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•X-mapping has made it possible to discriminate between red tools that otherwise would not have been distinguished.•A detailed examination of the concentration of strontium in barium sulphate allowed this discrimination to be made.•Underused in the forensic field, X-ray mapping allows better characterisation of tool paints. In the context of forensic tool paint analysis, the development of analytical strategies to distinguish between different tools is of great interest in order to form a better opinion on whether or not a trace of paint seized at a crime scene originates from a tool found, for example, during a search of a house. A study was therefore conducted on the potential of using X-ray mapping to discriminate red tools that are not otherwise distinguished by standard analytical techniques (i.e. optical microscopy, infra-red spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy). In this study, the presence of trace amounts of strontium – revealed by X-ray mapping – in the main mineral filler, namely barium sulphate, allowed the discrimination of different tools using a statistical approach. This study is one example among others of the potential of X-ray mapping for a better characterisation of tool paints in a forensic context.

For over a century, scholars have presented several proposals regarding the paint application tools used to create Levantine rock art. However, such proposals have largely rested on theoretical assumptions and inductive inferences that have not been rigorously tested. In this experimental investigation, we compiled these hypotheses and crafted 60 tools that were tested through systematic experiments to assess their performance and technical affordances for the creation of images with techno-visual features equivalent to those of the Levantine paintings. These experiments allowed us to obtain analytical parameters with independent validation, which were used as diagnostic criteria to analyse the rock art from nine sites located in eastern Spain. Results reveal that out of 60 tools, only 10 –five hair brushes, three plant brushes, and two feather brushes–afforded the production of images with techno-visual features highly similar to those of the archaeological paintings. Subsequently, we employed these tools to paint 10 full-size replicas of Levantine motifs, aiming to explore their potential role in the toolkit of prehistoric painters. Drawing on the data from both the systematic and the replicative experiments, and taking into account the level of labour investment required by the technical operations that permeate the production of the paint application tools, we suggest that Levantine technology was not based on an economic logic aimed at minimizing the costs associated with producing the images, but rather on a perspective where the priority was creating paintings with specific techno-visual qualities that reinforced the information transmitted through the graphic code.

Laser cleaning is a high-efficient, newly emerging and environmentally friendly technology. Removing paint from aircraft skin is an important application of this technology. This paper describes how a high repetition frequency fiber laser of 1064 nm was used to remove the 50-μm-thick polyacrylic resin primer paint layer on an aircraft skin (LY12 aluminum alloy plate). Experiments were conducted to study the cleaning performance by varying process parameters such as scanning speed, pulse frequency, scanning line interval and laser power. This paper found that the quality and efficiency could be improved by selecting the appropriate combination of scanning speed and pulse frequency. The amount of paint stripped by the single pulsed laser increased with an increase in laser power. By analyzing the cleaned surface and the particles collected from the process, we propose three different kinds of possible stripping mechanisms: combustion reaction, thermal stress vibration effect and plasma shock effect.

In order to meet the maintenance requirements of ship shell plant, the old polyurethane paint needs to be removed from the ship shell plant. The experiment of repeated cleaning on the surface of polyurethane paint ship shell plate using pulse fiber laser is conducted by the large-scale laser cleaning system which was independently developed. The mechanism of twice repeated pulse fiber laser cleaning method was clarified. In this experiment, the effect of pulsed fiber laser power on surface roughness value was studied. The surface roughness of ship shell plate under different pulsed fiber laser power was obtained. The surface topography of two-dimensional and three-dimensional ship shell plate with different laser power was measured. The results showed that process parameters changed surface topography of ship shell plant by changing laser power. The cross-section profiles of the ship shell plate surface under different laser power are obtained. It is found that the surface height of ship shell plate decreases with the increase of pulsed fiber laser power. The relationship among the pulsed fiber laser power, the surface roughness, and the surface topography was analyzed. The surface topography of ship shell plate obtained by once pulse fiber laser cleaning was compared with that obtained by twice repeated laser cleaning. The experimental results show that twice repeated laser cleaning has a very significant cleaning effect on the removal of polyurethane paint which is on the ship shell plant. The experimental results are of practical significance to the production process of pules fiber laser cleaning for ship shell plate.

This paper focuses on the experimental validation of a building energy performance simulation tool by means of a comparative analysis between numerical results and measurements obtained on a real test room. The empirical tests were carried out for several months under variable weather conditions and in free-floating indoor temperature regime (switched off HVAC system). Measurements were exploited for validating an in-house simulation tool, implemented in MatLab and called DETECt, developed for dynamically assessing the energy performance of buildings. Results show that simulated indoor air and surface room temperatures resulted in very good agreement with the corresponding experimental data; the detected differences were often lower than 0.5 °C and almost always lower than 1 °C. Very low mean absolute and percentage errors were always achieved. In order to show the capabilities of the developed simulation tool, a suitable case study focused on innovative solar radiation high-reflective coatings, and infrared low-emissivity materials is also presented. The performance of these coatings and materials was investigated through a comparative analysis conducted to evaluate their heating and cooling energy saving potentials. Simulation results, obtained for the real test cell considered as equipped with such innovative coatings and material, show that for the weather zone of Naples a 5% saving is obtained both in summer and in winter by simultaneously adopting a high-reflectance coating and a low- emissivity plaster for roof/external walls and interior walls, respectively.

The paint layer from the surface of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy aircraft skin was stripped down to three stages through adjusting the laser energy density of infrared nanosecond pulse laser: oxidation layer (OXL), exposed aluminum substrate (EAS) and melted layer of aluminum alloy (MLA). Subsequently, the microstructure of the aluminum alloy aircraft skin substrate after paint removal was analyzed through a series of examinations. Then, the influence of laser paint removal on the tribological properties of the substrate material was investigated by performing reciprocating wear tests. Finally, the interaction between the microstructure of the substrate and its wear performance was explored. The results show that with a reasonable laser energy density, laser paint removal does not significantly alter the near-surface microstructure and mechanical properties of the substrate. However, excessive laser energy density can cause grain refinement on the surface layer of the aluminum alloy skin, increase surface hardness, and reduce the wear rate. The information could provide a guide in practical application of laser cleaning in aircraft skin paint removal.

In the paper, the underlying fundamental mechanisms of laser stripping of mixture paint of two polymers of polyacrylate resin and polyisocyanate resin are elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations, focusing on the mechanisms of breakage of bonds. In addition, experimental investigations of stripping mixture paint are conducted with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser in the air. The formed gas products and the residual paint surface during laser stripping are analyzed by GC/MS, FTIR, XPS, and RISE. Simulation results indicate that the breaking of the C–N bonds is the origin of the damage of polymers and facilitates the fracture process of polymers chain, leading to evaporation of individual atoms and single-chain excitation which is closely accompanied by breaking and rearrangement of the bonds. The main microscopic destruction mechanisms of polymers revealed by simulations include breakage of bonds, dissociation of a carbon backbone with the evaporation of individual atoms, and new components produced by rearrangement of bonds, which is very consistent with the experimental results. The structural damage of polymers has a significant influence on stimulating the stripping of the paint with laser loading. The resulting experimental and theoretical observations can provide a guideline and practical references for a better understanding of the mechanism of the paint removal. Graphical abstract

This study investigates the alteration processes affecting the smalt pigment in historical artworks through a combination of analytical techniques including X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the potassium (K) and cobalt (Co) K-edges, coupled with scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and micro X-ray fluorescence elemental mapping (µ-XRF). Laboratory mock-up samples prepared with different oil binding media were artificially aged, revealing varying rates of smalt degradation. µ-XANES analyses at the K K-edge provided grain-scale insights into smalt alteration, highlighting the influence of binding media composition on degradation kinetics. Crossed clustering data analysis over K µ-XANES acquired on both model samples and historical cross-sections corroborated findings and identified distinct spectral signatures associated with different stages of smalt degradation. Furthermore, identification of potential transformation products such as potassium alum in historical samples emphasized the dynamic nature of pigment alteration processes.

Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) is a crucial performance metric for manufacturing production efficiency. Since the automotive industry is vital to the economy, growing demand from customers and competition has further increased the need for optimised production through an increased OEE. The study evaluates the volume target affected by quality defects, encompassing calculations of First Time Capability (FTC), and assesses the relationship between the implementation of quality control tools and the contribution of quality losses on OEE in the paint shop of automotive manufacturing plants. The study applies a mixed method, evaluating the various production defects at the paint-shop section of the automobile industry and applying both qualitative and quantitative quality tools in identifying nonconformities. The paint quality was assessed using visual inspection and paint thickness measurement in the range of 4-7 mils using the paint thickness gauge and production data using qualitative tools. A correlational research design was adopted using qualitative and quantitative techniques to determine the correlation between the quality output and the knowledge of quality tools by the focus group in charge of producing and inspecting the painting quality output. The results indicated that the paint shop does not meet the volume targets due to quality defects. The study also showed that approximately 78% of the shop-floor workers at the paint shop section were deficient in the significance of OEE and quality tools to productivity. In comparison, the system has a current OEE of 88.7%. The study further identified missing qualitative strategies and non-compliance with relevant ISO-8504 standards.

Artist Toolbox: Painting Tools Materials is an easy-to-use guide which focuses on teaching you the fundamentals of working with paint and the tools that come with it. In Artist Toolbox: Painting Tools Materials, artists will discover the important differences in brush styles, sizes, shapes, and types; how each brush is used to create different types of strokes; and how different types of brushes interact with various paints and supports. You will learn how to properly load brushes with paint, how to shape brushes to create specific strokes and effects, when to choose synthetic hair over natural hair, and much more. Experienced art instructors focus on the key concepts and practical aspects of working with specific tools, materials, and mediums to impart a complete understanding for those seeking to learn the fundamentals of painting. The Artist Toolbox series provides easy-to-use reference guides for beginning and aspiring artists. While many instructional art books gloss over important concepts, focusing instead on how to replicate a piece of art, the Artist Toolbox series breaks down the whats, whens, whys, and hows of each relevant tool or technique, clearly demonstrating its purpose and how to employ it to achieve your desired effects.