Augmented reality assisted facility layout digitization and planning

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - Facility layout planning (FLP) has an important role in manufacturing industries. There are few approaches to solve FLP such as procedural,...     

Modelling of probability of failure of concrete columns

This paper predicts the probability of failure or short and long columns of square reinforced concrete for deterministic and probabilistic loads. The effect of various parameters; width, length of column, effective length coefficient, percentage of steel, axial load, grade of concrete and random numbers; on the probability of failure of the column is studied. The material, geometric parameters and the load are treated as probabilistic. The results for short columns show that the rate of decrease of probability of failure is a maximum with increase in width, while it increased to a maximum with increase in loads, whereas for long columns the length of column had the predominant effect.     

Green Nanocomposites of Natural Rubber/ Olivine Nanosilica: Viscoelastic,Mechanical, Transport and Thermal Characterizations

Silicon - Nanosilica was synthesized from a low cost raw material, olivine by a more sustainable and cost effective method. The pure nanosilica obtained was amorphous in nature with a surface area...     

Synthesis of nanostructured copper hexacyanidoferrate and its application in voltammeteric detection of salbutamol

Nanostructured copper hexacyanidoferrate has been synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, thermal and infrared spectral studies. The transmission electron microscopic studies of the synthesized material showed that it consisted of irregular oval and rod shaped particles with a size range 70–100 nm. Nanostructured copper hexacyanidoferrate modified glassy carbon electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetery and nanostructured copper hexacyanidoferrate–carbon nanotube composite material modified glassy carbon electrode has been used for electrocatalytic oxidation of salbutamol. The electrode modified with composite material was found to reduce the peak potential of oxidation of salbutamol by nearly 90 mV.     

Recovery of copper from a surface altered chalcopyrite contained ball mill spillage through bio-hydrometallurgical route

Bioleaching studies for chalcopyrite contained ball mill spillages are very scarce in the literature. We developed a process flow sheet for the recovery of copper metal from surface activated (600 °C, 15 min) ball mill spillage through bio-hydrometallurgical processing route. Bioleaching of the activated sample using a mixed meso-acidophilic bacterial consortium predominantly A. ferrooxidans strains was found to be effective at a lixiviant flow rate of 1.5 L/h, enabling a maximum 72.36% copper recovery in 20 days. Mineralogical as well as morphological changes over the sample surface were seen to trigger the bioleaching efficiency of meso-acidophiles, thereby contributing towards an enhanced copper recovery from the ball mill spillage. The bio-leach liquor containing 1.84 g/L Cu was purified through solvent extraction using LIX 84I in kerosene prior to the recovery of copper metal by electrowinning. Purity of the copper produced through this process was 99.99%.     

Green composites based on high‐density polyethylene and Saccharum spontaneum: Effect of filler content on morphology,thermal, and mechanical properties

Here we report the preparation and characterization of a green composite based on high‐density polyethylene and Kaans grass (Saccharum spontaneum). The composites were prepared by conventional melt‐mixing method, using maximum loading of Kaans grass in powder form (KG‐filler) to achieve acceptable range of required properties. Maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene was used as compatibilizer to achieve effective interaction for improved surface adhesion which was confirmed by FT‐IR spectroscopy. Morphological studies revealed good interaction between the base polymer matrices and the KG‐fillers that improved the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites up to certain (10 phr) KG‐filler loading. Study on water absorption property revealed moderate increase in weight at higher KG‐filler loadings. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and melt flow index (MFI) studies indicated retention of thermal stability and flow property of the HDPE/KG‐filler composite at lower filler loadings. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2157–2166, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Optimum short-time polynomial regression for signal analysis

Sādhanā - We propose a short-time polynomial regression (STPR) for time-varying signal analysis. The advantage of using polynomials is that the notion of a spectrum is not needed and the...     

Studies on Transport Phenomena during Continuous Casting of an Al-Alloy in Presence of Electromagnetic Stirring

In the present work, a numerical study is performed to predict the transport phenomena during continuous casting of an aluminum alloy (A356) in presence of weak stirring. A set of volume averaged single phase conservation equations (mass, momentum, energy and species) is used to represent the casting process. The electromagnetic forces are incorporated in the momentum equations. The governing equations are solved based on the pressure-based finite volume method according to the SIMPLER algorithm using TDMA solver along with an enthalpy update scheme. The simulation predicts the temperature, solid fraction and species in the computational domain. A parametric study is also performed.     

A new approach to integrate PLZT thin films with micro-cantilevers

In the present work, we report the preparation of PLZT thin films in pure perovskite phase by RF magnetron sputtering without external substrate heating and their integration with micro-cantilevers. The ‘lift-off’ process for patterning different layers of a micro-cantilever including PLZT, Pt/Ti and Au/Cr was employed. The basic requirement of lift-off process is that the deposition temperature should not exceed 200°C otherwise photoresist will burn out. Therefore, one of the aims of the present work was to prepare PLZT film at lower deposition temperatures, which can be subsequently annealed to form pure perovskite phase. This also strongly favours the incorporation of ‘lift-off’ process for patterning in the complete process flow. As no external substrate heating was required in the deposition of PLZT film, this objective has been successfully accomplished in the present work. The ‘lift-off’ process has been successfully adopted for patterning the composite layers of PLZT/Pt/Ti and Au/Cr using thick positive photo-resist (STR-1045). Different types of cantilever beams incorporating PLZT films have been successfully fabricated using ‘lift-off’ process and bulk micromachining technology. The proposed process can be advantageously applied for the fabrication of various MEMS devices.