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Microstructural effects on properties of additively manufactured Inconel 625 and 718
Full text linkThesis (MEng (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Three Dimensional(3D) printing is known as additive manufacturing: it is a method of manufacturing parts or components form sheet, wire or powder in a manufacturing process. This method differs from traditional manufacturing techniques such as casting, moulding or subtracting materials which already exist. The type of material characterization is also very important in the development and improve or manufacturing of new materials for higher strength and various application. Selective Laser Melting(SLM) an additive manufacturing powder-based process has been adopted by automotive and aerospace industries. The reason for this is that it has many potential benefits, such as 3D designs of complex components in a shortened time frame, which offers financial savings. SLM process use metallic powders with different chemical composition to manufacture complex structures, which is an innovative material processing technology.
In this research SLM, a typical additive manufacture process method, was used to manufacture additively manufactured Inconel 625 and 718. These sample specimens were investigated to determine their microstructural features and mechanical properties. The microstructural features were characterized using two different experimental surface microscopy methods: scanning electron microscope(SEM) and light optical microscope (LOM). The mechanical properties were determined by studying deformation and hardness characteristics using three-point bending and hardness tests. The relationship between processing, microstructure, grain sizes and mechanical properties was established.
The understanding of SLM additive manufacturing of alloys is important as well for the adoption of the technology, and the possibility of replacing commercially produced cast and wrought alloys in the near future
Ultrasound investigation of risk factors for extracranial vascular pathology in patients with multiple sclerosis
Full text linkThesis (Doctor of Radiography (Ultrasound))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Introduction: Cerebral hypoperfusion and impaired cerebral venous drainage are reported to be risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS). Furthermore, lifestyle and biochemistry have significant effects on the brain and vascular system. This study investigates, with vascular ultrasound, the risk factors for extracranial vascular disease in patients with MS.
Methods: Grey-scale imaging, Colour and Spectral Doppler analysis of the carotid arteries and internal jugular veins were performed on a cohort of 50 female participants (25 MS patients and 25 age-matched controls). The major neck vessels were sonographically interrogated to determine patency, carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), carotid artery cross-sectional diameters (CSD), internal jugular vein (IJV) cross-sectional area (CSA), stenosis, occlusions and abnormal blood flow patterns. Both cohorts underwent blood tests, genetic tests and a lifestyle assessment. The MS participants had a neurological assessment to determine MS disability status (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS).
Results: Statistically significant associations (p-value <0.05) were found between the extracranial vascular ultrasound variables and biochemical markers (s-iron, s-transferrin, %Tf saturation, ferritin, haemoglobin, vitamin B12, s-folate, homocysteine, CRP, 25-OH vitamin D, total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides), lifestyle factors, genetic factors (HLA DRB1*1501 allele) and MS disability in both cohorts. The carotid artery blood flow parameters were negatively associated with MS disability, whereas the cIMT was positively associated with MS disability. Physical activity was positively associated with carotid artery blood flow velocities and passive smoking was found to have a negative association in the MS cohort of participants. Passive smokers also demonstrated a larger IJV CSA in comparison to non-smokers in both cohorts. In addition, drinking 1-13 units of alcohol/week was positively associated with carotid blood flow velocities in MS participants.
Conclusion: Several significant positive and negative associations between extracranial vascular ultrasound variables and genetic, lifestyle, biochemical and vascular factors as well as MS disability were demonstrated in this study. The new MS findings that unfolded in this study include significant associations between: 1) the carotid vessel diameters and biochemical and lifestyle parameters as well as the presence of the HLA DRB1*1501 allele; 2) IJV CSA in MS and biochemical and lifestyle parameters, specifically passive smoking; 3) MS disability and carotid artery blood flow velocities; and 4) carotid artery blood flow parameters and biochemical markers. Further studies are therefore needed to establish the clinical relevance of these new findings
The effectiveness of social media marketing communication for institutions of higher education
Full text linkThesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Several studies have been done showing that universities across the world are using social media platforms, to a lesser or greater degree, in their marketing communication strategies; however, the success of this recruitment method is relatively untested. In order to determine the effectiveness of social media marketing communication on potential university students’ selection of a university, first-year students from the University of Johannesburg were studied. Through a quantitative descriptive research study using a non-probability sampling technique and online electronic questionnaire, it was found that potential university students fall mainly within the Generation Z category (14 – 22 years old). Ninety-eight percent of the respondents in this study indicated that they used social media on a regular basis, however only 37.4% used social media in their choice of a university. More than half (58.3%) of the respondents visited university social media platforms prior to applying in order to look for information about the university, with 33% indicating that they visited these platforms to experience the culture of the university. The study has found that potential students do indeed visit multiple university social media platforms to compare university offerings, but that these platforms are currently not in the top five information sources that they consult in their university search process. Facebook is the most consulted social media platform for this purpose, taking the sixth place on the list of information sources consulted. This makes social media a definite contender in the blend of marketing communication tools a university can use to influence a potential student’s choice of study destination. The findings about these Generation Z potential university students, their use of social media, and their information requirements when researching higher education institutions, can provide valuable insights for university marketers and communicators
Newly qualified teachers ‘classroom practices as supported by initial teacher education
No full textThesis (MEd)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019.The objective of initial teacher education is to prepare teachers to teach effectively in schools. The quality of schools of a country depends on the quality of teachers (Femin-nemser, 2001). Provision of good teachers is, thus, crucial for the quality of teaching in schools. This research seeks to explore newly qualified teachers experiences of learning to teach and how it supports their classroom practices. A mixed method study with an interpretivist emphasis was conducted with teachers, who were in their first year of teaching. Data generation ensued through questionnaires and discussions whereby only some aspects of these were used to complement the main data generation which was the focus groups. Pedagogic Content Knowledge is a knowledge base that allows teachers to effectively pass their content knowledge on to students. Drawing on existing literature, a conceptual framework was developed. The study used the content analysis method where data was categorised according to the themes. The findings show that the Newly Qualified Teachers found their Initial Teacher Education to have had both positive and negative influences on their classroom practices. The heavy administrative duties, adapting to school contexts, relationships with people of influence like lecturers during Initial Teacher Education and mentor teachers, teaching practice (which had the most profound influence on their classroom practice) and the professional knowledge and skills as taught during Initial Teacher Education all played a part in supporting the classroom practices of Newly Qualified Teachers. The implications for policy makers, initial teacher education providers and mentor teachers therefore suggest some adjustment to the structure of Initial Teacher Education programs that would enable improving the development of Pedagogic Content Knowledge including enhanced involvement of schools in Initial Teacher Education to support classroom practice of Newly Qualified Teachers
Contemporary artisanal furniture design : a case of practitioners in Cape Town, South Africa
No full textThesis (MTech (Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019The study aims to describe the practice and nature of contemporary artisanal furniture design in Cape Town. This description focuses on: the design and production processes utilised, the shared principles and perceptions among the practitioners, the challenges experienced in the practice, and the role that artisanal furniture design fulfils within the industry today. The research problem that the study investigates, is the lack of understanding of what the practice of artisanal furniture design involves today. Being a resurgence of craftsmanship, the shared challenges of the contemporary practice are not clearly defined. The additional benefits of this practice to the city of Cape Town are also not identified. Taking the form of an exploratory investigation, a case study was used as research strategy to observe and examine four contemporary artisanal furniture designers in Cape Town. Multimethod qualitative research was applied to gather data, employed in a cross-sectional time horizon. The qualitative methods included direct observation, semi-structured interviews, research exercises, photo documentation and field notes. David Pye's Theory of Making was used as conceptual framework for the study, determining the level of risk involved with the various stages of artisanal production, and evaluating the grade of workmanship used by the practitioners to create the artisanal furniture pieces. The study's findings were analysed according the dimensions of Pye's book, and applied as themes for discussion in the document. The limitations of this study are the danger of personal involvement of the researcher, and thus the influence of subjectivity. The study is also limited to its scope of product design, and further limited to the focus area of furniture design. Based on four artisanal furniture designers in Cape Town, the findings are related to these specific cases, not representing the complete practice. The result of the study is an in-depth synopsis describing the nature and approach that contemporary artisanal furniture designers in Cape Town share. This description of the practice is a valuable contribution for the role that these designers fulfil, while establishing a defined community of practice. The study also contributes towards the documentation of South African furniture design, being of high value to the limited existing pool of research
Beyond seed funding: the challenges of informal small businesses in the Wineland district of the Western Cape Province
No full textThesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019This study sought to ascertain why, and the extent to which informal small businesses struggle to grow in spite of receiving seed funding. The study also examined factors that influence the growth of these businesses, as well as support structures that are available to them, and how helpful the seed funding was. Although government has provided infrastructure, finance and equipment for informal small businesses in rural areas, it appears that small businesses that received seed funding do not grow so that they become sustainable, and can contribute to job creation and poverty alleviation. Hence, the study is significant. The study adopted a quantitative research approach, using questionnaires that the researcher distributed to 60 entrepreneurs who received seed funding in the Winelands District of the Western Cape. Predominant findings from the study included a lack of finance and insufficient seed funding, instability of businesses, limited business space, crime, as well as a lack of infrastructure, marketing, coaching and mentoring, business management skills and transport. The study recommends that the government should release funding in portions to monitor business development instead of providing once-off payments; it should build warehouses in each local municipal area where informal business owners can keep their stock safely; and it should provide permanent structures for them from which these entrepreneurs can operate their businesses. This study recommends infrastructure provisioning in terms of marketing tools, computers, transport and safety and security measures for all seed funded small businesses in the Cape Winelands District Municipality. Further, it promotes establishment of forums and partnerships between successful informal small businesses and those that are struggling to grow so that they may share and explore new business strategies and opportunities through networking. The study also recommends that informal business owners should seek professional advice, guidance and training in terms of how to operate their respective businesses effectively, while the government should provide flexible policies that allow them to determine what support each business requires. Government should also increase seed funding amounts to cover infrastructural development at least, and should appoint officials or incubators to support these businesses
Biodiesel production from edible oil wastewater sludge with bioethanol using heterogeneous nano-magnetic catalysis
No full textThesis (PhD (Chemical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Currently, most sludge from the wastewater treatment plants of edible oil factories is disposed to landfills, but landfill sites are finite and potential sources of environmental pollution. Production of biodiesel from wastewater sludge can contribute to energy production and waste minimization. However, conventional biodiesel production is energy- and waste-intensive. Generally, biodiesel is produced from the transesterification reaction of oils with alcohol (i.e. methanol, ethanol) in the presence of a catalyst. Homogeneously catalysed transesterification is the conventional approach for large scale production of biodiesel as reaction times are relatively short. Nevertheless, homogenous catalysis presents several challenges such as high probability of soap formation in the presence of water and free fatty acids, and difficulty of separation and reusability. The current study aimed to reuse wastewater sludge from the edible oil industry as a novel feedstock for both monounsaturated fats and bioethanol to produce biodiesel. Preliminary results have shown that the fatty acid profile of the oilseed wastewater sludge is favourable for biodiesel production with 48% (w/w) monounsaturated fats; the residue left after the extraction of fats from the sludge contains sufficient fermentable sugars, after steam explosion followed by an enzymatic hydrolysis, for the successful production of bioethanol [29% (w/w)] using a commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A novel nano-magnetic catalyst was synthesised from mineral processing alkaline tailings, mainly containing dolomite originating from cupriferous ores using a modified sol-gel technique. The biodiesel produced from the wastewater sludge performed well. The thermal efficiency was 30.75% (compared to 28.4% and 26.95 for conventional biodiesel and petroleum-based commercial diesel, respectively). The fuel consumption was higher than commercial diesel at a maximum brake power of 12.8 kW (0.15 and 0.31 kg/kW.h for commercial diesel and wastewater sludge biodiesel respectively) but it was more environmentally friendly in terms of gaseous emissions - both fuels showed a linear decrease in emissions proportionate to the increase in engine speed, reaching averages of 51.5 ppm/g/h and 89.9 ppm/g/h nitrous oxides, respectively at 2000 rpm, and 249.3 ppm/g/h and 310.4 ppm/g/h carbon monoxide, respectively at 800 rpm. Both the catalytic properties and reusability of the catalyst were investigated. A maximum biodiesel yield of 88% was obtained, which dropped to 61% after the fourth transesterification reaction cycle. The proposed approach has the potential to reduce material costs, energy consumption and water usage associated with conventional biodiesel production technologies. It may also mitigate the impact of conventional biodiesel production on food and land security, while simultaneously reducing waste
Learning dynamics in the 21st Century : challenges of an under-resourced high school in rural South Africa
No full textThesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Technology has transformed education at all levels, from primary to tertiary education worldwide. Educators and learners in most schools rely less on traditional face-to-face classroom interaction, but more on digital educational platforms and tools. However, developing countries like South Africa face a major challenge as some schools have access to advanced technological tools while others do not. While learners from well-resourced urban South African schools benefit from this digital transformation, there is no evidence that learners in under-resourced communities like rural areas benefit from digital resources on the Internet. The research objective was to understand how learners in under-resourced communities cope with learning in a knowledge economy driven by digital transformation. To understand this phenomenon, the e-learning readiness assessment factors of ?urek and Re?ep (2016) formed the theoretical basis for this study and serve as guidelines for data collection and analysis. Quantitative data was collected from an under-resourced school and analysed using statistical methods. The unit of analysis was high school teachers in respect of the school's e-learning readiness. The study explored teaching and learning challenges of rural high schools and identified ways of introducing new learning methods to enable rural learners and educators to cope with the demands of the technological revolution. The findings were that rural high schools do not engage in digital transformation. Recommendations from the case study are deemed to apply to all underresourced schools in rural South Africa
The impact of entrepreneurship education on students’ entrepreneurial abilities : a case study of a selected University in the Western Cape
No full textThesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Tertiary education in South Africa seems to be training students to work hard, produce good results and find jobs in the best organisations, but not to start their own businesses. As such, taking initiative and being innovative seems to be the last task in the young graduate entrepreneurship students mind in South African. At this point, it is unknown why Entrepreneurship graduates do not start their own businesses after graduation. The study investigated the impact of Entrepreneurship Education on students' entrepreneurial abilities in a selected University in the Western Cape in order to generate valuable information in understanding their intention to entrepreneurial activities. Quantitative methods approach was used in this study. The aim of the research was to determine whether the Entrepreneurship students have a clear understanding of how to start and manage their own businesses after graduation. It was found that, regarding entrepreneurial intention, most students in the selected institutions plan to have a secure job first then later on open a business; so, students do not have intend to start their own business after they graduate from school. The research concluded that, the fact of students joining the world of job hunting after graduation and not exercising their competency and ability in entrepreneurial activities will continue to increase the number of student unemployment. It was recommended that entrepreneurship program in the South African education system must add support orientation means in supporting students; also increase the level of exposure to Entrepreneurship students
Consumer perception of service quality at a selected bank in Cape Town
No full textThesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019Services like an action (collecting a bank card) or an activity (opening business account) which are offered by a bank to a consumer is evaluated to determine the quality that reflects consumers perception of specific dimensions of service namely; reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, tangibles. The purpose of the study was to understand bank performance regarding service provision based on the understanding of both service quality and consumer perception. This study identified service gap(s) to develop a service quality management framework that can be linked to competitiveness and marketing strategies in a banking environment. In this regard the SERVQUAL model was applied in a banking environment at a selected bank in Cape Town. This study employed a quantitative methodology to investigate the phenomena being investigated. This research was undertaken ethically in order to protect all participants as well as the integrity of the University. A survey method was used to collect quantitative data from 100 respondents from selected branches of a local bank in Cape Town. The questionnaires were administered to purposively selected respondents based on their banking profile such as personal and business banking consumers within the universal code of research ethics. Statistical Package for Social Software (SPSS 24.0) was used for data capturing and analysis. This study found a significant relationship between actual and perceived service provision. This paper suggests that a model that combines management theories and quality dimensions is used to obtain a better understanding of the quality of banking services in order to improve decision making that may impact strategic marketing and competitiveness