bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kansei Engineering and Web Site Design
Authors: Song Zheng , Howard Thomas J. , Achiche Sofiane , Özkil Ali G.
Published: September 2013

Capturing users’ needs is critical in web site design. However, a lot of attention has been paid to enhance the functionality and usability, whereas much less consideration has been given to satisfy the emotional needs of users, which is also important to a successful design. This paper explores a methodology based on Kansei Engineering, which was significant used in product and industrial design but not quite been adopted in the IT field, in order to discover implicit emotional needs of users toward web site and transform them into design details. Survey, interview techniques and statistical methods were performed in this paper. A prototype web site was developed based on the Kansei study results integrated with technical expertise and practical considerations. The results showed that the Kansei Engineering methodology, in this paper, played a significant role in web site design in terms of satisfying the emotional needs of users.
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Complex Heavy-Duty Off-Road Equipment
Authors: Kwak Minjung , Kim Louis , Kim Harrison M. , Finamore Peter , Hazewinkel Herb
Published: September 2013

This paper presents a method for comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of two distinctively different systems based on industrial heavy-duty off-road equipment. The study demonstrates how to compare the environmental impact performance of two different machines when they perform the same types of operations, but have different levels of operational productivity. Considering the entire life cycle of a machine from material extraction to end-of-life treatment, the two machines are analyzed and compared in terms of their life cycle impact score. To make a fair comparison between the two machines, the impact generated by the same amount of production is used as the basis for comparison. The results of the study can quantify the relative life cycle impact across different machine architectures for design and market support purposes.
Solid Modeling of In-Process Workpiece Geometry for Hole Milling
Authors: Wang Jue , Yip-Hoi Derek
Published: September 2013

Capturing the in-process workpiece geometry generated during machining is an important part of tool path verification and increasingly the physics-based simulation of cutting forces used in Virtual Machining. Swept volume generation is a key supporting methodology that is necessary for generating these in-process states. Hole milling is representative of one class of milling operation where the swept volume is continuously intersecting. Due to this it is impossible to decompose the tool path into non-intersecting regions which is typically the approach used in solid model based swept volume generation. In this paper an approach to generating NURBS based solid models for self-intersecting swept volumes generated during hole milling is presented. NURB surfaces are generated that compactly represent the surfaces of the swept volume. This utilizes the geometry of the helical curve as opposed to a linearly interpolated tool path that is used for more generic approaches to generating swept volumes. Examples applying the approach to various types of cutter geometries used in milling are presented.
Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Innovative and Common Products
Authors: Gilchrist Brady P. , Tumer Irem Y. , Stone Robert B. , Gao Qi , Haapala Karl R.
Published: September 2013

With a constantly increasing population and coupled demand for manufactured goods, sustainability considerations are becoming more important in product design. Society is tasked with ensuring our continued existence, while maintaining the quality of life of future generations. Innovation has been touted as a means to sustainability, and innovations in materials, manufacturing, and product design can lead to a reduction of global environmental impacts and help to realize the goals of a sustainable society. This research aims to identify whether products that have been identified as “innovative” by popular media sources have lower environmental impacts than “common” products of the same functionality. Six innovative products were compared to eight corresponding common products using life cycle assessment techniques to determine which are predicted to have lower environmental impacts. From this analysis, it was determined that four of the six innovative products may have higher environmental impacts than their common competitors. These research findings reveal a possible inverse relationship between environmental impacts and innovation for a few classes of common consumer goods.
Bridging High School STEM Abstract Concepts and Application: Teachers’ Implementation
Authors: Chin Jessica , Zeid Ibrahim , Duggan Claire , Kamarthi Sagar
Published: September 2013

Many educational models are derived from a specific pedagogical stance ultimately manifesting into teacher personal pedagogy based on previous knowledge and inherent instinct. Past educational models like T4E emphasize core concepts such as structure of content for the learner, effective and engaging communication, and promotion and encouragement of hands-on learning. However, many of the educational models fall short of showing teachers how to implement new methods in their classrooms, and in providing them with the needed tools. The CAPSULE professional development was created and designed to fill this gap. Further, CAPSULE is designed to address the existing national problem of lack of interest in STEM subjects with high school students. Nevertheless, the problem is not with students but in the delivery method of STEM education. There is a disconnect between abstract STEM concepts and real-world application, therefore a loss of interest by students. Engineering-based learning (EBL) is a new approach that was designed to mitigate this problem by using existing and established tools and apply them to the high school classroom. EBL utilizes the engineering-design process (EDP), computer-aided design (CAD), and the capstone experience to relate theoretical STEM concepts to real-world applications. By leveraging these tools, we have created a unique methodology to take a recognized university capstone course model and modify it for high school STEM courses. The purpose of this study is to contribute to our understanding of how high school students learn and absorb basic STEM principles. Our goal is to disseminate engineering-based learning through our teacher professional development workshop. This paper presents the CAPSULE model and teacher feedback. It also presents sample implementation plans of teachers in their classroom as well as their student feedback.
Design and Selection of Safe Water Supply Solutions for Emerging Regions: A Demography Based Demand Driven Approach
Authors: Arif Shaiful , Siddique Zahed
Published: September 2013

Due to global climate change, increase in pollution along with reduced quantity of drinking water compared to the total volume of water, the scarcity of potable water is declining gradually. Researchers have become increasingly interested in efficient design of treatment processes, but, there is a lack of research to investigate appropriate, applicable, low cost and simple water treatment processes for underprivileged communities. Providing safe drinking water in these communities is more challenging due to limitation of resources and infrastructure.

In this paper we developed a mathematical foundation of Demography Based Demand Driven (DBDD) approach to capture and identify design alternatives (combination of different treatment processes). The developed approach assists to identify, extract, categorize, and compare water related attributes associated with a community and mapped onto source model to identify and select a set of feasible treatment processes. A case study for a community of a rural village in emerging regions of Honduras is modeled and the approach presented in this paper is implemented to design and select feasible service solutions.
Analyzing Internal Motion of Proteins From Viewpoint of Robot Kinematics: Formulation of Group Forced Response Method
Authors: Arikawa Keisuke
Published: September 2013

An analogous relationship exists between the kinematic structures of proteins and robotic mechanisms. Hence, using this analogy, we attempt to understand the internal motions of proteins from the perspective of robot kinematics. In this study, we propose a method called group forced response (GFR) method for predicting the internal motion of proteins on the basis of their three-dimensional structural data (PDB data). In this method, we apply forces in static equilibrium to groups of atoms (e.g., secondary structures, domains, and subunits) and not to specific atoms. Furthermore, we predict the internal motion of proteins by analyzing the relative motion caused among groups by the applied forces. First, we show a method for approximately modeling protein structures as a robotic mechanism and the basic kinematic equations of the model. Next, the GFR method is formulated (e.g., Jacobian matrix for group motions, magnitude of forces applied to groups, and decomposition of motions into modes according to structural compliances). Finally, we present example applications of the proposed method in real protein structures. Despite the approximations in the model, low computational cost, and use of simple calculation parameters, the results almost agree with measured internal motions.
Analytical Modeling and Analysis of an Annulus-Shaped Flexural Pivot
Authors: Yao Yanbin , Bi Shusheng , Zhao Hongzhe
Published: September 2013

Annulus-shaped flexural pivots (ASFP), composed of three or more identical leaves that are symmetrically arrayed in an annulus, can be used widely in compliant mechanisms for their excellent performances. This paper proposes the accurate load-rotation models of ASFP with three straight leaves, which include the load cases of bending moment combined with horizontal force and vertical force. Firstly, the load-rotation models of ASFP are derived based on the Beam Constraint Model (BCM). Then, the rotational stiffness and buckling characteristics are analyzed based on the derived models. Finally, the accuracy of the models is validated by the finite element analysis (FEA). The relative error of the load-rotation models is within 7% for various load cases even if the rotational angle reaches 0.07 (4°). The results show that the models are accurate enough to be used for initial parametric designing of ASFP.
Proposal for Driver Distraction Indexes Using Biological Signals
Authors: Ohkura Michiko , Uchiumi Kazuma , Saito Yukou , Hasegawa Koyo
Published: September 2013

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, driver inattention is a major contributor to highway accidents. Driver distraction is one form of inattention and a leading factor in most vehicle crashes and near crashes. Distraction occurs when a driver is delayed in the recognition of information needed to safely accomplish the driving task because some event, activity, object, or person within or outside the vehicle compels or induces the driver attention away from the driving task.

Although some indexes of driving performance have measured distraction, they are the results of the distraction and not the distraction itself. We directly and quantitatively employ biological signals to measure the distraction by finding useful biological indexes from candidates of various biological signals. Our experimental results using a driving simulator showed useful indexes derived from EEG and ECG.
Acceleration of Modal Analysis by FMM Based on DRBEM
Authors: Wei Yixiong , Wang Qifu , Wang Yingjun , Huang Yunbao , Zhang Linchi
Published: September 2013

This paper proposes a novel algorithm to accelerate the process of modal analysis in 3D elastodynamic problems in BEM (boundary element method) with high accuracy. Because of low efficiency and high cost, conventional BEM is rarely used for solving 3D elastodynamics problems in engineering problems. With applying the DRBEM (dual reciprocity boundary element method) to form new integral equations of 3D elastodynamics problems to reduce time complexity by using reciprocity method twice, we introduce modified FMM (fast multipole method) to simplify the computation process and improve the efficiency from O(n2) to O(n) in matrix multiplication. The main features in this method are: (1) Position Location (PL) algorithm is used to eliminate one layer of nested loops in conventional FMM, and which achieve a good performance in efficiency; (2) time dimension integrations in the element of matrices are canceled for high efficiency; (3) instead of the interaction between points, we apply point to element interaction method for saving plenty of the CPU cost in modified FMM; (4) it does not need to compute complex dynamic fundamental solutions which are necessary in conventional BEM. In this algorithm, the corresponding eigenvalue problem is solved by Hessenberg matrix and QR reduction algorithm iteratively. We have tested our method in numerical examples during last section, and have observed significant optimal results in efficiency and accuracy.
Evaluating Socio-Technical Coordination in Open-Source Communities: A Cluster-Based Approach
Authors: Rytsareva Inna , Le Qize , Conner Emma , Kalyanaraman Ananth , Panchal Jitesh H.
Published: September 2013

In complex product development, coordination is the act of managing dependencies between artifacts. Socio-technical coordination is the achievement of coordination through the alignment of organizational structures and product structures. Socio-technical coordination is achieved in hierarchical product development organizations by aligning the organizational structure with the system architecture. However, within virtual community-based product development such as open source development, the organizational structure is not designed by a central authority. In contrast, the community evolves as a result of participation of individuals and their communication with other individuals working on the project. Hence, understanding and quantifying socio-technical coordination is particularly important in open-source communities.

Existing approaches to measuring socio-technical coordination are based on the congruence between ideal communication and the actual communication structures within communities. The primary limitation of existing approaches is that they only account for explicit communication between individuals. Existing measures do not account for the indirect communication between individuals and the shared knowledge that individuals working on a joint project possess. Due to these limitations, the socio-technical coordination values have been observed to be very low in the existing literature. We propose two alternate approaches to measuring socio-technical coordination based on clustering techniques. We illustrate the approaches using a case study from an open source software development community. The proposed approaches present a broader and more encompassing view of coordination within open source communities.
Integration of a Client-Based Design Project Into the Sophomore Year
Authors: Nagel Jacquelyn K. S. , Nagel Robert L. , Pappas Eric , Pierrakos Olga
Published: September 2013

Often engineering design instruction based on real-world, client-based projects is relegated to a final year capstone course. The engineering program at James Madison University (JMU), however, emphasizes these real-world, client-based design experiences, and places them throughout our six-course engineering design sequence. Our six-course design sequence is anchored by the sophomore design course sequence, which serves as the cornerstone to the JMU engineering design sequence. The cornerstone experience in the sophomore year is meant to enable mastery through both directed and non-directed learning and exploration of the design process and design tools. To that end, students work in both small (4–5) and large (9–11) teams to complete a year-long design project. The course project is woven with instruction in engineering design theory and methodology; individual cognitive processes, thinking, and communication skills; decision making; sustainable design; problem solving; software; and project management.

Students’ overarching task during the first semester is to follow the first two phases of the engineering design process—Planning and Concept Generation—while in the second semester, students work to reiterate on the first two phases of the engineering design process before prototyping, testing, and refining a design for the client. The project culminates with the students demonstrating their final product to the client, University, and local community.

Our goal in this paper is to present our model for integrating real-world, client-based design projects into the sophomore year to facilitate meaningful design experiences across the curriculum. We believe that providing these experiences early and often not only challenges students on multiple dimensions, but also exposes them, and consequently better prepares them, for their eventual role as a practicing engineer. In this paper, we shall describe the sophomore design course sequence, the history and details of the course project, and also key learning outcome gains.
On the Use of Active Learning in Engineering Design
Authors: Ren Yi , Papalambros Panos Y.
Published: September 2013

Active learning refers to the mechanism of querying users to accomplish a classification task in machine learning or a conjoint analysis in econometrics with minimum cost. Classification and conjoint analysis have been introduced to design research to automate design feasibility checking and to construct marketing demand models, respectively. In this paper, we review active learning algorithms from computer and marketing science, and establish the mathematical commonality between the two approaches. We compare empirically the performance of active learning and static D-optimal design on simulated classification and conjoint analysis test problems with labelling noise. Results show that active learning outperforms D-optimal design when query size is large or noise is small.
Combining Case Based Reasoning and Shape Matching Based on Clearance Analyzes to Support the Reuse of Components
Authors: Johansson Joel
Published: September 2013

For manufacturing companies it is important to develop and produce products that meet requirements from customers and investors. One key factor in meeting these requirements is the efficiency of the product development process. Design automation is a powerful tool to increase efficiency in that process resulting in shortened lead-time, improved product performance, and ultimately decreased cost. Further, automation is beneficial as it increases the ability to adapt products to new product specifications, which is critical to some categories of products.

In this paper the retrieval and evaluation processes of the Case Based Reasoning (CBR) method are extended to include shape matching. This enhanced CBR method supports the reuse of existing components when introducing new variants of variant-rich products. The matching method is based on clearance analyzes and is performed during the retrieval of cases and supports the evaluation of suggestions. The method is described along with a prototype-system where the process of selecting components for roof racks for cars is targeted for automation. One specific component of the roof rack is targeted, namely a rubber pad used in the interface between the car roof and the rack.
Design, Development and Preliminary Assessment of Grasping Devices for Robotized Medical Applications
Authors: Piccin Olivier , Kumar Nitish , Meylheuc Laurence , Barbé Laurent , Bayle Bernard
Published: September 2013

This paper presents the development of NGDs (needle grasping devices) capable of handling elongated objects such as surgical needles. After describing the main demands of medical needle-based procedures, a requirement list for a typical NGD is presented. Some solution principles for a grasping device are generated, combined and then classified to obtain a set of principle variant solutions. The design study of some of these variant solutions is then developed and a discussion on two device candidates constructed using either interconnected rigid bodies or compliant parts will be presented. The mechanical behavior of the compliant mechanism acting on a needle barrel is simulated with a FEM analysis including the model of non-linearities induced by large deformations and the contact between the needle and the grasping device. Functional prototypes of both NGDs have been constructed and a first experimental assessment of their service capability is finally exposed.
On the Nonlinear Dynamics of Electromagnetically-Transduced Microresonators
Authors: Sabater Andrew B. , Kumar Vijay , Mahmood Aamer , Rhoads Jeffrey F.
Published: September 2013

This work investigates the dynamics of electromagnetically-actuated and sensed microresonators. These resonators consist of a silicon microcantilever and a current-carrying metallic wire loop. When placed in a permanent magnetic field, the devices vibrate due to Lorentz interactions. These vibrations, in turn, induce an electromotive force, which can be correlated to the dynamic response of the device. The nature of this transduction process results in an intrinsic coupling between the system’s input and output, which must be analytically and experimentally characterized to fully understand the dynamics of the devices of interest. This paper seeks to address this need through the modeling, analysis, and experimental characterization of the nonlinear response of electromagnetically-transduced microcantilevers in the presence of inductive and resistive coupling between the devices’ input and output ports. A complete understanding of this behavior should enable the application of electromagnetically-transduced microsystems in practical contexts ranging from resonant mass sensing to micromechanical signal processing.
Quantitative Analysis of Probabilistic BPMN Workflows
Authors: Herbert Luke T. , Sharp Robin
Published: September 2013

We present a framework for modelling and analysis of real-world business workflows. We present a formalised core subset of the Business Process Modelling and Notation (BPMN) and then proceed to extend this language with probabilistic non-deterministic branching and general-purpose reward annotations. We present an algorithm for the translation of such models into Markov Decision processes expressed in the syntax of the PRISM model checker. This enables analysis of business processes for the following properties: transient and steady-state probabilities, the timing, occurrence and ordering of events, reward-based properties and best- and worst- case scenarios. We develop a simple example of medical workflow and demonstrate the utility of this analysis in accurate provisioning of drug stocks. Finally, we suggest a path to building upon these techniques to cover the entire BPMN language, allow for more complex annotations and ultimately to automatically synthesise workflows by composing predefined sub-processes, in order to achieve a configuration that is optimal for parameters of interest.
Combined Graph Layout Algorithms for Automated Sketching of Kinematic Chains
Authors: Pucheta Martín A. , Ulrich Nicolás E. , Cardona Alberto
Published: September 2013

The graph layout problem arises frequently in the conceptual stage of mechanism design, specially in the enumeration process where a large number of topological solutions must be analyzed. Two main objectives of graph layout are the avoidance or minimization of edge crossings and the aesthetics. Edge crossings cannot be always avoided by force-directed algorithms since they reach a minimum of the energy in dependence with the initial position of the vertices, often randomly generated. Combinatorial algorithms based on the properties of the graph representation of the kinematic chain can be used to find an adequate initial position of the vertices with minimal edge crossings. To select an initial layout, the minimal independent loops of the graph can be drawn as circles followed by arcs, in all forms. The computational cost of this algorithm grows as factorial with the number of independent loops. This paper presents a combination of two algorithms: a combinatorial algorithm followed by a force-directed algorithm based on spring repulsion and electrical attraction, including a new concept of vertex-to-edge repulsion to improve aesthetics and minimize crossings. Atlases of graphs of complex kinematic chains are used to validate the results. The layouts obtained have good quality in terms of minimization of edge crossings and maximization of aesthetic characteristics.
The Engine: Inducing the Morphogenetic Process of Human Beings
Authors: Naitoh Ken
Published: September 2013

The stochastic Navier-Stokes equation solves the mysteries underlying the macroscopic morphogenetic processes of human beings, which include brain, legs, arms, internal organs. (Naitoh, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011) This is possible because main part of the living beings is filled with water flow. The theoretical studies (Naitoh, 2008, 2010, 2011) also explain the reason why inner organs such as heart and liver are left-right asymmetric at the later stage of the developmental process. Our computational results (Naitoh and Kawanobe, 2011) also reveal the morphogenetic process of main blood vessels. Here, first, we examine the morphogenetic processes of bones and main nerve systems. Next, further thought experiments based on statistic fluid mechanics (Naitoh, 2008, 2011) and biological data reveal the standard network pattern common to neural networks inside the brain and various bio-molecular networks for the morphogenetic process of the human system. It is stressed that the standard network is basically constructed with only six groups of molecules and neurons. The physical equation describing the dynamics of the standard pattern shows the temporal oscillations appearing in various phenomena such as differentiation and proliferation in cell divisions and memory systems. Third, statistic fluid dynamics based on the quasi-stability principle and the indeterminacy principle (Naitoh, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011) reveals the inevitability of the supermagic numbers including symmetric ratio of 1:1 and asymmetric ratios such as about 1.27:1, 1.35:1, 1.41:1, 1.44:1, 1.78:1, 2.1:1, 2.5:1, 3.6:1, and 4.54:1, in various pairs of flexible-particles in natural and living systems. The present report reveals the role of the magic numbers inside the human brain system, which are related to music, fine-arts, poem, and language.

Thus, the fluid-dynamics proposed in our previous reports will bring a new insight on the spatiotemporal structure of ontogeny and also a new technology of cyberneology, which will result in artificial brain system living over millennium in super-computers.
Stochastic Reassembly for Managing the Information Complexity in Multilevel Analysis of Heterogeneous Materials
Authors: Xu Hongyi , Deng Hua , Brinson Catherine , Dikin Dmitriy , Liu Wing Kam , Chen Wei , Greene M. Steven , Burkhart Craig , Papakonstantopoulos George , Poldneff Mike
Published: September 2013

Efficient and accurate analysis of materials behavior across multiple scales is critically important in designing complex materials systems with exceptional performance. For heterogeneous materials, apparent properties are typically computed by averaging stress-strain behavior in a statistically representative cell. To be statistically representative, such cells must be larger and are often computationally intractable, especially with standard computing resources. In this research, a stochastic reassembly approach is proposed for managing the information complexity and reducing the computational burden, while maintaining accuracy, of apparent property prediction of heterogeneous materials. The approach relies on a hierarchical decomposition strategy that carries the materials analyses at two levels, the RVE (representative volume element) level and the SVE (statistical volume element) level. The hierarchical decomposition process uses clustering methods to group SVEs with similar microstructure features. The stochastic reassembly process then uses t-testing to minimize the number of SVEs to garner their own apparent properties and fits a random field model to high-dimensional properties to be put back into the RVE. The RVE thus becomes a coarse representation, or “mosaic,” of itself. Such a mosaic approach maintains sufficient microstructure detail to accurately predict the macro-property but becomes far cheaper from a computational standpoint. A nice feature of the approach is that the stochastic reassembly process naturally creates an apparent-SVE property database. Thus, material design studies may be undertaken with SVE-apparent properties as the building blocks of a new material’s mosaic. Some simple examples of possible designs are shown. The approach is demonstrated on polymer nanocomposites.
Parameter Identification and Experimental Validation of a Discrete Mass Tire Model for Uneven Rigid Terrain
Authors: Umsrithong Anake , Sandu Corina
Published: September 2013

A two-dimensional discrete mass tire model has been developed at the Advanced Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory (AVDL) at Virginia Tech to study the behavior of a tire during a transient regime such as when traversing over uneven rigid terrain (or obstacles). The accuracy of the tire model depends on the model parameters used. In this paper, the method for parameter identification using the Performance Engineering Research Laboratory (PERL) quarter car tire test rig is presented. Moreover, several experiments were conducted by using the portable tire test rig from the Intelligent Transportation Laboratory (ITL) for the tire model validation. Simulation results obtained using the tire model developed and experimental results from the parameter identification and the field tests with the portable tire test rig are presented in this paper. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental data from tests over rectangular and triangular profile cleats, at various vehicle velocities and normal loads.
Prediction of Supporting Hand Forces for Common Automotive Assembly Tasks Based on Optimization and Stability Techniques for Given Posture
Authors: Howard Bradley , Yang Jingzhou (James) , Yang Guolai
Published: September 2013

Quite often people are faced with one handed tasks in which the other hand is needed for support. Without these supporting external forces, postures may be unstable, rendering the task impossible. Automotive assembly line operators are confronted with these types of tasks every day, such as hose installations and the connection of electrical components. Determining the optimal location and forces for the supporting hand is important to minimize potential injuries of operators. Traditionally, these supporting hand forces are measured by experiments. This work attempts to provide an important predictive tool that promises to be of considerable value to companies in predicting leaning forces in work simulation for the proactive ergonomic assessment of work tasks. It presents a method using optimization and stability analysis techniques. Stability is based on the calculation of a three dimensional zero moment point (3D-ZMP) and the resultant reaction loads, calculated from the joint torque. The formulation of the optimization problem used to predict the supporting hand forces is presented and tested using tasks commonly encountered by automotive assembly workers. The results are compared to that in literature, providing an initial validation of the methods. The predicted external forces fell within the 95% confidence intervals calculated from the literature for all tasks.
Experimental Analysis of the Heat Transfer Variations Within an Internal Passage of a Typical Gas Turbine Blade Using Varied Internal Geometries
Authors: Hahn Todd , Deakins Bryant , Buechler Andrew , Kumar Sourabh , Amano R. S.
Published: September 2013

This paper describes the experimental analysis of the heat transfer rate within an internal passage of a typical gas turbine blade using varied internal geometries. This method of alteration, using rib turbulator’s within the serpentine cooling passages of a hollow turbine blade, has proven to drastically cool turbine blades more significantly than a smooth channel alone. Our emphasis is to determine which rib geometry will yield the highest heat transfer rate, which was examined in the form of a comparison between theoretical to experimental Nusselt numbers. For testing purposes, an enclosed 2 in. × 2 in. square Plexiglas channel was constructed to model an internal cooling passage within a turbine blade. Silicon heat strips, wrapped in copper foil, were placed on the bottom surface of the channel to ensure even heat distribution throughout. To measure internal surface temperatures, thermocouples were placed on the surface of heat plate as well as in the opening of the channel throughout. The four different rib geometries which were individually wrapped in copper foil were then placed on top of the heating element. To compare the rib geometry results with a control, a test was run with no ribs. To simulate turbulent air flow through the channel, a blower supplied velocities of 23.88 m/s and 27.86 m/s. These velocities yielded a Reynolds number ranging between 70,000 and 90,000. Final results were found in the form of the experimental Nusselt number divided by the theoretical Nusselt number, a standard when comparing surface heat transfer rates. The 60 degree staggered arrow geometry pointing away from the inlet and outlet (geometry 4) proved to create the highest heat transfer rate through the way it produced turbulent air flow. The average Nusselt number of this design was found to be 718.2 and 868.3 for 23.88 and 27.86 m/s respectively. From the calculated data it was found that higher Nusselt numbers were more prone to occur in higher air velocities.
Estimation of Long-Term Copper Demand Based on Sustainability Scenarios: A Challenge to Sustainable Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Kishita Yusuke , Inoue Yuta , Fukushige Shinichi , Umeda Yasushi , Kobayashi Hideki
Published: September 2013

A variety of sustainability scenarios (e.g., IPCC’s Emissions Scenarios) have been described toward a sustainable society. While many of them aim at solving climate change problems and they often assume various low-carbon technologies, the problem is that such scenarios hardly examine their feasibility from the viewpoint of resource depletion. In particular, copper is a critical base metal because introducing low-carbon technologies (e.g., electric vehicles and wind power generators) may induce copper consumption. To assess feasibility of existing sustainability scenarios, this paper proposes a method for estimating long-term copper demand based on those scenarios. Our method proposes an integrated model that evaluates world copper demand from two principal aspects of influencing copper consumption — (1) the building of social infrastructure and (2) new products that might disseminate in the future (e.g., electric vehicles and photovoltaic systems). A case analysis on a long-term energy scenario is carried out. Its results reveal that the cumulative copper consumptions in the world exceed the copper reserved in the earth by 2040. The increase in copper consumptions results mainly from world economic growth led by developing countries, while the dissemination of electric vehicles and photovoltaic systems has a minor impact on the consumption increase.
Strategic Product Design for Multiple Global Markets
Authors: Nadadur Gopal , Kim Wonmo , Thomson Alexander R. , Parkinson Matthew B. , Simpson Timothy W.
Published: September 2013

Designing products for multiple global user populations has been the focus of numerous studies. Based on an understanding of the current state of knowledge, this paper outlines three broad top-down design strategies to satisfy varying user, business, and regulatory requirements across target markets, and to do so in a resource-efficient manner. The first strategy results in a set of optimal, robust, or reconfigurable designs for the markets. The second strategy is the development of a static platform-based design, with variants of the product for the different target markets. In the third strategy, flexibility is embedded into a platform itself; the manufacturer can then release the product in a few target markets, and can leverage the platform at later stages when entering additional markets or adapting to changing requirements. The implementation of the proposed strategies is explored in the context of three different products: (1) the Adidas Jabulani soccer ball, (2) left- and right- hand drive vehicles, and (3) the Apple suite of mobile and tablet devices. The observations in these case studies highlight the importance of the three global product design strategies, and help define certain questions for future research.
Confidence Level Estimation and Design Sensitivity Analysis for Confidence-Based RBDO
Authors: Cho Hyunkyoo , Choi K. K. , Lee Ikjin , Gorsich David
Published: September 2013

In practical engineering problems, often only limited input data are available to generate the input distribution model. The insufficient input data induces uncertainty on the input distribution model, and this uncertainty will cause us to lose confidence in the optimum design obtained using the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) method. Uncertainty on the input distribution model requires us to consider the reliability analysis output, which is defined as the probability of failure, to follow a probabilistic distribution. This paper proposes a new formulation for the confidence-based RBDO method and design sensitivity analysis of the confidence level. The probability of the reliability analysis output is obtained with consecutive conditional probabilities of input distribution parameters and input distribution types using a Bayesian approach. The approximate conditional probabilities of input distribution parameters and types are suggested under certain assumptions. The Monte Carlo simulation is applied to practically calculate the output distribution, and the copula is used to describe the correlated input distribution types. A confidence-based RBDO problem is formulated using the derived the distribution of output. In this new formulation, the probabilistic constraint is modified to include both the target reliability and the target confidence level. Finally, the sensitivity of the confidence level, which is a new probabilistic constraint, is derived to support an efficient optimization process. Using accurate surrogate models, the proposed method does not require generation of additional surrogate models during the RBDO iteration; it only requires several evaluations of the same surrogate models. Hence, the efficiency of the method is obtained. For the numerical example, the confidence level is calculated and the accuracy of the derived sensitivity is verified when only limited data are available.
Nonlinear System Identification of a Cantilever Beam With Attached Cubic Nonlinear Spring at Its Free End
Authors: Kurt Mehmet , Eriten Melih , McFarland D. Michael , Bergman Lawrence A. , Vakakis Alexander F.
Published: September 2013

This paper presents the identification of the local nonlinear effects on the essential dynamics of distributed parameter systems. The system considered is a simple cantilever beam with an attached cubic nonlinear spring at its tip. Nonlinear system identification (NSI) method applied in this work uses numerical simulation results and combines slow-flow dynamic analysis and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to reconstruct the dynamics in modal coordinates as reduced-order models. The reduced-order models are single-degree-of-freedom linear oscillators, which are termed intrinsic modal oscillators (IMOs), with a forcing computed through slow-flow analysis. These forced oscillators are capable of reproducing the modal dynamics, and their forcing amplitudes provide essential information about modal interactions and energy transfer. The proposed NSI method was applied to 3 main cases, corresponding to weakly nonlinear, strongly nonlinear and linear dynamics, respectively. A discrete model of the original system is used to investigate the internal resonances and nonlinearity effects in the original system, by making use of Frequency-Energy plots (FEPs).
Design Refresh Planning Models for Managing Obsolescence
Authors: Zheng Liyu , Terpenny Janis , Sandborn Peter , Nelson Raymond
Published: September 2013

Fast moving technologies have caused high-tech components to have shortened life cycles, rendering them obsolete quickly. Obsolescence is a significant problem for systems with operational and support life that are much longer than the procurement lifetimes of their constituent components. Design refresh planning is a strategic way of managing obsolescence. Mathematical models are presented herein to determine the design refresh plan that minimizes total cost. The plan includes guidance on when to execute design refreshes (dates) and what obsolete/non-obsolete system components should be replaced at a specific design refresh. When data uncertainty is considered and obsolescence dates of the components are assumed to follow specific probability distributions, different solutions for executing design refreshes and the probabilities of adopting these solutions can be obtained. The final optimal cost becomes an expected value. An example of an electronic engine control unit (ECU) is included for demonstration of the developed models.
An Exploratory Study of Ontology-Based Platform Analysis Under User Preference Uncertainty
Authors: Lim Soon Chong Johnson , Liu Ying , Loh Han Tong
Published: September 2013

Analysis of user preference is among the crucial tasks at early stages of new product development (NPD). In order to satisfy diversified user preferences in the market, product companies have struggled to design a variety of products to address different customer voices. In this context, product family design (PFD) is a widely adopted strategy to deal with such product realization needs. Besides preference diversity, uncertainty of user preference is another important aspect that can greatly affect product design and offerings especially when customer preferences are not clear, not fully identified, or have drifted overtime. Previously, we have studied an ontology-based information representation for PFD, which offers a modeling scheme to assist multi-faceted product variant derivation. In this paper, we explore how ontology can be further extended to handle user preference uncertainty by using a Bayesian network representation. Customer preference uncertainty is expressed as a probability of preference towards certain product attributes. An approach to construct a Bayesian network that harnesses the existing knowledge modeling from product family ontology is proposed. Based on such a network representation and preference modeling, we have derived several probabilistic measures to assess the propagation and impact of user preference uncertainty towards platform preference. A case study of platform analysis using four laptop computer families is reported to illustrate how preference uncertainty can affect the suitability and selection of existing product platform.
A New Approach to Generic Design Feature Recognition by Detecting the Hint of Topology Variation
Authors: Wan Sha , Huang Yunbao , Wang Qifu , Chen Liping , Sun Yuhang
Published: September 2013

Current design feature recognition mainly depends on the connective attributes of edges or faces in the CAD models, such as convexity, concavity, and tangency. However, it is difficult to uniquely define the mixed connective attributes of the generic features in some cases. A novel generic design feature recognition approach by detecting the hint of topology variation is presented in this study. The core idea includes: 1) the resulting CAD model of a complex part is regarded as formed from an initial basic shape such as roughcast and has been operated by introducing generic design features, which subsequently may cause topology variation; 2) Such topology variations, e.g. vertex elimination, edge partition and face alteration, are utilized to obtain generalized properties of the generic design features, dispensing with the connective attributes.

Finally, 1) we demonstrate in the experiments that the approach successfully recognizes the main types of generic design features, both isolate and hybrid features. 2) Furthermore, we exhibit the application of the approach in some engineering examples.
Towards a Cloud-Based Design and Manufacturing Paradigm: Looking Backward, Looking Forward
Authors: Wu Dazhong , Thames J. Lane , Rosen David W. , Schaefer Dirk
Published: September 2013

The rise of cloud computing is radically changing the way enterprises manage their information technology (IT) assets. Considering the benefits of cloud computing to the information technology sector, we present a review of current research initiatives and applications of the cloud computing paradigm related to product design and manufacturing. In particular, we focus on exploring the potential of utilizing cloud computing for selected aspects of collaborative design, distributed manufacturing, collective innovation, data mining, semantic web technology, and virtualization. In addition, we propose to expand the paradigm of cloud computing to the field of computer-aided design and manufacturing and propose a new concept of cloud-based design and manufacturing (CBDM). Specifically, we (1) propose a comprehensive definition of CBDM; (2) discuss its key characteristics; (3) relate current research in design and manufacture to CBDM; and (4) identify key research issues and future trends.
Finite Element Analysis of Printed Circuit Boards Using Isotropic Elastoplastic Model and Application to Drop Simulation for Mobile Phone
Authors: Jeon Hojin , Park Myunghyun , Seo Hyongwon , Kim Myunghan , Lee Yonghee
Published: September 2013

Flexural behavior of printed circuit boards (PCB) is well known for the major failure mechanism under board level or product level mobile phone drop tests. This behavior induces high peeling stress between PCB and IC package. This stress causes failure including both solder joint crack and pad cratering, which leads to malfunction such as phone dead or power off. Therefore, for a more reliable mobile phone design, it is important to accurately predict behavior of the PCB. In the past, isotropic or orthogonal linear elastic model have been used for simulating PCB in finite element analysis. Also, since PCB consists of multiple layers with woven glass fiber epoxy resin composite (FR-4) and copper foils, a multilayered PCB model was developed in order to consider material properties that change along the different plies. In this paper, the isotropic elastoplastic model was employed in order to efficiently predict behavior of PCB. Tensile and flexural test of PCB were conducted initially to evaluate mechanical characteristics and obtain representative material properties. Then, simulation of flexural test was performed to develop the finite element modeling. Finally, a drop test of mobile phone adopted with PCB bare board, which did not include IC packages, was examined. Also, the strain gage was used for measuring strain of PCB. This result was compared with drop simulation results of mobile phone, which used finite element modeling suggested. In conclusion, from an industry standpoint, finite element modeling of PCB using isotropic elasoplastic model was useful and efficient.