Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-107)

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

published_or_final_version / abstract / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Kohler Signs (PTY) Ltd is a sign production company located in Cape Town, South Africa. They manufacture and install signs for the City of Cape Town and private companies as well as manufacture advertisement signs to be placed on vehicles. Road signs consist of steel sheets that are cut and bent to the appropriate size and frame, and an image design, which is cut from re ective vinyl, are applied to the bent steel sheet. The image design consists of various letters, numbers and symbols which are categorised as irregular items. When these irregular items are combined in a distinctive way, with the use of di erent coloured vinyl, they convey a message to the road user which may be to yield for pedestrians crossing the street, or indicate to the road user the various highway exits that exist on the interchange ahead. These irregular items are placed upon re ective vinyl for cutting which results in vinyl o cuts that are wasted. The focus of this thesis is to minimise the waste incurred by placing these irregular items upon the vinyl in an optimal and timely manner for industry use. The vinyl printer, which cuts the irregular items out of the vinyl, consists of a xed width and is only limited in height by the vinyl itself. Thus, this problem may be described as a Two Dimensional Irregular Strip Packing Problem. These irregular items have only a few possible heights for each type of irregular item packed, which allows these irregular items to be packed as a level packing problem. The items are packed within levels as though they are regular items with the assistance of a prede ned rule-set. In this thesis various packing algorithms and image processing methodologies from the literature are researched and used to develop a new packing algorithm for this speci c problem. The newly developed algorithm is put through various benchmarks to test its performance. Some of these benchmarks are procured from Kohler Signs themselves, whereas others are randomly generated under certain conditions. These benchmarks reveal that the newly developed algorithm performs better for both the minimisation of waste and the minimisation of algorithm running time than the tried and trusted techniques utilised in industry by Kohler Signs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kohler Signs (EDMS) Bpk is 'n padteken produksie maatskappy gele e in Kaapstad, Suid-Afrika. Hulle vervaardig en installeer tekens vir die Stad van Kaapstad en privaat maatskappye, sowel as advertensietekens wat op voertuie geplaas word. Padtekens bestaan uit staalplate wat gesny en gebuig word tot die toepaslike grootte en vorm. 'n Beeldontwerp, wat gesny is uit re ektiewe viniel, word vasgesit op die gebuigde staalplaat. Die beeldontwerp bestaan uit verskeie letters, getalle en simbole wat geklassi seer word as onre elmatige items. Wanneer hierdie onre elmatige items gekombineer word op 'n eiesoortige manier, met die gebruik van verskillende kleure viniel, dra hulle 'n boodskap oor aan die padgebruiker, soos byvoorbeeld om toe te gee aan voetgangers by 'n voetoorgang of dit dui aan die padgebruiker die verskillende snelweguitgange wat bestaan op die wisselaar wat voorl^e. Hierdie onre elmatige items word op re ektiewe viniel geplaas en uitgesny wat lei tot die vermorsing van stukkies viniel. Die fokus van hierdie tesis is om die onre elmatige items op 'n optimale en tydige wyse vir gebruik in industrie, op die viniel te plaas sodat die afval stukkies viniel geminimeer word. Die vinieldrukker, wat die onre elmatige items sny uit die viniel, bestaan uit 'n vaste wydte en is slegs beperk in hoogte deur die viniel self. Dus kan hierdie probleem beskryf word as 'n Twee-Dimensionele Onre elmatige Strookverpakkingsprobleem. Hierdie onre elmatige items het slegs 'n paar moontlike hoogtes vir elke tipe van onre elmatige item wat verpak word, wat dit moontlik maak om hierdie onre elmatige items te verpak as 'n strook verpakkingsprobleem. Die items word met behulp van 'n gede nieerde stel re els binne vlakke verpak asof hulle re elmatige items is. In hierdie tesis is verskeie verpakkingsalgoritmes en beeldverwerkingsmetodes van die literatuur nagevors en gebruik om 'n nuwe verpakkingsalgoritme vir hierdie spesi eke probleem te ontwikkel. Die nuut ontwikkelde algoritme se prestasie is deur middel van verskeie normbepalingsvoorbeelde getoets. Sommige van hierdie normbepalingsvoorbeelde is verkry van Kohler Signs self, terwyl ander lukraak gegenereer is onder sekere voorwaardes. Hierdie normbepalingsvoorbeelde toon dat die nuut ontwikkelde algoritme beter vaar as die beproefde tegnieke gebruik in industrie deur Kohler Signs vir beide die minimering van vermorsde viniel sowel as die minimering van die algoritme se uitvoertyd.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 1992. / Title from PDF t.p.

A street sign is a kind of traffic sign displayed along the street to show the street name so that both pedestrians and drivers can know where they are. It is believed to be originated from the massive pillar or milestone built by the Romans in the ancient time. In ancient China, sometimes at the entrance of the main path in a village or town would have a small gateway showing the path name, bearing the function of the street sign. Nowadays, street signs with different designs and materials can be seen everywhere. Hong Kong was originally a small fishing village in South China for many years with paths connecting different areas. Since 1842, Hong Kong was officially become a British colony. The first formal street built on the colonial land was Hollywood Road and street signs of modern meaning appeared since the mid 19th century. Street signs of different designs for a long time are functioning as a mark of a place, but they are also the living witnesses of history. However, when we review the present heritage conservation policies and works done by the government, the focus of conservation falls mainly on large-scale artefacts and small relics have always been neglected. Street signs, although small in size and changing from time to time, can definitely be regarded as the important heritage of the past and present Hong Kong. The key issue addressed by this dissertation is that street signs are not only a mark of a place, but also have significant heritage value which can be regarded as one of the important urban heritage in Hong Kong’s streetscape as different street signs can reflect the historical development and social-political transformation of Hong Kong in the past years in terms of designs, materials, locations, mounting methods and naming system. This dissertation will focus on the street signs at Pei Ho Street in Sham Shui Po as a case study. There is a great variety of different kinds of street signs in the street which are worth for further research and analysis in both tangible and intangible manners. The purpose is to reveal the significance of my street sign study in the area of heritage conservation, and to show the distribution of different street signs in Pei Ho Street and their characteristics, so as to set up a template for analysing other street signs in Hong Kong and establish their significance in the local history for future study. / published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation