Background and purpose: Large and micro companies in the clothing industry are working with CSR in different ways and to different extent. There are clear differences between large and micro clothing companies in regard to how their CSR work looks like. This study is about to find out what the differences are between the large and micro companies and what underlying motives they have for working with CSR.Method: The method that is used during this study is a qualitative method. The qualita-tive method involves making a thorough investigation, which also results in in-depth answers and not just answers like yes or no. Results of a qualitative research are often presented as quotations or as a narrative text.In this study interviews are used in order to fulfill the purpose. Answers of how compa-nies work with CSR cannot be gathered just by asking a few standardized questions. In-stead an interview will allow us to come close to the company and understand the whole concept of their CSR work. The companies that have been interviewed are KappAhl, Intersport, Crazy Horse and Alinas.Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge in the CSR field between large and micro companies. Micro companies do not have the same knowledge, resources or time as large companies have. A difference that has been shown is that the micro companies do engage in CSR activities, although in a small scale compared to the large companies, even if they do not know it themselves. Large companies engage far more in CSR activ-ities and spend a lot of resources on these kinds of activities.The large and the micro companies also have different motives for working with CSR questions. There is a difference between newly established micro companies and micro companies that have been around for a while. The new companies do actually thinkabout CSR and believe that it is important that they are socially responsible, even if they do not have the resources to actually engage in different activities in order to do so. The well established micro company on the other hand does not think that much about CSR and use the same suppliers as they have always done.A clear motive why large companies as KappAhl and Intersport work with CSR is that they want to give something back to the world. Therefore they engage in activities where they have their operations in order to create a better environment. They take their responsibility even externally and not just internally, as the micro companies do.

This thesis explores the analysis and fabrication of plastic hypodermic needles. The hypotheses for this work are that replacing metal hypodermic needles with plastic ones will reduce or eliminate the possibility of the second-hand infections from needle sticks and unsterlized reuse and will be more cost and time efficient to recycle. The most critical structural failure mode for plastic needles is buckling due to their shape (thin walled hollow column). The consideration of buckling is critical to avoid structural failure and to ensure reliability for medical applications. The buckling strength of a cannula is analyzed by analytic (Euler buckling theory) and finite element analysis (FEA) methods. A 22 gage needle model (OD 0.7mm, ID 0.4mm, Length 12.7mm) was analyzed. Euler buckling theory was used to calculate the critical buckling load. Numerical approaches using finite element analyses showed very similar results with analytic results. A skin model was introduced to simulate boundary conditions in the numerical approaches. To verify the results of the analyses, cannulas with the same cross-sectional dimensions were fabricated using a micro injection molding technique. To make the parts hollow, a core assembly of straightened wire was used. Using the tip of a 22 gage needle, cannulas with the inverse shape of an actual hypodermic needle were made. The structural (buckling) characteristics of cannulas were measured by a force-displacement testing machine. When buckling occurred, an arch shape was visible and there was an abrupt change in the load plot. Test results showed the relation between the needles length and the buckling load, which was similar to that predicted by Euler buckling theory. However, test values were 60% of the theoretical or analytical results. Several reasons to explain these discrepancies can be found. The first is that an unexpected bending moment resulted from an eccentric loading due to installation off-center to the center of the testing machine or to the oblique insertion. A cannula that was initially bent during ejection from the mold can add an unexpected bending moment. The quality control of cannulas can be another reason. Bent or misaligned core wires produce eccentric cannulas, and the thinner wall section can buckle or initiate fracture more easily. The last reason may be that Euler buckling theory is not fully valid in short cannula, because the axial stress reaches yield stress before buckling occurs. Inelastic deformation occurs (i.e., the modulus is reduced) during compression in short cannula. The Johnson column formula is introduced to explain this situation. Especially for the nylon nanocomposite material tested, a loss in modulus due to moisture absorption may be another explanation for the discrepancies.

Nowadays, the common method to make an alignment layer of liquid crystal display is rubbing Polyimide (P.I.) thin film, Unfortunately, the rubbing method will reduce the yield of LCDs because of the particles, electrons, etc. created during rubbing on the surface of PI film. therefore many effort have been made to develop the non-contacting method such as photo alignment, plasma alignment, etc. This research focus on the non-contacting method, we hope it will reduce many pollution compared to rubbing alignment. Comparing with PI, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) possess higher transparency, batter stability in thermal and chemical, and lower surface free energy about 19 mJ/m^2. Due to the low surface free energy, PDMS can be used as a vertical alignment layer without any surface treatment. Methyl Red (MR) PDMS mixed with PDMS will be used as an alignment layer in this experiment. And the rod-like azo-dye will change its molecular to rotate because the absorption of linear polarized light. By changing the s MR to rotate, we can obtain a micro groove structure on PDMS surface and control the direction of liquid crystals further. Xenon lamp(100nm-1200nm) and the ultraviolet ray lamp (300-500nm) were used in this experiment for thin film. Samples were exposure with different incident angle and intensity of light, respectively, and discussed with different temperature as a factor. According to atomic force microscope ( AFM ) result, we can obtain a PDMS surface with micro groove structure by using Xe lamp and ultraviolet ray, and we can observe the changing tilt angle of liquid crystals by polarized optical microscope (POM).

Due to the rise of social networking, people spend more time on the Internet. They not only make friends and express their emotion in the real life, but also in the virtual world. In the stage of the Internet, which without limit in time and space, we can even perform so that other people can spectacle and join us. Hence, through the IT design functions which social network websites offer, how users can perform or spectacle easily on the social network websites, and what the meaning is about the action-dramas which users have performed. A private blog-Plurk, which we also called micro blog, is using as a field of study. In this thesis, we use Ethnography survey to observe and interview the users. We use Coffman¡¦s Dramaturgical approach as the study framework, and divide it into five parts- Front Stage Style, Team Management, Role Play, Impressions Control and Intimate Relationship to analyze. In the data analysis, we compare IT function design and performing dramas. We will find out what the affordance the IT function can offer, and what the drama will perform. Finally, we will sort out the implications of the management and social capital. From this thesis we can learn: 1. What kind of IT functions offer to users on Plurk? 2. Through these IT functions, what kind of action-dramas will perform? 3. What are the implications and meanings of all these action-dramas? This thesis focus on the performing dramas and IT affordance because of the difference between IT function offer and design, the action-dramas will perform quite different, and the IT affordance will facilitate different key point. Therefore, from this thesis we hope that we can figure out some important functions and reasons that people is willing to stay longer on our website and some instructions for the website designers.

Cutting fluids have some drawbacks, like health hazards, extra manufacturing cost and environmental contamination. To decrease the disadvantages of using cutting fluids, conventional cutting is a better choice. However, conventional cutting has no advantages of using cutting fluids, such as lubrication. Therefore, vibration assisted cutting (VAC) is a new technology to achieve both purposes of the above machining techniques. Hence, the goal of this study focuses on the mechanical performance of vibration assisted grinding (VAG) for micro grinding of SKD61 steel based on tool life and surface finish. In this study, it is observed that chatter happens under VAG in the condition of feed 5.76 £gm/rev. Surface roughness (Ra) for the condition of feed 1.92 £gm/rev is better than that of 5.76 £gm/rev. The best surface finish is 0.05 £gm in this study when the feed is 1.92 £gm/rev. Spindle speed does not have significant effect on surface roughness in this study. However, the tool life is short under high spindle speed (35000rpm). Experimental results show that tool life will be prolonged two-thirds for VAG combined with MQL. As changing the amplitude of vibration (for a fixed frequency of 9 kHz) , the larger the amplitude, the better the surface roughness.

Vibration assisted cutting (VAC) is a new metal machining technique in recent years, where high-frequency and low-amplitude vibrations are imposed to the cutting tool or the workpiece. It has many advantages than conventional cutting (CC), especially improvements in surface finish and tool life. Nowadays, the use of VAC is a good strategy for micro-machining due to long tool life and high product dimension accuracy. This study presents an experimental investigation of the VAC in micro milling. The tool wear, surface roughness, and burr formation are investigated for different cutting parameters under conventional and vibration assisted cutting. When the vibration speed is higher than 3 times of the cutting speed, the tool life can be prolonged in this study. The experimental results show that VAC process has better surface finish (43.51% reduction in value) compared to that in CC, when the cutting conditions are feed of 4 £gm/rev and cutting speed of 3.39 m/min. It is also found that VAC can diminish the formation of burr formation. By introducing MQL to VAC, the tool life is extended because the MQL could reduce the friction between the tool and workpiece.

Micro-ring devices are based on resonance principle and inherently are wavelength selective. Thus it is an important optical component for WDM based applications. To fully utilize the available capacity in an optical network, large full spectral range (FSR) and narrow passband are key performance targets of ring device designs. In this paper we report the design and analysis results of micro-ring filters with 4000+ GHz FSR and 25 to 50 GHz passband, based on symmetric add-drop filter structure. We optimize the passband shape (using a box-like factor), drop loss coefficient and off-resonance through loss via the coupling coefficients and ring loss parameters.

This thesis consists of two parts. The first part includes analyses of the correlation between the results of two Aggregate Imaging System (AIMS) units. These analyses have led to refinements of the AIMS analysis methods of angularity and texture, which resulted in reduced variability in the results and better correlation between the two AIMS units. The refined analysis methods were used to establish a database of the shape characteristics of about 100 aggregate samples from the state of Texas and to propose a new method for the classification of aggregates based on their shape characteristics. This new method of classification is for use in the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wet weather accident reduction program (WWARP). The use of AIMS texture index and variability in texture within an aggregate source is proposed instead of the British Polish Value (BPV) for classifying aggregates used in pavement surfaces. The second part of the thesis investigates the relationship between shape characteristics and asphalt pavement skid resistance. Many states have implemented wet weather accident reduction programs aimed at maintaining acceptable levels of pavement skid resistance. Proper aggregate selection before construction aids in maintaining acceptable levels of skid resistance throughout the life of the pavement. Several predictive models of pavement skid resistance have been developed over the years. Some of these models account for the influence of aggregate characteristics on pavement skid resistance, primarily through incorporating the results of the BPV test in the model. However, the BPV test is known to have high variability and dependence on experimental factors that are not related to the actual aggregate resistance to polishing. AIMS offers a method to measure aggregate shape characteristics directly in a relatively short period of time. The new method for relating aggregate shape characteristics to pavement skid resistance was verified by relating skid resistance measurements from field test sections to measured aggregate properties from the laboratory. This methodology is expected to be the basis for further study to form a more comprehensive and verified model for the prediction of pavement skid resistance that incorporates measured aggregate properties from the AIMS system.

This dissertation performs a simulation investigation into the nonlinear static and dynamic characteristics of electrostatically driven shaped micro-actuators in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). The model proposed in the current nonlinear pull-in deflection study considers various boundary conditions for the electrostatically actuated structures, e.g. the cantilever beam and the fixed-fixed beam, and takes account of the electrical field fringing effect and the axial residual stress. Initially, the Adomian decomposition method is employed to evaluate the response of a micro-actuator incorporating a rectangular micro-beam and a flat electrode by obtaining the closed-form solution of the corresponding nonlinear equation. Since no iteration is required in solving the nonlinear deformation, this decomposition method is one of the most efficient methods available for evaluating the unstable pull-in behavior of an electrostatically driven micro-actuator. The present study implements both small and large deflection assumptions when simulating the response of the micro-actuator in order to explore the possible effects of the two models on the accuracy of the simulation results. The shaped micro-beam with a curved electrode micro-actuator is further assessed using the differential quadrature method (DQM) to examine the influence of the nonlinear pull-in effect. This dissertation also studies the contact force and the pull-in deflection of shaped micro-tweezers. The DQM is employed to solve the nonlinear interaction between the curved electrostatic field force and the corresponding deflection of the shaped cantilever actuators. The numerical results confirm the ability of the DQM to treat this form of nonlinear actuator problem accurately, efficiently and systematically. To evaluate the dynamic characteristics of the electrostatic micro-actuator, the DQM is applied to solve the natural frequencies of a fixed-fixed shaped beam vibrating around its statically deflected position under electrostatic loading. The proposed model not only takes account of the nonlinear interaction between the curved electrostatic field force and the restoring force of the shaped micro-beam, but also considers mid-plane stretching, axial residual stress, and electrical field fringing effects. It is shown that an excellent agreement exists between the simulation results obtained using the proposed model and those measured experimentally. This study also investigates the micro-beam and electrode shape effect on the natural frequencies of the actuator system. The analytical results indicate that variations in the shape of the micro-beam or of the electrode not only influence the electrostatic field distribution, but also significantly alter the dynamic characteristics of the micro-actuator. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the shaped micro-beam with a curved electrode micro-actuator increases the working voltage range of the micro-actuator by a factor of approximately six times compared to that of a micro-actuator incorporating a rectangular micro-beam and a flat electrode. A continuing trend nowadays is the integration of micro-electro-mechanical devices with electronic circuitry to fabricate MEMS devices such as micro-switches, optical micro-mirrors, etc. It is known that when an electrical voltage is applied to these devices, the micro-actuators will undergo a residual vibration before reaching their permanent position. Hence, this dissertation investigates the residual vibration phenomenon of cantilever beam type micro-switches with air squeeze-film damping between the micro-beam and substrate. The present simulations of various shaped micro-actuators provide an understanding of the nonlinear static and dynamic behaviors of these devices and as such provide designers with the information required to properly and accurately control the device operating range during the design stage.

This paper is going to emphasize on the air squeeze film damping effect on micro-mechanical resonant beam in MEMS. In general, the low energy density of electrode force will cause high-voltage power supply to drive the electro- micro resonators; reducing the distance between the electrode and resonant beam can be the most efficient way to solve this problem. But bringing different exciting frequency of system and environmental pressure to the air squeeze film effect might cause it changes form similarly to the damping qualities, and this will also change the dynamic characteristics of micro resonator. The dynamic model for double clamped micro-mechanical resonant beam is proposed by using Lagrange¡¦s equation in this study. The corresponding eigenvalue problems of resonant beam are formulated and solved by employing the hypothetical mode method. Under the presumption of viscous damping model, we may obtain a damping factor which includes the parameters of size, temperature and air pressure when energy transfer model is employed to simulate the squeeze film damping effect of two immediate objects. Eventually, the damping ratio and the dynamic characteristics of resonant microbeam are derived by means of exploring the frequency response function of system. Besides, the frequency change of micro-mechanical resonant beam due to an axial force is also considered in the thesis.