Saidin Wahab

Elements and Materials Improve the FDM Products: A Review

This work aims to provide a review of available published literature that explores the opportunities to improve the quality of fused deposit modelling (FDM) products, particularly in medical applications. The paper presents details concerning the basis of the technology, process parameter settings and their responses, and reviews the properties of common FDM engineering/bio-materials and the available methods applied for improving their performance. Based on the researches which have been reviewed, FDM technology works within a complex environment from process parameters. Thus, it can achieve good results only with the proper settings for these parameters according to the properties of the material used. Improving the polymers is essentially based on the correct selection of additive materials, which can particularly enhance the key property/properties in the matrix material. This review provides a brief insight into FDM technology, provides an idea of the process parameter settings, the available materials and ways of modifying their properties to consequently improve the quality of FDM products.

Aerial fish feeding system

Automated fish feeding system has been developed to overcome feed waste and water pollution problems. However, typical existing automatic fish feeding system is relatively high cost in maintenance, high energy consumption and has limited pond access area. This paper proposes a novel automated fish feeding system that combines feed dispensing and distribution as one process. A motor driven natural fiber cable is utilized to deliver top hung feeder for feeding process. Such method gives free access around the pond and able to deliver the feeder at any form of fish farm layout. In addition, it has relatively lower structure maintenance cost. The reliability test result showed the feeder positioning accuracy in average was between −1.33mm backward and 1.83mm forward. The accuracy was influenced by the cable tension.

Effect of Heat Compression on the Tensile Strength of PALF/Sugarcane Bagasse for Disposable Plate

This paper presents the results of heat compression effect on tensile properties in manufacturing process of disposable plate from Pineapple Leaf Fibers (PALF) based material. The plate was made of PALF and sugarcane bagasse waste as alternatif to polystyrenes to promote the green technology efford on food packaging material. Two different spesimens were produced with different composition of PALF/sugarcane bagasse, N2T8 (20% Pineapple leaf fiber and 80% sugarcane bagasse and N8T2 (80% pineapple leaf fiber and 20% sugarcane bagasse). The specimens were produced on a hot press machine at different compressing temperature, 50°C, 100°C and 150°C with constant pressure of 0.024 MPa at 10 minutes. Tensile and tearing tests were carried out on the specimens to determine the tensile and tearing properties. The results shown that the N2T8 speciment compressed at 50°C gives higher tensile and tearing strength of 22 MPa and 2 MPa ,respectively. This range of properties is expected to be good enough for the requirement of disposable plate and it has a potential as a raw material for strength and lightweight of disposable plate manufacturing.

Production improvement in an aircraft manufacturing company using value stream mapping approach

The purpose of this study is to develop a value stream mapping for a production in an aircraft manufacturing company. The process begins with creating a current state map and understands the production flow and the current cycle times. This provides the information needed to produce a future state map. The goal is to identify and eliminate the waste, which is any activity that does not add value to the final product, in the production process. In order to collect the information needed, the study was conducted within the production facility to enable the researcher gained knowledge and familiarized with the production flow and the activities being performed at the shop floor. Parameters such as cycle times, down times, work in process (WIP) for inventory and material, and information flow paths were recorded. This information will enable the researcher to visualize the current state of the process activities by mapping the material and information flow and looking for opportunities to eliminate wastes. ARENA simulation software package was used to simulate and analyze the process flow and times. Result from the analysis shows that there are areas where the company can further improve their production system. The results show the improvement of the cycle time up to 22% based on the new proposed arrangement of the layout. Therefore the propose layout will be guided to the company in order to improve their production.

Effect of Heat Treatment Parameters in Plasma Arc Surface Hardening of AISI 4340 Steel

Flame hardening has been traditionally used for selective surface hardening of steel. This technique frequently resulting in imprecise harden area and part distortion when overheated. Focused heating source such as plasma arc can be an alternative to overcome this problem. In this work, plasma arc is scanned at the 4340 steel surface to improve the hardness. The variable parameters investigated were at scanning speed and operating current. Four types of surfaces were observed after they are scanned with plasma arc. They are fully-melted, partially-melted, non-melted continuous and non-melted intermittent where each type of surface has different roughness value. This work found that scanning speed and operating current has significantly influence the type of surface and roughness values. Analysis on non-melted surface gives the maximum depth of hardened layer of about 187 μm as well as hardness values of about 990 HV50. It is also observed that the depth of hardened layer and hardness value is significantly decreasing with increase in scanning speed or the decrease in operating current. Microstructure examination on hardened layer revealed that the increase of hardness is due to formation of fine grain martensitie structure.

Flexural properties untreated and treated kenaf fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

Today natural fiber polymer composites are being extensively used as alternatives in producing furniture to fulfill society demand instead of saving cost and environmentally friendly. The objective of this search is to investigate the untreated fine and rough kenaf fiber (KF) as well as treated KF reinforced with polypropylene (PP) on the flexural strength. Flexural strengths of pure PP, 10%, and 20% of untreated fine and rough KF by weight to PP have been recorded. In addition, flexural strengths of treated KF soaked with 5% and 10% of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) have also been recorded. KF reinforced PP (PP/KF) untreated and treated composites were melt blended and then injection molded to observe their flexural strengths by measuring their threshold. Three point bending test was apply to determine the flexural stress of the composites. The result show treated fine KF produce better flexural performance at 20% PP/KF. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is used to observe the morphological surface PP/KF. Overall 5% NaOH with 20% PP/KF (Fine KF) show good interfacial bonding PP/KF and best result with flexural stress value 30.25MPa.Today natural fiber polymer composites are being extensively used as alternatives in producing furniture to fulfill society demand instead of saving cost and environmentally friendly. The objective of this search is to investigate the untreated fine and rough kenaf fiber (KF) as well as treated KF reinforced with polypropylene (PP) on the flexural strength. Flexural strengths of pure PP, 10%, and 20% of untreated fine and rough KF by weight to PP have been recorded. In addition, flexural strengths of treated KF soaked with 5% and 10% of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) have also been recorded. KF reinforced PP (PP/KF) untreated and treated composites were melt blended and then injection molded to observe their flexural strengths by measuring their threshold. Three point bending test was apply to determine the flexural stress of the composites. The result show treated fine KF produce better flexural performance at 20% PP/KF. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is used to observe the morphological surface PP/KF. Over...

Improving Surface Smoothness of Aluminium Alloys Multi-Bead Weld for Welding Rapid Forming Application

Understanding the interference of multi-bead parameters on surface smoothness is essential for accuracy of the formed parts made by welding rapid forming. This paper presents an investigation on surface smoothness of multi-bead aluminium alloys. Deposition path planning and overlap ratio is manipulated in order to improve surface smoothness. Observation on bead cross section indicates that deposition path planning has remarkable effect on the surface smoothness. Multi-bead that developed using continuous path planning has surface smoothness of 0.46 mm – 1.34 mm and most bead present wavy type surfaces. The surface smoothness is improved by increasing the overlap ratio. Meanwhile, skip path planning produced good surface smoothness of 0.11 mm – 0.28 mm. An improved surface smoothness featuring flat surface type is obtained with this path planning.

The Effects of Heat and Compression on Moisture Content and Water Absorption of PALF/Sugarcane Bagasse Composition in Disposable Plate Production

This paper presents the results of heat and compression effects on moisture content and water absorption properties in the manufacturing of disposable plate made from Pineapple Leaf Fiber-based material (PALF). The plate was made of PALF and sugarcane bagasse waste as an alternative to polystyrenes, designed to promote the green technology effort on food packaging material. Two different specimens were produced with different compositions of PALF/sugarcane bagasse series N2T8 ( 20 wt% of Pineapple leaf fiber and 80 wt% of sugarcane bagasse ) and series N8T2 ( 80 wt% of Pineapple leaf fiber and 20 wt% of sugarcane bagasse). The specimens were produced using a hot press machine set at compressing temperatures of 50°C, 100°C and 150°C with constant pressure of 0.024 MPa for 10 minutes. Moisture content and water absorption tests were carried out on the specimens to determine the moisture content and water absorption properties. The lower water absorption was obtained for specimen N8T2 because PALF potential to water resistance. This range of properties is expected to be good enough for the requirement of disposable plate and it has the potential as a suitable raw material for strength and lightweight in the manufacturing of disposable plates.

Analysis of Mechanical Properties for 2D Woven Kenaf Composite

Woven composite based on natural fiber increasingly used for many applications in industries because of their advantages such as good relative mechanical properties and renewable resources, but there are some issues as cost and protracted development period to perform reliability evaluation by experimental with real scale. Predictive modeling technique is use to minimize the need for physical testing, shorten design timescales and provide optimized designs. Mechanical properties of woven fabrics for technical textile depend on a) type of raw materials b) type and count of warp and weft yarns c) yarn density and d) the type of weave structure. The effect of fabric architecture to the mechanical properties is investigated. Woven kenaf composite is modeled using the modeling software to get the properties of the model. Further, the model is analyzed using finite element analysis to predict the mechanical properties of the woven kenaf composite. In addition, the effect of the combination of yarn size and weave pattern to the woven kenaf composite is stated base on the mechanical properties to predict the optimum structure of woven kenaf composite.

Implementation of PLC System in Fish Feeding Rate Determination

This study is about the development of a control system design using Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system which gives food to the fish with a blower method. To perform fish feeding system automatically the control system will include PLC system, touch screen, emergency button, terminal block, speed controller, relay NY-2N, and power supply 240V. The component of the input systems are autonics sensor includes counter clockwise sensor, clockwise sensor and distance pulse sensor. While the components of the output systems are forward/reverse motor and blower. The overall system and its components are tested with the reliability test to check the components’ performance. The result of reliability system shows that all LED components emits light signal when both direct connection circuit and PLC system is interfaced. The feeding time need to be increased as the fish weight increased. Keywords: [PLC system, feeding rate, fish pond ]