This diploma thesis deals with designing a drivetrain for a coal belt conveyor. Thesis contains necessary calculations according to norms needed for determining suitable components of a belt conveyor. The goal of this diploma thesis was to design a drivetrain for a belt conveyor, all its components including a frame of the drivetrain and to create drawing documentation.

This thesis discusses and demonstrates the benefits of simulating and optimising a manufacturing control system in order to improve flow of production material through a system with high variety low volume output requirements. The need for and factors affecting synchronous flow are also discussed along with the consequences of poor flow and various solutions for overcoming it. A study into and comparison of various planning and control methodologies designed to promote flow of material through a manufacturing system was carried out to identify a suitable system to model. The research objectives are; • Identify the best system to model that will promote flow, • Identify the potential failure mechanisms within that system that exist and have not been yet resolved, • Produce a model that can fully resolve or reduce the probability of the identified failure mechanisms having an effect. This research led to an investigation into the main elements of a Drum-Buffer-Rope (DBR) environment in order to generate a comprehensive description of the requirements for DBR implementation and operation and attempt to improve the limitations that have been identified via the research literature. These requirements have been grouped into three areas, i.e.: a. plant layout and kanban controls, b. planning and control, and c. DBR infrastructure. A DBR model was developed combined with Genetic Algorithms with the aim of maximising the throughput level for an individual product mix. The results of the experiments have identified new knowledge on how DBR processes facilitate and impede material flow synchronisation within high variety/low volume manufacturing environments. The research results were limited to the assumptions made and constraints of the model, this research has highlighted that as such a model becomes more complex it also becomes more volatile and more difficult to control, leading to the conclusions that more research is required by extending the complexity of the model by adding more product mix and system variability to compare results with the results of this research. After which it will be expected that the model will be useful to enable a quick system response to large variations in product demand within the mixed model manufacturing industry.

High variety and low volume manufacturing environment always been a challenge for organisations to maintain their overall performance especially because of the high level of variability induced by ever changing customer demand, high product variety, cycle times, routings and machine failures. All these factors consequences poor flow and degrade the overall organisational performance. For most of the organisations, therefore, process improvement has evidently become the core component for long term survival. The aim of this research here is to develop a methodology for automating operations in process improvement as a part of lean creative problem solving process. To achieve the stated aim, research here has investigated the job sequence and buffer management problem in high variety/low volume manufacturing environment, where lead time and total inventory holding cost are used as operational performance measures. The research here has introduced a novel approach through integration of genetic algorithms based multi-objective combinatorial optimisation and discrete event simulation modelling tool to investigate the effect of variability in high variety/low volume manufacturing by considering the effect of improvement of selected performance measures on each other. Also, proposed methodology works in an iterative manner and allows incorporating changes in different levels of variability. The proposed framework improves over exiting buffer management methodologies, for instance, overcoming the failure modes of drum-buffer-rope system and bringing in the aspect of automation. Also, integration of multi-objective combinatorial optimisation with discrete event simulation allows problem solvers and decision makers to select the solution according to the trade-off between selected performance measures.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sound sample libraries represent the format in which huge collections of sampled sounds are made available for use within digital samplers and/or other digital audio workstations (DAW’s). Although in use for many years, little or no academic research has been done on the methodology of compiling a commercial sound sample library. In this endeavour, the factors influencing the design, recording and publishing of a sound sample library are investigated through the actual design of a drum sample library. The rationale behind the sampling of a drum kit is carefully depicted in the light of various other factors influencing the instrument, as well as being influenced by the instrument itself. A professional drummer was engaged to play a state-of-the art Gretsch acoustic drum kit. Samples of the kit, consisting of various individual instrument parts, were recorded in three locations within the Konservatorium of Stellenbosch University, for reasons carefully explained in the text. These numerous drum hits were mixed and cut into individual drum samples. The samples were mapped into a digital software sampler, GigaStudio, creating five distinct collections of drum samples that faithfully represent the quality of the drum kit, the recording rooms as well as the equipment used in the process. The outcome of the study is a professional product in the form of a Gretsch drum sample collection, prepared for commercial release. Many of the drum samples have already been used successfully in commercial music releases over the past 12 months. Whilst the drum sample library is currently being published, the product and documentation clearly depict the viability of the study in terms of the artistic and academic expectations that have been met. The study anticipates future research on the subject. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Klankbiblioteke heet die formaat waarin versamelings van klankmonsters beskikbaar gestel word vir gebruik in digitale samplers1 en/of ander digitale klankprogrammatuur. Nieteenstaande die feit dat klankbiblioteke reeds jare in gebruik is, is geen studie waarin die ontwerp en saamstel van so ‘n biblioteek beskryf word, bekend nie. In hierdie navorsingsprojek word die faktore wat die ontwerp, opneem en vrystelling van ‘n klankbiblioteek beïnvloed bestudeer deur die skep van so ‘n biblioteek. Die oorwegings vir die keuse van ‘n tromstel is noukeurig uiteengesit in die lig van die faktore wat betrekking het tot, en wederkerig beïnvloed is deur die instrument en opname-omgewing. ‘n Professionele tromspeler is vir die projekdoeleindes gekontrakteer om ‘n Gretsch akoestiese tromstel te speel. Klankmonsters van die tromstel se individuele komponente is in drie lokale binne die Konservatorium van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch opgeneem, met redes soos uiteengestip in die teks. Klankopnames van die talle tromslae is gemeng en opgesny in individuele klankmonsters. Laasgenoemde is in GigaStudio, ‘n digitale sagteware sampler, gekarteer sodat vyf duidelik-onderskeibare klankveramelings geskep is. Hierdie versamelings lig die kwaliteit van die tromstel asook die verskeie opnamelokale en toerusting wat gebruik is duidelik uit. Die resultaat van die studie is ‘n professionele produk in die vorm van ‘n Gretsch kommersiële klankbiblioteek, waarvan verskeie klankmonsters reeds oor die afgelope 12 maande in plaaslike musiekvrystellings gebruik is. Hoewel die klankbiblioteek huidiglik vrygestel word, toon die produk en dokumentasie duidelik die artistiese en tegniese waardigheid van die studie. Die studie antisipeer toekomstige navorsings-moontlikhede wat uit die onderwerp mag voortspruit.

The arts are an essential part of any student’s well rounded education. The future of music in education will depend on its ability to deliver relevant, effective, and measurable outcomes. However, the expectations and performance nature of traditional curricula often foster a sense of musical elitism and ostracizes students that are solely interested in music as a recreational outlet. Incorporating recreational music-making into education can provide opportunities for students to experience self-expression, creativity, social connection, and enjoyment. These values will not only enhance their education, but also lead to acquired skills for use in all areas of their lives. Activities such as drum circles, for example, break down the musical elitism that has been reenforced through barriers of economy (purchasing instruments), technique (learning a required skill set), and language (learning to read music). This document will establish a case for recreational music-making in education through examination of the role of music education, the concept of recreational musicmaking, and the numerous health and wellness benefits associated with recreational music-making. Included will be a discussion of elementary, secondary, and higher education music curricula. Additionally, the importance of using percussion instruments will be established along with explanations of basic techniques. Finally, a discourse about the language barrier in music is included. The intended results of this document include creating an educated audience for music professionals, a larger presence of music-making in society, music advocacy and support, improved creativity and self-expression for professional and amateur musicians, strengthened community connections, and an overall improvement in health and well-being for music participants.

Syftet med detta arbete är att öka insikten i hur fördelningen mellan hantverk och uttryck ser ut på trumsetslektioner inom genrerna rock/pop/jazz och hur olika lärare arbetar kring/med begreppen personligt uttryck och hantverk. Jag har intervjuat fyra pedagoger – tre från musikskolan och en från gymnasiet – och använt mig av kvalitativ intervju som metod. Följande forskningsfrågor ligger som grund för arbetet: Finns det en tydlig uppdelning mellan moment som fokuserar på hantverk och personligt uttryck under trumsetslektioner på gymnasieskolan och kulturskolan - och i så fall, hur ser fördelningen mellan dessa inslag ut? Hur hanterar trumsetslärare dessa två begrepp i sin undervisning?   Resultatet visar att samtliga informanter inkluderar moment som kretsar kring både hantverk och personligt uttryck i trumsetsundervisningen. De kombinerar ibland dessa två områden men resultaten visar även att användandet kan bero på undervisningens natur snarare än aktiva val gjorda av informanterna. De deltagande trumsetslärarna definierar personligt uttryck som något som har med det musikaliska att göra till skillnad från hantverket, som har att göra med tekniskt kunnande. Fokus på lektionen tenderar att väga över åt det personliga uttrycket, så länge eleven har kommit till en viss grundläggande hantverksmässig nivå. Gemensamt för alla informanter är att fokus har flyttats från ett mer tekniskt/hantverksmässigt fokus till ett mer individinriktat med betoning på uttryck, i takt med ökad arbetslivserfarenhet. De informanter som har arbetat på både gymnasium och kulturskola menar att betygen kan verka hämmande i valet av fokus, eftersom personligt uttryck kan te sig mera svårbedömt än teknisk färdighet. / The aim of this work is to increase an understanding of how the division between a technical and personal expression in teaching the drums in the genres of rock, pop and jazz, and how teachers work around or with the concepts of personal expression and technique. I have interviewed four teachers and used the qualitative interview method. The following research questions are the basis of the work: Is there a clear division between the elements that focus on a technical and personal expression in teaching the drums in high school and school of music and arts - and if so, what is the relationship between those elements? How do drum teachers handle these two concepts in their teaching? The results indicate that all the informants include elements that revolve around both a technical and personal expression in drum lessons. They sometimes combine these two, but the results also show that the use may depend on the nature of teaching rather than an active choice made by the informants. The participating teachers define self-expression as anything that relates to the musical side of playing as opposed to the technical, which has to do with technical expertise. Focus on the lesson tends to lean more to the personal expression, as long as the student has reached a certain basic level of technique. Common to all informants is that the focus has shifted from a more technical and craft-oriented focus to a more individual emphasis with a focus on expression, with an increase in work experience. The informants who have worked at both the high school and school of music and arts level believe that grades may constrain the choice of focus, as self-expression may seem more difficult to assess than technical skills.

This thesis will attempt to scrutinize Günter Grass's message to his people and show his concern for the spiritual health of his country. Each of his three novels bears directly upon political, religious, and moral issues vital to Germany and to the world. The examination is based upon the assumption that Grass as an author is more concerned that Germans see themselves as they are and as they have been than he is concerned with the image of Germany which his novels present to the world. It is, paradoxically, this very special and sincere concern which gives his work universal appeal.

Master of Music / Department of Music, Theatre and Dance / Kurt R. Gartner / The current study is an in depth look of the impact of steel pan ensemble within the college curriculum of the Midwest. The goal of the study is to further understand what perceived impacts steel pan ensemble might have on student learning through the perceptions of both instructors and students. The ensemble's impact on the students’ senses of rhythm, ability to listen and balance in an ensemble, their understanding of voicing and harmony, and appreciation of world music were all investigated through both the perceptions of the students as well as the instructors. Other areas investigated were the role of the instructor to determine how their teaching methods and topics covered impacted the students' opinion of the ensemble. This includes, but is not limited to, time spent teaching improvisation, rote teaching versus Western notation, and adding historical context by teaching the students the history of the ensemble. The Midwest region was chosen both for its high density of collegiate steel pan ensembles as well as its encompassing of some of the oldest pan ensembles in the U.S. The study used an explanatory mixed methodology employing two surveys, a student version and an instructor version, distributed to the collegiate steel pan ensembles of the Midwest via the internet. The researcher intends for the current data to serve the music community in several ways: first, by determining exactly what the students and instructors value about the ensemble, we will better understand how an instrument created less than a century ago was able to infiltrate music programs all over the world. Second, giving instructors insight on the students' perspectives will also enable them to create a more effective and enjoyable curriculum. And lastly, with this information, instructors and program supervisors will be better suited to determine just how large of a role the ensemble should play in their students' education.

Studiens syfte är att utifrån ett genusperspektiv studera hur trumlektioner genomförs i musik- och kulturskola. Forskningsfrågor är: Vilka förutsättningar för lärande ges killar respektive tjejer i trumundervisning? Hur arbetar trumlärare med det sociala samspelet, val av undervisningsmaterial, kravställningar och förväntningar på sina elever, sett utifrån ett genusperspektiv? För att undersöka detta har tre kvalitativa intervjuer och sex deltagande videoobservationer genomförts. Tidigare studier visar bland annat att musiklärare förväntar sig en feminin och maskulin stil av sina elever, att det är svårt som tjej att positionera sig på ett sätt som utmanar den lokala genusregimen samtidigt som det är svårt att vara traditionellt feminin – måttfull och kontrollerad - när det ska spelas instrument som elbas och trumset. I föreliggande studies resultat visas trumlärarnas syn på trumundervisning men också hur de genomför sin undervisning och hur kill- och tjejelever hanteras i undervisningen. Där framkommer att lärarna i stor utsträckning anpassar undervisningen efter elevernas personligheter och individuella förutsättningar och inte efter könstillhörighet, men att trumlärarna uttrycker vissa fördomar som kan peka på att de förväntar sig att se en feminin och maskulin stil hos sina elever. Diskussion förs om problematiken i att instrument och yrken är genuskodade, vilket kan påverka elevernas förutsättningar för lärande, och om lärares eventuella fördomar samt att vi lärare måste anpassa oss efter eleverna och inte tvärtom. / The purpose of this study is to, from a gender perspectice, explore how the drum kit lessons in three music and culture schools are performed. To investigate this, three qualitative interviews and six participant video observations have been implemented. Previous studies show that music teachers expect a feminine and masculine style of their students, that it is difficult as a girl to position themselves in a way that challenges the local gender regime while it is difficult to be traditionally feminine - moderate and controlled – when playing instruments such as electric bass and drum kit. In the present studies results, drum teachers’ views on drum teaching are shown but also how they conduct their teaching, and how boy- and girl students are handled in teaching. It emerges that teachers largely adapt teaching to students’ personalities and individual circumstances and not to gender, but the drum teachers express certain prejudices which may indicate that they expect to see a feminine and masculine style of their students. There is a discussion about the problems of instruments and professions being gender-coded, which can affect students’ learning conditions, and teacher prejudices and that teachers have to adapt to the students and not vice versa.

The main aim of this diploma thesis is to design the marketing mix of an alternative record label company that releases drum and bass music. In the theoretical part I try to describe the situation on the music market and outline how record labels work. I am specifying the tools of the marketing mix which are typical for a record label. In the practical part I'm pointing out the differences between the perception of mainstream and alternative music and I'm characterising the drum and bass scene. Based on this information I'm choosing the target audience and building the profile and the vision of my fictional