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Due to the increasing demand for lithium-ion battery cells, the cell production processes face substantial challenges to increase productivity. Among these production processes, the assembly of electrode-separator-compounds is very relevant regarding the value added towards the process chain. However, it also represents a productivity bottleneck due to the time-consuming nature of conventional stacking processes. A novel assembly process with a rotational handling unit and continuous material flow has a significant potential to decrease the influence of this bottleneck process and to enhance the overall productivity of the process chain. However, the alignment of the electrodes within the compound is challenging. This work systematically identifies alignment principles for high-speed assembly processes in general, and for the novel assembly process in particular. By transferring the selected principles to the rotational process, suitable alignment mechanisms are developed for the assembly system. Due to their modular design, the mechanisms can be adapted to the positioning requirements of the relevant process phase and the electrode type. Consequently, the positioning mechanisms are suitable for both pre-/coarse-positioning and fine positioning and can be applied for anode, cathode, as well as laminated intermediate products. An experimental validation describes the effectiveness of the developed mechanisms for the alignment within the electrode-separator-compound for different types of electrodes. Overall, the introduction of alignment mechanisms in the assembly system leads to enhanced deposition accuracy and contributes to establishing the novel stacking process in an industrial context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of battery technology has made great advances in recent years. However, the increasing demand for electric mobility also highlights the limitations of conventional lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology, such as limited range and fast charging capability, as well as challenges related to battery safety. Among all the technology alternatives, the solid-state battery technology shows great potential to enable higher safety due to the use of non-flammable solid electrolytes instead of liquid electrolytes as well as higher energy densities by replacing the graphite anode with a lithium metal anode. In addition to the trend towards improved battery cell performance, there is also a growing need for the production of application-specific cell geometries. At the Institute of Production Science (wbk), the approach of agile cell production for conventional lithium-ion batteries is currently being investigated. In order to extend the scope of this material and format flexible approach, manufacturing processes for solid-state batteries (SSB) are being considered and further investigated. As a first objective, this work presents a concept for the evaluation of the handling processes of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based composite cathodes with a special focus on the pick-and-place process. PEO-based composite cathodes are mechanically sensitive, with adhesive and limp characteristics. Therefore, the design of a semi-automated test rig is presented, which allows reproducible gripping, moving and placing of PEO-based composite cathode single sheets and thus stacking on pre-defined platforms. A camera system is integrated to monitor and quantify the process quality. An image processing tool is developed to determine the positioning accuracy and to detect possible damages on the electrode surface from handling. Furthermore, a concept for performing the handling tests is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term automation solutions for industrial companies have potential to compensate for volatile demand, employee turnover or shortages. Current solutions are either not available at short notice or economically unviable, as integration in existing control systems and machine tools would be necessary. The paper proposes a cognitive robotic system that circumvents this problem by emulating the behaviour of operators through automated, cognitive skills. The approach uses a perception system, handling and skill modules and a skill-based control to automate in an industrial brownfield use case without additional interfaces to the existing control systems to reduce integration effort to a minimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risks of lead transferring to gloves while handling lead-glazed ceramics was evaluated with simple empirical tests using Plumbtesmo test strips. Five lead-glazed ceramics from the Harvard Art Museums, three with deteriorated glazes and two with glazes in good condition, were evaluated along with three controls. The objects and controls were handled using three interaction types (touch and hold, tapping, and rubbing); the presence of lead on gloves was then evaluated using Plumbtesmo test strips. The experiment demonstrated that ceramics with deteriorated lead glazes have the potential to transfer lead to gloves during handling. Collections care staff working with lead glazed ceramics are advised to take precautions during handling and uphold best practices for hygiene to minimize lead exposure. Les risques de transférer du plomb sur les gants lors de la manipulation de céramiques à glaçure plombifère ont été évalués par de simples tests empiriques, avec des bandelettes-tests Plumbtesmo. Cinq céramiques avec des glaçures au plomb appartenant aux Harvard Art Museums dont trois avec des glaçures altérées et deux avec des glaçures saines, ont été évaluées ainsi que trois objets de contrôle. Les objets testés et les objets-contrôles ont été manipulés selon trois types d'interactions (toucher et tenir / tapoter / frotter) ; la présence de plomb sur les gants a ensuite été évaluée avec des bandelettes-tests Plumbtesmo. L'expérience a prouvé que les céramiques dont les glaçures plombifères sont altérées peuvent potentiellement transférer du plomb à des gants pendant une manipulation. Il est recommandé que les professionnels des musées ou de la conservation-restauration travaillant avec des céramiques à glaçure plombifère prennent certaines précautions lors des manipulations et suivent des règles d'hygiène afin de minimiser leur exposition au plomb. Traduit par Claire Cuyaubère. Os riscos da transferência de chumbo para luvas durante o manuseio de cerâmicas vitrificadas com chumbo foram avaliados com testes empíricos simples usando tiras de teste Plumbtesmo. Cinco cerâmicas vitrificadas com chumbo dos Museus de Arte de Harvard, três com esmaltes deteriorados e duas com esmaltes em bom estado, foram avaliadas juntamente com três controles. Os objetos e controles foram manipulados por meio de três tipos de interação (tocar e segurar, bater e esfregar); a presença de chumbo nas luvas foi então avaliada utilizando-se tiras teste Plumbtesmo. O experimento demonstrou que cerâmicas com esmaltes de chumbo deteriorados têm o potencial de transferir chumbo para luvas durante o manuseio. Os cuidadores de coleções que trabalham com cerâmicas vitrificadas com chumbo são aconselhados a tomar precauções durante o manuseio e manter as melhores práticas de higiene para minimizar a exposição ao chumbo. Traduzido por Francisco Vieira; revisão por Beatriz Haspo Los riesgos de transferencia de plomo a los guantes durante la manipulación de la cerámica vidriada con plomo se evaluaron con pruebas empíricas simples utilizando tiras de prueba Plumbtesmo. Se evaluaron cinco cerámicas vidriadas con plomo de los Museos de Arte de Harvard, tres con vidriados deteriorados y dos con vidriados en buenas condiciones, junto con tres controles. Los objetos y controles se manipularon utilizando tres tipos de interacción (tocar y sostener, golpear ligeramente y frotar); luego se evaluó la presencia de plomo en los guantes mediante pruebas de Plumbtesmo. El experimento demostró que las cerámicas con vidriados de plomo deteriorados tienen el potencial de transferir plomo a los guantes durante su manipulación. Se recomienda al personal de manejo y cuidado de colecciones que trabaja con cerámica vidriada con plomo, que tome precauciones durante la manipulación y respete las buenas prácticas de higiene para minimizar la exposición al plomo. Traducción y revisión: Soledad Tancoff y David Cohen; revisión final: Amparo Rueda e Irene Delaveris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

High-precision handling processes are essential for various high-tech industries and are typically realized using specialized high precision robots. Articulated robots are rarely used for such tasks due to their low stiffness and accuracy stemming from their kinematic structure. This work presents a methodology for designing handling processes that maximise repeatability with articulated robots. By considering their kinematic structures' highly pose dependent properties as well as sensitivity to external disturbances in every step of the processes design, significantly improved repeatability can be achieved. The applicability of the new methodology is verified experimentally using the example of handling of large silicon dies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh produce handling, particularly in final inspection and pack, is highly dependent on dextrous human labour. As part of a relatively low-profit margin industry, rising wage costs and labour shortages are impacting the viability of this sector and are a direct threat to global food security. Adoption of robotics is required to automate delicate handling tasks; this is a key goal for sustainable and profitable businesses that supply packed produce to consumers. This mini review considers the state of the art, as well as any developments required in robotic technology for the automation of inspection and packing of whole unprocessed fresh produce. There is a particular focus on robotic end effectors for the handling of fresh produce. We consider the role of soft robotics research in meeting hygiene and safety requirements, as well as the current limited range of end effectors for handling of highly varied and delicate produce types. Future directions are discussed based on the observation of available current technology available in research and the application to commercial practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving our understanding of the effects of research activities on breeding birds is critical for proper study implementation. Effects likely vary as a function of field methods, study species, habitat, and predator community, with few larger or predictable patterns. We investigated the effects of game camera use and adult capture on the daily nest survival of 41 Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus) and 61 Wilson's Plover (C. wilsonia) nests in coastal Mississippi from 2018–2022. We also compared the effects of camera presence on nest survival between nests at a site with neophilic Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus) and other sites where neophilic crows were absent. We used logistic-exposure survival analysis to estimate daily nest survival probability as a function of research activity (banding adults or placing camera at the nest), camera presence, species, and site predator community. Camera presence resulted in decreased daily survival probability (0.82 ± 0.10 SE) at the site with neophilic Fish Crows compared to daily survival probability (0.98 ± 0.001 SE) at all other nests. All other variables had non-significant effects. Our results indicate that banding and camera use at nests can be generally safe, but that researchers should test for potential negative effects of research activities in each situation, and in particular consider the local predator community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of pre-slaughter risk factors was evaluated on the behavior of 2,124 batches of steers and 1,937 batches of females. The factors that caused excitable behavior in the batches were sex, handling practices, vehicle load density, travel time and carcass fat. Sex had the greatest influence on behavior, with the female batches being 70.7% more likely to display excitable behavior. In the overall analysis, the condition of the installations and the handling practices influenced the appearance of excitable behavior in the female batches, which increased by 31.1% and 38.8% when the conditions were regular and inappropriate, respectively, compared to when the handling was appropriate; behavior in the batches of steers was also affected. There was a greater chance of excitable behavior appearing in batches where the journey lasted longer than 360 min, when the batches were analyzed together or when separated by sex. Increases in load density (kg/m2) caused a greater chance of excitable behavior regardless of the sex of the cattle. In animals with a calmer behavior, the fat cover on the carcass was thicker. Appropriate handling on the farms, and care with animal welfare when loading and transporting the cattle, determine less-reactive behavior. • Travel time and load density modify cattle behavior. • Pre-slaughter behavior of beef cattle varies according to sex and environment. • Adaptations on farms and at slaughterhouses determine fewer losses in the beef production chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many assembled products contain parts that are not rigid, and there is a large variety of such parts, which might be as different as cables, sheet metals, plastic covers, or foams. The assembly processes of such products may also involve non-rigidity in the tools used. Non-rigidity in the parts and tools adds additional degrees of freedom to the assembly processes and systems, which, on the one hand, adds engineering complexity, and on the other hand, may be the key for superior solutions. This paper reviews recent developments in models, methods, handling techniques, and control of such parts at the assembly station and systems levels with a main focus on applications related to the manufacturing industry. The core areas of knowledge addressed by this paper cover advanced models for non-rigid objects, process and system planning, new tooling, and new control concepts based on perception and human-robot interaction. More research work is expected in the field of modelling and perception due to the development of computer vision, robotics, and artificial intelligence. New advances on the processing and assembly hardware can also be expected due to the highly active research field of soft material robotics and high-payload-gripping with soft material versatility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convenience sampling in animal experiments may affect findings due to individual difference in temperament. The aim in this study was to assess the consistency of convenience sampling order (ORDER), and to study the association between potential factors (i.e., behaviors related to handling, and coping ability to weaning) and ORDER in pigs (n = 325). ORDER was recorded by catching the closest pig in the pen on Day (D) 1, 14, 23, 27, 31, 38, 69 and 79, while weighing pigs. Response to handling was assessed on all weighing days except D69. For D1 to 38, vocalization and attempt of escaping were recorded on a Yes/No basis; for D79, a scoring system from 'very difficult' to 'easy to handle' was used for 3 handling phases: 'Moving into the crate,' 'In the crate,' and 'Leaving the crate'. ORDER within each pen was categorized to 4 quartiles. To study the association between coping ability to weaning and ORDER, salivary cortisol and chromogranin A (CgA) were determined on pre- and post-weaning. The response variables for statistical analysis were ORDER: either 1) the log-transformed percentage of ORDER; or 2) first quartile (1QT, i.e., first-caught) vs. the rest; or 3) fourth quartile (4QT, i.e., last-caught) vs. the rest. An individual effect on ORDER was found (P < 0.001), suggesting that a pig that had been caught either first, middle, or last was very likely to be caught in a similar order in the following handling sessions. On the other hand, neither responses to handling nor coping ability to weaning were associated with ORDER (P > 0.05). To conclude, although ORDER is not associated with responses to human handling and coping ability to weaning, convenience sampling in pigs should be cautious as ORDER is highly consistent and long-lasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Green Deal has the ambition to enhance recycling practices to better close material loops. However, in the recycling industry of today it is common practice to shred products to liberate the different materials that the product contains. This, typically results in a broad range of object sizes and mixed waste streams, which increases the complexity for the robotic sorting of these waste streams. Nonetheless, to meet up with today's number of different material types and quality standards, the potential and demand for robust robotic sorting increases. While the robotic (sorting) industry is quickly evolving, currently used robotic grippers are often not designed to cope with the large variation in material types and shapes encountered in shredded material streams. Therefore, a novel High Airflow Vertical COnveying (HAVCO) gripping system is developed in the presented research. This HAVCO gripper is validated in an aluminum sorting use case, which demonstrated significant opportunities for the sorting of random shaped, small and light waste fractions, which typically pose challenges for the state-of-the-art gripper technologies. The main advantage of the presented HAVCO gripper is that it does not require challenging gripping pose estimation and proofs to be able to perform a robotic pick in less than 0.4 seconds, which is up to 3 times faster than commonly used parallel grippers while achieving high picking success rates of approximately 93%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projects unsuitable for specific types of biomass can cause serious flow problems, capable of making the production unfeasible. This paper aims to identify whether there was available technological knowledge proper to design equipment that would guarantee a linear flow feed of biomass as raw material, searching patents applications, that is an efficient tool widely used to analyse technological scenarios. The results showed an increase in the patents number dealing with specific types of biomass as of 2016 – a pick of 14 patent application per year, but still in a very small number if compared to the number of patents applied on biomass in general – a pick of 5.974 patent application per year. Analysing together with problems occurred in cellulosic ethanol plants, these results seem to support the hypothesis that new technological developments will still be needed to allow plants to work efficiently with biomass as feedstock. This study brings a new approach to discussions about the challenges faced by second-generation ethanol plants, both in the search methodology developed for this research and in bringing the theme of biomass feeding and handling to the centre of debates on the next challenges for industrial pants using lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical relevance: The '2022 AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines: Approach and Handling Techniques' (hereafter the 'Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines') support veterinary professionals with feline interactions and handling to reduce the impact of fear and other protective (negative) emotions, in so doing enhancing feline welfare and In implementing these Guidelines, team satisfaction and cat caregiver confidence in the veterinary team will increase as the result of efficient examinations, better experience, more reliable diagnostic testing and improved feline wellbeing. Veterinary professionals will learn the importance of understanding and appropriately responding to the current emotional state of the cat and tailoring each visit to the individual. Clinical challenges: Cats have evolved with emotions and behaviors that are necessary for their survival as both a predator and prey species. A clinical setting and the required examinations and procedures to meet their physical health needs can result in behavioral responses to protective emotions. Cat friendly interactions require understanding, interpreting and appropriately responding to cats' emotional states and giving them a perceived sense of control while performing the required assessment. Evidence base: These Guidelines have been created by a Task Force of experts convened by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the International Society of Feline Medicine, based on an extensive literature review and, where evidence is lacking, the authors' experience. Endorsements: These Guidelines have been endorsed by a number of groups and organizations, as detailed on page 1127 and at catvets.com/interactions and icatcare.org/cat-friendly-guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The handling of delicate spherical microsamples for applications in research and development requires a technique that does not damage or influence the sample. A particularly gentle grasping method is the grasping with dry-adhesive microstructures. A dry adhesive structure is holding the object passively, so there is no external influence to upkeep the grip. Instead, it is necessary to have a controllable releasing mechanism. Such a releasing mechanism can be realised by changing the geometry of the gripping surface through bending. In this paper a simulation-based method is shown to calculate the grasping force in order to design a suitable gripper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal handling systems are getting more and more relevant nowadays. Their unique ability to adapt to different objects and their various shapes enable cost savings by minimizing the number of handling systems and reducing set-up times. Furthermore, the mentioned aspects are advantageous for the hybrid forging manufacturing process, where the objects change their geometry several times. However, this work deals with the discrepancy between universal gripper, consisting mostly of polymer materials and the high temperature of the forging objects. Universal grippers are predominantly made of monolithic elastic material to achieve high functionality. However, the material has the disadvantage of only being applicable in a small temperature range, whereby the forging process reaches temperatures of up to 1200 °C. One type of monolithic grippers are so called Fin Ray grippers that use fingers based on the Fin Ray effect to close around objects when they encounter them. This adjustment takes place passively, requiring a minimum of actuation, which is advantageous for use at high temperatures. Therefore, we have designed a Fin Ray finger made of heat-resistant bulk material to close the mentioned gap. Our design consists of rigid links connected with joints providing shape variability. The thermal condition was taken into account as the temperature of the objects reaches up to 1200 °C. Thereby, temperature-related effects occur, such as thermal expansion, which strongly influence the design of the finger. To investigate this, a thermal simulation is used. Furthermore, an investigation of the adaptability is carried out based on a multi-body FEM simulation. In this process, the finger is specified in an iterative process based on hybrid demonstrator components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trend of individualization of demand presents companies with the challenge of preparing their production, on the one hand, for ever more extensive and complicated products, but on the other hand also an increasing variety of products. Handling, as a component of any automated process, plays an essential role in this context, since these non-value-adding process steps must run reliably and quickly, even for workpieces with a large number of variants. The performance of a handling system depends on the adaptation of the gripper's fingers to the respective workpiece since the fingers are the only components that have direct contact with the workpiece. Since the change of the gripper, as well as the production of new gripper fingers for adaptation, is time-consuming, modular gripper fingers are increasingly coming into focus. An overview of a holistic approach for the selection and dimensioning of gripper fingers from modules is presented in this paper. First, the requirements for gripper fingers are determined and converted into functions. Based on this, the overall structure of gripper fingers is broken down into modules according to technical and functional aspects. In the sense of variant-oriented product design, concepts for modules are developed, which are then designed together with the interfaces between the finger modules and between the finger and gripper. Gripping points with sufficient contact area on workpieces are determined with a gripping point determination. Based on the developed construction kit of gripper fingers for mechatronic parallel grippers and the characteristics of the handling objects as well as the determined gripping points, a method is then described that allows an automated configuration of gripper fingers with integrable sensors for a given number of workpieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers amyloid beta (Aβ42 and Aβ40), total tau, and phosphorylated tau, have been extensively clinically validated, with very high diagnostic performance for AD, including the early phases of the disease. However, between‐center differences in pre‐analytical procedures may contribute to variability in measurements across laboratories. To resolve this issue, a workgroup was led by the Alzheimer's Association with experts from both academia and industry. The aim of the group was to develop a simplified and standardized pre‐analytical protocol for CSF collection and handling before analysis for routine clinical use, and ultimately to ensure high diagnostic performance and minimize patient misclassification rates. Widespread application of the protocol would help minimize variability in measurements, which would facilitate the implementation of unified cut‐off levels across laboratories, and foster the use of CSF biomarkers in AD diagnostics for the benefit of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit is increasing, therefore the demand for high-quality date palm fruit with less or no chemical treatment is the topic of interest for date producers and consumers. The quality of date palm fruit is much dependent on its postharvest handling and processing. For preventing the degradation and maintenance of the high quality of dates during the storage an appropriate harvest and post-harvest processes are required. The process should control the biotic and abiotic factors like insects, fungus, temperature, as well as handling and processing of dates. Therefore, in this work, we reviewed the literature related to the protection of date fruits during their post-harvest life. The commercially viable advance and updated techniques that can be used to avoid storage losses and problems while keeping fruit quality (nutritional, color, flavor, and texture) and microbial safety under optimal conditions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells consist of hundreds of stacked individual layers. As misplacement can lead to product-malfunctions the positioning accuracy plays a crucial role during assembly. Thus, to increase accuracy and to lower the cycle time, this paper presents a camera-integrated gripper for single layer handling of fuel cell components. The overlapping of suction holes within a gripper system is used for position measurement of fuel cell layers. The hole pattern is optimized applying a genetic algorithm to precisely measure the position of individual layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasp planning for vacuum-based handling is typically based on prior knowledge and experience. The most adequate grasp positions are selected and distributed manually. The objective of this work is a design method for grasp optimization under consideration of the object-gripper-specific form fit properties to maximize the holding force. The grasp optimization is based on a constrained genetic algorithm which evaluates both an even part's mass distribution and the holding force each gripper can provide. The results indicate that the proposed design method provides feasible grasp configurations for a large variety of different shell-like parts whilst enabling potential energy savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is an increasing number of mothers expressing their breastmilk, which presents new issues for infant feeding. A primary concern is handling, storage, and warming of expressed breastmilk. A scoping review was undertaken to explore online guidelines for handling and storage of expressed human breastmilk which are readily accessible to Australian mothers. Six common terms and questions regarding expressed breastmilk handling and storage were run through Google, Bing, and Yahoo search engines, and government health websites, informal milk sharing sites, and other sites frequently referenced on social media breastfeeding support pages. The top ten most cited resources were comparatively analysed. Only two of the resources were Australian based. There was a great variance in the guidelines offered for both handling and storage of expressed breastmilk. The most conservative storage recommendations for fresh breastmilk were up to 4 h at room temperature and 72 h in the refrigerator. The least conservative recommendations allowed fresh breastmilk to be stored at room temperature for up to 10 h and in the refrigerator for up to 8 days, albeit strictly dependent on the temperature of the room and cleanliness of the expression. The majority of recommendations cited the same primary source. All resources stated that thawed milk should never be refrozen. There are minimal Australian-based guidelines, and even less primary research, in the expressed breastmilk handling and storage space. The resources readily available to women in the community setting vary in ease of comprehension and can cause confusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailored Forming is a novel manufacturing process for the production of forged hybrid components. In contrast to components made of mono-materials, hybrid components can be adapted to the respective loads by combining different materials with contradictory properties. Short processing times and high component quality, however, lead to the demand for automated handling and local active cooling within the forming process, since the appropriate processing temperature is particularly important. Due to the fact that the hybrid components are differently hot and change their shape during the forming process, a special gripper system must be provided, which can withstand high temperatures, and ensures both shape variability and local cooling. Nowadays, however, there is a gap between shape variable grippers and rigid grippers for temperature-sensitive processes without any integrated cooling functionalities. Therefore, this paper presents an approach for the development of shape variable high temperature grippers with the use-case of handling hot steel-aluminium hybrid components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum-based handling is used extensively in automated production and is typically realized through vacuum ejectors. In compressed air-based vacuum generation, only a small fraction of the initially invested electrical energy is useable for the vacuum-based handling process. In practice, oversizing of the vacuum generation system is therefore used to compensate for process-related uncertainties, e.g. leakage. To enable a significant reduction of the required energy consumption, this paper proposes a method for the design of vacuum handling systems and the corresponding handling process with regard to gripper-specific sealing and force transmission capabilities for the gripping of curved or edged objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of tire characteristics on vehicular rollover and lateral stability. Two tire types with different adhesion coefficients were selected to evaluate the relation between vehicular rollover propensity and lateral stability. Simulations were used to calculate the critical rollover factor and to analyze the effects of vehicular parameters on handling, including the center of gravity, payload condition, and vehicle speed, with the two proposed types of tires. To replicate an actual vehicular response, particularly during extreme driving operations, a two-degrees of freedom (DOF) planar two-track model with nonlinear Pacejka's Magic Tire Formula was applied. Subsequently, a 7-DOF vehicle vibration and roll model was developed to consider the effects of suspension and road excitation. The tire, steering, and vehicle vibration models were implemented in MATLAB/Simulink by subjecting them to the Fishhook maneuver steering input defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The results confirm that the adhesion capacities of tires have an opposite effect on lateral vehicle stability and rollover propensity, while both suspension parameters and road excitation inputs significantly influence vehicle rollover and lateral stability. Additionally, we identified a positive correlation between vehicle properties and lateral handling, especially when tire characteristics are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the handling of samples for material testing, a gentle grasping method is necessary. While scaling effects in the micro domain typically pose a challenge for handling, an adhesive grasping system based on an artificial microstructure can utilize the Van-der-Waals force to advantage. For the design of a dry-adhesive grasping system, it is necessary to determine a suitable releasing mechanism. Different approaches for releasing systems are identified. Based on literature research they are examined with regard to the task of handling material samples. A switchable microstructure and a peeling strategy are determined as the most suitable releasing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For precise and complex handling tasks, it might be necessary to measure forces that act on the handling object and the gripper respectively. Additional sensor modules decrease the remaining payload of the manipulator. By attaching strain gauges on the gripper fingers, the fingers themselves become force sensors. Several scientific publications and patents demonstrate this approach. To prevent the strain gauges and wires from damage, the finger core needs to be covered by a protective shell. This paper presents an approach using silicone rubber to encapsulate the rigid finger core and its strain gauges. The presented work includes the design of the gripper finger as well as the mould, a comparison of three casting processes and the experimental evaluation of the silicone encapsulated gripper fingers. The experiments show that there is no negative impact of the silicone shell on the measuring behaviour of the strain gauges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased product customization based on customer requirements results in a large number of variants and thus smaller batch sizes in production. In order to maintain a flexible and dynamic interlinkage within a production system in terms of industry 4.0, it is necessary to implement flexible and adaptive handling and gripping solutions into the production process. A suitable way of integrating more flexibility into production is the use of compliant soft-robotic gripping systems, which are characterized by a high adaptability in terms of workpieces' shape, size and structure compared to state-of-the-art grippers. Current focus in research refers on design and simulation of the repeatability of soft-robotic grippers with low payload capability, such as silicone-based Soft-Pneumatic-Actuators (SPA). Design and process parameters of soft-robotic grippers with higher payload capability, such as Fin Ray®, are usually revealed through time-consuming empirical test series. This paper demonstrates the potential of a new simulation-based approach in designing soft-robotic grippers for heavy-duty applications to reveal crucial design and process parameters with low effort and without empirical test series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabbits are popular companion animals. There are numerous welfare issues affecting the majority of the population, including the fact that most rabbits are fearful when handled. Pet Remedy ™ (Unex Designs) is an herbal product containing valerian, marketed as a natural calming aid. Its efficacy for domestic rabbits is previously untested. We describe a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial into the effectiveness of Pet Remedy. Fifty rabbits underwent a baseline test followed by both a placebo and a Pet Remedy treatment. We measured rabbit's behavior by a novel arena test, responses to the experimenter when in the home enclosure and when being handled, and heart and respiratory rates during handling. Repeated measures analysis of variance tested differences between treatments, taking into account rabbits' individual baselines. Exposure to Pet Remedy was associated with a significant decrease in heart rate during handling (F (1,42) = 4.41, P = 0.042) and a significant increase in the number of positive behaviors observed in the novel arena (F (1,47) = 4.52, P = 0.039). Other variables which may have been predicted to change were unaffected. Rearing in the novel arena increased with day (F (1,45) = 6.91, P = 0.012). Significant individual variation occurred throughout, and heart rates were universally high suggesting that handling is generally an aversion to rabbits. The results suggest that Pet Remedy may have potential value for rabbits during periods of acute stress, slowing heart rate, and allowing the performance of more positive, relaxed behaviors. It may be useful during veterinary visits and initial handling. However, given the high levels of physiological and behavioral stress exhibited by rabbits, optimal handling and appropriate habituation and desensitization and counter-conditioning protocols should also be simultaneously implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industria Textila is the property of Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forming and overmolding of thermoplastic multi-layer UD-tape laminates has become increasingly important due to its potential for large-scale production. In the process the tape laminates have to be heated above melting temperature of the polymer in an infrared heater and then transported into the mold. To guarantee the formability of the laminate the temperature has to be maintained above the melting temperature during handling. To improve part quality a preforming of the tape laminate prior to overmolding is preferable. Integration of the preforming step in the handling process allows the shortening of the process route. In this work a gripping-system which allows further heating and preforming of the laminate during the handling process is presented. The temperature losses during transport have been modelled using the Stefan-Boltzmann law. By means of temperature measurements it is shown, that the integrated infrared-heaters allow a compensation of the cooling during handling, resulting in lower maximum heating temperature in the upstream infrared heating field and therefore a reduction of heating time and degradation of the polymer. The repeatability of the handling-integrated preforming has been evaluated using three-dimensional overlays of the resulting 3D-shaped laminates acquired by a laser scanning arm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preforming of UD-Tape reinforcement structures for thermoplastic components can be done in additional process steps or during the handling processes. For an efficient process chain, it is desired to avoid non value adding steps like handling. Therefore they should be combined with value adding steps. A novel process for the preforming of UD-Tape strips has been developed at wbk Institute for Production Science to achieve this. In this process, the strips will be locally heated and bent by an industrial robot as they are pushed out of a material supply unit. With the process, it is possible to efficiently preform complex reinforcement tapes without the need for component specific tools. However, the limitation to local bending deformation sets process limitations different from the present, shear based processes. In this paper, an approach to the kinematic description and shape optimization of reinforcement patches is presented. First, a syntax for the description of tape strips containing several bends is presented. Afterwards, the kinematics of the process of bending tape strips around a bendable hinge are described. A method for pre-processing the geometry data of the desired structure with the aim of limiting the solution space is presented. Based on the kinematic description and the preprocessing of the geometric data, a genetic optimization environment for the bending parameters of a tape strip is implemented. The performance of the optimization shows its potential although the specific optimization parameters still have to be improved. Results and limitations of the optimization approach are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising sales in the past and ongoing predicted growing sales in the future of industrial robots and especially collaborative robots endorse the trend of increasing human-robot-collaboration. Depending on the form of collaboration there are possible application scenarios in which there is no barrier between robot and worker whereby they share a common working space with the possibility of a mutual interference resulting in a potential safety hazard. Industrial robots are often used to perform handling tasks using vacuum gripping systems. But vacuum gripping systems manufacturers face new challenges when it comes to HRC. In case of an outage of all supply energy carrier like electrical power and compressed air the work piece eventually drops after an undefined period of time due to leakage. This can lead to severe damage considering that in case of handling heavy objects like car batteries the weight of said work pieces can reach up to more than 100 kg. Current methods for designing vacuum gripping systems solely focus on either positioning of the gripping point or the transmission of the gripping force between gripping system and work piece. This contribution presents a method of designing a vacuum gripping system focusing on how to determine which characteristics the gripping system should have in order to remain in a safe state for a predefined amount of time after the supply energy fails. This method allows expanding the current design process by implementing the applicability to HRC tasks based on an extended functional analysis. It can be applied to a broad range of use case scenarios as it is based on the use of scalable off the shelf products which are individually combined based on previous calculations especially designed for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RGO: Revista Gaúcha de Odontologia is the property of RGO: Revista Gaucha de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Veterinaria is the property of Universidad Nacional del Nordeste and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Modern manufacturing processes for lightweight parts and products have to face new challenges regarding the changed material properties. For instance, one of the upcoming new lightweight materials, which focusses on a large scale production, is the so called organo-sheet. An Organo-sheet is a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic which has to be processed above melting temperature. At this temperature, the organo-sheet loses its stiffness and changes into a limp state. In this state, it is possible to form the flat organo-sheet into three dimensional shapes. However, the heat transfer to the environment, such as the air, the forming-tool or the robot gripper, causes a fast cooling. To identify the thermal properties, this paper focuses on the analysis and characterisation of common robot grippers for handling heated organo-sheets in fully automated manufacturing processes. The paper presents the results of handling experiments using conventional suction-, needle- and clampgripper as well as a heated needlegripper. In addition, a heat transfer modelling approach is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medico-legal case (MLC) represents an integral part of medical practice in the emergency departments and causalities. Therefore, the physicians should have the sufficient knowledge of their roles and responsibilities while handling these cases to aid legal justice. This study on the physicians working in governmental hospitals in Cairo aimed to assess physicians' knowledge, practice and attitude regarding handling of MLCs. The study included 452 physicians working in 7 governmental hospitals in Cairo. There were non-significant differences in physicians' knowledge, practice and attitude scores according to their age groups, gender, job titles or duration of work experience. Physicians working in the day surgery centre had the lowest knowledge and attitude scores. Daily rate of confrontation with MLCs was reported by 42% the participants (190 physicians) and weekly rate was reported by 21.7% (98 physicians). Writing ML report was found as the most frequently encountered difficulty faced the participants during handling of MLCs (67.1%), followed by dealing with the patients' relatives. In conclusion, this study revealed absence of a well defined protocol for recognition and handling of MLCs in all included governmental hospitals in Cairo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing companies often have difficulties developing production platforms, partly due to the complexity of many production systems and difficulty determining which processes constitute a platform. Understanding production processes is an important step to identifying candidate processes for a production platform based on existing production systems. Reviewing a number of existing classifications and taxonomies, a consolidated classification scheme for processes in production of discrete products has been outlined. The classification scheme helps ensure consistency during mapping of existing production systems, and assists in providing an overview of when, where and how fundamental functions of a production system are realised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Veterinaria is the property of Universidad Nacional del Nordeste and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia is the property of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinaria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cadernos de Saude Publica is the property of Escola Nacional de Saude Publica Sergio Arouca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fibre-reinforced-thermoplastics (FRT) have excellent weight-specific properties compared to conventional engineering materials. However, a wider dissemination of this technology into existing plant technologies is restrained by the low degree of automation. Complex FRT component geometries pose special challenges to gripper design and handling strategies in automated preform processes regarding limp material behaviour and fast cooling time. The preform quality is influenced by the component geometry, reinforcing fabric, and preform process. This paper presents the development of an automated handling and draping strategy, which is validated by finite-element-analysis and experimental testing to meet the requirements of large-scale preforming processes for complex geometries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventy-two free-ranging American martens ( Martes americana) in Michigan, US were immobilized using isoflurane from 2011 to 2015. In total, 129 anesthetic procedures were performed with no mortalities. Hypothermia and hyperthermia were the most common anesthetic complications, and the mean rectal temperatures were significantly higher during summer than in winter. Dental abnormalities were common; the majority of abnormal findings were broken or discolored teeth attributed to previous dental trauma and were not trap-induced. Blood ( n=72) was analyzed from 53 martens for venous blood gas, lactate, hematocrit, and/or selected serum biochemistry analytes. Lactate concentration was measured by two different devices (VetScan i-STAT 1 and Lactate Plus) and compared for clinical agreement for 26 samples. Both methods for lactate measurement provided statistically similar results. Using domestic feline reference ranges, the acid-base status and relative arterial oxygen saturation of anesthetized martens in this study were normal as determined by blood pH and pulse oximetry, respectively. Serum biochemistry parameters, multiple environmental parameters, and marten-specific attributes were evaluated for their influence on lactate in American martens using linear regression and an information-theoretic approach with model averaging. Blood urea nitrogen was in all of the top models and was positively related to lactate (β=0.02, 95% confidence interval: 0.00-0.04). Initial body temperature, ambient temperature, and time from trap discovery until immobilization of martens were informative predictors for lactate level. Recommendations for the live-trapping and isoflurane anesthesia of free-ranging martens include using caution during warmer summer months, minimizing disturbance prior to induction, monitoring lactate in addition to vital rates, and being prepared to prevent or treat both hypothermia and hyperthermia during any time of year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel pixel-based draping and gripping unit will be presented. To monitor and control the draping during the forming of a stack of semi-finished textiles, the pixels are equipped with integrated sensors. With these sensors, it is possible to adjust the tangential sliding and the normal holding force at each pixel. The sensor principle is based on the electrical conductivity of carbon fibers. Electrodes inside the gripping system allow a conclusion to the gripping force between the gripper and the carbon textile. Therefore, the gripping force can be adjusted to the special boundary conditions during the draping process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large silk flag from the War of 1812, owned by the City of Toronto and held at the historic site museum of Fort York, was treated at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) from 2011 to 2012. Several challenges were posed by the powdering condition of the silk, the extreme degree to which the flag was fragmented, and its large dimensions. In addition, the flag had previously been stitched between net and taped into a rudimentary pressure mount. Re-treatment was indicated for both physical and esthetic reasons. Image analysis was used to digitally separate the old restoration fabrics from the flag. This provided a much clearer picture of the flag's true condition before treatment. The previous restorations were reversed and the flag was encapsulated in net and pressure mounted using contemporary conservation grade materials and techniques. The rigid support consisted of an aluminum honeycomb panel covered with cotton flannel, needle-punched polyester, cotton display fabric, and custom-dyed cotton compensation fabric. A UV-filtering acrylic was selected for the glazing due to its anti-static, abrasion-resistant, and anti-reflection properties. Temperature and relative humidity sensors were incorporated into the mount, enabling continuous monitoring of the microenvironment within. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]