Stone Products Research Articles

Assessment of Phosphogypsum on the Territory of JSC Gomel Chemical Plant and its Processing Technology

JSC Gomel Chemical Plant is processing the apatite ore by the sulfuric acid extraction in order to obtain phosphorus mineral fertilizers. The plant operation is accompanied with formation and accumulation of the largevolume dumps of phosphogypsum on the enterprise's territory. Using the software product Google Earth Pro 7.3.3.7786, an assessment of the areal distribution and height of large-tonnage phosphogypsum dumps located in the territory of the enterprise's influence was made. The results of phosphogypsum laboratory study were considered. Based on data analysis, proposals for the use of phosphogypsum in various industries have been worked out, and the production of phosphogypsum stone was indicated as the most promising.

ОГЛЯД ПЕРСПЕКТИВ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ СМУГ ВИГОТОВЛЕНИХ ЗА ТЕХНОЛОГІЄЮ FIBERGLASS ДЛЯ АРМУВАННЯ АРХІТЕКРУРНО-ДЕКОРАТИВНИХ ВИРОБІВ З ПРИРОДНОГО КАМЕНЮ

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of using fiberglass strips manufactured with technology for reinforcing architectural decorative products made of natural stone by comparing their strength properties and behavior under bending strength. Methodology. The preparation of samples for strength testing has been carried out, and recommendations regarding the process have been described. Recommendations have been provided regarding the preparation, configuration, and implementation of the main tools and materials involved in the course of the research. Components of the experiment aimed at determining the strength characteristics of the samples have been developed and described. In accordance with the set tasks and the array of data obtained empirically, numerical values of the strength characteristics of natural stone products under external loads have been calculated. The calculations are performed in accordance with the general principles of theoretical and applied mechanics. Results. The influence of reinforcement on the strength of stone has been studied, expanding existing theoretical knowledge about the strength properties of stone and the possibilities for their improvement. New theoretical models and methods for assessing the strength characteristics of stone, taking into account the influence of reinforcing elements, have been developed, contributing to a deeper understanding of the processes occurring in the structure of stone during reinforcement. Scientific novelty. The existing methods of reinforcing natural stone products have been systematized and reviewed, and the ways to optimize them using modern composite material manufactured with fiberglass technology have been suggested. The feasibility of applying internal reinforcement technology to enhance the strength properties of natural stone products has been substantiated. For the first time, the methodology and effectiveness of applying internal reinforcement manufactured with fiberglass technology to improve the strength properties of products from the Pokostiv deposit granodiorite have been analyzed. Practical significance. The practical importance of the obtained results lies in the opportunity to transform theoretical knowledge into practical recommendations for improving the technology of manufacturing products from natural stone to enhance their reliability in operation and simplify the manufacturing process.

Усть-Ёдарма II – опорное многослойное геоархеологическое местонахождение в Северном Приангарье (по результатам работ 2009–2012 гг.)

The article presents the results of studying the material culture of the ancient population of the Northern Angara region from the multilayered geoarchaeological site of Ust-Yodarma 2. The site was located on the right cape of the Yodarma River at its confluence with the Angara River. Excavations were carried out in 2009–2012. As a result, 12 cultural levels were identified on the site in the chronological range from the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic to the ethnographic modernity (17th–20th centuries). The work was carried out on 4 excavations (more than 5 thousand square meters). A correlation was made between cultural levels from different excavations. Holocene deposits are most fully and clearly represented in excavation 1 in area A. Level 0 contains artifacts from the time of the development of the region by Russian pioneers in the 17th and 18th centuries to the modern stage of the existence of the Village Yodarma. Cultural levels 1–4 date from the Middle Ages, the Early Bronze Age, and the Final Neolithic. Levels 5– 8 contain only Neolithic artifacts, while materials from levels 9 and 10 are associated with the Mesolithic. In excavation 1 in area B, an Upper Paleolithic horizon was recorded. Neolithic and Mesolithic levels, as well as Bronze Age burials, have been radiocarbon dated. The total collection of artifacts includes more than 70 thousand finds. A technical and morphological analysis of ceramics, stone and bone tools was carried out. The collection of stone products is represented by products of primary knapping, facial processing, and finished tools (more than 40 thousand finds). Pottery was found in the form of separate fragments and vessels with different decoration techniques. The remains of at least 350 ceramic vessels (more than 14 thousand fragments) have been found. Artifacts made of bone and horn are represented by blanks, finished tools and their fragments, and a sculpture in the form of a moose head. Fire pits of different shapes and designs were recorded. A large number of fauna bones (hunting remains and kitchen refuse) were found. The analysis of artifacts in combination with stratigraphy and radiocarbon data makes it possible to identify the UstYodarma 2 site as a reference object for studying ancient cultures of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene of BaikalYenisei Siberia.

Комплексы раннего неолита геоархеологического объекта Бугульдейка I (западное побережье озера Байкал)

For the first time, the materials of the Early Neolithic complexes (cultural layers 7 and 8) of the multilayered site Buguldeika 1 on western coast of Lake Baikal, excavated in 2016 by A. A. Timoschenko and E. N. Bocharova, are introduced in full. A comparative analysis of materials from layers 7 and 8 showed that these complexes are largely homogeneous in nature (in terms of production and typology of ceramics and stone items). The differences lie in the changed proportions of cord-impressed Khaita and net-impressed ceramics (the predominance of the first of them in layer 8, and the second in layer 8). The complex of layer 7 contains a more diverse set of stone products, including rods of compound fishhooks of not only the Baikal, but also the Kitoi-like type. Some features were recorded in the composition and ratio of fauna remains, which made it possible to outline differences in fishing strategies: 1) layer 8 – hunting of ungulates, 2) layer 7 – specialized hunting for seals. Probably, such difference is explained by the seasonal characteristics. Based on the stratigraphy, comparison of archaeological materials with synchronous complexes of main multilayered sites of the Cis-Baikal and radiocarbon AMS dating, the age of the cultural layers of the studied site was determined. They represent different chronological periods of the Early Neolithic: layer 8 – 7779–7576 cal BP, and layer 7 – 7406–7168 cal BP. An important point of this study is the fact of the presence of bighorn sheep on the coast of Lake Baikal during the boreal stage of the Holocene (8981–8398 cal BP). Excavations at the Buguldeika 1 showed the prospects for further research of this site and confirmed the existence in the Early Neolithic of the Cis-Baikal of different traditions for the production of ceramic vessels: with impressions of woven net and impressions of cord (Khaita type). A series of radiocarbon dates obtained from all complexes of Cis-Baikal Early Neolithic sites (including Buguldeika 1) indicate that both pottery traditions existed relatively synchronously in the chronological range of 8160–7000 cal BP. A comparative analysis of the Early Neolithic complexes of the Baikal coast with materials from multilayered sites in the south of Middle Siberia showed their correspondence with each other in several techno-morphological characteristics and, above all, in the manufacture of ceramics.

A Future with Engineering Stone Made from Silica-Rich Iron Ore Tailings from Vale

Among the many initiatives being developed to recover and reuse mineral waste at Vale mining sites, the new business solution presented here uses silica-rich tailings as a substitute for primary silica to produce engineering stone products like kitchens countertop, bathroom vanities and floor tiles in a booming, multi-billion dollar industry. Engineering stone is an alternative to natural stone like granite. It is manufactured from approximately 93% primary silica, 7% resin, colour pigments and selected aesthetic additives, with the recipes varying depending on desired colour and aesthetic properties. Using primary (typically white) silica allows engineering stone manufactures to produce products with a wide colour range, so when used, residual (darker) iron ore in tailings can somewhat decrease colour control. Through innovative technological advances combined with a skilled and highly motivated workforce, Vale has been able to systematically improve separation efficiency of its concentration/beneficiation processes (primarily aimed at maximizing the recovery of iron ore). Fortuitous laws governing mass balances have ensured that increased recovery of iron ore in one stream has meant an associated increase in silica content of the other stream (tailings), in some strategic process streams as high as 90-96% SiO2. Such a systematic increase in the silica content (becoming whiter) has meant an increase in the colour control Vale silica-rich tailings can deliver the industry. Since 2014 Vale has been working closely with leaders in the engineering stone manufacturing industry to develop recipes. This collaboration is delivering engineering stone that not only meet EN 14617 industry standards for resistance to stain, strength and impact but also have colour ranges able to satisfy market needs.

ЖЕРТВЕННЫЕ КОМПЛЕКСЫУСТЬ-ВАГИЛЬСКОГО ХОЛМА НА РЕКЕ ТАВДЕ (ПО МАТЕРИАЛАМ РАСКОПОК 1970 ГОДА)

Ust-Vagilsky Hill is an unusual cult site in the form of a hill with a diameter of about 50 m and a height of up to 6 m is located in the upper reaches of the Tavda river (Garinsky district of the Sverdlovsk region). All epochs from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages are represented on the hill. Each epoch is characterized by its own features. For the Mesolithic, this is a geometric microlith and an arrowhead on a narrow plate. Ceramic vessels with anthropomorphic images stuck on their corollas were widely used in the Neolithic era. The Neolithic is also characterized by large nucleus and tools on wide (1.5–2.5 cm) plates of light gray weakly siliceous rock. The Eneolithic is represented by ceramic vessels decorated with a variety of geometric patterns from the impressions of a comb stamp, as well as polished arrowheads typical of this era, pendants made of dark red pyrophyllite slate, and the pommel of a mace. The transition period from late Bronze to Early Iron is characterized by ceramics of the Vagil type and remnants of metallurgical production in the form of pieces of slag, baked and crusted clay, and fragments of ceramics. This complex includes ornamental fishing sinkers, individual stone products and a clay stamp, which gives prints of a single-row fine-toothed wave. Among them are arrowheads in the form of wide isosceles triangles and scrapers, from the back and from the abdomen treated with flat retouching. The epoch of the Middle Ages is represented by ceramics of the Zelenogorsk type, an iron knife and bone tools (a dagger, a spearhead, arrowheads and points). The sacrificial character of the complexes is emphasized by the presence of ochre and non-utilitarian products: the pommel of a mace, pendants made of pyrophyllite slate, and individual clay products.

Performance of tubular elastic charges in natural stone production

Performance of tubular elastic charges in natural stone production

НОВЫЕ ДАННЫЕ ПО АРХЕОЛОГИИ СРЕДНЕГО ЗАУРАЛЬЯ (по материалам памятника Кокшарово I)

The article presents previously unknown materials of the Stone and Bronze Ages from the site of Koksharovo I, which was excavated by V.F. Starkov in 1966 and 1968.The site contains mixed complexes of all epochs from the Mesolithic to the Early Iron Age.The Mesolithic, Neolithic and Early Iron epochs are represented by an insignificant admixture, which makes up about 5% of the entire complex.The remaining materials belong to the Eneolithic (about 80%) and the Late Bronze Age (about 15%).The analysis of stone products was carried out using statistical-typological, traceological and mineralogical methods.The uniqueness of the site is given by two “burials” investigated by V.F. Starkov, performed according to a previously unknown rite; but the current level of knowledge suggests that these “burial structures” are not burials, but a kind of cult complexes. The inhabitants of the site used a variety of mineral raw materials (over 20 names) obtained from local sources.

JUSTIFICATION OF REINFORCEMENT PARAMETERS FOR PRODUCTS MADE OF NATURAL STONE WITH STEEL AND COMPOSITE CORES

Purpose. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using steel and composite reinforcement to enhance the strength characteristics of products made of natural stone. Methodology. The preparation of specimens for conducting strength tests is performed and described. Recommendations are provided for the preparation, configuration, and utilization of the main tools and materials involved in the research. The components of the experiment aimed at determining the strength characteristics of the specimens are developed and described. Based on the obtained data, calculations of the primary force parameters during the failure of the specimens under bending loads are carried out. Results. The research findings on the application of steel and composite reinforcement methods to improve the strength properties of stone products revealed that the use of composite reinforcement consistently increases deformation under higher loads, indicating better control of plastic deformation compared to steel reinforcement. However, the ultimate strength and load-bearing capacity of specimens reinforced with composite reinforcement are lower than those reinforced with steel reinforcement. Scientific novelty lies in the systematic analysis and comparison of the effectiveness of different types of reinforcement in enhancing the strength characteristics of products made of natural stone, as well as in the development of methodology and experimental procedures for determining force parameters. The obtained results indicate the potential of composite reinforcement for controlled plastic deformation and establish limitations regarding ultimate strength and load-bearing capacity. Practical significance of the research lies in providing recommendations and information that can be utilized by designers, engineers, and construction professionals in the manufacturing of products made of natural stone, as well as in the planning and implementation of construction projects involving natural stone.

Between the use, copying and innovation. A contribution to the studies on the stone tool industry in Neolithic societies of the Globular Amphora Culture in the Polish Lowland (Kuyavia)

This article focuses on a section of studies on the Globular Amphorae Culture (GAC) stone production in Kuyavia. The source materials from this area provide evidence of heretofore unknown activity of stone workers of this culture engaged in production of adzes that copied the forms typical of Late Band Pottery Culture. The resulting observations challenge the view that GAC communities did not produce stone adzes of their own, but allegedly restricted themselves only to using ready-made adzes of other Neolithic cultures. The sources under discussion also provide documented information on an innovative contribution of Kuyavian GAC stone workers in the assortment of tool products. This assortment includes polishing plates with the shapes and dimensions that essentially differentiated them from the corresponding tools used in the area in the Neolithic. Nevertheless, the claim that the local GAC communities did not produce type of the stone adze that would be characteristic of their own still remains as valid as ever.

THE EXPERT ASSESSMENT OF SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE PEGMATITES OF THE DEPOSITS OF THE YELISEYEVSKY ORE FIELD)

The purpose of the article is to characterize the problematic issues of regulatory and legal support for the circulation of semi-precious stones with regard to improving the assessment of their quality and value, to propose directions for their solution using the example of written pegmatites of the Eliseiv field. Methodology. The methodological basis of the research is general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge. The method of system-structural analysis made it possible to investigate the norms of domestic legislation regulating the extraction, production and use of precious and semi-precious stones, control over operations with them and the rules of their attestation, to express a number of critical remarks about the lack of regulations, technical instructions and price lists regarding pegmatite as a semi-precious stone stones of the second order. The use of statistical, mathematical, physical and other special research methods made it possible to investigate written pegmatite within the framework of forensic gemological examination in view of its physical, technological and aesthetic properties, as well as to distinguish groups based on established quality criteria. Scientific novelty. The regulatory and legal problems are identifieded in the legislation of Ukraine in determining the status, cost, confinement to a specific deposit of semiprecious stones. On the example of pegmatites of the Eliseiv ore field, the solutions in the expert evaluation of semiprecious stones are proposed, including the identification of quality criteria, the creation of reference collections, the formation of price lists taking into account the consumer properties of products. Conclusions. The legal framework in the field of regulation of extraction, production and use of precious and semi-precious stones, control over operations with them and their certification was analyzed. The problems of regulatory and legal provision of expert evaluation of semi-precious stones, in particular, written pegmatite as a semi-precious stone of the second order, are outlined. The cause-and-effect relationships of regulatory and legal support for the circulation of semi-precious stones in the context of improving the assessment of the quality and value of semi-precious stones (on the example of Eliseiv pegmatites) have been proven. Directions for solving the problems of regulatory and legal provision of expert evaluation of semi-precious stones are proposed using the example of written pegmatites of Eliseiv field. At the same time, it was established that written pegmatites are occur in different genetic types, but granite pegmatites are of greatest commercial interest due to their high decorative characteristics. The quality criteria of written pegmatites (color, size and shape of ichthyoglypts, smoothness, pattern) were defined, on the basis of which decorative varieties of pegmatites were selected: light pink, light brown, do purple, parquet pink, purple tiger, pink leopard, light gray, brown-pink looped). It was established that the absence of state standards (price lists, technical conditions, quality criteria) for pegmatite creates certain difficulties in observing the main principles of forensic examination – the completeness and objectivity of research. It has been proven that currently the most priority task is the development of methodological recommendations for the forensic gemological examination of semi-precious stones.

Cross-Cultural Ventures to Design Stone Products

This paper is part of an ongoing research, addressing the design of stone products to guide materials to new applications in a reality that asks for local qualities, sustainability, and change. The authors present the thesis that unexpected materials can be obtained through the mix-combination of its basic components. Accidental materials speak through a complex network of interrelationships in relation to the context. So, the power of expressiveness can be obtained through the controlled mixture of its elementary components. In a world where things deliberately unstable are the raw material for the construction of unstable identities, it is urgent to be constantly attentive. It is necessary to ensure that the flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly follow changing patterns from the outside world. The study is based on a mixed practice and supports cross-fertilization and design-driven innovation to create cooperation between different mediators to communicate new meanings with the sense of future. The design process involved design students and the productive sector. The authors want to prove that it is possible to find innovative ways, looking for references in new scenarios that can determine innovation and guide the material to new applications that affirms globally by local qualities.

Monilinia fructigena Suppressing and Plant Growth Promoting Endophytic Pseudomonas spp. Bacteria Isolated from Plum.

Brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. fungi causes substantial losses in stone and pome fruit production. Reports suggest that up to 90% of the harvest could be lost. This constitutes an important worldwide issue in the food chain that cannot be solved by the use of chemical fungicides alone. Biocontrol agents (BCAs) based on microorganisms are considered a potential alternative to chemical fungicides. We hypothesized that endophytic bacteria from Prunus domestica could exhibit antagonistic properties towards Monilinia fructigena, one of the main causative agents of brown rot. Among the bacteria isolated from vegetative buds, eight isolates showed antagonistic activity against M. fructigena, including three Pseudomonas spp. isolates that demonstrated 34% to 90% inhibition of the pathogen's growth when cultivated on two different media in vitro. As the stimulation of plant growth could contribute to the disease-suppressing activity of the potential BCAs, plant growth promoting traits (PGPTs) were assessed for bacterial isolates with M. fructigena-suppressing activity. While all isolates were capable of producing siderophores and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), fixating nitrogen, mineralizing organic phosphate, and solubilizing inorganic phosphate and potassium, only the Pseudomonas spp. isolates showed 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity. Overall, our study paves the way for the development of an eco-friendly strategy for managing M. fructigena pathogens by using BCAs including Pseudomonas spp. bacteria, which could also serve as growth stimulators.

The shapes of clay vessels of the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture from site Dobroe 9 on the Upper Don

The paper describes the main types of pottery forms and some results of their analysis for vessels of the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture from site Dobroe 9. Until recently, only a few settlements of the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture with a traced stratigraphic position on the Upper Don were studied. At site Dobroe 9, a homogeneous lithological layer was revealed, containing only the materials of this culture: pottery, bones, stone products. At the moment, 109 m of the site were researched by the excavations. We established the date of the pottery collection of the site as the last quarter of the VI millennium BC. Earlier, A.T. Sinyuk put forward the thesis that the cylindrical shape of vessels with a relatively smooth transition of the walls to a sharp bottom is characteristic of the Middle Don culture, but in the collection of site Dobroe 9 closed-type vessels predominate. The comparative analysis of the shapes of ceramic vessels of two settlements with the greatest variety of vessel shapes (site Universitetskaya 3 and site Dobroe 9) of the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture has shown that its material culture influenced by other archaeological cultures is not particularly homogeneous. This is manifested not only in ceramics, but also in stone tools.

GEOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DOLOMITE DEPOSIT NIKOLIN POTOK NEAR BUGOJNO

<p>This paper presents the results of detailed geological investigations of the Middle Triassic dolomite deposit of Nikolin Potok, which is located west of Bugojno. Based on the established borders of surface distribution and research results, geological reserves of about 4.6 million m3 have been determined in the wider area of the deposit. The dolomite reserves that have been established so far in this area are at a low level of geological exploration. For this reason, the level of research should be significantly increased, because the calculated and confirmed reserves are very modest compared to the potential possibilities. The paper contains a description of the geological characteristics of the area and the qualitativequantitative characteristics of dolomite. The results of the conducted research point that the general geological and technical-exploitation factors are favorable and indicate profitable exploitation of the deposit in the coming period as well. Taking into account the significant raw material potential, and the possibility of expanding the existing raw material base, this area has a special significance for the perspective development of dolomite exploitation and its use in the production of technical-building stone.</p>

Mechanism of Stone (Hardened Endocarp) Formation in Fruits: An Attempt toward Pitless Fruits, and Its Advantages and Disadvantages.

Stone (hardened endocarp) has a very important role in the continuity of plant life. Nature has gifted plants with various seed protection and dispersal strategies. Stone-fruit-bearing species have evolved a unique adaptation in which the seed is encased in an extremely hard wood-like shell called the stone. The lignification of the fruit endocarp layer produces the stone, a feature that separates drupes from other plants. Stone cells emerge from parenchyma cells after programmed cell death and the deposition of cellulose and lignin in the secondary cell wall. Generally, the deposition of lignin in primary cell walls is followed by secondary thickening of cell walls to form stone cells. This review article describes the molecular mechanisms and factors that influence the production of stone in the fruit. This is the first review article that describes the molecular mechanisms regulating stone (harden endocarp) formation in fruits. This article will help breeders understand the molecular and genetic basis for the stone formation in fruit, and this could lead to new and innovative directions to breed stoneless fruit cultivars in the future.

On the earliest evidence of the middle Dnipro area non-flint rocks use

Purpose. To determine the rock composition and origin of raw materials of non-flint stone products found during the study on the Mira Upper Palaeolithic archaeological site in the Middle Dnipro area. Methodology. The research on the artefacts was carried out using the mineralogical and petrographic methods. The rocks were studied in transparent thin sections using a polarized microscope. To verify the accuracy of the petrographic analysis of some specimens, the XRD and XRF methods were applied. Establishing the provenance of the rocks was performed using comparative mineralogical and petrographic analysis, for which the specimens of samples from the outcrops were used, as well as geological survey and literary data. Findings. To conduct petrographic research, seven specimens of stones with traces of processing, found during archaeological excavations of the Upper Palaeolithic Mira site, were taken. As a result of the petrographic analysis, it was established that the stones with traces of processing are represented by the aplitoid two-feldspar granites, altered dolerite, quartz arenite, quartz rock, amphibolite and actinolitite. All the mentioned rocks are typical for the Middle Dnipro area. The specimens of the granites, dolerite, and arenite, by their petrographic features, have analogues among the rocks of the region and, more likely, are of the local provenance. Most likely, a quartz sample comes from the territory of the Ukrainian Shield. The types of amphibolite and actinolitite, which are analogues to the studied artefacts by their petrographic and chemical features, do not occur today among the rocks that form natural outcrops in the Middle Dnipro area. Thus, the specimens of the amphibolite and actinolitite may have both local and other origin. More accurate determination of the provenance of the amphibolite and actinolitite samples requires further study involving sample collections from other regions, wherefrom these rocks could have been carried. Originality. For the first time, the Upper Palaeolithic Mira archaeological site stone artefacts were studied in thin sections and with the application of XRD and XRF analyses, which made it possible to make more precise findings on their petrographic properties and origin. The studied samples are of great importance because, today, they are the earliest non-flint stone artefacts from the Middle Dnipro area to be studied by means of petrography, particularly those made from crystalline rocks of the Ukrainian Shield. Practical value. The results obtained can be used in performing studies on archaeology and the history of mining, as well as in popular science works.

Production of high value-added filler from harmful dust of marble industry using N-sodium lauroyl sarcosinate surfactant as a new flotation collector

AbstractIn the stone industry, about 73% of the total production is generated as solid waste. In the processing phase, only 20% is produced as harmful ultra-fine sawdust sludge. In the Turah area, Cairo, Egypt, an estimated 448,000 tons are produced annually. About 60% of the total production of dimension stones is carbonate stones. The objective of this study is to properly dispose of the ultrafine pollutants and produce value-added products. The ultrafine marble waste was characterized by different methods such as XRD, XRF, FTIR, particle size analysis and zeta potential. Calcite and dolomite minerals were the main constituents of this waste (91%). The average particle size was 6.656 µm. The fine fraction with a particle size of less than 25 µm contains 97.6% calcite with 81% weight. Sodium N-lauroyl sarcosinate (SNLS) was used as a selective flotation collector for calcite as a calcium mineral. A flotation concentrate with a purity of 99.6% and an overall yield of 80% was obtained at a pH of 9. The bleached product meets ASTM standard specifications for paint and paper applications.

Doğaltaş Fabrikasında Fayans Üretim Hattındaki Kalite Kontrol Uygulaması

İşletmeler, rekabet ortamında ürettikleri ürünün devamlı talep edilmesini isterler. Üretilen ürünün devamlı talep görmesindeki en önemli unsurlardan biri de kaliteli ürün olmasıdır. İstenilen kalitede ürün olması için de üretim süreci boyunca kalite kontrol olmasıdır. Kalite kontrol’ün temel amacı, üretim kusurlarının belirlenip önlenmesi ve standart mal üretilmesidir. Endüstride kalite kontrol önemli olduğu gibi doğaltaş üretimlerinde de kalite kontrol önemli olmaktadır. Özellikle doğaltaş fabrikalarında üretilen fayansların ölçülebilir karakteristikleri olan kalınlıkları, eni, boyu, gönyesi ve yüzey özelliği müşterinin ilk etap da dikkat ettiği kısımdır. Ölçülemeyen fakat kalite açısından önemli olan fayans özellikleri ise, köşe kırığı, yüzey dolgu boşlukları ve kenar işleme özelliklerinden kaynaklanan kusurlardır. Mermer işleme tesisinde, her operasyonda üretilen yarı mamulden sonra ölçü kontrolünün, damar-çatlak-kırık ve renk homojenliği kontrolünün, bir sonraki işlemden önce yapılması gerekmektedir. Mermer sektöründe müşteriye sunulan nihai ürünlerin kalite standartlarının oluşturulması ve kalitedeki sürekliliğin sağlanması önemlidir. Mermer fabrikalarında levha ve fayanslara belirli aşamalarda kalite kontrol çalışmaları yapılmalıdır. Bu çalışmada Isparta’da bulunan bir mermer fabrikasının fayans üretim hattından örnek olarak alınan 30,5x30,5x1,25 cm boyutlarındaki bej mermer fayanslar, genel olarak taşın kalite karakteristiğini ortaya koyan, aynı üretim hattından çıkan mermerlerdir. Alınan örneklerin en, boy, kalınlık, gönye ve yüzey parlaklığı gibi ölçülebilir karakteristikleri ölçüldükten sonra, elde edilen verilere Shewhart kontrol grafikleri uygulanmıştır. X-S kontrol grafikleri sonucunda üretimde bazı sapmaların olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Müşteri memnuniyeti açısından önemli olan mermer sektöründe, kalite kontrolde yaşanan bu sapmalar göz önünde bulundurarak nedenleri araştırılmalı, müşteri memnuniyeti maksimum düzeye getirilmelidir.

Quantification of Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT) and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue (SAT) Based on CT Scan Tissue Segmentation Associated with Urolithiasis Recurrence

Introduction: The aim of this study is to applied CT scan-based tissue segmentation to measure visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) volumes. Then, the ratio of both fat tissue volumes was calculated to get two more parameters: visceral fat volume ratio (VFVR) and subcutaneous fat volume ratio (SFVR). After that, the relationship between these factors and urolithiasis recurrence was examined using correlation analysis. Other parameters, which are the patient’s age and gender, were also tested for correlation analysis with urolithiasis recurrence. Finally, logistic regression analysis was performed to find the association between urolithiasis recurrence and the parameters (age, gender, VAT volume, SAT volume, VFVR and SFVR). Methods: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study design using the images collected from CT Urology cases in the year 2019. The patients selected have a history of stone removal in 2014. The application used for CT tissue segmentation is 3D Slicer. Results: Urolithiasis recurrence shows medium and high degree of positive correlation with total fat volume, VAT volume, and VFVR (correlation coefficient, cc = 0.254, p = 0.023), (cc = 0.390, p< 0.001) and (cc = 0.688, p< 0.001), respectively and high degree of negative correlation with SFVR (cc = -0.688, p< 0.001). However, using logistic regression analysis, only VAT volume was significantly associated with urolithiasis recurrence (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22, p= 0.03), while the total fat volume, VFVR, and SFVR are not significant. Conclusion: CT scan-based tissue segmentation has a huge impact on fat volume quantification. This study confirms that VAT volume was strongly correlated with urolithiasis recurrence, indicating that VAT volume plays a more important role than SAT volume, total fat volume, VFVR and SFVR in the production of urinary stone. Thus, VAT volume can be further considered as a new independent risk factor for urolithiasis.