The use of simulated games in an undergraduate course manufacturing processes

Simulation games bring the real engineering situation into class room. They are ideally suited to situations where the size and cost of some systems cannot be replicated in educational institutions, e.g. large-scale production facilities and manufacturing processes. Students undertaking a course in Manufacturing Processes participated in a role-playing game within a simulated manufacturing environment for the production of LEGO widgets. The game has three discrete phases; each with a briefing session, a production “run” and a debriefing session. It encourages observation and discussion of possible improvements required to increase productivity, and also visualizes some of the manufacturing concepts. This paper describes the exceptional learning outcomes achieved, the explicit understanding of manufacturing strategies and an insight into the approaches taken by world class manufacturers to maximise production. Surveys of students, taken before and after the game, revealed that they gained a greater appreciation for the course content by being immersed in this simulated scenario. The game also illustrated the importance of good team interaction, the application of different problem-solving techniques, and proved the odd adage “work smarter not faster”

The development of a simulation engineering game to teach problem solving skills and team dynamics

Simulation technologies have become the corner stone of many training programs, from simple game–playing scenarios to totally immersive virtual reality simulators. However, many of these simple teaching aides merely tend to develop the manual dexterity of the learner. The game described in this paper develops the learner’s problem-solving skills and teamwork. The game under development is based on a simulated production line, constructing structures with Lego blocks. The game has three discrete phases; each with a briefing session, a production “run” and a debriefing session. It encourages observation and discussion of possible improvements required to increase productivity. This is achieved by the learning of good team interaction and the application of different problem-solving techniques. Initial feedback from students reveals that the simulated game provides a better method of observing the importance of team dynamics and the honing of problem solving skills

Towards adaptive operational requirements for optimal application of evaporation-suppressing monolayer to reservoirs via a 'universal design framework'

Much of the chemical monolayer-based evaporation mitigation research was generated in the 1950s, 60s and 70s centred on the use of spreading long-chain fatty alcohols, such as hexadecanol (C16) and octadecanol (C18), on the water surface. Many researchers from this era have reported highly variable performance results (anywhere from 0-30% efficiency) attributing the highly variable evaporation reduction achieved to film volatilisation, drift, beaching on the lee shore and waves which can break-up or submerge the film.Failure to address this requirement has undoubtedly contributed to the lack of development in the use of monolayers despite some demonstration of useful evaporation suppression performance. In addition recent studies have also indicated that all water bodies have a naturally-occurring surface film, referred to as a microlayer, which can interact with artificial (chemical) monolayers. Natural microlayers are produced by hydrophobic plant waxes, phenolic compounds and other humified material, which concentrates populations of micro-organisms capable of utilizing these materials as organic substrates. This explains why common artificial monolayers (with carbon chain lengths of up to 16) are highly susceptible to biodegradation. Studies on Australian brown water storages reveal highly concentrated microbial microlayer communities, due to the coincidence of leaf and bark fall with low rainfall (Pittaway and van den Ancker 2009). This variation in the concentration of humified organic compounds in the storages is associated with both the volume of the storage, and the riparian vegetation within the water catchment. This paper sets out a strategic approach to the use of monolayer on a reservoir for evaporation mitigation. The approach recognises that every reservoir will have a specific set of user and environmental considerations which leads to a unique set of operational requirements. In order to capture and utilise this information a Universal Design Framework (UDF) has been developed. The UDF serves two purposes, firstly to inform the selection of monolayer material and system design for any given site (‘Planning Mode’), and secondly to inform (and potentially autonomously manage) day-to-day operations, i.e. the timing and amounts of monolayer application (‘Operational Mode’). The UDF takes into account the following parameters: • Critical water requirement periods: These will vary from location to location and at different times of the year. Hence, this is a user determined input. • Economics: The dollars-per-megalitre value of water will also vary from location to location and at different time of the year with respect to critical water requirement periods (e.g. irrigated cropping close to harvest). Included in this input is a user defined annual maximum cost outlay for the monolayer-based system. • Water storage factors: Inputs differ slightly depending on storage type (i.e. ring tank versus gully dam), but generally require information of length, width, shape, bank height, freeboard, full supply volume and geographical co-ordinate points for storage orientation. This would be determined by a basic on-site analysis • Climate and weather factors: Monthly average evaporation demand, rainfall and ambient air temperature information is required, including particularly wind speed frequency and prevailing wind direction, (e.g. from a local Automatic Weather Station (AWS) or via the Bureau of Meteorology SILO database, http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/). In the Planning Mode mean and extreme historical climate data are used; and in the Operational Mode prevailing conditions are required. • Water quality and biological factors: Assessments are made of water source/s (e.g. runoff versus bore), water colour, turbidity, water chemistry (pH, electrical conductivity and UV absorbency), plus density of local catchment vegetation and catchment area. Once the above parameters are known, the UDF is used to determine (in Planning Mode) the most suitable monolayer material/s and optimal arrangement of application equipment, including number of applicators, their arrangement and application strategies for the particular reservoir and monolayer product. In Operational Mode the UDF will guide (or if required, fully control) operational procedures, i.e. the implementation of a unique application strategy for a specific product according to the hour-by-hour prevailing conditions. This paper also outlines decision-making processes within the UDF. Firstly, to determine suitable monolayer materials the UDF compares water quality and biological characteristics of the particular site to those of six benchmark reservoirs in SE Queensland which have been studied in detail (Pittaway and van den Ancker 2009). The biologically-closest informs the choice of appropriate monolayer material/s. Once the selection of a monolayer is made there are a number of unique characteristics that material possesses that will substantially influence the application strategies. Secondly, a simulation platform has been developed to determine the application strategies and operational requirements for the reservoir. The simulation enables rapid evaluation of a range of different sample water bodies to populate a decision chart similar to that for monolayer material selection. A central component of the simulation platform is a fluid-mechanical model of the dispersal of monolayer across a water surface area under the influence of environmental variables, principally wind speed and wind direction, which (in Planning Mode) determines: • optimal spacing between application points, • amount of monolayer applied from each applicator as well as the total amount applied, • placement of applicators to achieve optimal surface coverage, • number of applicator types required, and • percentage of surface coverage under a range of wind speeds and directions. The above simulated output information is unique to the particular reservoir and is essentially a specification for the design and operation of a monolayer application system for that specific site, and is used firstly (Planning Mode) to select appropriate application equipment capable of satisfying the monolayer application requirements; and secondly, if installed as planned, as the basis for day-to-day monolayer application (Operational Mode). Simulation results to date indicate that from large reservoirs, optimal surface coverage is best achieved by a number of fixed application points surrounding and within the reservoir spaced no further than 12 metres apart; and that a greater concentration of applicators is required upwind from the prevailing wind direction in addition to higher rates of monolayer application

Ground hemp fibers as filler/reinforcement for thermoplastic biocomposites

Mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, and impact) of ground hemp fibre polypropylene composites were investigated. Ground alkali-treated hemp fibre and noil hemp fibres with various initial fibre lengths were utilized to reinforce polypropylene matrix. Firstly, the microstructural and tensile characterizations of the two types of fibres were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR), and Dynamic Mechanical Analyser (DMA). Then, the fibres were ground into different lengths of 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2 mm; composites containing 40 wt% short hemp fibre and 5 wt% maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) were fabricated by means of a twin screw extruder and an injection moulding machine. Finally, influence of hemp fibre type and initial hemp fibre length on tensile property of the composites were investigated. The results revealed that addition of either noil hemp fibre or normal treated hemp fibre into the pure polypropylene matrix increased the tensile strength almost twice and stiffness of the composites more than three times. Although noil hemp fibre composite indicated slightly lower mechanical properties than the normal alkali-treated fibre composites, the difference was not significant. The analysis of the results provided the optimum initial fibre length (powder) of 0.2 mm hemp polypropylene composite. The results can be extended to different types of natural fibres

Risk factors to predict the incidence of surgical adverse events following open or laparoscopic surgery for apparent early stage endometrial cancer: Results from a randomised controlled trial

Aims: To identify risk factors for major Adverse Events (AEs) and to develop a nomogram to predict the probability of such AEs in individual patients who have surgery for apparent early stage endometrial cancer. Methods: We used data from 753 patients who were randomized to either total laparoscopic hysterectomy or total abdominal hysterectomy in the LACE trial. Serious adverse events that prolonged hospital stay or postoperative adverse events (using common terminology criteria 3+, CTCAE V3) were considered major AEs. We analyzed pre-surgical characteristics that were associated with the risk of developing major AEs by multivariate logistic regression. We identified a parsimonious model by backward stepwise logistic regression. The six most significant or clinically important variables were included in the nomogram to predict the risk of major AEs within 6 weeks of surgery and the nomogram was internally validated. Results: Overall, 132 (17.5%) patients had at least one major AE. An open surgical approach (laparotomy), higher Charlson’s medical co-morbidities score, moderately differentiated tumours on curettings, higher baseline ECOG score, higher body mass index and low haemoglobin levels were associated with AE and were used in the nomogram. The bootstrap corrected concordance index of the nomogram was 0.63 and it showed good calibration. Conclusions: Six pre-surgical factors independently predicted the risk of major AEs. This research might form the basis to develop risk reduction strategies to minimize the risk of AEs among patients undergoing surgery for apparent early stage endometrial cancer

Depth of anaesthesia: measuring or guessing?

This paper is a comprehensive literature review on the Depth of Anaesthesia (DoA) monitoring problem. We first investigate the current clinical practice, then briefly introduce the DoA monitors, finally we analyse and discuss the reliability and accuracy of current DoA assessment practice. In this study we find that most of the responses suppressed by anaestheic agents are not of the central nervous system (CNS) but are responses from the peripheral nervous systems (PNS). The responses generated for drug combinations across the therapeutic ranges show considerable variations in drug concentrations that constitute adequate anaesthesia for a particular stimulus. We propose to capture the decision process of anaesthetist using neural networks as neural networks are good at finding patterns in non linear, non stationary signals

Determining operational requirements to optimise monolayer performance on a farm dam via a 'Universal Design Framework'

Chemical monolayer films are potentially an economical low-impact means of reducing evaporative loss from farm water storages. However, their performance can be highly variable as they are affected by a number of complex site-specific, climatic and environmental variables. These include wind-induced effects such as surface drag, drift, volatilisation, submergence by waves and beaching on the lee shore, and biological degradation. All of which need careful consideration, simultaneously, to determine (1) what monolayer material/s to use; (2) the type of application system, its estimated performance and how to spatially arrange that system on-site; and (3) what application strategy to employ. These multiple influencing factors have been studied in detail and consolidated into a ‘Universal Design Framework’ (UDF) to aid decision-making in regards to the above, during planning, design and installation of a monolayer-based evaporation mitigation system

Developing a track model for testing the road pavement under repeated moving surface loads

[Abstract]: It is not uncommon to see road pavement damage in areas near road intersections. One type of pavement failure found on major roads appears to be caused by frequent decelerations and accelerations of heavy vehicles near signalized intersections. The effects of such repeated surface tractions on road pavement have not been widely studied yet. Proposed in this paper is a plan to develop an experimental program that will simulate the actions of repeated decelerations and accelerations of vehicles. The developed simulator will provide a realistic model to investigate road pavement failures in the future

A ‘universal design framework’ for installation planning and operational management of evaporation-suppressing films on agricultural reservoirs

In Australia, the efficient use of stored agricultural water is critical as the population pressure and the variability in annual rainfall increase. One technique for reducing evaporation from larger open water reservoirs (>10ha) is the use of a monomolecular film. Highly variable performance attributed to the deleterious effects of wind and wave action discouraged adoption of the technology in the past. However, recent research has identified other contributing factors. In order to improve field performance and confidence in monolayers, a Universal Design Framework (UDF) has been developed. The UDF informs the selection of monolayer material and applicator system design for any given site; and informs and enables the automation of, day-to-day operational management. Also, the UDF can accommodate the wide range of environmental and operational factors encountered in the management of agricultural reservoirs, to calculate an optimal application system design and application strategy

Use of an Arabin pessary to prevent preterm birth in pregnancy complicated by a short cervix after cervical conization for cervical adenocarcinoma with residual disease: A case report and literature review

Surgical conization of the cervix for cervical cancer increases the risk of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies. The ideal intervention to prevent preterm births in women with cervical insufficiency resulting from conization is not known. When histological margins of the cone biopsy are suspected to have residual malignancy, surveillance and oncological management during a concurrent pregnancy can be challenging. This case outlines the management of a pregnancy complicated by a short cervix secondary to conization for adenocarcinoma of cervix, with margins suspected to be not clear of disease. The patient had progressive shortening of the cervix despite vaginal progesterone, but maintained a cervical length of 16 mm following Arabin pessary insertion. She delivered a healthy neonate at 34 + 3 weeks of gestation (105 days following pessary insertion). The cervical pessary in combination with vaginal progesterone may be safe and effective in preventing preterm birth in a pregnancy with possible residual cervical cancer and a short cervix