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.     

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.     

Suitability,efficiency and microbiological safety of novel physical technologies for the processing of ready‐to‐eat meals,meats and pumpable products

Consumer studies and market reports show an increase in consumption of ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods. Although conventional processing technologies can in most cases produce safe products, they can also lead to the degradation of nutritional compounds and negatively affect quality characteristics. Consumers strongly prefer food that is minimally processed with the maximum amount of health‐promoting substances. Novel processing technologies as pre‐ or post‐treatment decontamination methods or as substitutes of conventional technologies have the potential to produce foods that are safe, rich in nutrient content and with superior organoleptic properties. Combining novel with conventional processes can eliminate potential drawbacks of novel technologies. This review examines available scientific information and critically evaluates the suitability and efficiency of various novel thermal and nonthermal technologies in terms of microbial safety, quality as well as nutrient content on the production of RTE meals, meats and pumpable products.     

“Size effect” in the fatigue behavior of Friction Stir Welded plates

Comparative fatigue tests were carried out on Friction Stir Welded specimens of a 2195-T8 aluminum–lithium alloy that differed significantly in width. The width of the larger specimens was over thirteen times greater than that of the small specimens. Fatigue results showed a clear “size effect”, i.e. fatigue life of large specimens was about 40% of the corresponding value of small specimens. The Equivalent Initial Flaw Size methodology was adopted to correlate the two sets of results. Fatigue crack initiation life was disregarded with respect to crack propagation life, and fatigue life was evaluated only as propagation of a small pre-existing defect. Following this methodology, test results of small specimens were used to evaluate the initial equivalent flaw contained in each specimen. It was assumed that this data followed a normal distribution. The equivalent initial flaw in larger specimens was evaluated by simple geometrical considerations. A very good assessment of mean fatigue life and scatter in the fatigue results of large specimens was obtained by simulating the propagation of these defects. Calculations were carried out by taking also welding residual stresses into account, but the results demonstrated that this effect was not significant.     

住宅设计的分析与研究

总结了住宅设计的发展,概括了住宅各个功能区的特点。通过设计的实例说明了各不同功能区的设计,成果可供进一步的研究参考。     

“锲而不舍 金石可镂”——上海秀派公司2．45GHz有源RFID标签技术的成功之路

上海秀派公司坚持自己的技术长项——2．45GHz有源RFID,充分发扬该种RFID的特长,记者采访该公司时了解到了开发方面的很多细节、成功案例和实施经验。我们不但非常推崇该公司的“锲而不舍”的意志,而且还意识到如果秀派公司的成功经验一旦辐射到中国的RFID行业中,一定会把这项在国外诞生的技术更好地植根于中国的土壤,使之更加适合中国的实用环境。     

基于可靠性评价的含缺陷核压力管道疲劳寿命预测方法

含缺陷压力管道经缺陷评定合乎使用后,其疲劳寿命的估计具有重要的工程意义。将整个含缺陷压力管道作为一个整体,分析了含缺陷压力管道的疲劳裂纹扩展特点,提出了相应的含缺陷压力管道疲劳寿命的计算过程,并在基于可靠性评价的基础上,给出了核压力管道的可接受失效概率,最终得到了含缺陷核压力管道疲劳寿命预测方法。     

工业管道测厚的几点问题探讨

超声波测厚在腐蚀监测上应用越来越广泛,为让这项检测技术更准确、更可靠,充分发挥功效,文章就工业管道测厚中测厚数据处理、测厚点选择、高温问题以及其它影响因素等几个方面进行了探讨。     

转炉溅渣护炉改质剂的开发研究

影响转炉溅渣护炉效果的关键因素是终渣成分的控制,采用改质剂对转炉终渣成分进行调整,降低渣中FeO含量和炉渣温度,提高MgO含量和炉渣熔点及粘度,有利于改善炉渣与炉衬的粘结效果,并提高溅渣层的耐蚀性能,缩短溅渣起孕时间,在一定程度上抑制炉渣中铁的氧化物与炉衬中石墨的反应.