Configuration Tool Research Articles

Dynamic Stabilization of Unmanned Vehicle Convoy in Road Climatic Environment of the Russian Federation

This work analyzes experimental results of traffic control of unmanned vehicle convoy (UMV) with manned master vehicle in Russian road climatic environment. The problem of obstacle avoidance in driving lanes and position stabilization on preset motion path is reduced to the problem of dynamic stabilization of state variables. Its solution is aided by virtual data sensors requiring for minimum configuration of engineering tools. Relative positions of vehicles are determined by algorithms of combined data processing of navigation systems and machine vision which make it possible to solve this problem without visible road markings and radio vision for satellite navigation. Experimental results show that the developed control algorithms of UMV convoy are capable to solve the problem of its dynamic stabilization in actual traffic environment. The developed control algorithms of traction, braking, and path provide efficient operation on all types of surfaces including slippery roads. Scientific novelty of this work is comprised of experimental verification of efficiency of the developed solutions for advanced unmanned vehicles in Russia.

Fully coupled thermomechanical simulation of friction stir welding of aluminum 6061-T6 alloy T-joint

The current study executes a fully coupled thermomechanical simulation of friction stir welding (FSW) process of aluminum 6061-T6 alloy T-joint type using finite element method. The analysis simulation accounts for the three steps of the FSW process which includes: plunging, dwelling, and moving stages. The temperature history, associated stresses and strains generated through the FSW phases, tool reaction force, and time-dependence of the energy dissipation were evaluated. To overcome the shortcomings of purely Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions, Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) formulation, adaptive meshing, and the mass scaling were used as techniques to improve sequence modeling of the friction stir welding process. Coulomb’s friction law with nonlinear friction coefficient was used to model contact between the tool and T-joint configuration. To verify the numerical results, an experimental setup was constructed to carry out the FSW of a T-joint. Meanwhile, embedded thermocouples were used in the advancing side to measure temperature close to the welding line. The results obtained throughout the simulation study showed that the temperature was symmetrically distributed across the T-joint width, and the temperature contour displayed a high gradient in the weld stirring zone with a V type shape after the plunge stage. Good correlation between numerical and experimental temperature results was obtained with a little shift in the peak value. The results of von-Mises value showed that the maximum stress has been moved from the skin part gradually into the stringer part with the advancement of the tool during plunging. The plastic strain value was higher on the advancing side in comparison with the retreating side. Moreover, the heat generation calculation showed that the frictional dissipation energy was responsible for generating most of the heat needed to obtain a successful FSW.

Limit load analysis of thin-walled as-fabricated pipe bends with low ovality under in-plane moment loading and internal pressure

The fabrication of pipe bends using rotary pipe bending (RPB) process results in geometrical imperfections as described by cross-sectional ovality and wall thickness variations which affect the pipe bends performance during service. Previous studies whether ignores these imperfections (Ideal pipe bend (IB)) or assume these imperfections in their analysis (Assumed shape bend (AS)). The objective of the present work is to investigate, using non-linear finite element analysis, the effect of the residual stresses and the presence of the inherited geometrical imperfections (low ovality) obtained from RPB process of 90° pipe bends on their load carrying capacities as compared with the IB and AS models. RPB process with basic tooling configuration is first simulated to obtain the as-fabricated 90° pipe bend. The results of this step were verified against published experimental results and analytical solutions, and compensated for springback. The pipe bend was then subjected to different combinations of loads (in-plane moment and internal pressure) to construct a comparative limit load diagram. Within the scope of our study, results have shown that the presence of the residual stresses remarkably reduces the pipe bend load-carrying capacity. IB model results in non-conservative results as geometrical imperfections lower the load carrying capacity of the pipe bend, while the AS model has been found to be invalid for cases where a mandrel is used in RPB process.

Development of an Automated Tool for Valve Driver Configuration

The development of a software tool for automating configuration of valves used in automobiles is discussed here. Configuring the valve driver is a monotonous task requiring humongous amount of time and concentration. The tool extracts data from Micro

HookTracer: A System for Automated and Accessible API Hooks Analysis

The use of memory forensics is becoming commonplace in digital investigation and incident response, as it provides critically important capabilities for detecting sophisticated malware attacks, including memory-only malware components. In this paper, we concentrate on improving analysis of API hooks, a technique commonly employed by malware to hijack the execution flow of legitimate functions. These hooks allow the malware to gain control at critical times and to exercise complete control over function arguments and return values. Existing techniques for detecting hooks, such the Volatility plugin apihooks, do a credible job, but generate numerous false positives related to non-malicious use of API hooking. Furthermore, deeper analysis to determine the nature of hooks detected by apihooks typically requires substantial skill in reverse engineering and an extensive knowledge of operating systems internals. In this paper, we present a new, highly configurable tool called hooktracer, which eliminates false positives, provides valuable insight into the operation of detected hooks, and generates portable signatures called hook traces, which can be used to rapidly investigate large numbers of machines for signs of malware infection.

Tractor CAN bus interface tools and application development for real-time data analysis

Embedded electronic controllers connected via controller area network (CAN) are used extensively in modern off-road machinery to broadcast machine information for on-board processes and diagnostics. A variety of tools are commercially available to monitor and record CAN data for research and commercial uses. Some plug-and-play options are easy to set up but have limited customization. Others are more complex to configure but can be used to create fully customized and deployable real-time software applications. Several CAN data tools and software packages were evaluated to monitor and record machine and engine data. A proof-of-concept application was created with Matlab Vehicle Network Toolbox for real-time monitoring of diesel engine speed and load, and generation of a cumulative speed/load histogram based on SAE J1939 parameters. This study investigated four hardware and software CAN tool configurations that could be used for tractor CAN bus data acquisition. This study is not intended to be an exhaustive evaluation of all available CAN tools or their capabilities, rather it was intended to present information on several readily available hardware and software platforms and a method for creating a stand-alone custom application as a proof-of-concept for tractor CAN data analysis. The custom application developed will facilitate in-cab decision making for improved tractor management during field operations.

CONFIGURATION AND SIMULATION TOOL FOR 360-DEGREE STEREO CAMERA RIG

Abstract. The demand for capturing outdoor and indoor scenes is rising with the digitalization trend in the construction industry. An efficient solution for capturing these environments is mobile mapping. Image-based systems with 360° panoramic coverage allow a rapid data acquisition and can be made user-friendly accessible when hosted in a cloud-based 3D geoinformation service. The design of such a 360° stereo camera system is challenging since multiple parameters like focal length, stereo base length and environmental restrictions such as narrow corridors are influencing each other. Therefore, this paper presents a toolset, which helps configuring and evaluating such a panorama stereo camera rig. The first tool is used to determine, from which distance on 360° stereo coverage depending on the parametrization of the rig is achieved. The second tool can be used to capture images with the parametrized camera rig in different virtual indoor and outdoor scenes. The last tool supports stitching the captured images together in respect of the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters from the configuration tool. This toolset radically simplifies the evaluation process of a 360° stereo camera configuration and decreases the number of physical MMS prototypes.

Validation of the InnoWell Platform: Protocol for a Clinical Trial.

BackgroundNew electronic health technologies are being rapidly developed to improve the delivery of mental health care for both health professionals and consumers and better support self-management of care. We developed a Web-based platform (the InnoWell Platform) that supports the prevention, early intervention, treatment, and continuous monitoring of mental health and maintenance of well-being in people aged 2 years and older. The platform is a customizable digital tool kit that operates through existing service providers who utilize the system to provide their consumers with access to evidence-based assessments and feedback, intervention options, and outcome monitoring. It does this by collecting, storing, and reporting personal and health information back to consumers and their health professionals to promote collaborative care partnerships that aim to improve the management of mental ill health and maintenance of well-beingObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the research protocol for a naturalistic prospective clinical trial wherein all consumers presenting for care to a traditional face-to-face or Web-based mental health service in which the InnoWell Platform is being offered as part of standard clinical care will be given the opportunity to use the platform.MethodsThe Web-based platform is a configurable and customizable digital tool that assists in the assessment, monitoring and management of mental ill health, and maintenance of well-being. It does this by collecting, storing, and reporting health information back to the person and his or her clinician to enable transformation to person-centered care. The clinical trial will be conducted with individuals aged 2 years and older presenting to participating services for care, including persons from the veteran community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex community, and those from broader education and workforce sectors, as well as people with disabilities, lived experience of comorbidity, complex disorders, and suicidality.ResultsProject Synergy was funded in June 2017, and data collection began in November 2018 at a youth mental health service. At the time of this publication, 5 additional services have also begun recruitment, including 4 youth mental health services and a veteran’s service. The first results are expected to be submitted in 2020 for publication.ConclusionsThis clinical trial will promote access to comprehensive, high-quality mental health care to improve outcomes for consumers and health professionals. The data collected will be used to validate a clinical staging algorithm designed to match consumers with the right level of care and reduce the rate of suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors and suicide by suggesting pathways to care that are appropriate for the identified level of need, while simultaneously enabling a timely service response.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12618001676202; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=374632 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/78TOi5jwl)International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/13955

Design, Large-Scale Usage Testing, and Important Metrics for Augmented Reality Gaming Applications

Augmented Reality (AR) offers the possibility to enrich the real world with digital mediated content, increasing in this way the quality of many everyday experiences. While in some research areas such as cultural heritage, tourism, or medicine there is a strong technological investment, AR for game purposes struggles to become a widespread commercial application. In this article, a novel framework for AR kid games is proposed, already developed by the authors for other AR applications such as Cultural Heritage and Arts. In particular, the framework includes different layers such as the development of a series of AR kid puzzle games in an intermediate structure which can be used as a standard for different applications development, the development of a smart configuration tool, together with general guidelines and long-life usage tests and metrics. The proposed application is designed for augmenting the puzzle experience, but can be easily extended to other AR gaming applications. Once the user has assembled the real puzzle, AR functionality within the mobile application can be unlocked, bringing to life puzzle characters, creating a seamless game that merges AR interactions with the puzzle reality. The main goals and benefits of this framework can be seen in the development of a novel set of AR tests and metrics in the pre-release phase (in order to help the commercial launch and developers), and in the release phase by introducing the measures for long-life app optimization, usage tests and hint on final users together with a measure to design policy, providing a method for automatic testing of quality and popularity improvements. Moreover, smart configuration tools, as part of the general framework, enabling multi-app and eventually also multi-user development, have been proposed, facilitating the serialization of the applications. Results were obtained from a large-scale user test with about 4 million users on a set of eight gaming applications, providing the scientific community a workflow for implicit quantitative analysis in AR gaming. Different data analytics developed on the data collected by the framework prove that the proposed approach is affordable and reliable for long-life testing and optimization.

Substructure Coupling of a Machine Tool in Arbitrary Axis Positions Considering Local Linear Damping Models

Virtual prototypes, e.g., finite element models, are commonly used to reduce the development times of a new machine tool generation. However, the accuracy of these models is often limited by their representation of damping effects and the possibility to efficiently simulate the dynamic behavior in different axis positions. This paper shows the changing local damping distribution within a single-axis machine tool configuration for different axis positions. Based on this investigation, an approach to accurately model the position-dependent dynamics, while keeping the calculation times small, is presented. The virtual model of the machine is divided in several substructures, which consider the local damping behavior of each dissipation source. The reduced mass, stiffness, and damping matrices are coupled in the desired machine position by using multipoint constraints, which are generated at the desired machine position after the reduction of the substructures. Four different approaches to apply multipoint constraints on reduced substructures are compared, followed by an investigation of their influencing parameters. The most promising approach is compared with a model without local damping representation as well as a model without substructuring. By considering the local damping effects within the finite element model and coupling the reduced models of each component in arbitrary axis positions, an efficient analysis and optimization of the dynamic behavior of a machine tool over the whole workspace can be conducted.

Limit load analysis of thick-walled as-fabricated pipe bends under in-plane moment loading and internal pressure

The fabrication of pipe bends by rotary bending results in geometrical imperfections as manifested by cross-sectional ovality and wall thickness variations which affect their load carrying capacity and hence their performance during service. Previous studies ignored the exact distribution of these imperfections and adopted either ideal pipe bend shape (IB) or assumed the distribution these imperfections in their analysis by a simplified assumed shape model (AS). The objective of the present work is to investigate the effect of the presence of the inherited geometrical imperfections as obtained from the rotary pipe bending process of 90° pipe bends including the presence of residual stresses on their load carrying capacities as compared with the IB and AS models. The present work is conducted by means of non-linear finite element modeling considering both material and geometrical non-linearities. Rotary pipe bending process is simulated with basic tooling configuration to obtain the as-fabricated 90° pipe bend after accounting for springback. Results of this step were verified against published experimental results and analytical solutions. The pipe bend was then subjected to different combinations of in-plane moment and internal pressure in order to construct a comparative limit load diagram. The IB model for the pipe bend results in non-conservative results, while AS model results in acceptable results compared to results of the as-fabricated shape. Results have also shown that presence of residual stresses improves the pipe performance under in-plane closing bending moment.

An Object-Oriented Modeling Approach for Production Scheduling on CNC-Machines in Flexible Manufacturing System to Maximize Cutting Tool Utilization

This paper discusses production scheduling problems on CNC-machines having a set of cutting tools in a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) to maximize the cutting tools utilization. This objective has been selected because it is frequently found that cutting tools are under-utilized as they are used far below their respective lifetime limits. We will consider the situation where several identical CNC-machines are operated in an FMS; each of which is equipped with the same cutting tool configuration. The jobs to be scheduled are machining parts, and each of the parts requires one to two stages of processes, and each of the stages consists of several sequential operations, where a specific operation requires a certain type of cutting tool. Whenever a certain cutting tool is being used, the time consumption will be accumulated to calculate its remaining lifetime. The assignment of an operation to a particular CNC-machine will be based on the sufficiency of the cutting tool remaining lifetime to complete the operation. We formulate the problem in a mathematical model and then solve it using a solution method based on the object-oriented modeling approach, where the FMS elements are grouped as classes of the objects, i.e. the CNC-machine, the cutting-tool, the product (job) and the storage classes. Numerical examples show that the proposed solution method can effectively solve the scheduling problem.

Determination of 5-axis tool orientation using analogy between parametric surface and form shaping function

This paper describes a method to determine tool orientation in a 5-axis machine tool. In simultaneous 5-axis machining, the tool orientation must be determined uniquely from infinite options based on a strategy implemented with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. In general, tool orientation is determined by constraining several conditions, such as avoiding singularities and collisions between the tool and the workpiece and creating a smooth tool trajectory. This paper proposes a new method using an analogy between a parametric surface and the form-shaping function of the target machine tool. This paradigm means that the constraint process of tool path generation can be converted to geometric problems on the surface comparable to the form-shaping function. For example, an intersection line between the surface and a plane provides a constraint that fixes specific axes on the machine tool. This method furthermore has good compatibility with the tool configuration space (C-space). That is, the parametric space composed of two parameters of the parametric surface is synonymous with the C-space. First, the proposed method is illustrated, and then two cases without collision avoidance and one case based on C-space are demonstrated.

Power Consumption Assessment of Machine Tool Feed Drive Units

Numerous efforts have been made to assess and model the power consumption of machining process, which has led to many standards for energy labeling of machine tools. However, more investigation is required to improve the applicability of these standards because the energy patterns of machines vary widely with respect to the machine type, size, and configuration. Hence, it is aimed to develop a methodology to determine the power consumption characteristics of a wide variety of machine tools. This research focuses on the power consumption of feed drive units, which are largely varying components with respect to machine tool configurations. Two notable phenomena were observed during our experiments. First, the power consumption of an axis in the gravitational direction exhibited a different pattern from that along those of the other axes. Movement in the gravitational direction was investigated in more detail from the perspective of the machine tool configuration. Second, during multi-axis movement, no power correlation between different axes was confirmed. Regardless of the axis composition, no correlation was detected between the individual power consumption profiles of each axis. Elucidating the power consumption characteristics of feed drive units would contribute toward standardization and simplification of power measurement procedures.

Dynamic safety system for collaboration of operators and industrial robots

Abstract There is an increasing need to have a safety system, which allows safe collaboration of operators and industrial robots. Industrial robots are powerful and therefore dangerous impacts and crashes need to be prevented by keeping safe distance between moving robot and the operator. Safe distance can be achieved by monitoring the position and speed of the robot and the position of the operator. Separation distance, speeds and performance of the control system, sensors and actuators are regulated by standards, which must be followed. VTT has developed a dynamic safety system, which monitors the speed and separation between persons and the robot in order to keep the stopping distance of the robot small enough to avoid impacts. The dynamic safety system enables safe continuous working beside the robot and automated restarting after a safety-rated monitored stop. An assistance system is applied to switch safety modes of the robot according to separation distance. Configuring and validating the safety system are safety-critical and time-consuming phases of design. Therefore, a configuration tool is required to get a coherent configuration, which support validation process.

Thwarting Security Threats From Malicious FPGA Tools With Novel FPGA-Oriented Moving Target Defense

The increasing usage and popularity of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) systems bring in security concerns. Existing countermeasures are mostly based on the assumption that the computer-aided design (CAD) tools for FPGA configuration are trusted. Unfortunately, this assumption does not always hold. In this paper, we investigate the potential security threats originated from the untrusted CAD tools. Furthermore, we exploit the principle of moving target defense (MTD) to propose an FPGA-oriented MTD (FOMTD) method. The three defense lines in the FOMTD generate uncertainties, from the attacker’s point of view, to thwart hardware Trojan insertion attacks. The theoretical upper bound of the hardware Trojan hit rate for each defense line is provided in this paper. Experimental results show that the proposed defense line 2 and defense line 3 reduce the Trojan hit rate by up to 40% and 91%, respectively, for the scenario where the malicious CAD tool can insert Trojans in the occupied FPGA slices. The proposed gate replacement technique in the defense line 3 further improves the attack resilience and obtains 88% reduction on the Trojan hit rate. Compared to the static redundancy-based Trojan detection method, the proposed method achieves better resilience against Trojan insertions and consumes 50% less dynamic power.

It Is About What They Could Do with the Data

Smart Meters are a key component of increasing the power efficiency of the Smart Grid. To help manage the grid effectively, these meters are designed to collect information on power consumption and send it to third parties. With Smart Metering, for the first time, these cloud-connected sensing devices are legally mandated to be installed in the homes of millions of people worldwide. Via a multi-staged empirical study that utilized an open-ended questionnaire, focus groups, and a design probe, we examined how people characterize the tension between the utility of Smart Metering and its impact on privacy. Our findings show that people seek to make abstract Smart Metering data accountable by connecting it to their everyday practices. Our insight can inform the design of usable privacy configuration tools that help Smart Metering consumers relate abstract data with the real-world implications of its disclosure.

Automatic design of hybrid stochastic local search algorithms for permutation flowshop problems

Stochastic local search methods are at the core of many effective heuristics for tackling different permutation flowshop problems (PFSPs). Usually, such algorithms require a careful, manual algorithm engineering effort to reach high performance. An alternative to the manual algorithm engineering is the automated design of effective SLS algorithms through building flexible algorithm frameworks and using automatic algorithm configuration techniques to instantiate high-performing algorithms. In this paper, we automatically generate new high-performing algorithms for some of the most widely studied variants of the PFSP. More in detail, we (i) developed a new algorithm framework, EMILI, that implements algorithm-specific and problem-specific building blocks; (ii) define the rules of how to compose algorithms from the building blocks; and (iii) employ an automatic algorithm configuration tool to search for high performing algorithm configurations. With these ingredients, we automatically generate algorithms for the PFSP with the objectives makespan, total completion time and total tardiness, which outperform the best algorithms obtained by a manual algorithm engineering process.

КОМПОНУВАННЯ МОБІЛЬНИХ ВЕРСТАТІВ ДЛЯ РЕМОНТУ НЕДЕМОНТУЄМИХ ДЕТАЛЕЙ ТА ВУЗЛІВ ТУРБОАГРЕГАТУ

The article describes a general approach to the analysis and synthesis of the configurations of metal-cutting machine tools for solving the actual technological problem of mechanical processing of non-dismantled large-sized parts and assemblies of turbine units during their repair. The actual production task of the Turboatom plant is the repair of parts and assemblies of turbine units operated in Ukraine and abroad. The inexpediency, and sometimes the technical impossibility of dismantling large-sized parts, makes it impossible to make current repairs in the factory. In this case, it is effective and only possible to use mobile portable technological equipment for mechanical processing of reconditioned and connecting surfaces of non-dismantled large-sized parts and units of turbine units. The unit-modular principle of creating machines is based on the use of standardized units and units. This campaign makes it possible to carry out systematization, typing of layouts and unification of the structures of mobile portable technological equipment, allowing to effectively solve the set technological problem. The definition of «unique equipment» is fully applicable to technological metal-cutting equipment created on the basis of the principle of aggregation, since almost every such machine tool system has no complete analogues. The long-term practice of creating and operating machines of an aggregate-modular structure constantly indicates that the right choice and a rational layout design have a great influence on their quality. In many cases, the creation of special and universal machines, this influence is decisive. The influence of the layout on the quality of the machine is manifested in two ways. First, through the structure, the correct choice of which provides the necessary universality or specialization and compliance with a number of technological and other requirements. Secondly, through the choice of rational design performances, dimensional proportions and the location of nodes in space, which ensures high technical and economic quality indicators.

Challenges, solutions and lessons learnt in 7 years of Service Management at CERN

CERN has been using ITIL Service Management methodologies and ServiceNow since early 2011. Initially a joint project between just the Information Technology and the General Services Departments, now most of CERN is using this common methodology and tool, and all departments are represented totally or partially in the CERN Service Catalogue. We introduce a summary of the current situation of Service Management at CERN, as well as its recent evolution. We discuss service onboarding, user experience, and tool configuration, outlining the challenges faced, solutions adopted and some important lessons learnt. Some of the most important points relate to CERN’s common process and service catalogue, which have enabled scalability; hiding complexity from users in order to improve user experience; and the good practices to configure CERN’s Service Management application which have been learnt in the 8 years of the project. Finally, we present ongoing and future work, such as the upgrade of the CERN Service Portal and bringing even more new services board.