Search results

The variability of the results of a visual control is often high. This paper aims to propose a new tool to give information about what improvement actions can be carried out to reduce this variability.

The variability of a visual control can be measured by Kappa's Fleiss which measures the level of agreement between appraisers and experts. The R&R Gage is then classically used to give information about corrective actions which can be carried out in order to improve this level of agreement. The paper demonstrated that this information is not always sufficient.

By considering the two essential steps of a visual control (exploration and evaluation), the R2&E2 Gage proposed gives more precise information about the improvement actions to carry out to reduce the variability of a visual control. Repeatability and reproducibility, for detection and evaluation purposes, are considered separately.

This R2&E2 gage is one result of a European research program called INTERREG. The aim of this program, which brings together two laboratories from the University of Savoy and EPFL, two institutional partners (CTDEC and CETEHOR) and some Swiss and French industrial companies, is to create methodological support and the tools needed to improve the visual control of high added‐value products.

This R2&E2 gage has been used in six industrial companies involved in the European program INTERREG. Significant improvement of the visual control has been observed over a short time.

The paper fulfils an identified need of industrial firms to have efficient tools improving the visual control of their products.

Oil film thickness measurements made in the front main bearing of an operating 3.8 L, V‐6 engine were compared with rheological measurements made on a series of commercial and experimental oil blends. High‐temperature, high‐shear‐rate viscosity measurements correlated with the film thickness of all single‐grade and many multigrade oils. However, the film thickness provided by some multigrade oils were larger than could be accounted for by their high‐temperature, high‐shear‐rate viscosities alone. Although the pressure/viscosity coefficients of some of the oils were significantly different from those of the majority of oils tested, they were not oils which produced unusual film thicknesses. As a consequence, correcting oil viscosities for the esimated pressures acting within the bearing was unsuccessful in improving the correlations. The correlations were improved, however, by accounting for the elastic properties of the multigrade oils. Measurements of oil relaxation times at high temperatures and shear rates showed large differences in elastic properties among the test oils. A good correlation (R2 = 0.73) was obtained from a multiple linear regression of film thickness as a function of both high‐temperature, high‐shear‐rate viscosities and relaxation times.

The purpose of this paper is to reduce eddy current loss in a wire that is affected by an alternating field passing through it. This allows the efficiency of transformers to be upgraded and the quality factor in coils to be increased.

The use of a magnetoplated wire (MPW) is proposed to reduce eddy current loss in a wire. An MPW is a copper wire (COW) whose circumference is plated with a magnetic thin film. In additional, the theoretical equation for eddy current loss in an MPW is derived for ease of analysis.

The eddy current loss in an MPW is calculated as a function of the relative permeability and resistivity of its magnetic thin film to reduce the resistance due to the proximity effect of a coil. The eddy current loss in an MPW whose magnetic thin film has a relative permeability of 500 and a resistivity of 0.12 μΩm can be reduced to 4 percent that of COW at a frequency of 1 MHz.

The use of MPW can be expected to upgrade the efficiency of transformers and to increase the quality factor in coils.

Gives introductory remarks about chapter 1 of this group of 31 papers, from ISEF 1999 Proceedings, in the methodologies for field analysis, in the electromagnetic community. Observes that computer package implementation theory contributes to clarification. Discusses the areas covered by some of the papers ‐ such as artificial intelligence using fuzzy logic. Includes applications such as permanent magnets and looks at eddy current problems. States the finite element method is currently the most popular method used for field computation. Closes by pointing out the amalgam of topics.

Presents the scientific methodology from the enlarged cybernetical perspective that recognizes the anisotropy of time, the probabilistic character of natural laws, and the entry that the incomplete determinism in Nature opens to the occurrence of innovation, growth, organization, teleology communication, control, contest and freedom. The new tier to the methodological edifice that cybernetics provides stands on the earlier tiers, which go back to the Ionians (c. 500 BC). However, the new insights reveal flaws in the earlier tiers, and their removal strengthens the entire edifice. The new concepts of teleological activity and contest allow the clear demarcation of the military sciences as those whose subject matter is teleological activity involving contest. The paramount question “what ought to be done”, outside the empirical realm, is embraced by the scientific methodology. It also embraces the cognitive sciences that ask how the human mind is able to discover, and how the sequence of discoveries might converge to a true description of reality.

A power plant for aircraft includes an engine‐cooling system, an oil‐cooling system, a super‐charging system, and means for preheating the air supply to the engine, some of which parts are formed integrally with, and others being attached to, the engine crank‐case which alone is adapted for attachment to the aircraft. As shown, a header tank n for the engine cooling system is connected by a pipe o to a radiator r disposed in a tunnel or recess of the engine cowling. The radiator r is connected to a pump u which delivers water to a water‐jacket w from whence it passes by pipes x to the tank n. Air passing through an oil cooler 11 is led to the carburetter air‐intake 13. Only a part of the air flowing through the radiator r may pass through the cooler 11. An oil suction pump 15 draws oil from the cooler.

The behaviour of light in white prints is dominated by the presence of titanium dioxide pigment, which is responsible for opacity. The pigment also strongly influences gloss and is responsible for the whiteness of prints.

Presents a conceptual framework for understanding the meanings of polychronic behavior for individuals. A “created” meaning perspective, arguing that cultural, social, and personality differences influence how the meaning of polychronic behavior is interpreted at the individual level is presented. These meanings through a phenomenological study of polychronic behavior in the workplace for both traditional, “mainstream” Americans and recent Latin American immigrants are explored. Implications for managers and workgroups are also explored.

Flood vulnerability is a complex concept involving the interactions between environment, social and economic dimensions. Indicator‐based vulnerability assessment is widely used in vulnerability studies to summarise complexity and multidimensionality issues to gauge the level of vulnerability. A set of 21 environmental and socio‐economic indicators is used to quantitatively assess the three factors of vulnerability, namely exposure, susceptibility and resilience to flood at the subnational level. The construction of the vulnerability index involved the selection of indicators, their normalisation, weightage and aggregation to a final index. In addition to the Flood Vulnerability Index, three sub‐indices namely Exposure Index, Susceptibility Index and Resilience Index were generated. Based on composite indicator approach, the vulnerability of the states in Malaysia was categorised from very low to very high. The source of vulnerability is due not only to the environmental exposure to flood hazard but also contributed by the internal status of the socio‐economic factors within the vulnerable systems.

THERE seems to be a remarkable coyness about industrial firms when they advertise for work study staff, as though the salary for the job were a thing to be kept in the dark. Let it be stated at once that non‐disclosure of salary is a thing to be deplored; moreover, it wastes time. Many firms are just not prepared to pay the “rate for the job”, and equally, fully qualified work study technicians would not have bothered to reply to those firms that offer “under the odds”, had they been in possession of the £ s.d. facts in the first instance.