title: Direct extrusion 3D printing for a softer PLA-based bio-polymer composite in pellet form

authors: Singamneni, Sarat

subjects: polymer composite

abstract: Fused deposition modelling is the most popular method of 3D printing with a variety of polymers, but the raw materials are commonly in the filament form. Research has demonstrated the ability to use pellets for this process, which are easier to produce than filaments. Apart from the savings on the pre-processing, the approach also combines the good attributes of both injection moulding and 3D printing and referred to as extrusion 3D printing. Direct printing of pellets is especially suited for thermosensitive polymers, with which, repeated or excessive heating may lead to degeneration. Also, polymers that are too soft do not qualify for filament-based extrusion. PLA is a popular choice for fused deposition modelling in the filament form but is often too brittle. A softer version of PLA composite based on PBAT and cellulose fibres is proposed here for 3D printing. Considering the lack of stiffness of the filaments, direct extrusion from pellet form is evaluated. Regardless of form, the polymer material system satisfied the stringent conditions of consolidation as dictated by the dynamic combination of extrusion and rasterised material deposition. Experimental evaluation based on meso-structural and mechanical property analyses indicate the new pellet-based material system to be suitable and to perform well. The novelty of the material and process combination is that the printed samples were actually comparable mechanically to the injection moulded counterparts, which is an extraordinary achievement, considering the shortcomings typical of material consolidation in additive manufacturing.

text: Direct extrusion 3D printing for a softer PLA-based bio-polymer composite in pellet form Fused deposition modelling is the most popular method of 3D printing with a variety of polymers, but the raw materials are commonly in the filament form. Research has demonstrated the ability to use pellets for this process, which are easier to produce than filaments. Apart from the savings on the pre-processing, the approach also combines the good attributes of both injection moulding and 3D printing and referred to as extrusion 3D printing. Direct printing of pellets is especially suited for thermosensitive polymers, with which, repeated or excessive heating may lead to degeneration. Also, polymers that are too soft do not qualify for filament-based extrusion. PLA is a popular choice for fused deposition modelling in the filament form but is often too brittle. A softer version of PLA composite based on PBAT and cellulose fibres is proposed here for 3D printing. Considering the lack of stiffness of the filaments, direct extrusion from pellet form is evaluated. Regardless of form, the polymer material system satisfied the stringent conditions of consolidation as dictated by the dynamic combination of extrusion and rasterised material deposition. Experimental evaluation based on meso-structural and mechanical property analyses indicate the new pellet-based material system to be suitable and to perform well. The novelty of the material and process combination is that the printed samples were actually comparable mechanically to the injection moulded counterparts, which is an extraordinary achievement, considering the shortcomings typical of material consolidation in additive manufacturing.

year: 2021

title: The political economy of employment relationships in New Zealand

authors: Cullinane, Joanna

abstract: This thesis investigates the nature of employment relationships in New Zealand. The analysis is based on the assertion that much of the 'established wisdom' about employment relationships in New Zealand workplaces is not accurate and that this lack of accuracy obscures the true nature of New Zealand's political economy. In the course of its analysis, the thesis utilises a radical humanist methodology, which highlights the nature of employment relationships and their role in New Zealand's political economy. The methodological framework is Marxist, and specifically incorporated labour process theory, French Regulation analysis, and Gramscian andDurkheimian analysis. The framework is termed 'middle range' because reflects a deliberate attempt to combine high and low order theory about employment relationships. 
Arising from analysis of literature and primary research results, the thesis concludes that employment relationships are instrumental in the formation of social ideologies and hegemonies and alliances necessary to sustain new manifestations of political economy. However, employment relationships themselves are shaped by academic families of disciplines that reflect the wider structured antagonism that is inherent in capitalism. However, core finding in the thesis is that although the academic disciplines are inextricably linked with the nature of employment relationships in New Zealand, caution must be exercised when this link is utilised. This is because the primary research indicated that the established views in the literature about the operation of certain academic disciplines did not closely match the reality of practice in New Zealand workplaces. Therefore, the assumed nature of employment relationships that might be thought to arise out of such literature cannot be relied upon to be entirely accurate. 
This finding of a lack of congruence between the established view in the literature and the actual practices in New Zealand workplaces might potentially cause dismay, but its explanation actually provides the kernel to the new knowledge this thesis adds. The lack of congruence simply indicates that the uniqueness of New Zealand's of political economy has bred a unique set of employment relationships.

text: The political economy of employment relationships in New Zealand This thesis investigates the nature of employment relationships in New Zealand. The analysis is based on the assertion that much of the 'established wisdom' about employment relationships in New Zealand workplaces is not accurate and that this lack of accuracy obscures the true nature of New Zealand's political economy. In the course of its analysis, the thesis utilises a radical humanist methodology, which highlights the nature of employment relationships and their role in New Zealand's political economy. The methodological framework is Marxist, and specifically incorporated labour process theory, French Regulation analysis, and Gramscian andDurkheimian analysis. The framework is termed 'middle range' because reflects a deliberate attempt to combine high and low order theory about employment relationships. 
Arising from analysis of literature and primary research results, the thesis concludes that employment relationships are instrumental in the formation of social ideologies and hegemonies and alliances necessary to sustain new manifestations of political economy. However, employment relationships themselves are shaped by academic families of disciplines that reflect the wider structured antagonism that is inherent in capitalism. However, core finding in the thesis is that although the academic disciplines are inextricably linked with the nature of employment relationships in New Zealand, caution must be exercised when this link is utilised. This is because the primary research indicated that the established views in the literature about the operation of certain academic disciplines did not closely match the reality of practice in New Zealand workplaces. Therefore, the assumed nature of employment relationships that might be thought to arise out of such literature cannot be relied upon to be entirely accurate. 
This finding of a lack of congruence between the established view in the literature and the actual practices in New Zealand workplaces might potentially cause dismay, but its explanation actually provides the kernel to the new knowledge this thesis adds. The lack of congruence simply indicates that the uniqueness of New Zealand's of political economy has bred a unique set of employment relationships.

year: 2003

title: Population diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand: Insights from the CaDDANZ research programme

authors: Stone, Geoff

abstract: CaDDANZ was a New Zealand Government-funded project studying the impacts of growing population diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand. The project ran from 2014 to 2020 and was extended to March 2021 due to the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Staffed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, CaDDANZ aimed to identify changing demographics and the impacts of ethnic and demographic diversity on aspects of economic and social change. This report has synthesised a bundle of key insights that could only have surfaced through the reflection on the interplay between the research questions that the original bid set out to address. While we, as a project team, did not intend to produce transdisciplinary or even interdisciplinary work on migration, diversity or the diversity dividend, setting a goal to synthesise something from the project as a whole has produced this report. Using social cohesion as a sorting mechanism for the insights has meant this overview is selective and high level. Not all the projects can be read against a social cohesion or even social inclusion lens. In particular, many of the econometric outputs explicitly addressed aspects of diversity as an economic dividend and that work is not highlighted in the synthesis. 
Three broad themes are addressed 
1. Immigration and diversity – understanding population trends 
2. [Re] conceptualising ethno-demographic diversity in Aotearoa – Tangata whenua perspectives 
3. Diversity in context – in different settings and over time 
The report concludes with four high-level insights 
1. Immigration policy needs to re-examine its position in relation to Tiriti o Waitangi where any Crown partnership relationship is currently lacking. 
2. Despite social cohesion being a negotiated term, its use as a framing for the impacts of migration on both the host country and individual migrant lives is underpinned by its use in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques on 15 March 2019 and is preferable to the concept of a diversity dividend.1 
3. While ethnocultural diversity is the default for ‘diversity dividend’ research, the concept of the social organisation of difference has broader relevance to social justice-oriented policy development.2 
4. The use of wide range of different methodologies is vital for the production of wellevidenced, theory-informed strategies and policies.

text: Population diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand: Insights from the CaDDANZ research programme CaDDANZ was a New Zealand Government-funded project studying the impacts of growing population diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand. The project ran from 2014 to 2020 and was extended to March 2021 due to the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Staffed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, CaDDANZ aimed to identify changing demographics and the impacts of ethnic and demographic diversity on aspects of economic and social change. This report has synthesised a bundle of key insights that could only have surfaced through the reflection on the interplay between the research questions that the original bid set out to address. While we, as a project team, did not intend to produce transdisciplinary or even interdisciplinary work on migration, diversity or the diversity dividend, setting a goal to synthesise something from the project as a whole has produced this report. Using social cohesion as a sorting mechanism for the insights has meant this overview is selective and high level. Not all the projects can be read against a social cohesion or even social inclusion lens. In particular, many of the econometric outputs explicitly addressed aspects of diversity as an economic dividend and that work is not highlighted in the synthesis. 
Three broad themes are addressed 
1. Immigration and diversity – understanding population trends 
2. [Re] conceptualising ethno-demographic diversity in Aotearoa – Tangata whenua perspectives 
3. Diversity in context – in different settings and over time 
The report concludes with four high-level insights 
1. Immigration policy needs to re-examine its position in relation to Tiriti o Waitangi where any Crown partnership relationship is currently lacking. 
2. Despite social cohesion being a negotiated term, its use as a framing for the impacts of migration on both the host country and individual migrant lives is underpinned by its use in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques on 15 March 2019 and is preferable to the concept of a diversity dividend.1 
3. While ethnocultural diversity is the default for ‘diversity dividend’ research, the concept of the social organisation of difference has broader relevance to social justice-oriented policy development.2 
4. The use of wide range of different methodologies is vital for the production of wellevidenced, theory-informed strategies and policies.

year: 2021