Chieko Narita

Motion Analysis of Weaving “Kana-ami” Technique With Different Years of Experience

The technique of making “KANA-AMI” is traditional craftsmanship in Kyoto. All wire net fabrications are made by the hand work, so that it is expected that the craft man has the exquisiteness of motion. The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of motion during the weaving the wire nets with different years of experience.The subjects were three males whose have experienced wire netting craftsman for 44 years, 8 years and 0 years respectively. The working environment was reproduced in the laboratory so that the subjects might work usual like working environment as much as possible and they could concentrate on them work. The infrared reflection markers were affixed at 21 points on the body of the craftsman to analyze motion during the wire netting. And six cameras (hawk-i Motion Analysis Co. Ltd.) captured the position of each marker, and all markers position data which synchronized were taken in by a computer (sampling rate: 100Hz). It was defined that right to left direction was X axis, front to rear direction was Y axis, top to bottom direction was Z axis for subjects. In addition, shape and degradation of wire net were evaluated. The shapes of hexagonal pattern were evaluated. Degradation of wire nets were evaluated by salt spray tests.Copyright

Mechanical Property of CFRP by Carbon Spray Up Method

Spray up method is one of methods for composite molding and it is traditional and common molding method that can deal with various shapes according to workmen skill. The essence of the composite molding impregnates resin to fiber;, in other words, is to substitute air included in the fiber for resin. Spray up method can spray matrix on mold together while cutting reinforcements continually, and the cutting of the reinforcement, setting up and the impregnation of the matrix are carried out at the same time. That is why working process is made efficiency and can cope with a design change easily. However, the quality of the composites depends on the techniques of workmen and the judgment with Spray up technique is too difficult, because it has not clarified that the difference of that techniques has how influence with manufactured products. In addition, in a spray up method, glass reinforcements is usually used, but carbon reinforcements is not put to practical use. High quality is required with the CFRP composite, and this is because it is thought that techniques of Spray up method does not satisfy this demand. In this study, motion analysis was used to compare the difference between Spray up techniques by expert and non-expert. Expert’s carrier of Spray up was 19 years and non-expert’s carrier was a year. Motion analysis, which is applied to various fields like sports or traditional crafts and so on, can visualize human motion. The Mac 3D System was used as equipment, since it is the most powerful tool for the motion capture and analysis particularly. The sampling rate was 60 Hz. The object of this study was to contribute that technique back to fabrication fields by analyzing and considering what was important factor. Furthermore, this trial is thought that leads to the development of new technology. As the result, the motion of expert’s lower half of body indicated different motion compared with non-expert one. Expert’s centroid moved smoothly and his motion showed constant tendency. On the other hand, non-expert’s motion was awkward in several points and his motion didn’t show the tendency like expert. Furthermore, The CFRP structures that manufactured with Spray up method are cut for the tensile testing. Tensile test were performed by using an Instron universal testing machine under a speed 1mm/min. Spray up technique is discussed based on the motion analysis method and moreover it is shown that Spray up method is useful in CFRP materials production.Copyright

Comparison of Characteristics Recognition in the “Mitate” of Urushi Crafts

Urushi crafts is one of the Japanese traditional crafts. Urushi painting and “Maki-e” decoration of these Urushi crafts works were removed by usage for many years. Experts of Urushi crafts have repaired and restored them correctly by gain an insight into their conditions, materials and techniques. They can understand the contained information by watching the works. This observation method is called “Mitate”. In this study, it was aimed to examine how to conduct Mitate when Urushi craftspeople look at the works. As a result, it is considered that expert craftspeople could ensure the characteristics recognition by gaining and combining more information from the work than the other subject.

Motion Analysis of the Pounding Technique Used for the Second Lining in the Fabrication of Traditional Japanese Hanging Scrolls

This study focuses on the technique used to adhere the second lining in the fabrication of traditional Japanese hanging scrolls, or kakejiku. We analyzed the motions of both expert and non-expert artisans during the adhesion process, using optical and infrared motion captures. We then conducted a peel test from both samples, and used the results of this test to correlate the motion of the artisan with the adhesive strength of the second lining.

Study on the Degradation Mechanism of the Urushi Products

Japanese lacquer is called “Urushi” in Japanese. Urushi have meanings such as Urushi tree, its resin and also Urushi crafts. Urushi has been used 9000 years ago in Japan. In this long history, Urushi crafts techniques have been developed, refined and inherited by many Urushi craftspeople. As a result, Urushi affect Japanese culture and aesthetic feeling greatly.Urushi has various characteristics. For example, Urushi coating surface is very smooth and glossy. And more, Urushi is strong to acid and alkali. However it is very weak to ultraviolet rays. As a result, Urushi coating is degraded very quickly in sunlight.In this study, 6 specimens were prepared by painting 6 kinds of Urushi resins on PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) boards. Weathering tests of these 6 specimens were done to clarify the degradation of Urushi coating. Additionally, L* value (Brightness), C* value (Chroma) were also measured by spectrophotometric colorimeter to investigate the influence of the degradation on the optical characteristics. Both L* value and C* value were increased after weathering test in most specimens. Glossiness values of specimens were measured by gloss checker. As a result, glossiness values were decreased after weathering test in most specimens.There was a difference in advance of degradation according to the kind of Urushi. Then when Urushi is used, there are necessities of proper use and change of refining method for Urushi.Copyright

Comparison of cellulose nanofiber properties produced from different parts of the oil palm tree

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were obtained from three types of oil palm wastes, mesocarp, empty fruit bunch (EFB), and palm kernel shell (PKS), as well as the trunk of the oil palm tree, to compare their morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties. Despite large differences in the chemical components of cell walls in the raw materials, the production of CNFs from all parts of the oil palm were achieved in this work. The morphology and mechanical properties of the CNF sheets obtained from the trunk had advantages over the CNF sheets from wastes, while the thermal degradation properties showed no advantage. Cellulose crystallinity of the CNF sheet from the mesocarp and PKS had lower crystallinity (69.1 and 71.1%), and the highest crystallinity of 77.0% was exhibited by the sheet from the trunk. The value of specific tensile strength and specific Youngs modulus were highest in the CNF sheet of the trunk, and lowest mechanical properties shown in the CNF sheet from the mesocarp. These results strongly suggested that the CNF could be obtained from all parts of the plants, but their properties may vary.

The Investigation of Traditional Japanese Trowel: Part 1 — Process Analysis and Surface Observation

The purpose of this study was to study the history of traditional Japanese trowel process. The research study were conducted the trowel blade which was made from SK5 steel. Microstructure and grain sizes were accurately measured by using the optical microscope (OM). The resultant microstructures of hardening were observed as martensite. After the tempering process, the result of microstructure found the temper-martensite structure. In the hardening process was heated up 800–850°C to austenite structure and quenched in cooling oil. Moreover, in the annealing process was quenched into straw ashes for cooling after heat up until 750°C. All heat treatment temperature and surface quality were observed and controlled by eyesight and experience of Japanese expert.Copyright

Differences Among an Expert and a Non Expert in the Behavior for Chucking in the Lathe

The expert worker (85 years old) has worked for 70 years and the non expert (16 years old) has worked 1 year of experience for the lathe processing. The subjects were compared the difference in the waist, the shoulder and the fore arm movement between the two worker while they were chucking on the lathe machine. Determination used the same parts and the same type of lathe machine for investigated. There were 4 main categories that related three stances position alignment and two hands position on the key chuck.Using the 6 infrared cameras and 2 video cameras captured the position of each marker. All markers position data which synchronization was taken by a motion analysis system (sampling rate: 100Hz). As a results show the balance movement both the waist and the shoulder during the chucking that had significantly greater in the expert worker than the non expert worker.Copyright

The Evaluations of the Muscle Activity During “Momi” by Using the Different Immersed Bamboo in Water to Making Kyo-Uchiwa (Japanese Paper Fan)

The aim of study is to evaluate whether altering the bamboo moisture by immersed bamboo in water on 4-hour and 3 -day that would affect the muscle activity during separated bamboo by bending process. Moreover, thirteen muscles which bilateral side of Pectoralis major, Biceps brachii, Triceps brachii, Latissimus dorsi, Gluteus medius and only right side of Rectus abdominis, Extensor carpi radialis longus and Flexor carpi radialis were recorded. As a result, the bilateral side of Biceps brachii, right side of Extensor carpi radialis longus and Flexor carpi radialis, left side of Triceps brachii showed the difference quite clearly. When the craftsman was bending the bamboo he was necessary more effortful by these muscles activity on the 4-hour immersed bamboo in water than the 3-day. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs showed the fracture characteristic of 2 subjects that the adhesive of bamboo fiber decreased when increased moisture.Copyright