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Recently, there has been considerable interest in the EEC in overtime working. In these times of high unemployment, some commentators have suggested that a reduction in overtime working could lead to job creation. This study attempts to look at reasons for overtime working as seen by management and to assess the potential for a reduction in overtime working in a policy of work sharing. It is in two parts, the first gives a summary of the results of a national level sample survey among managers of firms in the Republic of Ireland while the second part describes the use of a simulation model to test decisions relating to overtime working in an engineering job shop in the United Kingdom. The two sections complement one another and give insights into the behaviour of managers in relation to overtime working. It should be noted that the views of workers or of legislators are not reported. The views of workers would, of course, be very important in relation to the possibility of the successful implementation of a policy of reduced overtime working.

The purpose of this study is the evaluation of advantages and criticalities related to the application of addtive manufacturing (AM) to the production of parts for musical instruments. A comparison between traditional manufacturing and AM based on different aspects is carried out.

A set of mouthpieces produced through different AM techniques has been designed, manufactured and evaluated using an end-user satisfaction-oriented approach. A musician has been tasked to play the same classical music piece with different mouthpieces, and the sound has been recorded in a recording studio. The mouthpiece and sound characteristics have been evaluated in a structured methodology.

The quality of the sound and comfort of 3D printed mouthpieces can be similar to the traditional ones provided that an accurate design and proper materials and technologies are adopted. When personalization and economic issues are considered, AM is superior to mouthpieces produced by traditional techniques.

In this research, a mouthpiece for trombone has been investigated. However, a wider analysis where several musical instruments and related parts are evaluated could provide more data.

The production of mouthpieces with AM techniques is suggested owing to the advantages which can be tackled in terms of customization, manufacturing cost and time reduction.

This research is carried out using a multidisciplinary approach where several data have been considered to evaluate the end user satisfaction of 3D printed mouthpieces.

The empirical modelling of major rapid prototyping (RP) processes such as fused deposition modelling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS) and stereolithography (SL) has attracted the attention of researchers in view of their contribution to the overall cost of the product. Empirical modelling techniques such as artificial neural network (ANN) and regression analysis have been paid considerable attention. In this paper, a powerful modelling technique using genetic programming (GP) for modelling the FDM process is introduced and the issues related to the empirical modelling of RP processes are discussed. The present work aims to investigate the performance of various potential empirical modelling techniques so that the choice of an appropriate modelling technique for a given RP process can be made. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Apart from the study of applications of empirical modelling techniques on RP processes, a multigene GP is applied to predict the compressive strength of a FDM part based on five given input process parameters. The parameter setting for GP is determined using trial and experimental runs. The performance of the GP model is compared to those of neural networks and regression analysis.

The GP approach provides a model in the form of a mathematical equation reflecting the relationship between the compressive strength and five given input parameters. The performance of ANN is found to be better than those of GP and regression, showing the effectiveness of ANN in predicting the performance characteristics of the FDM part. The GP is able to identify the significant input parameters that comply with those of an earlier study. The distinct advantages of GP as compared to ANN and regression are highlighted. Several vital issues related to the empirical modelling of RP processes are also highlighted in the end.

For the first time, a review of the application of empirical modelling techniques on RP processes is undertaken and a new GP method for modelling the FDM process is introduced. The performance of potential empirical modelling techniques for modelling RP processes is evaluated. This is an important step in modernising the era of empirical modelling of RP processes.

Much research has been reported on the possibilities of using various heuristic priority rules to sequence batches through a job shop. The SPT (Shortest Priority Time) heuristic, or modifications to it, has been proved useful in many studies. This paper reports on the results obtained when simulating the work flow through a real machine shop. The simulation model has been used to test the effect on well known priority rules of releasing batches into the shop in order of decreasing expected throughput time. The important effect of this “phased release” of batches was to increase the percentage of batches delivered in finished parts stores on time, particularly in the case where priority rules were in use which might otherwise have resulted in poor delivery. This has important repercussions for management because it implies that by “phased” release of batches in the manner discussed, a large proportion of batches will be delivered on time whatever priority rule is in operation in the shop.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel technique for printing with multiple materials using the DLP method. Digital-light-processing (DLP) printing uses a digital projector to selectively cure a full layer of resin using a mask image. One of the challenges with DLP printing is the difficulty of incorporating multiple materials within the same part. As the part is cured within a liquid basin, resin switching introduces issues of cross-contamination and significantly increased print time.

The material handling challenges are investigated and addressed by taking inspiration from automated storage and retrieval systems and using an active cleaning solution. The material tower is a compact design to facilitate the storage and retrieval of different materials during the printing process. A spray mechanism is used for actively cleaning excess resin from the part between material changes.

Challenges encountered within the multi-material DLP technology are addressed and the experimental prototype validates the proposed solution. The system has a cleaning effectiveness of over 90 per cent in 15 s with the build area of 72 inches, in contrast to the previous work of 50 per cent cleaning effectiveness in 2 min with only 6 inches build area. The method can also hold more materials than the previous work.

The techniques from automated storage and retrieval system is applied to develop a storage system so that the time complexity of swapping is reduced from linear to constant. The whole system is sustainable and scalable by using a spraying mechanism. The design of the printer is modular and highly customizable, and the material waste for build materials and cleaning solution is minimized.

Fast-changing customer demands and rising requirements in product performance constantly challenge sports equipment manufacturers to come up with new and improved products to stay competitive. Additive manufacturing (AM), also referred to as 3D printing, can enhance the development of new products by providing an efficient approach of rapid prototyping. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the current adoption of AM technologies in the innovation process of the sports industry, i.e. level of awareness; how it is implemented; and it impact on the innovation process.

This work followed a qualitative research approach. After conducting a research of the current literature, this paper presents findings that include case studies from different companies, as well as a semi-structured interview with an outdoor sports equipment manufacturer. Companies from all over the world and of different sizes from under 100 employees to over 70,000 employees were considered in this research.

Literature research shows that AM brings many possibilities to enhance the innovation process, and case studies indicated several obstacles that hinder the technology from fully unfolding. AM is still at the early stage of entering the sports equipment industry and its potential benefits have not been fully exploited yet. The findings generated from the research of real-life practices show that AM provides several benefits when it comes to the innovation process, such as a faster development process, an optimised output, as well as the possibility to create new designs. However, companies are not yet able to enhance the innovation process in a way that leads to new products and new markets with AM. Limitations, including a small range of process able material and an inefficient mass production, still restrain the technology and lead to unused capability. Nevertheless, future prospects indicate the growing importance of AM in the innovation process and show that its advancement paves the way to new and innovative products.

Limitations exist in the qualitative approach of this study, which does not include the quantitative verification of the results.

Very few studies have been conducted to investigate how firms can harvest AM to increase their innovation capabilities. How firms can use AM to shorten product development time is an emerging topic in business and operations but has not been studied widely. This paper aims to address this gap.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1 M HCl.

A pharmaceutical drug acetyl G was investigated for its corrosion inhibition efficiency using weight loss method, potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

The inhibition efficiency increased with increase in inhibitor concentration. Results from polarisation studies revealed mixed type of inhibition. Impedance studies, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform spectroscopy confirm the adsorption of inhibitor on the mild steel surface.

The drug acetyl G has sulphur and nitrogen atoms which effectively block the corrosion of mild steel and is non-toxic and has good inhibition efficiency.

This method provides an excellent, non-toxic and cost-effective material as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in acid medium.

Application of this drug as a corrosion inhibitor has not been reported yet in the literature. Replacing the organic inhibitors, this green inhibitor shows excellent inhibition efficiency. This is adsorbed excellently on the mild steel surface due to the presence of long chain and hetero atoms. Thus, the drug retards the corrosion reaction.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the strategies and dynamics of the fledging accounting professional project in the context of boom, bust and reform in colonial Victoria. In doing so, the study provides evidence of the association of members of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants, Victoria (IIAV) (1886) and other auditors with banks that failed during the early 1890s Australian banking crisis, and addresses the implications for the professionalisation trajectory.

The study uses primary sources, including the surviving audited financial statements of a selection of 14 Melbourne-based failed banks, reports of relevant company meetings and other press reports and commentaries, along with relevant secondary sources, and applies theoretical analysis informed by the literature on the sociology of the professions.

IIAV members as bank auditors are shown to have been associated with most of the bank failures examined in this study, thereby not being immune from key problems in bank auditing and accounting of the period. The study shows how the IIAV, while part of the problem, ultimately became part of a solution that was regarded within the association’s leadership as less than optimal, essentially by means of 1896 legislative reforms in Victoria, and also addresses the associated implications.

The study reveals how a deeper understanding of economic and social problems in any context may be obtainable by examining surviving financial statements and related records sourced from archives of surviving business records.

The study elucidates accounting’s professionalisation trajectory in a colonial setting during respective periods of boom, bust and reform from the 1880s until around 1896 and provides insights into the development of financial auditing practices, which is still an important topic.

This research investigated the reuse of Video Records of Practice (VRPs) – i.e. a type of qualitative data documenting teaching and learning in educational settings. It studied how reusers' purposes and experience-level with VRP reuse influence the importance of various VRP selection criteria and how these differ depending on whether the main goal for reuse was research or teaching. It also examined whether two different dimensions of qualitative research – reflexivity and context – were factors in VRP reuse.

The study reports on surveys of reusers at four VRP repositories. Questions were based on the literature and interviews with VRP reusers. The response rate was 20.6% (180 of 872 distributed surveys). This paper focused on 126 respondents who affirmatively responded they reused VRPs from a repository.

Researchers using VRPs were primarily interested in examining a broad range of processes in education and studying/improving ways to measure differences and growth in education. Reusers with teaching goals were commonly interested in VRPs to engage learners in showing examples/exemplars of – and reflecting on – teaching and learning. These differences between research and teaching led to varied expectations about VRPs, such as the amount of content needed and necessary contextual information to support reuse.

While repositories focus on exposing content, understanding and communicating certain qualities of that content can help reusers identify VRPs and align goals with selection decisions.

Although qualitative data are increasingly reused, research has rarely focused on identifying how qualitative data reusers employ selection criteria. This study focused on VRPs as one type of qualitative data and identified the attributes of VRPs that reusers perceived to be important during selection. These will help VRP repositories determine which metadata and documentation meet reusers' goals.

A new quantum effect device which is capable of highly coherent electron emission is theoretically proposed and analysed. The new device works by using the potential induced accumulation layer at a heterointerface to produce dimensionally reduced electrons. These electrons tunnel through a heterobarrier ensuring that their energy is quantised in the direction of propagation. To avoid the problem of unquantised three dimensional electrons dominating the current the two dimensional electrons that tunnel through the barrier are replenished by electrons from two side contacts. A self‐consistent model is used to analyse the performance of the device and it is found that the new device performs very well, producing electrons with a very narrow energy spread in the direction of propagation. The current density/coherency combination is easily controlled by the applied bias and the device also offers the potential for ultra fast switching through the transition between coherent and incoherent states.