Development of a procedure writers’ guide framework: Integrating the procedure life cycle and reflecting on current industry practices

The current study aims to advance a procedure development process that will create procedures as effective safeguards. Several past incidents identified that many current procedural systems failed to support workers conducting their work safely and effectively. There is currently a dearth of systematic inquiry regarding the procedure development process. A key element of the procedure development process is writers' guide, which dictates how these procedures should be developed, written, reviewed and managed. The current effort collected 16 writers' guides across various industries such as chemical, oil and gas, nuclear, and energy. Different components of these writers' guides were identified, summarized, and later categorized according to a newly developed writers' guide framework. The framework uses four phases of the procedure life cycle and five sections for procedure content. The analysis showed that industry practices primarily focus on general goals of the procedure, writing style, and review process. Many important components of the procedure, such as process hazard information, execution challenges, and training requirements were not addressed adequately. Of the 41 components, there were only 3 that 80% of the writers' guides contained suggesting little consensus about the content. The proposed writers' guide framework organizes all components including low frequency of appearance ones in different phases of procedure life cycle. The significance of the current procedure writers' guide framework is that it not only produces a structure for a comprehensive writers’ guide but also opens an opportunity for future improvement in current procedure writing practices.     

Systematic packaging design tools integrating functional and environmental consequences on product life cycle: Case studies on laundry detergent and milk

This study presents systematic packaging design tools integrating functional and environmental consequences on product life cycle. To design packaging for sustainability, the trade-offs between functional and environmental aspects of packaging throughout the product life cycle should be considered. However, it is difficult for packaging designers to understand the overall trade-offs because the extent of the design consequences on the entire life cycle of packaging and its contents is unclear. We developed two tools for packaging design: the Life Cycle Association Matrix (LCAM) and the Function Network Diagram (FND). The following three steps, based on literature reviews and interviews with industrial experts, were applied. Firstly, we listed the product functions and design variables related to the functions as the attributes allocated to the product life cycle. Secondly, the attributes were connected appropriately based on causal relationships. Lastly, we identified the factors to support decision making in the packaging design procedure. As a result, the LCAM depicts the design consequences on the life cycle, and the FND determines the stakeholders affected by the design consequences. Two case studies were demonstrated to analyze the trade-offs by using our tools. In the case studies, a liquid laundry detergent bottle and a milk carton were redesigned. The tools identified the design consequences and stakeholders affected by the redesign of the usability and protective function for the detergent and milk cases, respectively. The results showed the significance of understanding the design consequences on the product life cycle by integrating the functional and environmental aspects.     

Active packaging solution to prolong the shelf life of rocket salad

The best packaging conditions for rocket salad were assessed by subsequent experimental trials. In the first step, a preliminary screening of different packaging materials was performed and two micro‐perforated oriented polypropylene films with different micro‐hole diameters (90 and 110 μm) were selected as best packaging solutions. In the subsequent experimental step, modified headspace conditions were applied without any improvement on product quality. In the last step, the effects of an ethylene adsorbent were analysed. Rocket salad packaged in both films with the ethylene adsorbent recorded a shelf life of about 16 days, compared to the control samples that remained acceptable for 13 days. During storage, the microbial quality (mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, pseudomonadaceae, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, total coliforms and enterobacteriacae), the pH, the colour changes and the main sensory parameters were also monitored.     

Effect of chitosan on Bacillus cereus inhibition and quality of cooked rice during storage

Improper cooling of cooked rice at an inappropriate temperature or leaving cooked rice at room temperature can cause food poisoning attributed to Bacillus cereus. Natural food preservative of either squid or crab polymer chitosan solution was added to examine their antibacterial properties against Bacillus cereus in cooked rice during storage at 37 and 4 °C. Both types of chitosan could retard the growth of B. cereus and total aerobic counts in cooked rice stored at 37 °C up to 1 day. In addition, the effect of chitosans on the physical and textural properties of cooked rice during storage was studied. Both chitosans slightly increased the moisture content of cooked rice. However, chitosans had no effect on the whiteness and hardness of cooked rice during storage (P > 0.05). Therefore, both chitosans have a potential to be used as food preservative for cooked rice with no negative effects on rice quality.     

定子扇形片复合模设计

分析零件自身的特点和成形难点,针对成形难点制定相应的解决对策,结合类似模具在以往设计、加工、组装、使用和维护过程中遇到的问题,对定子扇形片复合模设计难点的解决方法及相关注意事项分别进行了介绍,模具经多次调试已顺利投入生产,对类似零件的模具设计具有一定的参考作用。     

Fatigue life assessment of a low pressure steam turbine blade during transient resonant conditions using a probabilistic approach

This paper presents a sequential approach used in fatigue life prediction of a low pressure steam turbine blade during resonance conditions encountered during a turbine start-up by incorporating probabilistic principles. Material fatigue properties are determined through experimental testing of used blade material X22CrMoV12-1 along with statistical modelling using regression analysis to interpret the stress-life diagram. A finite element model of a free-standing LP blade is developed using the principle of sub-structuring which enables the vibration characteristics and transient stress response of the blade to be determined for variations in blade damping. Random curve fitting routines are performed on the fatigue and FEM stress data to ensure that the selection of the random variables used in fatigue life calculations is stochastic in nature. The random vectors are selected from a multivariate normal distribution. The use of confidence intervals in the probabilistic fatigue life model works effectively in being able to account for uncertainty in the material fatigue strength parameters and varying stress in the blade root. The predicted fatigue life of the blade is shown to be in good agreement with discrete life modelling results.     

Cellulose nanoparticles synthesised from potato peel for the development of active packaging film for enhancement of shelf life of raw prawns (Penaeus monodon) during frozen storage

In this study, the cellulose nanoparticles (CNP) isolated from potato peel were used for reinforcement of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based active packaging film. The above film was used to pack the raw prawns (Penaeus monodon) at −20 °C, and the colour change, protein content, TVB-N, TMA and microbial analysis were done at regular interval for prawns stored in CNP-PVA active packaging film. A significant difference was observed in the quality of prawns stored in potato CNP-PVA film compared with prawns packed and stored in polyethylene film. The newly designed active packaging with CNP and fennel seed oil enhanced the shelf life of prawns up to two months for both HOSO (head on shell on) prawn and PD (peeled and deveined) prawn. Hence, the study recommends the potato peel CNP-PVA film with fennel seed oil as better choice to extend the shelf life of the prawns during storage compared with polyethylene packaging.     

Dynamic changes in wax and cutin compounds and the relationship with water loss in 'Red Fuji' and 'Golden Delicious' apples during shelf life

Knowledge of the dynamic composition changes of combined cuticular wax and cutin in apples during their shelf life is scarce. Therefore, this issue was addressed using GC-MS analyses of the respective epidermal components in 'Red Fuji' and 'Golden Delicious' apples at 5 days intervals during the shelf life of 25 days. Water loss from the apples was also assessed. The proportion of total n-alkanes decreased in cuticular wax, whereas total acids increased gradually, and cutin monomer content significantly changed during the first 5 days. The predominant wax compound, nonacosane (C₂₉), decreased by 40.13% and 26.22% in 'Red Fuji' and 'Golden Delicious' apples, respectively. The cutin monomers 10,16-dihydroxy hexadecanoic acid (10,16-diOH C_16:0) and 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid (9,10,18-triOH C_18:0) were detected only at the beginning of shelf life in apples of both cultivars. Regression analysis indicated that the rate of water loss significantly correlated with eight components. Our results expand the understanding of the dynamics of both wax and cutin compounds in postharvest apples and help to target specific compounds to maintain the quality of apples throughout their shelf life.