Browsing by Author "Mugwagwa, L."

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    Academic staff development strategies in engineering fields of study: case study of Zimbabwe
    (2013-06) Mhlanga, S.; Matope, S.; Mugwagwa, L.; Phuthi, N.; Moyo, V. S.
    Higher education is the basic instrument of economic growth and technological advancement in any society. The economic meltdown in Zimbabwe which climaxed 2008 with an inflation level of 231million % exacerbated the brain drain. After the economic meltdown, Zimbabwe is in the process of rebuilding the quality of staff and the staffing levels in its higher education institutions. The challenge has been the decision on the mode of study: whether to go via taught masters or master's by research; where to allow the faculty members to study: in the region, or beyond; on a fulltime or on a part-time basis or on a split-site basis. These challenges have been due to the need to have a quick but quality programme of staff development, while maximising on the resources available for staff development. A survey was undertaken of the engineering related departments in Zimbabwe universities focusing on the existing staffing levels, their qualifications, current numbers undergoing study and their levels. The challenges faced by each institution from the administrative side and from the staff side are summarised. Recommendations on staff development strategies are given in conclusion.
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    Air pollution control techniques for the cement manufacturing industry: A case study for Zimbabbwe
    (2012) Zimwara, D.; Mugwagwa, L.; Chikowore, T.R.
    Technological advancement has resulted in cement making companies being able to produce higher volumes compared to the past. However the higher production levels have also been largely labelled as the leading cause of pollution. The main sources of air pollution in the industry include excavation activities, dumps, tips, conveyer belts, crushing mills and kiln emissions. Harnessing appropriate technology for use in the cement industry could go a long way towards minimising on-site wastes and pollution. This review examines various options in practice for reducing pollution at cement manufacturing companies, which help ensure legislative compliance. By adoption of appropriate technology and computer modelling, industry will not only reduce production waste but also comply with legislation to do with environmental protection. The paper examines certain methods of pollution control used for air and looks at how computer modelling can be adopted for the classification, quantification and control of particulate matter; and how efficient energy use can contribute to better air quality. An analysis of gas stack emissions was done for a cement manufacturing company in Zimbabwe where compliance was investigated. Emissions samples were randomly selected at various points within the company and concentration of various emission constituents were analysed.
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    Cost of Quality as a Driver for Continuous Improvement - Case Study – Company X
    (2013) Zimwara, D.; Mugwagwa, L.; Maringa, D.; Mnkandla, A.; Mugwagwa, L.; Ngwarati, T.T.
    In the manufacturing, metal casting industry is one of the oldest basic principal and most important industries. The casting process is hindered by the occurrence of various defects. High casting reject levels and customer returns have a considerable adverse effect on productivity, delivery performance, customer satisfaction and employee morale. In addition excessive rejection reduces yield, wastes valuable raw materials and involves management time in problem solving. All foundry processes generate a certain level of rejection that is closely related to the type of casting, the processes used and the equipment available. This paper seeks to establish the extent to which cost of quality can impact on continuous improvement of the products and the relationship with the customers of the organization. To determine the cost of quality (COQ) at casting company X, the researchers used existing company records, publications and historical evidence of the company. The researchers utilized techniques such as, bar charts and tables in presenting and interpreting data. The above techniques have the ability to provide methods for collecting, presenting, and analysis and meaningfully interpret data. The research findings estimated the COQ to be 6.6% of sales revenue.
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    Design of a Dual Operating Mode Sheet Folding Machine.
    (2013) Gwangwava, N.; Mugwagwa, L.; Ngoma, S.
    A sheet folding machine that can be operated through hydraulics by two hydraulic cylinders or manually (with the cylinders disengaged) was designed. The design need emanated from the strained national electrical grid system that has recently seen industrialists and households in Zimbabwe experiencing major power cuts. The machine enables manufacturers to shedule heavier jobs during periods when power supply is up and lighter jobs during power cut periods hence run their workshops throughout the daily production shifts. The two hydraulic cylinders can be disengaged from the machine’s folding beam so that manual operation can be done through a manual clamping lever system. The folding force at full capacity is 294.6 KN (29.46 Ton), total bending length of 1.8 m and working height of 1 m. The folding force decreases significantly in manual operating mode to 500 N, considering that on average an operate can manually exert that force. A student version of Simulation X 3.5 was used to simulate the hydraulic operation of the machine
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    Soft Computing Methods for Predicting Environmental Quality: A Case Study of the Zimbabwe Sugar Processing Industry
    (2013) Zimwara, D.; Mugwagwa, L.; Nherera, K.
    Sugarcane growing and processing is associated with environmental degradation and pollution. The impact that sugar processing industries have on the environment affects the ecosystem. Methods of soft computing that is fuzzy logic, neural networks, and genetic algorithms can be adopted for environmental protection, particularly in the developing countries. Soft computing techniques, particularly neural networks and fuzzy logic, have been used to predict and sometimes control air quality. This paper looks at how fuzzy logic can be adopted for predicting air quality. The common environmental impacts associated with sugarcane production are water and air pollution. This paper focuses on air pollution. The major waste streams are identified and the extent of air pollution is predicted by classifying the air quality as poor, ordinary, very good, and excellent. This paper presents a fuzzy rule base that can be used to classify the pollutants and predict the air quality based on the amount of the specific pollutant in the air. The Mamdani fuzzy inference system is used to build the rule base, with the membership functions being non-intersecting and triangular. The adoption of fuzzy logic techniques will help sugar processing industries to be aware of the impact their operations have on the environment.