The opportunistic replacement of multiple Life-Limited Parts （LLPs） is a problem widely existing in industry. The replacement strategy of LLPs has a great impact on the total maintenance cost to a lot of equipment. ...The opportunistic replacement of multiple Life-Limited Parts （LLPs） is a problem widely existing in industry. The replacement strategy of LLPs has a great impact on the total maintenance cost to a lot of equipment. This article focuses on finding a quick and effective algorithm for this problem. To improve the algorithm efficiency, six reduction rules are suggested from the perspectives of solution feasibility, determination of the replacement of LLPs, determination of the maintenance occasion and solution optimality. Based on these six reduction rules, a search algorithm is proposed. This search algorithm can identify one or several optimal solutions. A numerical experiment shows that these six reduction rules are effective, and the time consumed by the algorithm is less than 38 s if the total life of equipment is shorter than 55000 and the number of LLPs is less than 11. A specific case shows that the algorithm can obtain optimal solutions which are much better than the result of the traditional method in 10 s, and it can provide support for determining tobe-replaced LLPs when determining the maintenance workscope of an aircraft engine. Therefore, the algorithm is applicable to engineering applications concerning opportunistic replacement of multiple LLPs in aircraft engines.展开更多
Alloying of metals is known from antiquity. Alloy making <em>i.e.</em>, homogenizing metals started in a “hit-or-miss” way. The 1</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">...Alloying of metals is known from antiquity. Alloy making <em>i.e.</em>, homogenizing metals started in a “hit-or-miss” way. The 1</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> alloy from copper (Cu) and tin (Sn) was produced around 2500 BC and from then Bronze Age began. Subsequently iron (Fe) age started after the Bronze Age. Aluminium (Al) alloying was discovered much later because pure Al could not be recovered easily even though Al is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. Refining of Al is a very difficult job because of its strong affinity towards oxygen. To ease alloying, melting points (mp) of the individual constituents and reactivity of metal towards oxygen were the hurdles. Now understanding the thermodynamics of metal mixing has paved alloying. Periodic properties of elements concerning size, electronegativity, crystal structure, valency, lattice spacing, etc. are considered for alloying. In this feature article, more emphasis is given to Hume-Rothery rules in which the necessary parameters for alloying have been illustrated. Importantly standard electrode potential (E</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">0</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) values, eutectic, phase diagram, size-related strain in metals, etc. have been looked into in the present discussion. One elegant example is Sn-Pb alloy, known as soft solder. Soft solder was in use for many years to connect metals and in electric circuitry. Low melting, flowability, and conductivity of soft solder had placed Sn-Pb alloy a unique position in industries, laboratories and even in cottage industries. However, toxic Pb volatilizes during soldering and hence soft solder is banned almost in all countries. We felt the need for a viable alternative to obtain soldering material and then silver (Ag) based highly conducting, an eco-friendly alloy of Sn resulted in from a high boiling liquid. The discovery engenders not only a new conducting soldering alloy but also a new c展开更多
基金co-supported by the Key National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1533202)the Civil Aviation Administration of China (No. MHRD20150104)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. HIT.NSRIF.201704)
文摘The opportunistic replacement of multiple Life-Limited Parts （LLPs） is a problem widely existing in industry. The replacement strategy of LLPs has a great impact on the total maintenance cost to a lot of equipment. This article focuses on finding a quick and effective algorithm for this problem. To improve the algorithm efficiency, six reduction rules are suggested from the perspectives of solution feasibility, determination of the replacement of LLPs, determination of the maintenance occasion and solution optimality. Based on these six reduction rules, a search algorithm is proposed. This search algorithm can identify one or several optimal solutions. A numerical experiment shows that these six reduction rules are effective, and the time consumed by the algorithm is less than 38 s if the total life of equipment is shorter than 55000 and the number of LLPs is less than 11. A specific case shows that the algorithm can obtain optimal solutions which are much better than the result of the traditional method in 10 s, and it can provide support for determining tobe-replaced LLPs when determining the maintenance workscope of an aircraft engine. Therefore, the algorithm is applicable to engineering applications concerning opportunistic replacement of multiple LLPs in aircraft engines.
文摘Alloying of metals is known from antiquity. Alloy making <em>i.e.</em>, homogenizing metals started in a “hit-or-miss” way. The 1</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> alloy from copper (Cu) and tin (Sn) was produced around 2500 BC and from then Bronze Age began. Subsequently iron (Fe) age started after the Bronze Age. Aluminium (Al) alloying was discovered much later because pure Al could not be recovered easily even though Al is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. Refining of Al is a very difficult job because of its strong affinity towards oxygen. To ease alloying, melting points (mp) of the individual constituents and reactivity of metal towards oxygen were the hurdles. Now understanding the thermodynamics of metal mixing has paved alloying. Periodic properties of elements concerning size, electronegativity, crystal structure, valency, lattice spacing, etc. are considered for alloying. In this feature article, more emphasis is given to Hume-Rothery rules in which the necessary parameters for alloying have been illustrated. Importantly standard electrode potential (E</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">0</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) values, eutectic, phase diagram, size-related strain in metals, etc. have been looked into in the present discussion. One elegant example is Sn-Pb alloy, known as soft solder. Soft solder was in use for many years to connect metals and in electric circuitry. Low melting, flowability, and conductivity of soft solder had placed Sn-Pb alloy a unique position in industries, laboratories and even in cottage industries. However, toxic Pb volatilizes during soldering and hence soft solder is banned almost in all countries. We felt the need for a viable alternative to obtain soldering material and then silver (Ag) based highly conducting, an eco-friendly alloy of Sn resulted in from a high boiling liquid. The discovery engenders not only a new conducting soldering alloy but also a new c
