Final Stage Of Production Research Articles

Applicability of 3D concrete printing technology in building construction with different architectural design decisions in housing

3D Printing (3DP) technology, one of the layered production methodologies where design and construction configurations can be made with increasing digitalization and Industry 4.0, is one of the leading techniques of the period. 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) also comes to the fore in the construction industry. The study aims to observe the impact of architectural design decisions on the 3DCP process by developing controlled and consistent design alternatives. Architectural designs developed with different geometric forms in the housing function were subjected to digital planning, 3DCP preparation, and 3DCP prototype final product stages. In the integration of design and 3D concrete printing (3DCP), two key aspects were investigated: (i) the impact of different geometric forms (square, rectangle, hexagon, octagon, circle, and ellipse) on the buildability performance of 3D-printed structures, and (ii) how variations in design details influence printing time, material consumption, cost, and the feasibility of mass production in architectural applications. For the 3DCP process, 3D-printable cementitious mixture was developed, and a 3D printer with dimensions of 100 x 100 x 40 centimeters was used. The results obtained during the printing process were analyzed in comparison with the building evaluation parameters. As a result, the house with circular geometry showed the optimum behavior according to the parameters of buildability, cost, and mass producibility. The circle geometric form provides a 4.2% advantage over the octagon in terms of buildability, a 16.6% advantage over the ellipse in terms of cost, and a 20% advantage over the ellipse in terms of mass producibility.

Optimizing phosphorus-doped polysilicon in TOPCon structures using silicon oxide layers to improve silicon solar cell performance

Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) technology is one of the most influential and industrially viable solar cell technologies available today. Improving the quality of passivation contact has become a central focus of current research. Although the conventional monolayer polycrystalline silicon method is highly effective in TOPCon solar cells, it is limited by doping inhomogeneity, which impairs the passivation and electrical properties, and the cell's photovoltaic conversion efficiency remains suboptimal. To address this issue, this study investigates the deposition of two layers of silicon oxide and two layers of in-situ doped phosphorus amorphous silicon, termed double poly-Si/SiOx structures, on n-type silicon wafers using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The effectiveness of the structure was confirmed through various characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Key findings indicate that the double-polysilicon structure significantly enhances the uniformity of phosphorus doping, improving the carrier lifetime of the cell and reducing the contact resistance. As a result, the average efficiency in the final production stage has a conversion efficiency gain of 0.23 % over the baseline group. This study underscores the potential of this PECVD methodology to advance the fabrication of high-efficiency solar cells by providing significant improvements in passivation, doping uniformity, and overall cell performance.

Components of the development of methods for calibrating rollers for rolling channels based on changed non-uniformsty of deformation

Introduction. In metallurgy, the final stage of production is metal processing in rolling shops. The main component of the development of technologies for rolling graded profiles is the calibration of rolls. 90% of the steel that is smelted is processed by rolling. Rolling mill calibration methods are constantly being improved. Calibration methods are used in which there is a significant uneven deformation of the profile elements, which leads to rapid wear of the rolls and an increase in costs. Formulation of the problem. It is necessary to develop a method of calibrating rolls in the production of channels based on the reduction of deformation unevenness. Goal. The purpose of the article is to analyze the methods of calibrating rolls for the production of channels with an indication of their advantages and disadvantages and to justify the application of the components of the developed method of calibrating rolls based on the reduction of unevenness of deformation. The results. The analysis of various methods of calibrating channel rolls showed that the smallest unevenness of deformation is present in the method of rolling by the bending method. The greatest uniformity of deformation along the width of the profile is achieved, the wear of the rolls is reduced in connection with ensuring a minimum difference in the diameters of the rolls in the gauge, and energy costs are reduced. To reduce the uneven deformation of the metal, it is suggested to use a rectangular blank or strip. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the methods of calibrating rolls for channel rolling were analyzed in detail. To reduce uneven deformation of shelves and flanges in the center of deformation in the gauge, it is proposed to use the bending calibration method. It is proposed to use strips as a blank for the first time. Practical meaning. The application of channel rolling technology based on the developed method of calibrating rolls with reduced unevenness of deformation in the first passes allows to reduce the cost of products and give an economic effect

Effects of Metformin in High Concentrations on the Fertility of Female Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna

Metformin is a medicine that is used to treat type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study investigated the effects of exposing the sailfin molly fish to sub-lethal concentrations of 0.008 mol.L-1 of metformin. The results showed that metformin caused disturbances in the endocrine glands, especially the pituitary hormones (GTHs). Metformin increased the expression of the Fshb and inhibited the Lhb genes in the pituitary gland, which led to higher levels of FSH and lower levels of LH hormones in the blood of fish. These hormonal changes led to irregularities in the ovarian development of female fish, such as an increase in the first stage of primary eggs and a delay in the final stage of embryo production.

Civics Textbook Supplement Design Based on Pancasila Student Profiles to Increase Student Activity

The condition of diverse learning needs and the rapid development of education requires textbooks prepared by the government to meet learning standards that are expected to fulfill the success of learning activities in schools. The results of the needs analysis of the Civics Junior High School Textbook in Bandar Lampung City show that there is a need for a complementary textbook that is expected to support typical Civics learning activities. This research method is a development research used to produce certain products, and test the effectiveness of these products. The development model and procedures used in this study are divided into 4 stages, 1) Needs Analysis Stage, 2) Product Design Stage, 3) Validation and Evaluation Stage, and Final Product Stage. The results of this study show that the use of textbook supplements has a significant impact on students' understanding and learning outcomes. Effectiveness testing shows that the average formative test results for students who use digital map learning are greater than the average formative test results for students who use conventional learning. Efficiency testing can be concluded that Civics learning, especially the material displaying a positive attitude towards the flow of drafting the foundation of the Indonesian state and norms in everyday life using textbook supplement learning has the efficiency of saving more time than learning that does not use textbook supplements. It can be concluded that students' attitudes towards the attractiveness of digital map learning that has been applied in experimental classes have a positive impact on learning outcomes.

Geochemistry and Petrology of Reservoir and Cap Rocks in Zar-3 Pilot CO2 Storage Complex, SE Czechia

The planned pilot CO2 storage Zar-3 is an oil field with a gas cap in the final production stage in the SE Czech Republic. It is composed of a dolomite Jurassic reservoir sealed by three different formations that differ significantly in lithology. Previous studies left open questions on the nature of pore space and connectivity and the quality of the seal in the future CO2 storage complex. Microscopic petrography of the reservoir suggests dolomitisation in shallow water followed by karstification and brecciation with fracture-correct-dominated porosity. The seal horizons have porosity limited to the micro- and nanoscales. The oil consists of significantly biodegraded black oil of Jurassic origin mixed with less biodegraded gasoline-range hydrocarbons. Biomarkers in the caprock bitumens trapped in nanopores show a genetic relationship to the reservoir oil. Gas in the not yet fully depleted gas cap of the field is of thermogenic origin with no contribution of microbial methane. The formation water has total dissolved solids typical of isolated brines not diluted by infiltrated fresh water. The geochemical characteristics of the storage system together with the fact that the initial oil column is about 105 m tall with another 150 m of gas cap suggest that the seals are efficient and the Zar-3 future storage complex is tight and safe.

Regulatory and legal ensuring the quality of sugar products in Ukraine

Sugar is one of the most important elements of the consumer basket in every country, and the volume of its production is considered as an indicator of the level of its development. Therefore, research and analysis of the current state of the sugar market in Ukraine and the development and application of an adequate legal framework in the sugar industry that meets international requirements is important and relevant. The purpose of the study is to determine the directions of effective development of sugar production due to the development and implementation of effective regulatory and legal support, built on the compliance of the quality indicators of sugar products with the requirements of E.S. The article examines the main regulatory and legal documents regarding the determination of compliance of the quality of sugar products in Ukraine with the EU requirements, as well as identifies shortcomings in the legislative base of Ukraine regarding the use of modern methods and means of assessing the quality indicators of sugar products. Prospects for further development of sugar production in Ukraine are considered. It was established that the main ways to increase the economic efficiency of sugar production are to improve its quality, reduce production costs, increase energy efficiency of production and improve sales channels. The main criteria of competitiveness of sugar products in developed countries are considered. Based on the analysis of the main problems, the main production processes were determined, which make it possible to adjust the quality indicators of sugar products not only at the final stage of production, but also throughout the entire technological process of sugar production. At the same time, the problems of defining and unifying requirements for methods and means of determining the quality indicators of sugar products throughout the entire stage of sugar production in the countries with the largest weight in the sugar market were considered. Keywords: standard, regulatory framework, competitiveness, color, sugar quality, sugar factories.

Occurrence, virulence, and resistance genes in Salmonella enterica isolated from an integrated poultry company in Jordan

Salmonella is considered one of the most common foodborne pathogens worldwide. The annual number of hospitalizations and deaths related to zoonotic salmonellosis, which is transmitted from animals to humans and infects poultry and meat, is expected to be significant. Hence, the primary aims of this research were to isolate and characterize Salmonella species obtained from an integrated poultry company and identify some virulence, and antimicrobial resistance, with a specific concern about colistin resistance genes. A total of 635 samples collected from various sources in an integrated company in Jordan were screened for Salmonella species accompanying their virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes. Samples were collected from parent stock house drag swabs, broiler farms, premix, cecum at the slaughterhouse level, pre-chilling and post-chilling stages, and the final product. Salmonella species were detected in 3% (6\\200) of investigated parent stock house drag swabs, 13.8% (11/80) from cloacal swabs from broiler farms, 16.9% (11/65) from boiler farms premix, 24.4% (11/45) from the cecum at slaughterhouse level, 16.4% (9/55) from the pre-chilling stage, 37.8% (17/45) from the post-chilling stage and 53.3% (24/45) from the final product stage. No isolates were detected in feed mills (0/20), parents' premix (0/40), or hatcheries (0/40). Salmonella isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (91.0%), nalidixic acid (86.5%), doxycycline (83.1%), tetracycline (83.1%), sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim (79.8%) and ampicillin (76.4%). Serotyping shows that S. Infantis was the predominant serovar, with 56.2%. Based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test, 39.3% (35/89) of the isolates were resistant to colistin; however, no mcr genes were detected. Among antimicrobial-resistant genes, blaTEM was the most prevalent (88.8%). Furthermore, the spvC, ompA, and ompF virulence genes showed the highest percentages (97.8%, 97.8%, and 96.6%, respectively). In conclusion, Salmonella isolates were found at various stages in the integrated company. S. Infantis was the most prevalent serotype. No mcr genes were detected. Cross-contamination between poultry production stages highlights the importance of good hygiene practices. Furthermore, the presence of virulence genes and the patterns of antimicrobial resistance present significant challenges for public health.

GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS AS THE MAIN INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

Research into the creation and functioning of global value chains helps today's economists, business analysts, and policy makers make informed decisions to improve the global economic landscape and ensure sustainable development for all countries. The article examines the influence of global value chains on the world economy. The work uses the method of the unity of historical and logical analysis. Methods of comparative, causal and functional analysis, principles of system analysis, dialectical approach in the study of processes and phenomena are also used. The concept of the "smile curve" was analyzed to highlight the unevenness of the distribution of added value in different segments of the production chain. They point out that GVS often concentrate maximum value in research and development and post-production services. A study of the "sad smile" phenomenon highlighted that industries moving from mass production to personalization through artificial intelligence technologies may experience cost reduction in the initial and final stages of production. At the same time, companies located in the country of origin receive the greatest added value. The article focuses on the challenges that developing countries face in trying to get out of the "middle-income trap." Such challenges include tariff barriers, concentration of patents on knowledge and financing in these countries. The article argues that the GVS institute contributes to the appropriation of imperialist rent by the countries of the center at the expense of the countries of the periphery. Global chains enable the capital of the North to exploit the cheap labor of the South, keeping their incomes low and affecting their ecology. Recommendations are proposed for effective regulation and redistribution of added value to achieve sustainable global development.

Exploration of In Vitro Voltage Production by a Consortium of Chemolithotrophic Microorganisms Using Galena (PbS) as a Sulphur Source

Sulphur plays a fundamental role in the biological processes of chemolithotrophic microorganisms. Due to the redox characteristics of sulphur, microorganisms use it for metabolic processes. Such is the case of the dissimilatory processes in the anaerobic respiration of reducing microorganisms. The production of electrical energy from the metabolism of native microorganisms using sulphur as substrate from inorganic mineral sources in the form of Galena (PbS) was achieved using MR mineral medium with 15% (w/v) of PbS mineral concentrate. At 400 h of growth, the highest voltage produced in an experimental unit under anaerobic conditions was 644 mV. The inoculum was composed of microorganisms with spiral morphology, and at the final stages of energy production, the only microorganism identified was Bacillus clausii. This microorganism has not been reported in bioelectrochemical systems, but it has been reported to be present in corrosive environments and reducing anoxic environments.

Multiscale Probing and Redesign of the Solid-State Synthesis Toward Defect-Free Ni-Rich Layered Cathodes

Nickel-rich lithium layered oxides (LiNixCoyMnzO2, NCM, x+y+z=1, x≥0.6)) have received tremendous attention as the most promising cathode materials for the practical development of high-energy lithium-ion batteries. However, they commonly suffer from rapid capacity decay along with structural and morphological degradation. Previous studies have unraveled that the general failure mechanism involves the mechanical deterioration of electrode particles, originating from micro-cracking in particles due to the build-up of significant anisotropic strains during phase transition and the chemical parasitic reactions with electrolytes through the crevice created. Such chemo-mechanical failures are triggered and aggravated by various structural defects, including internal void spaces, surface reconstruction layers, and intragranular nanopores, typical features of the conventionally synthesized nickel-rich layered oxide materials. It remains elusive how these defects are formed regardless of the use of single-crystalline or polycrystalline particles. A fundamental understanding of the general defect formations is thus indispensable to clarify how the synthesis process induces the formation of intrinsic defects from the precursor to the final product stage and how these defects affect the electrochemical degradation at the primary- and secondary-particle levels. Critical questions that require in-depth study include how the spatially inhomogeneous solid-state reaction begins at the interface of reacting precursors, propagates during the synthesis, and triggers the generation of defects. In this presentation, I will show the hidden synthetic mechanism of nickel-rich layered oxide materials using a combination of high-end and multi-length-scale analysis methods, including aberration-corrected TEM, in situ heating TEM with gas control, and in situ XRD. The kinetic interplay in synthesis of nickel-rich lithium layered oxide and its implications will be discussed in detail. Furthermore, the microstructural pore defects of NCN9235 during the heating process were quantitatively characterized. Based on our mechanistic understanding, we propose a redesign of solid-state synthesis pathway to achieve structurally integrated nickel-rich layered oxide cathodes.

Abscisic acid biosynthesis, metabolism and signaling in ripening fruit.

Fruits are highly recommended nowadays in human diets because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers and other necessary nutrients. The final stage of fruit production, known as ripening, plays a crucial role in determining the fruit's quality and commercial value. This is a complex physiological process, which involves many phytohormones and regulatory factors. Among the phytohormones involved in fruit ripening, abscisic acid (ABA) holds significant importance. ABA levels generally increase during the ripening process in most fruits, and applying ABA externally can enhance fruit flavor, hasten softening, and promote color development through complex signal regulation. Therefore, gaining a deeper understanding of ABA's mechanisms in fruit ripening is valuable for regulating various fruit characteristics, making them more suitable for consumption or storage. This, in turn, can generate greater economic benefits and reduce postharvest losses. This article provides an overview of the relationship between ABA and fruit ripening. It summarizes the effects of ABA on ripening related traits, covering the biochemical aspects and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Additionally, the article discusses the interactions of ABA with other phytohormones during fruit ripening, especially ethylene, and provides perspectives for future exploration in this field.

Welfare of rainbow trout at slaughter: Integrating behavioural, physiological, proteomic and quality indicators and testing a novel fast-chill stunning method

A critical point in the life of a captive fish is the final stages of production, not only in welfare terms but also due to effects on meat quality, carcass appearance and derived economic impacts. The most common method to slaughter fish is by asphyxia either in ice-water or in the open air. In humane slaughter procedures, however, a stunning method needs to be implemented to render the fish immediately unconscious (within one second) until death. The objective of this research was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness and welfare effects of four types of stunning methods in rainbow trout (O. mykiss): cold shock by fast-chilling as a novel method, where the fish were immersed in liquid water at −8 °C, asphyxia (as the currently used method), electrical stunning, and anaesthesia with MS-222. We used a total of 176 trout (mean weight 524 ± 138 g), combining behavioural (individual swimming activity, equilibrium, opercular movement and eye-roll), physiological (heart rate and electrocardiogram amplitude) and circulating (plasma cortisol and osmolality) indicators with brain proteomic signatures. We also analysed the effects on fillet shelf-life and quality in each method (rigor mortis, water content, fillet colour, pH and ATP degradation).Anaesthesia effectively induced unconsciousness, with regular and strong heartbeat and low cortisol. Quality indicators were the best among all the methods assessed. Electric shock was found to be an effective and irreversible method for inducing unconsciousness, with strong heartbeat and large variation in cortisol response and quality indicators similar to anaesthesia. On the contrary, asphyxia presented indicators of poor welfare (e.g., long-lasting consciousness throughout the slaughter process, high cortisol levels), with very low flesh quality parameters. Fast-chilling also resulted in extreme signs of stress (intense mucus release, haemorrhage and no loss of consciousness), low ATP content and the worst proteomic signatures, along with an early onset and resolution of rigor mortis (6 and 48 h, respectively). Our results reinforce the idea that electric stunning is a promising humane method to stun farmed trout. In contrast, the fast-chilling method showed very poor results both in welfare and in quality, indicating that it is not a viable humane alternative to asphyxia. Moreover, the proteome analysis provided valuable insights into the brain mechanisms of rainbow trout at slaughter, offering potential fine-scale biomarkers of welfare.

Carpet Back Sizing Quality Assessment by Measuring the Amount of Resin Using Image Processing and Machine Learning Approaches

The mechanical properties of the carpet, such as dimensional stability, bending stiffness, handle and creeping on the surface during use, have a direct relationship with the amount of resin applied to the back of the carpet in the sizing process. In today’s factories, the optimal amount of resin and the mechanical quality of the carpet are controlled by the operator touching the carpet on the machine carpet finishing line or manually while rolling the carpet. Proposed in this paper is an automatic method based on the evaluation of the bending stiffness of the sized carpet that uses digital image processing and machine learning to measure the optimal amount of size concentration and control this index. For this purpose, during the final stage of carpet production, the carpet is folded in the middle, and two edges of the carpet are placed on top of each other. A side view image is then taken of the carpet. Using edge detection methods, the edges of the carpet are identified, and different features, such as the average, maximum and minimum statistics for the curve and contour angles, are then extracted. Different conventional machine learning approaches, such as KNN, CART and SVM, are applied. To evaluate the proposed method, a dataset containing 220 different images is used in a 10-fold cross-validation scheme. Different performance measures resulting from the evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the method.

Control of magnetic dissipation and radiation on an unsteady stagnation point nanofluid flow: A numerical approach

This study investigates two-dimensional time-dependent stagnation point nanofluid flow over a permeable stretching or sinking sheet. The electrically conducting fluid allows for the interaction of a transverse magnetic field along with magnetic dissipation and thermal radiation to enrich the flow phenomena. The use of nanofluids is becoming increasingly important in a variety of industrial applications, as well as in engineering and biomedicine. The process of peristaltic pumping, the flow of blood in the artery, the drug delivery process, and besides that, the cooling of electronic devices for the better shape of the product at the final stage of production, the use of nanofluid, are all important. The transformed dimensionless governing equations are obtained by the implementation of various transformation rules, and the model is designed by using different thermophysical properties such as viscosity, conductivity, etc. Finally, the numerical technique RK-fourth-order method is deployed to solve the set of equations and the iteration process is continued up to the desired accuracy of 10[Formula: see text]. The validation of the current result is shown with the earlier investigation in particular cases, and further, the behavior of the physical parameters is presented through graphs. It is observed that the particle concentration has a greater impact in enhancing the velocity distribution for the variation of suction/injection. The behavior of the magnetic parameter vis-à-vis the unsteadiness parameter and the thermal buoyancy presents their greater contribution in enhancing the magnitude of nanofluid velocity.

Production Dependence on Imports in the Russian Economy: Regional Projection

The key factors in the regional consequences of the sanctions imposed in 2022 on certain sectors of the Russian economy were disruption of supply chains and production ties with foreign companies. The significance of these factors for the regional economy can be assessed through the indicator of production dependence on imports. The study revealed that low production dependence on imports is typical for the least developed regions that are poorly integrated into the international trade system, as well as individual regions specializing in the extraction of fuel and energy minerals, for which imports are more important than mass supplies of equipment and components. A high level of dependence is manifested in three types of regions: those specializing in machinery industry, entities on whose territory international ports are located, as well as territories where large investment projects are being implemented with the participation of foreign capital and/or with significant purchases of foreign equipment. Although in 2020–2021, production dependence on imports had practically no effect on the overall dynamics of the industry. In 2022 this factor again became significant and led to a deterioration in the situation in the group of regions with the maximum level of production dependence on imports. The strengthening of the negative impact of production dependence on imports, among other things, was the result of the policy of import substitution carried out in Russia over the past decade, aimed at directly replacing the supply of imported goods to the Russian market, primarily through the localization of the final stages of production. At the same time, the absence of a stimulating policy to increase competitiveness in export sectors through the development of own technologies and the production of technological equipment can lead to technological blocking and a long-term industrial crisis in regions with medium and low production dependence on imports.

A site suitability analysis for castor (Ricinus communis L.) production during Brazil's second harvest incorporating disease prediction

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important industrial crop with a wide range of industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Brazil is among the largest castor-producing countries. Between 2004 and 2010, castor cultivation was stimulated with an emphasis towards biodiesel production. However, this was not enough to leverage the production of castor in Brazil, mainly due to the lack of structured trade and the competition with other cheaper raw materials for the production of biodiesel. Despite this failure, the species presents itself as an excellent alternative for crop rotation in the second crop among soybean, corn, beans, and cotton cultivation areas as the oil is highly valuable for other products. Moreover, it has drawn the attention of producers and researchers in Brazil for this potential rotation as it is considered a plant tolerant of water-deficiency and is highly susceptible to gray mold, a disease favored by high humidity in the final stages of the crop. For instance, its cultivation in the second crop in Cerrado regions, where rains occur in the early stages of the crop and cease when the plants reach the final stage of production, has been successful and shows great promise. The current study aimed to evaluate the suitability of environments throughout Brazil to grow castor, incorporating variables associated with the incidence of gray mold and confirm these findings based on existing castor trial data obtained from the literature. The site suitability analysis determined that 74.99 million hectares - 8.8% of Brazilian territory - are highly suitable for castor production during second harvest, mostly located in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions. These results are surprising since Brazil currently has around 7.8% (∼66.81 million hectares) of its territory occupied with agriculture (grains, fruits, vegetables, and perennial crops). The findings of this study provide a method to perform site suitability for crops using data associated with agronomic and disease characteristics, as is the case with gray mold that often results in significant losses in castor production. Also, this analysis provides evidence for the great potential of Brazil to increase castor production and meet the world demand for its oil through utilization of second-crop cultivation.

Constructing a model of the influence of structural and technological inhomogeneities on electromagnetic energy losses in cables based on a twisted pair

The objects of research reported here were cables based on twisted pairs of various designs. The issue of the emergence of additional losses of electromagnetic energy is related to structural and technological inhomogeneities at the technological stage of cable production. The influence of the working capacitance of the twisted pair on the energy losses in the cables has been substantiated. A methodology was proposed for the numerical calculation of the electric field under the condition of ellipticity of the structural elements of the twisted pair. That has made it possible to determine the distortion of the electric field and the effect of inhomogeneities on the working capacitance of a twisted pair of different designs. Specifically, it was shown that for shielded structures with continuous polymer insulation, the distortion of the electric field and the growth of the working capacitance are observed to a greater extent. The need to find technological solutions to reduce the effect of screen ellipticity on cable capacitance has been emphasized. The effectiveness of capacitance regulation in the presence of inhomogeneities has been confirmed, by using foamed insulation to reduce the loss of electromagnetic energy in the cable. The effect of reducing the working capacitance and increasing additional losses under the simultaneous influence of the ellipticity of the electrical insulation and the protective polymer shell has been established, which necessitates the technological process adjustment in the manufacture of twisted pair. An applied aspect of using the results is the possibility of improving the typical technological process of manufacturing twisted pairs to reduce additional losses of electromagnetic energy at the final technological stage of cable production. The adequacy of the numerical studies was confirmed by experimental dependences of the attenuation coefficient and additional energy losses of the unshielded cable in the frequency range up to 100 MHz

Systematic Source Determination and X-Ray Radiography Detection of Nonuniformities on High-Density Carbon Ablators

Recent deuterium-tritium (D-T)–layered implosion experiments at the National Ignition Facility have achieved a burning plasma and >1-MJ neutron yield. A series of repeat experiments have shown that the degree of performance is very likely dependent on capsule quality, including the quantity of what are collectively termed “high- Z particles.” These particles are detected on a custom-built radiography system, known as the Sagometer, during the final target qualification process. The term particles is misleading, as the source of these nonuniformities in the capsule images is uncertain; the term detection will be used instead. An increased number of D-T targets have been rejected at the final stages of production due to Sagometer detections. Late detections are deleterious in terms of loss of production parts, effort, and overall operating efficiency. In response, we undertook an effort to determine the origin of these detections and to ultimately mitigate target losses caused by them. Through careful testing and analysis, we have determined neither insufficient production cleanliness nor hohlraum shedding is responsible for the detections on the capsule. We determined that the detections are inherent to the capsule and have made efforts to use the Zeiss Xradia to identify them earlier in the production process. While testing revealed the Xradia is not currently sufficient for identifying such particles using radiography images, we continue to look to other forms of metrology to down select the capsules early in the process.

Mechanical and thermal characterization of condom industry waste reinforced natural rubber composites - Circular economy approach

Condom industry waste mainly consists of light magnesium carbonate (LMC), which is extensively used as a finishing powder during the final stages of condom production. This LMC waste (LW) is usually disposed of as a landfill, causing an increase in the hardness of water. LW generated in HLL Lifecare Limited, India, was procured, characterized by analytical techniques, and reutilized in natural rubber (NR) as a reinforcing filler. The prepared composites were subjected to rheological, mechanical, thermal and sorption characterizations. In comparison to NR neat, the composite with 3 phr (parts per hundred of rubber) LW showed a rise in tensile strength, tear strength, and modulus at 300% elongation by 22%, 20%, and 28%, respectively. A remarkable decrease in abrasion loss is also evidenced. The activation energy (Ea) for degradation, calculated by the Coats-Redfern (CR) method, showed 10 kJmol-1 increase for composite with 3 phr LW, proving its better thermal stability. It also exhibited higher solvent uptake resistance, as established by sorption experiments. The superior properties of this composite have been attributed to the uniform LW distribution and ameliorated NR-LW interaction. Hence, the prepared composites find considerable potential in manufacturing industrial NR components accomplishing a circular economy.