A System for the Remote Monitoring of Vehicle Technical Condition: Kirovets Tractor Gearbox Case Study

The authors noted that in order to increase the energy-saturated equipment technical readiness, reduce its operation costs and ensure full use of the resource, it is necessary to quickly assess the current technical condition. The authors have created a counter-indicator prototype for high-precision control of gearbox technical condition. (Research purpose) To formulate a proposal for developing a system for the remote monitoring of gearbox technical condition applicable to the Kirovets tractor family. (Materials and methods) To increase the precision level of traceability and technical condition detection, a system of diagnostic tools was proposed based on the developed counters-indicators, which take into account design features when determining diagnostic parameters. (Results and discussion) It was shown that to assess the gearbox technical condition, it is necessary to use additional monitoring systems, obtain information for calculating the residual life, when using direct measurements and having a possibility of the ongoing monitoring over the actual change in the gearbox units diagnostic parameters. The authors studied the options for using meter-indicators to minimize group II and III failures during operation.(Conclusions) It was identified that in order to increase the level of gearbox operational reliability, it is necessary to introduce a system of counters-indicators. The authors revealed the possibility of monitoring the individual unit technical condition in accordance with the specified indicators, as well as in order to prevent operation in emergency (abnormal) modes.

The Beacon Collaborative: A Journey to Excellence

Topic The development of the Critical Care Beacon Collaborative to achieve meaningful recognition. Clinical Relevance Recognizing nurses for contributions to their work environment and care delivery is important for their professional and personal fulfillment, job satisfaction, and retention; such recognition can occur at the individual, unit, or organizational level. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program acknowledges nursing excellence at the organizational level. It would, however, be difficult for an organization to achieve Magnet designation without nursing excellence at the unit level. To recognize excellence at the unit level, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses developed the Beacon Award in 2003. Objective To describe one academic medical center’s journey toward winning Beacon Awards across 8 units within the adult critical care service. Content Covered The Critical Care Beacon Collaborative resulted in a Beacon Award for each unit and important staff outcomes. This article describes the organization, the process before the Critical Care Beacon Collaborative convened and the desired state, and the methods used to achieve our goal. It also discusses unit- and service-level stakeholder involvement. The successes, lessons learned, sustainability, and growth of the Critical Care Beacon Collaborative are shared to assist readers who aspire to pursue a Beacon Award.

Reduction of Embodied Energy and Construction Cost of Affordable Houses through Efficient Architectural Design: A Case Study in Indian Scenario

Embodied energy and cost of construction of any building depends upon the consumption of resources, more specifically construction materials. In housing clusters, the spaces provided for horizontal and vertical circulation of occupants such as corridors and contribute in the built-up area of individual unit without any increase in the usable/carpet area. Thus, an efficient architectural planning of common circulation spaces plays a major role in lowering the built-up-to-carpet area ratio of individual housing unit in clusters. This may, thus, result in lesser embodied energy and maximum area availability for occupant usage. In the present study, 30 clusters of Indian affordable housing units (IAHUs) of similar typology and different architectural designs are analyzed. The built-up and carpet area of each IAHU are estimated, and the ratio of the built-up to carpet area is calculated. Detailed estimates of construction materials for each IAHU is prepared, and cost of construction and embodied energy is calculated. The calculations of embodied energy and construction cost are done for major construction materials, viz., cement, steel, bricks, sand, and coarse aggregate and compared with different built-up-to-carpet area ratio. The study of IAHUs concludes that a variation of 1.30 to 1.62 in the built-up area-to-carpet area ratio results in variation in construction cost (INR 13,425.00 to 20,138.00 per m2 carpet area) and embodied energy (4–6.5 GJ per m2 carpet area). Analysis suggests that the IAHU with a lower built-up-to-carpet area ratio exhibits reduction in the cost of construction and embodied energy simultaneously. Thus, an efficient architectural design plays a major role in improving the sustainability of IAHUs and built-up-to-carpet area ratio is an important indicator of sustainability.

Development of a mathematical model for the process of modernization of a melon cleaning machine

The paper is devoted to the problem of increasing the efficiency of melon processing under limited production automation. Measures for equipment modernization should be carried out in accordance with the operation rules of each individual unit. In production conditions, all equipment, without exception, undergoes this process, while the corresponding documentation is drawn up, confirming the implementation of modernization within a certain time frame. In a competitive market environment, product quality is a causal factor for the sharp increase in risks for food industry enterprises. To produce quality and competitive products, you need equipment that helps to reduce costs. The disadvantages of most melon peeling designs are size instability in the thickness of the rind. The paper presents a solution to this drawback. This was achieved by changing the sharpening angle of the rind cutting knife. Research has been carried out to study the texture properties of “Mirzachulskaya” and “Raduzhnaya” melons. And also experiments on melon peeling based on the planning matrix of mathematical modeling. Based on the experiments, a model of the peeling process was constructed. The key factors to limit peeling waste were optimized. Calculations of the optimized parameters yielded the cutting knife sharpening angle of 40 degrees, a roller gap of 9 mm, as well as an average force applied of 1,375 N∙m. The data obtained can be used as a basis for the modernization of this machine for other melon varieties

Reconfigurable THz Metamaterial Filter Based on Binary Response for Information Processing System

Light-matter interactions between the metallic and dielectric layers along with the controlling of electromagnetic waves can create a way to develop micro-devices and moderate the functionalities for advanced applications. This study describes a new controlling technique of the plasmatic electron packet based on an electric split-ring resonator (eSRR). All numerical experiments were performed using an advanced CST electromagnetic package. The proposed metamaterial tunneled structure in this study operates using terahertz (THz) frequency spectrum as an efficient digital processing filter. The array combination of the tunneled structure consisted of three individual unit cells. Moreover, the two engineered metallic arms added to the tunneled structure exhibited two peak resonances and one passband frequency region. A large evanescent field was produced to enhance the wave-metal interactions with the presence of a metal-dielectric micro-tunnel. The intensity of the electromagnetic wave-metal interactions was encoded to binary 0 and 1 for information encoding purposes. As a result, the reconfigurable micro-unit cell metamaterial tunneled structure was able to effectively control the electric field and allow electron packets to be digitally encoded for the information processing system.

Solid to superionic transition in iron oxide-hydroxide

<p>At planetary interior conditions, water ice has been proved to enter a superionic phase recently since it was predicted about 30-year ago. Hydrogen in superionic water become liquid-like, and move freely within solid oxygen lattice. Under extreme pressure and temperature conditions of Earth’s deep mantle, the solid-superionic transition can also occur readily in the pyrite-type FeO<sub>2</sub>Hx, a candidate mineral in the lower mantle and probably also in other hydrous minerals. We find that when the pressure increases beyond 73 GPa at room temperature, symmetric hydroxyl bonds are softened and the H<sup>+</sup> (or proton) become diffusive within the vicinity of its crystallographic site. Increasing temperature under pressure, the diffusivity of hydrogen is extended beyond individual unit cell to cover the entire solid, and the electrical conductivity soars, indicating a transition to the superionic state which is characterized by freely-moving proton and solid FeO<sub>2</sub> lattice. The superionic hydrogen will dramatically change the geophysical picture of electrical conductivity and magnetism, as well as geochemical processes of hydrogen isotopic mixing and redox equilibria at local regions of Earth’s deep interiors.</p>

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLID CONCRETE BLOCK MASONRY EMPLOYING DIFFERENT MORTAR RATIOS

This research work aims to investigate experimentally the mechanical properties of solid concrete blocks as an individual unit and assembly (block masonry) employing different mortar mix ratios. The material properties of the concrete block unit, such as compressive strength and unit weight were explored by taking three samples from the four local factories. The block masonry assemblages were subjected to various load patterns for the evaluation of compressive strength, diagonal tensile strength and shear strength. For the bond, four types of mortars i.e., cement – sand (1:4), cement – sand (1:8), cement – sand – khaka (1:2:2) and cement – sand – khaka (1:4:4) were used in the joints of concrete block masonry assemblages. (Khaka is a by-product formed in the stone crushing process). For each type of mortar, three samples of block masonry were fabricated for compressive strength, shear strength and diagonal tensile strength, and tested in the laboratory. It is observed that the replacement of sand by khaka enhanced the mechanical properties of masonry.

XBLOC-PLUS: THE INTERLOCKING, PATTERN PLACED AND EFFICIENT ARMOUR UNIT

Most breakwaters are built with randomly placed single layer armour units as these are most cost-efficient. Most single layer blocks require random unit orientations, which requires the crane operator to assess the orientation of each individual unit during placement. DMC noticed the desire for an interlocking block which can be placed in a regular pattern as many crane operators find it easier to place units uniformly, which requires less intuition. Fifteen years after the introduction of Xbloc, DMC introduces a new interlocking breakwater armour unit called XblocPlus which is placed with uniform block orientations.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/oEb1vsYfjL8

Critical care transfers and COVID-19: Managing capacity challenges through critical care networks

The intensive care units in North West London are part of one of the oldest critical care networks in the UK, forming a mature and established strategic alliance to share resources, experience and knowledge for the benefit of its patients. North West London saw an early surge in COVID-19 admissions, which urgently threatened the capacity of some of its intensive care units even before the UK government announced lockdown. The pre-existing relationships and culture within the network allowed its members to unite and work rapidly to develop agile and innovative solutions, protecting any individual unit from becoming overwhelmed, and ultimately protecting its patients. Within a short 50-day period 223 patients were transferred within the network to distribute pressures. This unprecedented number of critical care transfers, combined with the creation of extra capacity and new pathways, allowed the region to continue to offer timely and unrationed access to critical care for all patients who would benefit from admission. This extraordinary response is a testament to the power and benefits of a regionally networked approach to critical care, and the lessons learned may benefit other healthcare providers, managers and policy makers, especially in regions currently facing new outbreaks of COVID-19.

Bundled interventions for consumption management and monitoring of personal protective equipment in COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong local hospitals

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in December 2019, there had been global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) supply due to the breakage of supply chain and also the forbidding of PPE exported by various countries. This situation had greatly affected the healthcare services in local hospitals of Hong Kong. To maintain the availability of PPE for healthcare workers in high-risk clinical settings, the cluster management of New Territories West Cluster, Hospital Authority, had implemented a bundle of interventions in controlling and managing the PPE consumption and ensuring its proper use. A Taskforce on Management of PPE was set up in February 2020 with the aim to monitor and manage the use of PPE in five local hospitals and eight general outpatient clinics of New Territories West Cluster, which were governed in a cluster basis, under the COVID-19 epidemic. Interventions including cutting down non-essential services, implementing telecare, monitoring PPE consumption at unit level and PPE stock at the Cluster Central Distribution Centre and forming mobile infection teams were implemented. The updated PPE standards and usage guidelines to clinical staff were promulgated through forums, newsletters and unit visits. The PPE consumption rates of individual unit were reviewed. Significant decrease in PPE consumption rates was noted when comparing with the baseline data. Comparing the data between 20 February and 1 June 2020, the overall PPE consumption rates were reduced by 64% (r=−0.841; p<0.001) while the PPE consumption rates in anaesthesia and operating theatres, and isolation and surveillance wards were reduced by 47% (r=−0.506; p=0.023) and 49% (r=−0.810; p<0.001), respectively. A bundled approach, including both administrative measures and staff education, is effective in managing PPE consumption during major infection outbreaks especially when PPE supply is at risk.