Journal of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Kalasin University

Design and Capability Analysis of a Solar-Powered Conveyor for Water Hyacinth Removal: A Case Study at Kumphawapi Flood Gate

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Water hyacinth is a fast-growing invasive plant that disrupts water management in tropical regions. This study presents the design and capability analysis of a solar-powered conveyor system for large-scale water hyacinth removal, demonstrated at the Wiang Kham Sluice Gate, Kumphawapi District, Udon Thani, Thailand. The prototype incorporates conveyor belts, picker wheels, and a photovoltaic power supply sized for off-grid operation. Motor drive requirements were calculated from friction, load, and torque data, while process capability indices (Cp) were applied to assess the stability of motor efficiency and removal rate. Experimental results indicated that a 1.5 kW motor was sufficient for both conveyor and picker wheel assemblies, maintaining efficiency above 76%. The machine achieved an average removal capacity of 60 t/h with Cp = 1.17, demonstrating acceptable yet further-optimizable process stability, suggesting potential for performance refinement through parameter adjustment. Economic analysis indicated that the proposed system has an estimated operating cost of around USD 2,700 per 58 ha per cycle, corresponding to a 3–6× cost reduction compared with conventional methods. These findings highlight the feasibility of integrating renewable energy with mechanical design for sustainable aquatic weed management.

Automated Document Management for HVAC product: An Excel VBA Approach

Arnon Lerdwongpaisan, Kanokwan Chuaykong, Weerapat Pookkaman — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study develops an automated document management system for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) products using Excel VBA to solve problems with the current manual processes. The Manufacturing Engineering department handles over 5,000 documents for ten different product types. Each product needs five types of documents: Engineering Technical Standard (ETS), Working Standard (WS), Process Flow Chart (PFC), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and Control Plan (QPCC). The current manual system causes many problems such as taking a long time to process documents, making mistakes when entering data, and having trouble finding documents when needed. The objectives of this research are to develop a document management system for the master list of HVAC products using Excel VBA and to reduce data processing time, minimize errors, and prevent data loss in the manufacturing engineering department. The research applied the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) as a systematic framework for application development design. The new VBA-based system automatically handles data entry, tracks document revisions, creates hyperlinks, and provides search functions. This system effectively eliminates repetitive manual processes and reduces errors, while improving document accessibility and data accuracy. During the evaluation process, the system was tested in a real working environment, focusing on measuring document processing time and data accuracy. The results show significant improvements: processing time dropped by over 60%, data accuracy improved from 95% to 100%, and lost documents were eliminated. These results prove that Excel VBA is an effective and affordable solution for improving document management in companies.

Comparison of Ergonomic Risks and Fatigue in Improving the Performance of Smoked Rubber Sheet Factory Employees

Weerachai Madthaarak, Sriwan Khamtree, Jantarotai Promjan — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study aimed to compare ergonomic risk and fatigue before and after work improvement among workers in a rubber smoked sheet factory. The sample consisted of three workers. Ergonomic risk was assessed using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), while fatigue was evaluated using a standardized fatigue questionnaire. The results showed that the mean RULA score decreased from 10.00 to 7.00, and the mean REBA score decreased from 13.00 to 6.67 after the ergonomic work improvement, indicating reduced levels of ergonomic risk. In addition, the mean fatigue score decreased from 6.32 to 4.80. Paired t-tests revealed that the RULA and REBA scores before and after the work improvement were significantly different at the 0.05 level. Similarly, the fatigue subscales, namely fatigue characteristics, perceived vigor, and overall feeling, also showed statistically significant differences at the 0.05 level. These findings indicate that ergonomic work improvement in rubber smoked sheet processing can reduce both ergonomic risk and work-related fatigue among workers. Future studies should include records of injuries in specific body regions, accidents, and absenteeism with their causes to support more comprehensive data analysis and application of the findings to improve work efficiency.

Performance Improvement of the Warehouse Department at Store A: A Case Study of KK Metal 2012 Co., Ltd.

Withawat Noimanee, Wasana Phuangpornpitak, Supanat Jonphutthanon — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This research aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a no-code application to improve the item-picking process in Warehouse A, with the goal of reducing operational errors and enhancing employee efficiency. The research procedure involved analyzing the root causes of errors using a Fishbone Diagram in conjunction with Human Factors principles and Why-Why Analysis. The results were then applied to design and develop a ready-to-use application using Glide App. The research sample consisted of eight warehouse employees, and the study compared performance before and after system implementation over a four-month period (November 2023 – February 2024). The findings indicated that incorrect item-picking errors decreased from 18 to 7 cases (a reduction of 61.11%), and over-picking errors decreased from 8 to 3 cases (a reduction of 62.50%). Consequently, damage costs were reduced from 3,211 THB to 645 THB (a reduction of 79.91%). The results demonstrate that no-code technology, specifically Glide App, can effectively reduce warehouse operational errors. Moreover, employee satisfaction toward the application was at a high level (𝑥̅ = 4.06, S.D. = 0.791). These outcomes highlight the importance for organizations to adopt digital tools that support employee workflows in order to enhance warehouse standards and operational efficiency sustainably.

Development of Sheoaks Ash as a Replacement of Portland Cement

Napaphat Kongrit, Jakkrapong Jitjamnong, Phonsan Saetiao — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The objective of this research was to study the chemical composition of the sheoaks ash to be used as a pozzolan material in cement. The Compressive strength of the mortar is compared to sheoaks ash as a pozzolan material. Study the most appropriate cured time for mortar and compare the mortar density. This research used 125 cubic centimeter cement blocks. Use the sheoaks ash to replace cement was 0, 10, 10, 20 and 30 percent, cured in water for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Use ASTM C109 compressive strength, test each sample 4 times. It was found that the mortar used sheoaks ash replacing cement at 10 percent and curing time at 14 days had the compressive strength of 11.72 MPa. Increasing the amount of sheoaks ash and the curing period were the factors affecting the average compressive strength.

Investigation of the Effects of CO2 Laser Cutting Parameters on Kerf Width in PMMA based on Box–Behnken Design and Response Surface Methodology

Weerapol Taptimdee, Pariwat Nasawat , Prawach Chourwong — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

CO₂ laser cutting is widely used for polymer processing applications because it provides high precision and flexibility. However, the difference in kerf width between the top and bottom surfaces remains an important factor affecting the quality of the workpiece. This research focuses on investigating the effects of laser power, cutting speed, and focal distance in cutting PMMA with a CO₂ laser, which affect the kerf width, in order to determine the most suitable cutting conditions. The experimental design in this research employed the Box–Behnken Design (BBD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and the results were analyzed using statistical techniques. The experimental results showed that laser power and cutting speed were the main factors that affected kerf width. The kerf widths of the top kerf (TK) and bottom kerf (BK) tended to decrease as cutting speed increased, while higher laser power caused the kerf widths of TK and BK to increase. In addition, a high focal distance resulted in higher kerf widths of TK and BK. The response surface modeling indicated a clear interaction between laser power and cutting speed, which significantly affected kerf width. The findings of this research can serve as a guideline for selecting appropriate cutting parameters to improve the cutting quality of PMMA workpieces, and they can be further applied at the industrial level in the future.

Carbon–Egg Cycle: An Engineering Framework toward Carbon Neutrality through Eggshell Valorization and Waste Heat Utilization from Local Industries for Resource, Economic, and Community Sustainability

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This article presents the Carbon–Egg Cycle framework, aiming to establish a circular carbon system by integrating local waste management with the utilization of surplus energy from industries, thereby advancing environmental engineering and circular economy approaches. The process converts eggshells, primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), through calcination using surplus industrial heat, producing calcium oxide (CaO) for further applications while capturing and storing the released carbon dioxide (CO₂) for subsequent use. The resulting CaO is formed into CO2 capture materials for community-scale activities, and through carbonation, it reverts to CaCO3, which can re-enter the calcination process, forming a continuous carbon cycle that reduces both waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Simultaneously, captured CO₂ can be utilized in various sectors, and CaCO₃ obtained from carbonation can serve as a soil amendment to reduce acidity and enhance productivity. The value of the Carbon–Egg Cycle lies in its integration of biowaste with energy reuse, minimizing resource loss and providing community- and small-industry-scale CO₂ management solutions. This framework demonstrates a pathway toward carbon neutrality and offers scalability for broader applications.