Engineering Commons^™

Suppliers Evaluation And Selection: A Comprehensive Model To Minimize The Risk Associated With Quality And Delivery, Ammar Mohamed Aamer

Doctoral Dissertations

This research focuses on one of the main steps in outsourcing, supplier
evaluation and selection. The main contributions of this research were twofold.
First, best practices in the supplier’s value stream were identified that directly or
indirectly impact a supplier’s quality and delivery. Second, a comprehensive
supplier evaluation and selection model was developed based on the value
stream concept to minimize the risk associated with two very critical supplierselection factors, quality and on-time delivery.

A survey was conducted to identify best practices. The outcome of the survey
was used to develop a computer based supplier evaluation model, which could
be …

The Procedural Due Process Requirements For No-Fly Lists, Soumya Panda

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] “Imagine arriving at the airport and checking in at the ticketing booth. You tell the ticketing agent your name, your flight number, and show the agent your identification. The agent enters the information into the terminal and a look of shock appears on his or her face. While other passengers are waiting behind you, the agent calls for security and mentions in front of other passengers that you are denied from boarding the plane. Now imagine that you are a famous United States senator arriving from a political convention and the ticketing agent tells you that you cannot board …

Acuta Enews December 2005, Vol. 34, No. 12

ACUTA Newsletters

In This lssue

From the President............................... Patricia H. Todus, Northwestern University

Two Audio Seminars

Institutional Excellence Award Deadline

Tech Talk: Adjusting the Carburetor on Your Network Engine................. Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR

FYI: Useful lnformation from the Campus........................ Student Monitor

Web Tip: Resource for Legislative/Regulatory lnfo................ Aaron Fuehrer, ACUTA lnformation Tech. Mgr.

Member Sites to See

lnfo Links............................ Randy Hayes, Univ. of Northern lowa

Board Report.................... Riny Ledgerwood, San Diego State Univ., ACUTA Sec./Treasurer

Thanks to Exhibitors for 2005

DC Update............................ Whitney Johnson, Retired, No. Michigan Univ.

Welcome New Members

ACUTA Online Press Room

Remembering Sue Fisher

Inventions On Selecting Gui Elements, Umakant Mishra

Umakant Mishra

Selecting an object or element is a fundamental operation in any graphic user interface. It is necessary to select an object before doing any operation (such as, dragging, copying, opening, deleting etc.) on that object. The GUI may provide features to select any single object or even multiple objects. The feature of selecting multiple objects can provides tremendous power to the GUI as the user can do complex operations on multiple objects in one go. However, the process of selection is not as simple as it appears to the user of a GUI. The internal logic of a selection mechanism …

Inventions On Displaying And Resizing Windows, Umakant Mishra

Umakant Mishra

Windows are used quite frequently in a GUI environment. The greatest advantage of using windows is that each window creates a virtual screen space. Hence, although the physical screen space is limited to a few inches, use of windows can create unlimited screen space to display innumerable items. The use of windows facilitates the user to open and interact with multiple programs or documents simultaneously in different windows. Sometimes a single program may also open multiple windows to display various items. The user can resize the windows and move their location time to time as desired. However, there are several …

Characterisation Of Porous Materials Viscoelastic Properties Involving The Vibroacoustical Behaviour Of Coated Panels, Olivier Doutres, Nicolas Dauchez

Olivier Doutres Ph.D.

Porous materials are widely used as passive acoustic absorbers. For optimal design, it is often necessary to know the viscoelastic properties of these materials in the frequency range relevant to their application. The viscoelastic properties are obtained by fitting an analytical model to acoustical radiation experimental measurements carried out on a circular coated plate clamped in a rigid baffle. Compared with quasistatic method, the viscoelastic properties are here achieved at high frequency corresponding to the first resonance in the thickness of the porous layer and coupling between porous materials and external fluid is taken into account. The analytical model, developped …

Generalized Neuron Based Pss And Adaptive Pss, D. K. Chaturvedi, O. P. Malik

D. K. Chaturvedi Dr.

Artificial neural networks can be used as intelligent controllers to control non-linear, dynamic systems through learning, which can easily accommodate the non-linearities and time dependencies. However, they require large training time and large number of neurons to deal with complex problems. Taking benefit of the characteristics of a Generalized Neuron that requires much smaller training data and shorter training time, a Generalized Neuron-Based Power System Stabilizer (GNPSS) and an adaptive version of the same have been developed. The objective of this paper is to compare the performance of the GNPSS with that of an adaptive version, the weights of which …

Quantitative Elucidation Of A Distinct Spatial Gradient-Sensing Mechanism In Fibroblasts, Ian C. Schneider, Jason M. Haugh

Ian C. Schneider

Migration of eukaryotic cells toward a chemoattractant often relies on their ability to distinguish receptor-mediated signaling at different subcellular locations, a phenomenon known as spatial sensing. A prominent example that is seen during wound healing is fibroblast migration in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) gradients. As in the well-characterized chemotactic cells Dictyostelium discoideum and neutrophils, signaling to the cytoskeleton via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway in fibroblasts is spatially polarized by a PDGF gradient; however, the sensitivity of this process and how it is regulated are unknown. Through a quantitative analysis of mathematical models and live cell total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy …

54th Spsj Annual Meeting Yokohama, Japan, May 25-27, 2005, Jane C. Vogl, Hiroyuki Ohno

Otto Vogl

No abstract provided.

Monte-Carlo-Type Techniques For Processing Interval Uncertainty, And Their Potential Engineering Applications, Vladik Kreinovich, J. Beck, Carlos M. Ferregut, A. Sanchez, George R. Keller, Matthew G. Averill, Scott A. Starks

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In engineering applications, we need to make decisions under uncertainty. Traditionally, in engineering, statistical methods are used, methods assuming that we know the probability distribution of different uncertain parameters. Usually, we can safely linearize the dependence of the desired quantities y (e.g., stress at different structural points) on the uncertain parameters xi - thus enabling sensitivity analysis. Often, the number n of uncertain parameters is huge, so sensitivity analysis leads to a lot of computation time. To speed up the processing, we propose to use special Monte-Carlo-type simulations.

Loss Aware Rate Allocations In H.263 Coded Video Transmissions, Xiao Su, Benjamin Wah

Faculty Publications

For packet video, information loss and bandwidth limitation are two factors that affect video playback quality. Traditional rate allocation approaches have focused on optimizing video quality under bandwidth constraint alone. However, in the best-effort Internet, packets carrying video data are susceptible to losses, which need to be reconstructed at the receiver side. In this paper, we propose loss aware rate allocations in both group-of-block (GOB) level and macroblock level, given that certain packets are lost during transmissions and reconstructed using simple interpolation methods at the receiver side. Experimental results show that our proposed algorithms can produce videos of higher quality …

Guidelines For Traffic Counts On Local Roads And Streets, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

The purpose of this document is to provide a series of guidelines to assist in the creation of a system that will enable the collection of complete and accurate traffic data.

Included within these guidelines is a list of all appropriate counting devices. There have been several listed so that a wide range of needs and budgets could be satisfied. Also included is a guide for planning a traffic count program and data collection session. Once the data is collected, it then becomes necessary to evaluate and analyze the data so that accurate traffic volume predictions can be made. This …

Manufacturing System And Supply Chain Analyses Related To Product Complexity And Sequenced Parts Delivery, Hui Sun

Doctoral Dissertations

Mixed model assembly has been widely used in many industries. It is applied in order to effectively deal with increasing product complexity. Sequencing and resequencing on a mixed-model assembly line is also complicated by high product complexity. To improve the performance of a mixed-model assembly system and the supply chain, one can develop efficient sequencing rules to address sequencing problems, and manage product complexity to reduce its negative impact on the production system. This research addresses aspects of sequence alteration and restoration on a mixed-model assembly line for the purpose of improving the performance of a manufacturing system and its …

A Methodology For Solving The Equations Arising In Nonlinear Parameter Identification Problems: Application To Induction Machines, Kaiyu Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a method that can be used to identify the parameters of a class of systems whose regressor models are nonlinear in the parameters. The technique is based on classical elimination theory, and it guarantees that the solution for the parameters which minimize a least-squares criterion can be found in a finite number of steps. The proposed methodology begins with an input-output linear overparameterized model whose parameters are rationally related. After making appropriate substitutions that account for the overparameterization, the problem is transformed into a nonlinear least-squares problem that is not overparameterized. The extrema equations are computed, and …

Characterization Of Gdp-Mannose Pyrophosphorylase From Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Edl933 And Its Broad Substrate Specificity, Yung-Hun Yang, Young Bok (Abraham) Kang, Kwang-Won Lee, Tek-Hyung Lee, Sung-Soo Park, Bum-Yeol Hwang, Byung-Gee Kim

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase gene (ManC) of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 was cloned and expressed as a highly soluble protein in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The enzyme was subsequently purified using hydrophobic and ion exchange chromatographies. ManC showed very broad substrate specificities for four nucleotides and various hexose-1-phosphates, yielding ADP-mannose, CDP-mannose, UDP-mannose, GDP-mannose, GDP-glucose and GDP-2-deoxy-glucose.

Dynamic Determinants Of Incisal Display, Shawn Paul Pesh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The principal objective of this study was to use computer aided design (CAD) to better illustrate and quantify the relationship of mandibular arch depth, mandibular arch width, overbite, and overjet in the presence of mandibular dental crowding. To date, there has been no research examining how changes in the mandibular arch limit the orthodontist's ability to control overbite and overjet. Understanding how to effectively manage overbite and overjet are crucial to the clinician's ability to manipulate incisal display. Polyvinyl siloxane impressions of both maxillary and mandibular arches of a Caucasian patient were taken and used to pour dental stone models. …

An Ultra Wide Band Simulator Using Matlab/Simulink, Peter Vial, Beata J. Wysocki, Tadeusz A. Wysocki

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications (to 2015)

Ultra Wide Band (UWB) is a promising technology for sensor networks, broadband wireless data access and location finding applications. This study outlines the development and validation of a single transmitter and receiver system across the multipath channel proposed by Saleh-Valenzuela. We have designed and tested a UWB simulator using MATLAB’s Simulink in combination with the Real Time Workshop(RTW) Tool box for Simulink using the Fixed Step Discrete Solvers of RTW which is required to produce executable simulations on multiple computers (both Linux and Microsoft based devices). This paper outlines the basic design and modules chosen for the simulation and compares …

Using Asterisms To Decode Multi-User Mimo Systems, Phillip Conder, Tadeusz A. Wysocki

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications (to 2015)

The area of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communications systems has received enormous attention recently as they can provide a roughly linear increase in data rate by using multiple transmit and receive antennas. MIMO combined with an Turbo coding has been shown as a promising way to achieve near capacity for wireless channels. This paper proposes applying an Asterism based decoder to produce an additional multi user access scheme on top of the primary access method for Ad Hoc networks. After reviewing Sphere and Asterism decoding for MIMO systems with a larger number of transmit than receive antennas, this paper …

Background Radio Frequency Interference Measurements For Wireless Devices In The Electricity Supply Industry, Duane Robinson, Tadeusz A. Wysocki, V. Smith, K. Popovski

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications (to 2015)

Incorporation of radio controller units into heavy equipment used in the electricity industry provides numerous advantages including: improved electrical isolation between plant and operator, ability to incorporate an additional remote operator, and reductions in vehicle wiring and hydraulic hoses for equipment control. However, secure operation of vehicles and plant incorporating radio control rely on establishing suitable levels of immunity to possible radio frequency interference. Interference levels in close proximity to high voltage power lines are of special concern to the electricity industry. This paper reports on a preliminary investigation into quantifying the levels of background radio interference at such locations …

Architecture And Execution Model For A Survivable Workflow Transaction Infrastructure, Haraldur D. Thorvaldsson, Kenneth J. Goldman

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

We present a novel architecture and execution model for an infrastructure supporting fault-tolerant, long-running distributed applications spanning multiple administrative domains. Components for both transaction processing and persistent state are replicated across multiple servers, en-suring that applications continue to function correctly de-spite arbitrary (Byzantine) failure of a bounded number of servers. We give a formal model of application execution, based on atomic execution steps, linearizability and a sep-aration between data objects and transactions that act on them. The architecture is designed for robust interoperability across domains, in an open and shared Internet computing infrastructure. A notable feature supporting cross-domain applications is …

A Mixed-Form Fast Multipole Algorithm, Li (Lijun) Jun Jiang, Weng Cho Chew

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The fast multipole algorithm manifests in two very different forms at low frequencies and at mid frequencies. Each can operate in their respective regimes, but are not tenable in the other regimes. The paper reports on a way to factorize the Green's function for fast algorithm using a mixed form. The low-frequency fast multipole algorithm (LF-FMA) will be used at low frequencies or the long-wavelength regime, and the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) will be used for the mid frequencies or the shorter-wavelength regime. For object modeling where both long-wavelength and wave physics are important, we propose a mixed-form fast …

Real-Time 3d Image Visualization System For Digital Video On A Single Chip, Nader I. Rafla

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Implementation of a real-time image visualization system on a reconfigurable chip (FPGA) is proposed. The system utilizes an innovative stereoscopic image capture, processing and visualization technique. Implementation is done as a two stage process. In the first stage, the stereo pair is captured using two image sensors. The captured images are then synchronized and sent to the second stage for fusion. A controller module is developed, designed, and placed on the FPGA for this purpose. The second stage is used for reconstruction and visualization of the 3D image. An innovative technique employing dual-processor architecture on the same single FPGA is …

Dynamic Growth Rates Of Microbial Populations In Activated Sludge Systems, Peter George Stroot, Pascal E. Saikaly, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Results of mathematical modeling and whole cell 16S ribosomal RNA-targeted fluorescence in situ hybridizations challenge the widely held perception that microbial populations in "steady-state" activated sludge systems share a common net growth rate that is proportional to the inverse of the mean cell residence time. Our results are significant because they encourage bioprocess engineers to appreciate the differences in growth physiology among individual microbial populations in complex mixed microbial communities such as suspended growth activated sludge bioreactor systems.

Performance Study Of Hybrid Spread Spectrum Techniques, Yachna Sharma

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on the performance analysis of hybrid direct sequence/slow frequency hopping (DS/SFH) and hybrid direct sequence/fast frequency hopping (DS/FFH) systems under multi-user interference and Rayleigh fading. First, we analyze the performance of direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), slow frequency hopping (SFH) and fast frequency hopping (FFH) systems for varying processing gains under interference environment assuming equal bandwidth constraint with Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation and synchronous system. After thorough literature survey, we show that hybrid DS/FFH systems outperform both SFH and hybrid DS/SFH systems under Rayleigh fading and multi-user interference. Also, both hybrid DS/SFH and hybrid DS/FFH …

A Novel Method For Determination Of Dielectric Properties Of Materials Using A Combined Embedded Modulated Scattering And Near-Field Microwave Techniques-Part Ii: Dielectric Property Recalculation, R. Zoughi, Dana Hughes

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of combined embedded modulated scattering technique and near-field microwave nondestructive testing techniques is investigated as a novel method for evaluating the dielectric properties of a material. The forward formulation for determining the reflection coefficient at the aperture of a waveguide radiating into a dielectric half-space in which a PIN diode-loaded dipole (i.e., modulated scattering technique probe) is embedded was presented in Part I of this paper. Here, in Part II, the recalculation of the dielectric properties, using the results of the forward model, is presented along with some associated experimental results.

Modeling Of Capacitor Impedance In Switching Converters, Jonathan W. Kimball, Philip T. Krein, Kevin R. Cahill

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Switched capacitor (SC) converters are gaining acceptance as alternatives to traditional, inductor-based switching power converters. Proper design of SC converters requires an understanding of all loss sources and their impacts on circuit operation. In the present work, an equivalent resistance method is developed for analysis, and equivalent resistance formulae are presented for various modes of operation. Quasiresonant converters are explored and compared to standard SC converters. Comparisons to inductor-based switching power converters are made. A number of capacitor technologies are evaluated and compared for applications to both SC converters and inductor-based converters. The resulting model can be used to accurately …

Conducting Business In Network Centric Collaborative Environments, Vance Saunders, Paul Bailor, Charles Cohen, Ann K. Miller, Barbra Sorensen

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development of the World Wide Web (or Internet) has provided the ability to connect the entire world together. Thousands of web servers located around the world allow users to connect and communicate with one another. Additionally, a huge transaction-based product sales business has evolved, via the Internet. for many, the next generation of the Internet needs to focus on collections of servers and users working collectively together to solve problems. Grids and the Global Information Grid (GIG) are terms associated with enabling technologies that provide the framework for collections of servers and users to work together. Network Centric Operations …

Distributed Simulation Modeling For Manufacturing Systems Design Using Xml, Rawinkhan Srinon, Sreeram Ramakrishnan

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Discrete event simulations have been used to model manufacturing systems. Various decomposition methods such as distributed simulations have been employed for this modeling. in the context of distributed simulations, each federate must be able to share the embedded logic with the other federates, irrespective of the software used to design and build such systems. This paper provides an extensible Markup Language (XML)-Based representation for distributed models that can be shared across the federation of simulations. Specifically, the paper outlines three different model components that forms the basis of a design framework for distributed simulation models - object model (for simulation …

The Mixed-Form Fast Multipole Algorithm For Broadband Electromagnetic Simulations, L. (Lijun) J. Jiang, W. C. Chew

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

The General Variational Formulas For Capacitance Parameter Extraction, W. C. Chew, L. (Lijun) J. Jiang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To obtain second order accuracy using the first order data for the capacitance parameter extraction, a set of new generalized variational formulas are presented in this paper. They are complete since they are valid not only for self-capacitances, but also for mutual capacitances. A more general variational formula is derived to account for the asymmetrical elastance matrix case. By these novel formulas the computational accuracy can be significantly improved compared to the conventional direct capacitance extraction method. © 2005 IEEE.