Object Linking And Embedding Research Articles

Constrained model predictive control of an industrial high-rate thickener

High-rate thickeners are used in the mining industry to improve water recovery from slurries and increase their solids ratio. High-rate thickeners operate under strict constraints and several disturbances. To control this process, a constrained model predictive control (MPC) is developed in this paper. For process identification, a historical data-driven methodology is used and a vector autoregressive with exogenous variables (VARX) model structure is considered. The model takes underflow slurry density as both a state variable and the process output, along with turbidity, bed level, rake torque, and cone pressure as additional state variables. It takes feed slurry and flocculant flow rates as manipulated inputs and considers inlet slurry density, slurry circulation flow rate, and underflow slurry flow rate as disturbances. The VARX model structural parameters (orders and delays) and coefficients are estimated using a bilevel optimization method. From the model obtained, a discrete state-space representation is derived. This latter is augmented to obtain a standard formulation without delays. The MPC is then formulated considering the process constraints. To evaluate the control performance, simulations are conducted and a baseline comparison is established using proportional integral (PI) control. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control method outperforms the baseline method by providing reduced settling times (−32%), minimized peak errors (−20%), and constraints handling ability. Accordingly, the proposed MPC is implemented in an industrial environment and compared to existing manual control based on an object linking and embedding (OLE) for process control (OPC) architecture. Finally, the industrial results show that the proposed control method effectively stabilizes the underflow slurry density and handles process constraints, resulting in a minimized average error (−90%) and a reduced standard deviation (−50%) compared to existing manual control.

Content Disarm and Reconstruction of Microsoft Office OLE files

Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) is an advanced, zero-trust strategy for neutralizing potential threats in documents and media files. This paper introduces OLECDR, the first Microsoft Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) file format CDR system. This work measures OLECDR prevention rates and verifies that they are similar to the original file. Furthermore, we introduce a novel method for dealing with emerging threats by automatically converting detection rules into disarm and reconstruction rules. Those detection rules are needed in cases where the vulnerability is found in the file reader rather than in the file itself. Microsoft OLE file format is a highly popular format structure of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel file types. In our study, OLECDR successfully disarmed and reconstructed most of the threats while leaving the benign and malicious dataset fully functional and similar to the original source files.

A Hybrid Task Crash Recovery Solution for Edge Computing in IoT-Based Manufacturing

Smart factory is the deep integration of technology, business, products, and industry. The R&D of products, the construction of factory information, customer orders, and supply chain data are combined to act on the production. This paper proposes a Hybrid Internet of Things (H-IoT) platform framework, which consists of five layers: intelligent device layer, communication protocol layer, edge computing layer, IoT control layer, and application layer. Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for Process Control (OPC) transmits the received device data to the database of the edge server through the TCP/IP protocol. After the edge server performs preprocessing such as data cleaning, the device data are uniformly collected and distributed through the IoT layer. The various subsystems of the smart factory obtain the required resource data through IoT. To run tasks uninterruptedly and efficiently, we propose a Container-Managed Task Crash Recovery Mechanism for the Edge Computing (EC) layer. We design a reasonable EC hierarchy, then propose a task migration scheduling strategy. Our method ensures the reliability and stability of manufacturing with mass data transmission even in the case of a random crash of partial edge servers.

Closed-loop dynamic real-time optimization (CL-DRTO) of a bioethanol distillation process using an advanced multilayer control architecture

The ethanol production has become an important part of the worldwide economy driven by its use as renewable energy and environmentally clean fuel. To obtain a high-level quality product, a large quantity of energy is used in the distillation stage. This work proposes to optimize the bioethanol production process applying a closed-loop dynamic real-time optimization (CL-DRTO) framework associated with advanced control strategies in the ethanol distillation facilities to improve production and minimize energy losses. A high-fidelity computational platform is developed using a software-in-the-loop (SIL) technique to demonstrate the feasible application in real cases. OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) Automation integrates Matlab and Aspen Hysys software to simulate practical scenarios currently applied in the industry. The optimization and control algorithms are developed in Matlab and the ethanol distillation process is modeled in the Aspen Hysys. Different advanced control strategies, such as IHMPC (Infinite Horizon Model Predictive Control), MIMO FSP (Filtered Smith-Predictor) and DTCGPC (Dead-Time Compensator Generalized Predictive Controller), are used to overcome the process dynamic issues, for instance, strong nonlinearity, dead-times, long time constants and coupled loops, on ethanol distillation process. A CL-DRTO layer is developed in the proposed control structure to consider economic and production aspects, guiding the process to optimal operating points. Performance indices and computational effort are used to evaluate the control behavior for disturbance rejection and reference tracking scenarios. Furthermore, economic performance is analyzed to ensure the advantages of the proposal. Results show that the proposed computational platform is able to reproduce industrial scenarios with high-fidelity. In addition, preliminary results demonstrate that advanced control structure can improve the production and profitability of the bioethanol distillery and present a powerful alternative to replace classical controllers currently used in this type of industry.

An experimental system of wide-range two dimensional Rutherford backscattering analysis in vacuum chamber

Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) analysis is a widely used ion beam analysis technique to obtain the concentration and/or thickness of the target. In some cases we have to utilize the large area target, for example, about 40 mm diameter target in our 12C(α,γ)16O experiment of Jinping Underground laboratory for Nuclear Astrophysics (JUNA) project, it means that we should perform wide-range two dimensional (2D) RBS analyses for tens of points in the large area target to obtain the elemental area (or 2D) depth profile distribution which is needed in the 12C(α,γ)16O experiment. In order to perform the large area target RBS analysis in vacuum chamber accurately and efficiently, an experimental system was developed in this work, which included (1) a 2D moving sample stage in vacuum chamber for precisely positioning points to be analyzed in target, (2) synchronously starting spectrum acquisition when the sample stage is located at the measurement point and saving the corresponding spectrum when the acquisition is finished by utilizing the job control script of ORTEC MAESTRO software, and (3) using the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation of SIMNRA software to perform batch analysis for tens of experimental RBS spectra. The experimental system developed in this work and corresponding demonstration results were described in detail in this paper. The experimental system developed here can also be used in other research fields.

Adaptive proportional–integral controller using OLE for process control for industrial applications

This article presents an implementation of an adaptive control architecture, which provides the combined advantages of better dynamic performance compared to other conventional industrial controllers, and the use of widely available hardware in process industry. Adaptive control architecture uses proportional–integral action and dynamic computation of the controller’s gains (self-tuning regulator), to maintain performance specifications, even in the presence of parametric disturbances. This architecture offers advantages over other advanced embedded control systems implemented on industrial programmable logic controllers and other hardware platforms. Implementation of controllers on industrial hardware platforms is possible through the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for process control communication standard. The implementation for an adaptive controller here proposed was evaluated through experiments using first-order and overdamped second-order systems emulated by hardware-in-the-loop, with a programmable automation controller. Performance of the adaptive controllers was compared to that of conventional proportional–integral controllers, and effectiveness of the former over the latter was demonstrated through the experiments carried out.

Validation of Neural Network-based Fault Diagnosis for Multi-stack Fuel Cell Systems: Stack Voltage Deviation Detection

This paper presents (i) an algorithm for the detection of unexpected stack voltage deviations in an Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)-based power system with multiple stacks and (ii) its validation in a simulated online environment. The algorithm is based on recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and is validated by using operating data from the Wärtsilä WFC20 multi-stack SOFC system. The voltage deviation detection is based on statistical testing. Instead of a hardware implementation in the actual power plant, the algorithm is validated in a simulated online environment that provides data I/O communication based on the OPC (i.e. Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for Process Control) protocol, which is also the technology utilized in the real hardware environment. The validation tests show that the RNN-based algorithm effectively detects unwanted stack voltage deviations and also that it is online-viable.

Using OPC technology to support the study of advanced process control

OPC, originally the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for Process Control, brings a broad communication opportunity between different kinds of control systems. This paper investigates the use of OPC technology for the study of distributed control systems (DCS) as a cost effective and flexible research tool for the development and testing of advanced process control (APC) techniques in university research centers. Co-Simulation environment based on Matlab, LabVIEW and TCP/IP network is presented here. Several implementation issues and OPC based client/server control application have been addressed for TCP/IP network. A nonlinear boiler model is simulated as OPC server and OPC client is used for closed loop model identification, and to design a Model Predictive Controller. The MPC is able to control the NOx emissions in addition to drum water level and steam pressure.

1F11 Designing a simulation model of a railway section using CAD layers(Operation management)

The analysis of systems' modelling methods, means of models' description and research of software technologies as well, all of those combined led to development of railroad automatic and control simulation models. The complexity of these simulation models is due to the inherently high-tech and multi-level system control technology of the railway stations. The models allow for research of equipment functionality and facility testing. Based on thorough evaluation of implemented algorithms, the simulation model is able to provide practical recommendations pertaining to the improvement of workplace safety. The main concept of simulation model and its artificial world design is creation of multi-layered inter-linked data structure of complex system. This structure consists of such modeling data types as landscaping (textures, altitude maps-either fictional or actual ones, obtained from Geographic Information System), railroad sectors and stations (railway lines and splines, incline maps, signals etc.), railway traffic (facilities and traffic maps), and systems of centralized traffic and dispatch controls. The AutoCAD system was chosen as the main design tool for the development of a railway segment simulation model. CAD is very user-friendly and easy to interact with as it supports OLE (object linking and embedding) and COM (Component Object Model) and contains a rich libraries of component files and prototypes. The training simulator software module uses AutoCAD graph data and creates a database for the imitation model. Other modules adapt the data to the specific systems being modeled. The automation of data structuring, along with a multi-level approach to models' composition, has allowed for more flexibility in the modelling process and eliminated routine procedures associated with data configuration. It has simplified and quickened the process of preparation and tuning the models of those particular railway sections and their tech systems, which really require to be studied and researched.

Recent Patents on OPC for Central Air-Conditioning System

To achieve the centralized monitoring and integrated management of the central air-conditioning system, taking the characteristics of data communications and control complexity in the air-conditioning system into consideration, and combined with the OPC (OLE(Object Linking and Embedding) for Process Control) technology, an intelligent central airconditioning supervisory system is developed and designed. In this paper, after searching the OPC technology standard, the overall structure diagram of the monitoring system is designed, and the OPC server program is also developed by using Knight OPC Server Rapid Development Toolkits. The OPC client application program and man-machine interface are exploited by KingView configuration software. The monitor and control system whose interface is opened is designed for the central air-conditioning. In the end, the experiment result proves that the system operation has good performance for temperature-controller and humidity-controller clustered controlling as well as data communications, thus, satisfying the requirements.

Analyzing Cyber-Physical Energy Systems:The INSPIRE Cosimulation of Power and ICT Systems Using HLA

For simulating cyber-physical energy systems, distinct simulation domains need to be integrated for a comprehensive analysis of the interdependent subsystems. In particular, continuous time-based power system simulation and discrete event-based simulation of information and communication technology (ICT) networks are critical for investigating future smart grids. This paper presents the novel cosimulation environment INtegrated coSimulation of Power and ICT systems for Real-time Evaluation (INSPIRE) of power and ICT systems using the high-level architecture (HLA) (IEEE Std. 1516-2010). By applying the HLA standard, the environment is extendable to other simulation domains and a variety of functionalities and models, like thermal load models and additional third-party tools. Moreover, the HLA enables computational performance by distributed execution of each simulator on its own hardware and, thus, the applicability to realistic large-scale scenarios. INSPIRE has been designed under consideration of industrial standards [IEC 61850,object linking and embedding (OLE) for process control (OPC), and the common information model (CIM) (IEC 61968/61970)] in order to enhance interoperability, and to develop and validate solutions close to practice. The simulation results underline the interdependencies of power and ICT systems, and the necessity of an integrated analysis.

Application of SimulationX and Hardware-in-the-loop in Design and Research of Servo Precision Press

Press equipments is an important indicator of measuring a country's manufacturing industry developed level.The precision servo control press with complex,high efficiency,high precision,high flexibility and low noise,is the development trend of press equipments.According to the bottleneck problems of new type precision press,such as non-linear,the Synchronization of driving motors and the control strategy of the motors,this paper built a simulation model of the press in the multi-domain uniform modelling software SimulationX by the use of the integration of the mechanism-electronic-control knowledge,based on the analysis of the working principle of the press and the motion reverse solving.Analyse the rationality and precision reliability of the machine,search the control strategy for the non-linear,and use the Beckhoff controller to build the hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform based on the object linking and embedding(OLE)for process control(OPC) communication protocol.The simulation results show that the control method is feasible and the problem of synchronization has been solved.Do test of the duplication stopping accuracy by using the control strategy above and duplication stopping accuracy is achieved in ±10 μm.The research shows that it's feasible to use SimulationX and hardware-in-the-loop in designing a dual-servo precision press.

Model predictive control of a twin-screw extruder for thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) applications

This paper deals with the design and experimental study of a model predictive controller (MPC) for the regulation of the melt temperature ( MT) and the motor load ( ML) in a pilot plant co-rotating twin-screw extruder for thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) applications. It is shown that these two process variables have significant influence on the crosslinking of the rubber chains by initiation of curatives such as peroxide and phenolic agents. Since the measurement of the degree of crosslinking is performed only in off-line manner, the above-mentioned control methodology can offer inferential control of the process. The manipulated variables are the screw speed ( SS) and the wall temperature ( WT). The previously identified multi variable model ( Trifkovic et al., 2010) was used for the MPC design. In order to perform the real time control studies, the process communication was established from the local PLC (programmable logic controller) to the Advanced Control and model predictive control toolbox in MATLAB software, via OPC (OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) for Process Control) server. Both, set-point changes and disturbance effects were applied on the process for comprehensive evaluation of the controller performance.

Diagnostics for matched case control studies : SAS macro for Proc Logistic

Conditional logistic regression models have been extensively used in the field of medicine and mainly applied in matched case control studies. However, none of the major statistical packages, i.e. SAS, MINITAB, SPSS provide diagnostics to assess the goodness-of-fit of these models. In addition the freely downloadable package R provides no functions for this purpose. The objectives of this study are to review the available diagnostics for software for testing goodness-of-fit of conditional logistic regression models by the development of a computer programme and to test this programme which implements some of the reviewed methods on real data. The computer programme is implemented using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) for Microsoft Excel and connected to the Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) version 9.1 using the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation. The software thus developed is tested on a matched case control study on endometrial cancer. A conditional logistic regression model is fitted to these data and the risk factors for endometrial cancer are identified. MINITAB and SPSS are incapable of doing conditional logistic regression. For testing goodness of the fitted model Proc Logistic in SAS is only capable of giving delta-beta plots which explain the influence of each observation on the parameters of the model. Besides, plots obtained from the developed computer programme, in addition provide information on stratum specific lack-of-fit statistics. These plots were very successful in identifying 3 outlying strata which were quite different from the other strata. In these 3 strata the case had not received estrogen whereas one or more control had received estrogen. Keywords: Conditional logistic regression, dynamic data exchange (DDE), goodness-of-fit, matched case control studies, Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation. Doi: 10.4038/jnsfsr.v39i1.2919 J.Natn.Sci.Foundation Sri Lanka 2011 39 (1): 13-23

Design and implementation of an OLE for process control unified architecture aggregating server for a group of flexible manufacturing systems

The article focuses on the development of an OPC UA (object linking and embedding (OLE) for process control unified architecture) server. One of the major concerns regarding this new specification is the migration from the old component object model (COM) to the new UA specification. From the various migration strategies described in this article, the authors' server represents a special adapter software solution which aggregates several COM servers, one for each flexible manufacturing system (FMS) modelled in the address space of the UA server. The article focuses on the advantages introduced by the new specification like the unified modelling capability and the extensible meta model. The address space is exemplified by means of a screw fitting station, which is part of the flexible line, on which the UA server has been tested. From the four generally accepted use cases, the server implements the first two: observation and control. They are mainly supported through the variables and the methods of the address space. During the testing phase, the minimum sampling interval regarding the communication with the underlying COM servers has been determined for a different number of FMSs. As a result the special adapter software solution is a fast but also a well-performing approach, which works well even in very complex environments.

Development of remote control and monitoring of web-based distributed OPC system

This paper focuses on implementing remote control and monitoring of a web-based distributed OLE for Process Control (OPC) system. Remote monitoring and control of OPC-based systems realized at N different local control points on the Internet are achieved by using a distributed OPC (DOPC) architecture. In this proposed architecture, every local control center can control and monitor every other control point. DOPC architecture is developed by using an OPC standard created for the automation industry. This OPC was developed as an industrial standard using Microsoft's Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology. OPC enables different control devices to communicate with each other by exchanging data. This proposed architecture permits different OPC-based process control architectures from a wide range of fields to communicate with each other. Thus, OPC-based local control systems located in different places can communicate with each other on the Internet without using bus architecture. The basic functions of the proposed system were implemented using the Delphi software package. Local control architectures developed at N points can communicate with each other and a remote control point on a dynamic web page constructed using Active Server Pages (ASP). Consequently, the proposed DOPC architecture allows the user to control and monitor local systems from any location with internet access, and to implement data exchange between N OPC points.

Bioclimatic Design Simulation: An Object Oriented Approach for Energy Load and Natural Ventilation Calculations

During the past few years, the research team of the University of Michigan has developed techniques to solve problems associated with designing a performance evaluation tool environment. This paper describes the development of a system (Web-IBEDO) that makes use of emerging communication technology. The system is being used as a model for a larger implementation of distributed multi-simulation environment that provides quantitative data for bioclimatic building design.Web-IBEDO is a computer program that supports the simultaneous integrated use of simulation tools and multiple databases, over the World Wide Web (www). This energy performance simulation system has been developed using the Microsoft Visual Basic ActiveX DLL technology that supports Object Linking and Embedding (OLE).The system's engine resides on a web server and is controlled by a web-browser. The goal is to deliver this tool to all the design actors via the network and thus enhance the capabilities of sharing specialized knowledge among the project participants.

Development of an artificial neural network-based software for prediction of power plant canal water discharge temperature

Power plant cooling water systems that interact with nearby effluents are complex non-linear, large-time-delay systems. A neural network-based software tool was developed for prediction of the canal water discharge temperature at a coal-fired power plant as a function of plant operating parameters and local weather conditions, including tide information. The plant has four units totaling an installed capacity of 1550MW and its water thermal discharge is environmentally regulated. In the summer months, when the price of electricity is very profitable and the risk of exceeding the canal temperature limit is greater, the tradeoff between maximum generation and environmental compliance violations is financially significant. The software is a predictive tool to assist in scheduling load generation among the plant's four units without exceeding a thermal discharge limit of 95^oF. Back propagation neural network architectures were trained using plant operating data with an 'off-set' component. The artificial intelligence models produced reasonable trends for year-round prediction and different operational scenarios. Comparison of measured and predicted canal temperatures indicated an accuracy of less than 0.3^oF over the range between 90 and 95^oF. The software tool was developed as an Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for Process Control (OPC) client, with real-time communication and interface with the plant Distributed Control System (DCS).

Dyalog-APL application with threads on the basis of ActiveX data objects

This paper presents an implementation of ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) in multithreading Dyalog-APL applications providing high performance access to any data source. The suggested approach is based upon an OLEClient object of Dyalog-APL that provides an OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) automation mechanism for working with ADO as an OLE Automation Server. This concept of such Dyalog-APL applications consists in a presentation of data-processing on 3 levels of hierarchy:{ {OPERATION)ε TASK}εJOB.A synchronisation of database operations in threads is supported by ADO events. Low level operations are accumulated in a library of functions that can also be used autonomously in a single thread for solution of private tasks. These functions are optimised to work in a Dyalog-APL environment. It is available to use in a root of a objects tree RECORDSET object. Data-processing can be carried out directly at a low level to optimise performance, other objects can be created when necessary for the solution of concrete tasks. Many of the RECORDSET operations can be notified before and after each other. OLE is very dependent on the Visual Basic programming language and the syntax of APL is more restricted than the syntax of Visual Basic. It is discussed accommodation problems from syntax point of view.

Using component technologies for web based wavelet enhanced mammographic image visualization.

The poor contrast detectability of mammography can be dealt with by domain specific software visualization tools. Remote desktop client access and time performance limitations of a previously reported visualization tool are addressed, aiming at more efficient visualization of mammographic image resources existing in web or PACS image servers. This effort is also motivated by the fact that at present, web browsers do not support domain-specific medical image visualization. To deal with desktop client access the tool was redesigned by exploring component technologies, enabling the integration of stand alone domain specific mammographic image functionality in a web browsing environment (web adaptation). The integration method is based on ActiveX Document Server technology. ActiveX Document is a part of Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) extensible systems object technology, offering new services in existing applications. The standard DICOM 3.0 part 10 compatible image-format specification Papyrus 3.0 is supported, in addition to standard digitization formats such as TIFF. The visualization functionality of the tool has been enhanced by including a fast wavelet transform implementation, which allows for real time wavelet based contrast enhancement and denoising operations. Initial use of the tool with mammograms of various breast structures demonstrated its potential in improving visualization of diagnostic mammographic features. Web adaptation and real time wavelet processing enhance the potential of the previously reported tool in remote diagnosis and education in mammography.