Printing fine solid lines in flexographic printing process

Solid lines are essential to enable printing of conducting tracks for various electronic applications. In the flexographic printing process, the behaviour of the printing plate plays a vital role in how ink is printed onto the substrate as it deforms when passing through the printing nip. This deformation is dependent on the material properties of the plate, the geometry of the lines and the pressure within the printing nip. These will influence the printed track width and the ink film thickness, which will affect the electrical performance of the printed conductors. This thesis will focus on experiments on Flexographic printing capabilities in printing ultra fine solid lines. The development of a measurement technique which leads to successfully capturing the printing plate line geometry details through the application of interferometry techniques, will be demonstrated. This information is used in a Finite Element models to predict the deformation and consequent increase in line width using both a linear and non linear material models, the latter being based on a hyperelastic representation. A series of experiments on a bench top printer and a web press machine to determine the capabilities and the limitation of the Flexographic printing process in printing fine solid is also presented. Through the experiments conducted the link between the IGT-Fl printer and an industrial scale web press machine has been established where the success in study on certain printing parameters and its affects lead to a successful prints of 50ym line width with 50pm line gaps. The experiments also point the importance of light engagement pressures within the printing train and the requirements for using anilox cylinders having fine engraving. The work also shows than process parameters (eg, contact pressures) that are important for graphics printing have a similar effect when the processes is used to print fine line features .

Study on handing process and quality degradation of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The study employs exploratory and descriptive design, with quantitative approach and purposive sampling using self-administrated questionnaires, were obtained from 30 smallholder respondents from the Southern Region, Peninsular Malaysia. The study reveals that there was a convincing relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The main handling process factors influencing quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) were harvesting activity and handling at the plantation area. As a result, it can be deduced that the handling process factors variable explains 82.80% of the variance that reflects the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The overall findings reveal that the handling process factors do play a significant role in the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

Development of a Knowledge-Based Energy Damage for evaluating Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Risk

Malaysia’s construction industry has been long considered hazardous, owing to its poor health and safety record. It is proposed that one of the ways to improve safety and health in the construction industry is through the implementation of ‘off-site’ systems, commonly termed ‘industrialised building systems (IBS)’ in Malaysia, which require fewer workers on�site. This is deemed safer, based on the risk concept of reduced exposure; however, no method yet exists for determining the relative safety of various construction methods, including IBS. This thesis presents a comparative evaluation of the occupational health and safety (OHS) risk presented by different construction approaches, namely IBS and traditional methods. The evaluation involved developing a model based on the concept of ‘argumentation theory’, which helps construction designers integrate the management of OHS risk into the design process. In addition, an ‘energy damage model’ was used as an underpinning framework. Development of the model was achieved through three phases. Phase I involved collection of data on the activities involved in the construction process and their associated OHS risks, derived from five different case studies, field observation and interviews. Knowledge on design aspects that have the potential to impact on OHS was obtained from document analysis. Using the knowledge obtained in Phase I, a model was developed in the form of argument trees (Phase II), which represent a reasoning template with regard to options available to designers when they make judgements about aspects of their designs. Inferences from these aspects eventually determined the magnitude of the damaging energies for every activity involved. Finally, the model was validated by panels of experts (Phase III), and revisions and amendments were made to the model accordingly. The model provides a means of evaluating OHS risk among construction workers, which could help designers understand the extent to which their design decisions may impact on OHS and thereby assist them to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. The development of the risk assessment model represents structured knowledge that designers can draw on when making judgments about OHS risks, in the form of argument trees. The model was categorized into several damaging energies, which provides a way to evaluate the risk from start to finish. The research revealed that different approaches/methods of construction projects carried a different level of energy damage, depending on how the activities were carried out. A study of the way in which the risks change from one construction process to another shows that there is a difference in the profile of OHS risk between IBS construction and traditional methods. For example, the potential gravitational damaging energy for certain activities in the in-situ concrete and masonry method can be removed or reduced by the use of IBS/off�site methods such as the wall panel system and the panellised system. This is compatible ii with other researchers’ claims that IBS/off-site is safer and carries significantly less risk in traditional construction. This thesis contributes to knowledge by suggesting options available to product and process designers that allow them to assess the extent to which their design decisions reduce OHS risk in construction, and offering a more rigorous comparison of the OHS risks in IBS and traditional approaches. It is anticipated that the model may provide a way for designers to integrate process knowledge and awareness of safety and OHS risk variables into design to eliminate or reduce hazards in construction. Keywords: IBS, OHS in construction, knowledge-based energy damage model, off-site constructio

Southeast asian medicinal plants as a potential source of antituberculosis agent

Despite all of the control strategies, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major cause of death globally and one-third of the world’s population is infected with TB. The drugs used for TB treatment have drawbacks of causing adverse side effects and emergence of resistance strains. Plant-derived medicines have since been used in traditional medical system for the treatment of numerous ailments worldwide. There were nine major review publications on antimycobacteria from plants in the last 17 years. However, none is focused on Southeast Asian medicinal plants. Hence, this review is aimed at highlighting the medicinal plants of Southeast Asian origin evaluated for anti-TB. This review is based on literatures published in various electronic database. A total of 132 plants species representing 45 families and 107 genera were reviewed; 27 species representing 20.5% exhibited most significant in vitro anti-TB activity (crude extracts and/or bioactive compounds 0–<1

Solving cracking phenomenon in premium transparent toilet soap production using Stretched LLDPE Film Wrap

Cracking phenomenon in soap production is an imminent problem. It renders the soap aesthetically unpleasing. This study attempts to find best solution to solve cracking phenomenon in premium soap production. The adopted approach is a stamping method with stretched LLDPE wrap film. The result shows that stretched LLDPE wrap film able to solve the cracking problem. The appearance of the premium transparent was improved. This paper presents the results and the SOP for stretched LLDPE film wrap for soap making industries to adopt

Study on handing process and quality degradation of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The study employs exploratory and descriptive design, with quantitative approach and purposive sampling using self-administrated questionnaires, were obtained from 30 smallholder respondents from the Southern Region, Peninsular Malaysia. The study reveals that there was a convincing relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The main handling process factors influencing quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) were harvesting activity and handling at the plantation area. As a result, it can be deduced that the handling process factors variable explains 82.80% of the variance that reflects the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The overall findings reveal that the handling process factors do play a significant role in the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

Effect of combined Ce and Er Addition on Solidification, Microstructure of the Al-7Si-alloy

This paper highlights the effects of the additions of two rare earth elements (REEs) (Ce and Er) on microstructure and to investigate the characteristic temperatures during solidification of the modified alloy. Five changes of Al-7Si alloys with xEr+xCe additions (x=0.15, 0.25, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.75) were produced by casting technique via the solidification parameters examined using computer-aided cooling curve thermal analysis (CA-CCTA). The thermal analysis tests were carried out for each one by using a thermal analysis system that includes (K-type Thermocouple, EPAD-TH8-K, EPAD-Baes2 and Laptop with Dewesoft-7.5-Lt). To estimate the change in microstructure and solidification as a result of adding (Ce+Er) additions, the obtained result showed that the growth TG Al-Phase and nucleation TN Al-Phase temperatures decreased to lower temperatures 614.7°C and 615.5°C respectively as the amount Ce, Er increased

Designation of soap molder machine and procedure for transparent soap

Transparent soap is actually the combination of actual soap and solvent. The solvent is added into the soap solution to produce the transparent characteristic. The problem from the previous production is that tiny air bubbles were observed inside the soap resulted in less attractive appearance. Current method of producing the soap bar had taken more than 8 hours and having difficulties to take out the soap bar from the plastic mold with low production rate. It is expected that the air bubble problem can be solved using this new soup molder machine. The soap production rate is believed to increase with the invention of soap molder machine. By reducing the production time from 8 hours to 2 hours, it improve production rate significantly

A study of micro to nano structure fine solid line printing for graphene ink by micro-flexographic printing method

Flexography is one of the famous printing techniques that are possible to create graphic and electronic device on variable substrates by using conductive ink. Graphene is an example of material that can be used as printing ink which usually use in producing micro to nano scale electronic devices in a low cost production. Flexography is a high speed roll to roll printing technique commonly used in paper printing industry. And this study elaborates the analysis of graphene as a printing ink use in combination of flexography and micro-contact which known as micro-flexographic printing for micro to nano scale fine solid line image. Here, it is proposed that extending micro-flexographic printing technique into the multiple micro to nano scale printing fine solid line onto biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) substrate by using graphene as a printing ink. This paper will illustrates the use of graphene in producing multiple fine lines printing capability for the application of printing electronic, graphic and bio-medical

Outcome of mix Ce and Er addition on solidification microstructure of the LM25 ( Al-7Si-alloy)

This paper highlights the effects of the additions of two rare earth elements (Ce and Er) on microstructure and to investigate the characteristic temperatures during solidification to five modified alloy. Al-7Si alloys with xEr + xCe additions (x = 0.15, 0.25, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.75) were produced by casting technique via the solidification parameters examined using computer-aided cooling curve thermal analysis (CACCTA). The thermal analysis tests were carried out for each one by using a thermal analysis system that includes (K-type Thermocouple, EPAD2-TH8-K, EPAD-Baes and Laptop with Dewesoft-7.5-Lt). To estimate the change in microstructure and solidification as a result of adding (Ce + Er) additions the obtained result showed that the growth TGAl-Phase and nucleation TNAl-Phase temperatures decreased to lower temperatures 614.7 °C and 615.5 °C respectively as the amount Ce, Er increased. A high amount of Ce, Er (1.5%) addition reduces the size of the platelet Si-intermetallic to very fine form