MODIFIED GENETIC ALGORITHM APPLIED TO SOLVE PRODUCT FAMILY OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM

The product family design problem solved by evolutionary algorithms is discussed. A successful product family design method should achieve an optimal tradeoff among a set of competing objectives, which involves maximizing commonality across the family of products and optimizing the performances of each product in the family. A 2-level chromosome structured genetic algorithm （2LCGA） is proposed to solve this class of problems and its performance is analyzed in comparing its results with those obtained with other methods. By interpreting the chromosome as a 2-level linear structure, the variable commonality genetic algorithm （GA） is constructed to vary the amount of platform commonality and automatically searches across varying levels of commonality for the platform while trying to resolve the tradeoff between commonality and individual product performance within the product family during optimization process. By incorporating a commonality assessing index to the problem formulation, the 2LCGA optimize the product platform and its corresponding family of products in a single stage, which can yield improvements in the overall performance of the product family compared with two-stage approaches （the first stage involves determining the best settings for the platform variables and values of unique variables are found for each product in the second stage）. The scope of the algorithm is also expanded by introducing a classification mechanism to allow mul- tiple platforms to be considered during product family optimization, offering opportunities for superior overall design by more efficacious tradeoffs between commonality and performance. The effectiveness of 2LCGA is demonstrated through the design of a family of universal electric motors and comparison against previous results.

Dynamic Finite Element Analysis for Interaction between Two Phase Saturated Soil Foundation and Platform

In this paper, the foundation soil of offshore structure is simulated as a two phase saturated porous medium. The dynamic equations of porous medium and finite element formulation are given. For structural analysis, the technique of multilevel substructure is used, and the saturated soil analysis is set in the highest level substructure model. Based on these theories a dynamic finite element analysis program DIASS for the analysis of interaction between two phase ocean soil foundation and platform structures has been developed. A numerical example is given here to illustrate the influence of the pore water in soil on the structural response of an ocean platform.

Dynamic Response of Fluid-Single Leg Gravity Platform-Soil Interaction System

An approximate method is presented to investigate the earthquake response of the fluid-single leg (shortened for S. L.) gravity platform-soil interaction system. By assuming a suitable form of the velocity potential of the radiation waves and by using the motion equation and the boundary conditions, the unknown coefficients can be obtained. Thereafter the function of frequency for the interaction system may also be obtained. In this paper, the difference of the system dynamic response between rigid foundation is analyzed and the influences of the various foundation geometric dimension and the various water-depth on the hydrodynamic loading and dynamic response of the system is illustrated.

Local Joint Flexibility Multibrace Tubular Joints

The local joint flexibility matrix of multibrace tubular joints (uniplanar and multiplanar joints) is defined. The formulation for computing the elements of local flexibility factor matrix of multibrace tubular joints by semi-analytic method is presented in this paper. The stiffening effect of unloaded braces and cross-flexibility between braces are discussed. Using the local flexibility of unibrace joints instead of that of multibrace joints in conventional structural analysis will lead the result to an unsafe side.

Product Family Design Methodology Using Object-Oriented Approach

The serious competition environment of global marke t requests the enterprise to change traditional product development strategy and a dopt new theory in order to meet diverse customer needs while maintaining near m ass production efficiency, which is the main philosophy of mass customization. P roduct family design is research focus at present and also is the core technolog y of DFMC (design for mass customization). Firstly, this paper explores the fund amental issues of product family, such as concepts of modularity, commonality/di versity, product platform and product family architecture etc. We compare the te rminology between product family and object-oriented approach in the next step. Thirdly, this paper puts forwards one product family design methodology based o n product platform and under different phase of product life cycle constrains, f or example, functional, assembly and service etc. At the end section of this pap er, we applied, the object-oriented approach in above mentioned product family design methodology to realize the design process. In one word, this paper propos ed one product family design methodology based on object oriented approach and p roduct life cycle consideration, especially the conjointness of characteristic o f OOA and concepts of product family. The main property of OOA are encapsulation , inherence and polymorphism. Encapsulation can represent the module or building blocks of product family. Inherence can be extended to describe the modularity and commonality, and also be used to construct variant space. Alternative specif ic of product family architecture can be embodied with polymorphism. And fin aly, we give the future work contents. In order to derive the product platform a nd achieve modularity and commonality/diversity, interface management between bu ilding block is necessary. The question is how the OOA can be applied in interfa ce management to get our aim OOA is the basis of many information management sy stem, then the question is how to build one system to manage the information of product family and support mass customization The third question is how to deve lop one computer aided tool to facilitate the application of OOA for product fam ily design, even be used to category of design for mass customization.

Fatigue Test of Homemade Z Direction Steel Welded T Tubular Joints

This paper introduces the process and result of fatigue test of steel (Z direction steel) welded T tubular joints used in offshore engineering. Detailed measurement of stress concentration factor, stress distribution, fatigue life and crack development has been performed. Through analysis, an empirical formula of stress concentration factor for T tubular joints, fatigue S-N curve and crack propagation rule are obtained.

Seawater Corrosion Fatigue of Welded Joints Under Random Variable Amplitude Loading

Offshore platforms are always subjected to wave action which is random variable amplitude cyclic loading. In order to simulate the stressing condition at the 'hot spot' of the tubular joints and the marine environment, random variable amplitude fatigue tests have been carried out on welded plate joints in sea water. The tests have been conducted under the conditions of loading frequency of 0.2 Hz/, stress ratio of -1, seawater temperature of about 20°C and cathodic protection with the potential about -850 mV, SCE. The test results have been compared with the seawater corrosion fatigue life under constant amplitude loading. Miner's linear cumulative damage summation rule has been used to predict the corrosion fatigue life under variable amplitude loading. The predicted life is in good agreement with the test data.

Programmable polyketide biosynthesis platform for production of aromatic compounds in yeast

To accelerate the shift to bio-based production and overcome complicated functional implementation of natural and artificial biosynthetic pathways to industry relevant organisms,development of new,versatile,bio-based production platforms is required.Here we present a novel yeast-based platform for biosynthesis of bacterial aromatic polyketides.The platform is based on a synthetic polyketide synthase system enabling a first demonstration of bacterial aromatic polyketide biosynthesis in a eukaryotic host.

Product platform architecture for cloud manufacturing

Cloud manufacturing is emerging as a new manufacturing paradigm and an integrated technology.To adapt to the increasing challenges of the traditional manufacturing industry transforming toward service-oriented and innovative manufacturing,this paper proposes a product platform architecture based on cloud manufacturing.Firstly,a framework for the product platform for cloud manufacturing was built.The proposed architecture is composed of five layers:resource,cloud technology,cloud service,application,and user layers.Then,several key enabling technologies for forming the product platform were studied.Finally,the product platform for cloud manufacturing built by a company was taken as an application example to illustrate the architecture and functions of the system.The validity and superiority of the architecture were verified.

Intelligent modular design with holonic fuzzy agents

Presently,modular designs use various technologies accompanied by multiple models.Although no integral solution is known,a plethora of approaches is used to resolve this trans disciplinary challenge,often by using local intelligence.However,the effective utilization of multiple models requires proper integration for them to work together as a cohesive system.This requirement calls for the development of intelligent models and tools that can be used for the development of intelligent modular products.Modular design based on these intelligent models and tools is called intelligent modular design.Intelligent modular design requires to be considered both dynamically and holistically by combining customer requirements,product functions,solutions,service specifications,and their fuzziness in order to structure a product into intelligent modules.This paper proposes the use of holonic fuzzy agents to fulfill both the properties of intelligent models and the requirements of intelligent modular design.The set of fuzzy function agents and their corresponding fuzzy solution agents are found from customization of the product-service system in the fuzzy function agent-fuzzy solution agent sub-network.On the basis of attractor agent recognition,the fuzzy function and fuzzy solution agents interact to form the holonic fuzzy module agents.Selfembedding of holonic fuzzy module agents,which is the fundamental property of the holonic structure,is also characterized by vertical and horizontal communication.The flexibility and agility of the software agent make the holonic structure of intelligent modules adaptable.An application illustrates the proposed intelligent modular design.

High efficiency positive and negative phase zone plates

We design a new kind of phase zone plates（PZPs） to improve the diffraction efficiency of soft x ray zone plates（ZPs）. The design replaces blank parts of PZPs with metals of negative phase shift at the working energy, which is called as the positive and negative PZPs（PNPZPs）. According to the calculation, PNPZPs have a higher maximum efficiency than conventional ZPs with the same zone width. With the help of a negative phase coefficient, it is much easier to achieve a π phase shift in one period, resulting in a smaller zone height. This design can help fabricate finer PZPs to achieve a better image resolution.