Sensing the gas metal arc welding process

Control of gas metal arc welding (GMAW) requires real-time sensing of the process. Three sensing techniques for GMAW are being developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). These are (1) noncontacting ultrasonic sensing using a laser/EMAT (electromagnetic acoustic transducer) to detect defects in the solidified weld on a pass-by-pass basis, (2) integrated optical sensing using a CCD camera and a laser stripe to obtain cooling rate and weld bead geometry information, and (3) monitoring fluctuations in digitized welding voltage data to detect the mode of metal droplet transfer and assure that the desired mass input is achieved

Recent development and research at the University of Sheffield blast lab in Buxton, UK

The Blast and Impact Dynamics Lab in Buxton, UK has recently undergone a significant refurbishment due to investment by the University of Sheffield and funding from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through a Strategic Equipment Grant. This has complimented development in measurement techniques funded through standard EPSRC grants and commercial blast testing undertaken by Blastech Ltd. a spin out company of the University of Sheffield

Layered and segmented system organization (LASSO) for highly reliable inventory monitoring systems (IMS)

The Trilateral Initiative is preparing for International Atomic Energy Agency (LUiA) verification of excess fissile material released itom the defense programs of the United States and the Russian Federation. Following acceptance of the material using an Attribute Verification System, the IAEA will depend on an Inventory Monitoring System to maintain Continuity of Knowledge of the large inventory of thousands of items. Recovery fiom a total loss of Continuity of Knowledge in such a large storage facility would involve an extremely costly inventory re-verification This paper presents the framework for a Layered and Segmented System Organization that is the basis for a highly reliable IMS with protection-in-depth

The Soviet Union and the GATT: An Impossible Combination?

In considering the relationship between the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs and any given state, one must examine not only the economic reasons for acceptance and participation, but also the political. This is especially true when dealing with the Soviet Union. In researching this topic, I have found that economics and politics are deeply interwoven into the fabric of international dealings with the Soviets on any level and at any given time. Soviet participation in the GATT goes back to the very beginnings of the Bretton Woods institutions and of the International Trade Organization. While this participation runs contrary to our Cold War ideology, during World War II it was very much in the Allies best interest to assure Soviet Participation. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the implementation of Mikhail Gorbachev\u27s perestroika and glasnost, it has once again become economically and politically in the West\u27s best interest to include the Soviets in the economic order. However, tensions left over from the Cold War have not dissipated easily and many, including the U.S., are precluding the accession of the Soviets to the GATT. This is wrong. The Soviet Union and the GATT are not technically/economically opposite institutions, and therefore political attitudes should change to include the Soviets within the Western circle of friends

A catalogue of built forms, using a binary representation

A technique is described for the representation of a class of rectangular built forms. Each individual form is produced by applying a series of transformations to a single generic or “archetypal” form, which is designed to take care of the broad constraints, on built space, of close-packing and the requirements for natural light and views. Parts of the archetype which are selected for inclusion in any particular built form are then designated by 1s, and parts which are suppressed by 0s. This makes it possible to assign a unique binary code to each different (undimensioned) built form produced from the archetype. Binary codes corresponding to all legitimate forms may then be arranged in ascending order, to create a comprehensive catalogue. The paper describes such a catalogue comprising forms with up to four courtyards, described by 22-digit binary strings. Metric values may be assigned to the various dimensions of each form, making it a matter of simple arithmetic to compute such attributes as volume, surface area, minimum site area or floor space index. From logical operations on the binary strings it is possible to identify a series of configurational characteristics of the corresponding forms, such as their overall plan shapes, the number of courtyards or the potential for symmetry. The catalogue may thus be searched for built forms fulfilling some set of specifications, for example total floor area, site size and certain desired shape attributes. Worked examples are illustrated from the design of multi-storey office buildings. Possible applications are suggested for this approach, in architectural science and the early strategic stages of architectural design

Bringing Online Learning to Campus: The Hybridization of Teaching and Learning at Brigham Young University

The primary purpose of Brigham Young University (BYU) is to provide students with a combination of sacred and secular education often described as the "BYU experience". Achieving this purpose is challenged by the rapid growth in Church membership and an enrollment cap of 30,000 students. To address these challenges, BYU sponsors the use of technology to bridge the gap between the increased Church membership and the number of students allowed under the enrollment caps. This institutional case study shows how these challenges have influenced the hybridization of teaching and learning for on campus (resident) and off campus (distance) students. It also describes how BYU has brought distance education to campus, and is beginning to bring campus-based educational practices to distance education