Methods To Prevent Barre In Knitted Fabric

Methods To Prevent Barre In Knitted Fabric In textile production, one of the most common and perplexing quality issues is barrà ©. The factors that can cause or contribute to barrà © are varied and diverse. For this reason, when a barrà © problem is detected, the skills of a sleuth may be required to expose the problem and eliminate its cause. Once a cause is identified, steps can be taken to minimize or eliminate the barrà ©, and better quality fabrics can be produced. This discussion will center on knitted fabrics. DISCUSSIONS The noun barrà © is defined by ASTM1 as an unintentional, repetitive visual pattern of continuous bars and stripes usually parallel to the filling of woven fabric or to the courses of circular knitted fabric. In a warp knit, barrà © normally runs in the length direction, following the direction of yarn flow. Barrà © can be caused by physical, optical, dye related differences in the yarn, geometric differences in the fabric structure, or by any combination of these differences. A barrà © streak can be one or several courses wide. A typical characteristic of barrà © is that it generally consists of stripes that repeat. Isolated or intermittent defects may or may not be barrà ©. 1 ASTM D123-96a Standard Terminology Relating to Textiles 1 Various aspects of barrà © are important for consideration and discussion. The first is the identification of barrà ©. Secondly, how can barrà © be analyzed? What are the causes of barrà ©, and finally, how can it be prevented? IDENTIFICATION OF BARRÉ The first step in a barrà © investigation is to observe and define the problem. Barrà © can be the result of physical causes that can usually be detected, or it can be caused by optical or dyeability differences that may be nearly impossible to isolate in the fabric. Barrà © analysis methods that help to discriminate between physical barrà © and barrà © caused by other reasons include Flat Table Examinations, Light Source Observation, and the Atlas Streak Analyzer. Flat Table Examination For a visual barrà © analysis, the first step is to lay a full-width fabric sample out on a table and view both sides from various angles. Generally, if the streaky lines run in the yarn direction that is in the course direction, apparent color differences can be seen by looking down at the fabric in a direct visual line with the yarn or course direction, and the defect can be positively identified as a barrà © defect. Viewing the fabric with a light source in the background will show if the barrà © is physical. Light Source Observation After completing an initial Flat Table Examination, a Light Source Examination may provide further useful information. Full width fabric samples should be examined 2 under two surface lighting conditions, ultraviolet (UV) and fluorescent light. Observations that should be made while viewing under lights are: 1. the frequency and width of the barrà ©, 2. whether the streaks are dark or light, and 3. the total length of pattern repeat. Ultraviolet light, commonly referred to as black light, allows the presence of mineral oils to be more easily detected, due to their radiant energy (glow). When observed under UV light, fabrics with streaks that exhibit glow suggest improper or insufficient preparation. A change in composition or content of oil/wax by the spinner or knitter without appropriate adjustments in scouring can create this problem. Fluorescent lighting simulates the mode of observation that is common to most inspection tables in mills and will highlight whether the barrà © is perceivable in an industry quality control setting. Atlas Streak Analyzer The function of the Atlas Streak Analyzer is to isolate barrà © caused by physical differences. A fabric swatch is combined with polystyrene sheet film, and the Atlas Streak Analyzer produces a plastic impression of a fabric surface by incorporating specific conditions of pressure and heat. The absence of color on the plastic impression ensures that only physical streak effects will be seen. The plastic impression is examined to determine whether the streak alignment matches the 3 streaks observed on the fabric. However, impressions made from spun yarns such as cotton can be difficult to read due to the inherent yarn variation characteristic of spun yarns. Also, a too rapid cooling of the test specimen after making an impression can produce a moirà © pattern. From a valid plastic impression, the barrà © source can be identified as: 1. physical with all streaks showing on the impression, 2. optical or dyeability variations where none of the color streaks are aligned on the impression, and 3. a combination of physical and dyeability differences where some streaks align with those on the impression, and some do not. Fabrics with combination causes present the greatest challenge for analysis. If the streak analyzer indicates the same barrà © pattern as seen in the fabric, then the barrà © stripes are physical in nature. This can relate to several physical causes such as yarn tensions, stitch length, yarn count, twist differences, etc. Yarn tension causes can be found by raveling adjacent courses and measuring the lengths of yarn removed from each course. If all the lengths raveled from the fabric are the same, the pieces can be weighed to determine if the yarn counts are the same. 4 If the plastic replica shows no stripes, then the barrà © is due to chemical causes or to light reflectance differences. Chemical causes relate to improper preparation, and light reflectance differences relate to non-uniform dyestuff penetration or reflectance. The next step is to remove the color and evaluate the stripped sample before re-dyeing to determine if the removal of dye was complete and if the barrà © is still present. An uneven or incomplete stripping can indicate an additional strip. If the color is stripped uniformly and the barrà © is gone, then the sample should be re-dyed. If after stripping and over dyeing the fabric no longer has barrà ©, then the barrà © was caused by improper preparation. If the barrà © remains, then the problem is related to optical or light reflectance problems. PHYSICAL BARRÉ ANALYSIS When the cause of barrà © is determined or presumed to be physical in nature, physical fabric analysis should be done. Physical barrà © causes are generally considered to be those which can be linked to yarn or machine differences. Methods of physical barrà © analysis include fabric dissection, microscopy, and the Roselon Knit Extension Tester. Fabric Dissection To perform accurate fabric dissection analysis, a fabric sample that contains several barrà © repetitions is required. First, the barrà © streak boundaries are marked by the placement of straight pins and/or felt markers. Individual yarns are removed from light and dark streak sections, and twist level, twist direction, and cut length 5 weight determinations are made and recorded. For reliable mean values to be established, data should be collected from at least two light/dark repeats. After compilation of yarn information, the numbers can be compared individually to adjacent yarns as well as by groupings of light and dark shades. Microscopy Microscopic examination is useful for verifying yarn-spinning systems. Yarns from different spinning systems can have different light reflectance and dye absorption properties resulting in barrà © when mixed. Ring-spinning produces yarn that is smooth with all fibers twisted in a tight helix. Open-end spinning produces yarn with wrapper fibers that form a belt around the diameter of the yarn at irregular intervals. Air jet spinning produces yarn with more wrapper fibers that form a continuous spiraling band around the inner fibers that are more parallel to the axis of the yarn. Microscopy can also reveal a shift in loop formation in knitted fabrics when twist direction (S and Z) differences are present. Roselon Knit Extension Tester2 Barrà © produced by knitting machinery is relatively common, is the easiest to see in the greige, and is the easiest to correct. Often uneven yarn tension during knitting may be a cause. To test for uneven tension, the Roselon Knit Extension Tester can be used. For this test, a fabric sample is cut and raveled to yield yarn samples from light and dark streak areas. The yarn ends are taped and clamped 2 Source: Spinlon Industries Incorporated, 18 S. Fifth Street, Quakertown, Pennsylvania 18951 6 to the tester. As each yarn is stretched to the maximum extension point, the points are plotted on graph paper. Comparisons are usually made visually rather than mathematically. CAUSES OF BARRÉ The varied and diverse causes of barrà © can generally be summed up in one word INCONSISTENCY. An inconsistency that leads to barrà © can originate in one or more of the following categories: ! fiber quality/raw material management, ! yarn formation/supply management, ! knitting processes, and ! preparation and dyeing techniques Fiber Quality/Raw Material Management 1. Failure to control fiber diameter (micronaire or denier) from laydown to laydown. 2. Too high a C.V. of micronaire in the laydown for a given mills opening line blending efficiency. 3. Failure to control the fiber color in the mix (grayness Rd, yellowness +b). 4. Failure to control maturity/fineness in a laydown 5. Most, if not all, fiber barrà © can be controlled by the above four items; however, under certain unusual circumstances, it may be beneficial to also select mixes using ultraviolet reflectance information for each bale of cotton. 7 Micronaire Average micronaire must be controlled within a laydown and from laydown to laydown. Controlling average micronaire in the laydown may not be sufficient to completely eliminate barrà ©. Other micronaire related causes of barrà © are: ! > 0.2 difference in micronaire. ! > 0.1 change in mix-to-mix average micronaire. ! > 12.0 % CV of micronaire within the laydown. It may be necessary to change the laydown averages periodically to make use of all the bales in the warehouse. This must be done slowly with no more than a 0.1 change in mix-to-mix averages. Figure 1 shows acceptable changes in micronaire from laydown to laydown. No barrà © from micronaire differences should show in knitted fabrics when yarns are mixed on the knitting machine from consecutive laydowns. However, if laydowns vary more than 0.1 micronaire, for example laydowns #1 (4.3 mic.) and #6 (4.6 mic.) in Figure 1, then barrà © is much more likely to occur. 8 Figure 1: Slowing Changing Micronaire Average in Laydown Acceptable Change in Micronaire From Laydown to Laydown3.53.63.73.83.94.04.14.24.34.44.51234567891011121314Laydown NumberMicronarie Figure 2 shows a high CV% in the micronaire for bales within a laydown. The laydown shown has 24 bales with an average of 4.1 micronaire and a CV% of 17.7. The change in micronaire from bale to bale is more than a 0.1 change. Also, the CV% is more than 12.0% and would probably result in barrà ©. High Micronaire CV% in Laydown3.53.73.94.14.34.54.7123456789101112131415161718192021222324Bale NumberMicronaireAvg. 4.1 CV% 17.7 * Figure 2: Results of Changing the Micronaire Average too Rapidly Max +/- 1.0 mic 9 Maturity and Fineness Although micronaire gives an indication of fiber maturity, it does not directly measure that property. Maturity and fineness related causes of barrà © include: ! Blending cotton from different growth areas or seed varieties. ! Immature fiber content such as white specks, neps, etc. Yarn Formation/Supply Even with proper fiber selection to reduce raw material effects on barrà ©, techniques in the opening, cleaning, blending, and carding areas can have an impact on barrà ©. These variations can occur at carding where different amounts of non-lint content removal from card to card can be a problem. Poor blending of fiber from opening through finisher drawing cannot be overlooked. In ring spinning, the running of different types of spindle tapes and the use of different cots or new and used cots mixed together on the same frame can create barrà ©. Faulty management in the spinning plant can result in the following yarn related causes of barrà ©: 1. Yarn count variations. 2. Yarn twist variation. 3. Wrong yarn size, color, blend level, twist direction. 4. Mixed yarn lots. 5. Mixed shipment dates of same dye lot. 10 6. Uneven waxing or oiling of yarn 7. Improper conditioning. Knitting Processes and Yarn Management The set-up and operation of a knitting machine is complex and requires precision settings to produce first quality goods. Machine related causes of barrà © include: 1. Different stitch settings (stitch lengths). 2. Improper tension at a feed. 3. Faulty cylinder or dial cam settings. 4. Malfunctioning of storage or tape feeders. 5. Improper threading of yarn. 6. Variations at take-down or spreader system. 7. Machine vibration. 8. Dirt, lint, and/or yarn fragments in the camming system, tricks, needles, or sinkers. 9. Variation in oil content. 10. Worn needles, which generally produce length direction streaks. 11. Uneven cylinder height needles (wavy barrà ©). 12. Worn cylinder and/or dial. Even with a properly set-up machine, barrà © can still occur at knitting due to poor yarn management. Examples of poor yarn management at knitting include: 11 1. Mixing yarns of different counts. 2. Mixing yarns from different spinning systems. 3. Mixing yarns with different blend levels. 4. Mixing yarns from different suppliers. 5. Mixing yarns with different twist level/twist direction. 6. Mixing yarns with different degrees of hairiness. 7. Mixing yarns with different amounts of wax. 8. Mercerization differences. 9. Excessive backwinding or abrasion during this process. 10. If yarns are conditioned, then each lot must be uniformly conditioned. Preparation and Dyeing Techniques Normally, dyehouses have standard preparation procedures and formulas that work very well in terms of removal of non-fibrous contaminants and natural fiber pigmentation. However, some fabrics can exhibit barrà © that is caused by either optical or dyeability issues. Often, the barrà © is not created in dyeing, but can be highlighted. In this scenario, the dyeing is not the cause but the messenger of the problem. Typically, barrà © is not a problem in whites, only in dyed fabrics. Therefore, if a fabric is known to have barrà ©, then that roll should be processed into a white. 12 Preparation can help mask barrà ©, but cannot and will not eliminate it. The cause of the barrà © must be eliminated for future rolls to be free of the defect. The scour and/or bleach procedure can be intensified to mask the barrà ©. This can be done by combinations of using a higher temperature or longer processing times. Usually the chemistry will remain the same; however, in some cases, it may have to be increased or changed. If any changes are made in the preparation procedure, the fabric and resultant shade will possibly change in whiteness, strength, and appearance. In fact, the whiteness will almost always change. If whiter, the old dye formula will need to be adjusted. The strength of the fabric may be affected to the point where it becomes a problem. Finally, the surface of the fabric may change so that it may not match previous lots. As a result of more aggressive preparation to cover barrà ©, it is important to evaluate such changes on small samples in the lab or a sample machine. Tension can play an integral role in not only the formation of the fabric, but also during preparation, dyeing, and finishing. As with all variables, it must be controlled to known parameters and be consistent. Any inconsistencies in tension could change the morphology of the cotton (i.e. during mercerization), level of dye pick- 13 up, or surface appearance (i.e. during mechanical finishing such as brushing or sanding). PREVENTION OF BARRÉ As discussed in the text, barrà © is caused by inconsistencies in materials, equipment, or processing. To prevent barrà © from occurring, consistency must be maintained through all phases of textile production. Stock yarns should be properly and carefully labeled to avoid mix-ups. Fugitive tints and/or marked cones can be useful for accurate yarn segregation. Inventory should be controlled on a first in/first out basis. All equipment should be properly maintained and periodically checked. In spinning and knitting before beginning full-scale production, sample dyeings can be done to check for barrà ©. Knit machine operators should be trained to look for barrà © as it occurs in the greige. If spotted, the machine should be stopped until the cause is eliminated. Salvaging a fabric lot with a barrà © problem may be possible through careful dye selection. Color differences can be masked by using shades with very low light reflectance (navy blue, black) or high light reflectance (light yellow, orange, or finished white). Dye suppliers should be able to offer assistance in this area. Also, if the cause of the barrà © is an uneven distribution of oil or wax, a more thorough preparation of the fabric before dyeing may result in more uniform dye coverage. 14 With close cooperation between production and quality control personnel, barrà © problems can be successfully analyzed and solved. Recommendations to minimize barrà © include: ! Knit an entire dye lot from the same knitting machine. ! Use only yarn from the same spinning lot. ! Use only from the same shipment date if possible. ! If yarn shipment dates must be mixed, then use consecutive shipment dates. ! Determine through laboratory analysis and experience if the preparation procedures are sufficient or can they be modified to eliminate the problem. ! Determine if some shades and dyestuffs are less susceptible to showing barrà ©, and apply those to problem fabrics. ! Make use of yarn/fabric analysis systems such as CYROS ®. ! Identify those rolls within a dye lot that have mixed yarn shipment dates so that it is known when the fabrics go through the dyehouse. ! Identify dye lots that have rolls from different yarn shipments before dyeing. CASE STUDY IN BARRÉ A 100% cotton, ring-spun single jersey style T-shirt is knitting in production with a yarn that does not have a barrà © problem. This style has been knitting for numerous days and no more of the yarn is available for creeling on the machine as the yarns are knitting out. Some yarn packages are skinners and others are full five-pound packages. The machine is 24-inch diameter with 80 feeds. 15 When the new yarn is creeled onto one of the 80 positions, the mixing of yarn shipment dates begins to take place. For this discussion, we will assume that this new yarn will cause barrà © when mixed with the old yarn. Once all positions are knitting the new yarn, there will be no barrà ©. How many rolls of fabric will have barrà © when both these yarns are present in the rolls? If the knitter is making 50 pound rolls, then each yarn package will supply 1/80th of the 50-pound roll or 0.625 pounds of yarn. Therefore, the new yarn will make 8.0 rolls of fabric with barrà © (5-pound package divided by 0.625 pounds per package for a 50 pound roll). It is important to realize that while this new package is knitting, other old yarn positions on the creel are also being replaced by new yarns. By the time the first new package has knitted out, all feeds will be using the new yarn. When the last old package is replaced and all positions have new yarn, the barrà © will disappear. Often, many machines will be knitting the same style. If ten machines are knitting this style and are using the old yarn and new yarns are placed on these 80 feed machines, then the total number of rolls knitted with barrà © will be 80. A total of 4,000 pounds of fabric will be made with barrà ©. If the style in question weighs 5.8 ounces per linear yarn, then a total of 11,035 yards of fabric will be made. Further, if it can be assumed that each yard of fabric can make 1.2 shirts, then a total of 13,240 defective T-shirts will be made. This is 1,103 dozen 16 garments. If the cost per shirt is $2.05 per unit, then a loss of $27,142 plus is realized. If open-end yarn was used for this case study instead of ring-spun yarns, then 8-pound packages of yarn could be used. This would result in 128 rolls containing 6,400 pounds and 17,655 yards of fabric. From this, 21,186 T-shirts (1766 dozens) would have been made. Based on a cost per shirt of $1.86, the loss would be $39,405. The result is that bigger packages mean bigger losses. The best methods to reduce the possibility of this catastrophe are listed below: 1. When mixing yarn shipment dates of only one week, try to reduce the number of machines using the old and new yarns. 2. As more machines are expending the old yarn, consolidate the old packages to fewer machines. This means removing the yarns from one creel and using them on other machines that are still knitting the old yarn. 3. Knit dye lots from a single machine if possible. 4. When a roll is known to have mixed yarns, a laboratory dyeing should be done on a swatch from the roll to determine if barrà © is present. If not, then proceed as normal. If barrà © is present, then the roll should be processed in 17 shades that are not known to be barrà © sensitive or prepared with more aggressive chemistry. CONCLUSIONS It is evident that barrà © is a problem that results from inconsistencies and is a result of poor management of fiber, yarn, and/or related knitting processes. The spinner, the knitter, and the dyer must communicate and work as a team to reduce the potential for barrà © to occur. A well planned and executed system of monitoring the spinning, knitting, dyeing, and finishing systems in the mill can provide for defect free fabrics. 18

Geography of Aruba :: essays papers

Geography of Aruba While there is an abundance of reasons to travel to Aruba the geography and climate are certainly the most important and attractive. The island of Aruba is located just 19 miles North of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea and neighbors another Dutch Island, Curacao The geographic coordinates (for the technical people) are 12 30 N, 69 58 W(Archaelogical Museum, 3). The Island itself is rather small, being only 193 square kilometers which is slightly larger than Washington D.C. However, the cement streets of our nations capital are nothing compared to the 68 kilometers of coastline, which is sandy, white on the south side and rough, jagged rock on the north. This island, like many in the Caribbean has become a tourist hotspot for its tropical marine climate, with minimal seasonal temperature variation. A major reason why Aruba has become so popular is due to the fact that it lies on the outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt. The average temperature in Aruba is 81 degree’s, which makes the river less countryside dry, with scarce vegetation. The terrain is flat, with very few hills. However, the largest mountain on the Island is Mount Jamanota standing tall at 188 Meters. Aruba’s geography is rather simple to understand because the island is so small. Geologically, Aruba is more complex. The geological formation of Aruba’s geography is composed of three major rock groups; Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. To the reader who just looks at the textbook, this means that Aruba (the Island) was there long before the late 15th century when the Spanish first came here. Actually, Aruba was formed from the process of volcanism some 90-95 million years ago. The Island of Aruba is the result of lava hardening from a volcano that occurred almost 100 million years ago underwater. Eventually sediments formed new types of rocks, which came to the surface and began the process of island building. On the Island today the north coast is made up of a jagged coastline filled with all sorts of rocks. â€Å"Limestone’s are the youngest rocks that make up Aruba and that surround the islands older rocks. Limestone formed after and on top of the older rocks.† (Archaeological Museum Aruba, 3) While limestone is very common rock on Aruba, a white and black speckled plutonic rock called quartzdiorite is also another prevalent part of the landscape. Geography of Aruba :: essays papers Geography of Aruba While there is an abundance of reasons to travel to Aruba the geography and climate are certainly the most important and attractive. The island of Aruba is located just 19 miles North of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea and neighbors another Dutch Island, Curacao The geographic coordinates (for the technical people) are 12 30 N, 69 58 W(Archaelogical Museum, 3). The Island itself is rather small, being only 193 square kilometers which is slightly larger than Washington D.C. However, the cement streets of our nations capital are nothing compared to the 68 kilometers of coastline, which is sandy, white on the south side and rough, jagged rock on the north. This island, like many in the Caribbean has become a tourist hotspot for its tropical marine climate, with minimal seasonal temperature variation. A major reason why Aruba has become so popular is due to the fact that it lies on the outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt. The average temperature in Aruba is 81 degree’s, which makes the river less countryside dry, with scarce vegetation. The terrain is flat, with very few hills. However, the largest mountain on the Island is Mount Jamanota standing tall at 188 Meters. Aruba’s geography is rather simple to understand because the island is so small. Geologically, Aruba is more complex. The geological formation of Aruba’s geography is composed of three major rock groups; Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. To the reader who just looks at the textbook, this means that Aruba (the Island) was there long before the late 15th century when the Spanish first came here. Actually, Aruba was formed from the process of volcanism some 90-95 million years ago. The Island of Aruba is the result of lava hardening from a volcano that occurred almost 100 million years ago underwater. Eventually sediments formed new types of rocks, which came to the surface and began the process of island building. On the Island today the north coast is made up of a jagged coastline filled with all sorts of rocks. â€Å"Limestone’s are the youngest rocks that make up Aruba and that surround the islands older rocks. Limestone formed after and on top of the older rocks.† (Archaeological Museum Aruba, 3) While limestone is very common rock on Aruba, a white and black speckled plutonic rock called quartzdiorite is also another prevalent part of the landscape.

Redgrove Axial Workshop Case Study

What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve5 Challenges of a New Position6 Corporate Culture6 Axial Workshop7 Beneath the Surface7 Use/Abuse of Discretion8 Scope of the Problem10 Stakeholders10 Identification of Available Options10 Ethical Principles Discussion 14 Consequentialist Theory14 Deontological Theory19 Virtue Ethics21 Recommendation23 References25 Appendix A: Picture of Ornament Found in Workshop Storage 26 Appendix B: Redgrove Monthly Plant Scap-Metal Sales, 27 12-Month Period Appendix C: Excerpt from ITE Code of Conduct28Appendix D: Summary of Redgrove Records of Material29 Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 Appendix E: Consequentialist Analysis – Option A 30 (Do Nothing) Appendix F: Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident, 31 Request Guidance Appendix G: Consequentialist Analysis – Don’t Report, 32 Handle Incident In-House Appendix H: Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident 33 but Recommend Actions and Gain Upper Managem ent Buy-In Abstract This paper addresses the ethical issues at Redgrove Axial workshop.Marc Fontaine is the manager of the compressor manufacturing division at the Redgrove Plant, and has been on the job approximately one month when he discovers employees have been using company equipment to build personal decorative ornaments utilizing scrap material which is normally sold to recycling companies. This practice is against the company's written code of conduct; however, the workshop foreman’s knowledge of the practice and failure to prevent it has condoned the behavior.The analysis of the ethical problem begins by listing the facts of the case and defining the scope of the problem Fontaine is faced with. After reviewing all the aspects of the case, four courses of action have been identified. A brief discussion of the three ethical principles will lead us to our final recommendation of what Fontaine should do in order to resolve the ethical problems at hand, thereby providing benefits to all stakeholders. Case Study – Redgrove Axial WorkshopFacts of the Case: Marc Fontaine has recently become the manager of compressor manufacturing at Redgrove Axial Workshop, part of the International Technology and Electronics (ITE) Corporation. This position is a temporary one as part of a larger ITE accelerated leadership program. After a month on the job, Fontaine discovers a number of ornaments (Appendix A) in the workshop’s storage room which appears to be made from the same material used to make the compressors.Fontaine believes employees of his department may be using company materials, comprised of scraps and metal shavings – normally sold to a local recycling company (Appendix B) – for personal use and felt he needed to notify the Manufacturing Director (Sam Collins) and Plant Director (Peter Garland) about the incident. Upon further investigation, Fontaine discovers the practice of utilizing production materials for personal use is against ITE’s Code of Conduct and punishable by warnings, termination, withheld pay, criminal charges, and suspension (Appendix C).Fontaine also acquired a list of previous incidents and related punishments (Appendix D). Fontaine approaches Jim Page, a plant foreman who supervises the Axial Workshop, about the ornaments. Page states he has not seen the objects in the supply room, and the personal work was infrequent and of little value because they were made of scrap. As far as he knew, employees made projects on their own time and he had never made an issue out of the practice because the workshop is Redgrove’s most productive unit.In order to gain a better understanding of the practice, Page recommends Fontaine speak with Peter Kadosa, a workshop employee. Kadosa was a good worker, had a good attitude, and was moving to a new position on the West Coast in January. Upon questioning â€Å"off the record,† Kadosa provided the following information: he was unsure of the history regarding the practice; implied the more experienced and better craftsmen were involved; and only occasionally would one of the workers ask him to set aside a bigger piece of scrap.Fontaine also learned of the unwritten code of conduct in the workshop which applied to the gift / ornament making: new material could not be used (scraps only); before anyone started a project they were expected to obtain approval from one of the senior craftsmen; selling projects was frowned upon; and the plant foreman did not care to know about the practice. What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve: Fontaine is aware the use of scrap material for personal projects is against the company’s Code of Conduct and feels obligated to report the misappropriation.However, he also observes how well the workshop’s employees work together, how productive they are, and the existence of an unofficial code of conduct which is followed in regards to the practice of creating ornaments. He is torn on whether or not to bring attention to this practice because he wants workers to continue to work efficiently and effectively and taking away their projects may disrupt this; however, he also wants to follow the rules and has an obligation to the company as well as to the employees in his division. Challenges of a New Position:What makes this situation more difficult for Fontaine is that he is new to the company and being in the accelerated leadership program, will most likely not be in his position for long. This adds to his dilemma because one of the biggest challenges when taking on a new position in a new organization is getting comfortable with the corporate culture. When first joining an organization, an employee handbook is provided which dictates all of the do’s and don’t's outlined by management – but the new employee may not immediately understand how closely the company actually follows these rules.In this case, Fontaine knows the rules prohibit usi ng scrap materials for personal use, but the corporate culture has allowed these projects to continue for a long period of time; this places Fontaine in a precarious position considering his relatively short tenure (between one year and 18 months) – does he attempt to change the well established but unwritten corporate culture, or does he condone the behavior and allow his successor to deal with the ethical issues? Corporate Culture: From the initial readings of the Case Study, the corporate culture of the workshop is one of Collaboration, or â€Å"Clan† culture.The workshop is an open place to work which accepts the employees as peers. Group loyalty is important, and an unofficial chain of command exists within the workshop with the more senior and talented employees being seen as the leaders and mentors to the newer, younger employees. In addition, the better and more skilled craftsmen take the time to train others on the more difficult skills. Assuming the company p roactively addresses the issue, the corporate culture will change to that of control, or hierarchical.Rules and procedures would be put in place based on the recommendation of Fontaine and buy-in from upper management, whereby employees can practice their skills to become masters in their field, while simultaneously maintaining workshop cohesion and morale. Axial Workshop The Axial Workshop team is extremely effective. They are referred to as â€Å"the AXE,† and contribute 20% of the Redgrove Plant’s annual revenues and 23% of its operating margin. The AXE has been described as the most effective in the plant. The AXE team is known to be hard workers, and people rarely transfer out of the workshop.Senior workers work closely with junior workers showing them techniques they have developed and getting the junior workers acquainted to the workshop. Beneath the Surface Workshop employees use scrap metals from production of the compressors to produce personal ornaments made by utilizing company machinery. Employees work on these projects infrequently on their own time (off the clock). Workers have unwritten rules to the practice of personal work including: projects must be approved by a senior craftsman, no new material can be used, projects cannot be made in order to be sold, etc.In addition, the workshop foreman has condoned the behavior – though he is aware of the practice, he has allowed it to continue; employees believe the practice is acceptable. Use / Abuse of Discretion: Discretion is the right to choose something, or to choose to do something, according to what seems most suitable in accordance with a situation. However, this discretion can be easily abused especially when management condones or turns a blind eye towards behavior which may border on the unethical.For example, the workshop’s Foreman, Jim Page, has decided to turn a blind eye to the practices going on within the workshop. Fontaine is now faced with the ethical pro blem and has the discretion to do something about it. The use or abuse of discretion can become a problem in many professions. The following are examples of profession’s use or abuse of discretion. 1) Banking (specifically lending) – Banks have the discretion on whether or not to authorize a loan to a customer (based primarily on information such as income, use of loan proceeds, credit score, amount of current debt, etc).During the recent banking debacle, banks approved questionable loans (ie no income verification). 2) Police officers – Generally have the discretion to write a speeding ticket or not. This power is abused when the police officer frequently allows family and friends off without a ticket, even when they were speeding in excess of twice the speed limit. 3) Judges – Have the discretion to approve a certain sentence (whether maximum or minimum). Power can be easily abused, as seen in class by the FBI presentation on white collar crimes and the amount of punishment doled out.Additionally, judges also rule on Social Security Disability cases – a Wall Street Journal Article on 26NOV11 discusses the abuse of power by a certain judge who has only disallowed 4 cases out of over 1000 during the past year – well beyond what is expected by the Social Security Administration 4) Retail – managers have the authority to grant discounts to certain groups of personnel – for example, Dave’s Cosmic Subs ordinarily gives discounts to police officers and firefighters in uniform, but certain managers will also provide a discount to members of the military, contrary to guidance provided by the chain's owners. ) Commanders in the military – have the discretion to dole out non-judicial punishment for small, minor offenses. Being both judge and jury, Commanders have the discretion to determine the punishment – but occasionally, Commander’s abuse this authority by not fitting the punishment to the crime (a requirement) – resulting in the punishment being overturned upon appeal. Scope of the Problem: Fontaine is faced with how to handle the misappropriation of the scrap materials and utilization of company machinery to support the practice. He is new to the company and is not yet familiar with the corporate culture.He wants his division to continue to run effectively and efficiently, but is concerned that bringing attention to the practice of making personal projects could disrupt his division. However, allowing the practice to continue could force Fontaine and his employees to face severe repercussions. Stakeholders in the Case: Plant employees; workshop employees; Marc Fontaine (manager of compressor manufacturing); Jim Page (workshop foreman); Peter Kadosa (workshop employee); investors to the company; and upper management of the plant (Sam Collins – manufacturing director, and Peter Garland – plant director). Identification of Available Options :Prior to developing various options to deal with the dilemma, Fontaine should do the following: ascertain with H/R to determine if a requirement exists when an employee is hired to review the Company’s Code of Conduct; if employees are required to sign an acknowledgement after reviewing the Code of Conduct; if employees are periodically required to conduct refresher training on the Code of Conduct; if employees are required to review the Code of Conduct upon transfer from different departments; if the Code of Conduct is posted in public locations within the factory; any agreements between the union and the plant which may authorize employees to use scrap and company machinery for personal use; and if violations of the Code of Conduct and related disciplinary actions are publicized or posted in public locations throughout the factory.Once all of this information is ascertained, we can assess the available options:1) Option A – Do nothing.Fontaine could elect to do noth ing, allowing employees to continue the practice of occasionally using scrap metal for personal projects on company machinery and not report it to upper management. Staying silent would keep things as they are now with high employee morale, teamwork, and efficiency. However, if Fontaine decides not to say anything and upper management discover the practice, then Fontaine, Page, and the workers involved are all susceptible to sanctions.2) Option B -Report the incident to upper management and ask for guidance on how to proceed.This may be a viable option since Fontaine is unsure as to whether upper management approves of the practice in order to maintain high morale, combined with his short tenure as the manager of compressor manufacturing. However, management may feel negatively towards Fontaine for not providing recommendations on dealing with the practice – specifically, that he is not ready to lead. But, as seen in Annex B, management has been fairly strict with similar vio lations in the past; reporting the practice may lead to unwanted investigations and punishment for workshop employees.3) Option C – Fontaine does not report the incident but handles the situation in-house within the â€Å"Axe. † He can have a meeting with all employees in the workshop, and explain the following: a.The ITE Code of Conduct authorizes the use of production materials only for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation; b. The list of infractions from 1998-2007 along with the associated sanctions; c. The items discovered in the storage room, and the fact that though the activity was condoned before, it does not make the practice justifiable. However, because the activity was previously condoned, the new policy of not conducting personal work and utilizing material scraps and company machinery takes effect immediately; d. The liability of the company should an employee become injured while working on an ornamental piece while not in a â€Å"paid† status; and e.Material is purchased by ITE for a specific purpose, which ITE receives compensation from a recycling company for production scraps – and the unlawful use of such material is in fact theft from the company; Fontaine should then share the recycling amounts by poundage and dollar amounts. He should also explain that this material, even if small when compared to the total amount recycled, affects ITE's balance sheet and therefore affects all employees in regards to pay and bonuses, as well ITE's owners (whether public or private). 4) Option D – Report the incident to the Director of Manufacturing and the Plant Director, recommending a course of action on how to proceed within the â€Å"Axe† in order to gain upper management buy-in.This option allows for Fontaine to groom himself as a better leader, while showing management he is prepared to deal with issues within his area of responsibility. These recommended actions would include: a. Amnesty for employees due to the practice being condoned by the workshop foreman; b. H/R training for Page, the workshop foreman, specifically focused on supervisor duties and responsibilities, as well as a review of all company policies to include the Code of Conduct; c. Implement an H/R policy where employees sign an acknowledgement of the Company's Code of Conduct upon hiring; d. Annual review of the Code of Conduct for all employees; e. Review of the Code of Conduct upon transfer from one part of the factory to another part; . Request an exception to policy whereby employees can purchase scrap from the factory at the same rate the factory sells it to the recycling company, or offer a small percentage of scrap to employees for free as an added benefit. In order to have better skilled workers, allow these employees a certain amount of time each pay period (possibly an hour per week) to hone their skills whereby they are covered by worker's compensation should they become injure d during this additional training time; and g. Permission to post the Code of Conduct and the Material Misappropriation and Sanctions List throughout the â€Å"Axe. † Ethical Principles Discussion:Three ethical principles will be used to offer an analysis to the ethical issues Fontaine is currently facing; we will use Consequentialist Theory, Deontological Theory, and Virtue Ethics. Consequentialist Theory: An ethical decision should maximize benefits to society and minimize harms. What matters is the net balance of good consequences over bad for society overall. Identify the stakeholders in the situation as well as the alternative actions and their consequences (harms/and or benefits) for each. Looking at this case using a consequentialist view we examine how each of the four alternatives we have devised affects each of the stakeholders identified. Option A: Do Nothing (see Annex E for the Consequentialist Analysis to this option). This alternative involves Fontaine leaving the workshop as it is and turning â€Å"a blind eye† to what is going on in the shop. Stakeholder benefits to this option include: Continued high morale of employees by not having to purchase materials and continued use of company equipment; maintains Fontaine’s reputation by being â€Å"one of the guys† by not taking action; prevents Page from possibly getting into trouble for condoning the practice; and protects Kadosa from providing information to Fontaine on the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Plant employees not aving the ability to possibly receive bigger pay or bonuses due to the lack of the company receiving all proceeds it is entitled to from the sale of scrap material; workshop employees possibly being injured on the job while conducting unauthorized work; company investors/owners not receiving the full value of the sale of scrap and possibly being liable for any injury a workshop employee experiences while participating in unsanctio ned/unauthorized work; Fontaine violating his personal integrity and values by condoning the activity which violates the company’s Code of Conduct; and upper management not receiving bigger pay or bonuses due to the company not receiving all proceeds from the sale of all scrap. – Option B: Report the incident, but request guidance from upper management (see Annex F for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).Stakeholder benefits to this option includes: if upper management stops the practice, plant employees may see higher salaries or bonuses due to the company being able to garner all proceeds from the sale of all scrap material; company owners/investors receiving all value from the sale of all scrap material; upper management believing Fontaine’s integrity is beyond reproach; upper management being able to implement the changes it sees fit in order to recover company resources; and the company and management not being liable to any employees who may be injured during unsanctioned work. Stakeholder harms to this option include: possible suspension or termination of those workshop employees who have been identified as condoning and participating in unsanctioned work; upper management thinking Fontaine is not ready to be a manager by asking for guidance; Page possibly being implicated for condoning the practice of unsanctioned work, possibly resulting in suspension or termination; and Kadosa being implicated by his co-workers for confirming the practice to Fontaine, resulting in the loss of respect from his peers.Option C: Do not report, but handle the situation in-house within the â€Å"Axe† (see Annex G for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option). Stakeholder benefits to this option include: plant employees receive their fair share of salaries or bonuses tied to the profits resulting from the recycling of all scrap material; workshop employees and Fontaine both build rapport with each other by handling the issue in-ho use without any further repercussions; company owners/investors have more in the balance sheet through the sale of all scrap material if the practice is stopped; and Page does not face the possibility of termination or suspension for condoning the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Workshop employees may view this as an intrusion into their autonomy; no recoupment to company owners/investors for the practice of taking scrap material; Fontaine being potentially liable for not reporting the incident up the chain of command as you would expect a manager to do; Kadosa losing credibility with his coworkers for confirming the practice to Fontaine; and upper management having lower level management condoning the prior bad practices and starting anew without repercussions, thereby usurping their authority. – Option D: Report the incident, but recommend actions to upper management and obtain their buy-in (see Annex H for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).S takeholder benefits to this option include: Unsanctioned work is stopped and plant employees may see an increase in salary/bonuses; workshop employees may be able to continue creating ornaments if upper level management authorizes/sanctions extra work as a benefit to an employee who is honing his/her skills; company owners/investors see an increase to the balance sheet from the proceeds of all scrap material, while at the same time being protected by workers compensation should an employee get injured while honing his/her skills under authorized work; Fontaine gains the respect of his superiors for thinking outside the box and coming up with his own solutions while protecting the employees and the company; Page receiving requisite training to become a better supervisor who supports the company's values and ideals; and upper management having an empowered subordinate while increasing the balance sheet from the recycling of all scrap. Based on the tenets of consequentialist theory, op tion D promotes the greatest benefit with the least amount of harm to each of the stakeholders.Deontological Theory: Bases the decision on what is right on a broad, abstract universal ethical principle or value such as honesty, fairness, loyalty, rights, and respect for human beings and property. Certain moral principles are binding, regardless of the consequences. Therefore, some actions would be considered wrong even if the consequences of the actions were good. Looking at this case using a deontological perspective, we xamine what the duties of Mr. Fontaine are. As a manager at the company Fontaine has a duty to both the company and the stockholders of the company. However, he also has a duty to the employees he manages and to look out for their best interests. Based on these duties, the first alternative does not serve the best interests as it does not fulfill his duties to the company and the investors. By taking no action the company will continue to lose the revenue which cou ld be generated from the stolen scrap material. The second alternative serves Fontaine’s duty to the company by ensuring that the business will not lose any further revenue to misappropriation of assets.However, this alternative could harm his employees as they will likely lose their jobs if there is an investigation into the scrap material. The third alternative allows Fontaine to handle the incident in-house without having to inform upper management. This alternative allows Fontaine to build rapport with his employees; however, he fails to do his duty by not reporting what he has found to his superiors. In addition, this alternative allows Fontaine to lay out his expectations of what is right and wrong with his employees, while at the same time protecting the reputation of Page, who previously condoned the activity by not stopping it. Fontaine exhibits loyalty to his subordinates, but he is not exhibiting loyalty to upper management by not reporting the incident.The final a lternative, to report the incident while obtaining upper management’s buy-in to recommendations, maintains the loyalty of Fontaine to the company, as well as to the employees. Because the practice has been condoned in the past, it is unfair to punish the employees; what is fair, however, is to seek some type of median, such as employees purchasing the scrap and utilizing company machinery to hone their skills, which maintains morale and allows the company to have better trained and skilled workers. Based on deontological theory, the final alternative embraces honesty, fairness, loyalty, and respect for company property. Using scrap material to make personal objects has an overall positive impact on employee morale.Obtaining buy-in from upper management to sanction this activity, whereby employees pay for scrap but in turn the company has a better trained worker, illustrates loyalty from the company to the employee. Virtue Ethics: This approach focuses more on the integrity of the moral actor than on the moral act itself. This perspective considers the actor’s character, motivations, and intentions. According to virtue ethics, it is important that the individual intends to be a good person and exerts effort to develop him or herself as a moral agent, to associate with others who do the same, and to contribute to creating an organizational context which supports ethical behavior.The â€Å"Axe† has been operating under the auspices of virtue ethics when dealing with manufacturing ornamental decorations. This is evidenced by: a. Page did not feel that the projects were of material value, because the employees used scrap; b. Page thought the employees made the objects on their own time; c. Kadosa’s impression was that the practice was limited to some of the better craftsmen in the group – the ones who typically did the best work, volunteered for overtime, and often helped out other employees who were having trouble; d. Kadosa beli eved that the workers involved in the practice clearly did not see themselves as â€Å"thieves,† but rather as skilled builders who took scarps and made something beautiful from them; e.Kadosa recalled an incident when he saw some of the craftsmen scold an employee for using new material to make a small ashtray – the point was the employee attempted to use new material to make it. f.Before anyone began an unofficial project, they were expected to touch base with a few of the more senior craftsmen to see if it was OK; g. Kadosa felt that making something to sell, compared to something what was mainly for personal use, was collectively frowned upon. The motivations for the group which manufactured the â€Å"gifts† were deemed as a noble cause and were meant for personal use, normally as gifts. Additionally, an unwritten set of rules, or unofficial â€Å"Code of Conduct,† ppears to have manifested itself within the workshop, such as seeking permission, only using scraps and not new material, and using the objects for personal use rather than for personal gain. Option A, to do nothing, does not contribute to ethical behavior by allowing employees to continue to the practice of using company materials and equipment for personal use. Option B, reporting the incident to upper management and seeking guidance on how to proceed, facilitates ethical behavior; however, employees may be punished when the activity was blatantly condoned by a member of management. Option C, not reporting the incident and handling the situation in-house, facilitates ethical behavior in the workshop employees; however, Fontaine does not exhibit ethical behavior since he is not reporting the incident to management.In accordance with deontological theory, Option D, reporting the incident but obtaining management buy-in on the recommendations, truly creates an organizational context which supports ethical behavior; employees are able to hone their skills, sanctioned by upper management, resulting in a highly motivated and more efficient employee, both which contribute to the Company's success. Recommendation: The practice of using scraps of material and company machinery in order to build decorative ornaments has been condoned by management for years. In addition, these ornaments have already been made (being stored in the storage room), so it will be difficult to ascertain those personnel responsible for the practice. Each of the three ethical principle analyses resulted in Option D being the favored course of action. Fontaine should inform upper management of the incident upon discovering the ornaments and obtain their buy in with his recommended course of action.Upon approval: remind employees of the Code of Conduct and post it prominently throughout the workshop; post throughout the workshop the infractions and punishment for recent misappropriations of material, next to the Code of Conduct; request H/R to implement new policies to annually h ave employees review the Code of Conduct, as well as upon transfer to different departments within the plant; have required training for Page on company policies to make him a better leader; allow employees to purchase scrap at cost; and possibly request permission for employees to use scraps and machinery for special purposes/events (ie Christmas, going away gifts), as a means to improve the skill and capability of all employees as a version of on-the-job-training. Ultimately, the company will have highly motivated employees with better skills and high morale, resulting in improved production in the â€Å"Axe. † REFERENCES Anteby, Michel, & Hyman, Mikell (2011). The Redgrove Axial Workshop (Rev. Jan. 5, 2011). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Trevino, L. K. , & Nelson, K. A. (2011). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right (5th Ed. . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. www. haworth. com/en-us/Knowledge/Workplace-Library/Documents/Four-Organizatio nal-Culture-Types_6. pdf Last Call: an Interactive Multimedia Simulation. Facilitator’s Guide Page 12. Protection of Company Assets ITE employees must protect company assets.Company assets include a) intellectual property and trade secrets, b) business strategy, c) financial data, d) production materials, e) equipment, f) fleet, furniture, and g) computer supplies and software. Company assets are intended for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation. 3b. Sanctions Failure to protect company assets will result in sanction commensurate to the company loss. Sanctions can range form warnings to termination, and might include withheld pay. Criminal charges in courts might also be filed if deemed necessary by the ITE Corporation. Source: ITE documents. APPENDIX D Summary of Redgrove Records of Material Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 ) February 1998: A workshop worker was reported by an anonymous source to be â€Å"stealing company mate rials. † (The HR department received a letter). Upon closer inspection, it turned out the worker was making a window frame for his house, and doing this at the end of his day shift. He received a â€Å"stern warning,† â€Å"two days without pay,† and was told that the next infraction would lead to termination. 2) December 1998: A storage room employee was discovered with raw, expensive materials (titanium) in his car as he was driving out of the plant. The employee was fired. 3) November 1999: During a random search of employees exiting the plant, a guard found a miniature turbine. The worker who was found with it claimed it was a gift for his brother.The worker received a three-day suspension and was warned that any additional discoveries would result in the termination of his employment. 4) June 2002: The purchasing director found a number of workers distributing pins they had manufactured to â€Å"commemorate† the launch of a new aircraft. The pins were made from workshop scraps. Three of the workers were suspended without pay for two days. 5) March 2003: A visiting ITE director asked about a set of metal candlesticks at a local â€Å"antique shop. † The vendor explained that they had been made at the nearby Redgrove plant. The director asked for the maker’s name, but the shopkeeper claimed ignorance. An internal audit was conducted to no avail.The candlesticks disappeared a few weeks later from the shop: â€Å"bought by a city person,† according to the shopkeeper. 6) January 2005: In a regular random search of a car exiting the plant one evening, the on-duty guard discovered metal forging tools and workshop scraps in the trunk of an employee’s car. The incident resulted in a â€Å"warning,† and the employee retired several months early, shortly thereafter. Source: Casewriter ANNEX E Consequentialist Analysis – Option A (Do Nothing) [pic] ANNEX F Consequentialist Analysis – Report I ncident, Request Guidance [pic] ANNEX G Consequentialist Analysis – Don’t Report, Handle Incident In-House [pic] ANNEX H Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident but Recommend Actions, Gain Upper Management Buy-In [pic]

Ice and the Density of Water

Why does ice float on top of water rather than sink, like most solids? There are two parts to the answer to this question. First, lets take a look at why anything floats. Then, lets examine why ice floats on top of liquid water, instead of sinking to the bottom. Why Ice Floats A substance floats if it is less dense, or has less mass per unit volume, than other components in a mixture. For example, if you toss a handful of rocks into a bucket of water, the rocks, which are dense compared to the water, will sink. The water, which is less dense than the rocks, will float. Basically, the rocks push the water out of the way or displace it. For an object to be able to float, it has to displace a weight of fluid equal to its own weight. Water reaches its maximum density at 4 C (40 F). As it cools further and freezes into ice, it actually becomes less dense. On the other hand, most substances are most dense in their solid (frozen) state than in their liquid state. Water is different because of hydrogen bonding. AÂ  water molecule is made from one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms strongly joined to each other with covalent bonds. Water molecules are also attracted to each other by weaker chemical bonds (hydrogen bonds) between the positively-charged hydrogen atoms and the negatively charged oxygen atoms of neighboring water molecules. As the water cools below 4Â  C, the hydrogen bonds adjust to hold the negatively charged oxygen atoms apart. This produces a crystal lattice, which is commonly known as ice. Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. In other words, ice takes up about 9% more space than water, so a liter of ice weighs less than liter water. The heavier water displaces the lighter ice, so ice floats to the top. One consequence of this is that lakes and rivers freeze from top to bottom, allowing fish to survive even when the surface of a lake has frozen over. If ice sank, the water would be displaced to the top and exposed to the colder temperature, forcing rivers and lakes to fill with ice and freeze solid. Heavy Water Ice Sinks However, not all water ice floats on regular water. Ice made using heavy water, which contains the hydrogen isotope deuterium, sinks in regular water. Hydrogen bonding still occurs, but its not enough to offset the mass difference between normal and heavy water. Heavy water ice sinks in heavy water.