A continuous screening procedure using the performance and surrogate variables

A continuous screening procedure interchangeably using the performance and surrogate variables is proposed. At the start of the inspection, the performance variable is measured for all items. As soon as i consecutive items are found to be free of defects, the surrogate variable is measured instead of the performance variable. If an item is rejected, the inspection based on the performance variable is resumed. All non-conforming items found in the inspection are either reworked or replaced with conforming items. The average outgoing quality (AOQ) expression is derived, and methods of finding the inspection procedure with a specified average outgoing quality limit (AOQL) are presented.     

Numerical study on the vertical bridgman crystal growth with thermosolutal convection

A numerical analysis has been carried out to investigate the influences of thermosolutal convection on the heat and mass transfer and solute segregation in crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman technique. The governing equations are solved by a finite-volume method using the power law scheme and the SIMPLE algorithm in which body-fitted coordinate system has been used. A primary convective cell driven by thermal gradients forms in the bulk of the domain, while a secondary convective cell driven by solutal gradients forms near interface. As the solutal Rayleigh number increases, secondary cell becomes to be stronger and has a great influence on the radial concentration along the interface.     

Analysis of a clutch damper using a discrete model

It is important to have a precise model for the clutch damper in order to simulate the entire powertrain of a vehicle and predict the responses of the system. In this research, we developed a new model in which the spring used in the clutch damper is divided into a finite number of elements. The model takes many unique properties of arc-shaped springs into consideration and is anticipated to be more precise than conventional simple models. With the model, two meaningful results were presented which can be utilized afterwards. One is a simulation concerning the peak torque transmitted via the clutch damper. The other is a simulation that shows the hysteretic characteristics of the clutch damper.     

Development of an automated progressive design system with multiple processes (piercing, bending, and deep drawing) for manufacturing products

This paper describes the research work involved in developing an automated progressive design system with multiple processes such as piercing, bending, and deep drawing for manufacturing products. This approach to make a progressive, flexible working system is based on knowledge-based rules. The knowledge required for this system is formulated from plasticity theories, experimental results, and the empirical knowledge of field experts. The system consists of three main modules: shape treatment, strip layout, and die layout modules. The system is founded on knowledge-based rules and is designed in consideration of several factors, such as the material and thickness of a product, the piercing, bending and deep drawing sequence, and the complexities of blank geometry and punch profiles. The system then generates the strip layout drawing for an automobile product. The die layout module carries out the die design for each process from the results of the strip layout module. The results obtained using the modules enable the designers of manufacturing products with multiple processes to be more efficient in this field.     

Analysis of dynamic characteristics of structural joints using stiffness influence coefficients

This paper proposes a new modeling method for joints in mechanical structures in order to reduce the errors in eigenvalue analysis due to joint modeling. The new modeling method uses both a stiffness influence method and a condensation method to obtain the dynamic characteristic matrix of the joint region. It also employs the displacement and reaction of finely modeled finite element analysis in the calculation of stiffness influence coefficients. In order to check the validity of the proposed method, natural frequencies and mode shapes of a simple structure with a bolted joint are investigated by the proposed method and by experiments. The eigenvalue analysis using the proposed method shows more accurate results than that using rigid joints modeling, when the natural frequencies are compared with the experimental results. In addition, the differences between the natural frequencies obtained by the proposed method and those by the rigid joints modeling are notable in the modes where the joint has elastic deformation.     

Harmonic analysis for industrial customers

A power flow program is developed to analyze the harmonic distortion of a power system with various types of harmonic loads. The proposed program can be applied to solve the harmonic current flow, voltage harmonic distortion factor, resonance frequency, and current amplification factor at every bus in the system. In this study, a large metal factory is selected for the harmonic power flow analysis. The current waveforms at every bus are measured and analyzed to determine various orders of harmonic components. These harmonic currents are used in the computer simulation to determine the harmonic voltage distortion factor at the buses of the system, and the variations of resonance impedance and amplification factor with frequencies are investigated. Finally, the program is used to calculate the harmonic load flow when the metal factory is expanded by including a new plant in the power system, and proper filters are designed to alleviate the harmonic problems