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The purpose of this paper is to develop the multi-objective optimization approach and its numerical implementation to synthesise the model-base control for the part curing at autoclave processing, which supplies the stability and uniformity of the structure and mechanical properties of the material within the cured composite part.

The approach includes conversion of the cured part and mold geometry from their computer-aided design (CAD) to computer-aided engineering (CAE) representation, a finite element (FE) formulation of the coupled forward heat transfer/thermal kinetic problem with the parameters of prepreg, which should be determined by the thermal analysis, and, finally, a mapping of the area of 4D design space (thermal control parameters) to 2D objective space, whose coordinates are the maximum deviations of degree of cure and temperature within the cured part calculated at each call of the FE model.

The present modeling and optimization approach to the cure process control of the prepreg with thermosetting resin, as well as the means of visualizing optimization results, allow providing insight into complex curing phenomena, estimating the best achievable quality indicators of manufactured composite parts, finding satisfactory parameters of the control law and deciding considering all manufacturing constraints.

The research can be effectively used to optimize the cure process control for a wide class of polymeric composite parts, even with a complex geometry, but it requires the exact conversion of the geometry of the modeled part from the CAD to CAE environment, which implies the need for excluding all topological imperfections of original CAD model to eliminate the possible formation of void elements and other reasons that do not allow the correct FE meshing. Because thermal, rheological and kinetics parameters, which include the governing equations of cure process, depend on the reinforcing fibers, and especially on the resin properties, the thermal testing for the new modeled prepreg needs to be performed.

Computer implementation of the proposed approach and numerical method for model-based optimal control synthesis for composite part cure process can be used in aircraft, rotorcraft, ship and automotive technologies at the design of manufacturing process of the large composite parts with complex shape.

This will allow much better quality for large-scale composite parts, excluding very expensive, time-, energy- and material-consuming multiple cure process testing.

This is first time the problem of optimal control synthesis for curing the large-scale composite parts of complex shape was solved.

This paper aims to address the gaps in service recovery strategy assessment. An effective service recovery strategy that prevents customer defection after a service failure is a powerful managerial instrument. The literature to date does not present a comprehensive assessment of service recovery strategy. It also lacks a clear picture of the service recovery actions at managers’ disposal in case of failure and the effectiveness of individual strategies on customer outcomes.

Based on service recovery theory, this paper proposes a formative index of service recovery strategy and empirically validates this measure using partial least-squares path modelling with survey data from 437 complainants in the telecommunications industry in Egypt.

The CURE scale (CUstomer REcovery scale) presents evidence of reliability as well as convergent, discriminant and nomological validity. Findings also reveal that problem-solving, speed of response, effort, facilitation and apology are the actions that have an impact on the customer’s satisfaction with service recovery.

This new formative index is of potential value in investigating links between strategy and customer evaluations of service by helping managers identify which actions contribute most to changes in the overall service recovery strategy as well as satisfaction with service recovery. Ultimately, the CURE scale facilitates the long-term planning of effective complaint management.

This is the first study in the service marketing literature to propose a comprehensive assessment of service recovery strategy and clearly identify the service recovery actions that contribute most to changes in the overall service recovery strategy.

The general population relies on the healthcare system for needed care during disasters. Unfortunately, the system is already operating at capacity. Healthcare facilities must develop plans to accommodate the surge of patients generated during disasters. The purpose of this paper is to examine a concept for providing independent, technologically advanced medical surge capacity via a Convertible Use Rapidly Expandable (CURE) Center.

To develop this concept, a site was chosen to work through a scenario involving a large earthquake. Although the study‐affiliated hospital was built with then state‐of‐the‐art technologies, there is still concern for its continued functioning should a large earthquake occur. Working within these parameters, the planning team applied the concepts to a specific educational complex. Because this complex was in the initial building stages, required attributes could be incorporated, making the concept a potential reality. Challenges with operations, communications, and technologies were identified and addressed in the context of planning for delivery of quality healthcare.

The process highlighted several requirements. Planning must include community leaders, enhanced by agencies or individuals experienced in disaster response. Analyzing regional threats in the context of available resources comes first, and reaching a consensus on the scope of operation is required. This leads to an operational plan, and in turn to understanding the needs for a specific site. Use of computer modeling and virtual deployment of the center indicates where additional planning is needed.

Previous strategies for increasing surge capacity rely on continued availability of hospital resources, alternative care sites with minimal medical capability, or, costly hospital expansions. Development of a site‐specific CURE Center can allow communities to provide fiscally responsible solutions for sustained medical care during disasters.

This paper aims to study the combination of photochromic microcapsules, which use the ultraviolet (UV) rays for colour changing phenomena, and titanium oxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs), which block the UV rays by their photocatalytic activity in the sunlight on the cotton fabric.

The TiO₂ NPs mixed with photochromic printing paste are used for coating on cotton fabric and further curing is performed in a one-step process. The photochromic pigment printed fabric impregnated in a liquid solution is processed in a two-step process with two variables such as 1% TiO₂ and 2% TiO₂. The characterization of samples was done with a UV transmittance analyser, surface contact angle, antimicrobial test and fabric physical properties.

The UV protection of TiO₂-treated photochromic printed fabric was high and gives the ultraviolet protection factor rating of 2,000 which denotes almost maximum blocking of UV rays. The antibacterial activity of the one-step samples shows the highest 36 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) against S. aureus (gram-positive) and 32 mm ZOI against E. coli (gram-negative) bacteria. The one-step sample shows the highest static water contact angle of 118.6° representing more hydrophobicity, whereas the untreated fabric is fully wetted (0.4°). In two-step processes, as the concentration of TiO₂ increased, the antibacterial activity, UV blocking and hydrophobicity became better.

This work achieves the multifunctional finishes by using photochromic microcapsules and NPs in a single process as a first attempt. The results inferred that one-step sample has achieved higher values in most of the tests conducted when compared to all other sample.

The purpose of this paper is to research a multi-zone rubber vulcanization process heated by induction.

The design is an abstract setup model with two zones, where the homogene rubber compound is heated with different regimes. Simulation is completely done in ANSYS Mechanical by the finite element method solution. The research is made mostly simulative.

The results show that it is possible to obtain a factor-three vulcanization level difference in a core of a 20-mm rubber plate in a distance of less than 60 mm, while the heating is done from the side of the surface.

The originality is the combination of rubber vulcanization with a dynamic heat source in a form of electromagnetic induction applied on the mold form. This allows a high level of control of the vulcanization process of the rubber compound.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the issues related to cluster analysis, one of the most important and primitive activities of human beings, and of the advances made in recent years.

The paper investigates the clustering algorithms rooted in machine learning, computer science, statistics, and computational intelligence.

The paper reviews the basic issues of cluster analysis and discusses the recent advances of clustering algorithms in scalability, robustness, visualization, irregular cluster shape detection, and so on.

The paper presents a comprehensive and systematic survey of cluster analysis and emphasizes its recent efforts in order to meet the challenges caused by the glut of complicated data from a wide variety of communities.

AS DEVELOPED, the TriStar body is a conventional semimonocoque shell construction with a constant cross‐section of 235in diameter along most of its length. Bonding is utilised throughout the 150ft of airframe pressurised zone to join doublers and triplers around openings in the skin. Skin and stringers are supported by sheet metal frames spaced at 20in intervals.

While research on customer gratitude is gaining momentum, there is an absence of a clear conceptualization and operationalization of the construct. This paper aims to provide a grounded theory definition of customer gratitude, develops and validates a gratitude scale to fully capture the comprehensive definition and assesses the scale in a nomological network with antecedents and consequences.

This qualitative study and four quantitative studies examine customer gratitude within service encounters.

Results from all five studies support a three-dimensional definition of customer gratitude that includes affective, behavioral and cognitive dimensions. The quantitative findings show that the three-dimensional gratitude scale offers strong predictive ability of loyalty and relationship continuity and that gratitude maintains its effect on these relational outcomes after assessing other mediating mechanisms (e.g. value).

This research offers an expanded conceptual definition and scale of customer gratitude that conforms to theory and the extant literature. The scale maintains construct validity which is supported in a nomological context of theoretically based antecedents and consequences.

This work advances the emerging gratitude literature by clearly delineating the construct’s domain, measurement and impact on relational outcomes.