Yorkshire pigs at weaning (18–28 d), 59 533 pigs at the end of the nursery period (70–82 d) and 48 862 pigs at slaughter (155–170 d) were analyzed under three different cut-points (lowest 10, 20 and 30%) to characterize light animals. Records were randomly split into 2:1 training:testing sets, and each training data set was analyzed through an ordinary least squares approach and four machine learning algorithms (decision tree, random forest, and two alternative boosting approaches). A wide range of weighting functions were applied to give increased relevance to lighter pigs. Each resulting classification norm was used to classify light pigs in the testing data set. Both sensitivity and specificity were retained to construct the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the statistical performance of each analytical approach was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC). In all production stages and cut-points, the random forest machine learning algorithm provided the highest AUC, closely followed by boosting procedures. For weaning BW (WW), factors related to birth BW and litter size accounted for more than 75% of the important prediction factors for light pigs. BW at the end of the nursery period and slaughter BW analyses revealed a similar pattern where WW and BW at the end of the nursery period accounted for more than 40 and 50% of statistical importance among the prediction factors, respectively. Machine learning algorithms are useful tools to easily evaluate the risk factors affecting the efficiency and homogeneity in swine. Since the BW at birth and weaning are key factors, sow nutrition and feeding management during gestation and lactation, along with piglet management during lactation, are identified as important influences on pig weight variability.

Investigating a cinematic virtual reality narrative framework for screenwriting

Over the last decade cinematic virtual reality (CVR) has been progressively developing as a meaningful vehicle for impactful and immersive narratives. Recent studies of CVR concepts and components have laid the ground for a CVR narrative theoretical framework that might assist researchers and practitioners to understand this type of virtual reality (VR) experience. While existing studies have isolated key features of CVR, a range of projects from different fields of work or in different stages of production have utilized a range of different screenwriting processes and strategies to address the affordances of this medium. In this article we seek to systematize the key findings of earlier studies into a narrative framework for CVR and to analyse how this framework is reflected in existent models and templates for writing a screenplay for CVR experiences. Furthermore, and based on this narrative framework, we also aim to contribute an exploratory approach to CVR screenwriting by proposing a variative and original screenwriting template. This template addresses the main limitations of the existent screenwriting templates and formats that we analyse in this study while also summoning the main advantages.

BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION AS A WAY OF INCREASE YIELD OF SOY

The article highlights the importance of soybeans as one of the main agricultural crops for the life support of society with food. It is well known that soybeans have been the main high-margin crop for many global farmers, including Ukraine, in recent years. The interest in this crop continues to grow as new opportunities for its sale abroad open up, especially in such a giant country as China, the world's largest soybean importer. The right variety accounts for more than 50% of production success. It is important to identify and create optimal conditions for realising the potential nitrogen-fixing activity of soybeans of each variety in specific soil and climatic conditions. Scientists have pointed out that the main reasons that significantly limit symbiotic fixation in our conditions are relatively drier soybean cultivation conditions, especially in the face of abrupt climate change. However, it is also noted that the starting rates of nitrogen fertilisers + symbiotically fixed nitrogen can only offset part of the soybean plants' need for a yield of 4.0 t/ha. The air contains about 76% of nitrogen in the form of N2 gas, which is not available for plant nutrition. However, thanks to the unique ability of legumes to form symbiotic relationships with bacteria of the Bradyrhizobium and Rhizobium genera, N2 gas is converted into an ammonium form of nitrogen suitable for plant use. This interaction takes place in the nodules, which contain the respective bacteria. According to established data, up to 70% of the total nitrogen consumption of soybeans is obtained through biological fixation of nitrogen from the air through symbiosis with nodule bacteria. Based on the analysis of scientific publications on the symbiotic productivity of soybean crops in Ukraine and the world, the indicators of biological fixation by soybean crops in the context of the main soybean producing countries are presented and the importance of soybean cultivation in Ukraine is proved. It is confirmed that soybeans are an important strategic crop in Ukraine, which contributes to the stabilisation of agriculture, increase of soil fertility and nitrogen reserves, eliminates protein deficiency and helps to solve the food problem. The increase in gross soybean harvest is not only due to the expansion of sown areas, but also due to higher yields. To increase the efficiency of soybean production, it is proposed to introduce a set of innovative solutions at different stages of production, as well as to use new, productive varieties. In many publications, the authors emphasise that 30-35% of success in soybean cultivation depends on the right choice of variety and optimally selected technological methods of growing this crop.

Cereal-based fermented foods as a source of folate and cobalamin: The role of endogenous microbiota

Folate (vitamin B9) and cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiencies potentially affect millions of people worldwide, leading to different pathologies. In Ethiopia, the diet is characterized by high consumption of fermented cereal-based foods such as injera, a good source of folate but not of cobalamin, which is only found in foods of animal origin that are rarely consumed. Some of the bacteria responsible for the fermentation of cereals can synthesize cobalamin, but whether or not fermented cereal food products contain cobalamin remains underexplored. The objective of this study was to assess the folate and cobalamin content of injera collected from various households in Ethiopia at different stages of production. Global (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and specific (real-time PCR quantification of bacteria known for folate or cobalamin production) bacterial composition of these samples was assessed. UPLC-PDA was used to identify the cobalamin to see whether the active or inactive form was present. Surprisingly, teff flour contained 0.8 μg/100 g of cobalamin, most probably due to microbial contamination from the environment and the harvesting process. While fermentation increased the folate and cobalamin content in some households, their levels decreased in others. Conversely, cooking consistently reduced the level of the vitamins. Fresh injera contained, on average, 21.2 μg/100 g of folate and 2.1 μg/100 g of cobalamin, which is high, but with marked variation depending on the sample. However, the form of cobalamin was a corrinoid that is biologically inactive in humans. Injera fermentation was dominated by lactic acid bacteria, with significant correlations observed between certain bacterial species and folate and cobalamin levels. For example, a high proportion of Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis, a known folate consumer, was negatively correlated with the folate content of injera. On the contrary, Lactobacillus coryniformis, known for its cobalamin synthesis ability was present in high proportion in the cobalamin-rich samples. These findings highlight the complex interrelationship between microorganisms and suggest the involvement of specific bacteria in the production of folate and cobalamin during injera fermentation. Controlled fermentation using vitamin-producing bacteria is thus a promising tool to promote folate and cobalamin production in fermented food.

Integrating climate change practices in a circular economy context—The perspective from chemical enterprises

AbstractThis study describes the relationships between climate change and the concept of a circular economy, outlining the need for synergies within a company's context. It reports on a bibliometric analysis of the relations between climate change and circular economy, and it provides evidence and assessments based on a sample of 11 large companies in the chemical industry. The results show that there is a concern in the academic literature to discuss circular economy efforts to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions, strengthen the supply chain, assess the life cycle of products, their environmental impact, and waste management, and identify barriers to implementing the circular economy. In addition, there is a close association between the CE concept and tackling climate change in how organisations report their practices to the stakeholders, in considering concepts of recycling, reusing, adopting renewable energy, seeking resource efficiency, and rethinking strategies. The study concludes by providing some suggestions that may assist companies in intensifying their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, combining them with more circular business models. Efforts from interested stakeholders must focus on defining CE in a more detailed manner, as well as its implementation at the different stages of production and consumption, especially in operations for which no uniform approach or common practice can be established. In this context, implications for positive social and environmental impacts by promoting a faster and more proactive climate transition in the chemical sector are presented. The novelty of this paper relies on the fact that it advances knowledge on matters related to the circular economy under a climate change context, identifying current trends and suggesting some measures which may optimise current business practices of the chemical sector.

Влияние сухого созревания на белки мышечной ткани говядины

Meat is an inherent part of human diet. Its quality develops at different stages of production, storage, and processing. In this respect, the stage of aging is especially important. This technology makes it possible to regulate biochemical processes in meat raw materials. Long-term dry aging is a promising method that presupposes conditions that limit the growth of microorganisms. The transformations in the protein component are an important but understudied aspect of meat quality formation during dry aging.
 The research featured Hereford beef carcasses of Siberian breeding. The samples were isolated from the inner part of bone spinal-lumbar cuts after 21, 35, and 42 days of dry aging under the following conditions: 0–1°C, 74–75% relative humidity, 0.5 m/s air velocity. The samples were subjected to dry aging after 24 h at 4°C. The fractional composition of proteins was controlled by vertical electrophoresis in a Mini-Protean Tetra System chamber. The amino acid composition was defined by high-performance liquid chromatography in a Shimadzu LC-20 Prominence liquid chromatograph with a Shimadzu SPD20MA diode-matrix detector and a Kromasil C-18 separation column. The protein digestibility was measured by sequential exposure to pepsin-trypsin proteinase system under simulated gastric digestion.
 Long-time dry aging triggered proteolysis under the action of endogenous enzymes. The electropherogram analysis showed that the proteolytic changes in high-molecular myofibrillar proteins of high-quality beef became more pronounced after a longer maturation period. The distribution of protein fractions by dry aging stages indicated a different rate of degradation of contractile, regulatory, and cytoskeletal proteins. As a result, the structural integrity of muscle fibers degraded, the meat grew tender, and the proteins became more available to digestive enzymes. The amino acid and protein digestibility analyses in vitro demonstrated an increase in the nutritional value of beef and the availability of proteins to the action of proteinases after 42 days of dry aging.
 Long-term dry aging of high-quality beef increased the digestibility of muscle proteins as a result of proteolysis that accompanied the accumulation of low-molecular fractions. According to the amino acid analysis, the optimal result was most pronounced on day 42 as proven by the moderate oxidative changes in proteins.

Использование смартфона в твердофазно-флуориметрическом определении некоторых полипептидных антибиотиков в лекарственных препаратах

The analysis of semi-products at different stages of production and finished medicinal products is an integral part of an effective quality assurance system for pharmaceutical production. The traditional methods used in the pharmaceutical field, such as capillary electrophoresis, gas and liquid chromatography, are quite versatile and effective. However, they are distinguished by the high cost of instrumentation and component materials, the need to use high-purity solvents, the lack of mobility and the possibility of in situ studies. Such shortcomings can be overcome by using the digital colorimetry method. Its significant popularization has been facilitated by the development of portable and personal electronic devices, among which the smartphone can be distinguished. The aim of the work was to develop a fast and simple method for the determination of a number of polypeptide antibiotics in drugs by digital colorimetry using a smartphone as a color recording device. To implement the solid phase fluorimetric determination of polypeptide antibiotics, HPTLC plates based on silica gel with an aluminum substrate were used as a matrix. Under these conditions, the fluorescence of actinomycin D, virginiamycin M1, virginiamycin S1, and novobiocin was observed when exposed to monochromatic radiation in the UV part of the spectrum (365 nm). The measurement of fluorescence intensity on the surface of the matrices was carried out using a smartphone. Calibration characteristics were constructed for the determination of polypeptide antibiotics in the concentration range of 32–500 μg/mL. The method for assessing the quality of finished drugs was tested on commercial products “Piostacin”, “Cosmegen”, “Dactinomycin” purchased in retail chains. The relative standard deviation of the analysis results does not exceed 0.05. The duration of the analysis was 10–15 min. Based on the results of the studies, the paper presents a method for determining some antibiotics of the polypeptide series by the intrinsic fluorescence of deposited solutions on a solid substrate during treatment with monochromatic UV radiation. The experimental delivery conditions used allow the analysis of drugs based on actinomycin D, virginiamycin M1, virginiamycin S1, and novobiocin.

RESEARCH OF HARD CHEESE RIPENING REGIMES AS A FUNCTION OF THE COMPOSITION OF BACTERIAL STARTER CULTURES

The ripening of cheese, caused by the combined effect of the fermentative enzyme and microflora of the bacterial starter, occurs in certain intervals of temperature, humidity and acidity of the environment which depend on the type of cheese. The composition of bacterial starters for hard cheese is important for formation of the finished product properties and affects the choice of technological regimes. Even minor changes in ripening conditions can significantly affect the microbiological, physicochemical, biochemical parameters, organoleptic properties, and safety of the target product. The aim of the investigation was to study the influence of ripening temperature regimes on the physicochemical, biochemical and organoleptic characteristics of hard cheeses with a low temperature of the second heating aged 30 days, produced using different compositions of bacterial starters. It was shown that the inclusion of lactobacilli Lactobacillus casei in the composition of the bacterial starter "Active" makes it possible to intensify proteolysis, and the using of aroma-forming lactic acid bacteria Leuconostoc mesenteroides in the starter culture "Active-LN" has a positive effect on the formation of the taste-aromatic composition and texture of the cheese. Changes in the microbiological parameters of cheeses at different stages of production were monitored and the sanitary and hygienic properties of the finished products were evaluated. It was established that cheeses produced both with the use of starter cultures "Active" and "Active-LN" had been ripened best at a temperature of 12–13°C. The products had a good taste and aroma with distinctive features of each type of cheese microbiota, a plastic consistency and a pattern with correctly shaped eyes, larger in cheese with "Aktiv-LN". Thus, the temperature 12–13°С and humidity 75–85% are adequate for the ripening of these cheeses and ensure the formation of a specific taste and aromatic composition of the products and the required level of maturation during 30 days.

EXAMPLES OF COMPLEX TEACHING OF DISCIPLINES – INNOVATIVE RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES, COMMODITY SCIENCE AND PURCHASING MANAGEMENT

In the materials of the article, the possibilities for the development of disciplines Innovative restaurant technologies for the development of components of complex projects are considered. When writing the article, the experience of teaching the disciplines General Food Production Technologies, Food Chemistry and Modern Nutrition Technologies at the National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute" at the Department of Integrated Technologies, Processes and Apparatus 2002–2023 was used. The issues under consideration are passed through the prism of their own creative perception, which makes the material especially valuable. The developments were carried out using modern highly efficient science-based food production technologies, for example, from varieties of classification-identification analysis, general concepts and requirements for varieties of methodology for determining quality level indicators and their evaluation through the choice of calculation algorithms at different stages of production and use of the products obtained.

On the Change in Hydrogen Diffusion and Trapping Behaviour of Pearlitic Rail Steel at Different Stages of Production.

To avoid hydrogen flaking in rail production, it is of crucial importance to understand the differences in hydrogen diffusion and trapping between different production steps. Therefore, as-cast unfinished material was compared with two finished rails, hot-rolled and head-hardened, using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), electrochemical permeation, and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). A significant increase in dislocation density was in the head-hardened rail compared with the other material states. This leads to an effective hydrogen diffusion coefficient of 5.8 × 10-7 cm2/s which is lower by a factor of four than the diffusion coefficients examined in the other states. Thermal desorption spectroscopy analyses show a clear difference between unfinished and finished rail materials. While a peak in activation energy between 32 and 38 kJ/mol is present at all states, only as-cast unfinished material shows a second peak with an activation energy of 47 kJ/mol, which is related to microvoids. The results show that in the investigated material, the effect of increasing dislocation density has a stronger influence on the effective diffusion coefficient than the presence of a second active trapping site.