Analytical travel time models for multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems

Multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems correspond to multiple picking aisles served by a single storage and retrieval machine. These systems are used in practice when the need for pallet places is high and the throughput capacity is relatively low. Therefore, considerable savings of initial investment costs due to single aisle systems can be achieved using such systems. The objective of the presented study is to develop analytical travel time models for multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems considering the operating characteristics of the storage and retrieval machine. With the proposed analytical travel time models, average travel time of the storage and retrieval machine, from which the performance of multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems can be evaluated is determined. A simulation model of multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems was developed to compare the performances of the proposed analytical travel time models. An example of multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems with five picking aisles was presented for the evaluation purpose. The results show that proposed analytical travel time models perform satisfactory according to the results of simulation analysis and could be very useful tools for designing of multi aisle automated storage and retrieval systems in real-world applications.     

Effect of plasma treatment on the release kinetics of a chemotherapy drug from biodegradable polyester films and polyester urethane films

Investigation was made into the effect of plasma treatment on the release kinetics of the drug Temozolomide (TMZ) from thin, biodegradable polyester films, comprising polylactic acid (PLA) and polyester urethane. The authors utilized two systems to achieve this, the first being diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge, applying air as the gaseous medium, while the other involved capacitively coupled radio frequency discharge plasma under an argon atmosphere with hexamethyldisiloxane. Results showed that both forms of plasma treatment positively reduced the undesirable burst effect and benefited the release rate of TMZ. The hydrolytic degradability of the materials was slightly enhanced following hydrophilization, whereas the same diminished after hydrophobization had taken place. This was especially true for PLA due to modification of its wettability.     

autoBOT: evolving neuro-symbolic representations for explainable low resource text classification

Machine Learning - Learning from texts has been widely adopted throughout industry and science. While state-of-the-art neural language models have shown very promising results for text...     

Laser Cladding of Cold-Work Tool Steel by Pulse Shaping

Repair welding of cold-work tool steels in cold is very risky and almost impossible by conventional processes. The application of pulse shaping in laser cladding with wire to avoid the solidification problems in relevant steel is demonstrated. The results show that sound remelting and/or cladding can be achieved by the right selection of laser parameters and pulse shape, i.e. long pulse duration, moderate pulse peak powers and ramped-down pulse shape. Despite the defects and softening in the cladding due to the formation of retained austenite, the cladding shows better wear resistance at lower loads compared to the heat-treated base material.     

Cryogenic grinding of electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone mesh submerged in liquid media

In this paper, the treatment of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nano/micro-mesh system by cryogenic grinding and subsequent characterization of obtained product is described. The PCL nano/micro-mesh layer submerged in appropriate liquid was cryogenically ground and obtained particles were characterized employing mainly laser diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the ground sample, different types of particles (fibrous particles, fibrous fragments, agglomerates with and without an internal fibrous structure, lamellae and nanoparticles) were identified, described and quantified. Parameters of cryogenic grinding (weight of sample, type of liquid medium, and influence of sample storage) were optimized to maximize the yield of particles with desired features. The potential of the system for cell scaffolding was demonstrated by cultivation of 3T3 fibroblasts on the produced microparticles.     

Numerical analysis and thermographic investigation of induction heating

Induction heating process was investigated numerically and experimentally. Cylindrically shaped steel workpiece was heated with different heating protocols. Numerical model with coupled electromagnetic and thermal physical phenomena was solved using the finite element method. Temperature-dependent and temperature-independent steel material properties were considered and their impact on simulation results was evaluated. Simulation results were also compared with experimental measurements using an algorithm for processing thermographic images. Good agreement between them was obtained for workpieces without defects. With ability to observe temperature distributions and material defects, the thermographic camera demonstrated to be an effective non-contact measurement tool and suitable alternative to thermocouples.     

A NEW DISTRIBUTED PLATFORM FOR CLIENT-SIDE FUSION OF WEB APPLICATIONS AND NATURAL MODALITIES—A MULTIMODAL WEB PLATFORM

Web-based solutions and interfaces should be easy, more intuitive, and should also adapt to the natural and cognitive information processing and presentation capabilities of humans. Today, human-controlled multimodal systems with multimodal interfaces are possible. They allow for a more natural and more advanced exchange of information between man and machine. The fusion of web-based solutions with natural modalities is therefore an effective solution for users who would like to access services and web content in a more natural way. This article presents a novel multimodal web platform (MWP) that enables flexible migration from traditionally closed and purpose-oriented multimodal systems to the wider scope offered by web applications. The MWP helps to overcome problems of interoperability, compatibility, and integration that usually accompany migrations from standard (task-oriented) applications to web-based solutions and multiservice networks, thus enabling the enrichment of general web-based user interfaces with several advanced natural modalities in order to communicate and exchange information. The MWP is a system in which all modules are embedded within generic network-based architecture. When using it, the fusion of user front ends with new modalities requires as little intervention to the code of the web application as possible. The fusion is implemented within user front ends and retains the web-application code and its functionalities intact.     

Replacement of traditional emulsifying salts by selected hydrocolloids in processed cheese production

Different hydrocolloids were examined as possible replacements for traditional phosphate- and citrate-based emulsifying salts in processed cheese production. The following hydrocolloids (at concentrations in the final product of ≤1.0%, w/w) were chosen: modified starch (with bound sodium octenyl succinate), low methoxyl pectin (alone or combined with lecithin), locust bean gum, κ-carrageenan and ι-carrageenan. The products were assessed by sensory analysis, microscopic image analysis and dynamic oscillatory rheometry. Modified starch, locust bean gum and low methoxyl pectin could not be recommended as replacements for traditional emulsifying salts. Model processed cheeses without traditional emulsifying salts of 40% (w/w) dry matter and 55% (w/w) fat-in-dry matter containing 1.0% (w/w) κ-carrageenan or ι-carrageenan were found to be homogeneous, however the products were hard with fracturable texture.