Multiple source partial knowledge transfer for manufacturing system modelling

Transfer learning has shown its attractiveness for manufacturing system modelling by leveraging previously acquired knowledge to assist in training the target model, whereas most techniques focus on single-source transfer settings. Since there are usually multiple source domains available in practice, multi-source transfer learning is attracting more attention. Existing researches regard the source instance or the source model as the basic information granularity, which makes it difficult to reduce the global shift and the local discrepancy across domains simultaneously. Therefore, this paper presents a multiple source partial knowledge transfer method (MSPKT) for manufacturing system modelling tasks, in which partial knowledge is defined as a novel information granularity between the instance granularity and model granularity. Firstly, TSK (Takagi-Sugeno-Kang) fuzzy system is introduced as the basic learner to represent partial knowledge effectively. Then, we design a transferability measurement of partial knowledge by considering the similarity and reliability to support transfer learning with multiple source domains. Finally, a synthetic dataset and two manufacturing system datasets are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Sparse identification for ball-screw drives considering position-dependent dynamics and nonlinear friction

Establishing accurate dynamic models in a form that is suitable for integration with model-based control methods, is of great significance for further improving the dynamic motion control precision of ball-screw drives. However, due to the nonlinear time-varying factors such as position-dependent dynamics and nonlinear friction disturbance, it is difficult to model the dynamic characteristics of ball-screw drives accurately, concisely and efficiently. To overcome this challenge, a sparse identification method for ball-screw drives is proposed. Ball-screw drives are modeled as discrete-time linear parameter-varying systems under nonlinear friction disturbance, and two types of dictionary function libraries are designed to represent the position-dependent dynamics and nonlinear friction respectively. After constructing the regression form of the system model, a stepwise sparse regression policy is proposed to solve all the coefficients of dictionary functions. The proposed method is verified in both simulation and real environments. The results both show that by the proposed method, an accurate and linearizable dynamic model of ball-screw drives can be identified only using the data from only one global random excitation experiment covering the working stroke.     

Coordinated scheduling of production and logistics for large-scale closed-loop manufacturing using Benders decomposition optimization

This paper studies coordinated scheduling of production and logistics for a large-scale closed-loop manufacturing system by integrating its manufacturing and recycling process. In addition to the forward manufacturing process, different recycling units in reverse recycling process are also studied. A decentralized network is designed to formulate the coordinated scheduling problem as a mixed integer programming model with both binary and integer variables. As the problem for closed-loop manufacturing is large-scale and computational-consuming in nature, the model is divided into integer variable sub-models and complex binary variable sub-models for preprocessing and reprocessing respectively. An iterative solution approach by Benders decomposition is developed to accelerate the solving efficiency in large-scale case by updating custom constraints. A case study is conducted to investigate the managerial implications of the decentralized network for the closed-loop manufacturing system. Computational experiments demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed iterative solution approach for the large-scale scenarios.     

Integrated mathematical optimisation approach for the tower crane hook routing problem to satisfy material demand requests on-site

Optimising decisions around the location and operation of tower cranes can improve the workflow in construction projects. Traditionally, the location and allocation problems involved in tower crane operations in the literature have been solved separately from the assignment of material supply points to demand points and the scheduling of the crane’s activity sequence across supply and demand points on a construction site. To address the gap, this paper proposes a binary integer programming problem, where location of the tower crane, allocation of supply points to material-demanding regions, and routing of hook of the crane based on activity sequencing of the hook across supply and material-demanding regions on site are optimised. The novelty in this work is in the way the crane’s activity scheduling is modelled via mathematical programming, based on routing the hook movement to meet material demand, through minimising tower crane operating costs. A realistic case study is solved to assess the validity of the model. The model is contrasted with results obtained from other solving algorithms commonly adopted in the literature, along with a solution proposed by an experienced practitioner. Results indicate that all instances can be solved when compared to other meta-heuristics that fail to achieve an optimum solution. Compared to the solution proposed by the practitioner, the results of the proposed model achieve a 46% improvement in objective function value. Planners should optimise decisions related to the location of the crane, the crane’s hook movement to meet service requests, and supply points’ locations and assignment to material-demanding regions simultaneously for effective crane operations.     

Study of tool trajectory in blisk channel ECM with spiral feeding

Electrochemical machining (ECM) plays an important role in blisk manufacturing. There are two steps in blisk ECM: machining of channels and precise shaping of blade profiles. In channel machining, channels are machined in the workpiece with allowance left to the following process. Therefore, the main aim of channel machining with ECM is to improve the allowance distribution. With this aim, a new ECM method for blisk channels, spiral feeding ECM, is developed in which the cathode feeds from blade tip to hub along with rotation motion around its axis. Through this combined motion, twisted channels are produced in the workpiece. The relationship between feed position and rotation angle is presented in the form of a mathematical model. Experiments with a feed rate of 1 mm/min confirm that spiral feeding ECM is feasible and efficient. Compared with radial ECM, the allowance differences in blank back and blank basin decrease by 32.7% and 33.6%, respectively. The surface roughnesses Ra in blank back, blank basin, and hub are 0.358, 0.308, and 0.102 µm, respectively. Thus, the allowance distribution is improved to be more uniform considerably and the surface quality is relatively high.     

An improved adaptive genetic algorithm based on hormone modulation mechanism for job-shop scheduling problem

An improved adaptive genetic algorithm (IAGA) for solving the minimum makespan problem of job-shop scheduling problem (JSP) is presented. Though the traditional genetic algorithm (GA) exhibits implicit parallelism and can retain useful redundant information about what is learned from previous searches by its representation in individuals in the population, yet GA may lose solutions and substructures due to the disruptive effects of genetic operators and is not easy to regulate GA’s convergence. The proposed IAGA is inspired from hormone modulation mechanism, and then the adaptive crossover probability and adaptive mutation probability are designed. The proposed IAGA is characterized by simplifying operations, high search precision, overcoming premature phenomenon and slow evolution. The proposed method by employing operation-based encoding is effectively applied to solve a dynamic job-shop scheduling problem (DJSP) and a complicated contrastive experiment of JSP in manufacturing system. Meanwhile, in order to ensure to create a feasible solution, a new method for crossover operation is adopted, named, partheno-genetic operation (PGO). The computational results validate the effectiveness of the proposed IAGA, which can not only find optimal or close-to-optimal solutions but can also obtain both better and more robust results than the existing genetic algorithms reported recently in the literature. By employing IAGA, machines can be used more efficiently, which means that tasks can be allocated appropriately, production efficiency can be improved, and the production cycle can be shortened efficiently.     

一种基于有限元仿真的板料成形极限预测方法

从成形极限图试验中观察得到了板料发生缩颈的2条判断准则：1.板料发生缩颈时凸模与板料接触力出现峰值；2.缩颈区域应变路径向平面应变状态发生突变.在有限元仿真软件中建立成形极限图试验的模型，对不同尺寸的试件进行仿真，根据以上2种准则可以得到在不同应变状态下的缩颈应变成形极限和应力成形极限.在二维坐标系里标出得到的极限点并连成曲线，即为用有限元仿真方法得到的板料应变成形极限图（Forming Limits Diagram,FLD）和应力成形极限图（Forming Limit Stress Diagram,FLSD）.通过与理论计算方法和试验方法得到的结果对比发现用该方法得到的FLD以及FLSD比理论推导出的更接近试验得到的数据