Human-centric design personalization of 3D glasses frame in markerless augmented reality

This paper presents a virtual try-on system based on augmented reality for design personalization of facial accessory products. The system offers several novel functions that support real-time evaluation and modification of eyeglasses frame. 3D glasses model is embedded within video stream of the person who is wearing the glasses. Machine learning algorithms are developed for instantaneous tracking of facial features without use of markers. The tracking result enables continuously positioning of the glasses model on the user’s face while it is moving during the try-on process. In addition to color and texture, the user can instantly modify the glasses shape through simple semantic parameters. These functions not only facilitate evaluating products highly interactive with human users, but also engage them in the design process. This work has thus implemented the concept of human-centric design personalization.     

Multi-agent collaborative 3D design with geometric model at different levels of detail

This paper presents a scheme for collaborative 3D design using product model at various levels of detail (LODs). Design features are selectively hidden at each level from certain participants, depending on their actual needs and individual accessibility in the collaboration. A tree data structure represents the feature hierarchy of CAD construction, the link between feature and LOD, and 2D mesh data for display control of each feature. An XML/XSLT-based approach is proposed to enable real-time visualization of different LOD models in distributed environment. A collaborative design system is implemented using multi-agent technologies, which focuses on function design of each agent, interactions among agents, the client–server structure, and generation of the LOD data using the XML/XSLT approach. A scenario of synchronous 3D mold assembly demonstrates that geometric categorization of product model provides an operational mechanism for assuring security of information sharing in engineering collaborations over the Internet. It also validates the effectiveness of the agent technologies for automating complex engineering activities.     

Tool path planning for 5-axis flank milling of ruled surfaces considering CNC linear interpolation

This paper investigates tool path planning for 5-axis flank milling of ruled surfaces in consideration of CNC linear interpolation. Simulation analyses for machining error show insights into the tool motion that generates a precision machined surface. Contradicting to previous thoughts, the resultant tool path does not necessarily produce minimal machining error when the cutter contacts the rulings of a developable surface. This effect becomes more significant as the distance between two cutter locations is increased. An optimizing approach that adjusts the tool position locally may not produce minimal error as far as the entire surface is concerned. The optimal tool path computed by a global search scheme based on dynamic programming supports this argument. A flank milling experiment and CMM measurement further validate the findings of this work.     

Mass customization in the product life cycle

This study presents an introduction to mass customization in the product life cycle—the goal of mass customization, mass customization configurations, and new customer integration techniques, modular design techniques, flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs), and supply chain management methods. The study reviews three selected books and twenty-one selected papers—early papers that describe the goal of mass customization, early papers that describe mass customization configurations, and recent papers that describe new customer integration techniques, modular design techniques, FMSs, and supply chain management methods. The study shows that the goal of mass customization is to create individually customized products, with mass production volume, cost, and efficiency, that most companies use ‘assemble-to-order’ configurations to create standardized products, and that more work is needed on interactive customer integration techniques, collaborative modular design techniques, reconfigurable manufacturing systems, and integrated supply chain management methods to achieve the goal of mass customization.     

Tool-path verification in five-axis machining of sculptured surfaces

This paper presents a systematic scheme for the verification of tool paths in five-axis machining of sculptured surfaces. The criterion of interference detection is developed for a general APT cutter. Tool interference problems which occur across multiple surfaces can be dealt with. In this work, sculptured surfaces are subdivided into discrete sample points for interference detection. The undetected interference error introduced in the surface subdivision process is ensured within a user-specified tolerance. Simulation results of test examples are included to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme.     

Optimal design of parallel channel patterns in a micro methanol steam reformer

This study describes the performance of micro methanol steam reformers with channel widths optimized using the simplified conjugate gradient method (SCGM), which uses a minimum objective function of the H₂ mass fraction standard deviation in channels. A three-dimensional numerical model and optimal simplified conjugate gradient algorithm were built to predict and search for the effects of channel widths and flow rate on the performance of chemical reactions. Furthermore, this simulation model was compared to; and corresponded well with existing experimental data. Distributions of velocity, temperature, and gas concentrations (CH₃OH, CO, H₂, and CO₂) were predicted, and the methanol conversion ratio was also evaluated. The mole fraction of CO contained in the reformed gas, which is essential to preventing poisoning of the catalyst layers of fuel cells, is also investigated. In the optimization search process, the governing equations use the continuity, momentum, heat transfer, and species equations to evaluate the performance of the steam reformer. The results show that channel width optimization can not only increase the methanol conversion ratio and hydrogen production rate but also decrease the concentration of carbon monoxide. The velocity and mixture gas density distributions in channels are discussed and plotted at various locations for an inlet liquid flow rate of 0.3 cc min⁻¹. Full development is not obtained in the downstream channel flow, the velocity in channel is increased from 1.28 m s⁻¹ to 2.36 m s⁻¹ at location Y = 1 mm–32 mm, respectively. This can be attributed to a continuous increase in the lightweight H₂ species as a result of chemical reactions in the channels.     

Optimized tool path generation based on dynamic programming for five-axis flank milling of rule surface

This paper presents a computation scheme that generates optimized tool path for five-axis flank milling of ruled surface. Tool path planning is transformed into a matching problem between two point sets in 3D space, sampled from the boundary curves of the machined surface. Each connection in the matching corresponds to a possible tool position. Dynamic programming techniques are applied to obtain the optimal combination of tool positions with the objective function as machining error. The error estimation considers both the deviation induced by the cutter at discrete positions and the one between them. The path planning problem is thus solved in a systematic manner by formulizing it as a mathematical programming task. In addition, the scheme incorporates several optimization parameters that allow generating new patterns of tool motion. Implementation results obtained from simulation and experiment indicate that our method produces better machining quality. This work provides a concise but effective approach for machining error control in five-axis flank milling.     

Decision theoretic modeling of affective and cognitive needs for product experience engineering: key issues and a conceptual framework

User experience (UX) design plays a critical role in product experience engineering. To create a theoretical foundation of UX design, it is imperative to develop mathematical and computational models for elicitation, quantification, evaluation and reasoning of affective–cognitive needs that are inherent in the fulfillment of user experience. This paper explores the key research issues for understanding how human users’ subjective experience and affective prediction impact their choice behavior under uncertainty. A conceptual framework is envisioned by extending prospect theory in the field of behavioral economics to the modeling of user experience choice behavior, in which inference of affective influence is enacted through the shape parameters of prospect value functions.     

Analyze dynamic value of strategic partners using Markov chain

With rapidly growing and increasingly competitive marketplace, companies are constantly performing strategic planning for growth strategy and repositioning itself for even more disruptive changes to achieve or regain market leadership, which makes selection of strategic partners play a very critical role in the corporate growth strategy. How to reallocate limited resources to maximize return on investment (ROI), significantly reduce budget overruns and effectively leverage customer value analysis has become a key research topic for both pragmatic and academic research groups. Previous strategy research findings are mostly focused on resource based view (RBV) and transaction cost to explore the selection strategy on strategic partners, while shed very little light on the value of strategic partners as this becomes an inevitable component in strategy management. In order to bridge such a gap, this research is in an attempt to perform a thorough value analysis of strategic partners using both Markov chain and Hierarchical Bayesian. With Markov chain as a base, this research performs data collection and analysis using previous value status of strategic partners, and their migration pathways, along with Hierarchical Bayesian, to establish individualized transition probability matrix and further predict the future migration pathways of strategic partners, eventually providing key insights for companies to develop strategies on how to manage and strengthen key partnerships.