Cheekur Krishnamurthy Srinivasa, Chinnakurli Suryanarayana Ramesh and S.K. Prabhakar
The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of blending time, SiC content and fill ratio on the homogeneity of iron‐silicon carbide powder mixture, blended in double‐cone…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of blending time, SiC content and fill ratio on the homogeneity of iron‐silicon carbide powder mixture, blended in double‐cone blender; to evaluate density, microstructure and micro hardness of laser sintered iron and iron‐SiC specimens; and study the feasibility of building a complex iron‐SiC metal matrix composite (MMC) part by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process.
Design/methodology/approach
The morphology and particle size of iron and silicon carbide powders were evaluated. Nickel coating was carried out on silicon carbide particles. Blending of iron‐SiC powders were carried out in two phases in a double‐cone blending equipment. In the first phase, three tests were conducted with fill ratios (ratio of volume of conical blender to volume of powder mixture) of 1.68, 3.39, and 6.8 percent while iron‐SiC weight ratio was kept constant at 97:3. In the second phase, four tests were conducted with iron‐SiC weight ratios of 99:1, 98:2, 97:3, and 95:5 while keeping a constant fill ratio of 1.68 percent. In both the phases, blending was carried out for duration of 43 minutes. Homogeneity of the powder mixture was evaluated at different intervals of time by adopting sampling process. Sintering was carried out on iron and iron‐SiC powder mixture using DMLS machine at laser speed of 50, 75, 100, and 125 mm/s. Microstructure, density and micro hardness studies were carried out on the sintered specimens. A 3D model of a part with complex geometry was modeled using Unigraphics CAD/CAM software and prototype part was built by DMLS technology using the blended iron‐2 weight percent SiC powder.
Findings
A reduction in blending time was observed with increase in SiC content and decrease in fill ratio. Microstructure and micro hardness tests conducted on laser sintered iron‐silicon carbide specimens, reveal the homogeneity of blended powder. The density of the iron‐SiC composites sintered at a laser speed of 50 and 75 mm/s, decreased with increase in SiC content. Further, an increase in the micro hardness of iron‐SiC composites was observed with increase in SiC content and decrease in laser speed. Complex functional part was built by DMLS technology with out any supports.
Research limitations/implications
The experiments were conducted with standard blending equipment in which the speed is limited to 48 revolutions per minute only.
Originality/value
Meager information is available on blending of powders for producing MMCs by laser sintering process. The work presented in this paper will be a guideline for researchers to carry out further work in blending of powders for producing MMCs by rapid prototyping process.
Narendrasinh Jesangbhai Parmar and Ajith Tom James
The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for the safety performance measurement of belt conveyor systems.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for the safety performance measurement of belt conveyor systems.
Design/methodology/approach
A structural methodology of graph theory and matrix approach is used for developing a framework for safety performance measurement of belt conveyor systems.
Findings
The development of a framework for safety performance measurement of belt conveyor systems is essential for ensuring plant safety. For this, safety performance factors, including design and operating contextual factors of belt conveyor systems, are identified. The factors along with their interrelations are modeled using digraph. An equivalent matrix of the digraph provided safety performance function (SPF) of belt conveyor systems, leading to the development of a safety performance index (SPI).
Practical implications
The developed framework will enable the designers for evaluating and comparing alternative designs of conveyor systems from the safety viewpoint. The plant operators can make inferences from the SPI to identify the weak contextual factors in the plant and develop action plans for its mitigation.
Originality/value
The paper is novel and employs graph theory and matrix approach for safety performance measurement. The methodology helps in the quantitative evaluation of the safety performance of belt conveyor systems.
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This study aims to investigate a critical review on the applications of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) in porous media.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate a critical review on the applications of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) in porous media.
Design/methodology/approach
Transport phenomena in porous media are of continuing interest by many researchers in the literature because of its significant applications in engineering and biomedical sectors. Such applications include thermal management of high heat flux electronic devices, heat exchangers, thermal insulation in buildings, oil recovery, transport in biological tissues and tissue engineering. FSI is becoming an important tool in the design process to fully understand the interaction between fluids and structures.
Findings
This study is structured in three sections: the first part summarizes some important studies on the applications of porous medium and FSI in various engineering and biomedical applications. The second part focuses on the applications of FSI in porous media as related to hyperthermia. The third part of this review is allocated to the applications of FSI of convection flow and heat transfer in engineering systems filled with porous medium.
Research limitations/implications
To the best knowledge of the present authors, FSI analysis of turbulent flow in porous medium never been studied, and therefore, more attention should be given to this area in any future studies. Moreover, more studies should also be conducted on mixed convective flow and heat transfer in systems using porous medium and FSI.
Practical implications
The wall of the blood vessel is considered as a flexible multilayer porous medium, and therefore, rigid wall analysis is not accurate, and therefore, FSI should be implemented for accurate predictions of flow and hemodynamic stresses.
Social implications
The use of porous media theory in biomedical applications received a great attention by many investigators in the literature (Khanafer and Vafai, 2006a; Al-Amiri et al., 2014; Lasiello et al., 2016a, Lasiello et al., 2016b; Lasiello et al., 2015; Chung and Vafai, 2013; Mahjoob and Vafai, 2009; Yang and Vafai, 2008; Yang and Vafai, 2006; Ai and Vafai, 2006). A comprehensive review was conducted by Khanafer and Vafai (2006b) summarizing various studies associated with magnetic field imaging and drug delivery. The authors illustrated that the tortuosity and porosity had a profound effect on the diffusion process within the brain. AlAmiri et al. (2014) conducted a numerical study to investigate the effect of turbulent pulsatile flow and heating technique on the thermal distribution within the arterial wall. The results of that investigation illustrated that local heat flux variation along the bottom layer of the tumor was greater for the low-velocity condition. Yang and Vafai (2006) presented a comprehensive four-layer model to study low-density lipoprotein transport in the arterial wall coupled with a lumen (Figure 1). All the four layers (endothelium, intima, internal elastic lamina and media) were modeled as a homogenous porous medium.
Originality/value
Future studies on the applications of FSI in porous media are recommended in this review.
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Marialuisa Saviano, Asha Thomas, Marzia Del Prete, Daniele Verderese and Pasquale Sasso
This paper aims to contribute to the discussion on integrating humans and technology in customer service within the framework of Society 5.0, which emphasizes the growing role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to the discussion on integrating humans and technology in customer service within the framework of Society 5.0, which emphasizes the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI). It examines how effectively new generative AI-based chatbots can handle customer emotions and explores their impact on determining the point at which a customer–machine interaction should be transferred to a human agent to prevent customer disengagement, referred to as the Switch Point (SP).
Design/methodology/approach
To evaluate the capabilities of new generative AI-based chatbots in managing emotions, ChatGPT-3.5, Gemini and Copilot are tested using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short-Form (TEIQue-SF). A reference framework is developed to illustrate the shift in the Switch Point (SP).
Findings
Using the four-intelligence framework (mechanical, analytical, intuitive and empathetic), this study demonstrates that, despite advancements in AI’s ability to address emotions in customer service, even the most advanced chatbots—such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot—still fall short of replicating the empathetic capabilities of human intelligence (HI). The concept of artificial emotional awareness (AEA) is introduced to characterize the intuitive intelligence of new generative AI chatbots in understanding customer emotions and triggering the SP. A complementary rather than replacement perspective of HI and AI is proposed, highlighting the impact of generative AI on the SP.
Research limitations/implications
This study is exploratory in nature and requires further theoretical development and empirical validation.
Practical implications
The study has only an exploratory character with respect to the possible real impact of the introduction of the new generative AI-based chatbots on collaborative approaches to the integration of humans and technology in Society 5.0.
Originality/value
Customer Relationship Management managers can use the proposed framework as a guide to adopt a dynamic approach to HI–AI collaboration in AI-driven customer service.
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Ziaul Haque Choudhury and M. Munir Ahamed Rabbani
Nowadays, the use of forged e-passport is increasing, which is threatening national security. It is important to improve the national security against international crime or…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, the use of forged e-passport is increasing, which is threatening national security. It is important to improve the national security against international crime or terrorism. There is a weak verification process caused by lack of identification processes such as a physical check, biometric check and electronic check. The e-passport can prevent the passport cloning or forging resulting from the illegal immigration. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper focuses on face recognition to improve the biometric authentication for an e-passport, and it also introduces facial permanent mark detection from the makeup or cosmetic-applied faces, twins and similar faces. An algorithm is proposed to detect the cosmetic-applied facial permanent marks such as mole, freckle, birthmark and pockmark. Active Shape Model into Active Appearance Model using Principal Component Analysis is applied to detect the facial landmarks. Facial permanent marks are detected by applying the Canny edge detector and Gradient Field Histogram of Oriented Gradient.
Findings
This paper demonstrated an algorithm and proposed facial marks detection from cosmetic or makeup-applied faces for a secure biometric passport in the field of personal identification for national security. It also presented to detect and identify identical twins and similar faces. This paper presented facial marks detection from the cosmetic-applied face, which can be mixed with traditional methods. However, the use of the proposed technique faced some challenges due to the use of cosmetic. The combinations of the algorithm for facial mark recognition matching with classical methods were able to attain lower errors in this proposed experiment.
Originality/value
The proposed method will enhance the national security and it will improve the biometric authentication for the e-passport. The proposed algorithm is capable of identifying facial marks from cosmetic-applied faces accurately, with less false positives. The proposed technique shows the best results.
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Sujit Sukumaran Koyilathumpaday and Nandini M.
The case was an application of a market demand and supply mechanism and its impact on the product’s price and focus on the following objectives:▪ Analyze the vegetable market in…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The case was an application of a market demand and supply mechanism and its impact on the product’s price and focus on the following objectives:▪ Analyze the vegetable market in India and the challenges faced by the farmers (tomatoes) using demand and supply concepts.▪ Examine the impact of price elasticity on the revenue of the farmers.▪ Assess the challenges faced by the government in controlling prices of vegetables and food inflation.▪ Evaluate diversification strategies in agriculture to mitigate risk.
Case overview/synopsis
The market for tomatoes was highly cyclical because of erratic rainfall, and farmers went through a difficult time, especially when the prices fell below the cost of production. They moved out for crops that had stable prices. They expected government support for price stability. Government and policymakers considered price fluctuations a short-term phenomenon that required limited interventions when prices were high. This case was about Dilip, a farmer who was into farming tomatoes on a large scale in Karnataka, India. He was facing a dilemma as to whether he had to continue or move to other crops because of the low price of tomatoes in May 2023 or to diversify into some small but related business. He was worried at the same time, curious to understand the volatility in the prices of tomatoes, government responses, risks and returns associated with the cultivation of this crop and Agri-supply chain. Based on his understanding, he should make decisions to continue or diversify into some other farming or related business.
Complexity academic level
This case was written for microeconomics and managerial economics of undergraduate and postgraduate students. This case demonstrates the application of the demand and supply mechanism for a perishable product such as tomatoes. Price fluctuations are common in these markets because of various uncontrollable factors such as rain, pests and natural calamities. The case could show the relationship between the firm’s elasticities and revenue. This case also highlights the policy constraints in controlling the prices in the short run. This case could also be used for understanding macroeconomic concepts such as food inflation and its impact on general price inflation. The students or target audience with a background in the functioning of the markets could very well relate to the concepts discussed.
Supplementary material
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject Code
CSS: Entrepreneurship (3); Management Science (7).
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Tiziana C. Callari and Lucia Puppione
The purpose of this study was to explore employees’ perceptions and firsthand experiences of the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) productivity tools, specifically…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore employees’ perceptions and firsthand experiences of the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) productivity tools, specifically Microsoft 365 Copilot, on individual and collective learning processes within a multinational corporation. In doing so, the study provides insights into how these tools can shape workplace learning dynamics, fostering both individual skill development and collaborative knowledge-sharing practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected responses from 357 participants through a survey that included both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. This study focuses exclusively on the qualitative responses. The reflexive thematic analysis method was used to capture and interpret employees’ perceptions of the role of Microsoft 365 Copilot – a generative AI-powered assistant integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite of applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) – in enhancing their work and learning opportunities in the workplace.
Findings
The results highlight four key themes contributing to workplace learning. At the individual level, Task Support illustrates the extent to which generative AI productivity tools transform work practices and facilitate both formal and informal learning pathways, while Meaningful Work underscores the tools’ role in enhancing employees’ foundational knowledge through enriched information. At the organisational level, organisational culture suggests the importance of fostering a supportive environment for AI integration, while organisational socialisation highlights its influence on team cohesion and the informal knowledge-sharing processes essential for effective collaboration within and among team members.
Practical implications
The results of this study offer actionable insights for organisations integrating generative AI productivity tools in the workplace. Understanding employees’ perceptions of the role of AI in workplace learning can inform the design of targeted training programmes that promote individual skill development and foster collaborative knowledge sharing. Furthermore, a supportive organisational culture that positions AI as a complementary resource can improve employee engagement, reduce resistance to new technologies and encourage a growth-oriented mindset, ultimately driving both personal and organisational development.
Originality/value
This study shifts the narrative around the role of AI in the workplace by examining how generative AI productivity tools can enhance workplace learning at both individual and organisational levels, rather than focusing solely on their potential to disrupt work through displacement and automation. By positioning AI-based applications as complementary to human work, this approach highlights their potential as enablers of skill development, knowledge sharing and job enrichment, fostering a more adaptive and learning-oriented work environment.
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Jungsun (Sunny) Kim and Bo Bernhard
This paper aims to extend the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explore the factors influencing a hotel customer’s intention to use a fingerprint system instead of a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to extend the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explore the factors influencing a hotel customer’s intention to use a fingerprint system instead of a traditional keycard system and the moderating factors (i.e. gender and age) on the relationships between the proposed factors and the customer’s intention to use fingerprint technology. When hotels add new technologies, the potential vulnerability of their systems also increases. Underestimating such risks can possibly result in massive losses from identity theft and related fraud for hoteliers. Customers who are aware of these risks may become more open to innovative methods of identification or verification, such as biometrics.
Design/methodology/approach
The online survey instrument was developed based on TAMs. The authors collected complete 526 responses from hotel customers and tested the hypotheses using structural equation modeling.
Findings
This study found seven factors (i.e. perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norm, perceived convenience, perceived data security, perceived property security and personal concerns) which significantly influence a hotel customer’s intention to use fingerprint technology. Gender and age played important moderating roles in the relationships between some of these factors and the intention to use.
Practical implications
Recommendations are made as to how hotels can benefit from the implementation of biometrics, particularly fingerprint systems. For example, a hotel’s marketing campaign can be more effective by emphasizing the advantages of fingerprint technology related to “data security and convenience” for younger consumers (i.e. Gen X and Gen Y).
Originality/value
Both educators and practitioners will benefit from the findings of this empirical study, as there are very few published studies on a customer’s fingerprint technology acceptance in the hotel context.
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The global prevalence of vaccine misinformation has underscored the crucial necessity to combat false information and explore innovative solutions like chatbots. These artificial…
Abstract
Purpose
The global prevalence of vaccine misinformation has underscored the crucial necessity to combat false information and explore innovative solutions like chatbots. These artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools play a pivotal role in disseminating accurate information and mitigating the adverse effects of misinformation. This study aimed to investigate what factors motivated users to combat vaccine misinformation using chatbot tools, and their active communication actions and anti-misinformation behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
Researchers surveyed 612 chatbot users in the United States and utilized structural equation modeling for data analysis.
Findings
The findings of this study revealed that both situational and gratification motivations of chatbot users significantly contributed to three essential types of communicative actions: information-seeking, forwarding and forfending. Meanwhile, the data demonstrated that except for information forfending, both information-seeking and forwarding communicative actions could enhance user engagement with anti-misinformation behavior.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in its integration of two key motivational frameworks – gratification and situational motivations – within the context of AI-driven tools like chatbots, particularly in combating misinformation. While previous research has explored the use of chatbots or the role of situational motivations in communication separately, this study uniquely combines these concepts to enhance the situational theory of problem-solving (STOPS) model and uses and gratifications (U&G) theory. Additionally, the practical implications for chatbot design and communication strategies targeted at misinformation are a significant contribution, demonstrating how motivation-driven interactions can be used to improve user engagement and public health outcomes.
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Kamaljit Singh Boparai, Rupinder Singh and Harwinder Singh
The purpose of this study is to highlight the direct fabrication of rapid tooling (RT) with desired mechanical, tribological and thermal properties using fused deposition…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to highlight the direct fabrication of rapid tooling (RT) with desired mechanical, tribological and thermal properties using fused deposition modelling (FDM) process. Further, the review paper demonstrated development procedure of alternative feedstock filament of low-cost composite material for FDM to extend the range of RT applications.
Design/methodology/approach
The alternative materials for FDM and their processing requirements for fabrication in filament form as reported by various researchers have been summarized. The literature demonstrates the role of various post-processing techniques on surface finish of FDM prints. Further, low-cost materials for feedstock filament have been investigated experimentally to check their adaptability/suitability for commercial FDM setup. The approach was to realize the requirements of FDM (melt flow rate, flexibility, stiffness, glass transition temperature and mechanical strength), necessary for the successful run of an alternative filament. The effect of constituents (additives, plasticizers, surfactants and fillers) in polymeric matrix on mechanical, tribological and thermal properties has been investigated.
Findings
It is possible to develop composite material feedstock as filament for commercial FDM setup without changing its hardware and software. Surface finish of the parts can further be improved by applying various post-processing techniques. Most of the composite parts have high mechanical strength, hardness, thermal stability, wear resistant and better bond formation than standard material parts.
Research limitations/implications
Future research may be focused on improving the surface quality of parts fabricated with composite feedstock, solving issues related to the uniform distribution of filled materials during the fabrication of feedstock filament which in turns further increases mechanical strength, high dimensional stability of composite filament and transferring the technology from laboratory scale to various industrial applications.
Practical implications
Potential applications of direct fabrication with RT includes rapid manufacturing (RM) of metal-filled parts and ceramic-filled parts (which have complex shape and cannot be rapidly made by any other manufacturing techniques) in the field of biomedical and dentistry.
Originality/value
This new manufacturing methodology is based on the proper selection and processing of various materials and additives to form high-performance, low-cost composite material feedstock filament (which fulfil the necessary requirements of FDM process). Finally, newly developed feedstock filament material has both quantitative and qualitative advantage in RT and RM applications as compared to standard material filament.