Norhamidi Muhamad

Practical framework of employability skills for engineering graduate in Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to propose a practical and simple framework of engineering employability skills that will allow the concept to be explained easily and that can be used as a framework for working with engineering graduates to develop their employability before entering workforce. The framework was developed from existing researches on engineering employability skills issues and the requirement of the accreditation of engineering programme. The various skills of employability skills related to engineering included in the framework are discussed and their criteria justified bases on literature review of existing studies. The framework sets out exactly what is meant by engineering employability, in clear and simple terms, and the framework suggests directions for interaction between the various skills. The relationships between the skills within the framework remain theoretical. Further research to test the framework is planned and will be reported in future paper. The framework can be used to explain the concept of employability to those new to the subject, and particularly to engineering students and their future employer. It will be a useful tool for lecturers, careers advisors, trainers, employers and any other practitioners involved in employability skills. It will also be used to develop a model and a measurement tool for engineering employability skills. This paper contributes insights into the linking of graduate attributes, using national accreditation criteria and the framework of engineering employability skills from locally and globally expectation. It will be of value to anybody with an interest in employability issues.

Organic structure and organisational learning as the main antecedents of workforce agility

Studies on agility in the workplace have focused excessively on technical factors, and little attention has been given to the workforce. Most studies on workforce agility are conceptual and have a notable absence of quantitative modelling and analysis. In the study, a theoretical model of the impact of two organisational characteristics, namely organisational learning and an organic structure (with three dimensions, which are decentralisation of decision-making, low formalisation and a flat structure), on workforce agility was developed and empirically tested. Several small- and medium-sized enterprises in Iran were investigated. The structural equation modelling showed that organisational learning and only the decentralisation of decision-making and a flat structure were positively and significantly correlated with workforce agility. The impact of the dimensions of an organic structure on organisational learning was also considered. Based on the results, we proposed a process model on workforce agility.

Exploring the relation between organizational learning and knowledge management for improving performance

In the uncertainty environment with rapid changes in the knowledge economy, organizations should try more than before for survival and remain competitive. Learning faster than the competitors is one of the best ways to remain in the condition for organizations. Current knowledge, needed knowledge and activities that enable firms to do or not, determines organizational success and failure. Knowledge is able to integrate important work in different fields such as accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior, philosophy, marketing, sociology and strategy. So, nowadays (enormous of scholars and managers have tendency) to establish organizational learning and knowledge management. In the article, knowledge management and organizational learning is explained with a wide variety of definitions; afterward, the relation between these concepts and among them and performance is explained. At the end, by using literature of knowledge management a comprehensive model about knowledge management is proposed; furthermore the relation between knowledge management and performance is presented in the model. Then by utilizing the correlation between organizational learning and knowledge management the model is developed. So, final model illustrates the relation among organizational learning, knowledge management and performance.

Fabrication of Porous LSCF-SDC Carbonates Composite Cathode for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Applications

Composite cathodes made of perovskite La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF) and SDC carbonates (SDC-(Li/Na)2CO3) were investigated in relation to their structure, morphology, thermal expansion coefficient and porosity. As a first step, the LSCF powder was prepared by sol-gel technique. This was followed by the preparation of the LSCF-SDC carbonates composite cathode by mixing the LSCF with SDC-(Li/Na)2CO3 electrolyte via solid state reaction in various compositions, i.e. 30, 40 and 50 wt.%, namely 70LSCF-30SDC7030, 60LSCF-40SDC7030 and 50LSCF-50SDC7030, respectively. The powder mixtures were then calcined at 680oC. The resultant powder was fine with surface area of about 3.39-7.42 m2/g and particle size of 0.56-0.66µm. The powder consists of two distinct phases, i.e. LSCF and SDC-(Li/Na)2CO3 as confirmed with x-ray diffraction. The microstructures were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Increasing the amount of the SDC-(Li/Na)2CO3 electrolyte in the composite cathode was found to bring the thermal expansion of the cathode closer to that of the electrolyte. The cathode pellets were later compacted at different pressures (27, 32 and 37 MPa) and sintered at 600oC. The optimum porosity (20.99-24.98%) was achieved for samples with SDC-(Li/Na)2CO3 content of 30-50% sintered at 600oC and cold pressed at 37 MPa.

Parameter Optimization towards Highest Micro MIM Density by Using Taguchi Method

Nowadays, micro metal injection molding has become among the promising method in powder metallurgy research to produce small-scale intricate part at an effective process and competitive cost for mass production. This paper investigated the optimization of highest green strength which plays an important characteristic in determining the successful of micro MIM. In this paper, stainless steel SS 316L with D50 = 5.96µm was used with composite binder, which consists of PEG (Polyethelena Glycol), PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrilate) and SA (Stearic Acid). Feedstock with 61.5% with several injection parameters were optimized which highly significant through screening experiment such as injection pressure(A), injection temperature(B), mold temperature(C), injection time(D) and holding time(E). Besides that, interaction effects between injection pressure, injection temperature and mold temperature were also considered to optimize in the Taguchi’s orthogonal array. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (S/N-larger is better) for green density was also presented in this paper. Result shows that interaction between injection temperature and mold temperature(BxC) give highest significant factor followed by interaction between injection pressure and mold temperature(AxC). Single factor that also contributes to significant optimization are mold temperature(C) and injection time(D). This study shows that Taguchi method would be among the best method to solve the problem with minimum number of trials.

Parameter optimization of injection molding Ti-6Al-4V powder and palm stearin binder system for highest green density using Taguchi method

In this paper, the titanium alloy powder of Ti-6Al-4V is mixed with binder 60wt% of palm stearin and 40wt% of polyethylene for metal injection molding (MIM) process. Injection molding parameters has been optimized using Taguchi method of L27 (313) orthogonal array. Highest green density has been identified as the green part quality characteristic or as an output for this study. Parameters optimized are the injection pressure, injection temperature, powder loading, mold temperature, holding pressure and injection speed. Besides those, interaction of the injection pressure, injection temperature and powder loading were studied. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed to determine the significant levels (α) and contributions of the variables to the green density. Results show that the injection pressure has highest significant percentage followed by injection temperature, powder loading and holding pressure.

Thermal–mechanical model of warm powder compaction process

Abstract A coupled mechanical and thermal analysis of powder during the warm compaction process has been investigated. This paper presents the development of the numerical model to generate a green compact through uniaxial die compaction. The powder is considered to be the rate independent thermo-elastoplastic material. The constitutive laws are derived based on a continuum approach and the governing equations are developed where the thermal strain is taken into account together with elastic and plastic strains. The Elliptical Cap failure criterion is considered to model the yielding of the material during the process. A large displacement based finite element approach is used considering an updated Lagrangian strategy. The non-linear systems of equations are solved employing the staggered-incremental-iterative solution strategy.

Characterization and Rheological Studies on Ready-Made Feedstock of Stainless Steel 316L in Metal Injection Molding (MIM) Process

Current trend for manufacturers associated to MIM industry try to enhance the feedstock in term of its characteristics, since it is the most crucial part of the MIM process. This paper covered the characterization and rheological studies on a ready-made feedstock of stainless steel 316L which is vital to determine the availability and suit the needs of many advanced applications. There are three different experiments involved which are Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Thermogravimetric (TGA) and Capillary Rheometer. Observation through SEM gives an insight of the bonding microstructure matrices of the feedstock and also determines the homogeneity of the feedstock. DSC testing defines the melting temperature of the 3 binders used which are 62.07°C for surfactant, 178.72°C for filler and 236.61°C for backbone binder. From TGA result, it showed that the total weight loss of feedstock was 39%. Throughout the capillary rheometer testing, the feedstocks viscosity was decreasing as the shear rate increasing. The feedstock exhibits pseudoplastic behaviour since its flow behaviour index was less than 1. It is founded that at the temperature of 190°C, the feedstock exhibits the best characteristics for injection.

Fabrication and Characterisation of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ-SDC Composite Cathode

Composite cathode is a promising material to be used as electrodes in fuel cells. The fabricated composite cathode materials in this study are comprised of a mixture of submicron La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3- (LSCF6428) powders with two types of nanoscale ionically conducting ceramic electrolyte materials, samarium-doped ceria (SDC) and SDC-carbonate (SDCc). 30 – 50 wt% of electrolyte materials are added to the LSCF6428 cathode via the solid state method. The composite powders were ball-milled in ethanol and calcined at the temperature range of 800°C to 900°C for 2 hours in air. The composite cathode powders are characterised in terms of morphology and crystal structure. It is found that after calcining, the LSCF and the electrolyte materials retained their original structures as there was no chemical reaction between the two components. In addition, the LSCF-SDC composite cathode powders were found to exhibit a narrower distribution in size compared to the LSCF-SDC carbonate powders.

Critical Solid Loading and Rheological Study of WC-10%Co

Micro powder injection molding (µPIM) is a preferred technology for the production of micro parts or micro structured parts which derived from the well known thermoplastic injection molding technique. It is suitable for a large-scale production of ceramic and metallic parts without final machining. In the hardmetal industry, submicron and ultrafine hardmetals are the most demanding and also the fastest growing grades in production and application. Four stages involve in µPIM are mixing, injection, debinding and sintering. The volumetric ratio of solid powder to the total volume of powder and binder, which is usually called powder loading, largely determines the success or failure of subsequent processes. Critical solid loading of the powder can be estimated by torque variation, density, melt flow, density and viscosity versus composition. In this paper, critical solid loading of WC-10%Co is determined using torque variation method and its rheological behavior is studied. During the process, the wet surface of the powder particle WC-10%Co will cohesive together and resulted to the torque. Progressive powder is added-in after torque decrease and critical solid loading is identified when torque becomes unstable. Hence, critical solid loading WC-10%Co with WC (APS < 1 µm) is 46% and 42, 43 and 44 vol% of powder loading are selected to mix with wax-based binder system. The viscosity of feedstock show the pseudoplastic behavior and flow index (n) are 0.444, 0.491 and 0.492 for powder loading 42%, 43% and 44% respectively.