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The purpose of this paper is to introduce a method for stiffness modeling, identification and updating of collaborative robots (cobots). This method operates in real-time and with high precision and can eliminate the modeling error between the actual stiffness model and the theoretical stiffness model.

To simultaneously ensure the computational efficiency and modeling accuracy of the stiffness model, this method introduces the finite element substructure method (FESM) into the virtual joint method (VJM). The stiffness model of the cobots is built by integrating several 6-degree of freedom virtual joints that represent the elastic deformation of the cobot modules, and the stiffness matrices of these modules can be identified and obtained by the FESM. A model-updating method is proposed to identify stiffness influence coefficients, which can eliminate the modeling error between the actual prototype model and the theoretical finite element model.

The average relative error and the cycle time of the proposed method are approximately 6.14% and 1.31 ms, respectively. Compared with other stiffness modeling methods, this method not only has high modeling accuracy in high dexterity poses but also in low dexterity poses.

A hybrid stiffness modeling method is introduced to integrate the modeling accuracy of the FESM into the VJM. Stiffness influence coefficients are proposed to eliminate the modeling error between the theoretical and actual stiffness models.

Modern technology is giving some new requirements for the lubricating grease, and there are also some weaknesses for the existing diurea grease, especially its lower anti‐shear stability. This paper aims to address this issue. In this work, in order to meet the new industrial requirements and improve the weaknesses of diurea grease, the tetraurea grease has been synthesized.

Tetraurea grease was synthesized by multi‐steps, characterized by FT‐IR, NMR, ESI‐MS. The properties were evaluated by the ASTM method, such as dropping point, penetration, oil separation and shear stability, as well as four‐ball machine experiment.

The result shows that tetraurea grease is indeed synthesized successfully and it has a better performance than the existing diurea grease, the main properties of it have been increased, such as high‐temperature performance, structural stability, anti‐shear stability and extreme pressure performance.

This enriches the kinds of polyurea grease. Enhanced lubricating grease performance would have better industrial prospects, and a larger application field than existing diurea grease.

This paper presents a review concerning the analytical and inverse methods of small punch creep test (SPCT) in order to evaluate the mechanical property of component material at elevated temperature.

In this work, the effects of temperature, specimen size and shape on material properties are mainly discussed using the finite element (FE) method. The analytical approaches including membrane stretching, empirical or semi-empirical solutions that are currently used for data interpretation have been presented.

The state-of-the-art research progress on the inverse method, such as non-linear optimization program and neutral network, is critically reviewed. The capabilities of the inverse technique, the uniqueness of the solution and future development are discussed.

The state-of-the-art research progress on the inverse method such as non-linear optimization program and neutral network is critically reviewed. The capabilities of the inverse technique, the uniqueness of the solution and future development are discussed.

Grounded on the cognition–affect–conation (C–A–C) framework, this study aims to explore how perceived information overload affects the information avoidance intention of social media users through fatigue, frustration and dissatisfaction.

A quantitative research design is adopted. The data collected from 254 respondents in China are analyzed via structural equation modeling (SEM).

Perceived information overload directly affects fatigue, frustration and dissatisfaction among social media users, thereby affecting their information avoidance intention. In addition, frustration significantly affects social media fatigue and dissatisfaction. Consequently, social media fatigue influences dissatisfaction among users.

The literature review indicates that social media overload and fatigue yield negative behavioral outcomes, including discontinuance. However, rather than completely abstaining or escaping, social media users adopt moderate strategies, including information avoidance, to cope with overload and fatigue owing to their high dependence on social media. Unfortunately, merely few studies are available on the information avoidance behavior of social media users. Focusing on this line of research, the current study develops a model to investigate the antecedents of information avoidance in social media.

Electrochromic window (ECW) has been gradually applied to building engineering in recent years. However, empirical study of this technology used in green building design is still lacking. This study aims to verify the lighting and energy-saving performance of ECW under a specific geographical environment.

The meditation pavilion of Jinwan new materials research institute in Zhuhai is taken for research object. Three kinds of sun-shading techniques, namely, ECW, Low-E window and ordinary glass window, with same specifications are selected as the building facade structure for simulation. Day lighting analysis, sun-shading performance and annual energy consumption are separately simulated in the same environment by the Autodesk Ecotect Analysis software. The energy-saving performance of ECW is obtained by comparisons.

Result shows that the shading performance of ECW is much better than ordinary window and Low-E window. When ECW is used in the east, west or top lighting interfaces of a building, about 40% of the total solar radiation can be reduced during daytime in summer. Taking the ordinary glass window as a basic reference, ECW can save about 90% of the annual energy consumption of the glass house. ECW can effectively reduce the annual refrigeration energy consumption of buildings in the subtropical region.

Reasonable use of ECW in the subtropical region can effectively reduce the annual energy consumption of buildings.

It is a precedent study to analyze the lighting performance and energy consumption of a glass house with ECW. The energy-saving characteristics and beautiful appearance of ECW shall make it a future green building technology.

The number of cultural centres in South China shows an increasing trend. However, there is still a lack of research of this public building type and its related design strategy. This paper aims to identify general characteristics and presents design principles of cultural centres and thus enriches the theory of compact design strategies.

In total, 66 cases of cultural centres in South China have been investigated. The design patterns of these cultural centres projects are analysed by Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). The theory of compact design strategies is thus used to emphasize the systemic characteristics of cultural centres.

Cultural centres mostly have an overall floor area between 20,000-40,000 square metres (m²). Much cultural centres consist of three to four functional components. Different functional blocks are intensively organized in parallel or in series along a horizontal or vertical direction. The combination of multiple functions is divided into four usual composition types. The most common type is the “synthetical integration”. There are a total of four different distribution modes of integrated layout. Each of these modes can express different narrative themes according its needs, and four kinds of narrative themes are summarized.

Appropriate compact design strategies may be applied to improve the quality of public buildings in a region with the problem of land use limitation. Applications of results of this paper may enhance design efficiency or lead to more appropriate works.

Compact design strategies can be a guide for appropriate architectural design. The findings of this research provide regular design patterns for designers and engineers to streamline their design process.

The influence of the cam angular speed on the pressure, film thickness and temperature profiles at some selected angular positions together with the oil characteristics are investigated.

A high-order polynomial cam is used, and thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) calculations are carried out by the multi-grid method and line-line scanning technique.

It is found that the film thickness decreases with a decrease in angular speed. The depth of the dimple that occurred in the reverse motion is also reduced because of the recession in the “temperature–viscosity wedge” effect.

It is revealed that the reduction in the cam angular speed makes the classical big surface dimple evolve into a small centralized dimple during the opposite sliding motion.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2019-0327

The purpose of this paper is to determine the principal organisational cultural dimensions that affect levels of post-merger integration (PMI) in Chinese acquisitions in Germany and to explore the relationship of these specific organisational cultural dimensions and levels of integration.

Data set were collected using a structured questionnaire given to Chinese and German managers and employees, who implemented/were responsible for the PMI in 12 Chinese acquisitions in Germany. A total of 120 questionnaires were distributed and there were 67 respondents, corresponding to a response rate of about 56 per cent. Principal components analysis, one-way ANOVA and bi-variate Spearman’s correlation were applied to analyse the data.

Findings revealed that five organisational cultural dimensions (i.e. adaptability, consistency, involvement, balance and flexibility) were extracted to be the primary indicators affecting levels of integration in Chinese reverse mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the German market. Further, adaptability emerged as the only predictor with a significant negative implication on predicting the degree of PMI that Chinese investors would initiate to integrate their acquired German subsidiaries.

This study is one of the few studies to consider the specific organisational cultural dimensions affecting the integration levels of reverse M&As and is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, to explore the correlations of specific corporate cultural dimensions and integration levels in emerging multinational enterprises’ reverse M&As through quantitative research.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of juvenile attitudes toward the police (JATP) in Chinese social settings. More specifically, this study borrows from the wisdom of social bond theory and relevant literature developed in the USA to explain juvenile ratings of the police on specific job functions.

The data were collected from a multi-stage cluster sample of 2,704 high school students in a city with a population of 3.8 million located in the southwest region of China. The analysis includes variables derived from social bond theory as well as traditional models commonly employed in US studies, such as demographic background and contact with the police.

The findings suggest that both social bonds and traditional models have their respective utility to explain the variation in juvenile evaluations of the police.

This study expands the scope of the investigation on JATP in China, a distinctively different cultural environment from the USA. More specifically, it explores the utility of the respective explanatory power of the social bond model and traditional models in relation to juveniles’ ratings of the police in China.

This study aims to discover the factors which influence user satisfaction levels and their continuous use intention (CUI) of academic library social media, and then considers how to promote and improve further work on library social media to reduce user churn and increase user satisfaction.

An updated DeLone and McLean information systems success (D&M ISS) model and the expectation confirmation model for information systems continuance (ECM-ISC) with new variables of emotions are used to examine the factors which influence user satisfaction levels and CUI of academic library social media through 445 questionnaires. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data and presented in tables.

The results show that information quality, system quality and emotions affect user satisfaction and CUI, and reveal that emotions can affect that most obviously.

The WeChat public platform is mainly used in China, so the study only focuses on Chinese academic libraries. There are still limitations on the settings of observed variables which cannot cover all the causes of users’ positive and negative emotions. In addition, although the respondents of this questionnaire can represent academic library users, 445 samples are still fairly low in contrast to the great number of academic library WeChat public platform users.

This study integrates ECM-ISC and D&M ISS models, adds positive and negative emotions as new variables, to broaden the application scope of these models, and demonstrates the applicability of these two models in the fields of researching academic library social media, expanding and deepening related theories above. This also provides practical reference for academic libraries on how to improve user satisfaction and CUI of academic library social media and academic library WeChat public platforms, promoting the development of academic library social media.