https://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/160 2017-11-06T15:31:46Z https://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/538 Green furniture: sustainable design guidelines for the Irish furniture and wood products industry. Browne, Pamela This thesis presents the research and development of sustainable design guidelines for the furniture and wood products industry, suitable for sustainably enhancing design, manufacturing and associated activities. This sustainable guideline is based on secondary research conducted on subject areas such as ‘eco’ design, ‘green’ branding and ‘green’ consumerism, as well as an examination of existing certifications and sustainable tools techniques and methodologies, national and international drivers for sustainable development and an overview of sustainability in the Irish furniture manufacturing context. The guideline was further developed through primary research. This consisted of a focus group attended by leading Irish designers, manufacturers and academics in the area of furniture and wood products. This group explored the question of ‘green branding’ saturation in the market and the viability of investing in sustainability just yet. Participants stated that they felt the market for ‘green’ products is evolving very slowly and that there is no metric or legal framework present to audit whether or not companies are producing products that really embody sustainability. All the participants believed that developing and introducing a new certification process to incorporate a sustainable design process was a viable and necessary solution to protecting Irish furniture and wood manufacturers going forward. For the purposes of the case study, the author investigated a ‘sustainable’ design process for Team woodcraft, Ltd., through the design and development of a ‘sustainable’ children’s furniture range. The case study followed a typical design and development process; detailing customer design specifications, concept development and refinement and cumulating in final prototype, as well as associated engineering drawings. Based on this primary and secondary research, seven fundamental core principles for this sustainable guideline have been identified by the author. The author then used these core principles to expand into guidelines for the basis of proposed new Irish sustainable design guidelines for the furniture and wood products industry, the concept of which the author has named ‘Green Dot’. The author suggests that the ‘Green Dot’ brand or logo could be used to market an umbrella network of Irish furniture designers and manufactures who implement the recommended sustainable techniques. 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z https://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/539 The application of process planning in the Irish furniture and wood products Industry Leamy, Paul In its simplest form process planning is the preparation of a list of the sequence of processes, applied to material in a manufacturing facility, to bring it to a useable part or product. Process planning can be seen as an integral component of the design-to-manufacture cycle. There is a shortage of available research and other supporting material relevant to the design-to-manufacture cycle in the furniture and wood products industry. This shortage is more acute in the context of the major changes in production technology that have overtaken the industry in the last 20 years, predominantly flexible computer numerical controlled (CNC) machining centres. Even though CNC technology is abundant in the Irish furniture and wood products industry, companies were not utilising it to full potential. This feedback led the research work towards looking specifically at the application of process planning methods. The practice of process planning is common in other manufacturing industries as are the benefits. Research conductcd in this project found no evidence of any formal process planning being used in the Irish furniture and wood products industry. Further study revealed that the decision to make a component on a particular machine was based on the decision makers training, experience and personal preferences, and not based on any calculation of the most productive method. Thus the primary objective of this thesis became the development of a methodology for process planning that will support product engineering efforts, and guide design and production decisions involving traditional and modem technology. Results from workshop based process planning trials, revealed extraordinary differences in experienced people’s process plans, for the manufacture of the same product in the same manufacturing facility. Process planning decisions were found to be influenced by peoples experiences with certain processes and not based on any formal thought process as to the most economical solution. Process planning guidelines were developed for a limited number of woodworking processes. These guidelines were applied in a sample exercise using intelligent spreadsheet logic with a range of process and part parameters and a knowledge base of previously recorded set-up and processing times. They achieved more favourable results than any of the eight process planners involved in the trials. The guidelines were then integrated into a process planning methodology to demonstrate how such a decision tool might be utilised in a larger product development approach. Finally, a list of functionality is given for a process planning decision support system based on the results of the research. 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z https://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/537 The initial teacher e-portfolio: towards a streamlined platform Maye, Kevin The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) is a provider of Teacher Education (TE) for second level teachers in the technical subjects Construction Studies and Design and Communication Graphics. In line with the requirements of the Teaching Council, Ireland, GMIT facilitates student teachers to develop a professional teaching and learning portfolio. Since 2011, GMIT has researched and pioneered innovative approaches to the development of an electronic Teaching and Learning Portfolio (ePortfolio) in the contexts of e-Assessment; initiatives that have been commended by theTeaching Council in their report of the programme in January 2014. The e-Portfolio has a threefold purpose: to showcase teaching philosophies, innovations and resources, to act as a live teaching tool in the classroom, and to facilitate e assessment, by peers and staff. The Institute currently uses Weebly and Excel tools for these purposes. The former provides a professional showcase of learning outputs and thelatter acts as a repository management system for students teaching resources and a platform for eAssessment. This current action research critically examines the effectiveness of these tools, from both student and staff perspectives. Research methodologies include: individual online (Moodle) critical reflections, questionnaire surveys, and focus groups. The research finds high levels of satisfaction with both tools, on the part of staff and students alike, from the perspectives of construction, accessibility, easy navigation, showcase potential, cost, and effective use in the classroom. The initial feedback related to a critique of using two independent tools. However, further research suggests that students would prefer one comprehensive platform that should have two distinct functions; 1)an open access area that presents a selection from their teaching and 2)a secure repository for teaching resources. Examining secure cloud based options that will act as both a showcase for work and as a resource repository will constitute the next phase/cycle of action research. 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/536 Cross institutional interchanges: student-teacher perspectives on an Irish service learning partnership Mulcahy, Denis; Maye, Kevin; Cummins, Michael; Tierney, Ciaran; Logue Collins, Pauline; Foley, Ann The research partners in this action research study are the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterfrack (GMITL) and QDS, Cope Foundation, Cork. GMITL is a provider of undergraduate initial teacher education (ITE) for second level teachers in the technical subjects Construction Studies and Design and Communication Graphics. QDS is service provider for adults with intellectual and physical challenges, specialising in wood technology and manufacture. GMITL student teachers engage in a civic engagement placement with QDS using the model of service learning (SL). This study investigates student teacher perspectives on participation in the SL experience with QDS. The study aims to identify benefits and challenges arising out of this partnership. 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z