scholarly journals A Mobile System for the On-Site Assembly of Timber Frame Components: The Development of an Agile, Low-Cost Alternative to Offsite Prefabrication

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 651
Author(s):  
Stuart Gee ◽  
Andre Brown

Prefabricated timber component-based systems are the most prevalent industrialised system used to build housing. Along with many other countries, the UK has invested in different types of factory-based prefabrication systems as a means of increasing productivity and enhancing quality. In more recent decades, prefabrication has become part of a series of ‘modern methods of construction’ employed for, and aimed at, delivering sustainable and efficient construction. However, certain pragmatic issues remain. The industry is cyclical, and during periods of declining resources, skills and technical development can be lost. Additionally, factory-based prefabrication requires substantial initial investment and an appropriate local workforce. To help address these issues, this paper presents the concept of an alternative method of production and assembly that takes a different approach to traditional industrialised systems that involve large investments and fixed-location factories. The proposition presented in this paper is that it is possible to design and develop a small, low cost, portable micro-factory that can be taken to a temporary location or construction site, where it can then be used to construct prefabricated closed panels. We describe the development of a working prototype, effectively a micro-factory, along with its potential advantages over a fixed facility.

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
AVISHAI BENISH ◽  
HANAN HABER ◽  
ROTEM ELIAHOU

AbstractHow does the rising ‘regulatory welfare state’ address social policy concerns in pension markets? This study examines this question by comparing the regulatory responses to high charges paid by low-income workers in pension markets in the UK and Israel. In the UK, with the recognition that the market would not cater to low-income workers, the regulatory response was the creation of a publicly operated low-cost pension fund (NEST), a ‘public option’ within the market. This allowed low-income workers access to a low level of charges, previously reserved for high-income and organised workers. In Israel, regulation sought to empower consumers, while providing minimal social protection by capping pension charges at a relatively high level, thereby leaving most of the responsibility for reducing the charges with the individual saver. By comparing these two cases, the article develops an analytical framework for the study of the regulatory welfare state, making two contributions. First, it highlights different types of regulatory citizenship: minimal regulatory social protection as opposed to a more egalitarian approach. Second, it identifies an overlooked regulatory welfare state strategy: creating ‘public option’ arrangements, whereby a state-run (but not funded) service operates within the market.


2013 ◽  
Vol 778 ◽  
pp. 706-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Poletti ◽  
Graca Vasconcelos

Half-timbered buildings are well known as one of the most efficient seismic resistant structure in the world, but their popularity is not only due to their seismic performance, but also to their low cost and the strength they offer. These structures generally consist of exterior masonry walls with timber elements embedded which tie the walls together and internal walls which have a timber frame with masonry infill and act as shear walls. Generally, different types of infill could be applied to half-timbered walls depending on the country, namely brick masonry, rubble masonry, hay, mud, etc. The focus of this paper is to study the seismic behaviour of the walls when no infill is present, i.e. considering only the timber frame, and then compare the results with those of the infill walls. Static cyclic tests have been performed on unreinforced timber frame walls and appropriate strengthening solutions have been applied in order to test the walls in a retrofitted condition, namely (1) steel plates with different configurations and (2) steel flat bars inserted with the NSM technique.


Author(s):  
Mark Slobin

The chapter opens with the author’s personal and family musical formation as examples of how family, school and other early settings shape urban musical lives. Next comes a collage of short quotes from a couple dozen Detroiters to suggest how different types of early influences form musicians’ identities more generally. A short closing section discusses how the availability of many different musical sources within a metropolis helps to shape personal profiles, even as social distance keeps some styles and performances of music inaccessible.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 526
Author(s):  
James Ditai ◽  
Aisling Barry ◽  
Kathy Burgoine ◽  
Anthony K. Mbonye ◽  
Julius N. Wandabwa ◽  
...  

The initial bedside care of premature babies with an intact cord has been shown to reduce mortality; there is evidence that resuscitation of term babies with an intact cord may also improve outcomes. This process has been facilitated by the development of bedside resuscitation surfaces. These new devices are unaffordable, however, in most of sub-Saharan Africa, where 42% of the world’s 2.4 million annual newborn deaths occur. This paper describes the rationale and design of BabySaver, an innovative low-cost mobile resuscitation unit, which was developed iteratively over five years in a collaboration between the Sanyu Africa Research Institute (SAfRI) in Uganda and the University of Liverpool in the UK. The final BabySaver design comprises two compartments; a tray to provide a firm resuscitation surface, and a base to store resuscitation equipment. The design was formed while considering contextual factors, using the views of individual women from the community served by the local hospitals, medical staff, and skilled birth attendants in both Uganda and the UK.


BJS Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Bladt ◽  
Felyx Wong ◽  
Francesca Bladt

Abstract National cervical screening programs have played a pivotal role in the prevention of cervical cancer. However, practices across the UK have reached an all-time low in cervical screening uptake. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of implementing an automated voice message reminder within the local general practice (GP) telephone triage system and explore the reasons which deter eligible patients away from cervical screening. A 20-second voice-message reminder in the telephone queue was played, addressing key risk factors along with a message from a child who lost his mother to cervical cancer. From the anonymised GP database, weekly new smear test bookings were monitored from 4 weeks prior until 2 weeks after the intervention was implemented. To qualitatively assess factors which deter patients away from screening, female patients were randomly sampled to fill in an anonymous questionnaire. The use of a low-cost 20 second voice message in the telephone queue across UK GP practices could be an effective method to increase cervical smear test coverage towards the national target of 80%. 35 questionnaire responses were received, main themes reported for not attending screening include embarrassment(37%), busy schedule(32%) and cultural differences(24%). In the week following the intervention, cervical smear tests increased more than 2-fold, from an average of 12 to 26 smears per week. This could be partly due to the convenient timing of voice recording, reminding them to book both appointments simultaneously and the child’s emotive message.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088391152199784
Author(s):  
Nipun Jain ◽  
Shashi Singh

Development of an artificial tissue by tissue engineering is witnessed to be one of the long lasting clarified solutions for the damaged tissue function restoration. To accomplish this, a scaffold is designed as a cell carrier in which the extracellular matrix (ECM) performs a prominent task of controlling the inoculated cell’s destiny. ECM composition, topography and mechanical properties lead to different types of interactions between cells and ECM components that trigger an assortment of cellular reactions via diverse sensing mechanisms and downstream signaling pathways. The polysaccharides in the form of proteoglycans and glycoproteins yield better outcomes when included in the designed matrices. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains present on proteoglycans show a wide range of operations such as sequestering of critical effector morphogens which encourage proficient nutrient contribution toward the growing stem cells for their development and endurance. In this review we discuss how the glycosylation aspects are of considerable importance in everyday housekeeping functions of a cell especially when placed in a controlled environment under ideal growth conditions. Hydrogels made from these GAG chains have been used extensively as a resorbable material that mimics the natural ECM functions for an efficient control over cell attachment, permeability, viability, proliferation, and differentiation processes. Also the incorporation of non-mammalian polysaccharides can elicit specific receptor responses which authorize the creation of numerous vigorous frameworks while prolonging the low cost and immunogenicity of the substance.


1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Loane ◽  
R Corbett ◽  
S E Bloomer ◽  
D J Eedy ◽  
H E Gore ◽  
...  

Diagnostic accuracy and management recommendations of realtime teledermatology consultations using low-cost telemedicine equipment were evaluated. Patients were seen by a dermatologist over a video-link and a diagnosis and treatment plan were recorded. This was followed by a face-to-face consultation on the same day to confirm the earlier diagnosis and management plan. A total of 351 patients with 427 diagnoses participated. Sixty-seven per cent of the diagnoses made over the video-link agreed with the face-to-face diagnosis. Clinical management plans were recorded for 214 patients with 252 diagnoses. For this cohort, 44 of the patients were seen by the same dermatologist at both consultations, while 56 were seen by a different dermatologist. In 64 of cases the same management plan was recommended at both consultations; a sub-optimum treatment plan was recommended in 8 of cases; and in 9 of cases the video-link management plans were judged to be inappropriate. In 20 of cases the dermatologist was unable to recommend a suitable management plan by video-link. There were significant differences in the ability to recommend an optimum management plan by video-link when a different dermatologist made the reference management plan. The results indicate that a high proportion of dermatological conditions can be successfully managed by realtime teledermatology.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sajid Saeed

The primary concern of this paper is to investigatethe extent to which three variables (i.e. personality traits, demographic variables, and job satisfaction) are interrelated with each other and what effect they have on each other in relation to the UK retail sector. The four different types of retail stores i.e. Tesco, Primark, Ikea and WH Smith were selected for survey purpose to minimise the class biasness.Total 300 close-ended questionnaires were distributed and 220 responses were obtained.The findings reveal that ‘Neuroticism’ is negatively associated with job satisfaction as well as with ‘Extraversion’. However, it is positively correlated with other three personality groups including ‘Agreeableness’, ‘Conscientious’, and ‘Openness’. On the other hand, ‘Openness to experience’ has a negative relationship with ‘Agreeableness’.It is also found from the ranking analysis that employees with ‘Agreeableness’ and ‘Conscientiousness’ personalities are more successful in their career and consequently they are more satisfied with their jobs.


2013 ◽  
Vol 756-759 ◽  
pp. 489-492
Author(s):  
Fu Lu Jin ◽  
Yun Peng Li ◽  
Hong Rui Wang

To automatic test the function and performance of an airborne radar, changeable test adapter is adopted to implement the hardware and software design of the automatic test set of the antenna, transceiver and indicator of the radar based on AT89C52. Problems such as t the different types of interfaces, the various kinds of signals and the test of microwave signal are solved successfully and the objectives of resource sharing and automatic test are realized. The test software is designed by modular structure, and with the help of automatic test set hardware, the required test items of the radar system are experimented and the test process control succeeded. Experiment results show that the automatic test set performs steadily and the results meet the requirements of the airborne radar. The set has the advantages of intelligent, manageable and reducing artificial errors. It provides effective guarantees for radars maintenance, fault diagnosis and fault detection, and has a wide application prospect with low cost.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazimierz Drabczyk ◽  
Edyta Wróbel ◽  
Grazyna Kulesza-Matlak ◽  
Wojciech Filipowski ◽  
Krzysztof Waczynski ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this study is comparison of the diffusion processes performed using the commercial available dopant paste made by Filmtronics and the original prepared liquid dopant solution. To decrease prices of industrially produced silicon-based solar cells, the new low-cost production processes are necessary. The main components of most popular silicon solar cells are with diffused emitter layer, passivation, anti-reflective layers and metal electrodes. This type of cells is prepared usually using phosphorus oxychloride diffusion source and metal pastes for screen printing. The diffusion process in diffusion furnace with quartz tube is slow, complicated and requires expensive equipment. The alternative for this technology is very fast in-line processing using the belt furnaces as an equipment. This approach requires different dopant sources. Design/methodology/approach In this work, the diffusion processes were made for two different types of dopant sources. The first one was the commercial available dopant paste from Filmtronics and the second one was the original prepared liquid dopant solution. The investigation was focused on dopant sources fabrication and diffusion processes. The doping solution was made in two stages. In the first stage, a base solution (without dopants) was made: dropwise deionized (DI) water and ethyl alcohol were added to a solution consisting of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 99.8 per cent ethyl alcohol. Next, to the base solution, orthophosphoric acid dissolved in ethyl alcohol was added. Findings Diffused emitter layers with sheet resistance around 60 Ω/sq were produced on solar grade monocrystalline silicon wafers using two types of dopant sources. Originality/value In this work, the diffusion processes were made for two different types of dopant sources. The first one was the commercial available dopant paste from Filmtronics and the second one was the original prepared liquid dopant solution.


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