Machinable volume extraction for automatic process planning

This paper describes an algorithm to extract machinable volumes that need to be removed from a stock, given a boundary model of the part. 'Machinable' implies that these volumes are extracted and arranged in a hierarchy such that each volume in the list is accessible for machining after its preceding volume has been machined, These volumes can be used to automate process planning and NC too! path generation. The algorithm identifies the cavity volumes in the part with respect to outermost faces in the part and fills them with the appropriate primitive volume to obtain the stock from which the part can be realized. Unlike the decomposition-based approaches reported, this algorithm directly identifies primitive volumes that when combined form the cavity volumes corresponding to the machining features. Primitive volumes enable handling parts with interacting Features and renders redundant the additional processing of machining features required to generate a NC tool path. The primitive machinable volumes arc cuboids, wedges and collars. The algorithm handles both prismatic and cylindrical (turned) components. Results of implementation for prismatic and turned components are provided and the extension of the algorithm to handle preformed stock is discussed.     

Multistage monostable multivibrator using load-coupled regenerative feedback

A monostable multivibrator configuration using a new technique of regenerative feedback is discussed. This circuit provides an elegant alternative in situations wherein several monostable multivibrators have to be connected in tandem.     

Characterizing Hardening on Annealing of Cold-Rolled Aluminum AA3103 Strips

AA3103 aluminum strips were cold rolled to various von Mises strains up to 4.7. In addition, two severely deformed conditions were obtained by one and four cycles of cold accumulated roll bonding subsequent to cold rolling to a strain of 4.2. For cases of subsequent annealing at 498 K (225 °C) for 10 minutes, an increase in the ultimate tensile strength was observed at the rolling strains of 1.7 and higher. Similar hardening is observed for a wide range of temperature–time combinations for temperatures greater than 423 K (150 °C). The yield stress is also increased by a few per cent during further cold rolling. The magnitude of the increase in strength on annealing increased with the increasing strain. Electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies showed no significant changes in the high- or low-angle grain boundary spacings by this annealing. A systematic investigation on the roles played by Si and Mn was made with different homogenization treatments of AA3103 and of an AlSi alloy. Based on tensile tests, and differential scanning calorimetry and electrical conductivity measurements, it is concluded that Mn plays a major role. The exact mechanisms causing hardening on annealing are not identified, but through elimination of other explanations, it is suggested that some sort of clustering or precipitation mechanism is involved.     

Effects of Richardson and Biot number on double-diffusive Casson fluid flow with viscous dissipation

An analysis is done of the effect of Richardson and Biot number on double-diffusive mixed convective Casson fluid stream with viscous dissipation on warmth and mass stream with convective limit conditions and radiating vertical plate. The R-K method with shooting procedure is used to solve the transformed equations mathematically. The accuracy of the numerical procedure has been validated through a comparison of the current work compared with prior available results. The sheer surface stress, Nusselt, and Sherwood number are increased with enhancement in Prandtl number. The Biot number Βi > 0.1 is investigated and increasing Biot number is observed to enhance the friction coefficient, Nusselt, and Sherwood number are increased. The influence of pertinent constraints on distinct flow parameters is determined and analyzed through tables and graphs.     

Reevaluation of Rolling Element Bearing Load-Life Equation Based on Fatigue Endurance Data

The load-life exponents used in the modified life rating equation for rolling element bearings were determined by statistical analysis of the experimental data generated in the 1940s, following Lundberg and Palmgren's seminal work. Based on fracture mechanics arguments, the fatigue life is known to be inversely proportional to the square root of the size of the nonmetallic inclusions. However, modern high-performance vacuum induction melt–vacuum arc remelt (VIMVAR) bearing steels are clean and nonmetallic inclusions are no longer the weak link. Fatigue life predictions (L₁₀ life) for modern bearings using the modified load-life relations greatly underpredict observed life. Hence, there is a need to update parameters of these equations using more recent life data. Based on the endurance data reported in Harris and McCool (1), validation analysis of the modified life rating equation was performed to reevaluate the values of load-life exponent for both ball and cylindrical roller bearings. The results from this study indicate that the load-life exponent for ball bearings should be 4.1, instead of 3, and for roller bearings it should be 5.5, instead of 3.33. Bearing L₁₀ life calculated using the corrected load-life exponents values shows better agreement with observed life. Details of the sampling technique used for reducing epistemic uncertainty in experimental data and the process of statistical reevaluation using Bayesian updating are discussed in detail. The accuracy of reevaluated results is presented using logarithmic plots of the ratio of predicted to actual fatigue lives for all data samples.     

Synergy between tribo-oxidation and strain rate response on governing the dry sliding wear behavior of titanium

The present work provides an insight into the dry sliding wear behavior of titanium based on synergy between tribo-oxidation and strain rate response. Pin-on-disc tribometer was used to characterize the friction and wear behavior of titanium pin in sliding contact with polycrystalline alumina disk under ambient and vacuum condition. The sliding speed was varied from 0.01 to 1.4 ms^?1, normal load was varied from 15.3 to 76 N and with a sliding distance of 1500 m. It was seen that dry sliding wear behavior of titanium was governed by combination of tribo-oxidation and strain rate response in near surface region of titanium. Strain rate response of titanium was recorded by conducting uni-axial compression tests at constant true strain rate of 100 s^?1 in the temperature range from 298 to 873 K. Coefficient of friction and wear rate were reduced with increased sliding speed from 0.01 to 1.0 ms^?1. This is attributed to the formation of in situ self lubricating oxide film (TiO) and reduction in the intensity of adiabatic shear band cracking in the near surface region. This trend was confirmed by performing series of dry sliding tests under vacuum condition of 2 × 10^?4 Torr. Characterization tools such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometer provided evidence of such processes. These experimental findings can be applied to enhance the dry sliding wear behavior of titanium with proper choice of operating conditions such as sliding speed, normal load, and environment.     

RGS5 Determines Neutrophil Migration in the Acute Inflammatory Phase of Bleomycin-Induced Lung Injury

The regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) represents a widespread system of controllers of cellular responses. The activities of the R4 subfamily of RGSs have been elucidated in allergic pulmonary diseases. However, the R4 signaling in other inflammatory lung diseases, with a strong cellular immune response, remained unexplored. Thus, our study aimed to discern the functional relevance of the R4 family member, RGS5, as a potential modulating element in this context. Gene profiling of the R4 subfamily showed increased RGS5 expression in human fibrosing lung disease samples. In line with this, RGS5 was markedly increased in murine lungs following bleomycin injury. RGS knock-out mice (RGS-/-) had preserved lung function while control mice showed significant combined ventilatory disorders three days after bleomycin application as compared to untreated control mice. Loss of RGS5 was associated with a significantly reduced neutrophil influx and tissue myeloperoxidase expression. In the LPS lung injury model, RGS5-/- mice also failed to recruit neutrophils into the lung, which was accompanied by reduced tissue myeloperoxidase levels after 24 h. Our in-vitro assays showed impaired migration of RGS5-/- neutrophils towards chemokines despite preserved Ca²⁺ signaling. ERK dephosphorylation might play a role in reduced neutrophil migration in our model. As a conclusion, loss of RGS5 preserves lung function and attenuates hyperinflammation in the acute phase of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and LPS-induced lung injury. Targeting RGS5 might alleviate the severity of exacerbations in interstitial lung diseases.     

Trellis coded modulation based distributed channel coding

A novel technique is described for distributed channel coding in wireless communication networks. The protocol is based on a block fading model of the multi-user uplink channel and on adapting multidimensional trellis coded modulation techniques to a coding theorem derived for the block fading channel. The coded modulation (CM) protocol is designed to optimise code performance, especially at high spectral efficiencies. The CM protocol is very simple to implement at the cooperating users. Complexity is completely transferred to the destination. The latency of the protocol is only one symbol. The CM protocol achieves full diversity order equal to the number of cooperating users and maximises coding gains by designing the code for the specific modulation used. We derive analytical results and present simulation results showing the benefits of CM protocol over other comparable schemes.     

Adaptive multiuser detection and beamforming for interferencesuppression in CDMA mobile radio systems

This paper considers the problem of interference suppression in direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) systems over fading channels. An adaptive array receiver is presented which integrates multiuser detection, beamforming, and RAKE reception to mitigate cochannel interference and fading. The adaptive multiuser detector is formulated using a blind constrained energy minimization criterion and adaptation is carried out using a novel algorithm based on set-membership parameter estimation theory. The proposed detector overcomes the shortcomings of conventional LMS- and RLS-type algorithms, namely, that of slow convergence and large computational load, respectively. This is especially the case when strong interferers are present or when the number of adaptive weights is relatively large. DS-CDMA systems can have a relatively large number of spatially distributed interferers. Thus beamforming is based on direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimates provided by an approximate maximum-likelihood estimator (DOA-MLE). Unlike previous approaches, the DOA-MLE exploits the structure of the DS-CDMA signaling scheme resulting in robust performance and simple implementation in the presence of angle spreading. The overall method is suitable for real-time implementation and can substantially improve the interference suppression capabilities of a CDMA system     

BEACON: an adaptive set-membership filtering technique with sparseupdates

This paper deals with adaptive solutions to the so-called set-membership filtering (SMF) problem. The SMF methodology involves designing filters by imposing a deterministic constraint on the output error sequence. A set-membership decision feedback equalizer (SM-DFE) for equalization of a communications channel is derived, and connections with the minimum mean square error (MMSE) DFE are established. Further, an adaptive solution to the general SMF problem via a novel optimal bounding ellipsoid (OBE) algorithm called BEACON is presented. This algorithm features sparse updating, wherein it uses about 5-10% of the data to update the parameter estimates without any loss in mean-squared error performance, in comparison with the conventional recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithm. It is shown that the BEACON algorithm can also be derived as a solution to a certain constrained least-squares problem. Simulation results are presented for various adaptive signal processing examples, including estimation of a real communication channel. Further, it is shown that the algorithm can accurately track fast time variations in a nonstationary environment. This improvement is a result of incorporating an explicit test to check if an update is needed at every time instant as well as an optimal data-dependent assignment to the updating weights whenever an update is required