Simplified Inspection Research Articles

Auto-encoder-based algorithm for the selection of key characteristics for products to reduce inspection efforts

PurposeTo ensure product quality within a manufacturing process, inspection processes are indispensable. One task of inspection planning is the selection of inspection characteristics. For optimization of costs and benefits, key characteristics can be defined by which the product quality can be checked with sufficient accuracy. The manual selection of key characteristics requires substantial planning effort and becomes uneconomic if many product variants prevail. This paper, therefore, aims to show a method for the efficient determination of key characteristics.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present a novel Algorithm for the Selection of Key Characteristics (ASKC) based on an auto-encoder and a risk analysis. Given historical measurement data and tolerances, the algorithm clusters characteristics with redundant information and selects key characteristics based on a risk assessment. The authors compare ASKC with the algorithm Principal Feature Analysis (PFA) using artificial and historical measurement data.FindingsThe authors find that ASKC delivers superior results than PFA. Findings show that the algorithms enable the cost-efficient selection of key characteristics while maintaining the informative value of the inspection concerning the quality.Originality/valueThis paper fills an identified gap for simplified inspection planning with the method for the efficient selection of key features via ASKC.

Structural performance evaluation of heavily deteriorated RC members based on simplified inspection results

Port and harbour structures are generally affected by harsh marine environmental actions. Material deterioration and damage to structural components are likely to occur throughout structure’s service period. In order to select suitable methods of countermeasures for such structures, structural evaluation by using simplified inspection results shall be necessary. The methodology and accuracy of structural performance evaluation based on simplified inspection results, however, are not made clear to evaluate structural performance by using simplified inspection results so far. This paper reports the evaluated results of structural performance of heavily deteriorated RC members serviced in marine environments for 44 years based on simplified inspection. The RC members were extracted from an existing port structure, and loading tests were conducted after simplified inspection. The method of simplified inspection was selected to be used in the field. The accuracy of evaluation with simplified inspection was discussed.

ODIN: An Advanced Interface for the Curation of Biomedical Literature

We present *ODIN* (Ontogene Document INspector): a system for interactive curation of biomedical literature, developed within the scope of the "*SASEBio* project":http://www.ontogene.org/projects/sasebio/ (Semi-Automated Semantic Enrichment of the Biomedical Literature), as a collaboration between the "OntoGene group":http://www.ontogene.org/ at the University of Zurich and the NITAS/TMS group of Novartis Pharma AG. The purpose of the system is to allow a human annotator/curator to leverage upon the results of an advanced text mining system in order to enhance the speed and effectiveness of the annotation process.The OntoGene system takes as input a document (e.g a full paper from PubMed Central) and processes it with a custom NLP pipeline, which includes Named Entity recognition and relation extraction. Entities which are currently supported include proteins, genes, experimental methods, cell lines, species. Entities detected in the input document are disambiguated with respect to a reference database (UniProt, EntrezGene, NCBI taxonomy, PSI-MI ontology). The annotated documents are handed back to the ODIN interface, which allows multiple display modalities. The curator/annotator can view the whole document with in-line annotations highlighted, or can browse the extracted entities and be pointed back to the mentions of the entities within the original document. All entity mentions are entirely editable: the curator can easily add or delete any of them, and also change their extent (i.e. add/remove words to its right or left) with a simple click of the mouse. Different entity views are supported, with sorting capabilities according to different criteria (entity type, entity mention, confidence score, etc.). Selective highlighting of text units (e.g. sentences containing desired entities) is supported. Additionally, extensive logging functionalities are provided. All documents and entities are fully interlinked to reference databases, for the purpose of simplified inspection. Entities can be grouped in classes (e.g. by species) and actions can be applied to whole classes, for selective editing or removal.

ODIN: An Advanced Interface for the Curation of Biomedical Literature

AbstractWe present *ODIN* (Ontogene Document INspector): a system for interactive curation of biomedical literature, developed within the scope of the "*SASEBio* project":http://www.ontogene.org/projects/sasebio/ (Semi-Automated Semantic Enrichment of the Biomedical Literature), as a collaboration between the "OntoGene group":http://www.ontogene.org/ at the University of Zurich and the NITAS/TMS group of Novartis Pharma AG. The purpose of the system is to allow a human annotator/curator to leverage upon the results of an advanced text mining system in order to enhance the speed and effectiveness of the annotation process.The OntoGene system takes as input a document (e.g a full paper from PubMed Central) and processes it with a custom NLP pipeline, which includes Named Entity recognition and relation extraction. Entities which are currently supported include proteins, genes, experimental methods, cell lines, species. Entities detected in the input document are disambiguated with respect to a reference database (UniProt, EntrezGene, NCBI taxonomy, PSI-MI ontology). The annotated documents are handed back to the ODIN interface, which allows multiple display modalities. The curator/annotator can view the whole document with in-line annotations highlighted, or can browse the extracted entities and be pointed back to the mentions of the entities within the original document. All entity mentions are entirely editable: the curator can easily add or delete any of them, and also change their extent (i.e. add/remove words to its right or left) with a simple click of the mouse. Different entity views are supported, with sorting capabilities according to different criteria (entity type, entity mention, confidence score, etc.). Selective highlighting of text units (e.g. sentences containing desired entities) is supported. Additionally, extensive logging functionalities are provided. All documents and entities are fully interlinked to reference databases, for the purpose of simplified inspection. Entities can be grouped in classes (e.g. by species) and actions can be applied to whole classes, for selective editing or removal.

Simplified software inspection process in compliance with international standards

A significant amount of software is developed all over the world by small and medium size software organizations. These organizations do not have enough infrastructures and resources to implement an austere quality plan. Software inspection is a fundamental component of the software quality assurance process. Formal review methods are rigorous and their implementation is cumbersome for small and medium enterprises. In this paper, we have presented a new simplified inspection process which is easy to implement, requires fewer resource and almost no documentation. Also, people who are conducting this inspection need not be present at the same place during most stages of the inspection process. We have also compared this process with IEEE and NASA standards for software inspection and found that it meets almost 99% of both standards. While there has been much research on inspection, little attention is paid towards compliance with international standards. These results could be used as a basis for further research in software inspection and process towards aligning with international standards. This process has been successfully implemented in a CMM level 3 software development organization which is striving to accomplish higher maturity levels to establish at the international level.

NONLINEAR OPTIMAL CONTROL OF A SEQUENTIAL INSPECTION OPERATION

A simplified inspection scenario is considered where a Micro Air Vehicle with limited endurance is tasked with search and classification in a multi-target environment and where false, that is, clutter, targets are present. The sequential inspection operation, which includes a human operator for classification, is modelled, and a nonlinear discrete-time stochastic control problem is formulated. An analytic, closed-form, optimal control law is derived.

Heuristic evaluation of paper-based Web pages: A simplified inspection usability methodology

Online medical information, when presented to clinicians, must be well-organized and intuitive to use, so that the clinicians can conduct their daily work efficiently and without error. It is essential to actively seek to produce good user interfaces that are acceptable to the user. This paper describes the methodology used to develop a simplified heuristic evaluation (HE) suitable for the evaluation of screen shots of Web pages, the development of an HE instrument used to conduct the evaluation, and the results of the evaluation of the aforementioned screen shots. In addition, this paper presents examples of the process of categorizing problems identified by the HE and the technological solutions identified to resolve these problems. Four usability experts reviewed 18 paper-based screen shots and made a total of 108 comments. Each expert completed the task in about an hour. We were able to implement solutions to approximately 70% of the violations. Our study found that a heuristic evaluation using paper-based screen shots of a user interface was expeditious, inexpensive, and straightforward to implement.

Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures: An Expedited Settlement Approach

ABSTRACT The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for implementing the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) regulations under the provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA) as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). These regulations apply to a wide array of facilities involved in exploration, production, refining, manufacturing, distribution, and processing. The agency conducts SPCC inspections as a method of validating compliance with these regulations. In an era of government re-invention, budget constraints and in the spirit of better customer service relations, EPA Region VI has developed an innovative means of obtaining facility compliance with the SPCC regulations. It is formally known as the expedited settlement approach. The purpose of this approach was to provide a more efficient and effective means of validating environmental compliance. The approach is a combination of simplified inspection and enforcement procedures with emphasis upon compliance assistance. The program's initial emphasis is directed at production facilities. The approach is designed to address environmental violations, which are easily correctable and generally have resulted in chronic type spills. This paper will examine the parameters of the expedited settlement approach, its application and implementation through the use of case studies. The results of the case studies will provide a barometer for the success and shortcomings of this type of approach.

External recombination system for vented lead/acid batteries used in float service

There is a major demand for maintenance-free lead/acid batteries, i.e. batteries that do not require periodic additions of water. A catalyst-based system is described, the Aqua-Gen System, that externally recombines the oxygen and hydrogen evolved during battery charging to water. Vented (flooded-electrolyte) batteries fitted with this device and operated under normal conditions, do not require topping-up with water during the course of their lifetimes. Other benefits include the avoidance of risks and mistakes in battery operation, simplified inspection of the battery, and cost savings.

Changes in corpora lutea in the rat by means of a simplified inspection method

ラットの黄体を観察する簡便な方法を考案した。即ち新鮮な卵巣を2枚のスライドグラスの間に挾んで一定の厚さに押し拡げ透過光で観察する方法である。この操作によって,卵巣内に存在する多数の黄体を殆んど壊すことなく平面上に配置させ一目にして観察することが出来る。同じ時期に形成された黄体は特徴ある色彩を呈し,それぞれを識別しその数を知ることは容易である。黄体の占める面積を測定することによって体積の比較も行い得る。本法を用いて,正常な発情周期における黄体の消長とそれが交尾によつて賦活された際の変化について観察を行った。