The determinants of knowledge transfer within collaborative new product development projects

Purpose – This paper explores the factors which determine the degree of knowledge transfer in inter-firm new product development projects. We test a theoretical model exploring how inter-firm knowledge transfer is enabled or hindered by a buyer’s learning intent, the degree of supplier protectiveness, inter-firm knowledge ambiguity, and absorptive capacity. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 153 R&D intensive manufacturing firms in the UK automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, electrical, chemical, and general manufacturing industries were used to test the framework. Two-step structural equation modeling in AMOS 7.0 was used to analyse the data. Findings – Our results indicate that a buyer’s learning intent increases inter-firm knowledge transfer, but also acts as an incentive for suppliers to protect their knowledge. Such defensive measures increase the degree of inter-firm knowledge ambiguity, encouraging buyer firms to invest in absorptive capacity as a means to interpret supplier knowledge, but also increase the degree of knowledge transfer. Practical implications – Our paper illustrates the effects of focusing on acquisition, rather than accessing, supplier technological knowledge. We show that an overt learning strategy can be detrimental to knowledge transfer between buyer-supplier, as supplier’s react by restricting the flow of information. Organisations are encouraged to consider this dynamic when engaging in multi-organisational new product development projects. Originality/value – This paper examines the dynamics of knowledge transfer within inter-firm NPD projects, showing how transfer is influenced by the buyer firm’s learning intention, supplier’s response, characteristics of the relationship and knowledge to be transferred.

Aerospace Stiffened Panel Initial Sizing With Novel Skin Sub-Stiffening Features

The introduction of skin sub-stiffening features has the potential to modify the local stability and fatigue crack growth performance of stiffened panels. Proposed herein is a method to enable initial static strength sizing of panels with such skin sub-stiffening features. The method uses bespoke skin buckling coefficients, automatically generated by Finite Element analysis and thus limits the modification to the conventional aerospace panel initial sizing process. The approach is demonstrated herein and validated for prismatic sub-stiffening features. Moreover, examination of the generated buckling coefficient data illustrates the influence of skin sub-stiffening on buckling behavior, with static strength increases typically corresponding to a reduction in the number of initial skin longitudinal buckle half-waves.

Thermoforming carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites

The use of carbon fibre composites is growing in many sectors but their use remains stronger in very high value industries such as aerospace where the demands of the application more easily justify the high energy input needed and the corresponding costs incurred. This energy and cost input is returned through gains over the whole life of the product, with for example, longer maintenance intervals for an aircraft and lower fuel burn. Thermoplastic composites however have a different energy and cost profile compared to traditional thermosets with notable differences in recyclability, but this profile is not well quantified or documented. This study considers the key process control parameters and identifies an optimal window for processing, along with the effect this has on the final characteristics of the manufactured parts. Interactions between parameters and corresponding sensitivities are extracted from the results.

“An Examination of the Key Factor of Influence In the Development Process of Credit Union Industries,”

The aim of this paper is to analyse credit union industries within a development framework. Explicit consideration is given to credit union industries in four countries – Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. It is argued that in terms of a developmental typology the credit union industry in Great Britain is at a nascent stage of development, the industries in Ireland and New Zealand are at a transition stage while the US credit union industry is mature in nature. In progression between stages the analysis considers the influence of factors such as situational leadership, the complexion of trade associations, professionalisation, regulatory and legislative initiatives and technology. The analysis concluded that while there was a substantial commonality of experience, there were also significant differences in the impact of these factors. This consequently encouraged the recognition of the existence of ‘a variety of the species’ in respect of credit union development.

Stiffener debonding mechanisms in post-buckled CFRP aerospace panels

This paper describes the fractographic analysis of five CFRP post-buckled skin/stringer panels that were tested to failure in compression. The detailed damage mechanisms for skin/stiffener detachment in an undamaged panel were characterised and related to the stress conditions during post-buckling; in particular the sites of peak twist (at buckling nodes) and peak bending moments (at buckling anti-nodes). The initial event was intralaminar splitting of the +45 degrees plies adjacent to the skin/stiffener interface, induced by high twist at a nodeline. This was followed by mode II delamination, parallel to +/- 45 degrees plies and then lengthwise (0 degrees) shear along the stiffener centreline. The presence of defects or damage was found to influence this failure process, leading to a reduction in strength. This research provides an insight into the processes that control post-buckled performance of stiffened panels and suggests that 2D models and element tests do not capture the true physics of skin/stiffener detachment: a full 3D approach is required.

Impact of composite manufacturing constraints on aerospace stiffened panel design

This paper reports on a design study assessing the impact of laminate manufacturing constraints on the structural performance and weight of composite stiffened panels. The study demonstrates that maximizing ply continuity results in weight penalties, while various geometric constraints related to manufacture and repair can be accommodated without significant weight penalties, potentially generating robust flexible designs.