Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a continuous machining process includes a robot, a machining tool, a table, and a raw parts supply mounted inside a machining cell enclosure. The table has first and second vises for holding parts. The machining tool is operated to machine a raw part in one of the vises while the robot is operated to pick a machined part from the other vise and then place another raw part into the other vise. The table can be fixed or rotatable. The robot places the picked machined parts on an exit conveyor to remove the machined parts from the enclosure.

Abstract: A procedural approach toward optical characterization of subsurface scattering of light to generate a mixture of optically opaque materials and optically transparent materials, with a scattering map projected from the surface toward the center of mass of a model. The resulting voxel slices communicate with an additive manufacturing printer, with the resulting model using a typical CMYK and white mixture, with the addition of transparency keyed to the alpha channel of the voxel slice texture maps, to create an accurate model. The resulting stack of textures have color values for the voxels at the surface that are extrapolated downward to the center of the mass from the surface normal, thereby creating a color and texture spectrum from the surface normal to the center of mass, to more accurately represent color and texture on a printed object.

Abstract: An equipment management system includes an adaptive system control unit which is assigned to at least one piece of equipment installed in a plant and which monitors and controls the equipment via wireless communication. The adaptive system control unit includes an information detection unit for detecting information from the equipment, a detected information control unit for guaranteeing that only acquisition intended information previously intended to be acquired in the information detected by the information detection unit is acquired by the adaptive system control unit, a first data propagation adjustment unit for adjusting a propagation path when transmitting data including information controlled by the detected information control unit to the outside, and an equipment control unit for controlling the equipment on the basis of the information detected by the information detection unit or a control policy from the outside.

Abstract: An intelligent fan with interface compatibility is provided. The intelligent fan includes a fan body having a fan and a motor, a driving circuit, a tachometer, an output connector including a first pin, a second pin, a third pin and a fourth pin connected to a fan connector of a motherboard, and a microcontroller connected to the driving circuit and the tachometer, and connected to the motherboard via the first, second, third and fourth pins. When the intelligent fan is powered on, the microcontroller sets the third and fourth pins as input pins for receiving an output signal of the fan connector of the motherboard, and the microcontroller performs an I2C signal analysis on the output signal. When the I2C signal analysis succeeds, the intelligent fan is set in an I2C mode, and when the I2C signal analysis fails, the intelligent fan is set in a PWM mode.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing methods and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. A method includes receiving, by a data processing system, a three-dimensional (3D) model of a product to be manufactured by additive manufacturing. The method includes generating, by the data processing system, a time-based heat map of temperatures of the product during manufacture. The method includes identifying, by the data processing system, hot spots in the heat map where the temperature exceeds a first predetermined threshold. The method includes adding, by the data processing system, heatsink support structures to the 3D model at locations corresponding to the hot spots to produce a modified 3D model. The method includes storing, by the data processing system, the modified 3D model.

Abstract: Systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of DER registration and de-registration are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a power distribution system including a distributed energy resource (DER), a DER controller, and a central controller. The DER interface controller includes a DER controller interface configured to communicate with the DER controller using a DER controller native format, an external device interface configured to communicate with the central controller using one of a plurality of communication protocols, a registration circuitry configured to transmit a registration request to the central controller, and a mapping circuitry. The central controller is configured to receive the registration request, and update a DER registry in response receiving the registration request. The mapping circuitry is configured to receive input defining power distribution characteristics in response to the central controller updating the DER registry.

Abstract: According to an aspect, a releasable actuation system includes a support member, a carriage movable relative to the support member, a releasable mount configured to couple the support member to a frame, the support member being rotatable relative to the releasable mount by a rotatable joint, an image capturing sensor connected to the carriage, an actuator connected to the carriage and operable to adjust a position of a switch, a memory having computer readable instructions, and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising directing the actuator to adjust the position of the switch.

Abstract: A method of designing an optimized heating and cooling system includes: (1) automatically importing data from an energy model into an optimization model; (2) simulating energy use of a virtual heating and cooling system operating a thermal source or sink with the optimization model based upon the data from the energy model to obtain an optimized system design; (3) developing controls for an actual heating and cooling system based upon the optimized system design; and (4) automatically exporting the controls directly to a controller for the actual heating and cooling system.

Abstract: A program creation device includes an analysis unit that analyzes a composite fixed cycle in which a predetermined cycle is repeated multiple times to create a plurality of command blocks CB1 to CB4 for each of the cycles for executing the cycle; a distribution unit that distributes the plurality of command blocks CB1 to CB4 created by the analysis unit sequentially as a command program for each of the plurality of tools; and a command adding unit that adds a first command word indicating a delay amount of delaying a start timing of the cycle of the second tool from a start timing of the cycle of the first tool on the basis of an analysis result obtained by the analysis unit to the command block CB2 or CB4.

Abstract: Automation agents are utilized to modify operating characteristics of a client, such as a piece of equipment. An operating characteristic of equipment can be selectively adjusted by modification of a set point value, which is associated with the operating characteristic of the equipment. The equipment can adjust the operating characteristic based upon the set point value. A remote control indication can be provided to indicate when a set point value is available for modification. The remote control indication is adjustable by an execution module associated with the equipment. A set point latch can be provided for indicating when the set point value is modifiable by an automation agent.

Abstract: Systems and methods for activating and deactivating controlled devices are provided. Such systems and methods can include a microprocessor unit sampling signal data from a smart microwave sensor module to detect a presence of a user within a secured area, using the signal data to track a route of the user within the secured area, and activating or deactivating the controlled devices located within the secured area based on a location of an end of the route. Such systems and methods can include activating the controlled devices when the location of the end of the route is within the secured area and deactivating the controlled devices when the location of the end of the route is not outside of the secured area.

Abstract: A computer-based method controls a dynamical system in an uncertain environment within a bounded probability of failure. The dynamical system has a state space and a control space. The method includes diffusing a risk constraint corresponding to the bounded probability of failure into a martingale that represents a level of risk tolerance associated with the dynamical system over time. The state space and the control space of the dynamical system are augmented with the martingale to create an augmented model with an augmented state space and an augmented control space. The method may include iteratively constructing one or more Markov Decision Processes (MDPs), with each iterative MDP represents an incrementally refined model of the dynamical system. The method further includes computing a first solution based on the augmented model or, if additional time was available, based on one of the MDP iterations.

Abstract: A method of operating an HVAC system using a controller includes predicting a first predicted temperature of an enclosed space during an unoccupied time with the HVAC system off. The controller determines if the first predicted temperature is less than a set-point temperature. Responsive to a determination that the first predicted temperature is less than the set-point temperature, the controller predicts a second predicted temperature of the enclosed space if the HVAC system is operated for a first runtime. The controller determines if the second predicted temperature is less than the set-point temperature and, responsive to a determination that the second predicted temperature is not less than the set-point temperature, the controller operates the HVAC system for the first runtime.

Abstract: Provided is an intelligent automatic building control system in which a BAS and an FMS are integrated, and a facility management method by the intelligent automatic building control system. In particular, the automatic building control system integrates: a BAS unit that monitors an environmental condition at a predetermined location in a building, and controls and monitors an operation of a specific facility that supplies cooling/heating to the location in order to improve the environmental condition; and an FMS unit that maintains information input in relation to the facility, checks a fuel consumption of the facility, and monitors a real-time price of fuel supplied to the facility.

Abstract: Provided is a numerical controller capable of efficient signal transmission and reception to and from a retrofitted PLC. A numerical controller includes a numerical control unit, a built-in PLC, and a retrofitted PLC operating at a predetermined control period different from those of the numerical control unit and the built-in PLC. The retrofitted PLC is configured to detect external triggers issued from the numerical control unit and the built-in PLC, execute a sequence processing for numerical control processing upon detection of the external trigger issued from the numerical control unit, and execute a sequence processing for built-in PLC processing upon detection of the external trigger issued from the built-in PLC.

Abstract: A module for a technical facility including a technical hardware for the execution of a technical sub-process, a control for a local control of the technical hardware, in which the control is adapted to control the technical hardware autarkical, and an external interface of the control, wherein the external interface comprises an administration shell, wherein the administration shell publishes at least one service relating to an output product of the module via a network, and wherein the external interface is adapted to request at least one service relating to an input product of the module via the network. Furthermore, a corresponding system for the execution of a process by means of a technical facility as well as a corresponding method for the execution of a technical process by means of a technical facility is claimed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for progressive profiling in a home automation system is described. Data related to a premises and an occupant of the premises may be analyzed and one or more observations may be made based on the analysis of the data. Upon detecting one or more conditions associated with the one or more observations made, an offer to perform one or more actions may be communicated to the occupant.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a method for in-process inspection of a 3D printed part with a 3D printer, comprising slicing a three dimensional model to define a plurality of shell volumes, for substantially each shell volume, generating a toolpath for depositing a printing material shell corresponding to the shell volume, transmitting, together with an identification, the toolpaths defining the printing material shells for deposition by a 3D printer, receiving, together with the identification, from the 3D printer a scanned surface profile of a printing material shell, and computing a process inspection including, according to the identification, a comparison between a received scanned surface profile and a toolpath defining a printing material shell.

Abstract: Provided is a control loop and method for monitoring control loops to ensure low cost of commissioning. The method includes collecting a measurement data set from a sensor, determining a state of connectivity of the sensor, selecting parameters based on the state of the connectivity, and/or performing logical operations to evaluate the measurement data set from the sensor. The control loop is configured to determine the measured state of connectivity and determine if action is required.

Abstract: A data collection device capable of reducing the load of a data collection process and network communication by monitoring trigger at a plurality of cycles is provided. The data collection device includes a control unit, and the control unit includes: an event monitoring unit that acquires first trigger information from the machine tool at a first cycle and monitors whether a starting condition and an ending condition for acquisition of the data have been established on the basis of the first trigger information; a sampling control unit that instructs the machine tool to sample the data at a second cycle shorter than the first cycle when the starting condition is established and instructs the machine tool to end the sampling when the ending condition is established; and a data acquisition unit that acquires the data sampled by the machine tool from the machine tool together with second trigger information.