Comments on “Design of two-layered fractional order fuzzy logic controllers applied to robotic manipulator with variable payload”

Sharma et al. have investigated the performance of two-layered fractional order fuzzy logic controller (TL-FOFLC) for a 2-link rigid planer robotic manipulator with payload. In this work, the performance of TL-FOFLC has been compared with two-layered FLC (TL-FLC), single-layered FLC (SL-FLC) and the conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers, for trajectory tracking, model uncertainties and disturbance rejection. In this comment, it is pointed out that this work has several missing essential parameters, and therefore, it is not possible for the reader to validate all the claimed results of Sharma et al. (2016). Six numerical values, three gains for each of the used two PID controllers are found to be unreported in addition to the six gains for each of the used two SL-FLCs. Since the performances of the PIDs and the SL-FLCs are highly dependent on their tuned gains it is concluded that the reported performances of these controllers cannot be validated.     

Optimization of N2/Ar gas flow ratio for the realization of nitrogen-doped p-type ZnCdO thin films synthesized by RF magnetron sputtering

Nitrogen doped ZnCdO films [ZCO:N] have been grown on quartz substrates by radio frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering technique, and the effect of the ratio of nitrogen to argon gas flow [N₂:Ar] on their electrical, microstructure and optical properties were investigated by Hall effect, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), optical absorbance and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The results indicate that all the ZCO:N films are of hexagonal wurtzite structure with highly (002) preferential orientation. As the N₂:Ar increases from 0:1 to 4:1, the absorption edge for the samples exhibits blue shift. Hall effect measurement results indicate that the N₂:Ar exerts an immense influence on the p-type conduction conversion for ZCO:N film. It is found that ZCO:N film deposited at the N₂:Ar of 1:2 shows the optimal p-type behavior, which has a carrier concentration of 1.10×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, a mobility of 3.28 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹ and a resistivity of 17.3 Ω cm. Compared with the other samples, ZCO:N film fabricated at the relatively lower N₂:Ar possesses the superior crystal quality, luminescent and electrical properties. Additionally, a possible mechanism of p-type conduction for ZCO:N film was discussed in this work.     

High-performance technique for satellite range scheduling

As the number of daily satellite service requests increases, the satellite range scheduling problem becomes more intractable during the ground station operations management. The NP-complete problem involves scheduling satellite requests to ground station antennas within their time windows so that the profit from the scheduled requests is maximized. This paper analyzes various conflicts between satellite requests and then develops a conflict-resolution technique. The technique first builds an elite initial schedule using a prescheduling strategy and then improves the initial schedule using a rescheduling strategy in a subspace of feasible solutions. The main highlight of the technique is its dual functions of quickly generating a high-quality solution and providing a good bound. As shown in the experimental results from the actual data and more difficult random instances, the proposed technique is significantly better than the best-known heuristic.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of flow past a non-spherical particle

Lattice Boltzmann method was used to predict the fluid-particle interaction for arbitrary shaped particles. In order to validate the reliability of the present approach, simulation of flow past a single stationary spherical, cylindrical or cubic particle is conducted in a wide range of Reynolds number (0.1 < Re_p < 3000). The results indicate that the drag coefficient is closely related to the particle shape, especially at high Reynolds numbers. The voxel resolution of spherical particle plays a key role in accurately predicting the drag coefficient at high Reynolds numbers. For non-spherical particles, the drag coefficient is more influenced by the particle morphology at moderate or high Reynolds numbers than at low ones. The inclination angle has an important impact on the pressure drag force due to the change of projected area. The simulated drag coefficient agrees well with the experimental data or empirical correlation for both spherical and non-spherical particles.     

A new dual driver planar eddy current probe with dynamically controlled induction pattern

A new planar eddy current probe design is presented. This new concept is capable of dynamically modify the induced eddy currents pattern in accordance with the operational non-destructive testing parameters. The probe is composed by two orthogonally positioned driver traces and a set of sensing coils on each quadrant between the traces. Eddy currents result from the magnetic field contribution of the two driver traces and can be modified by changing the relative amplitude and phase of the currents flowing in the driver traces. Finite Element Modeling was used to simulate the eddy currents patterns and to predict the probe response to defects with different orientations. Experimental validation was carried using a prototype of the probe and artificial defects showing very good agreement with the Finite Element Modeling.     

A model of check-in system management to reduce the security checkpoint variability

This article presents a model of dynamic management of the check-in desk system at an airport. The elaborated model enables the obtainment of time limits ensuring a uniformly distributed stream of passengers reporting to the security checkpoint on the basis of a schedule of check-in desk operations. The model also allows for the creation of a check-in desk operation schedule for an assumption of the longest acceptable time in queue and the maximum acceptable length of a queue. The model of dynamic management of the check-in desk system at an airport was implemented in Flexsim software. A significant advantage of the developed algorithms is that they consider the stream of passengers report for security control, which is generated by the check-in operating system. The developed model was verified and implemented for management of the check-in system at the Wrocław Airport. For input data obtained in the course of research conducted in 2014 (characteristics of the system and the stream of passengers reports - flight schedule), system efficiency measures were determined: the average queuing time for the check-in, number of work-hours of check-in operators and characteristics of the number of passengers reports for the security control. The developed model can be used in existing check-in systems, and it can also be used to evaluate the operation of a system being designed.     

浅谈假冒伪劣元器件的规避方法

针对当前大量假冒元器件被用户错误选用的情况,文中分析了假冒元器件的种类和危害,介绍了DPA的发展情况及其在检查假冒电子元器件中的应用,结合NASA公布的企业发现假冒元器件的途径,对整机设备客户如何规避假冒元器件提出了一些建议,以期对假冒元器件的错误选用起到一定的遏制作用。