104 research outputs found
Emulation of modular manufacturing machines using CAD modelling
Designing, testing and debugging a machine control system which controls mechatronic hardware elements can be a complex, time consuming and costly procedure. It is often extremely difficult for the system builder to envisage in advance the effects of small changes to the control system logic, with potentially dangerous results if the hardware consists of heavy machinery. It is also rare that a system builder will arrive at a working prototype on the first attempt and discovering the reasons for incorrect operation without a suitable means of comprehending the problems can be an arduous task. This paper describes an approach which supports the designing, testing and debugging of modular manufacturing machines using 3D graphical models of the machine hardware. The paper emphasises the underlying methodology of the approach, which involves collecting timing data from the executing control system under development, then emulating the operation of the machine by using this data to drive a graphical model of the hardware. The term “emulation” is used to mean modelling using data captured from the real machine as opposed to “simulation” which synthesises data.
The work builds on previous research at the MSI Research Institute concerned with the control of modular machines. Two new extensions to this work are described here, which form the basis of the emulation capability. The first is the addition of the ability to execute the control system without the mechatronic hardware elements present whilst still retaining the operational behaviour of the application. The second is the mechanism for collecting the run-time data which defines these operational characteristics, to drive the machine emulation. The features of the custom 3D modeller are presented and its use for machine emulation is described. An example of a real control system under development is given to illustrate the complete process.
The research objectives of the work described here are concerned with the fundamental problems designers encounter when trying to prototype the control systems of modular machines. The research has shown that the ability to execute the control system with or without the mechatronic hardware elements present can be a considerable advantage if supported by a CAD-based emulation system
Emulation of modular manufacturing machines
A method for geometrically modelling and emulating modular machines based on the Universal Machine Control
reference architecture is described. Geometric modelling is achieved through extensions to a proprietary robot
simulation system. A library of modules consisting of 1, 2 or 3 degree of freedom manipulators is used to construct
models of multi-degree of freedom distributed machines with appropriate kinematic characteristics. Logging of data
from the real or emulated control handlers is then used to drive the geometric model. A case study of a printed circuit
board assembly machine is used to demonstrate how this approach allows the investigation of machine performance
before and during the building of the machine with real hardware elements
The Jefferson Lab Frozen Spin Target
A frozen spin polarized target, constructed at Jefferson Lab for use inside a
large acceptance spectrometer, is described. The target has been utilized for
photoproduction measurements with polarized tagged photons of both longitudinal
and circular polarization. Protons in TEMPO-doped butanol were dynamically
polarized to approximately 90% outside the spectrometer at 5 T and 200--300 mK.
Photoproduction data were acquired with the target inside the spectrometer at a
frozen-spin temperature of approximately 30 mK with the polarization maintained
by a thin, superconducting coil installed inside the target cryostat. A 0.56 T
solenoid was used for longitudinal target polarization and a 0.50 T dipole for
transverse polarization. Spin-lattice relaxation times as high as 4000 hours
were observed. We also report polarization results for deuterated propanediol
doped with the trityl radical OX063.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, preprint submitted to Nuclear Instruments and
Methods in Physics Research, Section
An Absolute Measurement of Neutron Flux Using Calorimetry
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
A Measurement of Parity-Violating Neutron Transmission in Xenon
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime by Counting Trapped Protons
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478
First Measurement of the Helicity Asymmetry E in ƞ Photoproduction on the Proton
Results are presented for the first measurement of the double-polarization helicity asymmetry E for the ƞ photoproduction reaction ɣp -\u3e ηp. Data were obtained using the FROzen Spin Target (FROST) with the CLAS spectrometer in Hall B at Jefferson Lab, covering a range of center-of-mass energy W from threshold to 2.15 GeV and a large range in center-of-mass polar angle. As an initial application of these data, the results have been incorporated into the Jülich-Bonn model to examine the case for the existence of a narrow N* resonance between 1.66 and 1.70 GeV. The addition of these data to the world database results in marked changes in the predictions for the Eobservable from that model. Further comparison with several theoretical approaches indicates these data will significantly enhance our understanding of nucleon resonances
Active Amplification of the Terrestrial Albedo to Mitigate Climate Change: An Exploratory Study
This study explores the potential to enhance the reflectance of solar
insolation by the human settlement and grassland components of the Earth's
terrestrial surface as a climate change mitigation measure. Preliminary
estimates derived using a static radiative transfer model indicate that such
efforts could amplify the planetary albedo enough to offset the current global
annual average level of radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic greenhouse
gases by as much as 30 percent or 0.76 W/m2. Terrestrial albedo amplification
may thus extend, by about 25 years, the time available to advance the
development and use of low-emission energy conversion technologies which
ultimately remain essential to mitigate long-term climate change. However,
additional study is needed to confirm the estimates reported here and to assess
the economic and environmental impacts of active land-surface albedo
amplification as a climate change mitigation measure.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures. In press with Mitigation and Adaptation
Strategies for Global Change, Springer, N
Environment and Rural Affairs Monitoring & Modelling Programme (ERAMMP) - Technical Annex 3: Soil Carbon Management. Sustainable Farming Scheme Evidence Review.
Fine Mapping of Resistance Genes from Five Brown Stem Rot Resistance Sources in Soybean
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