Metal Manufacturing Industry Research Articles

Decomposition of Toxic Chemical Substance Management in Three U.S. Manufacturing Sectors from 1991 to 2008

SummaryThis study analyzes toxic chemical substance management in three U.S. manufacturing sectors from 1991 to 2008. Decomposition analysis applying the logarithmic mean Divisia index is used to analyze changes in toxic chemical substance emissions by the following five factors: cleaner production, end‐of‐pipe treatment, transfer for further management, mixing of intermediate materials, and production scale. Based on our results, the chemical manufacturing sector reduced toxic chemical substance emissions mainly via end‐of‐pipe treatment. In the meantime, transfer for further management contributed to the reduction of toxic chemical substance emissions in the metal fabrication industry. This occurred because the environmental business market expanded in the 1990s, and the infrastructure for the recycling of metal and other wastes became more efficient. Cleaner production is the main contributor to toxic chemical reduction in the electrical product industry. This implies that the electrical product industry is successful in developing a more environmentally friendly product design and production process.

“Forgotten Heroes and Forgotten Issues”: Business and Trademark History during the Nineteenth Century

This reassessment of the importance of trademarks in business during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries reveals that the focus by business historians on the beverage and processed-foodstuff industries has resulted in comparative neglect of the textile and metal-fabrication industries. The trademark histories of the latter two show that they followed their own paths, which resulted in their adopting three solutions to trademark issues that differed sharply from the approaches taken by the former two. The textile and metalfabrication sectors participated heavily in the evolution of an international regime to protect intellectual property; featured prominently in the development of patents in trademarks and trade names; and devised unique institutional solutions to the emerging problem of conflicting private marks in the Lancashire cotton-textile and Sheffield edge-tool industries. The history of these two industries indicates that trademark protection was not sufficient to ensure international competitiveness and long-run survival.

The Metabolic Transition in Japan

Summary The notion of a (socio-) metabolic transition has been used todescribe fundamental changes in socioeconomic energy andmaterial use during industrialization. During the last century,Japandevelopedfromalargelyagrarianeconomytooneoftheworld’s leading industrial nations. It is one of the few industrialcountries that has experienced prolonged dematerializationand recently has adopted a rigorous resource policy. This arti-cle investigates changes in Japan’s metabolism during industri-alization on the basis of a material flow account for the periodfrom 1878 to 2005. It presents annual data for material ex-traction, trade, and domestic consumption by major materialgroup and explores the relations among population growth,economic development, and material (and energy) use. Dur-ing the observed period, the size of Japan’s metabolism grewby a factor of 40, and the share of mineral and fossil materialsin domestic material consumption (DMC) grew to more than90%. Much of the growth in the Japanese metabolism wasbased on imported materials and occurred in only 20 yearsafter World War II (WWII), when Japan rapidly built up largestocks of built infrastructure, developed heavy industry, andadopted patterns of mass production and consumption. Thesurge in material use came to an abrupt halt with the firstoil crisis, however. Material use stabilized, and the economyeventually began to dematerialize. Although gross domesticproduct (GDP) grew much faster than material use, improve-mentsinmaterialintensityarearelativelyrecentphenomenon.Japanemergesasarolemodelforthemetabolictransitionbutis also exceptional in many ways.www.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jie

Cutting parameter optimization in NC milling

The continuous demand for higher productivity and product quality asks for better optimizing of the machining process. In this case, numerical controlled (NC) milling is a processing technology massively applied in the metal manufacturing industry; it has received very important interest in this century because it has a very high productivity and high work piece surface quality. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the machining time of different cycles, in 2.5 D NC milling. The prediction of the optimal values of cutting speed was analyzed to minimize both time and cost of die production. Optimum and economical values of cutting speed give, respectively, minimum production time and minimum production cost. An experimental study is carried out to validate machining time calculation models developed in this work. The cutting parameters analyzed in this study are cutting speed, feed per tooth, and the radial cutting depth.

Global Competitiveness of Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing in North Central Pennsylvania

Provided in this report is information summarizing the global competitive dynamics and pressures on the PM part manufacturing industry in north central Pennsylvania. Information is provided about the geographic/economic region in which the industry operates. A brief description of PM manufacturing materials and processes is presented. Then, an analysis is reported of the economic and workforce structure of PM part manufacturing industry in north central Pennsylvania. Last, evidence of competitive forces affecting the industry is drawn from structured face-to-face and telephone meetings, gleaned during plant tours and over informal lunches, linked by following trends and themes in documents, and captured in confidences revealed in unstructured personal conversations. These competitive forces are summarized around five themes: the threat of entry of new competitors; bargaining power of customers; bargaining power of suppliers; the threat (and opportunity) posed by substitute products; and the nature of competitive rivalry within the PM part manufacturing industry. The kernel of competition in the PM part manufacturing industry is summarized in the following simple statements:• The north central region of Pennsylvania is an economic region that is the locus of PM part manufacturing industry activity in the United States. It generates much economic good in the region for individuals and institutions. The industry is both a jewel and a bellwether for the Pennsylvania economy. The competitiveness of the PM part industry is a lynchpin economic driver in Pennsylvania, in general, and the north central region, in particular.• The PM part manufacturing industry brings unique and specialized manufacturing know–how from Pennsylvania to the world through its economic and technological contribution and potential.• New competitors can enter the industry at the low end with modest capital and knowledge of PM parts manufacturing. However, to play at the high end, new market entrants require deeper pockets. • Foreign involvement and ownership are diffusing around the world the specialized knowledge and human capital that formerly was localized to north central Pennsylvania. Competition is not local any more. It is global.• PM part manufacturers compete aggressively and almost solely on the basis of price.• Poor understanding and inaccurate perceptions held by customers about the materials, processes, and end-products of PM part manufacturing affect the competitive position of the industry.• The PM industry deals with a small number of large suppliers and customers who have the power to dictate the ability of PM part manufacturing firms to cover their costs and make a profit. • The PM part manufacturing industry is small relative to the entire manufacturing sector and, in particular, within the fabricated metal product manufacturing subsector. Just on these scale factors alone, opportunities probably are large for capturing metal fabrication opportunities from other industries or for finding ways to create complementary products with other metal fabrication industries.• Competition among firms in the fabricated metal products industry for PM part markets is intense. The struggle for the connecting rod market between the PM part manufacturing industry and the steel forging industry is a case in point.• The automotive market is a dominant force in the PM part manufacturing industry. The culture of supplier discipline followed by the automobile industry guarantees a cost–frugal, price–competitive environment for PM part manufacturing.• Metal commodity prices are volatile and rising, adding risk, uncertainty, and rising costs to metal powder inputs to PM part manufacturing. • Mistakes made in the past by incorrectly specifying PM for parts for which PM is not suited led to credibility problems which still affect the competitive stance of the industry.• The PM part manufacturing industry has difficulty recruiting workers with skills adaptable to the industry. Part of this problem is due to deficiencies in the pipeline for skill creation; some of this problem lies with the relative geographic isolation of the industry in north central Pennsylvania.• PM part manufacturing firms compete vigorously with each other, almost entirely on the basis of price, but rarely against other processes.

Role of Sheet Metal Manufacturing in the Economy of Bedford County

The sheet metal manufacturing industry is an important part of the history and economy of Bedford County in Pennsylvania. The industry creates jobs and compensation for workers throughout this county and influences tax revenues in the county.

Hearing Difficulty Attributable to Employment by Industry and Occupation: An Analysis of the National Health Interview Survey—United States, 1997 to 2003

To estimate the national burden of hearing difficulty among workers in US industries and occupations. Data on 130,102 employed National Health Interview Survey respondents between the ages of 18 to 65 years who were interviewed between 1997 and 2003 were analyzed to estimate the population prevalence, adjusted prevalence ratios, and fractions of hearing difficulty attributable to employment. The estimated population prevalence of hearing difficulty was 11.4% (24% attributable to employment). The adjusted prevalence ratios of hearing difficulty were highest for railroads, mining, and primary metal manufacturing industry. Occupations with increased risk of hearing difficulty were mechanics/repairers, machine operators, and transportation equipment operators. Hearing difficulty was differentially distributed across various industries. In industries with high rates, employers and workers should take preventive action to reduce the risk of occupational hearing loss.

Wavelet- and SVM-based forecasts: An analysis of the U.S. metal and materials manufacturing industry

This article compares four non-linear forecasting methods: multiplicative seasonal ARIMA, unobserved components (UC), wavelet-based and support vector machines (SVM). Whereas the first two methods are well known in the time series field, the other two rely on recently developed mathematical techniques. Based on forecasting accuracy and encompassing tests applied to shipments data of the U.S. metal and material manufacturing industry for 1958–2000, we conclude that that these two novel forecast techniques can either outperform the traditional ones or provide them with extra forecast information. In particular, based on the Granger–Newbold test, it appears that wavelets may be a promising new technique.

Hearing conservation programs in selected metal fabrication industries

Noise is an undesired sound that cannot be ignored. Hearing loss caused by industrial noise has been recognized for many years, and protection of employee hearing has been made mandatory by governmental agencies. This paper presents an investigation of ongoing hearing conservation programs (HCP) in selected metal fabrication industries in the state of Tennessee and the effects of these programs on employees’ health and safety. A questionnaire has been used to collect data for this study. The questionnaire was send to 65 metal fabrication industries (MFI) which have populations of over 100 employees. The response rate was 70.77%. The majority of industries surveyed had noise problems in their plants. Hearing conservation programs are a necessity to protect employees’ health and safety in metal fabrication industries in Tennessee.

Financial Decision Risks in Supplier Networks

Decision-making in industrial networks is a topical issue among researchers and practitioners. It brings up viable possibilities from close interaction with other companies to new uncertainties and risks. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) firms are building more efficient ways of producing end products and their suppliers face new challenges and pressure to evolve their business practices. For this study, empirical evidence was based on two networks in the electronics and metal manufacturing industries. Data were gathered during in-depth interviews with company representatives. Decision making and financial risks became more challenging and risky because the OEMs were required to have a significant role as development initiators and information sources when making decisions. Suppliers should have a realistic view of their position and role when assessing the reliability of information and risk management methods in the network. Power structure between companies is critical in decision-making situations.

Analysis and Influence of Acetylene and Propane Gas During Oxyfuel Gas Cutting of 1045 Carbon Steel

Many metal-manufacturing industries include oxyfuel cutting among their manufacturing processes because cutting and welding are often required in metal-cutting processes, specifically in the fabrication of pressure vessels and storage tanks. The oxyfuel cutting process uses controlled chemical reactions to remove preheated metal by rapid oxidation in a stream of pure oxygen. Previous research has demonstrated that metal cutting surfaces varied depending on the gas used for the combustion as well as the cutting speed (Vc) used during the process. In this research, AISI 1045 carbon steel was cut using an oxyacetylene and an oxypropane cutting process. Different tests, such as surface roughness, cut drag displacement, groove width, microhardness, and microstructure, were used to analyze the influence of the Vc and the combustion flame (oxyacetylene and oxypropane). The results showed, in general, better cut surfaces when using propane gas. Also, it was demonstrated that oxyacetylene cutting is almost 85% more expensive than oxypropane cutting.

대기 점오염원에서 배출되는 개별입자상물질의 물리화학적 특성

Scanning electron microscopy / energy dispersive X-ray analyzer(SEM/EDX) has played an important role for evaluation the source of atmospheric particle because it is a powerful tool for characterizing individual particles. The SEM/EDX system provides various physical parameters like optical diameter, as well as chemical information for a particle-by-particle basis. The purpose of the study was to classify individual particle emitted from the point sources based on clustering analysis and physico-chemical analysis by SEM/EDX. The total of 490 individual particle were analyzed at 8 point sources including coal-fired power plant, incinerator, H-C oil boiler, and metal manufacturing industry. The main components were Si and AI in the coal-fired power plant, Cl and Na in the domestic waste Incinerator, S in the H-C oil boiler and S and Fe in the metal manufactory industry, respectively.

REVIEW IN GEOCHEMISTRY AND ECOTOXICOLOGY OF LEAD, COPPER, CHROME AND ZINC METALS

The presence of metals in the environment has been linked to the evolutionary processes of man and nature. Its influence on biochemical mechanisms in organisms has been proven by numerous studies in recent years. However, due to the influences of anthropogenic activities, the presence of important amounts of metals has been found mainly in the regions close to the metal manufacturing industries, causing a local geochemical alteration, aggravated by natural factors such as rainfall, contaminating all levels of the chain trophic region.

3102 金型のパターン認識を用いた板金部品の設計支援

Sheet metal parts are widely used as main constructional elements of industrial products such as any household electric appliances and electronic equipments. Since a process planning of sheet metal part is so complicated, that computer aided engineering for sheet metal part has been investigated. In this paper, we focus on the shape of bending punch which is determined according to the conditions of interference. The proposing method can be used for the determination of a suitable punch and check of punch by using pattern recognition. We applied this method to actual sheet metal bending process of sheet metal parts in a shop floor of a sheet metal manufacturing industry as a case study, and validity of this method was confirmed.

Does Plant Ownership Affect the Level of Pollution Abatement Expenditure?

This paper considers a number of hypotheses. Primary among them is the notion that foreign-owned plants spend more on pollution abatement than do domestically owned plants after controlling for productive efficiency and cognizant of the prevailing regulatory regime. The evidence drawn upon in the first econometric assessment of this contention is plant level data from the U.K. metal manufacturing industry. In essence, this study directly estimates the influence of ownership and efficiency characteristics in firms’ decisions regarding whether to spend or not on pollution control and how much to spend.

Regional Networking of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Japan and Germany: Evidence from a Comparative Study

In this paper we compare the regional network relationships of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the mechanical engineering and related metal manufacturing industries in Japan and Germany. We show that the structure of network relationships is still largely determined by traditional forms of the organization of production, despite convergent developments. The network relationships of SMEs in Japan are thus very largely determined by a hierarchically organized system of production. By contrast, the German SMEs almost always have far more scope for strategic action than their Japanese counterparts because they are less dependent on large companies and have their own distinctive images in the final markets. In both countries, cooperative network relationships are on the increase. However, reregionalization as postulated in the flexible specialization hypothesis does not appear to be a dominant trend in either Japan or Germany.

1216 金型のパターン認識を用いた板金部品の設計支援

Sheet metal parts are widely used as main constructional elements of industrial products such as any household electric appliances and electronic equipments. Since a process planning of sheet metal part is so complicated, that computer aided engineering for sheet metal part has been investigated. In this paper, we focus on the shape of bending punch which is determined according to the conditions of interference. The proposing method can be used for the determination of a suitable punch and check of punch by using pattern recognition. We applied this method to actual sheet metal bending process of sheet metal parts in a shop floor of a sheet metal manufacturing industry as a case study, and validity of this method was confirmed.

Exposure assessment in the hard metal manufacturing industry with special regard to tungsten and its compounds

OBJECTIVESTo assess the exposure to tungsten, cobalt, and nickel in a plant producing hard metals. The main components of hard metals are tungsten carbide and cobalt metal. According to recent...

Handedness, Hand Roles, and Hand Injuries at Work

Hand injuries form a significant proportion of all workplace injuries. They are costly to treat, and lead to significant loss of time at work. This paper has two parts. First, there is a review of the literature that discusses prevalence of hand injury, and the significance of hand roles and handedness in industrial injuries. The second part represents an initial attempt to document the roles of the two hands in a particular industry, the metal manufacturing industry. The purpose of this survey of 30 different work stations in seven different industrial plants was to see whether there is a significant bias in terms of movement requirements for one or the other hand, leading to a possible differential risk of injury for the left and right hands. Overall, there was no clear bias favoring the right hand in activities assigned to the hands in seven different movement categories (MTM). However, the location of emergency controls favored the right hand unequivocally. The implications of biases favoring the left/right hand for safety of machine operation are discussed in the light of current findings on left/right hand performance in right- and lefthanders.

Catalytic Oxidation – A New Method for the Degradation of Pollutants in Wastewater

Wastewater from the chemical and the metal manufacturing industries, as well as leachates of landfills are often contaminated with organic compounds showing no or little tendency to degrade biologically. Among a variety of wastewater treatment techniques, the oxidation of organic pollutants, and the so-called advanced oxidation processes in particular, have proved to be effective methods of degradation.