To improve robustness of mechanical properties of semi-solid cast A356 alloy using taguchi design method

Mechanical properties of semi-solid casting are dependent on multiple processing parameters,and improper processing parameters will not only reduce mean data but also increase variations.The present study investigated the impact of parameters in slurry preparation and heat treatment on the yield strength and ductility of T6 heat-treated A356 Al-Si alloy using rapid slurry forming(RSF)semi-solid casting.The focus was primarily on the robustness of mechanical properties based on Taguchi design method.By analyzing signal-to-noise ratio and minimum value calculated from-3S,the optimum slurry preparation parameters and heat treatment parameters were determined to be no quench,enthalpy exchange material(EEM)temperature of 140℃,EEM-to-melt ratio of 6mass%,stirring time of 18 s,solution heat treated at 520℃ for 2 h,and ageing heat treated at 190℃ for 6 h.In a small batch validation,the-3S yield strength and-3S elongation reach 256.1 MPa and 5.03% respectively,showing a satisfactory robustness.The hardness and microstructure of heat-treated samples with the best and worst properties were characterized to gain insight into the underlying mechanisms affecting the mean value and variations of mechanical properties.

Research on the design method for uniform wear of shield cutters in sand-pebble strata

During shield tunneling in highly abrasive formations such as sand–pebble strata,nonuniform wear of shield cutters is inevitable due to the different cutting distances.Frequent downtimes and cutter replacements have become major obstacles to long-distance shield driving in sand–pebble strata.Based on the cutter wear characteristics in sand–pebble strata in Beijing,a design methodology for the cutterhead and cutters was established in this study to achieve uniform wear of all cutters by the principle of frictional wear.The applicability of the design method was verified through three-dimensional simulations using the engineering discrete element method.The results show that uniform wear of all cutters on the cutterhead could be achieved by installing different numbers of cutters on each trajectory radius and designing a curved spoke with a certain arch height according to the shield diameter.Under the uniform wear scheme,the cutter wear coefficient is greatly reduced,and the largest shield driving distance is increased by approximately 47%over the engineering scheme.The research results indicate that the problem of nonuniform cutter wear in shield excavation could be overcome,thereby providing guiding significance for theoretical innovation and construction of long-distance shield excavation in highly abrasive strata.

A Mixed-Variable Experimental Design Method

Mixed-variable problems are inevitable in engineering. However, few researches pay attention to discrete variables. This paper proposed a mixed-variable experimental design method (ODCD): first, the design variables were divided into discrete variables and continuous variables;then, the DVD method was employed for handling discrete variables, the LHD method was applied for continuous variables, and finally, a Columnwise-Pairwise Algorithm was used for the overall optimization of the design matrix. Experimental results demonstrated that the ODCD method outperforms in terms of the sample space coverage performance.

Design methods for antimicrobial peptides with improved performance

The recalcitrance of pathogens to traditional antibiotics has made treating and eradicating bacterial infections more difficult.In this regard,developing new antimicrobial agents to combat antibiotic-resistant strains has become a top priority.Antimicrobial peptides(AMPs),a ubiquitous class of naturally occurring compounds with broadspectrum antipathogenic activity,hold significant promise as an effective solution to the current antimicrobial resistance(AMR)crisis.Several AMPs have been identified and evaluated for their therapeutic application,with many already in the drug development pipeline.Their distinct properties,such as high target specificity,potency,and ability to bypass microbial resistance mechanisms,make AMPs a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics.Nonetheless,several challenges,such as high toxicity,lability to proteolytic degradation,low stability,poor pharmacokinetics,and high production costs,continue to hamper their clinical applicability.Therefore,recent research has focused on optimizing the properties of AMPs to improve their performance.By understanding the physicochemical properties of AMPs that correspond to their activity,such as amphipathicity,hydrophobicity,structural conformation,amino acid distribution,and composition,researchers can design AMPs with desired and improved performance.In this review,we highlight some of the key strategies used to optimize the performance of AMPs,including rational design and de novo synthesis.We also discuss the growing role of predictive computational tools,utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning,in the design and synthesis of highly efficacious lead drug candidates.

Current situation and development trend of design methods for subgrade structure of high speed railways

Purpose–This method will become a new development trend in subgrade structure design for high speed railways.Design/methodology/approach–This paper summarizes the structural types and design methods of subgrade bed for high speed railways in China,Japan,France,Germany,the United States and other countries based on the study and analysis of existing literature and combined with the research results and practices of high speed railway subgrade engineering at home and abroad.Findings–It is found that in foreign countries,the layered reinforced structure is generally adopted for the subgrade bed of high speed railways,and the unified double-layer or multi-layer structure is adopted for the surface layer of subgrade bed,while the simple structure is adopted in China;in foreign countries,different inspection parameters are adopted to evaluate the compaction state of fillers according to their respective understanding and practice,while in China,compaction coefficient,subsoil coefficient and dynamic deformation modulus are adopted for such evaluation;in foreign countries,the subgrade top deformation control method,the subgrade bottom deformation control method,the subsurface fill strength control method are mainly adopted in subgrade bed structure design of high speed railways,while in China,dynamic deformation control of subgrade surface and dynamic strain control of subgrade bed bottom layer is adopted in the design.However,the cumulative deformation of subgrade caused by train cyclic vibration load is not considered in the existing design methods.Originality/value–This paper introduces a new subgrade structure design method based on whole-process dynamics analysis that meets subgrade functional requirements and is established on the basis of the existing research at home and abroad on prediction methods for cumulative deformation of subgrade soil.

Mixed Method in Language Learner Cognition

Research on mixed method has made great development.In order to explore the practical application of mixed method,this article starts from the perspective of language learner cognition and selects The Modern Language Journal and Language Teaching Research as the research journals.It explores some empirical papers that used mixed method to learn the specific research designs of mixed method as well as the main means of its application.The study finds that mixed method has been applied in several fields and is more scientifically reliable than qualitative and quantitative methods especially in language learner cognition,and the different research tools used in the field of language learner cognition demonstrate the flexibility and relevance of mixed method data collection.

Data Driven Vibration Control:A

With the ongoing advancements in sensor networks and data acquisition technologies across various systems like manufacturing,aviation,and healthcare,the data driven vibration control(DDVC)has attracted broad interests from both the industrial and academic communities.Input shaping(IS),as a simple and effective feedforward method,is greatly demanded in DDVC methods.It convolves the desired input command with impulse sequence without requiring parametric dynamics and the closed-loop system structure,thereby suppressing the residual vibration separately.Based on a thorough investigation into the state-of-the-art DDVC methods,this survey has made the following efforts:1)Introducing the IS theory and typical input shapers;2)Categorizing recent progress of DDVC methods;3)Summarizing commonly adopted metrics for DDVC;and 4)Discussing the engineering applications and future trends of DDVC.By doing so,this study provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of existing DDVC methods from designing to optimizing perspectives,aiming at promoting future research regarding this emerging and vital issue.

The Inheritance and Application of Chinese Reverse Contrast Typeface Style

This paper discusses the inheritance and application of Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style.It begins by analyzing the visual features of Western reverse contrast typeface styles,with a focus on Caslon Italian and French Clarendon,providing a Western perspective reference for subsequent Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style designs.The paper then traces the origins of the Chinese reverse contrast style,from the calligraphy style"Lacquer Script"to the earliest printing type"フワンテール形",exploring the historical background and cultural significance of the Chinese reverse contrast style.In the methodology section of Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style design,the discussion is conducted from two dimensions:inheritance and application.In terms of inheritance,through an in-depth analysis of"Lacquer Script"and"フワンテール形"typeface style,the paper summarizes three basic theories for modern Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style design.In the application section,it examines in detail the two most influential recent typeface styles,"Ribaasu"and"Basic Artistic",outlining three directions of application:extreme horizontal stroke variations,exaggerated contrast,and diverse decorative strokes,showcasing new directions and possibilities for Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style design.This paper not only reviews the developmental history of the Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style but also analyzes the design methodology of Chinese character reverse contrast typeface style through specific case studies.

Design,preparation,application of advanced array structured materials and their action mechanism analyses for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur battery(LSB)has brought much attention and concern because of high theoretical specific capacity and energy density as one of main competitors for next-generation energy storage systems.The widely commercial application and development of LSB is mainly hindered by serious“shuttle effect”of lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),slow reaction kinetics,notorious lithium dendrites,etc.In various structures of LSB materials,array structured materials,possessing the composition of ordered micro units with the same or similar characteristics of each unit,present excellent application potential for various secondary cells due to some merits such as immobilization of active substances,high specific surface area,appropriate pore sizes,easy modification of functional material surface,accommodated huge volume change,enough facilitated transportation for electrons/lithium ions,and special functional groups strongly adsorbing Li PSs.Thus many novel array structured materials are applied to battery for tackling thorny problems mentioned above.In this review,recent progresses and developments on array structured materials applied in LSBs including preparation ways,collaborative structural designs based on array structures,and action mechanism analyses in improving electrochemical performance and safety are summarized.Meanwhile,we also have detailed discussion for array structured materials in LSBs and constructed the structure-function relationships between array structured materials and battery performances.Lastly,some directions and prospects about preparation ways,functional modifications,and practical applications of array structured materials in LSBs are generalized.We hope the review can attract more researchers'attention and bring more studying on array structured materials for other secondary batteries including LSB.

Application of the Modified nverse Design Method in the Optimization of the Runner Blade of a Mixed-Flow Pump

To improve the design speed and reduce the design cost for the previous blade design method, a modified inverse design method is presented. In the new method, after a series of physical and mathematical simplifications, a sail?like constrained area is proposed, which can be used to configure di erent runner blade shapes. Then, the new method is applied to redesign and optimize the runner blade of the scale core component of the 1400?MW canned nuclear coolant pump in an established multi?optimization system compromising the Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) analysis, the Response Surface Methodology(RSM) and the Non?dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm?II(NSGA?II). After the execution of the optimization procedure, three optimal samples were ultimately obtained. Then, through comparative analysis using the target runner blade, it was found that the maximum e ciency improvement reached 1.6%, while the head improvement was about 10%. Overall, a promising runner blade inverse design method which will benefit the hydraulic design of the mixed?flow pump has been proposed.

Simplified design method for shear-valve magnetorheological dampers

Based on the Bingham parallel-plate model, a simplified design method of shear-valve magnetorheological （MR） dampers is proposed considering the magnetic circuit optimization. Correspondingly, a new MR damper with a full-length effective damping path is proposed. The prototype dampers are also fabricated and studied numerically and experimentally. According to the test results, the Bingham parallel-plate model is further modified to obtain a damping force prediction model of the proposed MR dampers. This prediction model considers the magnetic saturation phenomenon. The study indicates that the proposed simplified design method is simple, effective and reliable. The maximum damping force of the proposed MR dampers with a full-length effective damping path is at least twice as large as those of conventional MR dampers. The dynamic range of damping force increases by at least 70%. The proposed damping force prediction model considers the magnetic saturation phenomenon and it can realize the actual characteristic of MR fluids. The model is able to predict the actual damping force of MR dampers precisely.

The Conceptual Design Method for a Pumping Unit Based on QFD and TRIZ

Quality function deployment （QFD） is a quality system, that can help to design novel products that meet customers＇ needs. Theory of inventive problem solving （TRIZ） is a very powerful tool in helping to solve difficult technical problems encountered in the design process. Introducing QFD and TRIZ into the conceptual design of the pumping unit combines advantages of these two theories, therefore meeting different demands of different users. It can tell us “What should we do it” with QFD and “How should we do it” with TRIZ. The conceptual design method, which is based on QFD and TRIZ, is introduced andused to analyze and evaluate the conceptual design project of a pumping unit.

Hydraulic Design Method of Wave Dissipating Structure with Partially Perforated Front Wall

Based on the matching conditions of different fluid regions, the eigenfunction expansion method is used to develop a theoretical formula for wave reflection in front of the perforated structure with a partially slit front wall. The accuracy of the solution is verified by comparing the numerical results with experimental data. In addition, a new hydraulic design method is developed by derivation of the theoretical formula with respect to the porosity of the slit wall, and the results of this design method is drafted for harbour engineers to use.

An alternative practical design method for structures with viscoelastic dampers

Viscoelastic dampers（VEDs） are one of the most common passive control devices used in new and retrofit building projects which reduce the structure responses and dissipate seismic energy during an earthquake.Various methods to design this kind of dampers have been proposed based on the desired level of additional damping,eigenvalue assignment,modal strain energy,linear quadratic regulator control theories,and other approaches.In the current engineering practice,the popular method is the one based on the modal strain energy that uses the inter-story lateral stiffness as one of the main variables for damper design.However,depending on the configuration of the structure,in some cases the resulting interstory lateral stiffness can be very large.Consequently,the dampers size would also be large producing much more damping than that effectively necessary,resulting in an increase of the overall cost of the supplemental damping system and causing excessive stress on the structural elements connected to the dampers.In this paper an alternative practical design method for structures with VEDs is proposed.This method uses the inter-story shear forces as one of the main variables to accomplish the damper design compared to what was done in previous studies.Nonlinear time-history analyses were conducted on a 7-story reinforced concrete（RC） structure to check the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed method.Comparisons on the seismic performance between the structure without dampers and that equipped with VEDs were carried out.It is concluded that the proposed method results in a very suitable size of dampers,which are able to improve the performance of the structure at all levels of earthquake ground motions and satisfying the drift requirement prescribed in the codes.

Design Theory and Method of Complex Products:A Review

Design is a high-level and complex thinking activity of human beings,using existing knowledge and technology to solve problems and create new things.With the rise and development of intelligent manufacturing,design has increasingly reflected its importance in the product life cycle.Firstly,the concept and connotation of complex product design is expounded systematically,and the different types of design are discussed.The four schools of design theory are introduced,including universal design,axiomatic design,TRIZ and general design.Then the research status of complex product design is analyzed,such as innovative design,digital design,modular design,reliability optimization design,etc.Finally,three key scientific issues worthy of research in the future are indicated,and five research trends of“newer,better,smarter,faster,and greener”are summarized,aiming to provide references for the equipment design and manufacturing industry.

Design methods of rhombic tensegrity structures

As a special type of novel flexible structures, tensegrity holds promise for many potential applications in such fields as materials science, biomechanics, civil and aerospace engineering. Rhombic systems are an important class of tensegrity structures, in which each bar constitutes the longest diagonal of a rhombus of four strings. In this paper, we address the design methods of rhombic structures based on the idea that many tensegrity structures can be constructed by assembling one-bar elementary cells. By analyzing the properties of rhombic cells, we first develop two novel schemes, namely, direct enumeration scheme and cell-substitution scheme. In addition, a facile and efficient method is presented to integrate several rhombic systems into a larger tensegrity structure. To illustrate the applications of these methods, some novel rhombic tensegrity structures are constructed.

Analysis of the method on industrial design guided by individual spontaneous behavior

There is a close relationship between individual spontaneous behavior and Industrial design. As individual spontaneous behavior can sent especial meaning for industrial design, there is a great necessity for creating design guided by this behavior. The design method carries out in four steps, first step is to focus on the analysis of individual action phase, pay attention to the explora- tion of the relationship between actions and tool ,and then list the importance order in the action phase, the third step is to take out the in-depth anatomical analysis of the stage, analyze the reason of the operational difficulty .and at last carries out the design concept to resolve the problem. All in all, this method revolves around the main stage of spontaneous behavior, and analyzes it in interim and solves the problem in stage.

Design method and vibration testing of a reconfigurable multi-process combined turn-milling machine tool

To provide a good machining method in remanufacturing for the repaired parts with various forms, the design method of reconfigurable multi-process combined machining system and its implementation technology for remanufacturing are systematically proposed. The key technologies include reconfigurable structure design method of multi-process combined machining, man-machine coordination parameter programming and control system technology with self-maintenance function. A turn-milling machine tool based on this design method is developed. Natural frequency and corresponding vibration modes of the machine tool were analyzed by using both FEA and vibration test. Stiffness tests and machining experiments show that the rapid machining of most processes for the repaired work pieces can be successfully realized.

Design method for transistor-inverted welding power supplies

From the viewpoint of reliability and practicability, a general design method and the related considerationsfor transistor- inverted welding power supplies are proposed in this paper. The detail contents are composed of the choice ofinverters, the choice and protection of transistors, the determination of inverting frequency, the design of transformers,and the choice of output rectifiers and rectifying diodes. Besides, a concrete design example of the transistor-invertedpower supply for plasma arc cutting is introduced.

Box-Behnken response surface method combined with fingerprint to optimize the extraction process of total anthraquinone from Cassia seeds

Objective:The Box-Behnken response surface method combined with fingerprints was used to optimize the extraction process of total anthraquinone from Cassia seeds.Methods:A three-factor,three-level response surface test was conducted based on the single-factor test with comprehensive evaluation as the measurement index.The comprehensive evaluation indexes included the extraction rate of total anthraquinone of Cassia seeds or the equivalent amount of herbs per gram of total anthraquinone of Cassia seeds,the normalized value of peak areas of 5 index components such as aurantio obtusin in the fingerprint of each sample to 16 shared peaks and the similarity of fingerprints(the reference fingerprint was established by the extraction solvent for the determination of Cassia seeds content in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 edition)with the weights of 0.2,0.5 and 0.3,respectively.Results:The best extraction process was obtained:the liquid-to-material ratio was 20:1(mL·g-1),the extraction solvent was mixture of 60%ethanol-ethyl acetate(2:1),and the extraction time was 15.12 min.The results of five sets of validation experiments showed that the overall evaluation of total anthraquinone of cassia seeds by the best process was 0.528(RSD=0.45%),and the prediction result of response surface method model was 0.531,and the relative error with the prediction result was 0.531.The relative error of the predicted results was 0.56%,and the best extraction process was consistent with the model prediction,and the obtained best process could be used for the extraction of total anthraquinone from Cassia seeds.Conclusion:The Box-Behnken response surface method combined with the fingerprint technique can be used to find the best reaction conditions and examine the interactions among the factors in a comprehensive and accurate manner,which can provide reference for the optimization and evaluation of the extraction process of Chinese medicine.