Longitudinal permeability determination of dual-scale fibrous materials

In this work, the longitudinal permeability of squarely packed dual-scale fiber preforms is studied theoretically. These fiber preforms are composed of aligned porous tows and the tows are tightly packed. The effective permeability is calculated as a parallel-like network of intra-tow permeability and inter-tow permeability, which are quantified by Darcy’s law and the inscribed radius between tows, respectively. The jump velocity at the interface between inter-tow fluids and porous tows is considered, as derived by substituting Beavers and Joseph’s correlation into Brinkman’s equation. We further examine the effects of intra-tow permeability on the effective permeability of the fibrous system with three interface conditions: (1) interface velocity = 0, (2) interface velocity = mean intra-tow velocity, and (3) interface velocity = jump velocity. The jump-velocity-based model is found to be closest to numerical data. The influence of the fiber volume fraction of tows on the effective permeability is also analyzed.     

A bi-layer optimization approach for a hybrid flow shop scheduling problem involving controllable processing times in the steelmaking industry

A steelmaking-continuous casting (SCC) scheduling problem is an example of complex hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (HFSSP) with a strong industrial background. This paper investigates the SCC scheduling problem that involves controllable processing times (CPT) with multiple objectives concerning the total waiting time, earliness/tardiness and adjusting cost. The SCC scheduling problem with CPT is seldom discussed in the existing literature. This study is motivated by the practical situation of a large integrated steel company in which the just-in-time (JIT) and cost-cutting production strategy have become a significant concern. To address this complex HFSSP, the scheduling problem is decomposed into two subproblems: a parallel machine scheduling problem (PMSP) in the last stage and an HFSSP in the upstream stages. First, a hybrid differential evolution (HDE) algorithm combined with a variable neighborhood decomposition search (VNDS) is proposed for the former subproblem. Second, an iterative backward list scheduling (IBLS) algorithm is presented to solve the latter subproblem. The effectiveness of this bi-layer optimization approach is verified by computational experiments on well-designed and real-world scheduling instances. This study provides a new perspective on modeling and solving practical SCC scheduling problems.     

Influence of internally dropped-off plies on the impact damage of asymmetrically tapered laminated CFRP

This paper presents an experimental study of low velocity impact response of carbon/epoxy asymmetrically tapered laminates. The tests are realised at energy between 10 and 30 J on two types of layup with multiple terminated plies. The type and localisation of damage are analysed using C-scan and micrographs. Then, the data is compared with the response of corresponding respective plain laminate. The effects of some tapering parameters (taper angle, drop-off disposition and configuration) on the impact damage mechanisms are also investigated. Very similar impact damage phenomena are found between tapered and plain laminates. The presence of material discontinuity due to the resin pocket affects less the damage mechanism than the structural difference between the thick and the thin sections.     

Effect of corrugated plates in an in-phase arrangement on the heat transfer and flow developments

In the present study, the numerical results of the heat transfer and flow developments in the corrugated channel under constant heat flux conditions are presented. The test section is the channel with two opposite corrugated plates which all configuration peaks lie in an in-phase arrangement. The corrugated plates with three different corrugated tile angles of 20°, 40°, and 60° are tested with the height of the channel of 12.5 mm. The model was simulated for the Reynolds number and heat flux in the ranges of 400–1600 and 0.5–1.2 kW/m², respectively. The flow and heat transfer developments are simulated by using the k-ε standard turbulent model. A finite volume method with the structured uniform grid system is employed for solving the model. The predicted results are validated by comparing with the measured data. There is reasonable agreement from the comparison between the numerical data and experimental data. Effects of relevant parameters on the heat transfer and flow developments are discussed. Due to the breaking and destabilizing in the thermal boundary zone, the corrugated surface has significant effect on the enhancement of heat transfer and pressure drop.     

基于显微视觉的宏/微双重驱动微动台的自动标定

提出了基于压电技术的微操作系统的自动标定方法,采用混合式步进电机直接驱动的宏动平台,实现系统大行程宏动定位,安装在宏动平台上的压电陶瓷驱动的微动平台和精密光栅,实现亚微米级的分辨率和定位精度,通过以上两部分实现定位机构的全闭环反馈控制,采用显微视觉反馈获取微动台操作器在图像中的位置信息进行标定。实验结果表明:系统的动态和稳定性能良好,自动标定运算速度快,运行速度达到11 frame/s,实现了对系统的精确标定,标定精度达到0.1μm。     

Abrasive wear of dental composite resins

Abrasive wear is a major problem in the application of dental composite resins. In this study the friction and wear behaviours of two types of dental composites: one containing relatively coarse filler particles and some microfillers (Estilux) and another containing only microfiller particles (Durafill), have been investigated by using a scratch testing machine. Experimental results show that the coefficients of friction in both composites are essentially constant for applied loads up to 20 N. The wear resistance of Durafill is better than Estilux. Under the same testing conditions, the size, shape and distribution of the filler particles are more important variables than applied load and sliding speed in controlling the wear mechanism. It is shown that for Estilux, plastic ploughing by the diamond indenter is the predominant mechanism. For Durafill, however, the formation and propagation of tensile cracks on the worn surface is the main wear mechanism. The effects of two different indenters, diamond and enamel, on the basic wear mechanisms are also discussed.     

Bonelike apatite formation on carbon microspheres

Carbon microspheres with a diameter of 2 μm were prepared by hydrothermal process. The apatite-formation ability of the carbon microspheres was evaluated by soaking them in a simulated body fluid (SBF) for 5 and 10 d and apatite-formation mechanism was also analyzed. The result showed that bonelike apatite was formed on the surface of carbon microspheres. Our study indicates that the carbon microspheres synthesized by this method possess apatite-formation ability and may be used as a bioactive injectable filler for bone tissue regeneration.     

Optimal determination of warranty region for 2D policy: A customers' perspective

Warranty is treated by the manufacturer as a marketing strategy that creates better customer satisfaction, which finally helps to get hold of a bigger market share. The cost incurred towards this service is termed as warranty cost, which is a function of warranty policy and region, product quality and reliability, and the customers' usage pattern. Under the 2D warranty policy, there exists numerous iso-cost regions for any specified value of warranty cost. In this article, we propose a methodology to determine the optimal region when customers' utility is measured by the length of warranty coverage time. It is believed that the results will help the manufacturer to provide improved customer service.     

Correlating microstructural features with wear resistance of dual phase steel

In order to explore the tribological potential of the dual phase (DP) steel as a wear resistant material, the wear characteristics of the dual phase (DP) steel have been investigated with varying amounts of martensite from 43 to 81 vol pct, developed by varying holding time at the intercritical annealing temperature of 780 °C. Dry sliding wear tests have been conducted on DP steels using a pin-on-disk machine under different normal loads of 61.3, 68.5, 75.7 and 82.6 N and at a constant sliding speed of 1.20 m/s. At these loads, the mechanism of wear is mainly delamination, which has been confirmed by SEM micrographs of the subsurface and wear debris of the samples. Wear and friction properties have been found to be improved with increasing martensite volume fraction in dual phase steels.