Abstract: A product terminal incorporated in a product sends using state information for each configuring unit in real time to the host computer. The host computer estimates QCD of collected product considering possibility of reuse of each unit of the product, and shares the information with a warehouse center terminal, a factory terminal, and a collection terminal to effectively produce products.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to effectively prevent a progress of corrosion due to a local cell produced between a copper raw material (30) of a lead frame and a plating layer (29) on the surface, secure an anchor effect necessary for a chip loading surface without providing a palladium or palladium alloy film (29) with an excessive thickness and improve the reliability of a semiconductor device while achieving a reduction of production cost of a semiconductor device.Ground plating layers (27), (28) of multilayer structure of nickel are formed entirely on the surface of the raw material and then the palladium or palladium alloy plating layer (29) is formed on the surface thereof. A first ground plating layer (27) is formed so as to have an elaborate quality by supplying a DC current of a predetermined current value thereto as a plating current.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to effectively prevent a progress of corrosion due to a local cell produced between a copper raw material (30) of a lead frame and a plating layer (29) on the surface, secure an anchor effect necessary for a chip loading surface without providing a palladium or palladium alloy film (29) with an excessive thickness and improve the reliability of a semiconductor device while achieving a reduction of production cost of a semiconductor device.Ground plating layers (27), (28) of multilayer structure of nickel are formed entirely on the surface of the raw material and then the palladium or palladium alloy plating layer (29) is formed on the surface thereof. A first ground plating layer (27) is formed so as to have an elaborate quality by supplying a DC current of a predetermined current value thereto as a plating current.

Abstract: A simulation system is provided which is capable of simulating the behavior of a sheet transported by a transportation system. In response to application of a control sequence formulated for the sheet transportation system, a simulation is performed to check how the sheet is to be transported in the sheet transportation system on the basis of the applied control sequence. Necessary data are extracted from hardware systems constituting the real sheet transportation system. On the basis of the extracted data, a virtual sheet transportation system is constructed in a computer, and the sheet is represented by information indicative of the locations of opposite ends of the sheet and the distance therebetween. The sheet thus represented is moved by a predetermined unit distance in the virtual sheet transportation system on the basis of the control sequence, and data is computed for every movement of the sheet.

Abstract: A working method for wire drawing, applicable even to alloys such as Au--Sn and Au--Si which are fragile and which have their tensile strengths lowered rapidly when heated. A die and wire to-be-pulled are heated by a heating device so as to increase the ductility of the wire. On the other hand, finished wire having just been pulled out of the die is cooled by a cooling device so as to increase the tensile strength of the wire. Thus, the wire material can be easily worked owing to the increased ductility, while it can be prevented from breaking after the working, owing to the increased tensile strength based on the immediate cooling. Accordingly, the wire drawing works of the Au--Sn alloy etc. are permitted.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer-circulating method and an apparatus for carrying out the method in making a flexographic printing plate which prevents dissolved chemical substance from adversely affecting human bodies and has excellent safety; capable of preventing the increase of the viscosity of developer; and capable of effectively preventing the dissolved chemical substance from adhering to the apparatus, thus preventing the life of the apparatus from being reduced and collecting the dissolved chemical substance in a short period of time and which is superior in operation efficiency, work efficiency, and treating efficiency. Solid content of liquid containing resin component which has eluted from flexographic printing plates 3, 42 and dispersed in developer is flocculated by flocculating agent, and the liquid containing the flocculated solid content is separated into the liquid and solid contents.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing ink jet recording medium provided with an ink-receiving layer having porous inorganic composition as a major component, characterized in that the ink-receiving layer having porous inorganic composition as a major component is coated onto a transferring substrate provided with release treatment, if need be, said ink-receiving layer and a recording substrate that will become a final supporter of ink jet recording medium are adhered with an adhesive, and then the transferring substrate is peeled off, thereby forming a surface of ink-receiving layer replicated the surface shape of said transferring substrate onto the recording substrate. The surface gloss of ink-receiving layer can be adjusted easily.

Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to make good self-repair on which little secondary effect is exerted by calculating a manipulated variable of a parameter at the time of the repair by a functional amount in an image forming apparatus having a self-repair function. When a fault occurs, control-type repair for operating a physical parameter is first made. In this repair, the physical parameter to be operated is searched for (n3). If the physical parameter to be operated is determined, a manipulated variable of the physical parameter is then calculated by a functional amount (n4). The manipulated variable of the parameter by the functional amount is determined by adjusting the degree to which a plurality of functions are developed. Therefore, a manipulated variable in which the development of the functions is most preferable as the entire apparatus is determined. If the fault cannot be repaired by the control type repair, functional redundancy type repair is made (n6, n7, n8, n9).

Abstract: According to the present invention, a concept of functional quantities indicative of quantified functional degrees of such lower-level functions as "clearer characters", "cleaner background", and "thicker characters", which are subordinating to a qualification-oriented function of "more beautiful characters". Characteristic patterns of functional quantities F1, F2 and F3 of the lower-level functions for physical parameters (for example, the surface potential of a photoreceptor body) are prepared. When a fault repair is implemented by changing a value of a physical parameter, a tradeoff occurs between lower-level functions which are influenced by the physical parameter. That is, taking into account the functional quantities F1, F2 and F3 of the lower-level functions, the value of the physical parameter is set so that the functional quantity of the function of "more beautiful characters" is maximized.

Abstract: A method of automatically creating control sequence software required for a machine system controlled by a computer includes four algorithms, that is, "derivation of control sequence specification".fwdarw."derivation of a qualitative control sequence".fwdarw."addition of quantitative information (derivation of a quantitative control sequence)".fwdarw."generation of a C program". The qualitative control sequence is a state transition matrix following the time sequence. This qualitative control sequence is derived by making use of a qualitative inference system. A quantitative control sequence is obtained by adding quantitative time between states to the qualitative control sequence. Time information is calculated on the basis of design information of a machine portion stored in a design information database. As a result, it is possible to reduce the manual burden on the software development by using the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to effectively make self-repair of a fault by referencing repair analysis cases. The cases are hierarchically classified according to the fault symptom, the fault and the class, and a case suitable for a fault developed is selected to perform repair work. In applying a case, the case is corrected as required. If work succeeded by the corrected case, the corrected case is registered in the same class as a class to which the original case belongs, to make each class rich in case contents.

Abstract: In an image forming machine, an objective model storage device stores parameter data that represent elements of the machine and relationships among such parameters, and parameter membership functions, and fault diagnosis knowledge. A degradation storage device stores a fuzzy qualitative value for a parameter changed by degradation of an element of the machine. Preferably, degradation indicative data are converted into fuzzy qualitative values, and the value of the parameter changed by degradation is represented by a fuzzy qualitative value. The machine includes sensors for sensing functional states thereof, and providing state data representative of such states. The state data sensed by the sensors are converted into fuzzy qualitative values. Then, a fault judgement device determines whether or not a fault exists by comparing the obtained fuzzy qualitative values with the parameter data stored in the objective model storage device.

Abstract: A so-called "softly broken apparatus" by constructing a self-repair apparatus based on functional redundancy. An apparatus is represented in a form including a function using an FBS diagram (a diagram comprising functions, behaviors and states). When a fault occurs, a function lost is retrieved by the FBS diagram, and a functional part capable of developing the lost function by a potential function is detected. The potential function of the functional part is developed, thereby to recover the lost function. Specifically, when a fault occurs in an apparatus, a lost function is recovered by utilizing a part which originally exists in the apparatus by utilizing the existing part as a substitute for the part which fails.

Abstract: The amount of degradation, converted into a fuzzy qualitative value, is found on the basis of state data sensed by sensors 1a, 1b and 1c and degradation data. The value of a parameter changed by the amount of degradation is represented by a fuzzy qualitative value. In addition, the state data is converted into a fuzzy qualitative value, and it is judged by the value whether or not a fault exists. As a result, if a fault exists, fault diagnosis is made utilizing, as an initial value the value, of the parameter changed by the amount of degradation, and the causes of the fault are specified by comparing the result of the diagnosis with the state data converted into the fuzzy qualitative value. The causes of the fault specified are repaired by operating corresponding actuators 6a, 6b and 6c. Since the causes of the fault are specified while handling the fuzzy qualitative value, the causes of the fault can be specified more precisely.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a software portion incorporated in the apparatus is provided with a virtual case storage portion 12, to previously create virtual cases by a virtual case compiler 16 outside of the apparatus and store the virtual cases. Fault diagnosis is made by comparing fuzzy qualitative values into which the values of sensors are converted on the basis of fuzzy membership functions with the virtual cases. If a fault is diagnosed as a result of the comparison, repair operations for repairing the fault are read out from a work script table 15. In this case, operation information for repair are stored to correspond to each of a plurality of domains into which a state space which the apparatus can take up is divided. Accordingly, it is possible to correctly read out corresponding repair operations from the work script table 15 depending on which of the domains is a domain to which the present state of the apparatus belongs.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a functional redundancy system by which an inherent function normally performed by a certain portion is performed as a potential function by another portion, when such certain portion no longer can be perform its inherent function. In a first operative sequence, portions in the image forming apparatus perform their respective inherent functions. However, where a function of a certain portion in the apparatus is lost, for example, where a fault occurs and a particular element has failed, operation of other portions in the apparatus are controlled according to a second sequence. In the second sequence, the inherent function of the portion which has failed is replaced by the potential function of another portion in the apparatus.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a self-diagnosis system for an image forming apparatus can make accurate fault diagnosis and is made smaller in size and higher in speed. For that purpose, a fault temporarily developed by the image forming apparatus is limited to a single fault assumption, all states which can exist on the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus develops the fault are previously simulated, and the results of the qualitative simulation are stored as a plurality of virtual cases in a virtual case storing portion 12. When the image forming apparatus is operated, detected values of sensors X, Vs and Ds are converted into fuzzy qualitative values, respectively, on the basis of membership functions stored in a membership function generating portion 13. The fuzzy qualitative values are compared with the virtual cases stored in the virtual case storing portion 12, to reason the cause of the fault.

Abstract: The system of the present invention has a plurality of sensors 1a, 1b and 1c and a system control circuit which includes a case memory portion and a work script memory portion. In response to application of state data from the sensors 1a, 1b and 1c, the system converts the state data into symbolic data. Then the symbolic data is evaluated to judge whether or not a fault exists and to specify a fault symptom. As a result of the judgement, a fault symptom and a fault in the objective machine are determined. Thereafter, cases stored in the case memory portion are retrieved on the basis of the results of the fault diagnosis and a fault simulation. A case which closely resembles the present state of the objective machine is selected. Then, repair work described in the selected case is executed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a water developable photosensitive resin composition suitable for a printing plate, which has excellent dimensional stability and excellent chemical and physical properties. The photosensitive resin composition comprises;(A) an acrylic resin of which glass transition temperature (T.sub.g), as defined by ##EQU1## [wherein T.sub.g1, T.sub.g2, . . . represents a glass transition temperature of a homopolymer prepared from each monomer, T.sub.g0 represents a glass transition temperature of a copolymer and W.sub.1, W.sub.2, . . . shows a weight fraction of each monomer.] and acid value (AV) satisfy the following relations;60.degree. C..ltoreq.T.sub.g .ltoreq.125.degree. C.80 mg KOH/g.ltoreq.AV.ltoreq.130 mg KOH/g, andT.sub.g -10.ltoreq.AV.ltoreq.T.sub.g +40(B) a basic nitrogen atom-containing compound(C) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and(D) a photopolymerization initiator.

Abstract: A system according to the invention has a plurality of sensors, a system control circuit and a plurality of actuators. State data, supplied from the sensors, is compared with characteristic data in the system control circuit. From this comparison, it is judged whether a fault has occurred depending upon whether the state data is relatively lower or higher. If a fault has occurred, fault inference fault is made on the basis of a comparison between qualitative data and fault diagnosis knowledge which are stored in the system control circuit. Then a judgement is made as to which of the elements in an image forming apparatus is abnormal. An actuator operating signal thereafter is generated as a result of this judgement.