The reliability of a series system of repairable subsystems: A bayesian approach

Consider the problem of estimating the reliability of a series system of (possibly) repairable subsystems when test data and historical information are available at the component, subsystem, and system levels. Such a problem is well suited to a Bayesian approach. Martz, Waller, and Fickas [Technometrics, 30 , 143–154 (1988)] presented a Bayesian procedure that accommodates pass/fail (binomial) data at any level. However, other types of test data are often available, including (a) lifetimes of nonrepayable components, and (b) repair histories for repairable subsystems. In this article we describe a new Bayesian procedure that accommodates pass/fail, life, and repair data at any level. We assume a Weibull model for the life data, a censored Weibull model for the pass/fail data, and a power-law process model for the repair data. Consequently, the test data at each level can be represented by a two-parameter likelihood function of a certain form, and historical information can be expressed using a conjugate family of prior distributions. We discuss computational issues, and use the procedure to analyze the reliability of a vehicle system. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A stochastic optimization model for planning capacity expansion in a service industry under uncertain demand

A stochastic optimization model for capacity expansion for a service industry that incorporates uncertainty in future demand is developed. Based on a weighted set of possible demand scenarios, the model generates a recommended schedule of capacity expressions, and calculates the resulting sales under each scenario. The capacity schedule specifies the size, location, and timing of these expansions that will maximize the company's expected profit. The model includes a budget constraint on available resources. By using Lagrangian relaxation and exploiting the special nested knapsack structure in the sub-problems, an algorithm was developed for its solution. Based on the initial computational results, this algorithm appears to be more efficient than linear programming for this special problem. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An interactive paired comparison method for bicriterion integer programming

This article proposes an interactive paired comparison region elimination method for bicriterion integer mathematical programming problems. The new method isolates the best compromise solution by successively evaluating a pair of associated supported non-dominated solutions. The efficiency of the method is tested by solving randomly generated problems based on varying shapes of efficient frontiers. When compared with the existing branch-and-bound method, the method was effective in reducing the burden on the decision maker. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Employment and utilization of engineers among defense contractors

Defense contractors retain engineers for two reasons. First, engineers work on current-period production contracts. Second, engineers conduct independent research and development (IR&D) and write bids and proposals (B&P) for future contracts. The amount of IR&D/B&P activity, however, understates the amount of effort devoted to learning that reduces the cost of future production. Even some engineers who work on current-period production may engage in learning, as a by-product of their efforts. This article develops and implements a model for estimating the volume of learning activity undertaken by four large manufacturers of military aircraft. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Hybrid minimal repair and age replacement maintenance policies,with nonnegligible repair times

A system undergoes minimal repair during [0, T] with a failure replacement on first failure during [T, a], or a planned replacement if the system is still functioning at elapsed time a. Repairs and replacements are not necessarily instantaneous. An expression is obtained for the asymptotic expected cost rate, and sufficient conditions are obtained for the optimum T* > 0. Several special cases are considered. A numerical investigation for a Weibull distributed time to first failure compares this elapsed-time policy with replacement on failure only, and also a policy based on system operating time or age. It is found that in many cases the elapsed-time-based policy is only marginally worse than one based on system age, and may therefore be preferred in view of its administrative convenience. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Estimating moments of the minimum order statistic from normal populations—a bayesian approach

Let Yⁱ ∽ N(θⁱ, σ), i = 1, …, p, be independently distributed, where θⁱ and σ are unknown. A Bayesian approach is used to estimate the first two moments of the minimum order statistic, W = min (Y¹, …, Y^p). In order to compute the Bayes estimates, one has to evaluate the predictive densities of the Yⁱ's conditional on past data. Although the required predictive densities are complicated in form, an efficient algorithm to calculate them has been developed and given in the article. An application of the Bayesian method in a continuous-review control model with multiple suppliers is discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Using grasp to solve the component grouping problem

Component grouping problems, a type of set-partitioning problem, arise in a number of different manufacturing and material logistics application areas. For example, in circuit board assembly, robotic work cells can be used to insert components onto a number of different types of circuit boards. Each type of circuit board requires particular components, with some components appearing on more than one type. The problem is to decide which components should be assigned to each work cell in order to minimize the number of visits by circuit boards to work cells. We describe two new heuristics for this problem, based on so-called greedy random adaptive search procedures (GRASP). With GRASP, a local search technique is replicated many times with different starting points. The starting points are determined by a greedy procedure with a probabilistic aspect. The best result is then kept as the solution. Computational experiments on problems based on data from actual manufacturing processes indicate that these GRASP methods outperform, both in speed and in solution quality, an earlier, network-flow-based heuristic. We also describe techniques for generating lower bounds for the component grouping problem, based on the combinatorial structure of a problem instance. The lower bounds for our real-world test problems averaged within 7%-8% of the heuristic solutions. Similar results are obtained for larger, randomly generated problems. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.     

金属靶体材料动力硬度测试及动态阻力分析

以高速侵彻下45钢靶体侵彻阻力为研究对象,开展了弹体高速侵彻45钢靶体试验,获取了典型弹体对45钢靶体的成坑参数。基于高速侵彻阻力模型对靶体侵彻阻力及影响因素进行分析。结合流体动力学侵彻模型对不同弹体材料侵彻45钢靶体侵彻深度规律进行研究。研究结果表明:随着撞击速度的增大,45钢的靶体阻力从5. 13 GPa减小到3. 7 GPa;基于材料动力硬度测试方法的靶体动态阻力测试结果和理论计算结果吻合较好;随着靶体动态屈服强度的增大,靶体阻力呈线性增大的趋势;侵彻深度及靶体动态阻力理论计算结果和试验数据吻合较好,说明所提动态阻力确定方法可行,可为高速侵彻动力学研究提供参考。     

未知新生目标强度的多目标概率假设密度滤波算法

针对标准概率假设密度滤波器要求,新生目标强度作为先验信息需已知的工程限制,提出一种未知新生目标强度的多目标概率假设密度算法。该算法以概率假设密度滤波器为基础,通过充分利用目标运动信息及其与监视区域的相对关系来获取源于潜在新生目标的量测,并以此建模下一时刻滤波器所需的新生目标强度。仿真结果表明,所提算法在含有未知新生目标跟踪场景具有鲁棒的滤波性能,且其跟踪精度和计算代价均优于相关多目标PHD滤波器。     

飞机反区速度矢量不稳定及其控制的机理

在信号流图的基础上,提出多回路分析的方法,并用于研究反区时速度矢量不稳定及其稳定控制的机理。建立了纵向动力学的信号流图,并证明了一个回路的收敛性定理。在此基础上,通过理论分析得出了速度矢量不稳定在不同层面上的原因,也得出了速度和轨迹的发散度表达式等,并表明阻力-速度曲线、轨迹角-速度曲线、极曲线、阻力系数曲线等存在相互对应的反区和正区,并且阻力-速度曲线和轨迹角-速度曲线在斜率上成比例。研究得出进场动力补偿系统下速度矢量的稳定临界条件、收敛度、稳定机理等,理论分析和仿真比较了速度恒定进场动力补偿系统和迎角恒定进场动力补偿系统在控制性能上的差异。