"Time and Poverty from a Developing Country Perspective"

This study is concerned with the measurement of poverty in the context of developing countries. We argue that poverty rankings must take into account time use dimensions of paid and unpaid work jointly. Reviewing the current state of the literature on this topic, our methodology introduces a critical but missing analytical distinction between time poverty and time deprivation. On this basis, we proceed to provide empirical evidence by using South African time use survey data compiled in 2000. Our findings show that existing methods that work well for advanced countries require modification when adopted in the case of a developing country. The results identify a group of adults who previously were inadvertently missing, as they were considered "time wealthy."Time Poverty Measurement; Time Use; Poverty; Policy

Mechatronics challenge for the higher education world

Mechatronics engineering courses at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as vocational training courses are rapidly increasing across the world. Philosophy and structure of such courses divert from the classical single-discipline engineering programmes and induce a challenge for the higher education institutions. Different institutions in various countries are reacting differently to this challenge but, all aiming at educating mechatronics engineers. This paper reviews the mechatronics education at various centres in the world. It also analyses the structure and contents of a number of selected mechatronics programmes in various higher education institutions. Furthermore, it proposes a list of features that a sound mechatronics engineering programme should contain

Factors governing the choice of feeder yarns suitable for air-jet texturing

Factors governing the choice of feeder yarns suitable for air-jet texturin

Utjecaj ojačanja epoksidnom smolom na izvlačnu silu vijka u ploča vlaknatica i iverica koje se rabe u proizvodnji namještaja

The study aimed to increase the screw withdrawal strength of medium density fiberboard and particleboard used in furniture strength by using epoxy resin in the screw pilot hole. Therefore, the effects of pilot hole diameters, screw diameter, and amount of epoxy resin on screw withdrawal strength of medium density fiberboard and particleboard from face and edge were investigated. According to TS EN 13446, 50 mm × 50 mm specimens were cut from commercial medium density fiberboard and particleboard boards. A static load was applied parallel to the screw direction. The screw withdrawal strength of medium density fiberboard was higher than the screw withdrawal strength of particleboard because of its density. Besides, the screw withdrawal strength of medium density fiberboard and particleboard samples with a 3.5 mm screw diameter was higher compared to those with a 4.5 mm screw diameter. A decrease in pilot hole diameter and an increase in the amount of epoxy resin provided higher screw withdrawal strength of materials. Using 20 % epoxy resin of the volume of the pilot hole resulted in two times better screw withdrawal strength values. The study showed that a higher amount of epoxy resin, smaller pilot hole diameter, and smaller screw diameter contribute to better screw withdrawal strength of both medium density fiberboard and particleboard from the face and edge.Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je povećati izvlačnu silu vijka u ploča vlaknatica i iverica koje se rabe u proizvodnji namještaja, i to upotrebom epoksidne smole u pilot-rupama za vijke. Stoga je ispitan utjecaj promjera pilot-rupa, promjera vijka i količine epoksidne smole na izvlačnu silu vijka na plohi i rubu ploče vlaknatice i iverice. Uzorci dimenzija 50 mm × 50 mm prema TS EN 13446 izrađeni su od komercijalne srednje guste ploče vlaknatice i ploče iverice. Statičko opterećenje djelovalo je paralelno na smjer vijka. Zbog razlika u gustoći ploča izvlačna sila vijka bila je veća za srednje gustu ploču vlaknaticu nego za ploču ivericu. Osim toga, izvlačna sila vijka promjera 3,5 mm u srednje gustoj ploči vlaknatici i ploči iverici bila je veća od izvlačne sile vijka promjera 4,5 mm. Smanjenje promjera pilot-rupe i povećanje količine epoksidne smole omogućilo je veću otpornost materijala na izvlačenje vijaka. Upotrebom 20 % epoksidne smole u odnosu prema volumenu pilot-rupe rezultiralo je dvostruko boljim vrijednostima izvlačne sile vijka. Istraživanje je pokazalo da veća količina epoksidne smole, manji promjer pilot-rupe i manji promjer vijka pridonose boljoj izvlačnoj sili vijka na plohi i rubu srednje guste ploče vlaknatice i ploče iverice

Design concepts for an integrated whiplash mitigating head restraint and seat

This paper presents design of a concept for an integrated head restraint and car seat system to mitigate whiplash in rear-end vehicle collisions. The main emphasis is on a concept, which combines a reactive head restraint with a reactive seat. The chosen concept is developed in the form of mechanical linkages using linkage analysis software, SAM 6.1. A human model positioned in a ‘good’ driving posture is used to show how the head restraint and seat would operate using a typical crash pulse used for dynamic sled testing of automotive seats. The head restraint system is capable of translating into an optimal position of 40 mm forwards and 60 mm upwards in 12 ms, before whiplash-induced injuries start to take place. The reactive seat is also capable of reclining 15 degrees. The combination of reducing the backset and reclining the seat to reduce the relative motion between the head and torso has the potential to reduce the whiplash-effect-related injuries in rear-end collisions

Textile composites from hydro-entangled non-woven fabrics

Production of nonwoven fabrics and composite technology are not new areas. However it seems very little has been done to look at the potential of hydro-entangled nonwovens as reinforcements in structural composites. A preliminary investigation is reported of the suitability of hydro-entangled nonwoven fabrics as fibre reinforcements in producing structural composites. Work reported involved producing various composite materials by impregnating hydro-entangled fibrous structure with a suitable polymer and evaluating the composite properties via a number of tests, such as tensile strength and impact resistance. Preliminary results show that there is good potential for producing composite structures from hydro-entangled nonwovens

Viscoelastic finite element analysis of the cervical intervertebral discs in conjunction with a multi-body dynamic model of the human head and neck

This article presents the effects of the frontal and rear-end impact loadings on the cervical spine components by using a multi-body dynamic model of the head and neck, and a viscoelastic finite element (FE) model of the six cervical intervertebral discs. A three-dimensional multi-body model of the human head and neck is used to simulate 15g frontal and 8.5g rear-end impacts. The load history at each intervertebral joint from the predictions of the multi-body model is used as dynamic loading boundary conditions for the FE model of the intervertebral discs. The results from the multi-body model simulations, such as the intervertebral disc loadings in the form of compressive, tensile, and shear forces and moments, and from the FE analysis such as the von Mises stresses in the intervertebral discs are analysed. This study shows that the proposed approach that uses dynamic loading conditions from the multi-body model as input to the FE model has the potential to investigate the kinetics and the kinematics of the cervical spine and its components together with the biomechanical response of the intervertebral discs under the complex dynamic loading history

Increasing productivity in high speed milling of airframe components using chatter stability diagrams

In this study, the application of chatter stability diagrams in industrial operations is presented with representative cases. Challenges arising due to the practical aspects of production systems are discussed in detail. Effects of tool, tool holder, spindle and CNC machine on chatter stability diagrams are presented. The implementation of the stability diagrams under such challenges is presented through real application examples showing significant reduction in machining times