This paper describes the evaluation of different refractory compounds – SiO2, ZrO2 and Y2O3 –as face coats of investment casting shells for c-TiAl. The effect of the different refractories on the metal–mould interaction is studied in different aspects. Experimental results include characterisation of the constituents present at the metal/ mould interface, the segregation profiles of residual elements, namely oxygen, from the interface to the inner part of the samples, the extension and microhardness of the samples external hard case and the samples surface finishing.

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Induced defects in silver polycrystalline samples irradiated with 4 keV Ar+ were characterised with slow positron implantation spectroscopy. The implanted gas was found to interact with ion irradiation defects. The evolution of the defects and gas-defect interactions were followed through a multi-step isochronal annealing treatment. Two different defected regions were detected. A region near to the surface, due to a distribution of vacancy-like defects produced by irradiation, and a deeper one due to coalescence of Ar. The deeper defects evolve with thermal treatments and probably produce cavities which are not easily recovered.

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The aim of the TeleRisk Project on labour relations and professional risks within the context of teleworking in Portugal – supported by IDICT – Institute for Development and Inspection of Working Conditions (Ministry of Labour), is to study the practices and forms of teleworking in the manufacturing sectors in Portugal. The project chose also the software industry as a reference sector, even though it does not intend to exclude from the study any other sector of activity or the so-called “hybrid” forms of work. However, the latter must have some of the characteristics of telework. The project thus takes into account the so-called “traditional” sectors of activity, namely textile and machinery and metal engineering (machinery and equipment), not usually associated to this type of work. However, telework could include, in the so-called “traditional” sectors, other variations that are not found in technologically based sectors. One of the evaluation methods for the dynamics associated to telework consisted in carrying out surveys by means of questionnaires, aimed at employers in the sectors analysed. This paper presents some of the results of those surveys. It is important to mention that, being a preliminary analysis, it means that it does not pretend to have exhausted all the issues in the survey, but has meant that it shows the bigger tendencies, in terms of teleworking practices, of the Portuguese industry.

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This paper describes some theoretical and experimental results obtained in an effort to optimize the Series Resonant Converter (SRC) when used with a loosely coupled transformer for Inductive Coupling Power Transfer (ICPT). The main goal of this work is to define precisely which mode of operation of the power stage is the most efficient. The results also suggest a way to choose the design criteria for the physical parameters (operation frequency, characteristic impedance, transformer ratio, etc.) to achieve that mode of operation. The analysis involves also the investigation of the separated in two halves pot core ferrite transformer, especially the way it changes its magnetizing and leakage fluxes and hence, inductances. It is shown that for the practical values of the separation distance, the leakage inductance remains almost unchanged. Nevertheless the current distribution between the primary and the secondary windings changes drastically due to the large variation of the magnetizing inductance. The analysis has lead to a set of equations with solutions that show graphically the way to an optimized operation of the converter, i.e. higher primary currents and higher transformer ratios to fit in the desired mode.

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A general model for the design and planning of closed-loop supply chains is proposed. The model is both strategic and tactical in nature, containing two levels of decisions: the location of facilities and the planning of production, storage and distribution. Its mathematical formulation is solved using a standard Branch and Bound technique. The model applicability and accuracy are studied on a modified version of an already published case study.

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