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Article
Publication date: 19 June 2009

Tariq P. Sattar and Alina‐Alexandra Brenner

The purpose of this paper is to develop a portable non‐destructive testing (NDT) robotic arm that can be carried by climbing and walking robots (CLAWAR). The arm is required to…

879

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a portable non‐destructive testing (NDT) robotic arm that can be carried by climbing and walking robots (CLAWAR). The arm is required to maintain, during a scanning trajectory, a desired NDT probe contact force and orientation to evaluate defects in geometrically complex industrial infrastructure and products such as turbine blades.

Design/methodology/approach

A seven‐axis arm transportable by CLAWAR was developed to deploy NDT probes with suitable dexterity. It was equipped with a force sensor to scan a complex shape by keeping the NDT probe normal to the surface while maintaining a constant contact force with it. Two approaches were used. One used permanent magnet adhesion to obtain secure contact while the other used position‐force‐moment (PFM) feedback to adapt the arm.

Findings

Tests were performed on turbine blades with eddy‐current inspection techniques to assess the quality of defect data using manual inspection and automated inspection. Significant improvements in the quality of inspection were observed when using robotic scanning as compared to manual inspection.

Practical implications

The results have practical implications for the remote inspection of very large infrastructures such as petrochemical storage tanks, bridges, pressure vessels, etc. or where the inspection is performed in hazardous environments and the test surface is not known a priori with any accuracy.

Originality/value

The work is a novel application of the PFM control of a seven‐axis robot arm to scan unknown contoured surfaces to ensure reliable NDT data acquisition at scanning speeds of up to 0.5 mm s−1.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 2 May 2008

Jianzhong Shang, Bryan Bridge, Tariq Sattar, Shyamal Mondal and Alina Brenner

The project Climbing Robot Cell for Fast and Flexible Manufacture of Large Scale Structures seeks to modernise and take into the future the technology of the manufacture of large…

1691

Abstract

Purpose

The project Climbing Robot Cell for Fast and Flexible Manufacture of Large Scale Structures seeks to modernise and take into the future the technology of the manufacture of large fixed welded structures. It creates a transportable manufacturing cell consisting of a team of cooperating climbing robot work tools whose activities are coordinated and integrated through a central intelligence. The purpose of this paper is to present a wheeled robot, called NDT robot, designed for the real time inspection of long weld lines simultaneously with the welding process.

Design/methodology/approach

Neodymium permanent magnets are used for adhesion, which are capable of producing a maximum adhesion pressure of 4 × 104 Nm−2 at a 20 mm air gap. The strong neodymium magnets give the robot a high payload carrying capability. The arrangement of the magnet array increases its performance at large air gaps so that the robot has excellent capability to overcome obstacles, such as weld caps. The design of the wheeled robot with two sections jointed by a hinge joint has the advantage of high speed and good manoeuvrability, as well as working on curved surfaces and transferring between angled adjoining surfaces.

Findings

The NDT robot has been developed with the capability of climbing on steel walls carrying the specified payload and the ability to overcome the obstacles. The robot is also able to climb on curved surfaces with excellent manoeuvrability, and transfer between angled adjoining surfaces.

Originality/value

The arrangement of the magnet array enables the robot to retain a strong holding force at big air gap, so that the ability of the robot to overcome obstacles and work on curvatures is strengthened. The two‐section design improves the robot's performance on curvatures and enables it to transfer between angled adjoining surfaces.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 35 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 3 January 2023

Alina-Petronela Haller, Mirela Ștefănică, Gina Ionela Butnaru and Rodica Cristina Butnaru

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of economic growth, digitalisation, eco-innovation, energy consumption and patents on environmental technologies on the…

422

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of economic growth, digitalisation, eco-innovation, energy consumption and patents on environmental technologies on the volume of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) recorded in European countries for a period of nine years (2010–2018).

Design/methodology/approach

Two empirical methods were integrated into the theoretical approach developed based on the analysis of the current scientific framework. Multiple linear regression, an extended version of the OLS model, and a non-causal analysis as a robustness method, Dumitrescu–Hurlin, were used to achieve the proposed research objective.

Findings

Digitalisation described by the number of individual Internet users and patents on environmental technologies determines the amount of GHG in Europe, and economic growth continues to have a significant effect on the amount of emissions, as well as the consumption of renewable energy. European countries are not framed in well-established patterns, but the economic growth, digitalisation, eco-innovation and renewable energy have an impact on the amount of GHG in one way or another. In many European countries, the amount of GHGs is decreasing as a result of economic growth, changes in the energy field and digitalisation. The positive influence of economic growth on climate neutrality depends on its degree of sustainability, while patents have the same conditional effect of their translation into environmentally efficient technologies.

Research limitations/implications

This study has a number of limitations which derive, first of all, from the lack of digitalisation indicators. The missing data restricted the inclusion in the analysis of variables relevant to the description of the European digitalisation process, also obtaining conclusive results on the effects of digitalisation on GHG emissions.

Originality/value

A similar analysis of the relationship among the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and economic growth, digitalisation, eco-innovation and renewable energy is less common in the literature. Also, the results can be inspirational in the sphere of macroeconomic policy.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 53 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1993

BRIAN VICKERY and ALINA VICKERY

There is a huge amount of information and data stored in publicly available online databases that consist of large text files accessed by Boolean search techniques. It is widely…

544

Abstract

There is a huge amount of information and data stored in publicly available online databases that consist of large text files accessed by Boolean search techniques. It is widely held that less use is made of these databases than could or should be the case, and that one reason for this is that potential users find it difficult to identify which databases to search, to use the various command languages of the hosts and to construct the Boolean search statements required. This reasoning has stimulated a considerable amount of exploration and development work on the construction of search interfaces, to aid the inexperienced user to gain effective access to these databases. The aim of our paper is to review aspects of the design of such interfaces: to indicate the requirements that must be met if maximum aid is to be offered to the inexperienced searcher; to spell out the knowledge that must be incorporated in an interface if such aid is to be given; to describe some of the solutions that have been implemented in experimental and operational interfaces; and to discuss some of the problems encountered. The paper closes with an extensive bibliography of references relevant to online search aids, going well beyond the items explicitly mentioned in the text. An index to software appears after the bibliography at the end of the paper.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 49 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

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Article
Publication date: 30 October 2024

Dan Dacian Cuzdriorean, Szilveszter Fekete, Alina Beattrice Vladu and Cristina Boţa-Avram

This paper aims to address the void in the current literature regarding the determinants of career choice in Romania, an emerging economy. The objective is to furnish empirical…

115

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to address the void in the current literature regarding the determinants of career choice in Romania, an emerging economy. The objective is to furnish empirical data on the factors that impact students’ intentions to pursue a career in accounting while adding to the academic discourse on this topic. To accomplish this, the authors use an integrative model of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT) in this analysis. This study aims to illuminate the factors that motivate students to pursue an accounting career and attain certification.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consisted of accounting students from the largest public university in Romania, as they were readily accessible. The authors used a structured questionnaire to gather data and analyse the responses. To test the model and research hypotheses, the authors used structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques. Given the sample size, the authors opted for partial least squares SEM, which provides greater flexibility in modelling and can estimate complex models.

Findings

This study reveals that two factors, attitude and perceived behavioural control (PBC), play a significant role in shaping the inclination of accounting students towards pursuing a career in this field. The authors also found that the factor of self-evaluating outcome expectations (SEOEs) strongly influences accounting students’ attitudes. Additionally, the study highlights the impact of self-efficacy on both SEOEs and PBC. However, subjective norms and perceived job availability were not found to significantly sway the intention of accounting students towards this career path.

Research limitations/implications

The research findings hold significant implications for individuals invested in the accounting profession, especially in developing nations where the number of skilled professionals is limited. The use of the TPB and SCCT frameworks in the realm of accounting illustrates the paramount influence of attitude on career aspirations. Consequently, professional organisations and academic institutions can showcase the advantages of the profession and highlight its societal value to appeal to a greater number of students. By fostering a positive perception, countering unfavourable beliefs and augmenting SEOEs and self-efficacy, stakeholders can enhance the appeal of accounting as a career path.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to apply the above integrative model in the accounting field while aiming to improve interdisciplinary integration.

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