Quality assurance systems information requirements planning

The rapid development of Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) is causing significant difficulties for planning the information requirements for the technical managers of quality assurance systems. This paper examines the general model of information requirements planning for quality assurances with emphasis on the problems of structuring and adapting to a CIM environment.     

The basic concepts for ISO/IEC's Image Interchange Format (IIF)

This paper describes the basic concepts for the Image Interchange Format (IIF) for the first International Image Processing and Interchange Standard (IPI), which is under elaboration by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC24 (International Standards Organization/International Electronics Commission, Joint Technical Committee, Computer Graphics)—i.e., “information processing”/“computer graphics”—committee work. Starting with a discussion of existing image formats and current image interchange practices, this study outlines the need for a new approach to a general image interchange format. A requirements list and corresponding design goals for the IIF are presented. Finally, the relation to the other parts of the IPI standard are described. The authors are coworkers and contributors to the relevant committees within the ISO/IEC and the DIN German Institute for Standardization (DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung).     

Information and Quality Assurance: An Unsolved, Perpetual Problem for Past and Future Generations

Quality assurance is well understood in the hardware/manufacturing community but not necessarily within the software community. The meaning of Information assurance depends on who you ask; those in the computer security field interpret information assurance as the need to protect the information, those in quality assurance relate information assurance to the quality of the information. Software assurance ranks even poorer in understanding; although most would agree that it relates to quality, they would be unsure what that means. System assurance is well understood due to its basis on known systems-engineering principles, tending to emphasize the dichotomy of hardware and software concept understanding. In this issue, three articles address parts of the assurance puzzle, which includes: quality assurance, information assurance, software assurance, and system assurance. The combination of these four builds the argument for trust, which is the sole reason for building assurances. To help avoid costly mismatches, consider looking at which part of the assurance puzzle you need solved first before looking at supposed assurance solutions.     

Requirement-based approach for groupware environments design

Groupware applications have special features that, if they were taken into account from the very beginning, could reasonably improve the quality of the system. Such features concern human-computer-human interactions, i.e. a further step in the human-computer interaction field: communication, collaboration, cooperation and coordination, time, space, and awareness are issues to be considered. This paper presents a novel approach to gather requirements for groupware applications. The proposal is based on a methodology that includes the use of templates to gather the information regarding the different types of requirements. The requirements templates have been extended to include new information to give account of specific features concerning groupware applications. The information gathered is managed in a CASE tool we have developed; then general and specific diagrams are automatic or semi-automatically generated.     

核电厂非安全级DCS集成的质量管理

作为核电厂重要的仪控系统,非安全级分散控制系统(DCS)具有功能复杂、内外部接口众多的特点。为了确保核电厂DCS在设计、制造、测试和交付等过程的质量,首先对非安全级DCS的集成过程进行了研究。研究过程采用了IEC 61513标准下系统安全生命周期的模型,分析了在安全生命周期中各阶段执行的相关活动。通过功能安全管理概念的运用,将DCS集成过程的技术管理要求与我国现行的核电厂质量保证要求建立相应的关联,使得两者体系上的融合成为可能。详细探讨了安全生命周期中技术管理要求与核电站质量保证要求之间的对应关系,使得核电厂的质量保证要求能够具体化,同时符合数字化的核电厂仪控系统的特性。最后对非安全级DCS集成质量的管理措施进行了初步的研究。根据核电厂非安全级DCS在工程实施中有别于成熟仪控系统面临的问题,提出了质量管理方法。该方法对于今后新建电厂,特别是新堆型的工程实施具有参考意义。     

Computer literacy and the education/training interface

This paper reviews some relationships between training and formal education, and discusses ways in which education for “Computer Literacy” might provide foundations for subsequent training and retraining in the face of an increasingly automated and information-rich environment. Computer Literacy is defined in terms of learning experiences at all levels of education which contribute to general technological awareness, to familiarity with routine applications of computers and understanding of their potential for human emancipation and to practical problem-solving skills based on creative use of computers and information technology. The effects of different levels of investment available for motivated training and education are considered. Close co-operation between education and training sectors is advocated.     

The programming model of ASSIST, an environment for parallel and distributed portable applications

A software development system based upon integrated skeleton technology (ASSIST) is a proposal of a new programming environment oriented to the development of parallel and distributed high-performance applications according to a unified approach. The main goals are: high-level programmability and software productivity for complex multidisciplinary applications, including data-intensive and interactive software; performance portability across different platforms, in particular large-scale platforms and grids; effective reuse of parallel software; efficient evolution of applications through versions that scale according to the underlying technologies.

The purpose of this paper is to show the principles of the proposed approach in terms of the programming model (successive papers will deal with the environment implementation and with performance evaluation). The features and the characteristics of the ASSIST programming model are described according to an operational semantics style and using examples to drive the presentation, to show the expressive power and to discuss the research issues.

According to our previous experience in structured parallel programming, in ASSIST we wish to overcome some limitations of the classical skeletons approach to improve generality and flexibility, expressive power and efficiency for irregular, dynamic and interactive applications, as well as for complex combinations of task and data parallelism. A new paradigm, called “parallel module” (parmod), is defined which, in addition to expressing the semantics of several skeletons as particular cases, is able to express more general parallel and distributed program structures, including both data-flow and nondeterministic reactive computations. ASSIST allows the programmer to design the applications in the form of generic graphs of parallel components. Another distinguishing feature is that ASSIST modules are able to utilize external objects, including shared data structures and abstract objects (e.g. CORBA), with standard interfacing mechanisms. In turn, an ASSIST application can be reused and exported as a component for other applications, possibly expressed in different formalisms.     

Similarity-based ranking and query processing in multimedia databases

Since media-based evaluation yields similarity values, results to a multimedia database query, Q(Y₁,…,Y_n), is defined as an ordered list S_Q of n-tuples of the form X₁,…,X_n. The query Q itself is composed of a set of fuzzy and crisp predicates, constants, variables, and conjunction, disjunction, and negation operators. Since many multimedia applications require partial matches, S_Q includes results which do not satisfy all predicates. Due to the ranking and partial match requirements, traditional query processing techniques do not apply to multimedia databases. In this paper, we first focus on the problem of “given a multimedia query which consists of multiple fuzzy and crisp predicates, providing the user with a meaningful final ranking”. More specifically, we study the problem of merging similarity values in queries with multiple fuzzy predicates. We describe the essential multimedia retrieval semantics, compare these with the known approaches, and propose a semantics which captures the requirements of multimedia retrieval problem. We then build on these results in answering the related problem of “given a multimedia query which consists of multiple fuzzy and crisp predicates, finding an efficient way to process the query.” We develop an algorithm to efficiently process queries with unordered fuzzy predicates (sub-queries). Although this algorithm can work with different fuzzy semantics, it benefits from the statistical properties of the semantics proposed in this paper. We also present experimental results for evaluating the proposed algorithm in terms of quality of results and search space reduction.     

Modeling safety and airworthiness (RTCA DO-178B) information: conceptual model and UML profile

Several safety-related standards exist for developing and certifying safety-critical systems. System safety assessments are common practice and system certification according to a standard requires submitting relevant system safety information to appropriate authorities. The RTCA DO-178B standard is a software quality assurance, safety-related standard for the development of software aspects of aerospace systems. This research introduces an approach to improve communication and collaboration among safety engineers, software engineers, and certification authorities in the context of RTCA DO-178B. This is achieved by utilizing a Unified Modeling Language (UML) profile that allows software engineers to model safety-related concepts and properties in UML, the de facto software modeling standard. A conceptual meta-model is defined based on RTCA DO-178B, and then a corresponding UML profile, which we call SafeUML, is designed to enable its precise modeling. We show how SafeUML improves communication by, for example, allowing monitoring implementation of safety requirements during the development process, and supporting system certification per RTCA DO-178B. This is enabled through automatic generation of safety and certification-related information from UML models. We validate this approach through a case study on developing an aircraft’s navigation controller subsystem.     

Linking microcomputers and dedicated word processing systems for increased productivity

With the decline in cost of hardware, more and more professionals are acquiring personal computers at their desk. Most common uses of these office computers are word processing and spreadsheet (e.g. LOTUS 123, MULTIMATE, FRAMEWORK, etc.¹) applications. Professionals typically generate text directly on the personal computer (in lieu of hand written copy) and use spreadsheet programs to tabulate and analyze collected field data. A problem in some offices is integrating text and data prepared on the personal computer with existing dedicated word processing systems which have existed in many office environments for some time. One solution is to have the text and tabulated data retyped into the word processing system, however, this approach is not an effective use of resources.

The Industrial Hygiene Section, Industrywide Studies Branch (DSHEFS), NIOSH has developed procedures for electronically linking personal microcomputers with an office-wide word processing system. Using a commercially available hardware “board” (which may be inserted into an open slot in an IBM-PC or compatible), the rough copy report and tabulated spreadsheet data can be electronically linked and “uploaded” from a microcomputer to the word processing system. At NIOSH, a WANG word processing system is the office-wide system for preparing and publishing final reports. This system is not readily compatible with IBM-PC (or similar) microcomputers; however, using MULTIMATE (a commercially available word processing program) and the hardware board, documents can be readily transferred to the WANG virtually unchanged from the copy generated on the microcomputer. Importantly, spreadsheet data can be similarly transferred and linked to a document on the WANG wordprocessing system.

This paper describes the sequence of steps, along with necessary hardware and software, to achieve the integration of written documents and numerical data (analyzed by LOTUS 123) from a microcomputer to a office-wide WANG word processing system.     

An experimental analysis of critical factors in automatic data acquisition through bar coding

The technology of bar coding has been in existence for nearly forty (40) years but has only recently found much application in modern industry. This fact is attributable in part to the evolution of the bar coding symbology itself (of which there are at least 16 in use today), but to a larger extent to the technological advances that have greatly improved the ability to both print and read bar coded symbols. There remain, however, a number of critical factors that are thought to impact the success or failure of a bar code system.

Although several methods for measuring the success of bar code system are certainly plausible, the most appropriate or revealing index of success is identified as First Read Rate (FRR), for a low FRR will virtually guarantee user rejection of the system in favor of a more traditional yet undoubtedly slower and less accurate method of data collection or reporting. But while the importance of a high FRR is generally accepted, the factors or parameters that impact FRR are to a large extent still unknown.

Defined herein are two major categories of bar code system parameters. There are:

1. (1) GO/NOGO Parameters

2. (2) Level of Success parameters

Of the “Level of success” parameters, the quality of the printed media or print technique is often purported to be the single most important criterion in determining FRR. Other potentially significant contributors to the success of a bar code system, however, include the bar code application (defined herein by label length), and the human variability of the operator(s) that must use the system.

This text outline an experiment designed to characterize the impact of these three parameters on the FRR of a bar code system. Then a mixed-effects linear model is defined, and factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques are used to analyze the results of 4800 attempted “reads” which represent the FRR data for every possible combination of four (4) print techniques, three (3) application/label lengths, and two (2) randomly selected operations.

Contrary to the assertions of many “experts” the results of this experiment lead to the conclusion that the operator effect and interaction effects between operator and the other experimental variables are likely to have the greatest impact on a system's FRR. This conclusion suggests that success of the overall system is tantamount to success in controlling the operator variability, and that more attention should be given to the definition of human factors such as operator training than to the specification of system hardware — as is so often the case.     

CAD Standard parts file — A DIN project in the standards committee on tabular layouts for article characteristics

The project was started in December 84, to define the necessary data records, to handle standard parts on CAD systems and work stations.

Basis of the data records were the article characteristics, documented in the German Standard DIN 4000. The aim is to add information on the logical structure of the standard parts from the tables in the “Product Standards”.

During the first year of work it was noted that the user of the data will have a more efficient implementation, if corresponding standardized software is available to produce the selected graphic- and model-representation in the CAD systems. This is to be realized in close cooperation with the German NAM 96.4 (Standardization Committee for Manufacturing of Machines) and the corresponding ISO/TC 184 SC 4 (Industrial Automation, External Representation of Product Definition Data) as well as vendors and users of CAD systems.

The software will be realized on a FORTRAN basis. The relevant FORTRAN-Extension has been documented in the Prestandard DIN V 66304.

The results of the project offered by DIN shall be:

1. - standardized data records and software for the mostly used standard parts

2. - tested and actualized files and subroutine-libraries

3. - DIN certificates in a neutral form, e.g. independent from features of specific CAD systems.

     

Criteria for selecting control systems in flexible manufacturing

Industry in Europe has been undergoing major structural changes during the last twenty years or so. Against the background of high demand for consumer and capital goods with corresponding, mostly fixed production capacities, it was necessary to build flexible and, at the same time, efficient production plants in order to cope with the increasing variety of products and shorter innovation cycles.Flexible manufacturing is inconceivable without information technology. Thus, the word “information” has rightly taken its place in the list of primary factors associated with modern production technology. The “gating” of data into production planning and quality assurance, combined with concepts of logistics and control, keeps the flow of materials on the move and helps to shorten lead times.The organization of production and the plant equipment itself have to be matched to the size of the plant, the product range and the market. In large-batch production, for example, a customized vehicle is required; in small-batch or unit production it is often necessary to manufacture a machine to specific customer requirements. Despite such great variations in the type of requirement, it is still possible to distinguish a number of common factors—one of them being the hierarchical structure of the automation landscape with objective and transparent distribution of information across all levels; from the control level for pre-production, assembly and transport up to the planning level for capacity planning and materials management.Hierarchical levels enable particular tasks to be assigned to specific automation equipment. Mainframes and minicomputers are used at the planning level. Dedicated systems such as numerical controls and programmable controllers are now used almost exclusively on the shopfloor control level.Local area networks connect the automation systems of different manufactures without the need for any adaptation. Protocols must be unified for this purpose. Since stable standards are not yet in existence, Siemens has decided to follow the strategy of standard harmonized development.Programmable controllers are part of all production, transport and storage systems. The main requirements are for control, operator communication, monitoring, counting and positioning. A comprehensive production family is a very important factor. Excellent hardware compatibility, easy interlinking and a uniform programming language are all characteristic of the family philosophy.Industrial robots are used mainly in the automobile industry. Largely thaks to them it is possible to produce economically and rationally any mix of model variants and to automate assembly. Programming facilities such as teach-in, on-line or off-line are therefore an important selection criterion for robot control.The majority of numerical controls in use today are used for controlling single machines in heavy-duty and special-purpose machinery manufacture. In networked applications, numerical controls form part of flexible manufacturing systems. In addition to machine control and management, the capacity for communication is an important criterion for selection in this case.In many controls for individual machines the priority is for quick and easy programming. “Shopfloor programming” has assumed considerable importance in such applications. Shopfloor programming requires controls with a sophisticated, user-friendly, graphics interface.Examples show how dedicated automation subsystems have been finding widespread application in the automation of manufacturing, transport and warehouse equipment. They are designed specially to perform certain tasks, both in programming and operation, in order to provide an economic solution to a problems in terms of matched performance and functionality.     

Object-oriented DBMS requirements

The requirements on an object-oriented DBMS for management of information in a large, complex enterprise are presented. These requirements aid in the achievement of an environment characterized by data sharing, open architectures, application and data portability, and assurance of data integrity. They were defined from the point of view of a user of the DBMS; therefore they describe the expected functionality of the DBMS and do not specify the method of implementation to achieve this functionality. They encompass requirements on the data model, query and data manipulation languages, the system architecure, interfaces to the system, change management, and transaction management.     

The strategic management and information network system The convenience store net-work

We are living in an advanced information society. The information revolution in computers is going on, among other areas, in the field of marketing. Until now, the term “Information System” has been used in the field of marketing mainly to refer to market research. We need to make the most of this information to aid decision making in new product development and sales promotion. It is fundamental that marketing be consumer oriented. However, the real needs of a contemporary consumer include factors which cannot be revealed by a questionnaire survey. The progresses of computer technology and its reduction in price has enabled the construction of a network system in the distribution stage.

The construction and application of a network system suitable to contemporary marketing management has now become part of the challenge facing business management. They must collect and process distribution information with speed and efficiency. And they must obtain information that is up-to-minute and sufficiently detailed for marketing activity which can then be carried out effectively with small risk. In other words, a company manager who is supported by an information system has come to be able to control in minute detail the information regarding purchase actions of various consumers.     

Automated planning and optimization of machining processes: A systems approach

A system is presented that combines the automated planning and optimization functions in machining processes. The planning function is performed by a systematic analysis of the stated requirements of the finished part in the light of information on available machining facilities and raw materials. The optimization phase utilizes a mathematical programming model to take into account various costs and constraints under alternative machining conditions. A gradient or “hill-climbing” algorithm is shown to be a convenient optimization technique for this class of problems. Implementation of the system is illustrated in some detail for the case of the face milling process.     

Building MRSEV models for CAM applications

In integrating CAD and CAM applications, one major problem is how to interpret CAD information in a manner that makes sense for CAM. The goal is to develop a general approach that can be used with a variety of CAD and CAM applications for the manufacture of machined parts.

In particular, a methodology is presented for taking a CAD model, extracting alternative interpretations of the model as collections of MRSEVs (material removal shape element volumes, a STEP-based library of machining features), and evaluating these interpretations to determine which one is optimal. The evaluation criteria may be defined by the user, in order to select the best interpretation for the particular application at hand.