The biomechanical design of a training aid for a backward handspring in gymnastics

This study was carried out to design, construct and assess a training aid to assist in the learning of a backward handspring. A backward handspring is often the first backward dynamic skill gymnasts will learn and so its performance can be accompanied by anxiety. International high performance coaches were surveyed to establish the key coaching requirements of a backward handspring training aid. A video analysis of the skill was used to determine characteristic dimensions of the skill, and these were used in the design of the training aid. The aid was designed and manufactured in accordance with European Standards for safety. The device’s safety for use in supporting the backward handspring was confirmed through testing. The assessment of the training aid using 11 gymnasts showed that it permitted a safe dynamic performance; provided support; did not obstruct technically good performances; allowed progressive use by novices without additional coach support; and was adjustable for gymnasts of various size and ability. When assessed against other training aids, it was the only aid that fulfilled all of the key coaching requirements

A review of the state of the art in tools and techniques used to evaluate remanufacturing feasibility

Remanufacturing often seems a sensible approach for companies looking to adopt sustainable business plans to achieve long term success. However, remanufacturing must not be treated as a panacea for achieving a sustainable business, as issues such as market demand, product design, end of life condition and information uncertainty can affect the success of a remanufacturing endeavour. Businesses therefore need to carefully assess the feasibility of adopting remanufacturing before committing to a particular activity or strategy. To aid this decision process, a number of tools and techniques have been published by academics. However, there is currently not a formal review and comparison of these tools and how they relate to the decision process. The main research objective of this study has therefore been to identify tools and methods which have been developed within academia to support the decision process of assessing and evaluating the viability of conducting remanufacturing, and evaluate how they have met the requirements of the decision stage. This has been achieved by conducting a content analysis. Three bibliographic databases were searched (Compendex, Web of Science and Scopus) using a structured keyword search to identify relevant literature. The identified tools were then split into 6 categories based upon the specific decision stages and applications, then evaluated against a set of key criteria which are, the decision factors (economic, environmental, social) and the inclusion of uncertainty. The key finding of this study has been that although decision factors are generally well covered, operational tools and the use of uncertainty are often neglected

Product life cycle information management in the electronics supply chain

Information availability and data transparency are key requirements from manufacturers when supporting products throughout the life cycle, for example when implementing product service systems. The application of embedded wireless technologies into printed circuit boards (PCBs) can help bridging current knowledge gaps and to minimise both technical and financial risk through reduced product downtime, improved quality of tracking and enhanced end-of-life decision making. The application of embedded RFID into PCBs for life cycle monitoring of electronic products to support Product Service Systems is discussed in this paper

A satisfaction based framework for continuous development of PSS

Customer satisfaction levels have been used by industry to provide valuable insight into the evaluation of products and service quality. However, the levels do not necessarily provide a full picture needed for a full evaluation. This paper analyses published academic research work and industry’s views, and presents a framework that uses customer satisfaction as the main contributor towards the state of “total contentment”, to measure performance and develop product service systems (PSS) within industry. Additional parameters such as customer loyalty and retention are included in the proposed framework, providing a full overview in how customers’ “total contentment” can be determined

The biomechanical design of a gymnastics training aid for a handstand on the rings

The handstand on rings is a requirement in competition routines in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, and hence is a key skill in the development of an elite artistic gymnast. This study was carried out to establish the coaching requirements of a training aid for a handstand on the rings, to investigate the biomechanics of the handstand, to design and construct a training aid, and to assess its performance. The key requirements of a training aid for a handstand on rings were compiled from a survey of 11 national coaches. A biomechanical analysis of a handstand on rings was carried out in order to investigate the control mechanism and to inform the training aid design. The aid was designed to permit the same control mechanism to be used and was manufactured in accordance with British Standards. In order to assess the performance of the aid displacement, joint angle, and muscle activation data were used to compare handstands on the rings, floor, prototype training aid, and two other existing training aids. The results showed that a handstand on the prototype was more similar to rings than a handstand on the existing training aids. The prototype also simplified the learning of the skill

Adapting the 'Iron Triangle' to develop a framework for reverse manufacturing decision support tools

Interest from industry in reverse manufacturing is increasing due to market drivers such as higher costs for resources and increasing government legislation aimed at reducing waste. In order for companies to take advantage of this business opportunity, awareness and understanding of the role of uncertainty within reverse manufacturing and its influence on performance parameters of cost, time and quality must be acknowledged. Although decision support tools exist in literature, they currently lack a holistic approach in modeling the interrelated effects of performance parameters and uncertainty within the business. The purpose of this paper therefore is to propose a framework in which future decision tools can be created for reverse manufacturing. The effects of this framework are then demonstrated with current business scenarios, using reverse manufacturing case study examples