title: Mutualism beyond the "Mutual": The Collective Development of a New Zealand Single Industry Town Hospital

authors: Hurd, Fiona

subjects: Arts & Humanities

abstract: This paper discusses mutualism and its links to labourism. It is argued that rather than being contradictory, mutualism is incorporated into union activities in a range of ways beyond formal mutual and cooperative institutions, dependent on contextual differences in the labour movement. Using the case of mutual union and company involvement in the development of a public hospital in a single industry town in New Zealand during the 1960s and 1970s, we find evidence that the goals of management and the unions converged despite tensions at the site of production, and notions of cooperation for the benefit of workers and the wider community were brought to bear. As the workplace was an essential part of the town, the union’s interests were not limited to the workplace, but formed part of the social fabric of the town. Through this case, we see that engaging in mutualistic activities does not always demonstrate a weakening union agenda, but rather a method unions may employ towards improved worker welfare. Additionally, this example reminds us that union members are members of wider communities, families and societies, and that the boundaries between worker welfare in the workplace and those outside the workplace are not always easily drawn.

text: Mutualism beyond the "Mutual": The Collective Development of a New Zealand Single Industry Town Hospital This paper discusses mutualism and its links to labourism. It is argued that rather than being contradictory, mutualism is incorporated into union activities in a range of ways beyond formal mutual and cooperative institutions, dependent on contextual differences in the labour movement. Using the case of mutual union and company involvement in the development of a public hospital in a single industry town in New Zealand during the 1960s and 1970s, we find evidence that the goals of management and the unions converged despite tensions at the site of production, and notions of cooperation for the benefit of workers and the wider community were brought to bear. As the workplace was an essential part of the town, the union’s interests were not limited to the workplace, but formed part of the social fabric of the town. Through this case, we see that engaging in mutualistic activities does not always demonstrate a weakening union agenda, but rather a method unions may employ towards improved worker welfare. Additionally, this example reminds us that union members are members of wider communities, families and societies, and that the boundaries between worker welfare in the workplace and those outside the workplace are not always easily drawn.

year: 2017

title: Fault detection and path optimisation for a meat-processing robot

authors: Hurd, Shaun A.

abstract: An automated Y-cutting system has been developed by the Automation Systems team of Industrial Research Limited. This robotic device performs the Y-cut operation on sheep carcasses. The robotic Y-cutting system must deal with a variety of carcass shapes and sizes, and it is important that process faults are detected, diagnosed and corrected as quickly as possible. This thesis addresses the fault detection and path optimisation requirements of the Y-cutting system. 

The development of a neural network-based fault detection module is documented. This module classifies process faults using axial motor current data from the Y-cutting robot. The module successfully classifies 98% of the presented cut signals during offline training, and 100% of cuts during an extended trial in an Australian meat-processing plant. An online training scheme is implemented to allow for the retraining of the neural network weights as required. The fault detection module is extended to handle a greater number of fault conditions and to detect variations in the process load. 

A path optimisation algorithm is developed to optimise the parameters that define the cut-path of the robot based on the output of the fault detection module. A line-search within the parameter space is used to estimate the position of the optimum parameter value. The optimisation of fifteen path parameters requires 4760 simulated Y-cuts, equating to approximately 1.5 days of processing in a typical meat-plant. This is significantly faster than the existing method for manually tuning the Y-cutting system. The fault detection and path optimisation systems can be generically applied to other robotic systems produced by Industrial Research Limited for the handling and processing of highly varying natural products.

text: Fault detection and path optimisation for a meat-processing robot An automated Y-cutting system has been developed by the Automation Systems team of Industrial Research Limited. This robotic device performs the Y-cut operation on sheep carcasses. The robotic Y-cutting system must deal with a variety of carcass shapes and sizes, and it is important that process faults are detected, diagnosed and corrected as quickly as possible. This thesis addresses the fault detection and path optimisation requirements of the Y-cutting system. 

The development of a neural network-based fault detection module is documented. This module classifies process faults using axial motor current data from the Y-cutting robot. The module successfully classifies 98% of the presented cut signals during offline training, and 100% of cuts during an extended trial in an Australian meat-processing plant. An online training scheme is implemented to allow for the retraining of the neural network weights as required. The fault detection module is extended to handle a greater number of fault conditions and to detect variations in the process load. 

A path optimisation algorithm is developed to optimise the parameters that define the cut-path of the robot based on the output of the fault detection module. A line-search within the parameter space is used to estimate the position of the optimum parameter value. The optimisation of fifteen path parameters requires 4760 simulated Y-cuts, equating to approximately 1.5 days of processing in a typical meat-plant. This is significantly faster than the existing method for manually tuning the Y-cutting system. The fault detection and path optimisation systems can be generically applied to other robotic systems produced by Industrial Research Limited for the handling and processing of highly varying natural products.

year: 2005

title: Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti competed at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition 2014 to qualify for the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015, Christchurch. Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti placed first overall, 1st mōteatea, 1st, Haka, 1st Whakawātea, 1st Female Leader, 1st Male Leader, 1st Waiata Tira, 1st Te Reo, 1st Original Composition, 1st Costume, 2nd Waiata a Ringa, 2nd, Poi, 2nd Whakaeke.

text: Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti competed at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition 2014 to qualify for the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015, Christchurch. Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti placed first overall, 1st mōteatea, 1st, Haka, 1st Whakawātea, 1st Female Leader, 1st Male Leader, 1st Waiata Tira, 1st Te Reo, 1st Original Composition, 1st Costume, 2nd Waiata a Ringa, 2nd, Poi, 2nd Whakaeke.

year: 2014-02-22