Principles of engineering safety: Risk and uncertainty reduction

This article provides a systematised account of safety engineering practices that clarifies their relation to the goal of safety engineering, namely to increase safety. We list 24 principles referred to in the literature of safety engineering, dividing them into four major categories: Inherently safe design, Safety reserves, Safe fail and Procedural safeguards. It emerges from this systematisation that important aspects of these methods can be better understood with the help of the distinction between risk and uncertainty.     

Development of a hot‐rolled Nb‐bearing Si‐TRIP steel with excellent fatigue behaviour for automotive applications

A hot‐rolled TRIP steel with a tensile strength level above 800 MPa and an excellent fatigue behaviour has been developed with the purpose of satisfying the increasing demands of the automotive industry. Nb was added to the steel to guarantee a stable process and to make the production of the steel possible in a conventional rolling mill. The formation of red scale and the surface quality problems that arise from it have been studied. Additionally, hot torsion tests have been performed in order to validate a new route that could avoid the formation of this red scale allowing the application of the steel for exposed parts (e.g. wheel sector).     

Counting with rational generating functions

We examine two different ways of encoding a counting function: as a rational generating function and explicitly as a function (defined piecewise using the greatest integer function). We prove that, if the degree and number of input variables of the (quasi-polynomial) function are fixed, there is a polynomial time algorithm which converts between the two representations. Examples of such counting functions include Ehrhart quasi-polynomials, vector partition functions, integer points in parametric polytopes, and projections of the integer points in parametric polytopes. For this last example, this algorithm provides the first known way to compute the explicit function in polynomial time. We rely heavily on results by Barvinok and Pommersheim [Barvinok, A., Pommersheim, J., 1999. An algorithmic theory of lattice points in polyhedra. In: New Perspectives in Algebraic Combinatorics (Berkeley, CA, 1996–97). In: Math. Sci. Res. Inst. Publ., vol. 38. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, pp. 91–147], and also by Verdoolaege et al. [Verdoolaege, S., Seghir, R., Beyls, K., Loechner, V., Bruynooghe, M., 2007. Counting integer points in parametric polytopes using Barvinok’s rational functions, Algorithmica 48 (1), 37–66].     

Effect of grass vs. concentrate feeding on the fatty acid profile of different fat depots in lambs

The aim of this study was to produce high‐quality meat from lambs under different feeding conditions, as measured by the accumulation of n‐3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) in muscle and subcutaneous fat. In total, 13 male crossbred lambs (Black Head×Gotland), each at 24 kg live weight, were divided into two feeding groups. Lambs were kept either on pasture (pasture grazing, n = 6) or in the stable (concentrate feeding, n = 7). The linolenic acid (C18:3n‐3) contained in the grass was absorbed and deposited into the different lipid classes of muscle and subcutaneous fat. The proportion of total n‐3 fatty acids in the different lipids of grazing lambs was significantly (p = 0.05) higher compared to that in concentrate‐fed lambs. The n‐6/n‐3 ratio (mean ± SEM) in muscle of grazing lambs was 1.2 ± 0.09 in contrast to 2.3 ± 0.09 (p = 0.05) of the animals kept in the stable. In subcutaneous fat, this ratio was 0.9 ± 0.2 in lambs kept on pasture versus 3.5 ± 0.2 (p = 0.05) after indoor keeping. The relative concentration of C18:1trans‐11 in total muscle lipids, phospholipids, triacylglycerols and subcutaneous fat was significantly increased by grass feeding compared to concentrate feeding. Significant influences of feeding were shown for saturated fatty acids. In concentrate‐fed lambs, a lower content of saturated fatty acids was detected. The proportion of CLAcis‐9,trans‐11 (1.9 ± 0.2% vs. 1.1 ± 0.1% in muscle, 2.5 ± 0.2% vs. 1.4 ± 0.2% in subcutaneous fat, 0.7 ± 0.04% vs. 0.4 ± 0.04% in phospholipids) in lambs was significantly (p = 0.05) higher after grazing than after concentrate feeding, respectively.     

Influence of a modified fatty acid profile of egg yolk fat on technological properties of hen's eggs

A feeding experiment with brown layers was carried out to find effects of graded levels of rapeseed (without, 15% and 30%) in layer diets on the fatty acid composition of egg yolk and related functional properties of such modified eggs. A considerable increase of the content of essential n-3 fatty acids in egg yolk fat was noticed by including graded levels of rapeseed in layer diets. The destruction force of a gel prepared from whole egg was improved by the highest rapeseed level (30%) and emulsifying capacity by medium inclusion of rapeseed in layer diets (15%). The thermal stability of an emulsion prepared from whole egg was not influenced by rape feeding. Viscosity of mayonnaise prepared from egg yolk and whole egg yolk was decreased by increased rapeseed levels in the diets. In tendency, organoleptic evaluation of sponge cake prepared from whole egg revealed better results for the control group. The baking height of sponge cake was improved by rapeseed inclusion in layer diets. It may be assumed that all these changes caused by rapeseed feeding are closely related to the mentioned changes in the fatty acid profile.     

ta‐C beschichtete Werkzeuge für die Trockenumformung von Aluminiumblechen

ta‐C coated tools for dry forming of aluminum sheets The suitability of ta‐C coated tool surfaces for sheet forming of aluminum alloys was examined by strip‐draw testing. It was shown that ta‐C coatings, which are known as DLC coatings with superior wear resistance are also favourable concerning the anti‐adhesive behaviour. In attempts with AlMg5Mn‐ as well as Al99Mg1‐sheet materials several hundred sheets could be formed without noticeable aluminum adhering at the ta‐C coated tool surface. Neither the coefficients of friction nor the surface qualities of the aluminum sheets worsened during the observed period. Compared with tests of uncoated tools in combination with lubricants, the dry ta‐C coated tool behaves comparable with a good lubricant. In a real clinch test with aluminum sheets the positive results from strip‐draw experiments were confirmed. Using ta‐C coated clinching stamps and no lubricants a large number of clinching processes could be performed without noticeable adhering and increase of stripping forces.     

Influence of shear flow on the preparation of polymer layered silicate nanocomposites

In this paper the influence of melt-processing on the final polymer/layered silicate nanocomposite morphology is discussed. In particular the role of shear forces on the transformation of the original large clay agglomerates is of interest. Several polymer nanocomposites were prepared by melt-extrusion, involving polycaprolactone, poly(ethylene oxide), polyamide-12 or polyamide-6 as the matrix polymer. The nanocomposite morphology was characterised by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy and the clay tactoid morphology with polarised optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The development of the tactoid and nanocomposite morphology during melt-mixing under shear was studied time-resolved by optical microscopy in conjunction with a rheometer and synchrotron X-ray scattering together with a Couette type flow cell. The shear forces in the melt-preparation of polymer layered mineral nanocomposites facilitate the break-up of large-sized agglomerates, whereas the extent of further exfoliation of the mineral layers is determined by the compatibility between the polymer matrix and the mineral layers rather than by shear forces.