Search results for "Design"

VirDe: A new virtual reality design approach

2008

Virtual reality (VR), even if it does not represent any more a novel technology, is one of the most powerful tool to help designers during the development of new projects. This is proved by very numerous research activities related to this field. In this research, we have studied a new way to approach the development of a product. We present the ongoing development of a system, called VirDe, acronym of virtual design, which can allow the designers to perform the whole design process, from the modelling phase to the finite element method (FEM) simulation analysis, in a virtual reality environment. This new method allows remarkable time and money saving in the overall product design process, …

A Numerical Approach to the Keel Design of a Sailing Yacht

2008

This paper describes an approach to the keel design of a sailing yacht. The related software, which is fully automatic, permits to obtain an optimal shape by modifying the surface used to define the keel planform. B-spline curves and surfaces have been used because of their ability in following complex shapes. The algorithm integrates ad hoc implemented original software with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) commercial ones. The optimisation procedure makes use of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) and a gradient – based optimiser for the refinement of the solution. A careful CAD and CFD modelling leads to a stable and efficient generalised method, which has been applied to the design of the centre…

Using FEM simulation to predict structural performances of a sailing dinghy

2017

The use of finite element method (FEM) tools is proposed to investigate the structural response of an eco-sustainable sailing yacht to different loading conditions, typical of those acting during regattas. The boat is, in particular, a 4.60 m dinghy with the hull and the deck made of an hybrid flax–cork sandwich and internal reinforcements made of marine plywood. A preliminary activity has consisted in the refitting of an existing model in order to reduce the hull weight and to improve performances during manoeuvrings. These tasks have been interactively simulated in the virtual environment of the boat CAD model, where longitudinal and transversal reinforcements were enlightened and the m…

Testing of cooperative tasks for Unmanned Aerial and ground platforms

2014

In the last years the Model Based Design for Unmanned Systems aided the safe and rational release of applications running on unmanned systems. In particular in this paper we focus on a hybrid methodology that merges Software in the Loop (SIL) and Model in the Loop (MIL) strategies for cooperative tasks performed by aerial and ground autonomous vehicles. The proposed work flow covers the design and testing of Ground Control Station (GCS) modelled by a finite state machine, the design and testing of navigation code running on UAV and UGV and the testing of cooperative missions. The work-flow is based on a realistic 3D physical simulator interfaced with Matlab-Simulink-Stafeflow. The proposed …

Modular fault diagnosis based on discrete event systems for a mixer chemical process

2003

The knowledge of failure type and their location is an indispensable requirement for the establishment of tasks of adequate recovery strategies and maintenance of both factory automation and process control systems. The failure diagnosis methodology presented in the paper is based on discrete event systems models and on the diagnosers concept, those which permit the analysis off-line and online of diagnosability of failures that can occur in the processes. We present an approach for models and associated diagnosers based on a modular decomposition of the global system, with the purpose of avoiding the problems of the exponential explosion of the number of states and of the computational com…

Frictional effects in structural behavior of no-end-connected steel-jacketed RC columns: Experimental results and new approaches to model numerical a…

2017

Steel jacketing of reinforced concrete (RC) columns is a common retrofitting technique used to restore bearing and deformation capacity of buildings presenting structural deficiencies. For practical reasons, steel angles are in several cases arranged leaving a gap with the end beams or slabs. Despite this disconnection, the angles are still able to support a non-negligible portion of load because of the frictional forces developed along the column-angle contact interface. In these cases, the definition of computational numerical and analytical models for the assessment of reinforced cross sections becomes more complex and must be handled with care. The actual load-carrying capacity of the a…

An implant-supported overdenture design with a horizontal path of insertion

2013

The rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla by means of implant-supported prostheses cannot always be achieved with fixed prostheses because of anatomic, esthetic, or economic issues, so for some patients the treatment of choice is a removable prosthesis. This article analyzes a new design for implant-supported overdentures with horizontal or faciolingual insertion. Its retention system is based on frictional forces or stepped interlocking horizontal surfaces and is appropriate for patients with skeletal Class II or III relationships with severe maxillary atrophies. The design facilitates implant-prosthetic hygiene and improved esthetics in patients with nonparallel implants by hiding abutme…

Electromagnetic optimization of passive RFID sensor nodes

2012

RFID passive tags are nowadays starting to be considered more than labeling devices: by properly analyzing the two-ways communication link it is possible to get information about the state of a tagged object, without any specific embedded sensor or local power supply. Despite of the generality and the straightforwardness of the approach, the design of such a class of devices requires specific strategies to make the radio-sensors able to properly track the evolution of the phenomena under observation, jointly optimizing communication and sensing requirements. In this paper the optimization problem is formalized by means of convenient matching charts and evaluated in realistic experimental ex…

Hierarchical control with virtual resistance optimization for efficiency enhancement and State-of-Charge balancing in DC microgrids

2015

This paper proposes a hierarchical control scheme which applies optimization method into DC microgrids in order to improve the system overall efficiency while considering the State-of-Charge (SoC) balancing at the same time. Primary droop controller, secondary voltage restoration controller and tertiary optimization tool formulate the complete hierarchical control system. Virtual resistances are taken as the decision variables for achieving the objective. simulation results are presented to verify the proposed approach.

2019

This article analyses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a nation-wide project to create a common digital solution for university teaching staff’s pedagogical training in Finland. During three years, eight universities collaborated in developing an online learning platform called UNIPS, the University Pedagogical Support system. The areas to develop were A) a learning platform based on technical design principles, B) pedagogical principles, and C) broadening the scope of offered studies. The results have been promising. With a carefully planned timetable, all participating universities were able to produce, test, and offer UNIPS modules in collaboration with other universities …