Developing a virtual machining model to generate MTConnect machine-monitoring data from STEP-NC

The ability to predict performance of manufacturing equipment during early stages of process planning is vital for improving efficiency of manufacturing processes. In the metal cutting industry, measurement of machining performance is usually carried out by collecting machine-monitoring data that record the machine tool’s actions (e.g. coordinates of axis location and power consumption). Understanding the impacts of process planning decisions is central to the enhancement of the machining performance. However, current methodologies lack the necessary models and tools to predict impacts of process planning decisions on the machining performance. This paper presents the development of a virtual machining model (called STEP2M model) that generates machine-monitoring data from process planning data. The STEP2M model builds upon a physical model-based analysis for the sources of energy on a machine tool, and adopts STEP-NC and MTConnect standardised interfaces to represent process planning and machine-monitoring data. We have developed a prototype system for 2-axis turning operation and validated the system by conducting an experiment using a Computer Numerical Control lathe. The virtual machining model presented in this paper enables process planners to analyse machining performance through virtual measurement and to perform interoperable data communication through standardised interfaces.     

Indium selenide microrod films: chemical bath deposition from acidic bath

Films of indium selenide was deposited onto glass and indium tin oxide coated glass substrates in acidic medium using chemical bath deposition at room temperature. Indium sulphate and sodium selenosulphate were used as precursors of In³⁺ and Se^2?, respectively. The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of the deposited films were studied. Diffractograms in structural study revealed the deposited material is In₂Se₃ films. Controlled bath conditions resulted in the evolution of the In₂Se₃ microrod-like morphology. The optical band gap of the film was found to be 1.7 eV.     

Hybrid genetic algorithms and line search method for industrial production planning with non-linear fitness function

Many engineering, science, information technology and management optimization problems can be considered as non-linear programming real-world problems where all or some of the parameters and variables involved are uncertain in nature. These can only be quantified using intelligent computational techniques such as evolutionary computation and fuzzy logic. The main objective of this research paper is to solve non-linear fuzzy optimization problem where the technological coefficient in the constraints involved are fuzzy numbers, which was represented by logistic membership functions using the hybrid evolutionary optimization approach. To explore the applicability of the present study, a numerical example is considered to determine the production planning for the decision variables and profit of the company.     

Interfacial reactions in Mo-Zr multilayer structure: an X-ray reflectivity study

The effect of elevated temperature on the structural stability and alloy formation in Mo-Zr multilayers is investigated. Mo-Zr multilayers deposited by the electron beam evaporation technique under ultra-high vacuum conditions are annealed up to 650 °C. The changes induced due to thermal treatment are observed using X-ray reflectivity (both specular and off-specular) and X-ray diffraction techniques. The Mo-Zr multilayers remained as an insoluble layered structure even after annealing as revealed from X-ray reflectivity measurements. The interfacial roughness is found to be very similar at all interfaces and decreases on annealing. The multilayer structure remains intact on annealing with expansion of the multilayer period and a marginal increase in X-ray reflectivity.     

Predictive Thermal Inactivation Model for Effects and Interactions of Temperature, NaCl, Sodium Pyrophosphate, and Sodium Lactate on Listeria monocytogenes in Ground Beef

The effects and interactions of heating temperature (60 °C to 73.9 °C), salt (0.0 % to 4.5 %?w/v), sodium pyrophosphate (0.0 % to 0.5 %?w/v), and sodium lactate (0.0 % to 4.5 %?w/v) on the heat resistance of a five-strain mixture of Listeria monocytogenes in 75 % lean ground beef were examined. Meat samples in sterile filtered stomacher bags were heated in a temperature controlled waterbath to determine thermal death times. The recovery medium was tryptic soy agar supplemented with 0.6 % yeast extract and 1 % sodium pyruvate. Weibull survival functions were employed to model the primary survival curves. Then, survival curve-specific estimated parameter values obtained from the Weibull model were used for determining a secondary model. The results indicate that temperature and salt have a large impact on the inactivation kinetics of L. monocytogenes, while sodium lactate (NaL) has an impact in the presence of salt. The model presented in this paper for predicting inactivation of L. monocytogenes can be used as an aid in designing lethality treatments meant to control the presence of this pathogen in ready-to-eat products.     

Influence of Electric Poling on Pb0.9Bi0.1Fe0.55Nb0.45O3 Multiferroic

This paper analyzes the influence of electric poling on structure, magnetism, and ferroelectricity by temperature-dependent Raman scattering (180 K–500 K), magnetic susceptibility, and ferroelectric measurements on Pb_0.9Bi_0.1Fe_0.55Nb_0.45O₃ (PBFNO) multiferroic. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has confirmed the monoclinic structure for PBFNO sample before and after poling. Rietveld refined XRD for poled and unpoled sample shows the influence of electric poling on Fe-O1, Fe-O2, Nb–O, and Bi-O modes with small variation in the lattice parameters. The unpoled PBFNO exhibits broad and overlapping 10 active modes at room temperature (100 to 1300 cm^?1) at 147, 212, 255, 431, 479, 561, 700, 795, 835, and 1112 cm^?1. In case of a poled sample, Pb–O and Nb–O-Nb modes become more active compared to the unpoled sample. Changes observed in the temperature-dependent magnetic measurements, i.e., ZFC/FC and M-H loop, evidence the poling effects on Fe–O and Nb–O active modes. By poling the improvement in ferroelectric domain, ordering occurs, and it is confirmed by P-E loops. The consequences of numerous investigations on electric poling of PBFNO will provide the foundation for future device development and design.

     

Structural and Luminescence Studies on Barium Sodium Borosilicate Glasses Containing Uranium Oxides

Barium sodium borosilicate glasses containing different amounts of uranium oxides were prepared by conventional melt quench method and investigated for their structural aspects by ²⁹Si and ¹¹B MAS NMR technique combined with steady‐state luminescence and lifetime measurements. Based on MAS NMR studies, it is confirmed that uranium ions act as network modifier up to 15 wt% and beyond which a separate uranium containing phase is formed. From the luminescence studies, it is inferred that uranyl species is in a highly distorted environment. For more than 15 wt% uranium oxide incorporation, weaker U–O–U linkages are formed at the expense stronger U–O–Si/B linkages, as suggested by the excited state lifetime value of the uranyl species as well as red shift in emission peak maximum. For glass samples containing more than 25 wt% uranium oxides, crystalline barium uranium silicate gets phase separated from glass matrix as confirmed by XRD studies.