Modeling and controls for a laser glass cutting machine workcell robot

The SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm)-Type Nimbl loader junior robot includes a four-degree of freedom robot manipulator arm. This thesis deals with three main areas of robot behavior: kinematics, dynamics and controls for the purpose of improving the performance of the Laser Glass Cutting Machine (LGCM) workcell. The thesis deals with developing kinematic and dynamic models of this robot arm and their application to task planning of this robot.;Task planning is done for SCARA-Type Nimbl loader robot, in which the robot starts from pick position to place position. A 4-3-4 joint trajectory was generated for pick-to-place path for the robot.;By applying the PID control technique to the integrated joint dynamic model, an independent joint control scheme was derived using a classical approach. An experimental verification study was done to prove the theoretical model of Work Cell robot

EXPLORING THE ANTI-WEAR AND EXTREME PRESSURE LUBRICATING PERFORMANCE OF JATROPHA OIL MODIFIED WITH NANO-ADDITIVES AND GARLIC OIL

It is imperative to emphasize the wear-reducing and load-sustaining abilities of the lubricating oils, as they are an essential part of their operation. In this study, the anti-wear and extreme pressure (EP) performance of Jatropha oil was explored. The investigation was executed on a 4-ball tester machine according to ASTM-D-4172 and D-2783 standards. Nano-sized Molybdenum disulfide and graphene were added to the base oil, whose addition reduced the wear on the test balls but failed to improve the EP properties. However, the addition of Garlic oil elevated the EP properties of the base oil. The Last Non-seizure load and weld point of the jatropha oil was elevated by up to 3 levels, while the Load Wear index was increased by 91.88%. The Flash Temperature Parameter of jatropha oil was increased by 658% and 250% at 100kgf and 126kgf load, respectively, after the addition of 5% garlic oil. Further, the wear scars were examined under an optical microscope and FESEM, which proved that the addition of nano-additives reduced the wear of the balls during anti-wear tests at lower loads, and garlic oil reduced the wear in EP conditions and produced smoother surfaces. These improvements were attributed to the formation of tribo-films on the surfaces as characterized by the EDS analysis. It was concluded that Garlic oil could be a substantial EP additive to vegetable oils (especially jatropha oil) to lift their load-carrying capacity without hampering their environmentally friendly nature

Measuring Work Zone Throughput and User Delays

A larger amount of funding and attention are going toward highway infrastructure of Ontario for rehabilitation, maintenance and construction projects. These rehabilitation and maintenance activities on highways involve lane closures, which reduce the traffic throughput and cause delays for the road users. The impact of these activities is very important and has led to research into improvements of work zones in Ontario. To prevent the significant cost that these construction delays have on the general public, contractors are required to keep highway lanes open during the peak traffic hours and work at night. However, working at night may reduce the quality of the work by increasing cold joints and construction joints in the pavement, and may increase the amount of time needed to complete the work. Therefore, finding a balance between the times that the lanes can be closed and the times they should be kept open requires an accurate prediction of the construction work zone throughputs, which can increase the efficiency of the contractor work, save money and reduce the user delay costs. Consequently, this study which has been funded by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) Highway Infrastructure Innovation Funding Program (HIIFP) involves measurement of highway construction work zones throughput of Southern Ontario, to determine the factors affecting the throughput. It has been carried out in partnership with researchers at the University of Toronto. For this study, a manual counting method for collecting throughput data has been employed. This involved data collection of variables such as heavy vehicles which had not been included in previous studies. This provides the visual confirmation of queuing and assists in evaluating the intensity of work activity at the work zones. New generic models for throughput have been developed in this research to better describe current state-of-the practice on Southern Ontario highways. Furthermore, a better functioning highway specific model was developed to calculate the throughput of the MTO Southern Ontario Highway network. In addition to development of these new models, this project involved further development and refinement to a spreadsheet based model SZUDA (Simplified work Zone User Delay Analysis) that uses normal hourly traffic flows to calculate the resulting queue for that entire hour and approximate user delay cost associated with road user delay. Overall, the thesis describes a methodology for collection of data in work zones. This involved collection of data during 2009 and 2010 Ontario construction season. Furthermore, the data were then used to develop more reliable generic and highway specific models for the MTO. These models can be used to determine when and how work zones should be established. Finally the refined SZUDA model and case studies demonstrate the impact of various work zone configurations on the traveling public

Quality of life and wellbeing in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy: a study from Kashmir

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective neurostimulative treatment in psychiatric disorders and is widely used throughout the world except few countries. Studies regarding quality of life and well-being in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy have not been undertaken in our country. Objective of current study was to study the quality of life and well-being in patients receiving Electroconvulsive therapy. Methods: 50 patients who have been prescribed pharmacological drugs form the control group and 50 patients already on psychotropic medication who were prescribed electroconvulsive therapy form the case group were taken up for study. Detailed evaluations were carried out clinically and by measurement of Well-being index. Pre-treatment evaluation was carried out one day before Electroconvulsive therapy, and post treatment was carried out at 3 and 7 week. Data were evaluated by means of chi square and Repeat ANOVA, Post hoc Bonferroni correction for within group comparisons applicable. Results: Mean wellbeing index for study group is 14 which is slightly higher than control (11) (p>0.001.) Well-being index of study group is much higher than that of control group at 3 and 7 week post treatment (p>0.001). Conclusions: Sustained effect on quality of life remains in depression up to 7 weeks and in mania it responds rapidly wanes off within 7 weeks. Electroconvulsive therapy improves the quality of life in psychiatric patients.

An Analysis of Production Relations in the Large-scale Textile Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan

This paper attempts to determine econometrically the underlying production relations for the large-scale textile manufacturing sector of Pakistan, based on data available from the six most recent censuses of large-scale manufacturing industries. The coyariance model is used for pooling the provincial data. Testing for alternative forms reveals that the CES production function with constant-returns-to-scale most adequately explains the underlying production structure. The estimates of the elasticity of substitution are significantly different from zero in all cases, implying significant and efficient employment generation possibilities.

Insight into the dynamics of electro-magneto-hydrodynamic fluid flow past a sheet using the Galerkin finite element method: Effects of variable magnetic and electric fields

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