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1 – 10 of 144Wenlong Liu, Yongxing Guo, Li Xiong and Yi Kuang
The purpose of this paper is to present the latest sensing structure designs and principles of information detection of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) displacement sensors. Research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the latest sensing structure designs and principles of information detection of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) displacement sensors. Research advance and the future work in this field have been described, with the background that displacement and deformation measurements are universal and crucial for structural health monitoring.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes and summarizes the existing FBG displacement sensing technologies from two aspects principle of information detection (wavelength detection, spectral bandwidth detection, light intensity detection, among others) and principle of the sensing elastomer structure design (cantilever beam type, spring type, elastic ring type and other composite structures).
Findings
The current research on developing FBG displacement sensors is mainly focused on the sensing method, the construction and design of the elastic structure and the design of new information detection method. The authors hypothesize that the following research trends will be strengthened in future: temperature compensation technology for FBG displacement sensors based on wavelength detection; a study of more diverse elastic structures; and fiber gratings manufactured with special fibers will greatly improve the performance of sensors.
Originality/value
The latest sensing structure designs and principles of information detection of FBG displacement sensors have been proposed, which could provide important reference for research group.
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Kuang Sheng Liu, Sung-Lin Hsueh and Han-Yi Chen
Rapid economic growth has enriched the lives of individuals and yielded rising material and living standards. However, various types of public pollution problems have successively…
Abstract
Rapid economic growth has enriched the lives of individuals and yielded rising material and living standards. However, various types of public pollution problems have successively emerged, and environmental problems have worsened in recent years. Furthermore, the prevalence of leisure and the rapid development of regional tourism industries and bed and breakfast lodging have exacerbated environmental destruction and pollution in various locales. The inclusion of ecotourism into ecological education and the provision of ecolodge are beneficial for the design of student learning outcomes; moreover, community residents and tourists can grasp the importance of environmental protection and education through ecolodging experiences. This measure would improve public awareness of environmental protection, facilitate the cultivation of social responsibility, and achieve the objective of environmental protection advocacy. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between ecological education and the environment by using Kenting National Park, a tourist attraction in Taiwan, as the case study. Tourists visiting the location were the research subjects, and convenience sampling was conducted by distributing 505 questionnaires, with 372 valid responses recovered—a return rate of 74%. The research revealed the following results: (a) Environmental education is positively correlated with environmental attitude. (b) Environmental attitude is positively correlated with environmental behavior. (c) Environmental education is positively correlated with environmental behavior. Finally, this paper proposes recommendations based on the research results with the aim of facilitating environmental literacy, correct environmental attitudes, concern for ecosystems, and the realization of environmental behavior.
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Jann‐Pygn Chen, Chi‐Kuang N. Chen and K.S. Chen
Increasing the service quality in administrative areas is a critical factor facing the service industry today. This is supported by the latest version of the international quality…
Abstract
Increasing the service quality in administrative areas is a critical factor facing the service industry today. This is supported by the latest version of the international quality standard ISO 9001, which emphasizes that customer satisfaction should have a complete and objective evaluation method and index. Uses the service quality defect concept in the PZB model to measure the time characteristic of service quality in processing an administrative job. At the same time, establishes the best estimates of service efficiency for each service unit and the whole department. Establishes a non‐center t distribution and a test procedure by p‐value to evaluate if the service process fits the customer‐defined service efficiency index. The result can then be used to judge the service efficiency of both individual service units and the whole department. According to the test procedures presented here, provides an objective evaluation criterion for administration and service industry.
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Chen-Yueh Chen, Yi-Hsiu Lin and Yen-Kuang Lin
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) experienced a rapid decline in attendance after the mid 1990s. In this study, market demand analysis is used to discover the causes…
Abstract
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) experienced a rapid decline in attendance after the mid 1990s. In this study, market demand analysis is used to discover the causes of variation in CPBL attendance from 1990 to 2008. The ordinary least squares (OLS) is employed for model estimation. From this model, empirical evidence reveals that a homogenous sport substitute, Taiwan Major League (TML), the Major League Baseball (MLB) effect and game-fixing scandals in CPBL negatively influence CPBL attendance. Additionally, real income is found to negatively affect CPBL attendance, making CPBL games an inferior product. The proposed model accounts for approximately 91% of variation in CPBL attendance between 1990 and 2008.
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Tai Kuang, Qing‐Xin Zhu and Yue Sun
The purpose of this paper is to detect edge of image in high noise level, suffering Gaussian noise.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to detect edge of image in high noise level, suffering Gaussian noise.
Design/methodology/approach
Canny edge detection algorithm performs poorly when applied to highly distorted images suffering from Gaussian noise. In Canny algorithm, 2D‐gaussian function is used to remove noise and preserve edge. In high noise level, 2D‐gaussian function cannot meet the needs. In this paper, an improving Canny edge detection algorithm is presented. The algorithm presented is based on local linear kernel smoothing, in which local neighborhoods are adapted to the local smoothness of the surface measured by the observed data. The procedure can therefore remove noise correctly in continuity regions of the surface, and preserve discontinuities at the same time.
Findings
The statistical model of removing noise and preserving edge can meet the need of edge detection in images highly corrupted by Gaussian noise.
Research limitations/implications
It was found that when the noise ratio is higher than 40 percent, the edge detection algorithm performs poorly.
Practical implications
A very useful method for detecting highly distorted images suffering Gaussian noise.
Originality/value
Since an image can be regarded as a surface of the image intensity function and such a surface has discontinuities at the outlines of objects, this algorithm can be applied directly to detect edge of image in high noise level.
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Muhammad Omar Shaikh, Ching-Chia Chen, Hua-Cheng Chiang, Ji-Rong Chen, Yi-Chin Chou, Tsung-Yuan Kuo, Kei Ameyama and Cheng-Hsin Chuang
Using wire as feedstock has several advantages for additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components, which include high deposition rates, efficient material use and low material…
Abstract
Purpose
Using wire as feedstock has several advantages for additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components, which include high deposition rates, efficient material use and low material costs. While the feasibility of wire-feed AM has been demonstrated, the accuracy and surface finish of the produced parts is generally lower than those obtained using powder-bed/-feed AM. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the feasibility of a fine wire-based laser metal deposition (FW-LMD) process for producing high-precision metal components with improved resolution, dimensional accuracy and surface finish.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed FW-LMD AM process uses a fine stainless steel wire with a diameter of 100 µm as the additive material and a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as the heat source. The pulsed laser beam generates a melt pool on the substrate into which the fine wire is fed, and upon moving the X–Y stage, a single-pass weld bead is created during solidification that can be laterally and vertically stacked to create a 3D metal component. Process parameters including laser power, pulse duration and stage speed were optimized for the single-pass weld bead. The effect of lateral overlap was studied to ensure low surface roughness of the first layer onto which subsequent layers can be deposited. Multi-layer deposition was also performed and the resulting cross-sectional morphology, microhardness, phase formation, grain growth and tensile strength have been investigated.
Findings
An optimized lateral overlap of about 60-70% results in an average surface roughness of 8-16 µm along all printed directions of the X–Y stage. The single-layer thickness and dimensional accuracy of the proposed FW-LMD process was about 40-80 µm and ±30 µm, respectively. A dense cross-sectional morphology was observed for the multilayer stacking without any visible voids, pores or defects present between the layers. X-ray diffraction confirmed a majority austenite phase with small ferrite phase formation that occurs at the junction of the vertically stacked beads, as confirmed by the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. Tensile tests were performed and an ultimate tensile strength of about 700-750 MPa was observed for all samples. Furthermore, multilayer printing of different shapes with improved surface finish and thin-walled and inclined metal structures with a minimum achievable resolution of about 500 µm was presented.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to report a directed energy deposition process using a fine metal wire with a diameter of 100 µm and can be a possible solution to improving surface finish and reducing the “stair-stepping” effect that is generally observed for wires with a larger diameter. The AM process proposed in this study can be an attractive alternative for 3D printing of high-precision metal components and can find application for rapid prototyping in a range of industries such as medical and automotive, among others.
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– The purpose of this paper is to study soft total quality management (TQM) practices and their impact on firm performance (FP).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study soft total quality management (TQM) practices and their impact on firm performance (FP).
Design/methodology/approach
In the present paper, the author has used systematic literature review proposed by Tranfield et al. (2003). After identifying the research gaps, the author has formulated research hypotheses and developed a structured questionnaire to collect data from cement manufacturing firms to test the research hypotheses. In this study the author has used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to explore latent constructs of soft TQM. The EFA output was further used as an input to multiple linear regression analysis to study their relationship with FP.
Findings
The regression analysis indicates that relationship with internal and external partners, quality culture, human resource focus, visionary leadership, are positive and statistically significant determinants of FP.
Originality/value
In this study the author has selected Indian cement industry which is world’s second largest cement producer and an important sector in terms of its contribution to Indian GDP, and provides direct and indirect employment opportunities to millions of people. However, most of the studies in India were done related to automotive sector and soft TQM was never considered important. The findings of the study contribute to resource-based theory.
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Based on the new requirements of the rapid development of the national urbanization, planning adaptability and dynamic variability in the process of urban planning should be…
Abstract
Based on the new requirements of the rapid development of the national urbanization, planning adaptability and dynamic variability in the process of urban planning should be improved, which will become the focus of planning and design. Therefore, in this paper, the operating mechanism of transformation and upgrading of urban planning based on game theory was proposed. Firstly, the concept and development background of urban planning and operation were expounded, and the game theory was used to analyze the operating mechanism of urban planning; then, the formulation of urban planning based on the operation concept of urban planning was analyzed from the aspects of urban planning system, the overall development principle, the overall plan and the detailed planning; in addition, by taking the planning and design of the upgrading of a city as an example, the planning of blocks, urban parks and buildings and so on was achieved.
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Shiaw‐Wen Tien, Yi‐Chan Chung, Chih‐Hung Tsai, Yung‐Kuang Yang and Min‐Chi Wu
A life‐cycle assessment (LCA) is based on the attention given to the environment protection and concerning the possible impact while producing, making, and consuming products. It…
Abstract
A life‐cycle assessment (LCA) is based on the attention given to the environment protection and concerning the possible impact while producing, making, and consuming products. It includes all environmental concerns and the potential impact of a product’s life cycle from raw material procurement, manufacturing, usage, and disposal (that is, from cradle to grave). This study assesses the environmental impact of the ultra pure water process of semiconductor manufacturing by a life‐cycle assessment in order to point out the heavy environmental impact process for industry when attempting a balanced point between production and environmental protection. The main purpose of this research is studying the development and application of this technology by setting the ultra pure water of semiconductor manufacturing as a target. We evaluate the environemntal impact of the Precoat filter process and the Cation/Anion (C/A) filter process of an ultra pure water manufacturing process. The difference is filter material used produces different water quality and waste material, and has a significant, different environmental influence. Finally, we calculate the cost by engineering economics so as to analyze deeply the minimized environmental impact and suitable process that can be accepted by industry. The structure of this study is mainly combined with a life‐cycle assessment by implementing analysis software, using SimaPro as a tool. We clearly understand the environmental impact of ultra pure water of semiconductor used and provide a promotion alternative to the heavy environmental impact items by calculating the environmental impact during a life cycle. At the same time, we specify the cost of reducing the environmental impact by a life‐cycle cost analysis.
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