Reduction of copper slag with the use of carbon granulates

The investigation results on the reduction of slag from fl ash smelting furnace and the use of carbon granulates obtained from fi ne-grained waste materials of both the coal enrichment and coking processes have been presented in the paper. The investigation results on the reduction of slag from fl ash furnace and the use of carbon granulates obtained from fi ne-grained waste materials of both the coal enrichment and coking processes have been presented in the paper.Web of Science53458758

Determination of Chemical Diffusion Coefficient of Lithium Ions in Ceramics Derived from Pyrolysed Poly(1,2-dimethylsilazane) and Starch

AbstractThe apparent chemical diffusion coefficient Li+ (DappLI+) in pyrolysed poly(1,2-dimethylsilazane)/starch (PSN/S) (weight ratio: 30/70) ceramic anode composite is determined by galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT). The electrode material composition is C6.00N0.14H0.47O0.12Si0.13. The calculated values of DappLI+, depend on the applied potential, vary from 10-14 to 10-9 [cm2/s]. The diffusion coefficient of lithium ions calculated in this work are similar with the values reported by other authors for carbonaceous anodes

The use of quality management tools to ensure safe working conditions at CO2 laser workstations

Dynamic development of various technologies replacing existing, difficult or in various ways arduous, is the reason for replacing equipment with modern ones. New equipment may be associated with a different power supply, a different way that the construction materials are processed or the tools used, than the previous one. Then arises a need to re-examine whether the working conditions at a workplace are safe, what onerous and hazardous factors are associated with the work. An example of such a technological change could be a laser processing, when equipment using a concentrated energy stream, properly controlled, produces a specific effect on materials. However, along with the benefits of the new technology, come also many risks, such as the effects of radiation on matter and the human body, electricity, fire hazards, the problem of toxic emissions and others. This paper presents the problem of ensuring work safety at a newly commissioned CO2 laser station. Technique of brainstorming was used to identify and analyze the working conditions and types of hazards. These may be different from what was previously known, partially known, or even unconscious. Ishikawa diagram was developed and shown to be an effective tool for detailing and structuring problems in relation to safety. In the case of a technical problem, a poka-yoke solution to eliminate the hazard was proposed. Problems occurring at the workstation during machining and related to its operation were assigned, using the affinity diagram, to specific departments of the company, according to its work organization, which can significantly facilitate the management of the work and employees of the different departments in the future, in order to ensure safe and hygienic working conditions

Hazard, risk assessment and safety management in workstations with lasers – theoretical and practical studies

Hazard identification and occupational risk assessment, defined as the probability of occurrence of unfavorable work-related events, is one of the areas of activity for employers in relation to current legislation and standards. Using occupational risk assessment it is possible to design and use workstations properly, respecting workers’ health. This article presents an issue related to the use of workstations with laser equipment, which describes the nature of work of lasers and the specific impact of the laser beam on the material. The subject of the analysis is the workstations with a CO2 laser for cutting polymers and a workstation with a fiber laser for marking and engraving. For the above-mentioned workstations, using a designed checklist, the features of lasers are verified, hazards are identified, and occupational risk is estimated using the risk graph method. The estimated risk at selected workplaces with lasers clearly indicated that special attention should be paid not only to the device, and the negative impact of their laser beam on the human body, but also on the treated materials. The article also draws attention to protective measures, which should be applied at laser workstations to ensure the safety of employees

Environmental Protection in Industry 4.0. Opportunities and Threats in Selected Areas

In recent years, the importance of production in cyberphysical systems - CPS characteristic of the new industry concept, which is Industry 4.0 -I 4.0, is gaining importance. Industry 4.0 enforces modification of traditional perception of production. The basis for changes in Industry 4.0 has become Internet of Things - IoT, which gives the opportunity to connect and communicate with each other such areas as mobile solutions, cloud computing, sensors, analytics and cyber security. By new technology, areas that previously operated in enterprises as separate systems can be combined and create new opportunities for industrial production (modernization of production methods and reduce employment). Industry 4.0 brings with it a number of new challenges for producers in the field of environmental protection, and related to the inclusion of cybernetic technology in physical production processes as well as distribution. Production starts and ends on the customer. Industry 4.0 is a collective term for technologies and concepts of value chain organization. The United Nations Organization for Industrial Development indicates the following environmental aspects in the perspective of the development of Industry 4.0, such as: climate change and limited access to resources, primarily to clean energy. It is assumed that changes in the production and functioning of economies will result in a decrease in the emission of harmful compounds into the atmosphere and increase the flexibility of activities for environmental protection. The purpose of this work is to present general directions of changes in the field of environmental protection in Industry 4.0. Authors present the following areas of change: energy management and material management. These areas are opportunities for environmental. In the category of threats, the growing costs of environmental protection and household expenses are pointed out. The work is based on a literature study and statistical data. Statistical data are used: integrated technologies, expenditure and costs of environmental protection, recycling of secondary raw materials and energy consumption for the EU and Poland

Analysis of the Possibility of Introducing the Reduction of Changeover Time of Selected CNC Machines Using the SMED Method

The paper presents the results of improving the production process using the SMED method. The process improvement was carried out in a company in the construction industry, using a machine park consisting of CNC machines. The study evaluated the current state of changeover times for selected CNC machines and proposed a reduction in changeover times for the machine park analysed. By in-troducing changes to the changeover process on selected CNC machines, it was possible to minimise the changeover time by more than 20% on all the machines analysed. The proposed reorganisation of the CNC operators’ workstations resulted in a time reduction of approximately 61% for machine 1, 52% for machine 2 and 12% for machine 3. The installation of barcode readers on the profiles, on the other hand, made it possible to load the machining programmes into the CNC machines more quickly and resulted in a reduction in loading time of approximately 88% on average for each of the machines analysed