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Article
Publication date: 29 August 2023

Yingshuang Liu, Ran Liu, Dalei Zhang, Shaohua Xing, Xiaohui Dou, Xinwei Zhang and Zonghao He

The corrosion behaviour of titanium alloy surface when fluid with different flow rates flows through welded joints with different residual heights was explored.

Abstract

Purpose

The corrosion behaviour of titanium alloy surface when fluid with different flow rates flows through welded joints with different residual heights was explored.

Design/methodology/approach

The experiment uses a combination of array electrodes and simulation.

Findings

It is found that when the weld reinforcement exists, the corrosion tendency of both ends of the weld metal is greater than that of other parts of the welded joint due to the influence of high turbulence kinetic energy and shear stress. The presence of weld reinforcement heights makes the fluid behind it fluctuate greatly. The passivation films of both the base metal (BM) at the rear and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) are more prone to corrosion than those of the front BM and HAZ, and the passivation film is rougher.

Originality/value

The combination of test and simulation was used to explore the influence of electrochemical and hydrodynamic factors on the corrosion behaviour of titanium alloy-welded joints when welding residual height existed.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. 70 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2020

Lei Wang, Yang Cai, Wei-Wei Wang, Run-Zhe Liu, Di Liu, Fu-Yun Zhao and Hanqing Wang

This paper aims to numerically investigate the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) convection heat transfer of nanofluid inside a differentially heated enclosure with various fin…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to numerically investigate the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) convection heat transfer of nanofluid inside a differentially heated enclosure with various fin morphologies.

Design/methodology/approach

The fluid flow within the cavity was governed by N-S equations while it within porous medium was solved by the non-Darcy model, called the Darcy–Forchheimer model based on representative element-averaging method. Empirical correlations from experimental data are used to evaluate the effective thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity. Relevant governing parameters, including thermal Rayleigh number (105-107), Hartmann number (0-50), Darcy number (10−6-10−1), thermal conductivity ratio of porous matrix (1-103), nanoparticles volume fraction (0-0.04) and topology designs of porous fins, are sensitively varied to identify their effects and roles on the fluid flow and heat transfer. Particularly, heatlines are used to investigate the mechanism of heat transport.

Findings

Numerical results demonstrate that the predictions of average Nusselt number are augmented by using more porous fins with high permeability, and this effect becomes opposite in tiny Darcy numbers. Particularly, for high Darcy and Rayleigh numbers, the shortest fins could achieve the best performance of heat transfer. In addition, the prediction of average Nusselt number reduces with an increase in Hartmann numbers. An optimal nanoparticles concentration also exists to maximize heat transfer enhancement. Finally, numerical correlations for the average Nusselt number were proposed as functions of these governing parameters.

Practical implications

Present work could benefit the thermal design of electronic cooling and thermal carriers in nanofluid engineering.

Social implications

Present work could benefit the thermal design of electronic cooling and thermal carriers in nanofluid engineering. In addition, optimum thermal removals could enhance the lifetime of electronics, therefore reducing the cost of energy and materials.

Originality/value

To the best knowledge of authors, there are not any studies considering the synergetic effects of porous fins on MHD convection of nanofluids. Present work could benefit the thermal design of electronic cooling and thermal carriers in nanofluid engineering.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2017

Yezhuo Li, Yan-An Yao, Junlin Cheng, Yaobin Tian and Ran Liu

The purpose of this paper is to propose an agile assistant robot to be used as a mobile partner with two rotational motions and one translational motion. This robot possesses the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an agile assistant robot to be used as a mobile partner with two rotational motions and one translational motion. This robot possesses the rolling function and three operating abilities to assistant human beings in the industrial environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The main body of the robot is a typical 4-RSR (where R denotes a revolute joint and S denotes a spherical joint) parallel mechanism. The mechanism can reach any position on the ground by two rolling modes (the equivalent Watt linkage rolling mode and the equivalent 6R linkage rolling mode), and the robot can work as a spotlight or a worktable in operating modes at the target location. The mobility, rolling modes, operating modes and kinematics are analyzed.

Findings

Based on the results of kinematics of this assistant robot, the upper platform of the 4-RSR rolling mechanism has two rotational motions and one translational motion which can be used in the industry. The proposed concept is verified by experiments on a physical prototype.

Practical implications

This paper also discusses the application to industrial cases where cooperation between workers and robots is required.

Originality/value

The work presented in this paper is a novel exploration to apply parallel mechanisms to the field of assistant rolling robots. It is also a new attempt to use the rolling mechanism in the field of mobile operating robots for industry tasks.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 44 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2023

Qifan Jia, Rui Chen, Yihan Zuo, Run Liu, Roushan Gong, Linnan Huang, Chen Chen and Bangyi Xue

This research aims to find out the reasons why Chinese people prefer domestic products. The authors examine the effect of consumer ethnocentrism (CE), social norms (SNs) and…

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to find out the reasons why Chinese people prefer domestic products. The authors examine the effect of consumer ethnocentrism (CE), social norms (SNs) and national identity (NI) on willingness to buy (WTB) domestic products in two time points and test the product category differences and age group differences.

Design/methodology/approach

Two survey studies (n1 = 314; n2 = 346) were conducted in China in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The authors measured CE, SNs, NI and WTB domestic products in both studies and WTB four categories of products in study 2. Multiple hierarchical linear regression was conducted to test the hypotheses.

Findings

In study 1, the authors found that SNs and NI significantly predicted WTB domestic products, but CE did not. In study 2, the authors found that all three indicators significantly predicted WTB domestic products. CE played a significant and consistent role in different product categories, while SNs and NI had inconsistent effects. NI predicted WTB domestic products for younger people but not for older people.

Originality/value

This research is the first to examine CE, SNs and NI in the same study and the first to explore the role of SNs and NI in WTB domestic products in China. It promotes the understanding of CE and other related factors, increases the knowledge of Chinese consumers’ purchasing behavior and indicates the power of the situation. Practical implications are also discussed.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 35 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2021

Hai Minh Ngo, Ran Liu, Seifeddine Ben Taieb, Masahiro Moritaka and Susumu Fukuda

Expanding the market share of safe food through a modern retail system has faced a lot of difficulties in Vietnam. Thus, a further understanding of consumer behaviour and loyalty…

Abstract

Purpose

Expanding the market share of safe food through a modern retail system has faced a lot of difficulties in Vietnam. Thus, a further understanding of consumer behaviour and loyalty towards such food is essential for food retailers. This study aims at exploring segments of consumer loyalty and its influential factors towards safe food brands in the country.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 250 consumers buying safe food in Hanoi city in February 2019, two-step cluster and multinomial logistic regression analyses were applied.

Findings

The results show that four segments of brand loyalty were formed from the interaction between attitudinal and behavioural loyalty as the framework of Dick and Basu (1994), namely, true loyalty, spurious loyalty, latent loyalty and disloyalty. Notably, over 60% of the consumers were in latent loyalty and spurious loyalty, indicating variety-seeking behaviour, multi-brand loyalty or low recognition of the brand. Consumer satisfaction was the most vital motivating consumers to higher loyalty levels. Additionally, brand trust and brand familiarity played significant roles in developing true brand loyalty. An attractive selling store and friendly staff were also important in enhancing brand loyalty.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to elicit consumer loyalty and identify factors driving the loyalty towards brands of safe food in a developing country like Vietnam.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 50 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 June 2020

Dzung Dao Dong, Masahiro Moritaka, Ran Liu and Susumu Fukuda

Restructuring swine and pork value chain plays important role in agriculture reformation of Vietnam, the top global pork-lover and swine producer worldwide. This study aims at…

Abstract

Purpose

Restructuring swine and pork value chain plays important role in agriculture reformation of Vietnam, the top global pork-lover and swine producer worldwide. This study aims at investigating the modernization of its entire swine-to-pork value chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines the secondary data and primary data. The secondary data included the publications, procurements, databases from both worldwide and in Vietnam. Primary data comprised the results from field-trips in March 2018 and February 2019 that used in-depth interviews with representative key persons of involving stake-holders.

Findings

The prevalence of contract farming, vertical expansion and conglomerate mergers mainly boost vertical coordination in the industry, which creates three hierarchy paradigms of governance named the full- and semi-vertically integrated model, and the formal coordinating relation institution. Consequently, consolidation has occurred and lead the swine and pork value chain toward modernization.

Research limitations/implications

This study generalizes its first trends of the modernization of the swine-to-pork industry instead of provides its concreted impacts to the involved stakeholders.

Social implications

Swine and pork industries retain historical and socio-political issues in Vietnam. Social problems are going to raise if number of traditional swine producers are failed in the competition from the equipped large-scale producers leading by the giant vertically-integrated contractors.

Originality/value

This study provides the empirical synthesis of the vertical coordination in entitle swine and pork value chain of Vietnam through combining the view of the strategic alliance of the firm and global value chain governance.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 10 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 November 2021

Hai Minh Ngo, Ran Liu, Masahiro Moritaka and Susumu Fukuda

Research on the determinants of consumer behavior toward food with safety certifications in Vietnam remains little. The primary objective of this study is to identify the factors…

Abstract

Purpose

Research on the determinants of consumer behavior toward food with safety certifications in Vietnam remains little. The primary objective of this study is to identify the factors affecting Vietnamese consumer intention to purchase safely certified vegetables (safe vegetables) based on an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 361 urban consumers in Hanoi city based on a stratified sampling technique, we applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the model.

Findings

The results revealed that the extended TPB succeeded to predict 62% of the variance of intention to purchase safe vegetables. Attitude played the most important role in consumer intention. Notably, the attitude of consumers was the most largely influenced by subjective norms (social effects). Also, subjective norms had a direct effect on intention. Furthermore, consumer trust motivated a favorable attitude to increase purchase intention. The effects of past behavior on intention were verified as direct and indirect through subjective norm and trust combined with attitude. Few socio-demographic variables (e.g. age and education) were found to affect intention indirectly through attitude and subjective norm.

Research limitations/implications

Further research on the relationship between intention and the actual purchase of safe food is needed.

Originality/value

This extends the application of the TPB to predict consumer intention to purchase safely certified food in a developing country like Vietnam by examining both direct and indirect effects of socio-demographic variables, trust and past behavior on intention.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2020

Hai Minh Ngo, Ran Liu, Masahiro Moritaka and Susumu Fukuda

While the essential role of brand trust toward consumer decision to purchase food products has been well addressed, there has been still little research on its influential…

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Abstract

Purpose

While the essential role of brand trust toward consumer decision to purchase food products has been well addressed, there has been still little research on its influential factors. The primary purpose of this study was to explore factors affecting consumer trust in brands of safe vegetables.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling technique was applied to test the hypothetical relationships based on a sample of 361 consumers from a face-to-face interview in the urban areas of Hanoi city, Vietnam, in March and April 2018.

Findings

The authors' findings show that both brand credibility and brand reputation positively affected brand trust. The trustworthiness of a safe vegetable system had a more important role than the competence in building brand trust. While the effects of system trustworthiness on brand trust were found directly and indirectly (through brand credibility), system competence only had an indirect influence on brand trust via brand reputation. Notably, while risk recall directly reduced brand trust, risk information caused a directly positive effect on brand trust. In addition, the impact of food hazards on brand trust was indirect through brand credibility.

Practical implications

Based on our results, the Vietnamese government and stakeholders in the safe vegetable chain should improve brand trust based on fulfilling comprehensive traceability, expanding the brand reputation and providing an appropriate risk communication strategy to the public.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first attempts to model and evaluate factors affecting brand trust in the food sector directly and indirectly.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 122 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 July 2023

Yiwei Wang, Run Liu, Ruohan Sun and Zewei Xu

The paper aims to find the correlation between the microparameters and the macroparameters of the soil. The study aims to calibrate the macroscale and microscale parameters of…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to find the correlation between the microparameters and the macroparameters of the soil. The study aims to calibrate the macroscale and microscale parameters of rolling resistance contact models to successfully apply the discrete element method to do some research of the geotechnical problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for an exploratory study using the PFC3D to simulate the triaxial tests that include more than 50 cases and the coupling analysis method, which considering several effect of various factors.

Findings

The paper provides a quantitative relationship between the macroparameters and microparameters of the rolling resistance linear model and a method for fast calibration of macroscopic parameters is proposed and verified by a triaxial test example.

Originality/value

This paper provides the quantitative relationship of micro and macroparameters in the rolling resistance linear model by studying a single factor and considering the coupling effect of various factors and a fast method for the calibration of microparameters based on the rolling resistance linear model is proposed.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 40 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2024

Mubarik Abdul Mumin, Ibrahim Osman Adam and Muftawu Dzang Alhassan

This study aims to investigate the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities on supply chain fraud and sustainability within the context of Ghana’s…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities on supply chain fraud and sustainability within the context of Ghana’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the research explores the mediating role of supply chain fraud in the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 102 respondents within Ghana’s SME sector, and the research employed the dynamic capability theory as the conceptual framework. The study utilized partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to develop and analyze the proposed model.

Findings

The results of the study reveal a significant reduction in supply chain fraud attributable to enhanced ICT capabilities within Ghanaian SMEs. Moreover, ICT capabilities exert a significant positive influence on supply chain sustainability. Importantly, supply chain fraud emerges as a mediator, elucidating its role at the nexus of supply chain sustainability and ICT capabilities.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the limited body of evidence on the interconnectedness of ICT capabilities, supply chain fraud and supply chain sustainability, particularly within the context of Ghanaian SMEs. Notably, this study pioneers an examination of the mediating impact of supply chain fraud on the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.

Details

Technological Sustainability, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-1312

Keywords

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