Requirements analysis for automating product testing in aerospace manufacturing

Copyright © 2021 The Authors. The Aerospace Industry has been undertaking strategic changes towards digital manufacturing. One of the challenges is the lack of rationalisation for a cost-benefit analysis of automating certain manufacturing and assembly processes within a customer order. The rigidness and complexity of aerospace lifecycle, and tight industry restrictions does not leave much room for high risk innovations in manufacturing and production lines. This research addressed this problem by investigating an automation adoption scenario with BAE Systems, Electronic Systems, which is a UK based aeronautical systems integrator. This paper reports findings from the general manufacturing industry via an industrial survey. These findings are compared with original findings from an empirical study carried out with BAE Systems within the New Product Introduction team to automate product transportation logistics in an environmental test facility. The paper describes the challenges particularly related to skills, and labour workforce required to manipulate heavy standing products in and out of a production line and how their requirements can be addressed within an automation solution package. The solution includes key design factors related to intricate handling of aeronautic systems via the gripping interface design, and the rest of the operational issues surrounding the testing objectives such as transportation, and test setup. The findings are presented in the form of a requirements analysis for businesses looking to automate manually-intensive tasks in the future, and provide some insights into the lessons learnt in the development of the solution to benefit UK manufacturing tactics to some similar challenges.European Commission (improving the design of flexible and responsive manufacturing systems involving autonomous and Collaborative Robots (CoRoT, Project No: 99)), in collaboration with and co-sponsored by BAE Systems

Two cold inducible genes encoding lipid transfer protein LTP4 from barley show differential responses to bacterial pathogens

The barley genesHvLtp4.2 andHvLtp4.3 both encode the lipid transfer protein LTP4 and are less than 1 kb apart in tail-to-tail orientation. They differ in their non-coding regions from each other and from the gene corresponding to a previously reportedLtp4 cDNA (nowLtp4.1). Southern blot analysis indicated the existence of three or moreLtp4 genes per haploid genome and showed considerable polymorphism among barley cultivars. We have investigated the transient expression of genesHvLtp4.2 andHvLtp4.3 following transformation by particle bombardment, using promoter fusions to the-glucuronidase reporter sequence. In leaves, activities of the two promoters were of the same order as those of the sucrose synthase (Ss1) and cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoters used as controls. Their expression patterns were similar, except thatLtp4.2 was more active thanLtp4.3 in endosperm, andLtp4.3 was active in roots, whileLtp4.2 was not. The promoters of both genes were induced by low temperature, both in winter and spring barley cultivars. Northern blot analysis, using theLtp4-specific probe, indicated thatXanthomonas campestris pv.translucens induced an increase over basal levels ofLtp4 mRNA, whilePseudomonas syringae pv.japonica caused a decrease. TheLtp4.3-Gus promoter fusion also responded in opposite ways to these two compatible bacterial pathogens, whereas theLtp4.2-Gus construction did not respond to infectio

Détermination du champ électromagnétique dans un résonateur linéaire supraconducteur à HTC

In this paper, the electromagnetic field configuration in a linear SHTC resonator is described. Two areas are considered : 1) the superconducting strip, 2) the dielectric around the strip. The calculation is based on the current density given by Bowers [1, 2] for an infinite superconducting line. The current density in the resonator is defined by these relations and the resonance conditions.Cet article décrit la configuration du champ électromagnétique dans un résonateur linéaire SHTC. Deux domaines sont considérés : 1) dans le ruban supraconducteur, 2) dans le milieu diélectrique entourant le ruban. Ce calcul s'appuie sur la densité de courant donnée par Bowers [1, 2] pour une ligne infinie supraconductrice. La densité de courant dans le résonateur est définie par ces relations et les conditions de résonance

Earth–ionosphere couplings, magnetic storms, seismic precursors and TLEs: Results and prospects of the [SQUID]2 system in the low-noise underground laboratory of Rustrel-Pays d’Apt.

International audienceHigh sensitivity combined with an ultra-low-noise environment [SQUID]2 magnetometer (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device with Shielding QUalified for Ionosphere Detection) allows the observation of Earth–ionosphere couplings. Namely: – identification of a mesopause resonance mode excitable by P waves or by electric field as during the hour before the Sichuan earthquake (May 2008); – S and T breathing modes of the Earth during quiet magnetic and seismic periods; – worldwide signal integral of magnetic storms including polar contributions; – signals in time correlation with sprites (Transient Luminous Events). These results point to a worldwide network of at least a few stations of a similar typeGrâce à sa sensibilité et son environnement très bas bruit, les couplages Terre–ionosphère sont observables par le magnétomètre [SQUID]2 (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device with Shielding QUalified for Ionosphere Detection). Notamment : – un mode de résonance de la mésopause excitable par les ondes P ou par champ électrique comme dans lmodifier letter apostropheheure précédant le séisme de Sichuan en mai 2008 ; – les modes S et T de respiration du globe pendant des périodes de calme magnétique et sismique ; – lmodifier letter apostropheintégrale mondiale du signal des orages magnétiques y compris les contributions polaires ; – des signaux associés aux sylphes. Ceci permet de modifier d'envisager un réseau mondial de quelques stations de même type

The fiber specificity of the cotton FSltp4 gene promoter is regulated by an AT-rich promoter region and the AT-hook transcription factor GhAT1

Copyright © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved.Fiber-specific genes are expressed preferentially or exclusively in cotton (Gossypium spp.) fiber and are thought to have important functions in fiber development. The promoters of these genes are of interest because they control transcription in the fiber cell and may be used in the genetic manipulation of fiber quality. The promoter of a cotton lipid transfer protein gene, FSltp4, was isolated and shown to direct fiber-specific transcription of an abundant mRNA in cotton. In transgenic tobacco, this promoter was strongly active in leaf trichomes. Deletion analysis of the promoter identified an AT-rich 84 bp fiber specificity region (FSR) necessary for activity exclusively in the fiber cells. Cotton fiber proteins that bind the FSR were isolated using a yeast one-hybrid assay. One of these was a putative AT-hook transcription factor (GhAT1) containing two AT-hook motifs. GhAT1 was shown to be nuclear localized, and GhAT1 transcripts were found to be preferentially expressed in ovules and non-fiber tissues. Overexpression of GhAT1 strongly repressed the activity of the FSltp4 promoter in the trichomes of transgenic tobacco. These results suggest that GhAT1 assists in the specification of fiber cells by repressing FSltp4 in the non-fiber tissues of the cotton plant.Sven K. Delaney, Sharon J. Orford, Michael Martin-Harris and Jeremy N. Timmi