General Electric

About: General Electric is a company organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Turbine & Signal. The organization has 76365 authors who have published 110557 publications receiving 1885108 citations. The organization is also known as: General Electric Company & GE.

Re-definition of the robot motion control problem: Effects of plant dynamics, drive system constraints, and user requirements

Abstract: The objective of this paper is a redefinition of the robot control problem, based on realistic (1) models for the industrial robot as a controlled plant, (2) end effector trajectories consistent with manufacturing applications, and (3) the need for end-effector sensing to compensate for uncertainties inherent to most robotic manufacturing applications. Based on extensive analytical and experimental studies, realistic robot dynamic models are presented that have been validated over the frequency range 0 to 50 Hz. These models exhibit a strong influence of drive system flexibility, producing lightly damped poles in the neighborhood of 8 Hz, 14 Hz, and 40 Hz, all unmodeled by the conventional rigid body multiple link robot dynamic approach. The models presented also quantify the significance of nonlinearities in the drive system, in addition to those well-known in the linkage itself. Realistic simulations of robot dynamics and motion controls demonstrate that existing controls coupled with effective path planning produce dynamic path errors that are acceptable for most manufacturing applications. Major benefits are projected, with examples cited, for use of end-effector sensors for position, force, and process control that compensate for uncertainties encountered on the factory floor.

Capacitive touch entry apparatus having high degree of personal safety

Abstract: A capacitive touch entry structure utilizes an array of at least one capacitive touch sensor fabricated upon a double-sided printed circuit board adhesively mounted upon a surface of a transparent insulative substrate. The substrate has sufficient thickness to safely insulate user personnel, contacting the substrate surface furthest from an electrode of the capacitive touch sensor, from electrical potentials present adjacent to the panel surface upon which the capacitive touch sensor is fastened. Touch sensor circuitry and interconnections may be advantageously fabricated directly upon the pair of conductive planes, sandwiching an insulative layer therebetween, to form the printed circuit portion of the structure. A conductive guard may also be disposed adjacent to the substrate to shield at least the lead portions of the touch sensors from capacitive effects.

X-ray inspection system

Abstract: An X-ray inspection system for manually or automatically performing digital fluoroscopy inspections and/or computed tomography inspections by X-ray examination of manufactured parts incorporates a computer system which automatically analyzes the inspected parts for flaws. The system includes apparatus for automatically positioning the parts in an X-ray machine for obtaining fluoroscopy and tomography views of the part and for acquiring data from the inspections at production rates. The system automatically identifies the location of rejectable flaws in the parts during the fluoroscopy scanning and subsequently identifies those locations for obtaining tomography scans, if the identified flaw location is questionable. The system can automatically reject parts containing flaws identified during the fluoroscopy inspections. This system operates in a real-time environment by providing analysis of one part while a subsequent part is being subjected to X-ray examination. The data obtained during each examination is archived and stored for tracking the part in further manufacturing processes.

Studies on Crack Initiation and Stable Crack Growth

Abstract: Experimental results are presented which suggest that parameters based on the J-integral and the crack opening tip displacement δ are viable characterizations of crack initiation and stable crack growth. Observations based on some theoretical studies and finite-element investigations of the extending crack revealed that J and δ when appropriately employed do indeed characterize the near-field deformation. In particular, the analytical and experimental studies show that crack initiation is characterizable by the critical value of J or 6, and stable crack growth is characterizable in terms of the J or δ resistance curves. The crack opening angle, d6/da, appears to be relatively constant over a significant range of crack growth. Thus, appropriate measures of the material toughness associated with initiation are J I c and δ I c , and measures of material toughness associated with stable crack growth are given by the dimensionless parameters T J [= (E/σ o 2 )(dJ/da)] and T δ [= (E/σ o )(dδ/da)]. The two-parameter characterization of fracture behavior by J I c and T J or δ I c and T δ is analogous to the characterization of deformation behavior by the yield stress and strain hardening exponent.