Identification and optimization of key process parameters in noncontact laser scanning for reverse engineering

This Extended Technical Note shows that the final accuracy level of reverse engineered surfaces depends on scanning distance and scanning angle of the laser beam, hence it also depends on the morphology of the scanned objects. On scanning strongly curved objects, such as the ones with free form surfaces, the distance and impact angle of the laser beam are changing continuously during the scanning process. On the basis of these, two critical parameters are specified for the design model, which make it possible to predict these two factors in advance, depending on the morphology of the scanned object. First, a mathematical-statistical design model of the scanning process is generated, which relies on ANOVA (analysis of variance) and DOE (design of experiments). In the next step, a fitness function is optimized by the genetic algorithm (GA) program. This optimization improves the accuracy of the final scanned surfaces, in terms of the minimum standard deviation values of reverse engineered 3D surface model. The proposed approach was confirmed in a case study, which is presented at the end of this Technical Note.     

Application of the Cascade-Correlation network to the classification of circularly scanned images

This paper describes an application of the Cascade-Correlation (CC) network to pattern recognition. The pattern recognition task was to simulate an automatic vision inspection system that had to properly classify five different objects. The feature vectors were extracted from 2D images of circularly scanned images and used as inputs for a neural network that was then trained to classify an unknown presented object. The results show that the CC network is viable tool in pattern recognition tasks. It is able to classify partially occluded objects with high accuracy, and to considerably improve classification of noisy images based on simple histogram trimming preprocessing.     

Spiking Neural Networks: Background,Recent Development and the NeuCube Architecture

Neural Processing Letters - This paper reviews recent developments in the still-off-the-mainstream information and data processing area of spiking neural networks (SNN)—the third generation...     

An elasto-plastic fracture mechanics based model for assessment of hydride embrittlement in zircaloy cladding tubes

This paper describes a finite element based fracture mechanics model to assess how hydrides affect the integrity of zircaloy cladding tubes. The hydrides are assumed to fracture at a low load whereas the propagation of the fractured hydrides in the matrix material and failure of the tube is controlled by non-linear fracture mechanics and plastic collapse of the ligaments between the hydrides. The paper quantifies the relative importance of hydride geometrical parameters such as size, orientation and location of individual hydrides and interaction between adjacent hydrides. The paper also presents analyses for some different and representative multi-hydride configurations. The model is adaptable to general and complex crack configurations and can therefore be used to assess realistic hydride configurations. The mechanism of cladding failure is by plastic collapse of ligaments between interacting fractured hydrides. The results show that the integrity can be drastically reduced when several radial hydrides form continuous patterns.     

Process Scheduling Procedure for a Class of Real-Time Comuter Systems

The paper presents the results of the performance evaluation study for a class of real-time computer systems intended for industrial process applications. The developed measures will improve the response time of the system, under the condition of high data arrival rates, where task context switching time and associated overhead are highly exhibited. A discretionary dynamic scheduling and selection discipline is synthesized, producing the minimum global expected waiting time in the system, under the given conditions.     

Carcinogenic properties of silicon carbide whiskers

In experiments with intrapleural injections of silicon carbide whiskers (20 mg X 3, with one month interval) to random-inbred rats their carcinogenic activity close to that of chrysotile B UICC has been established. The pleural mesotheliomas were induced in 47.7 and 34.1% of rats, respectively.     

FEM investigation and thermo-mechanic tests of the new solid tungsten divertor tile for ASDEX Upgrade

A new solid tungsten divertor for the fusion experiment ASDEX Upgrade is under construction at present. A new divertor tile design has been developed to improve the thermal performance of the current divertor made of tungsten coated fine grain graphite. Compared to thin tungsten coatings, divertor tiles made of massive tungsten allow to extend the operational range and to study the plasma material interaction of tungsten in more detail. The improved design for the solid tungsten divertor was tested on different full scale prototypes with a hydrogen ion beam. The influence of a possible material degradation due to thermal cracking or recrystallization can be studied. Furthermore, intensive Finite Element Method (FEM) numerical analysis with the respective test parameters has been performed. The elastic–plastic calculation was applied to analyze thermal stress and the observed elastic and plastic deformation during the heat loading. Additionally, the knowledge gained by the tests and especially by the numerical analysis has been used to optimize the shape of the divertor tiles and the accompanying divertor support structure.This paper discusses the main results of the high heat flux tests and their numerical simulations. In addition, results from some special structural mechanic analysis by means of FEM tools are presented. Finally, first results from the numerical lifecycle analysis of the current tungsten tiles will be reported.     

Selbstbestimmung und Selbstverständnis – Themenschwerpunkte im Umgang mit der Patientenverfügung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Photoluminescence of hydrophilic silicon nanocrystals in aqueous solutions

Stable aqueous solutions of undecylenic-acid-grafted silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) were prepared. The time evolution of the photoluminescence properties of these hydrophilic silicon nanocrystals has been followed on different timescales (hours and days). On a short timescale (hours), Si-nc tend to agglomerate while the PL lineshape and intensity are stable. Agglomeration can be reduced by using suitable surfactants. On a long timescale (days), oxidation of Si-nc occurs even in the presence of surfactants. These two observations render Si-nc very useful as a labeling agent for biosensing.