Shop-floor scheduling at shipbuilding yards using the multiple intelligent agent system

The intelligent agent system has become a typical approach to research distributed artificial intelligence and distributed problem solving. However, despite its various technical advantages, the distribution and expansion of the intelligent agent system approach has been limited because existing methodologies rely on specialized applications and therefore require intensive investment to develop new systems. In an attempt to conquer these difficulties, a standardized methodology to construct intelligent agent systems is proposed. This approach deviates from current agent system approaches of repeatedly constructing new and customized expert systems. Specifically, it provides an economical method for developing intelligent agent systems by investigating the possibility of standardizing message communication protocols in linguistics speech-act theory and by supplementing traditional algorithmic systems with intelligent segments using, among others, expert system tools. To verify effectiveness, the shop-floor scheduling system of a large-scale shipbuilding yard has been redesigned, developed, and tested using this approach. This shop-floor scheduling system requires the scheduling of when and where to process block construction under various constraints. It is a difficult four-dimensional time and space allocation problem involving traditional NP-complete search spaces. The tested intelligent agent system proposes an innovative method for reducing the search space into three levels: the algorithm level, the agent intelligence level, and the level of cooperation among agents. It also provides methods for solving deadlock occurrence and non-uniformity problems resulting from parallel processing. Test results demonstrate applicability and economy, among other technical advantages.     

大型汽轮发电机主绝缘耐压和电老化试验中定子线棒端部防晕技术的研究

大型汽轮发电机在主绝缘耐压和电老化试验中,可能出现定子线棒端部闪络和防晕层过热的情况,从而损伤主绝缘,影响试验顺利进行。本文通过建立真机线棒端部的Pspice仿真模型,模拟了线棒端部绝缘表面电场分布,分析了端部闪络的原因。通过进一步的仿真研究,提出了线棒端部防晕的技术方案,并试制了线棒端部防晕装置。试验结果表明,该防晕装置可有效防止线棒端部闪络和防晕层过热。     

Bio-information scanning technology using an optical pick-up head

We have developed a low cost and a highly compact bio-chip detection technology by modifying a commercially available optical pick-up head for CD/DVD. The highly parallel and miniaturized hybridization assays are addressed by the fluorescence emitted by the DNA-chip using the optical pick-up head. The gap between the objective lens and the bio-chip is regulated by the focus servo during the detection of the fluorescence signal. High-resolution and high-speed scanning is effectively realized by this simple scanning system instead of utilizing high-precision mechanism. Regardless of achievement of effective detection mechanism, the technique of fluorescence detection can prove to be disadvantageous because of the low stability of the dyes with low S/N ratio and an expensive setup such as a PMT detector is always required for fluorescence detection. We propose, for the first time, a novel scanning scheme based on metal nanoparticles in combination with a bio-chip substrate having a phase change recording layer. We found that the phase change process is highly affected by the existence of the densely condensed metal nanoparticles on the phase change layer during the writing process of the pick-up head.     

Performance improvement using time delays in multivariable controller design

A new controller for linear multivariable ordinary systems is suggested in which distributed delays are included in the feedback loop. A general design approach to obtain this type of controller is suggested. It is shown that the resulting closed-loop system is asymptotically stable under some sufficient conditions. Sufficient conditions are derived under which the disturbance attenuation, the robustness against parameter variations, and the time-delay stability margins are improved by the proposed controller. The state feedback tracking controller and the dual-state observer are obtained by modification of the proposed controller.     

Modified analogue forecasting in the hidden Markov frameworkfor meteorological droughts

An analogue method(AM) is a nonparametric approach that has been applied to predict the future states of a dynamic system by following the evolution of the analogues in the historical archive. In this study, we proposed a hidden Markov model(HMM)framework for a modified analogue forecasting(MAF) approach for meteorological droughts in Korea. The unobservable(hidden) state process in the framework aims to model the underlying drought state, while the observation process was formed from the time series of the standardized precipitation index(SPI) as a drought index. Within the framework, the likelihood estimator was used as the measure of similarity between past SPI analogues and current data. The MAF approach was conducted on the selected analogues to make forecasts at lead times of one and three months. The proposed model was applied to five selected stations in Korea using the SPI data from 1973 to 2016. The forecasting performance of the proposed model was tested during the validation period(2003–2016) using several statistical criteria and it was compared to a persistence-based benchmark model. The results showed significant improvement in the forecasting capacity, and satisfactory performance for numerical SPI forecasting and categorical drought forecasting. The results also suggested that the proposed model was able to provide useful information for determining future drought categories for early drought warning with a lead time of up to three months.     

Investigating the tension load of rubber composites by impact dynamic testing

This work deals with establishing the tension load by impact dynamic testing of rubber composite conveyor belts. The value of tension load affects the shape of the used impactor and use of a support system as well as the weight of the ram and the impact height. An increase in the allowable stress when the belt is tensioned was examined during the test, to determine the effect of impact on the tension load. The obtained values of tension load are assessed using basic mathematical and statistical methods. Using the Design of Experiments method, factors that significantly affect the value of the tension load are identified.     

A Modification of the Coates Gain Formula for the Analysis of Linear Systems

In this paper, the Coates flow-graph gain formula is modified by the introduction of the loop-set and the two-loop-set, baaed on the concepts of the tree and the two-tree in network topology. The analogy is evident by observing that the two-trees T _ij of a given graph G can be obtained by coalescing vertices i and j of G and thon removing the self-loops. In a similar manner, the two-loop-sets can be obtained from the flow graph by first modifying the graph and then obtaining the loop-sets of tho modified graph. Because of such modification, the derivation of tho gain formula is considerably simplified. Consequently, the evaluation of the terms in the formula becomes easier. Finally, a simple method of determining the number of terms in the formula is derived as a check against possible omission of terms due to carelessness.     

Optimal control of economic growth with application to Korean economy

This paper is concerned with the application of optimal control theory to the dual growth of the Korean economy. A closed two sector economic growth model is formulated by dividing the economy into agriculture and non-agriculture in order to represent the transitional phenomena between the two sectors. Taking capital and saving as state and control variables, respectively, the model governing the economic growth becomes a non-linear simultaneous differential equations with coupling terms of state and control variables. Assuming the Cobb-Douglas production function and the exponential form of the social welfare function, the necessary and sufficient conditions of the optimal control have been derived for the case of finite planning horizon by using the Pontryagin's maximum principle. Since deriving the optimal trajectories of state and control variables analytically is impossible, a numerical procedure based on the variation of extremals is used to obtain the optimal paths of the aggregate investment and consumption of the Korean economy.     

The stretch zone of automotive steel sheets

The paper deals with an experimental determination of the stretch zone dimensions in the notch tip in thin steel sheets. The stretch zone dimensions depend on steel grade, on the rolling direction as well as on the loading rate. Stretch zones were observed and measured on three steel grades. Fracture area and stretch zones were analysed by SEM. Stable crack growth was monitored by videoextensometry techniques on CT (Compact Tension) specimens. Specimens were loaded under two loading rates by eccentric tension, whereby the deformation in the notch surrounding area was recorded using a non-contact measurement–videoextensometry technique. Linear relation between the stretch zone dimensions was determined.