Journals National University of Science and Technology (NUST)
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Centralised Incubator Control System
Get PDFThis paper presents an infant incubator system that protects and helps incubate a premature infant while in hospital. The device is economical, robust, and uses easily replaceable parts. It consists of a control mechanism that makes use of fans, a humidifier and a home heater rod to provide heat. The temperature and humidity were automatically controlled and maintained by a microcontroller. The incubator had a base designed to automatically weigh and log the infant’s weight. A Visual Studio interface was used to provide incubator chamber data and to evaluate the performance of the design. The system could weigh the weight of the infant as well as control the chamber temperature at 36.5°C and humidity at 40%. The system was able to maintain these conditions within a period of 5 seconds
ASSESSING COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS IN ONE FINNISH MUNICIPALITY AS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Get PDFA professional learning community is an ideal way to build and sustain an effective school culture and turn the school around. As professional learning communities continue to offer tremendous rewards to teachers and students, it is time researchers focus more on school self-assessment issues, using the lenses of professional learning communities. This paper presents an insight of how Finnish teachers and principals in the selected schools in one municipality assess their schools as professional learning communities. This study used a quantitative research method. Questionnaires were administered to teachers and principals of schools in the municipality and the responses were from comprehensive schools. This study has presented how teachers and principals assess their schools as professional learning communities. The study has not only presented teachers’ assessment of their schools; it has also presented the warning sign (poor performance) on supportive condition – structures’ component and this add to the future challenges faced by these schools. This article helps to stir up debate in educational leadership and inspires educational leaders to ask questions like: From the teachers’ self-assessment, in what areas do teachers need more support
CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING WORLD CLASS MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES IN ZIMBABWE
Get PDFThe world is facing a new war in the manufacturing arena; companies are competing for the same customers. The control of market share in the globalised world has become stiff such that companies are forced to change their manufacturing paradigms, philosophies and strategies to remain afloat. Those companies which are maintaining traditional manufacturing models and business models are sinking. This could be one reason why Zimbabwean companies are failing to take of the ground from the downward trend experienced from 1999 to 2008. The worlds over companies that are adopting world class manufacturing techniques are positioning themselves to compete globally. This paper explores the challenges which are being faced by companies in Zimbabwe in trying to implement world class manufacturing technologies and techniques. A case study was done with company X a beverage manufacturing company and a survey of fifty manufacturing companies was carried out. The results revealed that challenges experienced at the plant included use of old equipment, erratic supply of electricity, erratic supply of water, irregular raw material supply, lack of investment in research and development, lack of specialized skills and difficulties of bringing in spare parts for machinery. The business challenges included low demand for some products, high labour costs, lack of working capital, high utility bills, liquidity constraints in the market and competition from imports
FRAMEWORK TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF WORLD CLASS MANUFACTURING PRINCIPLE(S). A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY OF THE FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS (FMCG) IN ZIMBABWE.
Get PDFThe paper is the development of a framework based on a field study of four companies in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) manufacturing industry in Zimbabwe. The study was concerned with the phenomenon of failure or success in the implementation of World Class Manufacturing (WCM) principle(s). The Eisenhardt’s Model of developing theory from case studies was used in this qualitative study. The process of data collection and analysis was heavily iterative using the Grounded Theory approach. NVIVO 10 software was used to analyse data and develop emerging themes and subsequently for development of a framework embedded in the data. The study draws upon WCM principles that had been developed as way back as the 1950’s, yet companies in Zimbabwe were still struggling to implement them successfully, more than 60 years later. The key challenges as experienced by the case study-companies were established and their interrelationships developed. The WILGOR Framework of Manufacturing Excellence was developed. The six step framework towards constructing the WILGOR House of Manufacturing Excellence is presented. The framework uses the “house metaphor” in ensuring the construction of a strong house, signifying, successfully implementing appropriate WCM principles. The framework has not been fully tested, apart from some aspects of it, during consultancy work. This paper adds to the body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence of key challenges faced by case study companies mainly in the FMCG sector in Zimbabwe. In order to mitigate the identified key challenges, the WILGOR framework is proposed for use in the implementation of WCM principles in Zimbabwe. Enfolding literature established similarities and differences with other models. These were used to strengthen the WILGOR Framework of Manufacturing Excellence. Organisations are thus presented with a suitable framework that they can use, to increase their chances of successfully implementing WCM principle(s)
TREATMENT OF LOW TURBIDITY WATER USING POLY-ALUMINIUM CHLORIDE (PAC) AND RECYCLED SLUDGE: CASE STUDY CHINHOYI
Get PDFCoagulation of low turbidity water using PAC and recycled sludge was studied using a bench scale sedimentation jar test operated at ambient temperature and pressure. Tests were done on low turbidity raw water samples from the river Manyame in Chinhoyi. The coagulants tested were aluminium sulphate (control), PAC and recycled sludge. The effects of the coagulants on the final physical properties of treated water (pH, conductivity, floc quality and most importantly turbidity) were analysed. It was observed that for 60 mg/L dosages, final pH was in the 8.2-8.4 range with an average of 0.24 unit change for PAC and 0.12 for aluminium sulphate, changes in conductivity were less than 20 μScm-1 for both coagulants and PAC was more efficient in turbidity removal at all dosages. The higher efficiencies of PAC where due to the poly-ions formed during hydrolysis. An improvement to the coagulating system was attempted by using settled sludge from clarifiers. At a constant 30 mg/L PAC dosage, the maximum turbidity removal efficiency, 73%, was observed at 6 ml sludge dosag
COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE: CONCEPTUALISING ITS APPLICATION IN SMALL TO MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN ZIMBABWE
Get PDFWithin this descriptive survey study, the researcher approached the concept of competitive intelligence (CI), which was considered to be a key element for the success of any business especially in the current period characterized by numerous economic and financial turbulences. This study set out to determine the difficulties associated with the adoption, practice and implementation of competitive intelligence by small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Zimbabwe. The study deliberately targeted SMEs because the researcher strongly believed that while small to medium companies may lack the huge resources required to launch and maintain large sophisticated CI networks, CI is equally important to these enterprises as well. The study used a sample of thirty entrepreneurs, selected using stratified random sampling. The instruments used for data collection were the self-administered questionnaire, the structured and unstructured interview guides. The data collection instruments were deliberately designed to generate quantitative and qualitative data. Data collected using the self-administered questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics. Analysis of data collected through the structured and unstructured interview guides involved a special set of interpretive practices and narrative techniques. The evidence from this study suggests that there has been very slow uptake of competitive intelligence by SMEs. In addition, the research clearly showed that competitive intelligence as practiced today is seriouslymisunderstood by many entrepreneurs who are running small to medium enterprises in Zimbabwe. The study advanced a view that training directed to entrepreneurs running SMEs should include among others training on the use of CI, its strategic importance and its benefits. In addition, the study recommended that SMEs should also consider being accredited with the Fuld-Gilad-Herring Academy of Competitive Intelligence to enhance their understanding and application of this important strategic business management tool
MOISTURE ABSORPTION OF COMPOSITES MADE FROM UNSATURATED POLYESTER FILLED WITH PULVERIZED SANDSTONE, DIORITE AND CORNSTALK
Get PDFMoisture absorption of materials is one major concern in any engineering design. This is because moisture absorption is capable of leading to material degradation and ultimate failure. The purpose of this work is to study and compare the moisture absorption of composites made from polyester resin, reinforced with diorite, pulverized sandstone, and cornstalk. Moisture absorption was carried out using the long term immersion procedure based on the ASTM D 570 - 98 standards. Corn stalk-polyester composite was found to absorb more moisture than other composites. The diorite-polyester composite absorbed the least moisture and the moisture decreased with increasing amount of the diorite filler added. A brief review of efforts to commercialize the products is made
LINEAMENTS MAPPING FOR HYDROGEOLOGICAL STUDY USING AEROMAGNETIC AND PSEUDOGRAVITY DATA: A CASE STUDY OF LAFIAGI, SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA
Get PDFLineaments mapping over a part of the transition environment between the Basement Complex rocks of the southwestern Nigeria and the Sedimentary rocks of the Nupe Basin was carried out. It was aimed at identification of the structural features responsible for the hydrogeology of the area. This work involved the qualitative and quantitative analysis of aeromagnetic and pseudo-gravity data using Oasis MontajTM and the geological data using Rockwork15TM software. The 2-D Forward modeling and inversion of the acquired aero-magnetic and pseudo-gravity data augmented with geological information obtained from reliable sources were employed in the lineaments extraction and interpretation works. The results have shown that the identified faults and lineament features obtained from geophysical data generally coincide with the river channels on the geologic and drainage maps which indicate a structural control of the drainage system in the study area. The rose diagram of the extracted faults and lineament features showed a preponderance of NE/SW trend followed by NW-SE and N-S trends
PRODUCTION OF CELLULASE BY SOLID STATE FERMENTATION OF BREWERY SPENT GRAINS USING ASPERGILLUS NIGER FGSC A733
Get PDFBrewery spent grains (BSG) is a waste product of the brewing process. BSG has been used as animal feed, production of value added products, substrate for growth of microorganisms and for extraction of proteins and acids. BSG is high in lignocellulosic matter and may be a candidate substrate for the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes (cellulases and xylanases). In this study, BSG was evaluated for use as a cheap and readily available substrate for the production of extracellular cellulase by Aspergillus niger FGSC A733 during solid state fermentation. The brewery spent grains were subjected to fermentation by Aspergillus niger FGSC A733 at different temperatures ranging from 30 - 40 °C and initial pH ranging from 4.0 - 6.0 for process optimization. Time course analysis was done to determine the optimum incubation period for maximum cellulase production. The effect of alkaline pre-treatment of the substrate on the production of cellulase was analyzed. Cellulase activity was determined by estimating the amount of reducing sugars produced by the enzymes using 3.5 dinitrosalycyclic acid (DNS). Maximum cellulase production was at 35 °C, pH 5.0 and an optimum incubation period of 72 hours. Under optimized conditions, a yield of 73.33 U of cellulase/gram of substrate was obtained. Pre-treatment of the spentgrains resulted in a three-fold increase in the production of cellulase. BSG was found to be a suitable substrate for production of cellulase
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, A MAJOR STATEGY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SUCCESS, EXPERIENCES FROM A UNIVERSITY IN ZIMBABWE.
Get PDFIn the academic circuit, Professional Development (PD) has proved a vital source for quality and success in teaching and learning in Universities. PD provides academics with job satisfaction and in the process helping to build better universities with competent lecturers. The key personnel in universities who play an important role to bring about transformation and quality products are the lecturers. The academic staff is a crucial element in any university educational program. Academic staff is mainly responsible for the implementation of all educational processes in a university set up. Effective PD in universities has become more crucial in this rapidly changing teaching and learning environments. Significant PD is required in universities to provide academics with the skills to use current methods and will enhance their pedagogical skills. The development of pedagogical skills in university academics in Zimbabwe and the entire Sub Sahara region cannot be addressed simply by running workshops at university level, more sophisticated integrated models like PD are most appropriate. PD is therefore imperative for the currency and relevance of a professional teaching force and in turn the quality of programs delivered in the university. The changing context of higher education in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole presents new challenges for academics which should be addressed through effective PD. Consequently the goal of this study was to explore challenges faced by university academics in their participation in PD at a university in Zimbabwe which is currently offering a Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE) to higher education academic staff. The program for PD at the university covered by this study seeks to enhance the professional skills set as well as the overall experiences that can position academics for greater academic success in teaching, research and community services. The qualitative study which was framed within a Realist philosophy of culture, structure and agency by Roy Bhaskar and Margaret Archer was used. In this article I argue that academics in universities are overwhelmed by the demands of PD innovations which are also associated with university quality assurance processes but they face challenges in participating in the programs