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1 – 10 of over 3000
Article
Publication date: 29 May 2020

Wu Qin, Hui Yin, D.J. Yu and Wen-Bin Shangguan

This paper aims to develop an efficient numerical method for mid-frequency analysis of built-up structures with large convex uncertainties.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop an efficient numerical method for mid-frequency analysis of built-up structures with large convex uncertainties.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the Chebyshev polynomial approximation technique, a Chebyshev convex method (CCM) combined with the hybrid finite element/statistical energy analysis (FE-SEA) framework is proposed to fulfil the purpose. In CCM, the Chebyshev polynomials for approximating the response functions of built-up structures are constructed over the uncertain domain by using the marginal intervals of convex parameters; the bounds of the response functions are calculated by applying the convex Monte–Carlo simulation to the approximate functions. A relative improvement method is introduced to evaluate the truncated order of CCM.

Findings

CCM has an advantage in accuracy over CPM when the considered order is the same. Furthermore, it is readily to consider the CCM with the higher order terms of the Chebyshev polynomials for handling the larger convex parametric uncertainty, and the truncated order can be effectively evaluated by the relative improvement method.

Originality/value

The proposed CCM combined with FE-SEA is the first endeavor to efficiently handling large convex uncertainty in mid-frequency vibro-acoustic analysis of built-up structures. It also has the potential to serve as a powerful tool for other kinds of system analysis when large convex uncertainty is involved.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 37 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 September 2020

Yidu Zhang, Yongshou Liu and Qing Guo

This paper aims to develop a method for evaluating the failure probability and global sensitivity of multiple failure modes based on convex-probability hybrid uncertainty.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a method for evaluating the failure probability and global sensitivity of multiple failure modes based on convex-probability hybrid uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

The uncertainty information of the input variable is considered as convex-probability hybrid uncertainty. Moment-independent variable global sensitivity index based on the system failure probability is proposed to quantify the effect of the input variable on the system failure probability. Two-mode sensitivity indices are adopted to characterize the effect of each failure mode on the system failure probability. The method based on active learning Kriging (ALK) model with a truncated candidate regions (TCR) is adopted to evaluate the systems failure probability, as well as sensitivity index and this method is termed as ALK-TCR.

Findings

The results of five examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the sensitivity index and the efficiency of the ALK-TCR method in solving the problem of multiple failure modes based on the convex-probability hybrid uncertainty.

Originality/value

Convex-probability hybrid uncertainty is considered on system reliability analysis. Moment-independent variable sensitivity index based on the system failure probability is proposed. Mode sensitivity indices are extended to hybrid uncertain reliability model. An effective global sensitivity analysis approach is developed for the multiple failure modes based on convex-probability hybrid uncertainty.

Article
Publication date: 2 March 2015

Ralf Östermark

– The purpose of this paper is to measure the financial risk and optimal capital structure of a corporation.

503

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the financial risk and optimal capital structure of a corporation.

Design/methodology/approach

Irregular disjunctive programming problems arising in firm models and risk management can be solved by the techniques presented in the paper.

Findings

Parallel processing and mathematical modeling provide a fruitful basis for solving ultra-scale non-convex general disjunctive programming (GDP) problems, where the computational challenge in direct mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) formulations or single processor algorithms would be insurmountable.

Research limitations/implications

The test is limited to a single firm in an experimental setting. Repeating the test on large sample of firms in future research will indicate the general validity of Monte-Carlo-based VAR estimation.

Practical implications

The authors show that the risk surface of the firm can be approximated by integrated use of accounting logic, corporate finance, mathematical programming, stochastic simulation and parallel processing.

Originality/value

Parallel processing has potential to simplify large-scale MINLP and GDP problems with non-convex, multi-modal and discontinuous parameter generating functions and to solve them faster and more reliably than conventional approaches on single processors.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 44 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 December 2020

Fei Wang and Xiaobing Zhang

This study aims to present a numerical study on the flow and heat transfer performance of a water-cooled tube with protrusions in different geometrical parameters.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to present a numerical study on the flow and heat transfer performance of a water-cooled tube with protrusions in different geometrical parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

A new type of enhanced heat exchanger tube is designed. Protrusions are formed on the inner surface of the tube by mechanical expansion, compression and other processing methods. A three-dimensional numerical symmetry model is established by ANSYS for studying the influence of protrusion distance, protrusion radius and protrusion arrangement on flow and heat transfer characteristics in turbulent flow.

Findings

The results show that the protrusions increase the heat transfer area and improve the heat transfer effect but also increase the flow resistance. Performance evaluation criteria (PEC) is applied to evaluate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of convex tubes. When adopting the aligned protrusions arrangement, the radius of 2 mm and distance of twice the protrusion radius is most heat transfer effect. The PEC of protrusion tubes with a staggered arrangement are higher than those in aligned arrangement, and the maximum value is 2.36 when Reynolds number is 12,000.

Originality/value

At present, most of the protrusion technology applications are based on the cold plate heat dissipation of electronic devices, and the flow path is rectangular. Convex tube heat exchanger is a high-efficiency heat exchanger, which uses convex tubes instead of smooth tubes in tubular heat exchangers to enhance heat transfer and widely used in petroleum, chemical, textile, oil refining and other industries.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 31 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 August 2021

Chenglong Yu, Zhiqi Li, Dapeng Yang, Hong Liu and Alan F. Lynch

This study aims to propose a novel method based on model learning with sparsity inducing norms for estimating dynamic gravity terms of the serial manipulators. This method is…

192

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to propose a novel method based on model learning with sparsity inducing norms for estimating dynamic gravity terms of the serial manipulators. This method is realized by operating the robot, acquiring data and filtering the features in signal acquisition to adapt to the dynamic gravity parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

The core principle of the method is to analyze the dictionary composition of the basis function of the model based on the dynamic equation and the Jacobian matrix of an arm. According to the structure of the basis function and the sparsity of the features, combined with joint-angle and driving-torque data acquisition, the effective features of dynamic gravity parameters are screened out using L1-norm optimization and learning algorithms.

Findings

The theoretical analysis revealed that training data obtained based on joint angles and driving torques could rapidly update dynamic gravity parameters. The simulation experiment was carried out by using the publicly available robot model and compared with the previous disassembly method to evaluate the feasibility and performance. The real 7-degree of freedom (DOF) industrial manipulator was used to further discuss the effects of the feature selection. The results show that this estimation method can be fully operational and efficient in industrial applications.

Research limitations/implications

This approach is applicable to most serial robots with multi-DOF and the dynamic gravity parameters of the robot are estimated through learning and optimization. The method does not require prior knowledge of the robot arm structure and only requires joint-angle and driving-torque data acquisition under low-speed motion. Furthermore, as it is a data-driven-based method, it can be applied to gravity parameters updating.

Originality/value

Different from previous general robot dynamic modelling methods, the sparsity of the analytical form of dynamic equations was exploited and model learning was formulated as a convex optimization problem to achieve effective gravity parameters screening. The novelty of this estimation approach is that the method does not only require any prior knowledge but also does not require a specifically designed trajectory. Thus, this method can avoid the laborious work of parameter calibration and the induced modelling errors. By using a data-driven learning approach, the new parameter updating process can be completed conveniently when the robot carries additional mass or the end-effector changes for different tasks.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 48 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2024

Zeyad M. Manaa and Naef A.A. Qasem

This study aims to validate the linear flow theory with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and to propose a novel shape for the airfoil that will improve supersonic…

44

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to validate the linear flow theory with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and to propose a novel shape for the airfoil that will improve supersonic aerodynamic performance compared to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 64a210 airfoil.

Design/methodology/approach

To design the new airfoil shape, this study uses a convex optimization approach to obtain a global optimal shape for an airfoil. First, modeling is conducted using linear flow theory, and then numerical verification is done by CFD simulations using ANSYS Fluent. The optimization process ensures that the new airfoil maintains the same cross-sectional area and thickness as the NACA 64a210 airfoil. This study found that an efficient way to obtain the ideal airfoil shape is by using linear flow theory, and the numerical simulations supported the assumptions inherent in the linear flow theory.

Findings

This study’s findings show notable improvements (from 4% to 200%) in the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil, especially in the supersonic range, which points to the suggested airfoil as a potential option for several fighter aircraft. Under various supersonic conditions, the optimized airfoil exhibits improved lift-over-drag ratios, leading to improved flight performance and lower fuel consumption.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted mainly for supersonic flow, whereas the subsonic flow is tested for a Mach number of 0.7. This study would be extended for both subsonic and supersonic flights.

Practical implications

Convex optimization and linear flow theory are combined in this work to create an airfoil that performs better in supersonic conditions than the NACA 64a210. By closely matching the CFD results, the linear flow theory's robustness is confirmed. This means that the initial design phase no longer requires extensive CFD simulations, and the linear flow theory can be used quickly and efficiently to obtain optimal airfoil shapes.

Social implications

The proposed airfoil can be used in different fighter aircraft to enhance performance and reduce fuel consumption. Thus, lower carbon emission is expected.

Originality/value

The unique aspect of this work is how convex optimization and linear flow theory were combined to create an airfoil that performs better in supersonic conditions than the NACA 64a210. Comprehensive CFD simulations were used for validation, highlighting the optimization approach's strength and usefulness in aerospace engineering.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 January 2024

Ali Fazli and Mohammad Hosein Kazemi

This paper aims to propose a new linear parameter varying (LPV) controller for the robot tracking control problem. Using the identification of the robot dynamics in different work…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a new linear parameter varying (LPV) controller for the robot tracking control problem. Using the identification of the robot dynamics in different work space points about modeling trajectory based on the least square of error algorithm, an LPV model for the robotic arm is extracted.

Design/methodology/approach

Parameter set mapping based on parameter component analysis results in a reduced polytopic LPV model that reduces the complexity of the implementation. An approximation of the required torque is computed based on the reduced LPV models. The state-feedback gain of each zone is computed by solving some linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) to sufficiently decrease the time derivative of a Lyapunov function. A novel smoothing method is used for the proposed controller to switch properly in the borders of the zones.

Findings

The polytopic set of the resulting gains creates the smooth switching polytopic LPV (SS-LPV) controller which is applied to the trajectory tracking problem of the six-degree-of-freedom PUMA 560 robotic arm. A sufficient condition ensures that the proposed controller stabilizes the polytopic LPV system against the torque estimation error.

Practical implications

Smoothing of the switching LPV controller is performed by defining some tolerances and creating some quasi-zones in the borders of the main zones leading to the compressed main zones. The proposed torque estimation is not a model-based technique; so the model variation and other disturbances cannot destroy the performance of the suggested controller. The proposed control scheme does not have any considerable computational load, because the control gains are obtained offline by solving some LMIs, and the torque computation is done online by a simple polytopic-based equation.

Originality/value

In this paper, a new SS-LPV controller is addressed for the trajectory tracking problem of robotic arms. Robot workspace is zoned into some main zones in such a way that the number of models in each zone is almost equal. Data obtained from the modeling trajectory is used to design the state-feedback control gain.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 51 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 January 2023

Xing Ying

The purpose of this paper investigates dynamic ease distributions of clothes at bust and waist lines with different body surface angle by using a Qualisys three-dimensional motion…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper investigates dynamic ease distributions of clothes at bust and waist lines with different body surface angle by using a Qualisys three-dimensional motion capture system (3DMCS).

Design/methodology/approach

The current method first obtain the specific markers of participants and their clothes along the bust and waist lines through 3DMCS, then using the least square method and four piecewise polynomial fitting participants and their clothes' bust and waist curves. The coordinates of the markers were tracked by the 3DMCS, while the participants under different body surface angle walked on a treadmill calculated the distances of markers coordinates to the participants' bust and waist curves. Finally, the data of samples were analyzed. It was found that the dynamic ease distributions showed different patterns at different body surface angle.

Findings

The results revealed the bust convex angle is 26.53 degrees (Specification:X3) and back slope angle is 13.96 degrees (Specification: Y1), the fluctuation of participant ease distributions on bust section was most obvious, and the maximum fluctuation value was ±20 mm and ±25 mm. The ease distributions of participant waist section fluctuated most obviously when the bust convex angle is 28.10 degrees (Specification: X5) and the back slope angle is 13.96 degrees (Specification: Y1), and the maximum fluctuation was ±30 mm and ±20 mm. The bust convex angle has the greatest influence on 1# garment, and the back slope angle has the greatest influence on 2# garment.

Originality/value

Currently, there is little information in the literature about dynamic ease distributions of garment on a different body types. This paper takes different body surface angles as the research objects to analyze the ease distributions of different clothes, the conclusion can provide reference data for 3D garment modeling and improve the authenticity of virtual garment fitting.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2017

Daniel Mejia, Diego A. Acosta and Oscar Ruiz-Salguero

Mesh Parameterization is central to reverse engineering, tool path planning, etc. This work synthesizes parameterizations with un-constrained borders, overall minimum angle plus…

Abstract

Purpose

Mesh Parameterization is central to reverse engineering, tool path planning, etc. This work synthesizes parameterizations with un-constrained borders, overall minimum angle plus area distortion. This study aims to present an assessment of the sensitivity of the minimized distortion with respect to weighed area and angle distortions.

Design/methodology/approach

A Mesh Parameterization which does not constrain borders is implemented by performing: isometry maps for each triangle to the plane Z = 0; an affine transform within the plane Z = 0 to glue the triangles back together; and a Levenberg–Marquardt minimization algorithm of a nonlinear F penalty function that modifies the parameters of the first two transformations to discourage triangle flips, angle or area distortions. F is a convex weighed combination of area distortion (weight: α with 0 ≤ α ≤ 1) and angle distortion (weight: 1 − α).

Findings

The present study parameterization algorithm has linear complexity [𝒪(n), n = number of mesh vertices]. The sensitivity analysis permits a fine-tuning of the weight parameter which achieves overall bijective parameterizations in the studied cases. No theoretical guarantee is given in this manuscript for the bijectivity. This algorithm has equal or superior performance compared with the ABF, LSCM and ARAP algorithms for the Ball, Cow and Gargoyle data sets. Additional correct results of this algorithm alone are presented for the Foot, Fandisk and Sliced-Glove data sets.

Originality/value

The devised free boundary nonlinear Mesh Parameterization method does not require a valid initial parameterization and produces locally bijective parameterizations in all of our tests. A formal sensitivity analysis shows that the resulting parameterization is more stable, i.e. the UV mapping changes very little when the algorithm tries to preserve angles than when it tries to preserve areas. The algorithm presented in this study belongs to the class that parameterizes meshes with holes. This study presents the results of a complexity analysis comparing the present study algorithm with 12 competing ones.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 34 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2020

Fei Chong Ng, Mohd Hafiz Zawawi and Mohamad Aizat Abas

The purpose of the study is to investigate the spatial aspects of underfill flow during the flip-chip encapsulation process, for instance, meniscus evolution and contact line jump…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to investigate the spatial aspects of underfill flow during the flip-chip encapsulation process, for instance, meniscus evolution and contact line jump (CLJ). Furthermore, a spatial-based void formation mechanism during the underfill flow was formulated.

Design/methodology/approach

The meniscus evolution of underfill fluid subtended between the bump array and the CLJ phenomenon were visualized numerically using the micro-mesh unit cell approach. Additionally, the meniscus evolution and CLJ phenomenon were modelled analytically based on the formulation of capillary physics. Meanwhile, the mechanism of void formation was explained numerically and analytically.

Findings

Both the proposed analytical and current numerical findings achieved great consensus and were well-validated experimentally. The variation effects of bump pitch on the spatial aspects were analyzed and found that the meniscus arc radius and filling distance increase with the pitch, while the subtended angle of meniscus arc is invariant with the pitch size. For larger pitch, the jump occurs further away from the bump entrance and takes longer time to attain the equilibrium meniscus. This inferred that the concavity of meniscus arc was influenced by the bump pitch. On the voiding mechanism, air void was formed from the air entrapment because of the fluid-bump interaction. Smaller voids tend to merge into a bigger void through necking and, subsequently, propagate along the underfill flow.

Practical implications

The microscopic spatial analysis of underfill flow would explain fundamentally how the bump design will affect the macroscopic filling time. This not only provides alternative visualization tool to analyze flow pattern in the industry but also enables the development of accurate analytical filling time model. Moreover, the void formation mechanism gave substantial insights to understand the root causes of void defects and allow possible solutions to be formulated to tackle this issue. Additionally, the microfluidics sector could also benefit from these spatial analysis insights.

Originality/value

Spatial analysis on underfill flow is scarcely conducted, as the past research studies mainly emphasized on the temporal aspects. Additionally, this work presented a new mechanism on the void formation based on the fluid-bump interaction, in which the formation and propagation of micro-voids were numerically visualized for the first time. The findings from current work provided fundamental information on the flow interaction between underfill fluid and solder bump to the package designers for optimization work and process enhancement.

Details

Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0954-0911

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 3000