ENGINEERING NEWS IN BRIEF

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                  ENGINEERING NEWS IN BRIEF
                        E-Mail Newsletter

                               No.45
             Issued by the Asian TOP Panel, September 2005

           The Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society (CMES)
           The Institution of Engineers, Indonesia (PII)
           The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME)
           The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (KSME)

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    According to the agreement made in the 2nd Asian TOP Panel Meeting,
the ENGINEERING NEWS IN BRIEF (E-mail newsletter) has now been edited
by the KSME for the year 2005.

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[Contents]

(1) Development and Applications of Air- actuator Based on PZT (Source: CMES)
(2) Research on Elongation Distribution Model of Two stand Skin Miller (Source: CMES)
(3) Study on Inventory Design of Basic Supply Chain (Source: CMES)
(4) Real-time Flow Visualization System Supporting R&D in CFD (Source: JSME)
(5) Auto-Tracking Antenna System for Satellite Broadband Communication on Vessels (Source: JSME)

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(1) Development and Applications of Air- actuator Based on PZT (Source: CMES)

Wang Jiachun Yanshan University
Li Dan Harbin Institute of Technology

The paper written by Prof. Wang Jiachun and Li Dan presented a new style non contact air actuator, which worked by changing control forces using PZT to change air film clearance and alter pressure. On the basis of analysis about main parts of the air actuator, the characteristics of the air ? actuator were studied. Further more, single freedom hybrid vibration isolation system based on the air actuator was given. Finally, a practical application shows the feasibility and effectiveness of the air actuator.

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(2) Research on Elongation Distribution Model of Two ? stand Skin Miller (Source: CMES)

Bai Zhenhua Yanshan University
Jiang Yuefeng Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd.,

Against the practical characteristics of two stand skin miller and on the premise of assurance of finished product mechanical property, a set of elongation distribution model about two stand skin miller was established on the criterion that exit shape of the strip was best under the ground state bend ? roll forces. At the same time, the setting method of corresponding tension and rolling pressure was provided and applied to production practice. It greatly increases the shape precision of planished products, creates better economic returns for the factory and has a rather large promotion and application values.

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(3) Study on Inventory Design of Basic Supply Chain (Source: CMES)

Tian Qing Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University
Zheng Li Tsinghua University

In their paper Prof. Tian Qing and Zheng Li analyzed the technique of inventory design model in transformation way and disposal object function and expense nonlinearity. For design inventory of supply Chain, the mix 2 - stage of basic supply chain structural model and the decision making problems of inventory and the 0-1 mix integer programming model were described. The method and process based on transportation programming were also put forward. Because of inventory construct cost 0-1 variable problem in object function was resolved, and because of scale economy the logistics cost nonlinearity problem was considered, the mix 2 ? stage decision making problems of inventory existing transfer and highway simultaneity were resolved. The demonstration research also indicated that the method is convenient and practicable and effective.

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(4) Real-time Flow Visualization System Supporting R&D in CFD (Source: JSME)

Masataka TANABE: Institute of Fluid Physics, Ltd.

In the present situation where CFD is indispensable for various engineering fields, an easy system of computer-aided flow visualization (CFV) is strongly desired.
Conventional systems of CFV, however, seem to be difficult to use.For example, when creating animated movie and information for WEB, we need some complicated operations for CFV.
Here, we introduce FLScope as a computer-aided flow visualization system (CFVS) and promise that this system will become a quite useful tool in various situations.

The features of FLScope can be highlighted as follows:
(1) it runs on Windows 2000/NT/ and XP on a PC or networked a PC,
(2) it can run or stop independently while CFD flow solver continues to run,
(3) without stopping flow solver, it can create an animated movie of the time dependent solution of the flow that has already been computed through CFD flow solver by that time,
(4) any point of view can be chosen in order to visualize the three dimensional flow structure with e.g., streaklines, contours, vectors, or volume rendering,
(5) it automatically creates WEB files such as BMP and AVI .

With using these features highlighted here, engineers pursuing R&D can check the computed results of CFD solver and examine the flow structure whenever they need to do so, as if they execute wind tunnel experiment.
This means that FLScope plays a role of not only postprocessor but also real-time processor in CFD. Furthermore, by means of the item (5), CFD engineer can show very quickly his/her R&D results to worldwide people, and can be accessed by the people through WEB information on his home page. Thus, FLScope will become a useful CFVS, which discloses many sophisticated flow structures as if it were a kaleidoscope, and broadcast various information about the fluid dynamics.

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(5) Auto-Tracking Antenna System for Satellite Broadband Communication on Vessels (Source : JSME)

Tomihiko YOSHIDA: NTT Network Innovation Laboratories, NTT Corporation.
Kohei OHATA:NTT Network Innovation Laboratories, NTT Corporation.

In order to provide communication services on vessels, a satellite communication system is only way in many cases. Because the frequency bandwidth allocated to mobile satellite services is insufficient, use of the frequency band for fixed satellite services is considered.
In this case, an antenna must have the same pointing accuracy as fixed earth stations, so an auto-tracking antenna system, which has high pointing accuracy of 0.2 degrees under the moving vessels, is required in Radio Regulations. We have been developing the cost-effective auto-tracking antenna system that conforms Radio Regulations. The antenna system consists of a 2-axis leveling platform that compensates for vessel's motion, a 2-axis antenna driving mechanism that tracks the communication satellite, and an antenna reflector that has a single horn. The sensors for the leveling platform are used in the combination of moderate accuracy gyros and innovative acceleration disturbance compensated inclinometers. The driving mechanism's sensor is the single horn that outputs the received signal level. Using the above system configuration and sensors, we realized the highly accurate and cost-effective auto-tracking antenna system.

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Editor : Professor Mansoo Choi of Seoul National University,
           Director of General Affairs, KSME
           ksme@ksme.or.kr