Abstract: A method of scheduling the building sequence of a plurality of objects on an assembly line in order to minimze the cost of building the objects is disclosed. Each object has a plurality of attributes, which together with the position of the object in the sequence, affects the overall cost of the build sequence. A computer is provided with a representation of the object, its attributes, and a procedure for calculating the cost associated with any arrangement of the attributes. An initial build sequence is generated using the representation which has a minimal cost associated with the arrangement of at least one of the attributes. A final build sequence is generated in accordance with a simulated annealing algorithm which utilizes a scoring function that includes the costs defined by the procedure, those costs associated with the attributes being independently weighted in accordance with a temperature varying function.

Abstract: A method of self-pressurizing a piston-and-rod hydraulic damper by providing at least two gas-generating reactants in the damper's reservoir which reactants are separated one from the other by a temporary barrier. The barrier is subsequently removed, after the damper is filled and sealed, so as to permit the reactants to combine and generate the pressurizing gas. A capsule containing both reactants and a meltable barrier is disclosed.