Lot Sizing with Several Groups of Single-Cycling Retailers and One Warehouse

In this paper I describe a consecutiveness rule for grouping N retailers into m groups with independent single-cycle policies for each group which enables the creation of groups using a shortest-path approach. I also suggest a very efficient algorithm to compute the lot sizes for any single-cycle policy which can easily be incorporated into the shortest-path model for the creation of m single-cycle groups.     

Application of the micro-genetic algorithm to the design of spatialfilters with frequency-selective surfaces embedded in dielectric media

We present an efficient method of optimizing spatial filters comprising of single and multiple frequency-selective surface (FSS) screens embedded in multilayered dielectric media. Two such filter designs are optimized via the micro-genetic algorithm (MGA) and their frequency responses are validated by alternate methods     

Evaluation of adhesion characteristics of nylon-6 tire cord to natural rubber

The adhesion characteristics of Nylon-6 cords to rubber matrix, using Resorcinol Formaldehyde Latex (RFL) solution, were evaluated at various conditions. The heat-setting studies of RFL dipped cords in the temperature range of 180–210°C showed a loss in tensile properties. However, a minimum in the loss was observed when a pretension load was given to the cords. Percent shrinkage of RFL-dipped cords increased with the increase in temperature of heat setting. Adhesion behavior of Nylon-6 cords to rubber matrix showed some improvement under relaxed conditions in the entire temperature range studied. With the application of suitable tension to cord, adhesion behavior can be made constant. This has been attributed to the higher extent of shrinkage of cords under relaxed conditions providing greater cord surface area. This in turn, leads to increased cord to rubber matrix.     

Design of a feature-tuned ANN model based on bulk rock-derived mineral spectra for endmember classification of a hyperspectral image from an iron ore deposit

In this article, a new feature-tuned artificial neural network (ANN) model has been developed for endmember classification of a hyperspectral image. This model is developed on the basis of using only the essential absorption bands of mineral spectra as opposed to using all the spectral bands of the hyperspectral image. This approach has the added advantages of reducing the dimensionality of input features to the ANN as well as inhibiting the influences of noisy bands for classification of endmembers. The proposed ANN model is trained using input features extracted from laboratory spectra of in situ bulk ore materials collected from an existing iron ore deposit. The input features are basically the constituent absorption bands of mineral spectra where each absorption band is mathematically characterized by the centre, width, and strength parameters of a Gaussian curve. For extracting absorption bands from a mineral spectrum, a modified Gaussian model has been used. The application of this model also necessitates the design of a special template for the input layer ANN model. After training the model, its generalization property is assessed through a testing data set. The model has achieved nearly 97% of classification accuracy in a training set, and 71% of accuracy in a testing set. The trained model is then applied on Hyperion imagery collected over an iron ore deposit. All the endmember spectra of this deposit are classified into either vegetation or any of the ores or rock present in the deposit. None of the endmembers is classified into non-iron ore minerals.     

Supporting manufacturing-marketing interface management with a partially automated knowledge base: a precursor to computer-integrated business enterprise

Providing continuity and transparency of decisions across interfaces of domains such as manufacturing and marketing is becoming imperative for competitiveness. Since the issues involved in interface management are not very well understood its practice has not been very successful. In this paper, we explore this problem in a scientific way and establish a set of mappings across and within domains that form the building-blocks of our research. We develop mathematical models to help understand the characteristics of such mappings in a knowledge base environment. One of the models helps support the decision-making process of a manager within a domain while the other helps in detecting patterns of decisions made between domains.The knowledge base mechanism and the models together form a computer-oriented system which encourages synergy between manufacturing and marketing. Our approach therefore can be considered to be a precursor to a fully, i.e. across all different domains in a firm, computer-integrated business enterprise.     

Removal of copper from aqueous solution using newspaper pulp as an adsorbent

Newspaper pulp was found to be a potential adsorbent for removal of copper from aqueous medium. Detail adsorption study of Cu on newspaper pulp was investigated. Batch adsorption study was carried out as a function of contact time, adsorbent dose, temperature (303-323 K). The experimental data was analyzed using Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) and Redlich-Peterson (R-P) isotherm models. It was found that Freundlich, Langmuir and R-P models fitted well. pH variation study revealed that the adsorption increased with increase in pH of the solution. Maximum loading capacity was found to be 30 mg g(-1) at 20 mg L(-1) of initial Cu concentration. Adsorption data were analyzed using two kinetic models, Lagergren first order and pseudo second order. It was observed that pseudo second order represented the best correlation. Langmuir isotherm was used to obtain the thermodynamic parameters such as free energy (DeltaG degrees ), enthalpy (DeltaH degrees ) and entropy (DeltaS degrees ) of adsorption. The negative value of free energy and positive value of enthalpy change indicate that the adsorption of Cu on newspaper pulp is a spontaneous process and endothermic. The results of activation energy also confirmed that the adsorption of Cu on newspaper pulp is physical in nature. Present investigation emphasized that newspaper pulp may be utilized as a low cost adsorbent for copper removal.     

Possibility of useful mechanical energy from noise: the solitary wave train problem in the granular chain revisited

A momentary velocity perturbation at an edge of a granular chain with the grains barely touching one another and held between fixed walls propagates as a solitary wave whereas a long lived perturbation, even if it is noisy, ends up as a solitary wave train. Here, we extend our earlier work but with a force instead of a velocity perturbation. Such a perturbation can propagate an extended compression front into the system. We find that a snapshot of the distribution of grain compressions in the solitary wave train shows parabolic as opposed to an approximate exponential decay with the leading edge at the front of the traveling pulse and the trailing edge following it. The system’s time evolution depends on three independent parameters-the material properties, duration of perturbation and the characteristic amplitude of the perturbation. Hence, the coefficients used to describe the parabolic decay of the grain compressions in the solitary wave train depend on these three parameters. When a random finite duration force perturbation is applied we find that the randomness is smoothed out by the system, which in turn suggests that long granular chains (or equivalent systems, such as circuits) can be potentially useful in converting random noisy signals to organized solitary wave trains and hence to potentially usable energy.     

PAPR Reduction Using Advanced Partial Transmission Scheme for 5G Waveforms

The implementation of Peak Average to Power Ratio (PAPR) reduction technologies will play an important role in the regularization of Fifth Generation (5G) radio communication. PAPR reduction in the advanced waveform will be the key part of designing a 5G network for different applications. This work introduces the simulation of an Advanced Partial Transmission Sequence (A-PTS) reduction techniques for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Filter Bank Multi-Carrier (FBMC) transmission schemes. In the projected A-PTS, the FBMC signals are mapped into the number of sub-blocks and Inverse Fast Fourier transform (IFFT) is performed to estimate the high peak power in the time domain. The FBMC sub-blocks are multiplied with the phase elements to achieve an optimal PAPR value. A MATLAB 2014v simulation is used to estimate the PAPR, Bit Error Rate (BER), Error Vector Magnitude (EVM), and Modulation Error Rate (MER) performance of the proposed reduction schemes. The simulated result reveals that the performance of the projected algorithm is better than the conventional algorithms.     

SectionBuilder: An innovative finite element tool for analysis and design of composite rotor blade cross-sections

SectionBuilder is a finite element based tool for analysis and design of composite rotor blade cross-sections. The tool can create the cross-sections with parametric shapes and arbitrary configurations. It has the ability to generate single- and multi-cell cross-sections with arbitrary lay-ups where the material properties for each layer can be defined on the basis of the design requirements. It can create the variation of thickness of skin and D-spars for rotor blades by considering ply drops. Cross-sections are often reinforced by core material for constructing realistic rotor blade cross-sections. The tool has the ability to integrate core materials into the cross-sections. After meshing the cross-section, the tool determines the sectional properties using finite element analysis. This tool computes sectional properties including stiffness matrix, compliance matrix, mass matrix, and principal axes. A visualization environment is integrated with the tool for visualizing the stress and strain distributions over the cross-section. The detail about the development steps and application of SectionBuilder is presented in this paper.