87,077 research outputs found
A simulation-based method to evaluate the impact of product architecture on product evolvability
Products evolve over time via the continual redesigns of interdependent components. Product architecture, which is embodied in the structure of interactions among components, influences the ability for the product to be subsequently evolved. Despite extensive studies of change propagation via inter-component connections, little is known about the specific influences of product architecture on product evolvability. Related metrics and methods to assess the evolvability of products with given architectures are also under-developed. This paper proposes a simulation-based method to assess the isolated effect of product architecture on product evolvability by analyzing a design structure matrix. We define product evolvability as the ability of the product’s design to subsequently generate heritable performance-improving variations, and propose a quantitative measure for it. We demonstrate the proposed method by using it to investigate a wide spectrum of model-generated DSMs representing products with varied architectures, and show that modularity and inter-component influence cycles promote product evolvability. Our primary contribution is a repeatable method to assess and compare alternative product architectures for architecture selection or redesign for evolvability. A second contribution is the simulation-based evidence about the impacts of two particular product architectural patterns on product evolvability. Both contributions aim to aid in designing for evolvability.SUTD-MIT International Design Centre (IDC
Intelligent composite layup by the application of low cost tracking and projection technologies
Hand layup is still the dominant forming process for the creation of the widest range of complex geometry and mixed material composite parts. However, this process is still poorly understood and informed, limiting productivity. This paper seeks to address this issue by proposing a novel and low cost system enabling a laminator to be guided in real-time, based on a predetermined instruction set, thus improving the standardisation of produced components. Within this paper the current methodologies are critiqued and future trends are predicted, prior to introducing the required input and outputs, and developing the implemented system. As a demonstrator a U-Shaped component typical of the complex geometry found in many difficult to manufacture composite parts was chosen, and its drapeability assessed by the use of a kinematic drape simulation tool. An experienced laminator's knowledgebase was then used to divide the tool into a finite number of features, with layup conducted by projecting and sequentially highlighting target features while tracking a laminator's hand movements across the ply. The system has been implemented with affordable hardware and demonstrates tangible benefits in comparison to currently employed laser-based systems. It has shown remarkable success to date, with rapid Technology Readiness Level advancement. This is a major stepping stone towards augmenting manual labour, with further benefits including more appropriate automation
Material modelling of tensile steel component under impulsive loading
The “T-stub” model is used in Eurocode 3 – part 1.8 as part of the “component method” for the representation of steel connection’s tension zone and is usually responsible for providing ductility to the connection. Looking forward to establish the “T-stub’s” maximum displacement capacity, fracture simulation of steel elements is here explored following “element deletion” technique for a given level of ductile damage. Material softening and triaxial stress state dependency are assessed based on finite element analysis of common uniaxial tension tests. Numerical model describing the “T-stub” behaviour and displacement capacity are compared against experimental tests of statically loaded “T-stub” specimens with thicknesses of 10 and 15 mm.
Based on the calibrated FE model for monotonic loading, the behaviour of this tensile component is evaluated for impulsive loading regimes. The material behaviour is improved to take into account the possible development of elevated strain rates based on results from Split-Hopkinson Bar tests, through the incorporation of the Johnson-Cook’s elevated strain rate law for material strain-hardening description
Phase separation and near-critical fluctuations in two-component lipid membranes: Monte Carlo simulations on experimentally relevant scales
By means of lattice-based Monte Carlo simulations, we address properties of
two-component lipid membranes on the experimentally relevant spatial scales of
order of a micrometer and time intervals of order of a second, using DMPC/DSPC
lipid mixtures as a model system. Our large-scale simulations allowed us to
obtain important results previously not reported in simulation studies of lipid
membranes. We find that, within a certain range of lipid compositions, the
phase transition from the fluid phase to the fluid-gel phase coexistence
proceeds via near-critical fluctuations, while for other lipid compositions
this phase transition has a quasi-abrupt character. In the presence of
near-critical fluctuations, transient subdiffusion of lipid molecules is
observed. These features of the system are stable with respect to perturbations
in lipid interaction parameters used in our simulations. The line tension
characterizing lipid domains in the fluid-gel coexistence region is found to be
in the pN range. When approaching the critical point, the line tension, the
inverse correlation length of fluid-gel spatial fluctuations, and the
corresponding inverse order parameter susceptibility of the membrane vanish.
All these results are in agreement with recent experimental findings for model
lipid membranes. Our analysis of the domain coarsening dynamics after an abrupt
quench of the membrane to the fluid-gel coexistence region reveals that lateral
diffusion of lipids plays an important role in the fluid-gel phase separation
process.Comment: 45 pages, 15 figure
Sensitivity of Availability Estimates to Input Data Characterization
Reliability analysts are often faced with the challenge of characterizing the behavior of system components based on limited data. Any insight into which model input data is most significant and how much data is necessary to achieve desired accuracy requirements will improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the data collection and data characterization processes. This thesis assesses potential significant factors in the probabilistic characterization of component failure and repair behavior with respect to the effect on system availability estimates. Potential factors were screened for significance utilizing fractional. factorial and Plackett-Burman experimental designs for several system models developed using an AFOTEC simulation program entitled RAPTOR. Two input data characterization factors were found to have a significant affect on availability estimation accuracy: the size of the structure and the number of data points used for component failure and repair distributional fitting. Estimation error was minimized when the structures analyzed were small and many data points (in this case, 25) were used for the distributional fittings. Assuming constant component failure rates and using empirical repair distributions were found to be equally effective component characterization methods (pertaining to model availability estimation error) compared to using automated software fitting tools (or `wizards\u27). The results of this study also indicate that there is no apparent benefit in concentrating on `important\u27 components for the highest fidelity distributional fillings
Near-critical fluctuations and cytoskeleton-assisted phase separation lead to subdiffusion in cell membranes
We address the relationship between membrane microheterogeneity and anomalous
subdiffusion in cell membranes by carrying out Monte Carlo simulations of
two-component lipid membranes. We find that near-critical fluctuations in the
membrane lead to transient subdiffusion, while membrane-cytoskeleton
interaction strongly affects phase separation, enhances subdiffusion, and
eventually leads to hop diffusion of lipids. Thus, we present a minimum
realistic model for membrane rafts showing the features of both microscopic
phase separation and subdiffusion.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures; Supporting Material 5 pages, 1 figure, 1 tabl
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