Coal is regarded as important fuel because of its stable supply and low price, but coal is blamed for its CO 2 emission. Japanese utilities are making efforts to improve thermal efficiency and to expand biomass co-firing. On the other hand, CCS technologies are under development as a countermeasure for global warming and demonstration projects planned in several power stations are announced in world wide. As CO 2 capture from power station requires huge in-house power, thermal efficiency is deteriorated. To make a breakthrough, NEDO started a project to develop the high-efficiency oxy-fuel IGCC system. This system recirculates gas turbine exhaust gas to both gasifier and gas turbine combustor. Recirculated exhaust gas is used both to feed pulverized coal to gasifier and to dilute syngas in gas turbine combustor. The target efficiency is 42% at HHV basis, equivalent to state of the art coal-fired power station. Various studies were done to confirm the concept of this system and to develop fundamental technologies necessary for the system since 2008 to 2014 as NEDO project. Based on the achievements, the project made another step since 2015 as a five-year joint NEDO project with MHI and MHPS. This paper introduces the latest status of this project executed by CRIEPI by referring several related papers.

Four kinds of commercial glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics including GF reinforced polypropylene (GF/PP), GF reinforced polyamide 6 (GF/PA6), GF reinforced polycarbonate (GF/PC) and GF reinforced polyoxymethylene (GF/POM) were used in this study. The contents of GF were 10%, 20% and 40%. GF/PP, GF/PA6, PF/PC and GF/POM composites were fabricated to dumbbell specimen by injection molding. The effect of glass fiber contents on tensile properties, morphology and dynamic mechanical properties was investigated. Fiber volume fraction, fiber length distribution and fiber orientation were observed by burning off polymer resin and dispersed remaining fibers on a glass slide. The Kelly-Tyson model is used for prediction strength and calculated the critical fiber length of each GF reinforced polymer composites. Tensile strength of all composites increased with increasing glass fiber contents. The fiber orientation factor and the fiber length distribution were increased at higher contents of glass fibers. The interfacial shear strength values of GF/PP, GF/PC and GF/POM composites increased with increasing fiber contents while the declination of the interfacial shear strength was found in GF/PA6 composites. It is interesting to report that the interfacial shear strength of GFRP composites was calulated according to the modified rule of mixture (MROM) and the Kelly-Tyson model, which the interfacial shear strength of the composites increased with incresing glass fiber contents.

Japan is geopolitically blessed with natural grace such as beautiful four seasons, abundant forest, fruitful earth and fresh water. And it seems that it has induced the deep trust between nature and human and has cultivated the Japanese unique culture which harmonizes nature with human sensibility. The origin of handmade technology in Japan dates back to the Jomon period more than 10,000 years ago. The Jomon potteries excavated were made by utilizing the technologies of kneading clay with water and sintering by fire, and some of them were discovered to have the lacquer coatings on their surfaces extracted from plants. The conventional technology would be created by our predecessors who had the sophisticated sensitivity and the excellent imagination cultivated with the careful observation of nature behavior. The technology was handed down to today through various historical changes in response to the diverse values of the individual era. It can be considered that the Japanese conventional technology is the nature friendly cultural asset co-created by nature and human through the long-term environmental changes more than 10000 years. Future-applied conventional technology is the most reliable technology study to develop the future and to hand over the advanced value to the next generation.In this study, we scrutinized the related theme studied by Future-Applied Conventional Technology Center in Kyoto Institute of Technology, in order to extract the engineering element inherent in the conventional technologies and classify into common elements and specific elements for each technology. From the view point of nature and human relation, engineering elements were extracted comprehensively about the main materials, the auxiliary materials, the human sensibility, the hand tools and the human skills. The main materials and the auxiliary materials were classified into “wood, fire, earth, metal, water” according to the old Eastern thought “the five elements theory” which constitute nature, and animal-derived materials in addition. The human sensibility elements were extracted about the material evaluation, the dynamic process observation and the finished degree evaluation and classified into five senses “visual, auditory, tactile, taste, smell”, and the other sense such as fitness feeling with clothes or accessories. The hand tools were listed such as brush, trowel, spatula, scissors and hammer with the features of usage. The human skills were extracted about each material manipulating process comprehensively and classified into common elements and specific elements, by considering the features respectively. With applying this study as a guideline for the innovation of the future technology harmonized with nature and human, it would be expected to promote variety of researches of the conventional technology and to develop the future technology for the modern cutting-edge field, by feeling the importance of the engineering elements and their relationship study inherent in the conventional technology.

In this research, eye movement measurement was performed for the process of the operation under laparoscopy to two or more persons. The knack of advanced technique was understood through numerical method and the difference in technology were evaluated, and it aimed at showing the influence of years of experience on eye movement by comparing the operation for the operators with different level of skill. The target operation was laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We decided to carry out under the same conditions using a simulator, and the subject was taken as two experts and one unskilled operator from which years of experience differ so that comparison between two or more subjects might be attained. According to the procedure in which it is most worked by the whole operation by actual laparoscopic cholecystectomy, it classified into nine items and measured the factor about working hours and a view at each process.

This paper mainly discusses the effect of coupling on the tensile properties of glass fiber (GF)/carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polypropylene (PP) hybrid composites which were made through a new injection molding process named direct fiber feeding injection (DFFIM) process. It is mainly divided into two parts which discusses the functional of coupling agent in the composites system, and the different contents of coupling agent (PA6 and MAPP) on the tensile properties of composites. DFFIM progress is a new method that by directly feeding of continuous carbon fiber into the barrel of injection molding machine to make the hybrid composites. The continuous CF roving strands are guided into the vent of devolatilizing unit of injection barrel and fed into the melt by the shearing motion of the screw during plasticization process. By using DFFIM process to make composites, the fiber attrition during extrusion compounding will be eliminated. It is a great improvement in reduction of material cost. And also the cost of reinforcing compounded pellet in the traditional composites market value chain could be lower. Polyamide 6 (PA6), Maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP) or both of them were mixed with pellets during the DFFIM process and PA6 and MAPP were used as coupling agent for CF/GF reinforced PP system. The CF and GF contents in each hybrid composites were tested to analysis the influence of fiber contains on the tensile properties of composites. Usually, better interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix in composites, better tensile properties of composites. So the effect of coupling agent (PA6 and MAPP) on the interfacial bonding between CF and PP in hybrid composites were firstly analyzed. And then the influence different contents of PA6 and MAPP on the tensile properties of GF/PP composites and GF/CF reinforced PP hybrid composites were investigated. It is found that the addition of PA6 did not improve the interfacial bonding but the addition of MAPP has shown a little improvement to the bonding between CF and PP. And when using PA6 and MAPP together as co-coupling agent, the tensile properties of composites has greatly increased. And, there is fiber aggregation in the core layer of the hybrid composites which made by DFFIM process, while there is no such phenomenon happened in the condition of normal injection molding process. It is the main reason that the tensile strength of hybrid composites without coupling agent is weaker than the GF/PP composites. And the tensile modulus of composites would be increased considerably. That is due to the addition of the carbon fiber which has high tensile modulus. In the condition of composites with 1wt.% PA6, the 1wt.% PA6 shows positives effect on tensile properties and while PA6 has negative role when the amount of PA6 has improved. Within a certain range, the larger amount of MAPP in the system of MAPP-PA6 composites, the better on the tensile properties of composites is. And MAPP has positive effect on the tensile properties of composites.

According to the report in May, 2015 by Japan Paper Recycling Promotion Center, quantity of paper and paperboard product in Japan decreases is about 18% from 2007 to 2014. Japanese quantity of waste paper in 2014 is 21750000ton, the rate of collected waste paper is 80.8%. Nevertheless Japanese consumption of waste paper is 17190000ton, the rate of utilizing waste paper is 63.9%. It means that quantity of collected waste paper become bigger than quantity of utilizing waste paper, a lot of waste-paper is exported to East Asia (especially China). Balance of waste paper demand and supply in Japan has already broken. It could be expected that waste paper will be collected more and more, but it is difficult to solve the problem that all domestic collected waste paper is used, in order to increasing phenomenon of helpful to recycle, energy saving, environmental protection movement. It is considered that the usage of paper tube need to be expanded which is produced by waste paper. Paper tube has been widely applied in many areas, such as packaging industry, film rolls, adhesive-tape industry, furniture decoration, temporary structures in building and so on. For example churches could be made from paper. The mechanical property of paper tube need to be investigated to get wide application. At current study, the mechanical property of 8 kinds of paperboards for paper tubes fabrication were investigated included tension, compression and peeling properties combining with anisotropic property. These kinds of paperboards have different mechanical properties but same dimension. By this method, the effects of different properties including tension, compression and peeling on mechanical property of paper tubes could be evaluated. A series of paper tubes with different layers was fabricated and the lateral compression test was carried out and evaluated. The fracture form of paper tubes and fracture position on paper tubes were discussed together with paperboards properties. The cause of delamination behavior of laminated paper was analysis based on the detailed observation and finite element analysis. From fracture process, it was found that the main fracture of paper tube is delamination during lateral compression action which was considered peeling action has a big influence. According to this phenomenon, acoustic emission (AE) and observation of peeling paperboard were conducted.

As well known, Kyoto has been the capital city of Japan for one thousand years. The long ancient culture brings out a serious of traditional craft products, such as ‘Kana-ami’ — a kind of metal wire network. ‘Kana-ami’ was all made by hand work, for this reason there was no industrial pollution produced during the manufacturing process. In other words, ‘Kana-ami’ is a kind of green manufacturing product, and its processing motion and working experience make a big effect on final products’ quality. Product’s quality was judged by the standard structure of ‘Kana-ami’, which was established after a long period of history and culture accumulation. That aesthetical standard has already been consistently rooted into Japanese peoples’ heart deeply. Dated back to around 50 years, there were about 30 handmade wire net shops in Kyoto. However, it has decreased dramatic until 7 shops now. Therefore, it is urgent time to pay attention to this severe reality and try to do something to keep this traditional culture wealth and continue green manufacturing technique and skill to the next generation. In this study, the expert and non-expert were employed as the target investigated subject from ‘Kanaami Tsuji’ workshop. Investigated subjects were required to fabricate a Kana-ami product, which was investigated by 3D motion capture during product’s fabrication. The structural features of final products by expert and non-expert were illustrated and compared by the numerical analysis. The moment of scoop tofu was recorded by high-speed camera in order to clarify the small differences on product performance. In a word, the great effort is to reduce the final products impact to the surface of tofu.

As well known that material’s scratch behavior/resistance is considering as a kind of surface toughness parameter, which can affect product’s appearance quality and mechanical property reduction. Material’s surface scratch damage may also accelerate critical fracture existence in following mechanical test process. In this paper, dumbbell and plate samples of neat polycarbonate (PC) and 20wt% of glass fiber (GF) additive corresponding GF/PC composite were fabricated by injection molding technology. Basically, scratch damage performance was investigated by applying various scratch depths in dumbbell sample thickness direction following with tensile property change discussion. Initially, cross-section of scratch path in samples was observed to investigate various scratch parameters’ effect on scratch damage. Afterwards, dumbbell tension, plate’s drop weight impact test and bending test were conducted. Finally, dumbbell sample tension’s brittle fracture and plate’s impact damage tolerance were discussed based on tension strain, impact energy absorption and fractural appearance. The results indicates that material’s critical scratch depth could make sample’s tension fracture change from ductile to brittle, affecting material’s failure early-warming. Additionally, PC material with surface damage would decrease the energy absorption during plate bending process bearing smaller maximum load and deflection.

In this research, a needle bar was studied to approach the techniques and manufactures of this product by learning via the expert. Although the fixed of the pins on the brass bar is the only one step to make a needle bar, the fixed method is so complicate. It requires the fineness and high skill from manufacturer. The soldering process was used for fixed pins and brass bar together. However, the effect of heat transfer from soldering process on brass bar revealed the curve of specimen. The hitting technique was used to modify the curve. This technique is very useful. The curved of needle bar was improved and became too straight.

Quartz glass is a special glass material known as “King of Glass”. The silicon purity of the quartz glass is very high, therefore it is excellent in heat resistance, chemical resistance and optical transparency as compared to other glasses, such as borosilicate glass. At present, it is used in the production field of leading-edge. Now researches are carried out to develop it as key components of special manufacturing equipment, scientific instruments and analysis equipment that require high-precision, high purity, the high light transmittance. However, due to its high heat resistance, it is difficult to be processed into various shapes. As a result, manufactured quarts glass products, generally, might be different even in one batch. To respond to such products for precision instruments, it is preferable to select the heat molding process by flame called “fire-process” in many cases. “fire-process” is the process of forming a softening point of heated quartz glass material by a mixed combustion flame of hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, a technique for forming a glass material softened by heating is required, and now it is done by human hand processing of engineers. While skilled human technique of long time experience is required in order to produce high precision and an efficient products. Therefore digitizing and analysis of the work of expert engineers with high level of hand skill is needed to increase the processing technology of the engineers less skilled and take advantage in the manufacture of high-precision products. In this study, the differences in the working process between engineers with different years of experience during the “fire-process” of quartz glass material were analyzed. Fire-process is of heating joint glass cylinders during rotating using a dedicated glass lathe machine. The working behaviors of three operators were recorded by videos during “fire-process”. And the thickness of jointed part of final products was measured by ultrasonic equipment to evaluate the quality of the jointed situation. It is found that these differences in the process of heating joint of glass cylinder have effects on the accuracy of finial production and the manufacturing efficiency.

In this study, the short glass fiber reinforced polyoxymethylene composites were fabricated by direct fiber feeding injection molding (DFFIM). The processing parameters such as number of fiber, matrix feeding speed and screw rotational speed are study the effect on fiber content, fiber length and mechanical properties. Fiber orientation and fiber distribution are observed by scanning electron microscope. The maximum and minimum fiber content are 34.1 and 11.5 wt.%, respectively. The increasing of number of fiber and screw rotational speed and the decreasing of matrix feeding speed lead to the increasing of fiber content. Tensile modulus increase when fiber content increase. However, tensile strength do not increase when fiber content is over 23.3 wt.% due to poor orientation and distribution of glass fiber.

Japanese traditional industry has evolved depending on demand, so that it has been contributed to Japanese manufacturing for a long time. Therefore, it is considered that learning and understanding the basis of that skill connects to learning the culture of one’s own country and supporting future manufacturing. Consequently, we propose the development of human resources who can contribute not only to Japanese manufacturing, but also to world manufacturing through Future-Applied Conventional Technology. That is consistent subject — not just a unit — from elementary to high school. Its aim is to deepen a person’s familiarity with and understanding of the culture and manufacturing in his or her own country. In Japan, an individual accomplishes this by learning Japanese traditional manufacturing — practical and indwelling knowledge of the predecessor in traditional industry — and developing the ability to absorb the acquired knowledge and skill through inventive ideas based on the “visiting old, learning new” concept.

Nowadays “eco-design” is becoming a philosophy to guide next generation of materials and products as global environmental issue produced by fossil fuels and resource overusing. With an industrial increasing interest in sustainable, eco-efficient and green material’s application, natural fiber in polymer composite is guided to develop rapidly. As well know that, natural fibers possess advantages over synthetic or manmade fibers due to its abundance, biodegradability, CO 2 neutrality, excellent price/performance ratio and comparable specific strength properties. However, outdoor applications of natural fiber composite are still constrained and raising concerns in terms of their durability, including UV resistance, moisture resistance and extreme temperature withstand and dimensional stability. Continuing with previous research on kenaf non-woven reinforced unsaturated polyester composites three months degradation performance, in order to get a good knowledge of its degradation process/cycle in complicated outdoor environments, longer degradation periods up to 6 months and 12 months in this paper were added for further investigation and comparison. Initially, three sets of kenaf fiber mat composite samples were located in extreme cold temperature (Harbin), mild sea climate Kyoto (Japan), subtropical marine monsoon climate Shanghai (China) and tropical monsoon climate Zaria (Nigeria) respectively from the same starting time until predetermined ageing periods, afterwards weight change and mechanical behavior in terms of tensile, flexural, impact and fracture toughness were measured instrumentally for ageing effect discussion and comparison. As expected, the aged specimens in those different positions all showed the dropped mechanical properties with increasing ageing periods. Furthermore, the trend of degradation in various mechanical parameters was established, which demonstrated weight loss made more serious effect on aged sample’s mechanical properties’ reduction than water absorption behavior. In a word, dropped mechanical properties of the degraded composites accompanied with weight change behavior were clarified, in which degradation phenomenon of embrittled the matrix polymer, deteriorated reinforced fiber and interfacial properties were detected.

Gel Coating has been used for forming composite structures since ancient times. Although the gel coating method is very primitive, it offers the advantage of being able to deal widely with different production volumes and product sizes because the molds used are inexpensive and facility costs are low. On the other hand, gel coating work itself relies on human skills, which means that the finish differs according to the operator carrying out the work, the quality of the product differs among parts depending on the ease of forming. Hence highly specialized control technique and the tradition of skill are required to ensure the consistent stability of product quality. Generally, it needs more than 25 years of training and practice, as well as relentless efforts and an instinctive sense of molding to master the art of gel coating. However, there are in fact very few people who can be called experts of the technique in Japan. For this reason, the tradition of molding techniques needs to be carried on as quickly as possible. It is considered that the experiment, seemingly a new and only attempt in Japan, quantified techniques that are not visibly apparent and considered to be tacit knowledge. Therefore, in this study, motion analysis experiment of gel coating experts by MAC 3D System at a sampling rate of 60 Hz was conducted to obtain objective data on an expert applier’s skills (the default value) with compared to the non-expert one. Furthermore, dimensional stability measurements were made, and an investigation of the correlation to an expert’s application techniques was conducted in order to pass the suitable training and communicating technical skills to advanced management engineering and inexperienced appliers. It is found that the movement of an expert applier’s lower body had a different motion compared with a non-expert applier. The expert’s centroid moved smoothly and his motion tended to be constant. On the other hand, the non-expert’s motion was awkward at several points and his motion didn’t have the same tendencies as the expert.

Carbon fiber composites are getting more and more widely used in aeronautics and astronautics, vessels, blades of wind turbine generators and so on. In this study, carbon fabric as reinforcement and thermoplastic and thermosetting resin as matrix were used to manufacture carbon fiber prepreg to mold the unidirectional carbon fiber sheet composite (Carbon/PA6 and Carbon/Epoxy). Specially, the multi-tensile tests of 90 degree carbon fiber sheet composite specimens with 150 mm gage length were carried out. After the 1 st trial, the longer part of the fracture specimen was chosen as the experimental specimen of 2 nd trial tensile test. Similarly, the 3 rd trial was investigated. The mechanical properties of 90 specimens including tensile strength, elastic modulus and ultimate stain of polished specimens were investigated in the primary research. Then, the effect of trial on the mechanical properties, the comparison of failure probability distribution of ultimate strain of trials, the relation between gage length and tensile strength, tensile strength and ultimate strain were discussed according to the multi-tensile test result of each specimen. Additionally, the interfacial properties were discussed based on the SEM observation on the fracture surface.

Recycling and reusing is a noticeable method for environment protecting. Recycled paper is one of the most successful cases as it contributes to energy saving, low cost, low wood consumption and environmental protection. During paper recycling process, many different kinds of raw materials can be used. Paperboards made of different raw materials showed different properties. In this study, three kinds of raw materials were selected to fabricate paperboards respectively combining with thermosetting resin, paperboards reinforced plastic composite was laminated by hand layup method. Detailed observation were carried out to analysis the molding stations including the tensile property which was investigated on both unnotched and notched specimens, besides, to investigate the anisotropy, tensile test was conducted on the specimens both in machine rolling direction and transverse direction. SEM was also employed to observe the materials and fracture area respectively.

Generally hybrid composite material is with two or more reinforcements or matrixes. They are referred as hybrid matrix and fiber hybrid. Further it is also included hybrid interface using different materials state of the interface. Therefore high functionality which compensates the disadvantages of each other by a hybrid can be expected. At current study, additionally, various strengthening forms were obtained and spread to textile material with hybrid(s). For example, techniques used in the weft and warp fibers/yarns might be different in making a fabric. It will be referred to as intra-layer hybrid fabric. It means in making fabric. It means that different physical properties due to the loading direction in one layer, the mechanical properties unique variety can be expected. In this study, carbon/glass intra-hybrid woven fabric was used to fabricate fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite through hand lay-up method. Then, the investigation on the mechanical property and fracture behaviour was carried out. Tensile test combined with acoustic emission (AE) measurement was conducted in this research. Knee point stress was the main factor of initial damage which discussed with AE characteristics during mechanical test. Due to the difference of energy release from fracture between glass fiber and matrix, the fracture characteristics of composite could be monitored during the test through AE facility. Relation between bundle and cracks inside the materials was examined through optical microscope. Scanning electron microscope observation was also carried out to examine the fracture of materials after testing.

Recycled paper is helpful to reduce trash discharge, save resource and cost. Tube is one of the most common structures of recycled paper in application. It is an excellent choice for packing. It’s also used in the construction of temporary structures for both exhibition spaces or for rapid-recovery shelters in emergency operations. As paper tubes are laminated by paperboards which are inherent anisotropy materials, the researches on mechanical property and fracture behavior became complicated. In the current study, paperboards used for paper tubes were tested on universal testing machine to investigate their basis mechanical properties. Then, paper tubes fabricated with different kinds of paperboard and number of ply were used to investigate lateral compressive properties by Instron universal testing machine. And, a camera was employed to record the fracture process of paper tube during compression process. The fracture mechanism of paper tubes were discussed and analyzed during compressed process based on the load-displacement curves and detailed observation. Additionally, ls-dyna software was used to conduct numerical simulation and analyze stress distribution of paper tube during lateral compression.

Natural fiber composite materials are expected as capable materials which may replace the conventional and synthetic materials for the practical applications where manufacture requires less weight and energy conservation. In this study, three kinds of cellulosic-fiber mats including kenaf, bamboo and jute mats were used to fabricate composites by hand lay-up and compression molding methods. As the basic investigation, low cycle fatigue tests were carried out to analyze the material’s fatigue properties by using different bending or tensile loads. Moreover, the scanning electron microscope observation (SEM) on the fracture surfaces has been carried out respectively to investigate the degradation under cycle loads and discuss the possibility of kenaf/bamboo/jute composites achieving hypothetical outstanding mechanical properties in engineering uses.

Paper recycling is an effective way in reducing deforestation and energy consumption. Therefore recycling paper and paper products has been widely applied in many areas, such as packaging industry, furniture decoration, temporary structures in building and so on. Paper products are made from plant fibers and they are laminated materials. So it is of possible to generate interlaminar fracture in the use of paper products, especially in the construction made of paper such as paper tubes which have been used widely. In order to improve the interlaminar performance of paper products and then improve the construction performance of paper products, delamination behavior of laminated paper has been studied in this paper. By a series of peel tests, comparative analysis about different paperboard were carried out. The cause of delamination behavior of laminated paper was analysis based on the detailed observation using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).