Artificial intelligence—morphological approach as a new technological forecasting technique

Technological forecasting is located in technological space for a certain engineering domain and is the first step in the research and development of a new technology. There are many techniques already developed for technological forecasting like extrapolation of trends, heuristics forecasting by expert e.g. Delphi method, etc. The morphological method (MM) is used to describe a technique for identifying, indexing, counting and parametrizing the collection of all possible devices to achieve a specified functional capability. This is not a forecasting per se, but it is a useful organizing tool, a source of insights, and a starting point for further analysis by other methods, Mila?i? (1976). In the paper we expand the capabilities of MM using artificial intelligence (Al) principles. The AI production system has a global data base, a set of production rules and a control system. Special attention is paid to control strategy-developing searching techniques in order to distinguish the explicit local knowledge about how to proceed toward a goal from any state from the implicit global knowledge of the complete solution. Some practical examples are also shown.     

Integrating resource production and construction using BIM

This paper presents the outcomes of a research and development project carried out at the University of Maribor, Construction IT Centre, with regard to the introduction of a building information model (BIM) and a model based construction process into the operational environment of a construction company. The initiative for the project came from the industry and was performed as a joined effort of the research organization and the construction company. Work was performed in the scope of an industrialized construction environment, with the main aim to integrate mass production prefabrication processes with construction site activities. BIM was used as a link between an enterprise resource planning (ERP) information system that supports manufacturing process and construction object related information, mainly handled by CAD tools. The benefits of this link are presented with regard to project progress monitoring and material flow management.     

Kinetic Model of Metallocarbohedrene Formation in Arc Plasma Generator

Abstract

A kinetic model of the formation of stable metal-carbon clusters, which have been designated metallocarbohedrenes, is developed.

The metals chosen for the theoretical analysis were titanium and zirconium. An optimum starting composition of composite electrodes was found. The fullerene and Met-Car yields for different metal-to-carbon mass ratios were determined. The maximum yield of Ti₈C₁₂ was 0.4% while the maximum yield of Zr₈C₁₂ was 0.6%. The theoretical mass spectra of carbon and metallocarbon clusters were explored.     

RMS Detector of Multiharmonic Signals

This paper presents a new realization of the implicit root‐mean‐square (RMS) detector, employing three second‐generation current conveyors and MOS transistors. The proposed circuit can be applied in measuring the RMS value of complex, periodic signals, represented in the form of the Fourier series. To verify the theoretical analysis, circuit Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis simulations and experiment results are included, showing agreement with the theory.     

A CHEMICAL MODEL OF THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION SYSTEM: NITRIC ACID- URANYL NITRATE- WATER - TRI-n-BUTYL PHOSPHATE (TBP) - DILUENT

ABSTRACT

A mathematical model founded on the equilibrium constants expressions has been developed for the simultaneous extraction of nitric acid and uranyl nitrate with TBP in alkane diluents. The model uses chemical activities of nitric acid and uranyl nitrate in the aqueous phase and the stoichiometric concentrations of their TBP solvates in the organic phase. The apparent formation constants of the species (TBP)₂, (TBP)₂HNo₃, TBPHNO₃, and UO₂(NO)₃ 2TBP, present in the organic phase, have been established. The model fits well the distribution results over the whole concentration range of the extraction isotherms, and extractant concentrations 5–10% TBP. The starting data are the chemical activities of nitric acid and uranyl nitrate in the aqueous phase and their stoichiometric concentrations in the organic phase.     

Spectral determination of graphs whose components are paths and cycles

We consider the class of graphs each of whose components is either a path or a cycle. We classify the graphs from the class considered into those which are determined and those which are not determined by the adjacency spectrum. In addition, we compare the result with the corresponding results for the Laplacian and the signless Laplacian spectra. It turns out that the signless Laplacian spectrum performs the best, confirming some expectations from the literature.