Experimental Investigation and Optimization of Machining Parameters in Turning of Aluminum Alloy 075-T651

Aluminum alloy 7075-T651 is a widely used material in the aviation, marine, and automobile sectors. The wide application marks the importance of this material’s research in the manufacturing field. This research focuses on optimizing input process parameters of the turning process in the machining of Aluminum 7075-T651 with a tungsten carbide insert. The input machining parameters are cutting speed, feed, and depth of cut for the output response parameters cutting force, feed force, radial force, material removal, and surface roughness of the workpiece. For optimization of process parameters, the Taguchi method, with standard L9 orthogonal array, is used. ANOVA is applied to obtain signifi-cant factors and optimal combinations of process parameters.

The specificity of the functioning of the quality cost account within the quality management system of an enterprise

Along with the development of quality systems, there was a need to analyze the expenditure incurred to obtain the appropriate quality of products or services and the impact of the actions taken on the results achieved by an entity. Quality costs are an important tool for improving the quality of offered products and efficiency of management, provided that the enterprise maintains a quality cost calculation. It is a system for capturing and analyzing all costs related to quality and taking actions aimed at increasing quality while minimizing production costs. The purpose of quality cost account is not only to identify areas in need of improvement, but most of all to provide information enabling the assessment of the effectiveness of the QMS implemented in the enterprise. The article indicates the essence of quality cost account. It also presents a method of implementing quality cost account in an enterprise which can be the basis for the development of a procedure within the scope of the quality management system. The presented methodology of quality cost account comprehensively indicates the scope of its conduct, responsibility for the activities carried out within it, the method of recording quality costs in the enterprise and indicators the analysis of which allows for an objective assessment of the effectiveness of the implemented quality management system.

Ecolabnet service packages as a response to the needs of manufacturing enterprises in the SME sector of the Baltic Sea Region

Nowadays, the competitiveness of the economy, which is determined to a large extent by the innovative activities of enterprises and institutions, is of great importance for economic development. An important type of innovation is eco-innovations. Eco-innovations are currently a very timely topic undertaken by researchers, but also an important element of the activities of many companies. As a network of service providers for eco-innovations in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, ECOLABNET fits perfectly in this trend. It aims to support, enable and empower companies to undertake sustainable eco-innovation activities in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond. The aim of this publication is to present the results of research on the eco-innovation needs of SME enterprises of the Baltic Sea countries and potential collaboration in this field with external entities. The services developed as packages of eco-innovation services in Ecolabnet that can meet the identified needs were indicated. The survey was conducted between March and May 2019 and covered SMEs in six countries: Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. The subjects of the study were manufacturing companies that improve their products or services. The aim of the research was to gain an understanding of the needs and challenges related to eco-innovation in the context of sustainable development, to identify the future eco-innovation needs of manufacturing SMEs and collaborations with external actors, and to determine how and through which services the Ecolabnet can meet these needs and contribute to the growth of the enterprise. The manufacturing enterprises in this survey were motivated to eco-innovate. However, they lack knowledge on eco-innovation in its broadest sense, and therefore, urgently need the help of external experts, business partners, and networks in this area. The survey covered three areas: Business, Development, and Technology/Production. Business topic areas that entrepreneurs placed a high emphasis on were: branding and communication, supplier relations, customer insights and financial aspects. Within the needs in terms of development put most emphasis on product design, process development, bio-based materials and biodegradable materials. In the last category of identified needs Technology/Production respondents indicated increasing process efficiency, energy optimization and material efficiency. The research results also indicate that product design as well as branding and communication are urgent needs in the field of external expertise. Of the potential needs, the respondents also indicated customer insights, other alternative materials, business models, value chain assessment, and service design.

Stress-strain state of damaged reinforced concrete bended elements at operational load level

Each structure is exposed to different influences during operation. As a result, there are various defects and damages of these elements that affect their safe operation. The article presents the results of experimental studies of reinforced concrete beams with damages to stretched reinforcement made with and without initial load application. As the damages were accepted one or five Ø5.6 mm holes. In one case, the damage was made until the beam destruction (up to the 8.4 mm opening) Control samples of both series were destroyed due to crushing of the compressed zone of concrete. Samples that were damaged without initial loading collapsed due to rupture of the stretched reinforcement. The same type of failure was identified for damages at the operational load level.

Multi-Independent Optimization while Turning of Inconel-600 alloy using Grey Interactive Exploration

This investigation effort offers multi-quality attributes optimization while turning of Inconel-600 superalloy. Taguchi's L9 orthogonal planning is implemented to review the upshot of governing aspects such as machining speed, feed rate, and depth of cut on vibrations and surface roughness (SR). To heighten all the three leading variables, the grey interactive exploration (GIE) is implemented. The grey interactive rating (GIR) is practiced as a multi-quality exclusive key (MQEK). The finest formation of central variables acquired from the investigational grades is cutting speed 500 m/min, feed rate 0.22 mm/rev and depth of cut 0.5 mm. ANOVA scrutiny signposts that feed rate is a crucial variable relating to the superiority yields. Products of endorsement pilots display that the ideal foremost variables developed the grey interactive rating from 0.6932 to 0.8138 for the numerous retorts. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) scrutiny of cutting tool spectacles that fracture, chipping, abrasion and adhesion are the primary wear phenomena.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Organizations as Part of a Quality Management System

The paper deals with the topic of social responsibility in selected organizations in the Czech Republic. This topic is mainly associated with the requirements for economical and ecological production. In reality, however, this area has a much broader meaning. In the introduction, the paper deals with the definition of corporate social responsibility, the importance of this industry, the description of stake-holders and the basic principles of the whole concept. Furthermore, the paper deals with the benefits of implementing corporate social responsibility in the overall concept of the organization and describes the most common barriers to the adoption of the concept of CSR in organizations. The next part analyses the current attitude of organizations to CSR in the form of a questionnaire survey. Organizations from various areas of the private as well as the public sector were involved in the survey. The questionnaire is divided into three groups within the questions asked to the respondents. The first part of the questions is focused on the identification of organizations, focus size and other information. The second part focuses on awareness of corporate social responsibility and the last part deals with issues related to strengthening awareness of CSR.

Direction of businesses operating in Slovakia to develop key managerial competencies

The emerging era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution brings significant changes mainly in the sphere of development and widespread utilization of new technologies. The application of mentioned technological innovations can be found in all economy spheres, however the effectiveness of their implementation is the key to ensuring the businesses competitiveness. The authors analyse the current but also expected state of key managerial competencies as well as their application needed to maintain competitiveness in the emerging era of Industrial Revolution in businesses operating in Slovakia. The research was conducted by the questionnaire method in 1,077 companies, during the year 2020. The results of the survey show an above-average use of almost all assessed competencies as well as positive prognosis for the future, as the perception of their need of future application is even at a higher level than the present state shows.

Influence of different hard-facing procedures on quality of surfaces of regenerated gears

During the process of regeneration of machine parts, certain phenomena occur that have a significant impact on the loss of their working ability. Hereditary properties are expressed by the interdependence of geometric and physical-mechanical-metallurgical parameters of gear teeth created during the technological operations of regeneration of worn teeth by hard-facing. The influence of the type of additional material (electrodes and their combinations) on the tribological characteristics of welded gear teeth was considered, whereby the so-called hard additional materials were applied. Those are the additional materials that give the required surface hardness of the teeth without subsequent thermal or thermochemical treatment. This research did not involve the regeneration of specific worn gears removed from machine systems, but the new gears were made, which were then damaged and then regenerated by hard-facing using the shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) procedure. Thus, all the tested gears were made of the same material, belonged to one batch and were machined on the same machines with the same machining regimes. The tests were performed on samples made of 20MnCr5 steel for cementation, on a tribometer by the “block on disc” method, which was designed to simulate the operating conditions of coupled teeth of concrete gears in the exploitation conditions. Based on the conducted tribological tests, the average coefficients of friction and topography of the surfaces were determined by measuring the wear trace and it was defined which additional materials give the best tribological characteristics of the surfaces of gears regenerated by hard-facing.

Mobility of the Workforce and Its Influence on Innovativeness (Comparative Analysis of the United States and Poland)

The article describes a comparative analysis of the mobility of the workforce in the United and Poland. The collected data includes permanent relocation as well as temporary travel abroad. Data also includes the reasons being taken under consideration while relocating. The paper also discusses the phenomenon of innovative people cloistering together and creating innovative cities. The article also addresses the influences of mobility of the workforce on innovative and entrepreneurial behavior. A comparison has been made between the innovativeness in the most innovative cities in the United States and Poland. This comparison also includes the percentage of people with higher education in the most innovative cities in the United States and Poland. The percentage of the immigrant population in the most innovative cities in the United States in comparison to the national average has also been provided. Since there is no accurate data related to the number of immigrants in the most innovative cities in Poland, a comparison between the United States and Poland was not possible.

Assessment of the quality of the repair process of local roads in the rural areas of the Częstochowa and Kłobuck poviats in the context of road safety

In recent years, numerous measures to modernize local roads in rural areas have been undertaken. Unfortunately, during renovations, especially at the poviat and commune level, errors are often made as a consequence of irregularities arising at the design stage. The article presents an assessment of the quality of local road renovations carried out in the last fifteen years, in the context of maintaining operational parameters over time, using a visual method based on the term “risk”. The research was carried out for twenty-six sections of roads that were renovated or rebuilt in the Kłobuck and Częstochowa poviats. The categories of the most common errors were identified and actions were proposed to correct them and prevent new ones. Among the negative trends, the improper placement of road technical devices and the lack of appropriate marking of integral areas were distinguished. It was found that a positive aspect in the aspect of traffic safety, recently, is the widespread use of modern road marking systems and road signs, as well as greater care for proper maintenance of drainage devices. The use of modern solutions during the modernization of roads, despite co-financing from the Government Fund, is still limited by the financial deficit of local governments.