The Development of Generic Adaptive Search Tools for Engineering Design

Author(s):  
I. C. Parmee ◽  
M. J. Denham
Author(s):  
Rajkumar Roy ◽  
Ian C. Parmee ◽  
Graham Purchase

Abstract The paper describes a Qualitative Evaluation System developed using a fuzzy expert system. The evaluation system gives a qualitative rating to design solutions by considering manufacturability aspects, choice of materials and some special preferences. The information is used in decision support for engineering design. The system is an integrated part of a decision support tool for engineering design called the ‘Adaptive Search Manager’ (ASM). ASM uses an adaptive search technique to identify multiple design solutions for a 12 dimensional Turbine Blade Cooling System design problem. Thus the task has been to develop a fuzzy expert system that can qualitatively evaluate any design solution from a design space using a realistically small number of fuzzy rules. The developed system utilises a knowledge separation and then a knowledge integration technique. The design knowledge is first separated into three categories: inter variable knowledge, intra variable knowledge and heuristics. Inter variable knowledge and intra variable knowledge are integrated using a concept of “compromise”. The qualitative evaluation system can evaluate any design solution within the 12 dimensional design space, but uses only 44 fuzzy rules and one function that implements the inter variable knowledge.


Author(s):  
Michael T. Postek

The term ultimate resolution or resolving power is the very best performance that can be obtained from a scanning electron microscope (SEM) given the optimum instrumental conditions and sample. However, as it relates to SEM users, the conventional definitions of this figure are ambiguous. The numbers quoted for the resolution of an instrument are not only theoretically derived, but are also verified through the direct measurement of images on micrographs. However, the samples commonly used for this purpose are specifically optimized for the measurement of instrument resolution and are most often not typical of the sample used in practical applications.SEM RESOLUTION. Some instruments resolve better than others either due to engineering design or other reasons. There is no definitively accurate definition of how to quantify instrument resolution and its measurement in the SEM.


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