Automatic generation of robot and manual assembly plans using octrees

This paper aims to investigate automatic assembly planning for robot and manual assembly. The octree decomposition technique is applied to approximate CAD models with an octree representation which are then used to generate robot and manual assembly plans. An assembly planning system able to generate assembly plans was developed to build these prototype models. Octree decomposition is an effective assembly planning tool. Assembly plans can automatically be generated for robot and manual assembly using octree models. Research limitations/implications - One disadvantage of the octree decomposition technique is that it approximates a part model with cubes instead of using the actual model. This limits its use and applications when complex assemblies must be planned, but in the context of prototyping can allow a rough component to be formed which can later be finished by hand. Assembly plans can be generated using octree decomposition, however, new algorithms must be developed to overcome its limitations

Plasmon excitation by charged particles interacting with metal surfaces

Recent experiments (R. A. Baragiola and C. A. Dukes, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 76}, 2547 (1996)) with slow ions incident at grazing angle on metal surfaces have shown that bulk plasmons are excited under conditions where the ions do not penetrate the surface, contrary to the usual statement that probes exterior to an electron gas do not couple to the bulk plasmon. We here use the quantized hydrodynamic model of the bounded electron gas to derive an explicit expression for the probability of bulk plasmon excitation by external charged particles moving parallel to the surface. Our results indicate that for each ${\bf q}$ (the surface plasmon wave vector) there exists a continuum of bulk plasmon excitations, which we also observe within the semi-classical infinite-barrier (SCIB) model of the surface.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, o appear in Phys. Lett.

Octree-based production of near net shape components

Near net shape (NNS) manufacturing refers to the production of products that require a finishing operation of some kind. NNS manufacturing is important because it enables a significant reduction in: machining work, raw material usage, production time, and energy consumption. This paper presents an integrated system for the production of near net shape components based on the Octree decomposition of 3-D models. The Octree representation is used to automatically decompose and approximate the 3-D models, and to generate the robot instructions required to create assemblies of blocks secured by adhesive. Not only is the system capable of producing shapes of variable precision and complexity (including overhanging or reentrant shapes) from a variety of materials, but it also requires no production tooling (e.g., molds, dies, jigs, or fixtures). This paper details how a number of well-known Octree algorithms for subdivision, neighbor findings, and tree traversal have been modified to support this novel application. This paper ends by reporting the construction of two mechanical components in the prototype cell, and discussing the overall feasibility of the system

The Analysis of design and manufacturing tasks using haptic and immersive VR - Some case studies

The use of virtual reality in interactive design and manufacture has been researched extensively but the practical application of this technology in industry is still very much in its infancy. This is surprising as one would have expected that, after some 30 years of research commercial applications of interactive design or manufacturing planning and analysis would be widespread throughout the product design domain. One of the major but less well known advantages of VR technology is that logging the user gives a great deal of rich data which can be used to automatically generate designs or manufacturing instructions, analyse design and manufacturing tasks, map engineering processes and, tentatively, acquire expert knowledge. The authors feel that the benefits of VR in these areas have not been fully disseminated to the wider industrial community and - with the advent of cheaper PC-based VR solutions - perhaps a wider appreciation of the capabilities of this type of technology may encourage companies to adopt VR solutions for some of their product design processes. With this in mind, this paper will describe in detail applications of haptics in assembly demonstrating how user task logging can lead to the analysis of design and manufacturing tasks at a level of detail not previously possible as well as giving usable engineering outputs. The haptic 3D VR study involves the use of a Phantom and 3D system to analyse and compare this technology against real-world user performance. This work demonstrates that the detailed logging of tasks in a virtual environment gives considerable potential for understanding how virtual tasks can be mapped onto their real world equivalent as well as showing how haptic process plans can be generated in a similar manner to the conduit design and assembly planning HMD VR tool reported in PART A. The paper concludes with a view as to how the authors feel that the use of VR systems in product design and manufacturing should evolve in order to enable the industrial adoption of this technology in the future

HITRAN® WIRE MATRIX INSERTS IN FOULING APPLICATIONS

Fouling characteristics are dictated largely by the properties of the thermal and hydrodynamic boundary layers. As a result, fouling mitigation strategies must take into account the conditions in this region. hiTRAN® wire matrix tube inserts are a useful tool in altering the conditions near the tube wall, especially in the laminar and transition flow regions. This review paper considers Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) measurements, which were employed in order to show the hydrodynamic differences between plain tubes and those containing inserts. Measurements indicate that the wall shear rate in tubes containing hiTRAN® inserts operating in the laminar flow regime is similar to that for plain bore tubes operating in the turbulent flow regime. Moreover, the increased tube side heat transfer coefficient which results from the reduction of the thermal boundary layer allows operation with smaller EMTDs. This enables the designer to reduce the tube wall temperature to a level below the fouling threshold temperature, e.g. to combat crude oil fouling. The results from the laser analyses into the hydrodynamic boundary layer are backed up by recent research data investigating the effect of hiTRAN® inserts on sedimentation and particulate fouling. The thickness of the fouling layer was measured by applying a combination of photographic and laser measurement techniques. The results are compared to plain tube data and are reported as a function of both flow rate and hiTRAN® insert packing density. The impact of altering the hydrodynamic and thermal conditions near to the wall is subsequently demonstrated for different fouling mechanisms. Studies of the impact of hiTRAN® inserts on biological and chemical reaction fouling in crude oil processing are also reviewed. A better understanding of the threshold shear rates and wall temperatures for different fouling mechanisms is required for any study into the impact of fouling. Combining this knowledge with the principles outlined in this paper clearly emphasises the benefit of using hiTRAN® wire matrix inserts as a powerful tool to mitigate fouling

IS THERE A CLASSICAL ANALOG OF A QUANTUM TIME-TRANSLATION MACHINE?

In a recent article [D. Suter, Phys. Rev. {\bf A 51}, 45 (1995)] Suter has claimed to present an optical implementation of the quantum time-translation machine which ``shows all the features that the general concept predicts and also allows, besides the quantum mechanical, a classical description.'' It is argued that the experiment proposed and performed by Suter does not have the features of the quantum time-translation machine and that the latter has no classical analog.Comment: 7 pages, LaTe

Automated design analysis, assembly planning and motion study analysis using immersive virtual reality

Previous research work at Heriot-Watt University using immersive virtual reality (VR) for cable harness design showed that VR provided substantial productivity gains over traditional computer-aided design (CAD) systems. This follow-on work was aimed at understanding the degree to which aspects of this technology were contributed to these benefits and to determine if engineering design and planning processes could be analysed in detail by nonintrusively monitoring and logging engineering tasks. This involved using a CAD-equivalent VR system for cable harness routing design, harness assembly and installation planning that can be functionally evaluated using a set of creative design-tasks to measure the system and users' performance. A novel design task categorisation scheme was created and formalised which broke down the cable harness design process and associated activities. The system was also used to demonstrate the automatic generation of usable bulkhead connector, cable harness assembly and cable harness installation plans from non-intrusive user logging. Finally, the data generated from the user-logging allowed the automated activity categorisation of the user actions, automated generation of process flow diagrams and chronocyclegraphs

Pilot Study of a Haptic Soldering Environment

Soldering plays an important role in the electronics manufacturing industry, whether it is carried out manually, semi-automatically or fully-automatically. Even though it is straightforward to learn the fundamental techniques involved in manual soldering, it still requires a vast amount of time and effort to reach an expert level. The research presented here aims to simulate the manual soldering process in a haptics environment, and by logging the users' actions automatically and unobtrusively in the background, the aim is to investigate human hand dexterity and learn how novices and experts operate differently through knowledge capture. A pilot study was carried out in which the obtained log files were parsed and the capture of knowledge was demonstrated. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down

El efecto de sequía en el crecimiento, la fotosíntesis y la intercepción de luz en frijol cumún.

Se investigó el impacto del estrés hídrico en el crecimiento foliar y en la intercepción de luz, la conductancia estomática y producción de materia seca en frijol. En la Universidad Estatal de Michigan se establecieron tratamientos de sequía en diferentes etapas fenológicas: etapa vegetativa (EV), inicio de floración (IF) y llenado de las semillas (LS). El déficit hídrico disminuyó rápidamente el índice de área foliar (IAF), siendo mayor la reducción en el tratamiento IF lo que causó una disminución significativa en la intercepción de la luz. La conductancia estomática y la fotosíntesis se redujeron también bajo el estrés hídrico pero las tasas de fotosíntesis sólo disminuyeron significativamente cuando la apertura estomática estuvo por debajo de 0,8 cm- /seg. La producción de materia seca estuvo altamente relacionada con la intercepción de la luz aunque, a la misma cantidad de luz interceptada, la producción de materia seca en IF fue menor en un 6,5% en comparación con el testigo

Quantum Communication Protocol Employing Weak Measurements

We propose a communication protocol exploiting correlations between two events with a definite time-ordering: a) the outcome of a {\em weak measurement} on a spin, and b) the outcome of a subsequent ordinary measurement on the spin. In our protocol, Alice, first generates a "code" by performing weak measurements on a sample of N spins. The sample is sent to Bob, who later performs a post-selection by measuring the spin along either of two certain directions. The results of the post-selection define the "key', which he then broadcasts publicly. Using both her previously generated code and this key, Alice is able to infer the {\em direction} chosen by Bob in the post-selection. Alternatively, if Alice broadcasts publicly her code, Bob is able to infer from the code and the key the direction chosen by Alice for her weak measurement. Two possible experimental realizations of the protocols are briefly mentioned.Comment: 5 pages, Revtex, 1 figure. A second protocol is added, where by a similar set of weak measurement Alice can send, instead of receiving, a message to Bob. The security question for the latter protocol is discusse