Corrugated board sheets that are used in corrugated boxes have to be cut and creased before being folded and glued in the shape of the final box. Cutting and creasing are done by rolling a sheet of ...corrugated between rollers, carrying ribs that either cut or crease the corrugated. This technology is applied for decades and performs very well. However the rollers have to be prepared in advance and one pair of rollers is required for each type and each dimension of a box.
In case boxes have to be produced on demand, each and every box might have a specific size. Cutting and creasing between rollers is not possible and an alternative method is required. A corrugated board is put on an air permeable carpet. Underneath the carpet vacuum is created to prevent the board from moving. It is then cut using a sliding or a rolling knife. Creasing is done by a small wheel that is rolled over the cardboard along the folding lines, called top side creasing.
Numerous types of corrugated board exist in terms of flute sizes and paper types. Creasing can be done parallel to the flutes or under an angle. There is a lack of knowledge regarding the optimal shape of the creasing wheel used for top side creasing. This paper presents experimental research aiming at the optimal shape of a multi-purpose creasing wheel.
This study investigated the use of memory-box-making by teachers in their pastoral role. Ten female teachers participated in the study. The site of the study is in a South African primary school in ...an urban informal settlement. We used multiple data collection strategies (observation, focus groups, visual data and research diaries), which were documented in various ways (field notes, audio recordings and verbatim transcriptions and photographs). Data were analysed by means of thematic analysis from a constructivist grounded theory approach. The study found that (1) teachers were aware of pastoral role policy, but their task functioning in the role varied; (2) memory-box-making provided a pastoral space for teachers to apply basic counselling skills with children; (3) memory-box-making enabled teachers to perform pastoral role tasks; and (4) teachers ventured to transfer memory-box-making skills collaboratively. The study highlights the importance of considering cultural beliefs regarding death when utilising memory-box-making.
M.Tech. (Fine Art)
As a Fine Art graduate student, I worked at Phumani Paper Project's research unit based at the Technikon Witwatersrand from 2001 to 2004. The experience allowed me to render my ...services as a trainer for craft product design to help develop and sustain the poverty alleviation programme for Phumani Paper's papermaking projects around the country. Participants of the project benefit from the program in terms of training in the making of craft items, personal capacity building, and income generating opportunities. South Africa's history is fundamental to understanding the present social imbalance which the government, non-governmental organisations and private organisations are trying to address in various ways. My research work at the KwaZulu-Natal Papermaking and Packaging Project (KZN-PCPP) in Eshowe culminated in the writing of this dissertation. My research explored issues related to materials and design for the sustainability of the KZNPCPP. In regard to poverty alleviation I used Participatory Action Research (PAR), which was core to the activities and works presented in this dissertation. New designs for the packaging of craft products introduced during my intervention period helped improve the marketability of the products produced at KZNPCPP, and helped the participants to learn new skills. I focused on the introduction of sugar cane paper pulp in the making of ceramic wares. This added value to the potters' experience and to a certain extent helped reduce losses due to breakage during transportation.