A novel representation of tandem systems with inter-stage storage applied to on-line system monitoring

One of the goals of operating a tandem manufacturing system with finite inter-stage storage and asynchronous operations is to meet the demand without over-producing, under-producing or carrying large quantities of material in storage. We believe that analysing the operation of such a system on a real-time basis helps achieve this goal. The first step in this real-time analysis would be to quantitatively associate the causes and effects of over-production or under-production as they occur. This requires determining the cumulative effect that the performance that any stage has on the system, based on its history, the current system state and the interrelationships between the stages. This paper proposes a method which first represents uniquely and completely each stage and surrounding storage as an element. While this system, which consists only of this simple type of element functions in exactly the same way as the original one, each element is put into an ideal world for decoupled measurement. Though an element behaves in exactly the same way whether it is in the ideal world or in the real world, the elapsed times in the two worlds since the beginning of production can be different, since the responses (occurrences and durations of the blockings and starvations) of the two worlds can be different. A phase parameter is introduced for each element to represent this difference. Once the formation of the phase parameter of the output element is formulated, quantitative relationships between causes and effects of over-producing or under-producing can be explained as they occur.     

A Two-Section Gas-Filled Ionization Chamber for Neutron Flux Measurements

A promising design of a -type two-section gas-filled ionization chamber is described for the first time. A relationship between the design parameters, gas pressure, and characteristics of the material is determined, under which full compensation of the background currents from the -radiation and the measurement of thermal neutron fluxes in a range of 400 to 7 ×10⁹cm^–2s^–1at a load characteristic with a 5% nonlinearity are provided. Test results of the chamber are presented.     

Time-of-Flight Trigger Based on a Time-to-Amplitude Converter

A time-of-flight trigger based on a time-to-amplitude converter and differential discriminator is described. The trigger has a short decision time (60 ns) and high (100%) efficiency of useful event selection.     

Study of the Interaction of ZDDP and Dispersants Using X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure Spectroscopy—Part 1: Thermal Chemical Reactions

The interactions of ZDDP and different dispersants have been investigated both in oil solutions and on steel substrates at 150–185°C. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at P and S L-edge and K-edge has been used to identify the chemical species both in solution and on the surface of the steel. It was found that noticeable ZDDP decomposition in solution starts at 175°C when no dispersant is present. In contrast, thermal oxidative films begin to form on the steel at 150 °C in the same solution. The products of decomposition in solution and in the film are phosphates and sulfides. N K-edge XANES spectroscopy has also been utilized to identify the reaction of the dispersant with the steel surface and ZDDP. The results show that dispersants enhance the decomposition of ZDDP in oil solutions as well on the steel surface. Dispersants, on their own, react/adsorb with the steel surface at 150–175 °C and also interact with ZDDP to form new products. Depending on the composition of the dispersants, the product is different.     

Multichannel Strain-Gauging System Equipped with Microprocessor for Strength Measurements of Structures

The structure of a 64-channel microprocessor strain-measuring system designed for operation with strain gauges and thermal transducers is discussed. The system measures strain and temperature during strength and thermal-strength tests of structures of machines and buildings. The computer codes have been designed in the Borland C++ Builder medium for operations with isolated transducers (1/4-bridge mode), and in the modes 1/2-bridge, bridge, and thermal transducer. The system has been certified. The paper describes examples of its practical utilization in strength tests of struts of the Tupolev-154B airliner and of the undercarriage foreleg of an aerobatic airplane.     

A Thin-Film Sensitive Element Based on Copper-Doped As20Se80 Glasses for a Precision Temperature Sensor

A sensitive resistive element based on copper-doped As₂₀Se₈₀ glasses for use in a temperature sensor is described. The sensitive element operates in a temperature range from –70 to +70°C. Its electrical resistance is 100 k and linearly depends on the temperature. The sensitivity of the element is 1 k/°C; the accuracy of temperature measurements is 0.01°C.     

Effect of temperature on tribological performance of a silicon nitride ball material with a linear perfluoropolyalkylether

The effect of temperature in rolling contact performance of a hot isostatically pressed (HIP) silicon nitride ball material with a linear perfluoropolyalkylether (PFPAE) was studied using a ball-on-rod type rolling contact fatigue tester. The test temperature ranged from ambient to 343°C for a period of 24 h at a stress of 5.5 GPa using thin dense chrome (TDC)-coated T-15 bearing races. The lubricant and its decomposition products, specifically acid fluoride and acids, attacked Si₃N₄ balls at all test temperatures resulting in corrosion pitting. The presence of metal fluoride on all the Si₃N₄, transferred from the races, was detected by X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS). The thickness of the oxide layer formed on the balls, as determined by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) increased with temperature. The changes in physical properties of post-test lubricant showed that the lubricant was stable at temperatures up to 288°C. The change in viscosity was constant up to 288°C and with a significant change above 288°C. The FTIR analysis of 316 and 343°C post-test lubricant showed the presence of carboxylic acid. The total acid number (TAN) increased linearly up to 288°C and accelerated at 316 and 343°C. The study indicates that the use of Si₃N₄ balls with a linear PFPAE results in an incompetent tribo system.     

Pulse Train Microprocessor Programmer for NMR Relaxometers-Diffusiometers

A pulse train programmer for a spin–echo NMR relaxometer–diffusiometer is based on an AT89C51-24PC microcontroller. The programmer ensures the arbitrary generation of pulse trains with a minimum train step of 30 s and recording of up to 30000 10-bit amplitudes of spin–echo NMR signals with a minimum quantization step of 3 s. The all-in-one one-board programmer is connected to a computer serial asynchronous data port, which is compatible with NMR relaxometer–diffusiometers of almost any design.     

Measurement of Sub-Nanometer Lubricant Films Using Ultra-Thin Film Interferometry

The ultra-thin film interferometric method of measuring the thickness of very thin films in lubricated contacts has been refined so as to be able to measure films down to 0.3nm with a standard deviation of 0.15nm. The main remaining source of measurement variation for films below 3nm thick is the surface roughness of the contacting solids. This modified technique has been applied to study the film-forming properties of three fluids, hexadecane, a dilute solution of surfactant in hexadecane, and cyclohexane. Purified hexadecane shows a very slightly enhanced oil-film thickness below 1nm. The long-chain surfactant forms a boundary film 2nm thick. Cyclohexane behaves as though it forms a surface layer about 1nm thick with viscosity three times the bulk fluid viscosity.     

Low-Stress Abrasive Wear Behaviour of a 0.2% C Steel: Influence of Microstructure and Test Parameters

A low (0.2%) carbon steel has been subjected to heat treatment to form varying quantities of ferrite plus martensite in its microstructure. This was achieved by holding the samples in the two-phase (ferrite plus austenite) region at three different temperatures (750, 780, and 810°C) for a specific duration followed by quenching in ice water. In another exercise, the steel was also subjected to annealing treatment by austenitizing at 890°C followed by furnace cooling for comparison purposes. The samples were subjected to low-stress (three-body) abrasion tests using an ASTM rubber wheel abrasion test apparatus at different wheel speeds (150, 273 and 400rpm corresponding to linear speeds of 1.79, 3.26 and 4.78m/s respectively) for different sliding distances at a fixed load of 49N. Crushed silica sand particles of size ranging from 212 to 300 m were used as the abrasive medium. The wear rate of samples decreased progressively with sliding distance until a (nearly) steady-state condition was attained. This was considered to be due to abrasion-induced work hardening of subsurface regions as well as the greater tendency of protrusion of the harder martensite/pearlite phase at longer sliding distances, thereby providing greater resistance to wear. Decreasing wear rate with increasing treatment temperature 750–810°C could be attributed to the greater volume fraction of the hard martensite phase in the samples containing ferrite plus martensite. The lower wear rate observed in the case of the samples containing ferrite plus martensite over the annealed ones comprising ferrite and pearlite was attributed to the higher bulk hardness of the former. Increasing linear speed from 1.79 to 3.26m/s led to an increase in wear rate. This could be attributed to greater tendency of the abrasive particles to create deeper scratches and scouping (digging). A reduction in wear rate with a further increase in the linear speed from 3.26 to 4.78m/s could be due to a change in the mechanism of wear from predominantly sliding to rolling of the abrasive particles in view of the increased plastic deformability characteristics of the specimens due to higher frictional heating. The present investigation clearly suggests that it is possible to attain a desired combination of bulk hardness and microstructure (consisting of ferrite plus martensite) leading to optimum abrasion resistance in low-carbon steels. The quantity of the two phases in turn could be varied by suitably controlling the heat-treatment temperature.     

An Energy Source Based on Helical Explosion–Magnetic Generators for High-Impedance Loads

A transportable standard module developed at the Institute of Experimental Physics as a component of an energy source for modeling current pulses of positive lightning is described. The source is designed as a combination of several unified helical explosion–magnetic generators with output transformers and an inner diameter of the stator of 200 mm. According to our calculations, the source generates current pulses with an amplitude of up to 100 kA in loads with an inductance of 100 H and a resistance of several tens of ohms. The results from testing a typical module operating with a circuit having an inductance of 100 H and a resistance of 4 are presented. The experimental data coincide well with the results of a mathematical simulation of the module's operation.     

The СПРУТ-VI Instrument Complex for the Mir Orbital Station

The basic elements of the instrument package program for orbital stations are presented. The characteristics of the -VI equipment developed for the Mir orbital station within the framework of this program are described. This equipment allows the simultaneous recording of the characteristics of near-earth space (electron, proton, and nucleus fluxes, magnetic fields, and low-frequency electromagnetic waves) and their effect on the elements of spaceborne equipment and systems. The mass of the equipment is 16 kg; the power consumption is no more than 20 W.     

Error Corrections in a Sampling Sliding Along a Pulse Envelope Based on Decoding Tables

Code combinations of 2 ⁿ symbols +1 and –1 suggested for identification of characteristic features leading edge, trailing edge, maximum, minimum, horizontal portion, start of leading edge, end of leading edge, start of trailing edge, and end of trailing edge in a binary-code envelope of a pulse measured by an eddy-current transducer (ECT) scanning a tested surface generate a group code. This group code ensures for four levels of noise immunity the maximal likelihood in identification of reference sequences distorted by noise. The structure of a product code, which is also generated by the reference fragments, results in a higher capability of correcting for errors in moving samplings of signal envelopes, in particular, it reduces the degree of uncertainty in identification of the most important features of ECT pulses. The paper suggests simple decoding algorithms and regular logical structures that provide a high efficiency of the procedure eliminating errors in binary sequences of coded envelopes.     

The ВД-12НФП Eddy-Current Flaw Detector and Methods for Processing a Measured Signal Produced by a Flaw

The field of application, the features of operation, and the main performance characteristics of a -12 eddy-current flaw detector are considered. Methods of digital data processing for improving the recognition of flaw-produced signals against the background noise are presented.     

The Effect of Heat Treatment on Sliding Wear Behaviour of a Zinc-Based Alloy Containing Nickel and Silicon

This investigation deals with the observations made pertaining to the sliding wear behaviour of a zinc-based alloy containing nickel and silicon in partially lubricated condition. Wear tests were conducted over a range of applied pressures and sliding speeds. The effect of microstructural changes brought about through T6 heat treatment involving solutionizing followed by artificial ageing on wear behaviour was also investigated. The wear rate increased with pressure. The slope of the wear rate versus pressure plots was low initially up to a specific pressure. This was followed by a higher slope beyond the (specific) pressure. In some cases, the rate of change in wear rate, i.e. the slope, decreased at still higher pressures. Moreover, the (specific) pressure decreased with sliding speed in general. Increasing sliding speed caused the wear rate of the as-cast zinc-based alloy to increase up to a sliding speed of 2.68m/s. The trend reversed at a still higher speed of 4.60m/s. However, increasing wear rate with speed was noted for the heat-treated alloy over the entire speed range. Heat treatment led to reduced wear rate up to a sliding speed of 2.68m/s. An opposite trend was observed at a higher speed of 4.60m/s in this case. Specimen seizure was noted at speeds above 2.68m/s in the case of the as-cast alloy whereas seizure took place only at 4.60m/s for the heat-treated alloy samples. Frictional heating increased with pressure and speed. The specific response and changing mode of distribution of various phases were thought to be responsible for the typical wear behaviour of the alloy in specific material and test conditions. The predominance of parameters like thermal stability and cracking tendency over each other is suggested to lead to the varying wear behaviour of the alloy in different (material and sliding) conditions. The wear response of the samples has been substantiated through characteristics of their wear surfaces, subsurface regions and debris.     

Adhesion and Friction Evaluation of Textured Slider Surfaces in Ultra-Low Flying Head-Disk Interfaces

To achieve extremely high-density magnetic recording of 1Tbit per square inch using conventional technologies, the distance between the recording slider and the rotating disk needs to be less than 5nm. For successful operation, disk and slider surfaces must also be extremely smooth with root-mean-square roughness values of few angstroms. However, ultra-low flying super smooth head-disk interfaces may be exposed to a significant amount of intermittent contact, adhesion, stiction and friction that can cause the interface to collapse. In order to circumvent such problems, many novel techniques have been proposed, such as laser zone texturing, contact pads and surface microtexturing. A reliable method to reduce adhesion and friction in ultra-low flying head-disk interfaces is to control the area of contact and roughen the interface, which allows the slider to fly at sub-5nm with minimal contact. A technique known as preferential texturing provides a unique roughening of the air-bearing surface, where parts of the surface are removed, i.e., subtractive texturing process. In this paper, the effect of preferential texturing (roughening) of slider air-bearing surfaces on the adhesion and friction forces are investigated using quasi-dynamic models. The simulation results show that surface texturing reduces adhesion and friction by reducing the effective area of contact between the slider and media surfaces and by preferentially roughening the interface. The simulation results of friction compare favorably with experimental data.     

Drill and clamping interface in high-performance drilling

The behaviour of a drill and a clamping unit was investigated in high-performance drilling. Some clamping units were characterised experimentally. In a series of experiments, the free-rotating drill behaviour, and the drilling events were investigated under high-performance conditions. A non-rotating measurement system, including proper procedures for signal processing, enabled the presentation of all measured values in terms and coordinates of the rotating tool. This led to a better understanding of the first-contact event, the penetration and the full drilling phases, as well as the influence of the clamping unit under different cutting conditions.Notation F impulse test exciting force [N] - Fz drilling axial force [N] - F _x F _y drilling lateral force components [N] - F _T drilling table speed (mm min^–1) - L drill overhang - T drilling torque [Nm] - X, Y, Z world coordinates [mm] - X _T,Y _T,Z _T rotating tool coordinates [mm] - _L hole location error [mm] - drill diameter [mm] - rotating angle [°] - R drill end circular movement fadius in world coordinates [mm] - X, Y drill end deflection in world coordinates [mm] - X _T, Y _T drill end deflection in world coordinates [mm] =2R     

A Solar Spectromagnetograph

A new solar spectromagnetograph for measuring the full magnetic-field vector and line-of-sight velocities is described. A new version of a polarization analyzer ensuring parallel measurements of six polarization components of spectral lines is considered. The spectromagnetograph allows the use of any algorithms for obtaining the magnetic fields vector, in particular, the Babcock algorithm and the Fourier transform technique. The sensitivity of the instrument for the longitudinal and transverse magnetic field is 3–5 and 20–30 G, respectively, and 10 m/s for the line-of-sight velocities.     

An Infrared Pyrometer for Monitoring the Temperature of Materials in Vacuum Systems

A pyrometer of IR radiation for monitoring the melting and strengthening temperatures of metals in vacuum systems is described. A diaphragmed optical system is used, which ensures the required spatial resolution and protects the pyrometer from the vaporizing metal. The measured temperature range is 20–1200°C, and the measurement accuracy is 2% at a time constant of 1 s.     

Single-Electron Characteristics of a ФЭУ-184U Photomultiplier Tube

Single-electron and time characteristics of a -184U photomultiplier tube with a uviol window are presented. The -184U single-electron resolution can reach a value of 63–64%, and, in case of single-electron light-striking of the photocathode, the photoelectron transit time distribution (full width at half maximum) is 6 ns.