Science led vs design led teaching approaches in materials science and engineering for aeronautical engineering students

A comparison on teaching styles has been conducted by analysing behavioural, cognitive, developmental, social cognitive and constructivist perspectives of 26 students (higher engineering apprentices). All of those students are in their full-time employment at Broughton factory (Airbus UK) and were comprehensively surveyed at the end of module (ENGF405: Composites and Aeronautical Materials) to quantify their learning experiences. It is generally assumed that design led, in comparison to science led, approach is the most appropriate method for these hands-on engineering professionals. However, presented results are quite interesting because majority of the high achievers have opted for science led approach for their improved learning experiences during the module

Epoxy – the hub for the most versatile polymer with exceptional combination of superlative features

Epoxy resins and epoxy based materials have experienced significant advancement since their beginning in 1936, when Dr. Castan of Switzerland and Dr. Greenlee of USA succeeded in synthesizing the very first bisphenol-A-based epoxy resins. Whether it is the new carbon fiber composite of Boeing’s Dreamliner or the thin set terrazzo flooring, epoxy has always been the ideal choice because of its superlative properties and unique chemical composition. Belonging to thermoset family, it is certainly one of the most versatile polymers we see around in composites, aerospace, automotive, marine, sports materials, construction, structures, electrical and electronic systems, biomedical devices, thermal management systems, adhesives, paints and coatings, industrial tooling and other general consumer products. Because of its versatile nature, epoxy is replacing many conventional materials, e.g. epoxy based materials have already replaced wood in majority of the boats and various sports goods. Epoxy is an open-access journal and offers a fast and comprehensive peer-review. To ensure that the journal has the largest possible impact in this early phase, no publication fees will apply until the end of 2015

Re-agglomeration of carbon nanotubes in two-part epoxy system; influence of the concentration

Carbon nanotubes, because of their exceptional mechanical properties, are one of the potential reinforcements for polymers in near future. Before substituting these nanocomposites in commercial applications, there are many problems, like dispersion, agglomeration, cost effectiveness etc., which need to be sorted. Processing such nanocomposites for longer durations is quite frequently observed these days. Apart from the other major obstacles, re-agglomeration, because of strong van der walls forces between carbon nanotubes, is one of the latest problems that has been always underestimated and ignored. In this study, different carbon nanotubes (Single-wall nanotubes (SWNT), Double wall nanotubes (DWNT), Amino-modified double wall nanotubes (DWNT-NH2), Thin Multi wall nanotubes (MWNT) and COOH-modified thin multi wall nanotubes (MWNT-COOH)) at different concentrations (0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 %wt) in two-part epoxy system (Liquid Epoxy, Liquid hardener and Liquid epoxy-hardener mixture) were studied involving nano-particle size analyzer. After a study of 3 hours, it was observed that there is a strong dependence of re-aggregation profile on the employed homogenizing technique, i.e. high-power bath ultrasonication in this study. Apart from nanotubes/epoxy mixture, higher concentrations yielded higher aggregates profile and vice versa. Re-agglomeration, with the passage of time, in liquid epoxy was found to be least as compared to liquid hardener and liquid epoxy-hardener mixture. Hardener in liquid-epoxy mixture was the main culprit responsible for re-aggregation. Results were further verified by scanning electron microscopy, which revealed significant differences in the microstructures of the cured and fractured samples. Suggestions for altering processing parameters in order to avoid this major obstacle are discussed

Comparative Study Between Mixed Model Assembly Line And Flexible Assembly Line Based On Cost Minimization Approach [TS167. F278 2008 f rb].

Mixed Model Assembly Line are widely used to produce different models as per customer's demands. Barisan Penggabungan Model Campuran digunakan secara meluas untuk menghasilkan model-model yang berbeza mengikut kehendak pelanggan

Pay and Job Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis of Different Pakistani Commercial Banks

This paper endeavors to study the various factors of job satisfaction among different commercial bankers in Pakistan and highlight the findings by performing statistical techniques like regression and correlation to gauge level of significance for the factor. Pay has been considered as the major factor for job satisfaction however other related factors like promotion, recognition, job involvement and commitment are also taken into account. Job satisfaction is an attitude of an employee over a period of his job so the factors of satisfaction and dissatisfaction changes over the period. It is a relative term and is nowadays used as a key factor to gauge the performance of a particular employee and organization. Satisfied employees are more likely to be friendly and responsive which attracts customers. Dissatisfied employees can lead to customer dissatisfaction.Job Satisfaction, Pay, Banker

Improving oxidation resistance of carbon nanotube nanocomposites for aerospace applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based materials possess strong potential to substitute various functional materials developed exclusively for aerospace applications. However, because of the low oxidation temperature of CNTs (400-500 oC), using CNT based ceramic nanocomposites in high temperature applications can be problematic. Making ceramic-CNT nanocomposites by atomic layer deposition (ALD) method and field assisted sintering technology (FAST) is a good route to improve oxidative stability of CNTs. In this study, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) of alumina coated CNTs (prepared by ALD) and alumina-CNT nanocomposites (prepared by FAST) were carried out. 16% improvements were observed in the oxidation resistance for alumina-CNT nanocompo-sites prepared by ALD and SPS techniques. Different strategies to improve oxidation resistance are discussed

Comparative Study Between Mixed Model Assembly Line And Flexible Assembly Line Based On Cost Minimization Approach [TS167. F278 2008 f rb].

Mixed Model Assembly Line are widely used to produce different models as per customer's demands. Barisan Penggabungan Model Campuran digunakan secara meluas untuk menghasilkan model-model yang berbeza mengikut kehendak pelanggan

Epistemological Crisis in Ethical Governance and Constructing a New Islamic Episteme as an Ethical Theory: A Case of Institution of Hisbah

The research presented in this thesis explores the governance within Islamic thought in the case of the institution of hisbah as well as exploring the episteme that is the cause of the recognised and unrecognised incoherencies and inconsistencies in the theories, regulations, and laws associated to the institution of hisbah. The analysis is based on conducting an epistemological examination in moral philosophical dialect in relation to the historical regulative institution of hisbah. Institution of hisbah constitutes the focus of this research, because this institution was politically structured, theologically positioned and theoretically entrusted to maintain public law and order, with the objective of supervising the behaviour in society and market from an Islamic perspective by using Islamic legal theories within its own theoretical framework with the aim of subscribing good and forbidding evil. The analysis presented found that the institution of hisbah was subject to continuous institutional failures throughout its history. In advancing the analysis, the research deconstructs the theoretical framework upon which the institution of hisbah located its operations for the moral governance of the market and the society. The deconstruction of theoretical frameworks point to the use of Islamic legal theory and juristic subjectivity for judging the moral conduct of activities as the root cause of the problem. The study further deconstructed the Islamic legal theory along side exploring for the alternative episteme within the broader view of Islamic thought, given the diversity of philosophical standpoints on good and evil within Islamic discourse. However, the result of this exploration suggests that epistemological crisis embodies the whole of Islamic tradition, which pave the way to a rise in crisis in morality and crisis in legitimacy within the tradition, which resulted in institutional failures, such as the ones witnessed in the operations of institution of hisbah. The study further discovers that consequent to the crisis in the Islamic tradition, the key questions on good and evil, within the realm of governance can no longer be settled by using the historically established tradition’s epistemological sources, because within the current settings of tradition, there is insufficient or no method of enquiry, form of argumentation and episteme that can address the crises, or through which a solution for the crises can be derived. By using MacIntyre’s work as a conceptual structure, this research attempts to construct a new epistemological source that may address the crises by specifying a model justified through model-dependent realism with the objective of creating a new point of orientation through which reality and dichotomy of good and evil can be objectively understood, whilst safeguarding the life form of the fabric of belief that is central to the traditional Islamic thought. Such episteme can then be used as an ethical theory by the institution of hisbah for judging the moral conduct of activities in the market and society. The new episteme is constructed, while preserving the tradition’s consequential essence. The consequential essence is inferred down to morality based on objectiveness and universality, and away from public choice, along with the notion of survival as episteme for philosophical perspective and theological stance. The consequential essence of tradition is maintained by using objectivist ethics and environmental sustainability within the outlines of classic theories on sovereignty of internal and external realm, as a foundational framework to construct the proposed model of ‘objective subjectivism’ as a theory of normative ethics. This proposed episteme as an Islamic ethical theory asserts that standard of value is life and measure of value and purpose of life is sustainability, and through this notion good and evil can be objectively distinguished for each realm, and therefore institutionally subscribed or prohibited for that realm, thus providing a workable framework for the operations of hisbah. As a research methodology and model construction process, the research presented in this research utilises discursive reasoning to conduct an epistemological enquiry based on critical discourse analysis, which is ontologically justified by model-dependent realism and epistemologically framed under consequentialism