Abstract: A system, method and apparatus are provided so that the machines and machining stations and the distribution of product along a production line may be managed in a variety of manners while data is taken and analyzed in accordance with this invention to provide optimization conditions for improved throughput. A historical analysis of zone performance provides the preferred range for the number of upstream and downstream products for each particular segment, machine, or station. An end of shift staging analysis provides the optimized number of upstream and downstream products for each particular segment, machine, or station at the start of the next shift.

Abstract: Described is a method and system for analyzing throughput of a production line. The method includes selecting among the stations, a set of susceptible stations that are affected by at least one selected event, ranking the susceptible stations with respect to a selected event and the predetermined criteria to determine an ordered list of more susceptible stations, altering the selected events to generate a new set of events, reranking the susceptible stations with respect to the selected events comprising the new event to determine a new ordered list of more susceptible stations and determining the most susceptible station based on a comparison criterion of the original ordered list of more susceptible stations and the new ordered list of more susceptible stations.

Abstract: Described is a method and system for analyzing throughput of a production line. The method includes selecting among the stations, a set of susceptible stations that are affected by at least one selected event, ranking the susceptible stations with respect to a selected event and the predetermined criteria to determine an ordered list of more susceptible stations, altering the selected events to generate a new set of events, reranking the susceptible stations with respect to the selected events comprising the new event to determine a new ordered list of more susceptible stations and determining the most susceptible station based on a comparison criterion of the original ordered list of more susceptible stations and the new ordered list of more susceptible stations.

Abstract: A multistage machining process includes a plurality of stations. Workpiece feature quality is predicted based on decomposition of the machining process into sources of variation, reticulation of the machining process into machining stations and error models that account for significant contributions to feature quality including from categorical sources of variation.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus are provided so that the machines and machining stations and the distribution of product along a production line may be managed in a variety of manners while data is taken and analyzed in accordance with this invention to provide optimization conditions for improved throughput. A historical analysis of zone performance provides the preferred range for the number of upstream and downstream products for each particular segment, machine, or station. An end of shift staging analysis provides the optimized number of upstream and downstream products for each particular segment, machine, or station at the start of the next shift.

Abstract: A multistage machining process includes a plurality of stations. Workpiece feature quality is predicted based on decomposition of the machining process into sources of variation, reticulation of the machining process into machining stations and error models that account for significant contributions to feature quality including from categorical sources of variation.

Abstract: An improved coal/air dispersion nozzle introduces fuel into the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine as a finely atomized, dispersed spray for a uniform combustion. The nozzle has an inlet that receives finely powdered coal from a coal transport or coal/air fluidizer system and a scroll swirl generator is included within the nozzle to swirl a fluidized coal/air mixture supplied to the inlet of the nozzle. The scroll is in the form of a thin, flat metal sheet insert, twisted along its length, and configured to prevent build-up of coal particles within the nozzle prior to ejection from its outlet. Airblast air jets are included along the length of the nozzle body to assist in the discharge of the fluidized coal from the nozzle outlet and an angular pintle tip overlies the outlet to redirect coal/air mixture through a desired fluidized coal spray angle.