Methodology for qualifying a Friction Stir Welding equipment

The objective of this research work is the industrialization of the friction stir welding process in order to provide tools to industrials to select and qualify a machine for their FSW applications. This paper presents a methodology to determine the Friction Stir Welding equipment adequate to an application. The adequate equipment can be every machine that can perform friction stir welds. This paper presents a short review, based on literature survey, of the existing friction stir welding equipments. Then, the methodology developed is presented. It is based on the studying of the interactions between the tool and the workpiece

JUMPSAT: Qualifying three equipments in the CubeSat mission

JUMPSAT is a 3-Unit CubeSat mission expected for launch in 2017. It is a collaborative project involving the French research institutes CNES and ONERA as well as two universities, the Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace and TELECOM Bretagne. The main mission objectives are the technological verification of both the three-axis attitude control system as well as the verification of two embedded payloads: A low cost Star Tracker developed by ISAE-Supaero for future small satellite missions and a directional radiation sensor for precise mapping of the Earth radiation belt. This article focuses on the mission concept and the status of the mission design in fall 2013. Main mission parameters are introduced, with emphases on the characteristic properties of the Jumpsat mission, as for example the choice of a sun-synchronous elliptical low-Earth Orbit, which is necessary to be in compliance with the payload requirements and at the same time to ensure space debris prevention. Furthermore, due to the limited observation time of a polar satellite, it was decided to utilize a distributed ground station network on S-band frequency for ensuring the necessary communication bandwidth for up- and downlink. The space segment will be equipped with deployable solar panels for improving the thermal and power budget of the overall system. Finally, a brief overview of the specifications and design of the attitude control system and both payloads are also given in the article

English language knowledge of first-year university students on performance-based tests

Come espresso nelle linee guida del MIUR, gli obiettivi previsti nel curriculum di lingua straniera per gli studenti del 5° anno del liceo corrispondono al livello B2 del Quadro comune europeo di riferimento per la conoscenza delle lingue (QCER). In questo livello gli studenti dovrebbero dimostrare un accettabile livello di fluency linguistica. Questo articolo si occupa della capacità degli studenti del primo anno di università di saper utilizzare la propria competenza in lingua inglese nell’espletamento di compiti autentici. Il test costruito e somministrato valuta la conoscenza linguistica degli studenti a livello B2 mediante due compiti e scale di valutazione olistiche e analitiche basate sul Framework delle competenze linguistiche di Bachman e Palmer. Insieme al test è stato somministrato il questionario. Il risultato rivela che il 23% degli studenti che hanno completato il test soddisfano i requisiti del MIUR.As stated by the Guidelines of the Italian Ministry of Education, the aims and objectives of the fifth-year foreign language curriculum of lyceums correspond to the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). At this level, students are expected to demonstrate an acceptable level of fluency in writing and speaking. This paper addresses the issue of the ability of first-year university students to employ their English language knowledge to perform authentic tasks, such as writing an enquiry email. The test designed and administered to gather data aims at evaluating student knowledge at a B2 level, by means of two tasks and holistic and analytic rating scales based on Bachman and Palmer’s framework of language competence. At the same time, a student questionnaire was administered. The results reveal that 23% of students who have completed the test meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education

Schema architecture and their relationships to transaction processing in distributed database systems

We discuss the different types of schema architectures which could be supported by distributed database systems, making a clear distinction between logical, physical, and federated distribution. We elaborate on the additional mapping information required in architecture based on logical distribution in order to support retrieval as well as update operations. We illustrate the problems in schema integration and data integration in multidatabase systems and discuss their impact on query processing. Finally, we discuss different issues relevant to the cooperation (or noncooperation) of local database systems in a heterogeneous multidatabase system and their relationship to the schema architecture and transaction processing

A semantic-based platform for the digital analysis of architectural heritage

This essay focuses on the fields of architectural documentation and digital representation. We present a research paper concerning the development of an information system at the scale of architecture, taking into account the relationships that can be established between the representation of buildings (shape, dimension, state of conservation, hypothetical restitution) and heterogeneous information about various fields (such as the technical, the documentary or still the historical one). The proposed approach aims to organize multiple representations (and associated information) around a semantic description model with the goal of defining a system for the multi-field analysis of buildings

Towards automated support for extraction of reusable components

A cost effective introduction of software reuse techniques requires the reuse of existing software developed in many cases without aiming at reusability. This paper discusses the problems related to the analysis and reengineering of existing software in order to reuse it. We introduce a process model for component extraction and focus on the problem of analyzing and qualifying software components which are candidates for reuse. A prototype tool for supporting the extraction of reusable components is presented. One of the components of this tool aids in understanding programs and is based on the functional model of correctness. It can assist software engineers in the process of finding correct formal specifications for programs. A detailed description of this component and an example to demonstrate a possible operational scenario are given

Report on Phase Three: The professional capabilities framework

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Building envelope design as a contribution for improvement of urban spaces and social housing environmental quality

The design of building envelope and the definition of its elements, can influence both the quality of the external spaces perception and the living standard referred to internal building spaces. This improvement depends by the planning of some component design. Particularly, solar shadings and integrated plant solutions, also thanks to an increasing consequential interest about the issue and the legislative and normative evolution, represent factors able to be involved both in the performance and morphological quality of building envelope (improvement of energy efficiency and living quality of internal spaces), which can influence the perception of environment. A study about this questions has been conducted through the elaboration of a system of Best Pratices, a Code of Practice, for the new Plans of Zone of Rome Municipality. The indications contained in the Code takes in examination the integration-mitigation and facilities connection of solar collectors in the building design, and the possibility of integration between solar shading and collector elements, customized like a support tool for the sustainable design of building envelope. The design of building envelope, reported to morphological and technological issues, can assume particular importance in the definition of living quality. Design of closures, developed through some indications referred to its technological components, can influence both the quality perception of external living spaces through the morphological definition of building, and the life quality of internal spaces by the implementation of energy efficiency of building system. Solar shading in particular, also thanks to the increasing consequential interest in the evolution of legislation about the argument, more in the future will represent a fundamental element for design and the increment of performance and morphological quality of building enclosure

Metro Raise: Boosting the Earned Income Tax Credit to Help Metropolitan Workers and Families

Argues for increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit and expanding its options in order to help low-income workers and families meet rising costs and to ensure more inclusive economic growth. Estimates the impact of various proposals on metropolitan areas