A Simulation Software for the Prediction of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic Composites

Modelling and simulation has become an important tool in research and development. Simulation models are used to develop better understanding of the internal properties and impact of various parameters on the final quality of the product or process. Simulation model reduces the number of experiments and saves the wastage of material, time and money and are widely used in automobile industry, aircrafts manufacturing, process engineering, training for military, health care sector and many more. Wood Plastic Composite （WPC） is a bio-composite made by mixing wood fibers and plastic granules together at high temperature by compression molding or injection molding. A large quantity of WPC is rejected due to poor quality and low mechanical strength. There is a need to improve the understanding of the wood plastic composites, with both theoretical and experimental analysis. The impact of various parameters and processing conditions on the final product is not known to the industry people, due to less simulation models in this field. A new simulation software WPC Soft is developed to predict the mechanical and thermal properties of WPC. The software can predict the mechanical and thermal properties of WPC. The simulation results were validated with the experimental results and it was observed that the predicted values are quite close to the experimental values and with the further refining of the model, prediction can be further improved. The present simulation software can be easily used by the industry people and it requires very little knowledge of computers or modeling for its operation.

Numerical Simulation of the Settling Flux of Biodeposition in a Bay with Cage Culture Through Similarity Theory and a Simplified Pollution Source

The settling flux of biodeposition affects the environmental quality of cage culture areas and determines their environmental carrying capacity.Simple and effective simulation of the settling flux of biodeposition is extremely important for determining the spatial distribution of biodeposition.Theoretically,biodeposition in cage culture areas without specific emission rules can be simplified as point source pollution.Fluent is a fluid simulation software that can simulate the dispersion of particulate matter simply and efficiently.Based on the simplification of pollution sources and bays,the settling flux of biodeposition can be easily and effectively simulated by Fluent fluid software.In the present work,the feasibility of this method was evaluated by simulation of the settling flux of biodeposition in Maniao Bay,Hainan Province,China,and 20 sampling sites were selected for determining the settling fluxes.At sampling sites P1,P2,P3,P4,P5,Z1,Z2,Z3,Z4,A1,A2,A3,A4,B1,B2,C1,C2,C3 and C4,the measured settling fluxes of biodeposition were 26.02,15.78,10.77,58.16,6.57,72.17,12.37,12.11,106.64,150.96,22.59,11.41,18.03,7.90,19.23,7.06,11.84,5.19 and 2.57 g d^(−1)m^(−2),respectively.The simulated settling fluxes of biodeposition at the corresponding sites were 16.03,23.98,8.87,46.90,4.52,104.77,16.03,8.35,180.83,213.06,39.10,17.47,20.98,9.78,23.25,7.84,15.90,6.06 and 1.65 g d^(−1)m^(−2),respectively.There was a positive correlation between the simulated settling fluxes and measured ones(R=0.94,P=2.22×10^(−9)<0.05),which implies that the spatial differentiation of biodeposition flux was well simulated.Moreover,the posterior difference ratio of the simulation was 0.38,and the small error probability was 0.94,which means that the simulated results reached an acceptable level from the perspective of relative error.Thus,if nonpoint source pollution is simplified to point source pollution and open waters are simplified based on similarity theory,the setting flux of biodeposition in the open waters can be simply and effectively simulated by the fluid simulation software Fluent.

Simulation software and virtual environments for acceleration of agricultural robotics:Features highlights and performance comparison

Research efforts for development of agricultural robots that can effectively perform tedious field tasks have grown significantly in the past decade.Agricultural robots are complex systems that require interdisciplinary collaborations between different research groups for effective task delivery in unstructured crops and plants environments.With the exception of milking robots,the extensive research works that have been carried out in the past two decades for adaptation of robotics in agriculture have not yielded a commercial product to date.To accelerate this pace,simulation approach and evaluation methods in virtual environments can provide an affordable and reliable framework for experimenting with different sensing and acting mechanisms in order to verify the performance functionality of the robot in dynamic scenarios.This paper reviews several professional simulators and custom-built virtual environments that have been used for agricultural robotic applications.The key features and performance efficiency of three selected simulators were also compared.A simulation case study was demonstrated to highlight some of the powerful functionalities of the Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform.Details of the objects and scenes were presented as the proof-of-concept for using a completely simulated robotic platform and sensing systems in a virtual citrus orchard.It was shown that the simulated workspace can provide a configurable and modular prototype robotic system that is capable of adapting to several field conditions and tasks through easy testing and debugging of control algorithms with zero damage risk to the real robot and to the actual equipment.This review suggests that an open-source software platform for agricultural robotics will significantly accelerate effective collaborations between different research groups for sharing existing workspaces,algorithms,and reusing the materials.

Simulation-based Graphic Method for Dynamic System Modeling

The first step for engineering students to understand the practical system is to describe the system,which means to establish the mathematic model for the considered system.However,traditional mathematical modeling techniques are not readily assimilated by students,because the traditional modeling needs to obey the complicated physical laws for different engineering areas and requires a highly iterative process.In this paper,the simulation-based graphic modeling method is introduced to help students model the system and improve their performance in engineering education.The results from the questionnaire indicate that the simulation-based graphic method can help students to do the modeling of the system and improve their performance compared to the traditional ways.

Discrete Event Simulation to Evaluate Different Treatments of Diabetic Retinopathy Disease

Modeling approach using discrete event simulation has been proven to work well in modeling in health care. The aim of our paper is to propose a simulation approach which shows realistic models presenting different possible treatments in different stages of diabetic retinopathy. We have presented three models in order to choose the best treatment for diabetic retinopathy patients. The first model describes the flow of a patient through stages without any medical treatments. It takes 13 years to reach blindness. The second model which includes the laser photocoagulation treatments leads to blindness after 46 years. Then, the third model illustrates the involvement of vitrectomy operation and delays blindness by 23 years. To construct the models, data were taken from experienced doctors and professors of the ophthalmology department in the University hospital Habib Bourguiba and the endocrinology department in the University hospital Hedi Chaker in Sfax, Tunisia. Our objective is to delay reaching the blindness stage as late as possible. Three models were developed, verified and validated through many iterative implementations with ARENA simulation software.

Simulation of Maximum Power Point Tracking for Photovoltaic Systems

A PV （photovoltaic） solar panels exhibit non-linear current--voltage characteristics, and according to the MPT （maximum power transform） theory, it can produce maximum power at only one particular OP （operating point）; namely, when the source impedance matches with the load impedance, a match which cannot be guaranteed spontaneously. Furthermore, the MPP （maximum power point） changes with temperature and light intensity variations. Therefore, different algorithms have been developed for finding MPPT （maximum power point tracking） based on offline and online methods. Evaluating the performance of these algorithms for various PV systems operating under highly dynamic environments are essentials to ensure producing reliable, efficient, cost-effective and high performance systems. One possible approach for system evaluation is to use computer simulation. This paper addresses the use of Matlab software as a simulation tool for evaluating the performance of PV solar systems and finding the MPPT.

Comparison of MRI Under-Sampling Techniques for Compressed Sensing with Translation Invariant Wavelets Using FastTestCS: A Flexible Simulation Tool

A sparsifying transform for use in Compressed Sensing (CS) is a vital piece of image reconstruction for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Previously, Translation Invariant Wavelet Transforms (TIWT) have been shown to perform exceedingly well in CS by reducing repetitive line pattern image artifacts that may be observed when using orthogonal wavelets. To further establish its validity as a good sparsifying transform, the TIWT is comprehensively investigated and compared with Total Variation (TV), using six under-sampling patterns through simulation. Both trajectory and random mask based under-sampling of MRI data are reconstructed to demonstrate a comprehensive coverage of tests. Notably, the TIWT in CS reconstruction performs well for all varieties of under-sampling patterns tested, even for cases where TV does not improve the mean squared error. This improved Image Quality (IQ) gives confidence in applying this transform to more CS applications which will contribute to an even greater speed-up of a CS MRI scan. High vs low resolution time of flight MRI CS re-constructions are also analyzed showing how partial Fourier acquisitions must be carefully addressed in CS to prevent loss of IQ. In the spirit of reproducible research, novel software is introduced here as FastTestCS. It is a helpful tool to quickly develop and perform tests with many CS customizations. Easy integration and testing for the TIWT and TV minimization are exemplified. Simulations of 3D MRI datasets are shown to be efficiently distributed as a scalable solution for large studies. Comparisons in reconstruction computation time are made between the Wavelab toolbox and Gnu Scientific Library in FastTestCS that show a significant time savings factor of 60×. The addition of FastTestCS is proven to be a fast, flexible, portable and reproducible simulation aid for CS research.

Edge detection and mathematic fitting for corneal surface with Matlab software

AIM：To select the optimal edge detection methods to identify the corneal surface,and compare three fitting curve equations with Matlab software. METHODS：Fifteen subjects were recruited. The corneal images from optical coherence tomography（OCT）were imported into Matlab software. Five edge detection methods（Canny,Log,Prewitt,Roberts,Sobel）were used to identify the corneal surface. Then two manual identifying methods（ginput and getpts）were applied to identify the edge coordinates respectively. The differences among these methods were compared. Binomial curve（y=Ax2＋Bx＋C）,Polynomial curve [p（x）=p1xn＋p2x（n-1）＋....＋pnx＋pn＋1] and Conic section（Ax2＋Bxy＋Cy2＋Dx＋Ey＋F=0）were used for curve fitting the corneal surface respectively. The relative merits among three fitting curves were analyzed. Finally,the eccentricity（e）obtained by corneal topography and conic section were compared with paired t-test. RESULTS：Five edge detection algorithms all had continuous coordinates which indicated the edge of the corneal surface. The ordinates of manual identifying were close to the inside of the actual edges. Binomial curve was greatly affected by tilt angle. Polynomial curve was lack of geometrical properties and unstable. Conic section could calculate the tilted symmetry axis,eccentricity,circle center,etc. There were no significant differences between ＇e＇ values by corneal topography and conic section（t=0.9143,P=0.3760 〉0.05）.CONCLUSION：It is feasible to simulate the corneal surface with mathematical curve with Matlab software. Edge detection has better repeatability and higher efficiency. The manual identifying approach is an indispensable complement for detection. Polynomial and conic section are both the alternative methods for corneal curve fitting. Conic curve was the optimal choice based on the specific geometrical properties.

Recent Implementations in LASP 3.0:Global Neural Network Potential with Multiple Elements and Better Long-Range Description

LASP(large-scale atomistic simulation with neural network potential)software developed by our group since 2018 is a powerful platform(www.lasphub.com)for performing atomic simulation of complex materials.The software integrates the neural network(NN)potential technique with the global potential energy surface exploration method,and thus can be utilized widely for structure prediction and reaction mechanism exploration.Here we introduce our recent update on the LASP program version 3.0,focusing on the new functionalities including the advanced neuralnetwork training based on the multi-network framework,the newly-introduced S^(7) and S^(8) power type structure descriptor(PTSD).These new functionalities are designed to further improve the accuracy of potentials and accelerate the neural network training for multipleelement systems.Taking Cu-C-H-O neural network potential and a heterogeneous catalytic model as the example,we show that these new functionalities can accelerate the training of multi-element neural network potential by using the existing single-network potential as the input.The obtained double-network potential Cu CHO is robust in simulation and the introduction of S^(7) and S^(8) PTSDs can reduce the root-mean-square errors of energy by a factor of two.

Simulated Experiments for Teaching Mutually-Coupled Circuits CAD Techniques Using Analytic and Finite Element Solutions

The paper describes an approach to teaching mutually-coupled circuits CAD techniques to undergraduate students pursuing a degree course in electrical engineering or physics, and explains how a series of simulated experiments may be incorporated into the existing subjects. The simulated experiments make use of a two-dimensional open-access software based on the finite-element method. At the laboratory meetings, the students learn how to set up field problems for solution, and how to examine the results. Simulation tasks based on three axisymmetric open-boundary problems are used to introduce different numeric techniques to compute inductance and magnetic forces. The paper takes the reader to a step-by-step simulation journey, and provides all the basic elements required for further exploration of axially-symmetric systems.

Operational program for proper capacity of electric bus charging station in Expo 2010

In the paper,an operational program of electric bus charging station is proposed,which is special for "The Construction Project for Expo 2010 Temporary Electric Bus Charging Station".Based on the quick-change mode,a vehicle operating schedule model has been established to meet the capacity of transport.Then,according to the quantity of passengers and utilization of batteries,a calculative method of parameters,such as the number of spare batteries and bus departure rules,has been provided.Furthermore,optimal simulation software designed for operating process of the charging station has been identified incorporating actual running data from electric buses and monitoring system of the charging station,and the rationality of the design is verified in the preliminary commissioning and the official operation.

MODEL-BASED PERFORMANCE EVALUATION APPROACH FOR MOBILE AGENT SYSTEMS

Claimed as the next generation programming paradigm, mobile agent technology has attracted extensive interests in recent years. However, up to now, limited research efforts have been devoted to the performance study of mobile agent system and most of these researches focus on agent behavior analysis resulting in that models are hard to apply to mobile agent systems. To bridge the gap, a new performance evaluation model derived from operation mechanisms of mobile agent platforms is proposed. Details are discussed for the design of companion simulation software, which can provide the system performance such as response time of platform to mobile agent. Further investigation is followed on the determination of model parameters. Finally comparison is made between the model-based simulation results and measurement-based real performance of mobile agent systems. The results show that the proposed model and designed software are effective in evaluating performance characteristics of mobile agent systems. The proposed approach can also be considered as the basis of performance analysis for large systems composed of multiple mobile agent platforms.

Design of Digital Circuit Experiment Course Based on FPGA

With the development of integrated circuit, the content of digital circuit experiment course is constantly updated. In order to keep up with the development trend of the Times and make students’ professional knowledge meet the needs of the industry, the school adopts the FPGA experimental platform to carry out teaching reform from the two aspects of platform and experiment, and carry out reasonable experimental planning to enrich the experimental content. In this paper, the traditional knowledge points of logic algebra, trigger, timer, counter, decoder and digital tube are organically combined, and the digital clock system is designed and realized. The practice shows that the combination of modern design method and traditional digital circuit teaching method can play a good teaching effect. In this way, students can also fully learn, understand and skillfully use the new technology in the experiment, and in the process of building a comprehensive understanding of digital circuits.

Computational studies on magnetism and ferroelectricity

Magnetics,ferroelectrics,and multiferroics have attracted great attentions because they are not only extremely im-portant for investigating fundamental physics,but also have important applications in information technology.Here,recent computational studies on magnetism and ferroelectricity are reviewed.We first give a brief introduction to magnets,fer-roelectrics,and multiferroics.Then,theoretical models and corresponding computational methods for investigating these materials are presented.In particular,a new method for computing the linear magnetoelectric coupling tensor without applying an external field in the first principle calculations is proposed for the first time.The functionalities of our home-made Property Analysis and Simulation Package for materials(PASP)and its applications in the field of magnetism and ferroelectricity are discussed.Finally,we summarize this review and give a perspective on possible directions of future computational studies on magnetism and ferroelectricity.

Simulation-based optimization of control policy on multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products

As fresh agricultural products are perishable and vulnerable,reducing inventory cost is a strategic target for supply chain enterprises.How to design a reliable multi-echelon inventory control policy is still a great challenge.Therefore,the inventory cost of a three-level fresh agricultural products inventory system was firstly mathematically analyzed.Then,the simulation-based optimization model of the multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products was proposed by using the Flexsim simulation software and the improved particle swarm optimization algorithm.Finally,the multi-echelon inventory system is simulated based on a large number of survey data.Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed simulation-based optimization model of multi-echelon inventory system for fresh agricultural products can provide decision-making and technical support for the formulation of inventory control policy,and also it shows that the modeling of system simulation is an effective method to solve the problem of complex system.

Research and development in agricultural robotics:A perspective of digital farming

Digital farming is the practice of modern technologies such as sensors,robotics,and data analysis for shifting from tedious operations to continuously automated processes.This paper reviews some of the latest achievements in agricultural robotics,specifically those that are used for autonomous weed control,field scouting,and harvesting.Object identification,task planning algorithms,digitalization and optimization of sensors are highlighted as some of the facing challenges in the context of digital farming.The concepts of multi-robots,human-robot collaboration,and environment reconstruction from aerial images and ground-based sensors for the creation of virtual farms were highlighted as some of the gateways of digital farming.It was shown that one of the trends and research focuses in agricultural field robotics is towards building a swarm of small scale robots and drones that collaborate together to optimize farming inputs and reveal denied or concealed information.For the case of robotic harvesting,an autonomous framework with several simple axis manipulators can be faster and more efficient than the currently adapted professional expensive manipulators.While robots are becoming the inseparable parts of the modern farms,our conclusion is that it is not realistic to expect an entirely automated farming system in the future.

Task-oriented Hierarchical Control of Modular Soft Robots with External Vision Guidance

General,high-precision theoretical modeling method is not well developed in the field of soft robotics,which holds back motion control and practical application of soft robots.The concept of modularization brings novel structure,novel locomotion patterns as well as novel control method for soft robots.This paper presents the concept of hierarchical control method for modular soft robot system and a H-configuration pneumatic modular soft robot is designed as the control object.The H-configuration modular soft robot is composed of two basic motion units that take worm-like locomotion principle.The locomotion principle of the basic motion unit is analyzed and the actuation sequence is optimized by evolution strategy in VOXCAD simulation software.The differential drive method is applied to the H-configuration modular soft robot with multi motion modes and vision sensor is used to control the motion mode of the robot.The H-configuration modular soft robot and the basic motion unit are assembled by a cubic soft module made of silicone rubber.Also,connection mechanism is designed to ensure that the soft modules can be assembled in any direction and posture.Experiments are conducted to verify the effect of the hierarchical control method of the modular soft robots.

Genetic algorithm optimization of broadband microstrip antenna

Genetic algorithm(GA)is utilized to design microstrip patch antenna shapes for broad bandwidth.A new project based on GA and high frequency simulation software(HFSS)is proposed to perform optimization.Reasonable agreement between simulated results and measured results of the GA-optimized design is obtained.The optimized patch design exhibits a three-fold enhancement in bandwidth when contrasted with a standard square microstrip antenna,showing the validity of this project.