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Alan Gardner

    Alan Gardner

    The hamstring group of muscles are extensively used for generating the forward movement and for the jumping action in canine Agility. I set out to understand how much force is used in executing the jumping action in Border Collies and... more
    The hamstring group of muscles are extensively used for generating the forward movement and for the jumping action in canine Agility. I set out to understand how much force is used in executing the jumping action in Border Collies and what might happen if this muscle group is repetitively overloaded and subsequent treatments to help rectify issues. This has implications in Agility as the amount of training and competition continues to increase, placing ever higher demands on the canine athletes. Five case studies were used, all over 5 years old and training / in competition since at least 2 years old. In each case the hamstring tendon of origin was treated on a specific limb with therapeutic ultrasound, deep-friction-massage and stretching. In all cases, improvements were noted.
    Research Interests:
    Hexavalent chrome passivates have been used for improving the corrosion resistance of sacrificial zinc and zinc alloy coatings on ferrous substrates for many years now. However, forthcoming legislation and corporate policies are beginning... more
    Hexavalent chrome passivates have been used for improving the corrosion resistance of sacrificial zinc and zinc
    alloy coatings on ferrous substrates for many years now. However, forthcoming legislation and corporate
    policies are beginning to curtail the use of hexavalent chrome compounds and replacements are actively being
    sought.
    Comparative corrosion resistance data using passivation systems based on trivalent chrome is presented here.
    This data demonstrates at least the same performance to that obtained by hexavalent types currently used. The
    data also shows that the corrosion resistance of the trivalent chrome free passivates does not significantly
    diminish after thermal shock treatment. This makes it particularly suitable for components that are subjected to
    high ambient temperatures.
    No changes to the dimensional characteristics of the components occur. Recommended application areas
    include the engine compartment, brake components, fasteners of all sizes and fluid system components.
    When used in conjunction with recommended final finishes, these hexavalent chrome free passivates have the
    potential to replace more expensive alloy or dip spin type coatings.
    Research Interests:
    Decorative chromium electroplating from an electrolyte based on chromium trioxide has been successfully used for many years. The deposit satisfies many demands including aesthetics, durability and economy. However, chromium trioxide is... more
    Decorative chromium electroplating from an electrolyte based on chromium trioxide has been successfully used for many years. The deposit satisfies many demands including aesthetics, durability and economy. However, chromium trioxide is classified as carcinogenic and PFOS (which is used as a mist suppressant in these processes)  has been shown to be bio accumulative. A PFOS free system based on trivalent chromium sulphate salts is proposed which avoids these issues and is capable of meeting recognised high performance standards. Production experience proves that this new system is able to satisfy even the most demanding automotive chromium plating applications.
    Research Interests: