Heat sealing and convertibility of coated paper materials in vertical form fill and seal machine

Challenges regarding the heat sealing and convertibility of coated papers in vertical form, fill, and seal (VFFS) machines were investigated. This research focused on enhancing the use of coated papers in VFFS packaging machines by identifying the optimal sealing parameters to ensure package tightness, evaluating friction-related issues to improve runnability, and developing a novel forming shoulder design to optimise material formability and minimise oil and grease properties damage during the conversion process. To understand the performance of various coated papers in VFFS machine, PE-coated and dispersion-coated papers were tested and compared with conventional thermoplastic films. The seal properties and integrity were examined using seal strength and leak tightness measurements. Additionally, the frictional properties of the coated papers were investigated on different surfaces to identify the appropriate surface for paper runnability. The seal structure and surface characteristics of the converted packages were analysed using SEM and 3D profilometry. Finally, oil and grease measurements were performed to evaluate the impact of wrinkles on converted pouches. The results indicated that achieving an airtight seal with coated papers requires precise control of the sealing process parameters, with serrated seal bars significantly improving the seal integrity by creating localised shear stress that enhances polymer chain entanglement. Frictional analysis revealed that the coefficient of friction was a critical factor affecting the runnability of the material in VFFS machines. The Teflon-coated forming tube and pattern-rolled 5WL stainless-steel surfaces effectively reduced friction and improved material flow over the novel forming shoulder. The new shoulder design features an optimised bending curve and other geometrical parameters that successfully minimise wrinkles and tears on the coated paper packages after the conversion process. Through precise control of sealing parameters and advancements in tooling design, this study offers the ability to use sustainable materials in VFFS packaging. The proposed modifications to VFFS processes enhance the practicality of adopting environmentally friendly packaging solutions in the food industry and other fields.ei tietoa saavutettavuudest

Tutkimus typen virtauksesta ja kulutuksesta teollisessa mittakaavassa

For many chemical processes, it is important to prevent unwanted chemical reactions, remove contaminants, and ensure process safety. Due to its abundance in the atmosphere and inert properties, nitrogen gas provides a cheap and viable alternative to ensure that these factors are met. Depending on the applications and scale of consumption, selecting a suitable nitrogen production method grants the most economically feasible way to produce it. This bachelor’s thesis investigates the nitrogen gas consumption in production units at Borealis Polymers Oy’s Kilpilahti site. In addition, the thesis examines the different production methods for nitrogen production with the safety aspect in mind in the form of a literature review. The aim of this thesis was to investigate and determine nitrogen consumption and recognize any discrepancies in the Borealis’ mass balances. The mass balances were calculated with the help of online meters and P&ID charts. With the results it can be concluded that the average inflow to production units is ~1880 kg/h and the yearly consumed amount is 15 M kg with the price tag of ~3 M€ per year. With additional examination of mass flow an uncalibrated flowmeter was found. The discrepancies in the flowmeter acted differently in different flow ranges, but a depiction of the discrepancies was made with flow-group division and prediction intervals.Monissa kemianteollisuuden prosesseissa on tärkeää estää ei-toivotut kemialliset reaktiot, poistaa epäpuhtaudet ja varmistaa prosessin turvallisuus. Typen runsauden ilmakehässä ja sen inerttien ominaisuuksien takia, se tarjoaa halvan ja käyttökelpoisen vaihtoehdon yllä mainittujen tekijöiden täyttymisen varmistamiseksi. Typen sovelluksista ja kulutuksen koosta riippuen sopivan typen tuotantomenetelmän valinta takaa taloudellisesti toteuttamiskelpoisen tavan tuottaa sitä. Tässä kandidaatintyössä tutkikaan typpikaasun kulutusta Borealis Polymers Oy:n Kilpilahden toimipisteen tuotantoyksiköissä. Lisäksi työssä tarkastellaan kirjallisuuskatsauksen muodossa typen tuotannon menetelmiä turvallisuusnäkökulmat huomioiden. Kokeellisen työn tavoitteena oli tutkia ja määrittää typen kulutus sekä tunnistaa mahdolliset poikkeamat Borealiksen massataseista. Massataseet laskettiin online-mittareiden ja PI-kaavioiden avulla. Kokeellisen työn tulosten perusteella voidaan päätellä, että näissä yksiköissä keskimääräinen kulutus on 1880 kg/h ja vuotuinen kulutus on 15 M kg tai ~3 M€ vuodessa. Massavirtojen tarkemassa katsauksessa löydettiin kalibroimaton virtausmittari. Virtausmittarin poikkeamat käyttäytyivät eri tavoin eri virtaus väleillä, mutta kuitenkin kuva poikkeamista saatiin virtausryhmäjaolla sekä ennusteväleillä

PCB manufacturers in the EU area for small series production

Tämän kandidaatintyön tavoitteena oli selvittää EU:n alueella toimivien piirilevyvalmistajien kapasiteetti vastata piensarjatilauksiin. Tutkimuksessa kartoitettiin EU-alueen piirilevyvalmistajia ja analysoitiin heidän tarjoamiaan palveluita, tyypillisiä toimitusaikoja piensarjatilauksille sekä piirilevytarjonnan monipuolisuutta. Tutkimusmenetelminä käytettiin piirilevyvalmistajien etsimistä hakukoneella ja haastattelua. Valmistajien verkkosivuilta kerättiin tietoa piirilevyvalmistajista. Lisäksi osalle valmistajista lähetettiin sähköpostikysely tarkentavien tietojen saamiseksi. Tutkimuksessa löydettiin useita EU:n alueella toimivia piirilevyvalmistajia, jotka kykenevät toimittamaan piensarjoja. Analysoiduista valmistajista osa tarjosi komponenttien asennuspalveluita ja erilaisia lisäpalveluita, kuten suunnittelu- ja testauspalveluita. Toimitusajat vaihtelivat merkittävästi valmistajasta riippuen, ja tarkka vertailu oli haastavaa. Valmistettavien piirilevyjen teknisissä ominaisuuksissa, kuten materiaali-, koko- ja kerrosvaihtoehdoissa, oli suurta vaihtelua. Mahdollisuus stensiilin tilaamiseen oli saatavilla useimmilla valmistajilla. Tulokset osoittavat, että EU:ssa on useita piirilevyvalmistajia, jotka kykenevät toimittamaan piensarjoja. Piirilevyjen tilaaminen ei ole riippuvainen EU:n ulkopuolisesta valmistuksesta. Tutkimuksen rajoituksia olivat kaikkien valmistajien tavoittamatta jääminen ja tietojen vaihtelu.The aim of this Bachelor’s thesis was to determine the capacity of printed circuit board manufacturers operating in the EU region to respond to small-series orders. The study mapped PCB manufacturers in the EU region and analyzed the services they offered, typical lead times for small-series orders, and the versatility of their PCB offerings. The research methods used included searching for PCB manufacturers with a search engine and interviews. Information about the PCB manufacturers was collected from the manufacturers’ websites. In addition, an email survey was sent to some manufacturers to obtain clarifying information. The research found several PCB manufacturers operating in the EU region capable of supplying small series. Among the analyzed manufacturers, some offered component assembly services and various additional services, such as design and testing services. Lead times varied significantly depending on the manufacturer, and direct comparison was challenging. There was significant variation in the technical characteristics of the manufactured PCBs, such as material, size, and layer options. The option to order stencils was available from most manufacturers. The results indicate that there are several PCB manufacturers in the EU capable of supplying small series. Ordering PCBs is not dependent on manufacturing outside the EU. Limitations of the study included not reaching all manufacturers and variations in the data

The role of artificial intelligence in ideation processes within organizations

The development and research of artificial intelligence has experienced rapid growth over the recent years. With the introduction of generative artificial intelligence enabling increased use of artificial intelligence models in creative and business contexts. This thesis examines the roles artificial intelligence has taken in idea generation and other ideation processes in organisations. The aim is to create a clearer picture of the current state of the different applications in AI-driven ideation by conducting a literature review and comparing the different models used in studies. AI has proved great potential in idea generation regarding range, novelty and diversity. Unique features of AI such as rapid idea generation, simulation, and quick access to information have shown to increase the speed and efficiency of ideation. Through task delegation to AI, the cognitive workload of humans decreases, allowing them to focus on more critical, problem-solving tasks

Utilizing key performance indicators in decision-making and continuous improvement

Yrityksien lyhyen- ja pitkän aikavälin menestyksen edellytyksenä on kyky kehittää toimintoja jatkuvasti, ja tehdä oikeita päätöksiä mahdollisimman objektiivisesti. Yrityksien käytössä on jatkuvasti enemmän erilaista tietoa ja tunnuslukuja, joiden käytännön hyödyntäminen voi olla haasteellista. Tässä kandidaatintyössä tutkitaan KPI-mittareiden hyödyntämistä päätöksenteossa ja jatkuvassa parantamisessa. Työn tavoite on selvittää, miten KPI-mittareiden käyttöä voitaisiin kehittää kohdeyrityksessä. Tämä kandidaatintyö koostuu teoria- ja empiirisistä osioista. Työn teoriaosuudessa tarkastellaan KPI-mittareiden hyödyntämistä tietopohjaisen päätöksenteon sekä jatkuvan parantamisen näkökulmista. Työn empiirisessä osiossa tarkastellaan kohdeyrityksen KPI-mittareiden käyttöä, ja pyritään selvittämään haasteita ja muodostamaan konkreettisia kehitysehdotuksia yritykselle. Työ tarjoaa yritykselle sekä teoriatason, että käytännön suosituksia, joiden avulla voidaan kehittää KPI-mittareiden käyttöä. Työn tulokset osoittavat kuinka jatkuvan parantamisen sekä tietopohjaisen päätöksen merkitys on kasvanut organisaatioissa. KPI-mittarit ovat monipuolisia työkaluja, jotka tukevat sekä lyhyen että pitkän aikavälin päätöksentekoa tarjoamalla objektiivista tietoa päätöksenteon tueksi. KPI-mittareita voidaan hyödyntää osana jatkuvaa parantamista erityisesti kehityskohteiden tunnistamisessa ja tehtyjen toimenpiteiden vaikuttavuuden arvioimisessa. KPI-mittareiden hyödyntämisessä on huomioitava useita näkökulmia sekä mittareiden ominaisuuksien, että organisaatiokulttuurin osalta. Mittareilta edellytetään tiettyjä ominaisuuksia, kuten käytettävyyttä, jäljitettävyyttä ja selkeitä tavoitteita. Näiden puutteiden merkitys nousi työssä esille sekä teoria- että empiirisessä osioss

The classification of cancer subtype based on machine learning

Effective classification of cancer subtypes plays a crucial role in designing personalized treatment plans and improving patient outcomes. Traditional classification methods may not reflect the complexity and diversity of cancer types. This study utilizes gene expression profiles from TCGA to investigate how machine learning techniques can be improved to identify cancer subtypes. The study used three machine learning algorithms (RF, SVM, KNN), as well as a stacked ensemble approach using logistic regression as a meta-classifier. The study processed gene expression data from 10,446 samples of 33 different cancer types from TCGA, and their type labels. Model performance was evaluated using various metrics including overall accuracy, macro-mean of precision, macro-mean of recall, macro-mean of F1 score, weighted mean of precision, weighted mean of recall, and weighted mean of F1 score. The results show that the stacked ensemble model outperforms the individual classifiers, achieving an accuracy of 0.7836, a macroscopic precision of 0.7257, a macroscopic recall of 0.6746, and a macroscopic F1 score of 0.6860, with values of 0.7713 for the weighted precision, 0.7763 for the recall, and 0.7637 for the F1 score, respectively. Ensemble methods successfully utilize different classification boundaries for RF, SVM, and KNN to ensure more reliable classification for less common subtypes. These results emphasize the benefits of integrated learning methods in bioinformatics and present a scalable solution for cancer subtype prediction. Future work could enhance this framework by incorporating multi-omics datasets and validating results with external clinical resources

Quality assurance in the manufacturing of 92GHz directional coupler

This study investigates the application of Quality Assurance (QA) practices in the manufacturing of a 92 GHz Directional Coupler, focusing on the methods from the design stage to the manufacturing stage. The study emphasises the importance of geometric and dimensional tolerances, material selection, and surface finishing, which affect the device's performance. Through the use of the triangulation method, by combining the results from the literature review, Expert interview, and CAD-Analysis, the study shows important manufacturing considerations, like the material selection, which is important for the conductivity performance. The study also shows the importance of gold coating and the challenges associated with it, and the soldering techniques to be used. Recommendations were also made for future research in regards to changes in the shape of the device, a possible change in the material, and the manufacturing of the device

Design and simulation of a new soft pneumatic robot

This study designed a new pneumatic flexible robot for remote maintenance tasks in fusion reactors. The study investigated flexible robots on the market and selected the available reach-load balance area. This study explored the relationship between centerline length and cross-sectional diameter for 90-degree and 180-degree bending rotations. CAD model of the flexible robot was made and the specific parameters of the Cardan Joint were adjusted using multiple values to find the suitable parameter values to achieve a balance between rotation angle and weight and finally the static structural analysis was perform

Eco‐Transformation : Shaping the Future of Manufacturing With Green Technologies and Cleaner Production‐Practices

In recent years, we have seen a manifold increase in natural calamities resulting from the continual degradation of our environment. The overuse of fossil fuels and other natural resources has contributed towards increasing global warming. This research investigates the environmental challenges posed by the overuse of natural resources and the subsequent carbon footprint. It emphasises the critical need for green technology and cleaner production practices to overcome environmental challenges. Focusing on developing countries, it investigates the effects of green technology and cleaner production‐practices on energy efficiency, waste reduction and corporate sustainability in Pakistan's manufacturing industry. Through a cross‐sectional analysis, it investigates the influence of sustainable practices on corporate sustainability in diverse manufacturing sectors. The findings reveal a positive correlation between the adoption of green technology and cleaner production‐practices and a reduction in energy consumption, highlighting the significant role of resource commitment in enhancing the effectiveness of green technologies. However, the study notes a lack of significant impact of green technology on waste reduction and the broader concept of corporate sustainability, while cleaner production‐practices show a beneficial influence on sustainability measures. This study contributes to the understanding of sustainable practices in emerging economies and underscores the importance of top management support and resource allocation in achieving environmental and economic sustainability goals.Post-print / Final draf

The effect of springback on the geometry of creases in paperboard package manufacturing

The elastic recovery of material after deformation, known as springback, affects crease geometry which in turn influences the mechanical stability and appearance of the packaged products. This study investigates the effects of springback on the geometry of creases in different paperboard materials under varying conditions. Experimental tests were carried out for four types of paperboard materials under varying conditions and target strokes. Springback behavior was studied under normal and humid conditions. The examination of creased samples was carried out with a 3D scanner to perform springback measurements. The study evaluated mechanical properties including tensile strength in combination with tearing resistance and bending stiffness to determine material property correlation with springback. The results demonstrate that springback depends on creasing parameters, fiber orientation, and material properties. Paperboard shows anisotropic behavior, with higher springback in the cross direction compared to the machine direction. Humidity was found to reduce springback, while coating types also impact crease retention, with PET-laminated paperboard showing the minimum springback