Machine Production Research Articles

Design and Production of a Paper Shredding Machine

There are countless cases of cooperate and government espionage, identity theft, sensitive information leaks. This all led to the need for government agencies, private and public institutions and even private individuals to protect their sensitive information and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. The act of discarding whole, readable documents containing sensitive information poses huge risks to an individual or organization, as these documents can be retrieved from a trash bin and the information they contain easily accessed. This has led to a number of identity theft cases, where a crime is committed using the information of an unsuspecting individual. Although advancements in information technology have resulted in electronic transmission and storage of information, a good number is still communicated via paper. This newly designed paper shredding machine utilized chain and sprocket in the power transmission which offers a high transmission efficiency unlike some paper shredding machines that used belt and pulley which cause slip and transmission losses. The machine architecture is very compact with ergonomically suitable features, and the performance is high. The shredding efficiency was 94%.Improvement on further work to improve the shredding efficiency is required.

Effect of Si3N4 Additive on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ti(C,N)-Based Cermet Cutting Tools.

Development of high-performance cutting tool materials is one of the critical parameters enhancing the surface finishing of high-speed machined products. Ti(C,N)-based cermets reinforced with and without different contents of silicon nitride were designed and evaluated to satisfy the requirements. In fact, the effect of silicon nitride addition to Ti(C,N)-based cermet remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of Si3N4 additive on microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of Ti(C,N)-based cermet cutting tools. In the present work, α-Si3N4 "grade SN-E10" was utilized with various fractions up to 6 wt.% in the designed cermets. A two-step reactive sintering process under vacuum was carried out for the green compact of Ti(C,N)-based cermet samples. The samples with 4 wt.% Si3N4 have an apparent solid density of about 6.75 g/cm3 (relative density of about 98 %); however, the cermet samples with 2 wt.% Si3N4 exhibit a superior fracture toughness of 10.82 MPa.m1/2 and a traverse rupture strength of 1425.8 MPa. With an increase in the contents of Si3N4, the Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of Ti(C,N)-based cermets have an inverse behavior trend. The influence of Si3N4 addition on thermal stability is clarified to better understand the relationship between thermal stability and mechanical properties of Ti(C,N)-based cermets.

Kebijakan Perdagangan Uni Eropa terhadap Produk Logam Dasar

Trade relations between the European Union and China experienced rapid growth during the first two decades of the 21st century. The increase in trade relations is in line with the implementation of EU trade barriers through anti-dumping investigation reports at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Chinese products. In the period 2001 – 2022, Chinese base metal products became the commodity with the most reported cases in antidumping investigations carried out by the EU at the WTO. However, in the same period, the value of imports of basic metal products to the European Union was lower compared to the value of imports of other products such as electricity & equipment as well as machine products, nuclear reactors and boilers. This article aims to explain the reasons behind the European Union's stance in making Chinese base metal products the most common commodity in antidumping investigation reports at the WTO. This article uses Alan Bryman's qualitative method, and the neoclassical realism theory proposed by Gideon Rose to analyze European Union policy towards Chinese Base Metal Products. The application of systemic pressure variables in neoclassical realism theory influences the European Union's position in the international system as an external factor, while there are other variables, in this case internal factors, which also influence the European Union's strategic trade policy-making process through the European Commission. The findings of this article show that China's dominance in world metals consumption and production since the early 2000s, especially in the 2013 – 2017 period, triggered the European Commission's perception that the European base metals industry was experiencing a decline in competitiveness and needed protection. In the 2013-2017 period, China's contribution to the world base metals market increased by 13% compared to 8% in the previous decade. On the other hand, the European Commission has maximized its influence in mobilizing national forces as outlined in the resolution document 2017/C399/12 to build a sustainable base metals industry. The European Union's trade policy in making Chinese base metal products the highest case report in antidumping investigations at the WTO over the last two decades, was driven by the European Commission, as the trade policy formulation unit in the European Union, to respond to systemic challenges in the global base metals market.

Analysis of the influence of uneveneity of the sintering process of the barch on the operation of the sintering machine

Literature data on the unevenness of temperature and composition of the gas leaving the sintering bed across the width and length of it and their influence on the productivity of sinter machines are considered. An analysis of the technologies reasons for the unevenness of the sintering process was carried out. It is shown that the reasons for the width of the pallets include the distribution of the mix bed in the loading bin, air leaks into the ignition hearth, the wall effect at the side plates of the pallets, the shape and angle of inclination of the sides relative to the grates. Along the length of the sinter machine, the unevenness of gas flow and composition is due to a decrease in the gas-dynamic re-sistance of the bed during the sintering process, segregation of the mix and fuel along the height of the bed, completion of bed drying and gaps between pallets. Using an adapted mathematical model of the sintering process, a comparison was made of the parameters of the basic (non-uniform) and calculated uniform operating modes of the AKM-312 sinter machine of the Steel Plant NLMK. I It has been established that with the vertical installation of the pallet sides accepted in the calculations that an increased gas flow rate at the periphery of the bed is accompanied by an increase in gas temperature with a corresponding decrease in the suction before exhausters. It was found that during the transition from the base to the uniform mode of operation of the sinter machine, the gas temperature in front of the exhausters decreased from 99.6 to 85.1 °C, the suction increased from 13.54 to 14.26 kPa, and in the collecting collector – by 1.15 kPa. The productivity of the sinter machine increased by 4.1%. When installing pallet sides vertically, the effectiveness of increasing the height of the layer on its periphery instead of compacting it and constructive solutions has been justified. Its increase provided an additional productivity of the sinter machine by 1.8%, a total of 5.9%. It has been shown that due to the simultaneous increase in gas temperature over the entire width of the bed in the final period of the sintering process, with a uniform operating mode of the sinter machine, the maximum gas temperature at the end of the process increases with a lower one – in front of the exhausters. From the point of view of the capabilities of exhausters in terms of the created suction, the accepted representation of their gas-dynamic characteristics at a temperature of 150 °C, which is possible only with a high level of unevenness of the sintering process, is not reasoned

Perhitungan Volume Stockpile dan Pengoptimalan Waktu Pengolahan Stockpile 3, 5 dan 6 Terhadap Produksi Alat Gali muat dan Alat Angkut pada TB Primer Batubesi PT Timah Tbk

PT Timah Tbk's Batubesi Primary Large Mine has experienced a significant decline in production in recent years, causing a change in the mining process to stockpile management that is still economical with a grade of 0.2%. This study aims to determine the volume and production of stockpiles 3, 5 and 6, the type of sediment and Sn content of stockpile material and the time required to spend stockpile material 3, 5 and 6 in order to get the optimal time. The method used is a quantitative method by taking cycle time data as much as 30 data and analyzing sample levels using XRF on each stockpile. The results of this study obtained the volume of stockpile 3 material is 132,648.42 m3,, stockpile 5 is 162,570.25 m3, and stockpile 6 is 33,090.19 m3. The calculated machine productivity at stockpile 3 is 42.17 tons/hour, stockpile 5 is 48.11 tons/hour and stockpile 6 is 39.53 tons/hour. The highest Sn content is found in stockpile 6 which is 0.33% with the type of skarn sediment. While the lowest Sn content is found in stockpile 3 which is 0.2% with oxide clay sediment type. In stockpile 5, the Sn content is 0.31% with the type of oxide clay sediment. The remaining volume of stockpile material in stockpiles 3, 5 and 6 can be spent with a time of 2.78 years using 1 unit of excavation equipment and 1 unit of transportation equipment. Optimization is carried out so that the remaining stockpile reserves can be spent within 1.74 years using 1 unit of excavation equipment and 2 units of transport equipment.

Evaluation of the Surface Topography of Microfinishing Abrasive Films in Relation to Their Machining Capability of Nimonic 80A Superalloy.

This study investigates the surface topography of microfinishing abrasive films and their machining capability on the Nimonic 80A superalloy, a high-performance nickel-based alloy commonly used in aerospace and gas turbine engine applications. Surface analysis was conducted on three abrasive films with nominal grain sizes of 30, 15, and 9 μm, exploring wear patterns, contact frequency, and distribution. To assess the distribution of grain apexes, Voronoi cells were employed. Results revealed distinct wear mechanisms, including torn abrasive grains and cracked bond surfaces, highlighting the importance of efficient chip removal mechanisms in microfinishing processes. Larger grain sizes exhibited fewer contacts with the workpiece but provided more storage space for machining products, while smaller grain sizes facilitated smoother surface finishes. The research demonstrated the effectiveness of microfinishing abrasive films in reducing surface irregularities. Additionally, surface analysis of worn abrasive tools provided insights into wear mechanisms and chip formation, with the segmentation of microchips contributing to efficient chip removal. These findings underscore the significance of selecting appropriate abrasive films and implementing effective chip removal mechanisms to optimize microfinishing processes and improve surface finishing quality in advanced material machining applications. It is worth emphasizing that no prior research has investigated the microfinishing of components crafted from Nimonic 80A utilizing abrasive films, rendering this study truly unique in its contribution to the field.

Healthy Vending Machine Products—Food for Thought on a Popular Diet-Related Behavioral Economic Strategy for Public Health

Healthy Vending Machine Products—Food for Thought on a Popular Diet-Related Behavioral Economic Strategy for Public Health

Spare parts warehouse re-layout design with kaizen 5S implementation to reduce wasted time searching for machine parts

Increasing the productivity and efficiency of production machines cannot be separated from the availability of machine spare parts in the warehouse department. Delays in the delivery of spare parts if machine problems occur often become a problem that disrupts efficiency. This delay was caused by the search for engine spare parts in the warehouse taking too long to find. The long search time was caused by the irregular placement of the materials and the messy condition of the warehouse. This research aims to make improvements to the goods search process to make it faster and more effective in the warehouse area and increase warehouse capacity using warehouse re-layout. This research method uses the implementation of warehouse re-layouts combined with the application of Kaizen 5S in controlling the condition of machine spare parts. This research found that the reason for the long search time for machine spare parts was due to the lack of knowledge of warehouse operators and the absence of training regarding the application of the 5S method, as well as the careless placement of spare parts in warehouses that were not neatly arranged. This research has resulted in a reduction in search time for engine spare parts from 6.4 minutes to 4 minutes per spare part unit or a decrease of 36.5%. Meanwhile, the results of the warehouse re-layout resulted in an increase in warehouse capacity from 80 pallets to 316 pallets, an increase of 395%.

Deep reinforcement learning for maintenance optimization of a scrap-based steel production line

This paper presents a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL)-based optimization approach for determining the optimal inspection and maintenance planning of a scrap-based steel production line. The DRL-based optimization maintenance recommends the adequate time for inspections and maintenance activities based on the monitoring conditions of the production line, such as machine productivity, buffer level, and production demand. Some practical aspects of the system, such as such uncertainty of the maintenance duration and the variable production rate of the machines, were considered. A scrap-based steel production line was modeled as a multi-component system considering components dependencies. A simulation model was developed to simulate the dynamics of the system and assist with the development of the DRL maintenance approach. The proposed DRL-based maintenance is compared with traditional maintenance policies, such reactive maintenance, time-based maintenance, and condition-based maintenance. In addition, different DRL algorithms such as PPO (Proximal Policy Optimization), TRPO (Trust Region Policy Optimization), and DQN (Deep Q-Network) are investigated in the case-based scenario. The findings indicated the potential for significant financial savings. Therefore, the proposed maintenance approach demonstrates system adaptability and has the potential to be a powerful tool for industrial competitiveness.

Investigation of the influence of cobalt content and grain size of WC-Co cemented carbides on wear when shear cutting electric sheet metal

In the production of electrical machines, shear cutting of electrical steel laminations before further processing into rotors and stators represents an essential manufacturing process. Investigations have shown that using abrasively worn active elements while shear cutting increases the hysteresis losses in the electrical steel sheet due to introduced deformations and resulting residual stresses. Therefore, knowledge of suitable tool materials is of great importance for producing high-quality electric motors. Due to its high silicon content, electrical steel has a strong abrasive effect on the tools, which is why Tungsten carbide cobalt (WC-Co) cemented carbides are commonly used. In this work, continuous stroke tests are carried out on an electric sheet with punches made of different WC-Co cemented carbides, differing in cobalt content and grain size. The punches are examined with increasing wear regarding cutting-edge geometry, surface condition and microstructure. The resulting cutting parts are inspected for cutting surface characteristics. In addition, the influence of geometry and tribology of the punches regarding residual stresses in the material is investigated by FEM-Simulation. The investigations will provide information on the wear development and causes when shear cutting electrical sheets and the effects on electric losses.

Risk related to heavy equipment productivity on the road construction project in Palu city

Heavy equipment is a vital resource in road construction projects. To determine the level of efficiency and effectiveness of heavy equipment, a quantity is needed which is expressed by the productivity of the tool. There are several risks related to machine productivity that can affect time, cost, and quality. The purpose of the study was to identify, assess, and manage risks related to heavy equipment productivity and to determine the effect of these risks on cost, time, and quality in road construction projects in Palu City. The method used is primary data collection through interviews and questionnaires as research instruments. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and assessment of risk acceptability. The results showed that 21 risks were included in the undesirable risk category with a percentage of 88%, so the action taken for these risks was to reduce risk to an acceptable level by making improvements within a certain period and 3 risks that are included in the acceptable risk category with a percentage of 12%, then the actions taken for these risks are to make improvements whenever possible because these risks do not have a large impact and are still within acceptable limits. Of the 24 risks, there is 1 risk that has a significant impact on time with a percentage of 100%, 4 risks that have a significant impact on costs with a percentage of 100%, and 1 risk that has a significant impact on quality with a percentage of 79 %.

Fuzzy process capability evaluation model for asymmetric tolerance production

Process capability indices (PCIs) are commonly applied assessment tools which enable the evaluation of process quality during production processes and also allow internal engineers to conveniently and effectively communicate with each other. Many studies have indicated that improving process capabilities not only increases product value but also reduces rates of scrap and rework and betters product availability. Furthermore, enhancing product quality also lengthens product lifespan and delays recovery. Clearly, quality is a crucial factor of corporate sustainability. The quality characteristics of many machine products have asymmetric tolerances, so PCIs with asymmetric tolerances are needed to evaluate these quality characteristics. Many researchers have stressed that sample sizes are not usually large due to cost and technical considerations as well as corporate demands for swift responses. Also, small sample sizes are associated with an increased risk of misjudgement. To address this, we developed a fuzzy evaluation method based on confidence intervals for PCIs with asymmetric tolerances. This approach incorporated expert experience and accumulated data to boost evaluation accuracy and diminish the likelihood of misjudgement resulting from sampling errors.

Membangun Keunggulan Kompetitif: Penerapan OEE dan Six Big Losses untuk Meningkatkan Efisiensi Mesin I-12 di PT. BI

BI is a company that operates in the plastic packaging manufacturing industry. The main problem faced by PT. BI lies in the productivity and efficiency of the I-12 machine. The operational disruptions that occurred were a large number of breakdowns and less than optimal production levels so this machine did not reach the desired maximum capacity. The impact of these conditions can be detrimental to the company with the potential to reduce machine productivity and efficiency, as well as the possibility of incurring high costs. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the I-12 engine by applying the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) method. According to the calculated data, the average Overall Equipment Effectiveness value from January to June 2022 is 81.32%, which means it does not meet the standards set by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance. Reduce speed losses on the I-12 engine have the largest percentage of the six big loss factors, namely 68.37%, which is the main cause of the decline in the effectiveness of the engine. Therefore, an in-depth analysis using a fishbone diagram is needed to find out the root cause of the problem. Keywords: Efficiency, Effectiveness, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Six Big Losses

Operation and Productivity Monitoring from Sound Signal of Legacy Pipe Bending Machine via Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)

This study introduces a non-invasive approach to monitor operation and productivity of a legacy pipe bending machine in real-time based on a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) model and internal sound as input data. Various sensors were deployed to determine the optimal sensor type and placement, and labels for training and testing the CNN model were generated through the meticulous collection of sound data in conjunction with webcam videos. The CNN model, which was optimized through hyperparameter tuning via grid search and utilized feature extraction using Log-Mel spectrogram, demonstrated notable prediction accuracies in the test. However, when applied in a real-world manufacturing scenario, the model encountered a significant number of errors in predicting productivity. To navigate through this challenge and enhance the predictive accuracy of the system, a buffer algorithm using the inferences of CNN models was proposed. This algorithm employs a queuing method for continuous sound monitoring securing robust predictions, refines the interpretation of the CNN model inferences, and enhances prediction outcomes in actual implementation where accuracy of monitoring productivity information is crucial. The proposed lightweight CNN model alongside the buffer algorithm was successfully deployed on an edge computer, enabling real-time remote monitoring.

Productivity and cost analysis of cable yarding operations in flat terrain in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland

ABSTRACT Protecting soils during forest operations is important, especially soils with limited bearing capacity that are being harvested during the wet months. These soils can sustain damage to their structure, and therefore site productivity can be reduced. Climate change may change weather patterns, and less frozen soil conditions will occur more frequently, forcing planners to search for alternatives to overcome this challenge. In this context, cable-based systems for tree yarding are one option to reduce potential damage to soils and remaining stands. Time studies were performed on three cable yarding operations in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland, aiming to understand the performance of cable-based systems in flat terrain. A statistical analysis was performed, and costs were calculated. The yarding productivity was 13.92–21.86 cubic meters over bark (m3ob) per productive machine hour. The payload was identified as the main variable significantly influencing the productivity of a yarding cycle. Overall, installation procedures of the yarder were the most time-consuming and expensive work step. Production costs were 70–102 CHF m3ob−1 (corresponding to 73–107 € m3ob−1), including felling, yarding and roadside processing. This study confirms that the costs resulting from cable-based operations in flat terrain are high and the approach is not (yet) competitive with ground-based systems.

Visualizing chaperone-mediated multistep assembly of the human 20S proteasome

Dedicated assembly factors orchestrate the stepwise production of many molecular machines, including the 28-subunit proteasome core particle (CP) that mediates protein degradation. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy reconstructions of seven recombinant human subcomplexes that visualize all five chaperones and the three active site propeptides across a wide swath of the assembly pathway. Comparison of these chaperone-bound intermediates and a matching mature CP reveals molecular mechanisms determining the order of successive subunit additions, as well as how proteasome subcomplexes and assembly factors structurally adapt upon progressive subunit incorporation to stabilize intermediates, facilitate the formation of subsequent intermediates and ultimately rearrange to coordinate proteolytic activation with gated access to active sites. This work establishes a methodologic approach for structural analysis of multiprotein complex assembly intermediates, illuminates specific functions of assembly factors and reveals conceptual principles underlying human proteasome biogenesis, thus providing an explanation for many previous biochemical and genetic observations.

Promoter regulatory mode evolution enhances the high multidrug resistance of tmexCD1-toprJ1.

Antibiotic resistance could rapidly emerge from acquiring the mobile antibiotic resistance genes, which are commonly evolved from an intrinsic gene. The emergence of the plasmid-borne mobilized efflux pump gene cluster tmexCD1-toprJ1 renders the last-resort antibiotic tigecycline ineffective, although its evolutionary mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the regulatory mechanisms of the progenitor NfxB-MexCD-OprJ, a chromosomally encoded operon that does not mediate antibiotic resistance in the wild-type version, and its homologs, TNfxB1-TMexCD1-TOprJ1 mediating high-level tigecycline resistance, and TNfxB3-TMexCD3-TOprJ1. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that in nfxB-mexCD-oprJ, MexCD expression was under a weaker promoter, PmexC and inhibited by a strong repressor NfxB. For tmexCD1-toprJ1, TMexCD1 was highly expressed owing to the presence of a strong promoter, PtmexC1, and an inactive suppressor, TNfxB1, with a T39R mutation that rendered it unable to bind to promoter DNA. In tnfxB3-tmexCD3-toprJ1b, TMexCD3 expression was intermediate because of the local regulator TNfxB3, which binds to two inverted repeat sequences of PtmexC. Additionally, TNfxB3 exhibited lower protein expression and weaker DNA binding affinity than its ancestor NfxB, together with their promoter activities difference explaining the different expression levels of tmexCD-toprJ homologs. Distinct fitness burdens on these homologs-carrying bacteria were observed due to the corresponding expression level, which might be associated with their global prevalence. In summary, our data depict the mechanisms underlying the evolution and dissemination of an important mobile antibiotic resistance gene from an intrinsic chromosomal gene.IMPORTANCEAs antibiotic resistance seriously challenges global health, tigecycline is one of the few effective drugs in the pipeline against infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. Our previous work identified a novel tigecycline resistance efflux pump gene cluster tmexCD1-toprJ1 in animals and humans, together with its various variants, a rising clinical concern. Herein, this study focused on how the local regulation modes of tmexCD1-toprJ1 evolved to a highly expressed efflux pump. Through comparative analysis between three tnfxB-tmexCD-toprJ homologs and their progenitor nfxB-mexCD-oprJ, modes, we demonstrated the evolutionary dynamics from a chromosomal silent gene to an active state. We found the de-repression of the local regulator and an increase of the promoter activity work together to promote a high production of drug efflux machines and enhance multidrug resistance. Our findings revealed that TMexCD1-TOprJ1 adopts a distinct evolutionary path to achieve higher multidrug resistance, urgently needing tight surveillance.

Investigation and comparison of permanent magnet rotors produced by different additive manufacturing methods

The advancements in technology have led to a growing interest in additive manufacturing owing to its numerous benefits such as increased degree of freedom, high flexibility, and material conservation. It has gained particular attention in the production of electrical machines and their active components such as windings, electrical insulation, magnetic core packs, and permanent magnets. This paper investigates the use of two methods, namely fused deposition modeling and cold spray, in the production of hard magnetic components for rotors with surface-mounted magnets. A comparative study was conducted through a combination of finite element simulations and experimental tests.

Increasing the Productivity of Conveyor Machines by Using an Artificial Bottom Bed

Increasing the Productivity of Conveyor Machines by Using an Artificial Bottom Bed

Culture and Morality in the Nineteenth Century: The Origins of Modern European Tolerance

This publication aims to analyze the economic, social, and cultural phenomena that first appeared in the "era of revolutions" that occurred in the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. The modern European trend toward tolerance, which is the basis of current social and cultural changes, including in our country, has specific intellectual grounds. The subject of the study was the ideosphere of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including philosophical, economic, and psychological concepts that gave rise to modern trends in these areas. The result of this study was the determination of the reasons that caused the change of the ideological paradigm in Europe. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that, for the first time, the intellectual foundations of the formation of tolerance as an actual socio-cultural phenomenon are analyzed. This article consistently proves that among the first such grounds, it is possible to determine the emergence of machine production and, as a result, the appearance of a mass person with a culture corresponding to them, performing a compensatory and entertaining function. The most important cultural foundation is mainly the intellectual "background" created by the teachings of Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud. The ideas of Anglo-American pragmatism played a significant role in forming a new morality, which included the denial of religion and its values, giving it a utilitarian character. During the subsequent historical period and at present, these views have become the basis for the creation of the so-called "individual faith," in which religion ceases to be the guide of human life but only serves the needs of the individual. The desacralization of religion leads to the study of different aspects of sexuality, which opens up the possibility for modern thinking about gender. The concept of "natural law" should also be attributed to the intellectual factors of the formation of modern European tolerance.