An Empirical Model of the Process of Synthesis of Multiple State Mechanical Devices

Automated synthesis of mechanical designs is an important step towards the development of an intelligent CAD system. Research into methods for supporting conceptual design using automated synthesis has attracted much attention in the past decades. The research work presented here is based on the processes of synthesizing multiple state mechanical devices carried out individually by ten engineering designers. The designers are asked to think aloud, while carrying out the synthesis. The ten design synthesis processes are video recorded, and the records are transcribed and coded for identifying activities occurring in the synthesis processes, as well as for identifying the inputs to and outputs from the activities. A mathematical representation for specifying multi-state design task is proposed. Further, a descriptive model capturing all the ten synthesis processes is developed and presented in this paper. This will be used to identify the outstanding issues to be resolved before a system for supporting design synthesis of multiple state mechanical devices that is capable of creating a comprehensive variety of solution alternatives could be developed.

Analysing modifica-tions in the synthesis of multiple state mechanical devices using configuration space and topology graphs

Automated synthesis of mechanical designs is an important step towards the development of an intelligent CAD system. Research into methods for supporting conceptual design using automated synthesis has attracted much attention in the past decades. In our research, ten experimental studies are conducted to find out how designers synthesize solution concepts for multi-state mechanical devices. The designers are asked to think aloud, while carrying out the synthesis. These design synthesis processes are video recorded. It has been found that modification of kinematic pairs and mechanisms is the major activity carried out by all the designers. This paper presents an analysis of these synthesis processes using configuration space and topology graph to identify and classify the types of modifications that take place. Understanding of these modification processes and the context in which they happened is crucial to develop a system for supporting design synthesis of multiple state mechanical devices that is capable of creating a comprehensive variety of solution alternatives.

Testing equipment for the improvement of mechanical devices to minimize damage to fruit in commercial packing lines.

Damages -reduced in fruit packing lines is a major cause of grace reduction and quality loos in fresh marks: fruit. Fruit must be treated gently during in sir handling to improve their qualityin order to get a good price in a competitive market. The correct post-hardvest handling in fruit packing lines is a prerequisite to cut down the heavy post-harvest losses. Fruit packing lines must be evaluated, studying their design, the impacts applied to the fruits, the characteristics of the materials, etc. This study establishes the possibility of carrying out modifications and tests in a packing line during a long period of time. For this purpose, an experimental fruit packing line has been designed and located in the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Polythecnic University of Madrid with the aim of improving mechanical devices and fruit handling conditions to minimize damage to fruit. The experimental line consists of several transporting belts, one rollers transporter, one sizer, one elevator, one singularizer, and three trays to receive the calibrated fruit. The line has a length of 6.15 m and a width cf 1.9 m. Movement of the different components is regulated by electric motors with variable velocity electronically controlled. The height of the transfer points is variable and can be easily modified. The experimental line has been calibrated using two instrumented spheres IS 100 (8.8 cm Ø and6.2cm Ø). Average acceleration values obtained in all the transfers of the experimental line lay under 80 g's, although there is big variation for some of them being some values above 100 g's.

New public library's novel mechanical devices.

Newspaper clipping.

A practical treatise on the combustion of coal : including description of various mechanical devices for the economic generation of heat by the combustion of fuel, whether solid, liquid or gaseous /

"Authors and books consulted or quoted from": p. [v]-vi.

A candle clock, recto, folio from Kitab fi ma`arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (The book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari

1 ft. 1/8 in.x 8 5/8 in.; ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

A musical toy in the form of a boat folio from Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (the book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari

11 57/64 in.x 8 35/64 in.; ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Automata by al-Jazari, The face of a water clock with Zodiac signs, folio from the Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (the book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari

1 ft. 13/32 in.x 8 5/8 in.; ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Two drinking men, folio from the Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (the book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari

1 ft. 11/64 in.x 8 1/32 in.; ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

The basin of the two scribes, folio from the Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (the book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari

1 ft. 1/8 in.x 7 3/4 in.; ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

verso: text and illustration: The water clock of the drummers from Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (The book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari)

ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper