Gear error induced impact in a multiple take-off textile drive system operating under light loading

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation is made into the causes of premature gear failures which had occurred in the complex and lighly loaded gear trains of an industrial textile machine. A comprehensive review of previous relevant work identifies the problem as one of torsional vibratory impact excited by gear transmission errors. An extension of the dynamic stiffness method is developed for the analysis of forced vibration response due to relative displacement, harmonic excitation imparted by transmission error components. The technique is then applied to a generalised mathematical model of the complete machine in which typical production distributions of gear error magnitude and relative phasing are inserted. Gear-tooth dynamic loads are computed at every mesh for a number of different machine configurations over the operating speed range. The influence of selected inertia, flexibility and damping elements is demonstrated. A novel technique employing magnetic drums is devised and evaluated for the direct measurement of-relative motions in a meshed pair of oscillating gears. Automatic compensation is provided for transmission error and mounting eccentricity. A further direct technique is reported for the detection of tooth impacts and is based on the change in electrical resistance between meshing teeth as the contact pressure varies. Measurements in a multi-gearbox experimental rig demonstrated that the gears described non-linear motions, involving excursions through the backlash and heavy impacts on both drive and reverse faces. Theoretical predictibns of dynamic loading distribution within machines show reasonable compatibility with patterns of gear failure recorded in service, even though the analysis does not allow for system non-linearities. Machine design considerations are examined in retrospect from a dynamics standpoint. Past and present designs are appraised and possible alternatives to these are briefly discussed. Finally, the salient factors identified in the investigation are summarised and recommendations made for future work

Coverage with evidence development: applications and issues

Copyright © Cambridge University Press, 2010OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the current issues surrounding Coverage with Evidence Development (CED). CED is characterized by restricted coverage for a new technology in parallel with targeted research when the stated goal of the research or data collection is to provide definitive evidence for the clinical or cost-effectiveness impact of the new technology. METHODS: Presented here is information summarized and interpreted from presentations and discussions at the 2008 Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) meeting and additional information from the medical literature. This study describes the differences between CED and other conditional coverage agreements, provides a brief history of CED, describes real-world examples of CED, describes the areas of consensus between the stakeholders, discusses the areas for future negotiation between stakeholders, and proposes criteria to assist stakeholders in determining when CED could be appropriate. RESULTS: Payers could interpret the evidence obtained from a CED program either positively or negatively, and a range of possible changes to the reimbursement status of the new technology may result. Striking an appropriate balance between the demands for prompt access to new technology and acknowledging that some degree of uncertainty will always exist is a critical challenge to the uptake of this innovative form of conditional coverage. CONCLUSIONS: When used selectively for innovative procedures, pharmaceuticals, or devices in the appropriate disease areas, CED may provide patients access to promising medicines or technologies while data to minimize uncertainty are collected.The development of the manuscript was funded by Medicines Australi

Can whole-drawer images measure up? A reply to Johnson et al. (2013)?

Johnson et al. (2013) found that morphometric measurements of dragonfly wings taken from actual specimens and measurements taken from whole-drawer images of those specimens were equally accurate. We do not believe that their conclusions are justified by their data and analysis. Our reasons are, first, that their study was constrained in ways that restrict the generalisability of their results, but second, and of far greater significance, their statistical approach was entirely unsuited to their data and their results misled them to erroneous conclusions. We offer an alternative analysis of their data as published. Our reanalysis demonstrates, contra Johnson et al., that measurements from scanned images are not a reliable substitute for direct measurement

Locations of marine animals revealed by carbon isotopes

Knowing the distribution of marine animals is central to understanding climatic and other environmental influences on population ecology. This information has proven difficult to gain through capture-based methods biased by capture location. Here we show that marine location can be inferred from animal tissues. As the carbon isotope composition of animal tissues varies with sea surface temperature, marine location can be identified by matching time series of carbon isotopes measured in tissues to sea surface temperature records. Applying this technique to populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) produces isotopically-derived maps of oceanic feeding grounds, consistent with the current understanding of salmon migrations, that additionally reveal geographic segregation in feeding grounds between individual philopatric populations and age-classes. Carbon isotope ratios can be used to identify the location of open ocean feeding grounds for any pelagic animals for which tissue archives and matching records of sea surface temperature are available

Economic Geology Models 4. Tantalum and Niobium: Deposits, Resources, Exploration Methods and Market – A Primer for Geoscientists

The world’s main tantalum (Ta) resources are in pegmatites (e.g. Wodgina, Australia), rare element-enriched granites (e.g. Abu Dabbab, Egypt), peralkaline complexes (e.g. Nechalacho, Canada), weathered crusts overlying the previously mentioned deposit types, and in placers. Niobium (Nb) resources with the highest economic potential are in weathered crusts that overlie carbonatite complexes (e.g. Catalão I and II, Brazil). Brazil accounts for 90% of the global Nb mine production with another 9% coming from the Niobec Mine, Canada (a hard-rock underground mine). However, at least 17 undeveloped carbonatite complexes outside of Brazil have NI-43-101 compliant Nb resource estimates (e.g. Aley carbonatite, Canada). Concentrates from most carbonatites are used to produce ferroniobium (Fe–Nb alloy), and Ta is not recovered. The Ta and Nb contents of some carbonatites (e.g. Upper Fir deposit and Crevier dyke, Canada) are of the same order of magnitude as that of pegmatite ores; however, concentrates from carbonatites have a higher Nb/Ta ratio. Historically, 10–12% Ta2O5 in Nb concentrates has not been recovered in ‘western’ smelters because of the hydrofluoric acid cost. Western countries perceive Ta and Nb supplies to be at risk. Tantalum market downturns resulted in several mines in Australia and Canada closing, at least temporarily, and a resultant shortfall has been filled by what is now recognized as ‘conflict-free columbite-tantalite’ from Central Africa. The lack of ore will not be a key factor in future Ta and Nb supply disruption. For example, more than 280 Nb- and 160 Ta-bearing occurrences are known in Canada alone, and more resources will likely to be discovered as geophysical and geochemical exploration methods are optimized.RÉSUMÉLes principales sources mondiales en tantale (Ta) sont les pegmatites (par ex. Wodgina, Australie), les granites enrichis en éléments rares (par ex. Abu Dabbab, Égypte), les complexes hyperalcalins (par ex. Nechalacho, Canada), les croûtes altérées recouvrant les types de gisements déjà mentionnés, et les placers. Les sources en niobium (Nb) ayant le meilleur potentiel économique se trouvent dans les croûtes altérées qui recouvrent les complexes de carbonatite (par ex. Catalão I et II, Brésil). Le Brésil est la source de 90% de la production minière mondiale de Nb, et 9% provient de la mine Niobec, au Canada (une mine souterraine). Cela dit, il existe au moins 17 complexes de carbonatite non développés à l'extérieur du Brésil dont les estimations de ressources en Nb sont conformes à la norme NI-43-101 (par ex. Aley carbonatite, Canada). Les concentrés de la plupart des carbonatites sont utilisés pour produire du ferroniobium (alliage Fe-Nb), et le Ta n'est pas récupéré. Les teneurs en Ta et Nb de certaines carbonatites (par ex. le gisement de Upper Fir et le dyke Crevier, Canada) sont du même ordre de grandeur que celles des minerais depegmatite; cependant, les concentrés de carbonatites ont une proportion Nb/Ta plus élevée. Historiquement, 10 à 12% du Ta2O5 des concentrés de Nb n'ont pas été récupérés dans les fonderies de l'Ouest en raison du coût de l’acide fluorhydrique. Les pays occidentaux estiment que les approvisionnements en Ta et Nb sont à risque. Le fléchissement du marché du tantale a entraîné la fermeture, au moins temporaire, de plusieurs mines en Australie et au Canada, et la pénurie qui en résulte a été comblée par ce qui est maintenant reconnu comme étant du minerai de colombite-tantalite «sans conflit» d'Afrique centrale. Le manque de minerai ne sera pas un facteur clé des perturbations à venir de l'approvisionnement en Ta et Nb. Par exemple, plus de 280 occurrences minérales contenant du Nb et 160 occurrences minérales contenant du Ta sont connues au Canada seulement, et davantage de ressources seront probablement découvertes à mesure que les méthodes d'exploration géophysique et géochimique seront optimisées

Lickometry: A novel and sensitive method for assessing functional deficits in rats after stroke

The need for sensitive, easy to administer assessments of long-term functional deficits is crucial in pre-clinical stroke research. In the present study, we introduce lickometry (lick microstructure analysis) as a precise method to assess sensorimotor deficits up to 40 days after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Impairments in drinking efficiency compared to controls, and a compensatory increase in the number of drinking clusters were observed. This highlights the utility of this easy to administer task in assessing subtle, long-term deficits, which could be likened to oral deficits in patients

Asymptotics of Feynman Diagrams and The Mellin-Barnes Representation

It is shown that the integral representation of Feynman diagrams in terms of the traditional Feynman parameters, when combined with properties of the Mellin--Barnes representation and the so called {\it converse mapping theorem}, provide a very simple and efficient way to obtain the analytic asymptotic behaviours in both the large and small ratios of mass scales.Comment: References added. This is the version published in Physics Letters

DNA barcoding identifies a cosmopolitan diet in the ocean sunfish

The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is the world’s heaviest bony fish reaching a body mass of up to 2.3 tonnes. However, the prey M. mola consumes to fuel this prodigious growth remains poorly known. Sunfish were thought to be obligate gelatinous plankton feeders, but recent studies suggest a more generalist diet. In this study, through molecular barcoding and for the first time, the diet of sunfish in the north-east Atlantic Ocean was characterised. Overall, DNA from the diet content of 57 individuals was successfully amplified, identifying 41 different prey items. Sunfish fed mainly on crustaceans and teleosts, with cnidarians comprising only 16% of the consumed prey. Although no adult fishes were sampled, we found evidence for an ontogenetic shift in the diet, with smaller individuals feeding mainly on small crustaceans and teleost fish, whereas the diet of larger fish included more cnidarian species. Our results confirm that smaller sunfish feed predominantly on benthic and on coastal pelagic species, whereas larger fish depend on pelagic prey. Therefore, sunfish is a generalist predator with a greater diversity of links in coastal food webs than previously realised. Its removal as fisheries’ bycatch may have wider reaching ecological consequences, potentially disrupting coastal trophic interactions