This thesis assesses the significance of real bank credit in stimulating real output paying particular attention to the factors that prompt financial intermediation within the economy. The thesis contributes to the existing literature on finance and growth by providing fresh empirical evidence in the case of the Nigerian economy and Africa as a whole. In the context of Nigeria, credit Granger causes output, but the reverse is not true. In testing the factors that mobilise credit, I find that exports are negatively related to credit. Moreover, since credit usually fund non-oil exports, I also find that oil exports is negatively related to credit, whereas non-oil exports is positively related to credit. The latter also explains why capital inflows and imports are positively related to credit in my study. Extending the analysis to Africa as a whole, I find that causality is bi-directional. In examining the factors which mobilise credit (based on three measures of output); I find that output consistently exerts a positive influence on credit, whereas inflation and exports exert the opposite effect. However, the impact of government expenditure on credit is ambiguous. These results are re-confirmed when I use an alternative estimator for robustness. In line with the variables used in the Nigerian case, both capital inflow and imports positively influence credit while the impact of exports is negative for the whole of Africa. When examining the drivers of output in the African context, I find that credit and exports positively influence output whereas inflation exerts the opposite effect. The role of government expenditure is equally ambiguous. A further robustness test again confirms these results. The relationship between exports and credit in the literature is positive hence, it is important to investigate why the opposite holds in the Nigerian and African context. As such, I examine the efficiency of the banking system using three different measures, which includes loans, other earnings and other operating income since this may explain the counter intuitive result: export sales in Africa are largely intermediated by multi-national firms who prefer to obtain financing from credit markets that are more efficient than the African banking system. Across Africa, efficiency of the banking system is 74%, 76% and 92% when loans, other earnings and other operating income are respectively used as the output variables. This implies that 26% of credit is allocated in an unproductive way while 24% and 8% of expenditure could be better managed. When dividing the sample into medium and low-income countries, I find the respective levels of efficiency for each of the measures to be 94% and 11%; 83% and 0%; 90% and 0% for loans, other earnings and other operating income as the output variables respectively. This result supports bank loans as the best output variable, which I use further in the estimation. Further clues as to why there should be such differences in efficiency are obtained when the sample is split by regions, since there are regional variations in the use of credit. The Central African region is the least efficient. In these economies, resources are typically held and allocated by a few individuals.

Stuttgart, Univ., Diss., 2004.

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) synthesis has gained lot of interest during the past decade as it offers outstanding physical and chemical properties like high hardness, high wear resistance, and chemical inertness. Despite of their excellent properties, every application of cBN is hindered by high compressive stresses and poor adhesion. The cost of equipment is also high in almost all the techniques used so far. This thesis deals with the synthesis of cubic phase of boron nitride on Si (100) wafers using electron beam evaporator, a low cost equipment that is capable of depositing films with reduced stresses. Using this process, need of ion beam employed in ion beam assisted processes can be eliminated thus reducing the surface damage and enhancing the film adhesion. Four sets of samples have been deposited by varying substrate temperature and the deposition time. scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques have been used to determine the structure and composition of the films deposited. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed on one of the samples to determine the thickness of the film deposited for the given deposition rate. Several samples showed dendrites being formed as a stage of film formation. It was found that deposition at substrate temperature of 400oC and for a period of one hour yielded high quality cubic boron nitride films.

The aim of the paper was to proposed new manufacturing technology. In the beginning, the diploma thesis deals with the technological aspects of manufacturing hydraulic valve. Subsequently is described the usage of manufacturing technology. The existing production process is analysed in detail. Better efficiency was achieved by using hard turning instead grinding technology. Economic evaluation is described in the end of thesis, where is efficiency of hard turning technology supported by calculations.

Superligas são materiais utilizados nas indústrias aeronáuticas, nucleares, metal-mecânicas, petroquímicas, automotivas e biomédicas, sendo considerados de difícil retificação (Difficult To Grind - DTG), devido às suas características peculiares. Para a retificação eficiente destes materiais, frequentemente utiliza-se rebolos superabrasivos com grãos de cBN (cubic boron nitride) e ligante vitrificado, devido a seu desempenho superior, quando comparado aos rebolos convencionais. Entretanto, é necessária a utilização de periféricos e sistemas auxiliares eficientes, elevando-se, assim, os custos. Visando a redução dos custos operacionais, os rebolos convencionais com grãos cerâmicos e ligantes com alta capacidade de retenção surgem como uma alternativa promissora. Neste cenário de comparação ferramental, torna-se necessário mensurar o desempenho das mesmas, que incluem requisitos técnicos e indicadores de sustentabilidade do processo. Assim, o objetivo desta dissertação é avaliar um rebolo convencional modificado tecnologicamente (grão cerâmico e ligante de alto desempenho), comparando-o com um rebolo de cBN vitrificado, buscando-se mensurar as diferenças de desempenho e critérios de sustentabilidade (econômicos, ambientais e sociais) do processo, quando da retificação de superligas, com diferentes graus de usinabilidade. A metodologia de análise comparativa do desempenho dos rebolos deu-se pela avaliação da influência de parâmetros de entrada (velocidade de corte, material e taxa específica de remoção utilizada) nas variáveis de saída, a serem monitoradas, relativas ao processo (potência; energia específica; desgaste - relação G e força tangencial por grão-; superfície do rebolo; e cavacos), à qualidade final da peça (rugosidade, circularidade e análise superficial - topografia, microestrutura e microdureza) e custos associados ao processo, além dos indicadores de sustentabilidade. Como resultados, em relação ao impacto da velocidade de corte, demonstrou-se que seu aumento é benéfico ao processo, devido à diminuição da espessura de corte e menores forças por grão, acarretando em menores desgastes do rebolo (maior relação G) e melhor qualidade superficial da peça retificada. Tal resultado é inversamente proporcional à taxa de remoção. No tocante aos materiais, comprovou-se que as superligas analisadas possuem diferentes capacidades de retificação, devido às diferentes microestruturas e propriedades químico-mecânicas, que impactam no desempenho da ferramenta abrasiva. O material Inc.751 apresentou a pior capacidade de retificação dentre os materiais analisados, devido, principalmente, à sua matriz austenítica e presença de Alumínio e Titânio na composição química. Pela análise dos cavacos, comprovou-se que os mesmos possuem formatos alongados, típico de materiais dúcteis e ratificou-se a eficiência da refrigeração na região de contato rebolo/peça. Com a curva característica dos rebolos, verificou-se que as ferramentas possuem comportamentos distintos, com superioridade ao rebolo de cBN, devido à maior capacidade de retenção dos grãos pelo ligante. Pela verificação superficial dos rebolos, não se observou empastamento evidente, constatando a eficiência do sistema de limpeza de alta pressão. Pela análise topográfica das peças, verificou-se que a retificação não induziu danos térmicos às mesmas. A avaliação dos indicadores de sustentabilidade proporcionou uma melhor análise da eficiência do processo, facilitando na tomada de decisão quanto ao desempenho do rebolo e/ou condição ideal. Como conclusão, a aplicabilidade do rebolo convencional em substituição ao rebolo de cBN foi confirmada para a retificação das superligas testadas. / Superalloys are materials used in aeronautical, nuclear, metal-mechanical, petrochemical, automotive, and biomedical industries, and they are considered Difficult To Grind (DTG) due to their peculiar characteristics. For efficient grinding of these materials, superabrasive grinding wheels with cBN (cubic boron nitride) grains and vitrified bond are often used because of their superior performance when compared to conventional grinding wheels. However, it is necessary to use efficient peripheral and auxiliary systems, thus raising costs. Aiming to reduce costs, conventional wheels with ceramic grains and binders with high retention capacity appear as a promising alternative. In this tool comparison scenario, it is necessary to measure their performance, which includes technical requirements and process sustainability indicators. Thus, the objective is to evaluate a engineered conventional grinding wheel, comparing it with a vitrified cBN wheel, aiming to measure performance differences and sustainability criteria (economic, environmental, and social) of the process, when grinding superalloys with different degrees of grindability. The methodology of comparative analysis of the performance of the grinding wheels was based on the evaluation of the influence of input parameters (cutting speed, material, and specific removal rate) in the output variables to be monitored related to the process (power, specific energy, roughness - ratio G and tangential force per grain, Ft1g, grinding wheel surface, and chips), to the final quality of the piece (roughness, roundness, and surface analysis - topography, microstructure, and microhardness) and costs, in addition to the sustainability indicators. As results, in relation to the impact of the cutting speed, it was demonstrated that its increase is beneficial to the process, due to the reduction of the cutting thickness and lower Ft1g, causing less wheel wear and better surface quality of the ground piece. This result is inversely proportional to the removal rate. Regarding the materials, it was verified that the analyzed superalloys have different grinding capacities due to the different microstructures and chemical-mechanical properties that impact the performance of the abrasive tool. The material Inc.751 presented the worst grinding capacity among the analyzed materials, mainly due to its austenitic matrix and the presence of Aluminum-Titanium in its composition. By the analysis of the chips, it was verified that they have elongated formats, typical of ductile materials, and it was ratified the efficiency of the cooling system. With the wheel characteristic curves, it was verified that the tools have different behaviors, superior to the cBN wheel, due to the greater capacity of retention of the grains by the binder. Through the investigation of the grinding wheels, no evident wheel loading was observed, noting the efficiency of the high-pressure cleaning system. By the analysis of the pieces, it was verified that the grinding did not induce thermal damages to them. The evaluation of the sustainability indicators provided a better analysis of the efficiency of the process, making easier the decision-making on the performance of the grinding wheel and/or ideal condition. Concluding, the feasibility of the conventional wheel in substitution of the cBN wheel was confirmed for the grinding of the tested superalloys.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-09-28Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:41:15Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 fernandes_ub_dr_bauru.pdf: 2660962 bytes, checksum: fc9e67e750b58c50d6c4a294d57f31a5 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A operação de retificação cilíndrica interna de precisão tem sido empregada na fabricação de componentes de responsabilidade na indústria metal-mecânica em geral. As modernas retificadoras CNC aprimoraram este processo no que diz respeito ao posicionamento e à rigidez do sistema máquina-peça-ferramenta, possibilitando a obtenção de peças de elevada precisão com baixos valores de tolerâncias dimensionais. Todavia, tem-se observado nos últimos anos uma crescente conscientização quanto à toxidade dos fluidos de corte empregados na lubrificação e refrigeração da peça. Paralelamente, criou-se nos últimos anos uma rígida legislação, visando evitar uma depredação desenfreada do meio ambiente. Diante de tal conjuntura, as indústrias iniciaram uma busca a métodos alternativos de lubri-refrigeração que empregassem menores quantidades. Dentre todas as técnicas existentes à de Mínima Quantidade de Lubrificação (MQL) vem ganhando cada vez mais destaque. Tal técnica pode ser entendida como um elo de ligação entre os métodos de lubri-refrigeração convencional e a usinagem a seco. Pretende-se ainda avaliar o desempenho de um novo bocal de aspersão de fluido de corte, baseando-se no modelo desenvolvido por Webster , adequado a operação de retificação cilíndrica interna. Logo, tem-se neste trabalho, o intuito de associar estas novas tendências por meio do estudo do comportamento da operação de retificação cilíndrica interna de mergulho a alta velocidade no processo de acabamento de um aço endurecido, utilizando-se a técnica de Mínima Quantidade de Lubrificação (MQL), o modelo otimizado e ainda o modelo convencional.A análise dos dados que servirão para a avaliação dos métodos de lubri-refrigeração empregados será feita por meio dos valores de rugosidade , desvio de circularidade , micro-estrutura e micro-dureza . Espera-se, com este... / Plunge cylindrical grinding has been widely employed in the manufacture of components by the metal and mechanical industry in general. Modern CNC grinding machines improve this process in terms of the positioning and rigidity of the machine-workpiece-tool system, allowing for the fabrication of high precision workpieces with low dimensional deviations. However, over the last few years, increasing awareness has been shown regarding the toxicity of the cutting fluids employed in the lubrication and cooling of the workpiece. Concomitantly, increasingly strict legislation has been passed in recent years, aiming to prevent inrestrained destruction of the environment. This situation has prompted the industry to seek alternative lubrication and cooling methods that use lower quantities of fluids. Among the existing techniques, the Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) method has gained increasing prominence. This technique can be considered a combination of the conventional cooling and dry grinding methods. An evaluation was made of the performance of a new cutting fluid dispersion nozzle, based on Webster's model, suitable for the plunge cylindrical grinding operation. The purpose of this work is to examine these new trends in a study of the behavior of highrotation plunge cylindrical grinding in the finishing operation of hardened steel, using the MQL technique, the optimized nozzle model, and the conventional model. The lubrication and cooling methods employed here are evaluated based on an analysis of the roughness, circularity deviation, microstructure, and microhardness data. The results of this study le to the conclusion that the optimized lubrication and cooling method provide the best results and that the MQL system in cylindrical grinding produced unsatisfactory results, requiring further studies aimed at solving the problems that were identified.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-09-24Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:34:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 damasceno_rf_me_bauru.pdf: 2382441 bytes, checksum: c07ae566c39a8420db844725306f470e (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Este trabalho teve o propósito de contribuir com informações sobre a aplicação de fluidos de corte na operação de retificação plana de aço, em especial do ano ABNT 4340 temperado e revenido. Desta forma testados e comparados três métodos de lubri-refrigeração, os quais são: MQL (Mínima Quantidade de Lubrificante), convencional e otimizado. Os testes foram realizados em retificadora plana universal, utilizando um rebolo de cBN Vitrificado. Os fluidos de corte utilizados para os testes foram: emulsão com diluição a 5% para os métodos convencinal e Otimizado, enquanto que para MQL utilizou-se fluido sintético. A fim de obter uma análise comparativa dos desempenhos entre os três métodos, o parâmetro profundidade de corte foi variado em três valores (0,02mm;0,05mm e 0,08mm). Os outros parâmetros de corte, os quais foram mantidos constantes. Como variáveis de saída foram analisadas: força tangencial de corte, rugosidade, desgaste diametral do rebolo, relação G, dureza por microindentação, tensão residual superficial da pela e imagens obtidas no Microscópio Eletrônico de Varredura foram também obtidas para analisar a superfície das peças usinadas. Os resultados indicaram que a técnica MQL, permite obter menor desgaste diametral do rebolo, no entanto há prejuízos quanto ao acabamento superficial (rugosidade) em profundidades de corte até 0,05mm, acima deste valor o método MQL mostrou-se incapaz de realizar a lubrirefrigeração de forma eficaz. Já o método otimizado permitiu obter os melhores resultados de rugosidade, menor desgaste diametral do rebolo e induziu menor tensão residual superficial, mas em profundidade de corte de 0,02mm apresentou os maiores valores de força de corte tangencial comparados aos outros métodos. Por fim, o método convencional apresentou resultados medianos em quase todas as variáveis de saída analisadas / This work aims to investigate the comparative efficiency of three different colling and lubrificatins system e applied to surface grinding operation. Systems compared are MQL (Minimal Quantify Lubrification), conventional and conventional optimized. Grinding tests were performed on universal grinding machine using a vitrified cBN grinding wheel for grinding, steel samples of ABNT4340 (grade SAE4340) hardened and tempered to 55HRc. The cutting fluid used for testing was soluble oil at 5% for methods and conventional and conventional optimized and synthetic fluid for MQL technique tested. In order to obtain a comparative analysis of performance among the three methods, the depth of cut parameter was varied in three values (0,02mm, 0,05 mm, 0,08mm), the other cutting parameters were kept constant. Which one output variables investigated were: tangential cutting force, surface roughness, wheel diametrical wear, G ratio, workpiece microhardness and surface residual stress. Images obtained by scanning electron microscopy of the ground surface were used to analyze machined surfaces. The results indicated that the MQL technique allowed to prolong tool life of wheel, however there is damage on the surface finish of machined surfaces (roughness) at depths of cut up values to 0.05 mm. Above this value the MQL method proved did not provide efficiente lubrification and cooling functions. Conventional optimized method showed the best results of roughness, residual stress and least wear of wheel, bur in depth of cut 0.02 mm gave the highest values of tangential cutting force compared to other methods under conditions investigated. Finally, the conventional coolant method presented relatively satisfatory results for most output variables analyzed

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-05-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:00:09Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_dj_me_bauru.pdf: 2830469 bytes, checksum: 472bcc066d7e9582cfd3189fdd96d740 (MD5) / A aplicação mínima da quantidade de lubrificante (MQL) na usinagem dos metais surgiu como uma alternativa para reduzir a abundância de fluidos de corte e, com isso, atingirn produção mais limpa. Na retificação, apesar de ser considerada uma técnica inovadora no aspecto ambiental, sua aplicação é restrita devido à geração excessiva de calor e ao entupimento dos poros do rebolo causado pelos cavacos, prejudicando a qualidade final do produto e aumentando o desgaste da ferramenta. Esta pesquisa buscou aprimorar o uso do MQL usando, além do jato com a mistura ar e óleo injetado na interface rebolo-peça à alta velocidade, um jato de ar comprimidom para minimizar o empastamento do rebolo gerado durante o processo de usinagem pela mistura formada pelo óleo do MQL mais os cavacos. Foram realizados ensaios na retificação cilíndrica externa de mergulho do aço ABNT 4340, temperado e revenido com dureza média de 54 HRc, usando rebolo de nitreto de boro cúbico (CBN) com ligante vitrificado. Os métodos de lubri-refrigeração propostos foram o convencional com fluido em abundância, MQL (estes dois sem uso do jato de ar para limpeza do rebolo) e MQL com a limpeza, variando o ângulo de incidência do ar comprimido na superfície de corte do rebolo. Consideram-se as variáveis de saída do processo: rugosidade, desgaste diametral do rebolo, circularidade, além de análises metalográficas e medições de microdureza da superfície retificada para verificação de danos térmicos; de forma a analisar a viabilidade da substituição do tradicional método de aplicação dos fluidos em abundância pelo MQL com a limpeza. Os resultados mostraram a possibilidade de implementação da técnica da limpeza do rebolo como um aprimoramento tecnológico da mínima quantidade de lubrificante na retificação, reduzindo o consumo dos fluidos de corte. A técnica MQL com limpeza... / The application of minimum quantity of lubricant (MQL) on machining of metals has emerged as an alternative to reduce the abundance of cutting fluids and then achieve a cleaner production. In grinding, although considered a breakthrough technique in the environmental aspects, its application is restricted due to excessive generation of heat and griding wheel loading caused by the chips, damaging the final product quality and increasing tools wear. The objective of this research was to improve the MQL technique by using an additional jet of compressed air to clean the clogged pores of the wheel. Tests were performed in cylindrical plunge grinding of the ABNT 4340 steel, quanched and tempered (54 HRc) with a vitrified cubic boron nitrite (CBN) grinding wheel. The suggested methods of lubrication were conventional (abundant fluid), MQL (that without the use of air jet to cleaning the wheel) and MQL plus cleaning system, changing the incided angle of the jet of compressed air in the cutting surface of the grinding wheel. The performance of the proposal technique was evaluated based on an analysis of the process output variables: roughness, diametric wear of the grinding, roundness, and metallographic analysis plus microhardness measurements of the grounded surface to verify thermal damage incidence. The results showed the possibility of implementing the technique of cleaning as a technological enhancement to minimum quantity of lubricant in the grinding, reducing the use of cutting fluids. The technique MQL plus cleaning system, in a specific incident angle of the compressed air was extremely efficient, resulting in better surface finish, reduced tool wear and free of thermal damage when compared with conventional methods without cleaning of the wheel

The main goal of this thesis is to compare 5 chosen grinding wheels, that vary by the material and structure. The testing is done in the company SLB, spol. s r.o., using a grinder on the holes BDU 80, which is set to 6 different settings of the grinding cycle, defined by the letters A´, A, B, C, D and E. These settings vary by the cutting conditions and enable to compare the tested grinding wheels by 8 measured parameters of the surface quality of the grinded bearing orbits of outer rings of the SLB 84-74 bearings, that are described by the drawing documentation.

Increasing productivity is a constant demand for the manufacturing industry. Low-carbon-steel is one of the most commonly used ferrous materials in the part manufacturing market. Improving productivity as well as making the process eco-friendly by implementing a dry machining condition is the essential goal of this study. Built-up-edge (BUE) is often formed in the low-carbon-steel machining process, which, results in poor surface finish and short tool life. The high-speed-machining technique can be used to reduce the BUE formation and realize an increase in productivity. Cubic boron nitride (CBN) tools are most commonly used in hard turning and cast-iron machining at high cutting speeds. There are a limited number of studies regarding low-carbon-steel machining with CBN under a high-speed and with a dry machining condition. In this study, the investigation shows the preferable type of CBN tool and the wear mechanisms involved during finish turning operations of AISI 1018 under high speed and dry machining conditions. Test results show that a low CBN content with a TiCN binder and smaller grain size offers the best tool life and surface integrity of the final part. Currently manufacturers use coated carbide tools with a recommended cutting speed of 200-300m/min with coolant to complete the finishing process for turning low carbon steel parts. In this study, by implementing CBN tools under the dry condition at 500 m/min cutting speed (speed was selected from the preliminary test performed using the uncoated CBN from 500 to 1200 m/min), the buildup edge formation has been reduced, tool life was measured to increase by 307% compared to the benchmark tool (Coated Carbide), and surface finish was measured in the range of 0.8-1.6μm Ra. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)