Image Theses and Dissertations The reliability of simple progressive dies The stamping process, of which the punching process is a major division, is one of the most important metal parts production methods in industry. Punching dies are the heart of the punching process. Die performance, as measured by the number of strokes between sharpenings and/or repairs, determines the important per part costs of die depletion and maintenance. Existing quantitative studies are principally on tool wear and punchability. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations On the hypothesis that a direct correlation exists between methods changes and related productivity changes in non machine-controlled work situations This hypothesis: a direct correlation exists between methods changes and related productivity changes in non machine-controlled work situations, appeared to be at the root of many problems in applied work measurement. Therefore, the author decided to conduct an objective, quantitative analysis of its validity. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations The utility of information a method of evaluation The fundamental relationships among the design parameters of an information system and the utility of the information that a system produces are analyzed in an effort to develop a methodology for measuring the utility of information. The utility of the information is defined as a measure of the effectiveness with which the information can be employed to attain the objectives of the using organization. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations An investigation into the output distributions of gert networks by the use of simulation The purpose of this research was to further the investigation into GERT output distributions. From the family of GERT networks containing only Exclusive-Or nodes, a generally applicable network form was chosen for simulation. A generalized computer program was written to simulate any specific network of this form. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Application of a simulator for short term forecasting in a high volume multi-product production line The solutions to the problems of production forecasting, scheduling, and in-process inventory control for high volume multi-product manufacturing lines are not readily available in current industrial literature. This study proposes simulation as a general approach to solving these problems and proceeds to develop a simulator which is applied to just such a high volume line. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Utility sub-systems in the building industry The building industry is perhaps the most fragmented large industrial complex in the country today. Consumers are expressing needs for faster delivery for more functional and sophisticated space at more reasonalble prices. At the same time, the industry in itself is faced with growing internal problems which are making it increasingly more difficult to perform even as well as in the past. This study investigates the area of utility sub-systems in the building industry. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations An investigation of the relationship between manufacturing policies and plant layout in a job shop Utilizing CRAFT an optimum plant layout with regard to all products manufactured can be realized. In addition, two manufacturing policies; related to production and inventory control, will be investigated with respect to the effect of said policies on plant layout. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations On the computational efficiencies of the primal-dual algorithm and the uv-method for solving transportation problems Computational efficiencies of the primal-dual algorithm and the uv-method in solving transportation problems are compared in this thesis. A computer program was written in Fortran IV and run on the CDC 6400 system; it generated random problems with integer constants ranging in the size from 5X10 to 30 X 50, and solved them by both methods. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations A non-parametric incremental feedback control system for stochastic processes This is a result of an initial investigation to simplify feedback controllers for stochastic processes. The investigation concerns itself with incrimental control as opposed to proportional control. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Quantification of intangible factors in product design decisions This paper concerns itself with quantification of the intangible factors in Product Design Decisions where there is one very big supplier with one very big customer and a unique product. The product design is represented as a state diagram, or curve, with Time as one axis and Product or Material State as the other. Industry affects the product design curve with various levels of decisions. This paper describes four of these levels and investigates a case in which three levels are involved. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations A method of estimating the value of a computer based on-line operations control system in a production shop A simulation program is presented that develops a risk profile of the intended investment. The risk profile is essentially a return on investment probability analysis developed from the estimated distributions of costs, service life and savings of the intended investment in a computer based, on-line system. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations An investigation of the feasibility of applying linear progamming to assembly line balancing An investigation of the feasibility of applying linear programming to assembly line balancing problems is presented. Salveson and Bowman developed the mathematical models. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Role of reactive surfactants in emulsion polymerization. The reactive surfactant HITENOL BC20 (polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether ammonium sulfate) with 20 units of ethylene oxide (EO) was used in emulsion polymerizations of styrene and copolymerization of styrene and n-butyl acrylate. Surfactant characterization shows that surfactant BC20 can not be self-polymerized. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations The effect of cross-linking on latex film formation. The effect of the crosslinker chain lengths in the copolymerization reaction with n-BMA and the formation of the resulting latex films was investigated. Three crosslinkers; ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA-198 g/mol), Aliphatic Urethane Acrylate (AUA-3728 g/mol) and a novel Macromonomer Crosslinker (Mac-3480 g/mol) were compared. Copolymerization was achieved via a miniemulsion process. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Grafting reactions in the emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate using poly(vinyl alcohol) as emulsifier. The role of grafting in the particle nucleation mechanism during the emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) using partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as emulsifier and potassium persulfate as initiator was investigated. The polymerizations were carried out in batch using a low solids (10%) recipe. 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and HPLC techniques were used to characterize the PVA with respect to its acetyl sequence distribution (degree of blockiness). Temperature dependent 1H-NMR and DSV coupled with DLS was used to elucidate the aqueous phase conformation of the pVAs. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Fundamentals of emulsion of polymerization studied by reaction calorimetry. Various fundamental aspects of the kinetics of emulsion polymerization were studied using reaction calorimetry to measure the actual kinetic profile. The major part of this investigation was carried out with styrene as the model monomer. The bench mark for comparison of results was a well characterized reaction reported in the literature for the system Styrene/sodium lauryl sulfate/potassium persulfate from which Stage II was defined as a reaction interval with increasing heat of reaction and increasing number of particles after the micelles disappearance. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Study of the incorporation of alkoxysilane monomers into model latex systems. A miniemulsion copolymerization technique was applied to incorporate vinylalkoxysilanes into acrylate latex systems by an one-step batch polymerization. The use of the miniemulsion approach yields lower coagulum amounts at high silane feed contents compared to the conventional emulsion polymerization. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Preparation of urethane/acrylic hybrid miniemulsion nanoparticles. Nanosized polyurethane (PU)/poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) hybrid latex particles (∼50 nm) with various compositions were successfully prepared using a redox-initiated miniemulsion polymerization process. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Poly(vinyl alcohol) stabilization of acrylic emulsion polymers using the miniemulsion approach. Miniemulsion approach was employed to obtain stable acrylic latexes of n-butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate (50/50 wt%) stabilized with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and to enhance the grafting reaction between PVA and acrylic monomers at the water/droplet interface. The stability of miniemulsions were studied in terms of the type and concentration of' the stabilizer, and the PVA partitioning were determined as a function of the PVA concentration. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Hybrid composite latexes. A direct miniemulsification approach followed by subsequent polymerization has been utilized to synthesize a series of hybrid composite latexes. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations The role of mixed anionic-nonionic systems of surfactants in the emulsion polymerization of styrene. The kinetics of the emulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of mixtures of SLS and Triton X-405 were studied under various conditions.;The competitive adsorption of SLS and Triton X-405 on polystyrene particles was studied. At low surfactant content, Triton X-405 adsorbed preferentially on the surface of the PS particles. In some cases, it was able to displace some of the SLS from the surface. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Living/controlled free radical miniemulsion polymerization of styrene. TEMPO-controlled living free radical polymerizations were studied in miniemulsion systems in this research. TTOPS was synthesized, and used as a macro-initiator. It was found that the polymerization rate is low. Molecular weight increases linearly with increasing conversion, and is narrowly distributed. The effect of TTOPS concentration was studied and it was found that the polymerization rate was independent of the TTOPS concentration. View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Controlled radical miniemulsion polymerization via the RAFT process. Two reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agents, cumyl dithiobenzoate (CDB) and benzyl dithiobenzoate (BDB) were prepared in the lab and were found suitable for the RAFT miniemulsion polymerization due to their low water solubility and the strong phase partitioning towards the monomer oil phase.;The RAFT process in the CDB-mediated conventional emulsion polymerization was found to be unsuccessful, showing loss of molecular weight control and latex stability as a result of insufficient diffusion of the RAFT agent through the aqueous phase from the monomer droplets to the m View Item
Image Theses and Dissertations Conventional emulsion and miniemulsion homopolymerization and copolymerization of vinyl acetate and vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate monomers. For monomers possessing significantly low water solubility (V2EH), miniemulsion polymerization can substantially enhance the reaction kinetics compared to conventional emulsion systems. While the monomer droplets in a conventional emulsion only serve as reservoirs supplying monomer, diffusional restrictions of the monomer to get to the site of nucleation and the growing particles effectively slows the reaction. View Item
