UTS Blog

2009-12-09T13:22:00.016-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2009

Advanced Spring Design 7 Release is “Unbelievable”
New Features and Spring Types Make ASD7 an Essential Upgrade.

A joint project between Universal Technical Systems, Inc. (UTS) and the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) since its first launch in 2003, Advanced Spring Design Release 6 has always lived up to its name, advancing spring design to the next level, saving spring designers time and reducing the margin for human error. After a number of intermediate updates, a totally new ASD 7 is now released making the newest product a must have for every spring designer. ASD7 meets all of your spring design needs in a single program, combining engineering expertise with customized calculations created in TK Solver’s collaborative environment to help you design quality springs.

Dick Carter, an Engineering Manager from Michigan Spring & Stamping has been using ASD6 since its beta version in 2003 and has done several thousand designs. He notes “with the upgrade to ASD7, spring design becomes increasingly robust over a larger variety of spring types.”

Some of the new spring types included in ASD7 are:

Systems of compression springs in series and in parallel
Internal and external garter springs
Constant force spiral springs
Stacked Belleville washers
Internal and External snap rings

Carter continues, “ASD7 is a powerful tool which cuts design time by eliminating the need for running multiple designs. Your response to the customer can be almost instantaneous and with a professional in-depth detailed datasheet complete with DXF and 3D drawings, as well as plots. ASD7 contains the combined science from throughout the spring industry pertaining to spring design theory in a simple to use software.”

Dick Carter isn’t the only user impressed by ASD7, Tom Lusinski, a Plant Manager, Spring Division, and Spring Estimator for Stanley Spring & Stamping has been using ASD6 for the past few years for all of his spring design needs on a day-to-day basis. Describing ASD6 as “fantastic,” Lusinski was blown away by ASD7. “It is unbelievable… the new features and help module offered in ASD7 are state-of-the-art.”

New Features in ASD7 Include:

Non-linear rates for conical compression springs
Ability to calculate torsion at arm and arm length calculations
Variable pitch and diameter on single springs
Context-sensitive help linked to the SMI Encyclopedia
Built-in curve-fitting routine for tensile strength data
Life plots with default or user-defined S-N curves
Improved management of saved designs
3D images produced for each design
Notes can be saved with each design
“Enterprise” option for sharing designs across networks

“The 3-D viewer is tremendous. I could go on and on. Anyone that was familiar with how ASD6 operated will be very pleased to work with ASD7”, says Lusinski.

ASD7 contains a flexible database of materials with a new estimation routine for minimum tensile strength, making it easier to add your own materials. Other time-saving features include the ability to combine cylindrical and conical compression springs in a series (stacked or continuous) and in parallel (nested). Because it runs on TK Solver, ASD7 lets you “backsolve” your designs, allowing you to solve your problem in any direction, and gives you a means of designing a spring with variable pitch, rate, size, and other characteristics.

“I never thought that spring design software could do any more than ASD6 was doing, but I was terribly wrong,” says Lusinski. Other ASD7 users are bound to agree.

Since 1933, the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) has served North American manufacturers of springs and their associate suppliers.

Universal Technical Systems, Inc. has been a leading provider of high-productivity problem-solving software products and custom developed solutions, including the highly-regarded TK Solver, since 1984. Visit http://www.uts.us.com/ or call 815-963-2220 to schedule your free trial and demonstration of ASD 7.

Contact: Todd Piefer, Todd.piefer@uts.us.com (815) 963-2220
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Additonal Information:
ASD7 Product Page
Brochure and Fact Sheet

Tutorial Video: Differential Equations #5

2009-12-02T11:06:00.000-06:00

Built upon Differential Equations #4 includes showing the use of the new ODE Wizard which automates some of the steps required.

Differential Equations #5

Tutorial Video: Differential Equations #4

2009-12-02T11:04:00.001-06:00

Built upon Differential Equations #3

Differential Equations #4

Tutorial Video: Differential Equations #3

2009-12-02T11:03:00.000-06:00

Built upon Differential Equations #2

Differntial Equations #3

Tutorial Video: Differential Equations #2

2009-12-02T11:00:00.002-06:00

Built upon Differential Equations #1

Differential Equations #2

Tutorial Video: Differential Equations #1

2009-12-01T14:32:00.012-06:00

We’re going to record some video tutorials for a variety of TK Solver topics. The tutorials will be posted in the support section of the UTS web site. Each one will be about five minutes in length and in some cases we’ll include a series of several videos to cover topic. These will be based on text from existing documentation and case studies written over the years but it’s often much more efficient to have a video to see it in action. The sessions will not necessarily go into every bit of detail but should be useful for people who want to follow along, pausing to try the same things on their own computer if necessary. We are interested in getting suggestions for video topics. A sample can be seen in the link below.

Differential Equations #1

PTS - Core Administrative Module

2009-09-09T16:50:00.004-05:00

The Administrative Module is the core module that provides the facilities to:

Manage projects (Create and edit project information)
Link projects to their respective packages or systems (Add, edit and delete packages from a project)
Link individual packages to their respective project plans
Associate users with various projects and project groups
Provide each user with specific roles and privileges to access various project details through the client module
Create, edit and maintain a list of all manufactured and supplied items for each package in each project. These items are then tracked during the following project phases: Item manufacturing and inspection, item dispatch, item receipt at plant site, item erection
Link design review groups to their respective project plan activities
Link pre-award activities to their respective project plan activities, including: Notice inviting tenders, opening of bid documents provided by bidders for each package, reciept of the letter of acceptance from bidders
Create and manage specific lists of "Sensitive Activites" for each package. Sensitive Activities are tracked for delays through the life of a project

This is the final installment in a ten-part series about UTS's Project Tracking System.

PTS - Document Management Module

2009-09-02T14:00:00.002-05:00

Every activity in a Project Plan involves documentation, which may be shared across teams or among team members. PTS provides upload, filtering and search facilities for viewing information pertaining to Project activities. These may include documents that are internally generated and then uploaded for sharing with other Project or team members.

Documents can be readily viewed. Supported formats include Microsoft Office, PDF, TXT and RTF and DWG files. Support for specific file extensions can be added as needed.

This post is the ninth in a ten-part series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week for the final installment, which will discuss the core Administrative Module.

PTS - Meetings Management Module

2009-08-26T14:00:00.001-05:00

The MM module sets up Project-related meetings and includes facilities to issue meeting notices to a chosen attendee list (subject, agenda, time, date, duration and venue). Attendees also receive notices when meetings are cancelled by the originator. The following images show a typical meeting setup screen and a user-specific view of meetings that they convened or need to attend.

This post is the eighth in a ten-part series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to learn about the Document Management Module.

PTS - Corporate Client Module

2009-08-19T14:00:00.002-05:00

PTS comes with an elaborate Dashboard that provides point-and-click access on the status of every Package and every ongoing Project. Information on planned and previous Projects can also be accessed and reported.

The Client Module provides a privilege-based view of all activities in the Project Plan. For each Package in each Project, the status (percentage completed) of each activity and a consolidated completion status–rolled up to the Package and Project levels–can be readily accessed. The Client Module also provides a number of default reports. These include:

Project Group Progress report
Package Pre-Award report
Running Project Cost Report
Time Tracker Report
Package Listing Report
Billing Breakup Units Report (BBU or manufactured and bought out item groups and individual items in each group)
Activity Alert Report (for viewing the status of various Project activities and identifying the ones that are running late for more timely action)
Sensitive Activity Report

Project participants interact primarily with the client module on a day-to-day basis to update status and time-related information.

Here are some typical Corporate Client Module screens:

Interface for updating action taken for critical and sensitive activities

Resource Cost Rate Table for Project Running Cost calculations based on entries in the Time Tracker Module

This post is the seventh in a ten-part series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to read about the Meetings Management Module.

PTS - Time Tracker and Cost Information Module

2009-08-12T14:00:00.001-05:00

Every project utilizes an intangible resource–time–which adds to the cost of any project. Human resource costs are sometimes calculated in an ad-hoc manner or get averaged across projects. Consequently, the time spent by Engineers, Reviewers, Site Inspectors, Site Managers and other project entities is missed. The TTC module provides a time sheet with a login and password for every project participant. Individuals’ time is tracked on a daily basis to provide a complete cost estimate in terms of resource hours. TTC can readily monitor a more precise running cost for each project if the cost rate information is provided. The following image shows a typical Time Tracker interface:

Dialog showing how PTS users can make task-based time sheet entries into the system.

This post is the sixth in a ten-part series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to learn about the Corporate Client Module.

PTS - Site Managers Module

2009-08-05T14:00:00.005-05:00

Site Managers who oversee the receipt of shipments use the Site Managers Module to enter the status of each manufactured or bought-out-item received. They can also enter real-time information on the progress of various erection activities such as Chimney Piling, Boiler Structure Erection, and Cabling. The progress of erection activities and shipments is entered in specific (and customizable) units pertaining to each item. For example, steel shipments may be measured in metric tons while pile caps would be in quantity units.

Site Managers enter progress data via a web-based module. All data received from each site is analyzed and compared with the Project Plan activities to ensure that all delayed activities get reported quickly. The Site Managers module includes customizable interactive graphical interfaces for specific activities such as Chimney Piling, ESP Foundation Piling, Boiler Erection and other activities. A typical Site Managers Module Interface, and other sample screens from the Site Managers Module, are shown below:

Site Managers Module interface for providing updates on item deliveries and progress at the plant site.

Sample interface for Site Managers to provide updates on Chimney Piling Progress.

Example of another interface for providing updates on piling activities.

This post is the fifth in a series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to learn about the Time Tracker and Cost Information Module.

PTS - Site Inspector Module

2009-07-29T14:00:00.001-05:00

Large projects (such as Power Plants) require on-site inspectors at the manufacturing site to ensure that outgoing shipments meet the original requirement specifications. If a manufactured item is found to meet the original specifications and quality constraints it receives approval for final shipment to the site. This is often referred to as a Manufacturing Dispatch Clearance Certificate or MDCC.

PTS provides a web-based interface for each site inspector to enter the inspection status for each manufactured part that is about to be shipped. Each part is then compared to the corresponding activity in the Project Plan. If the inspection and/or shipment gets delayed PTS automatically raises a warning that corresponds to the activity in the Project Plan.

This post is the fourth in a series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to learn about the Site Managers Module.

PTS - Manufacturer or Vendor Module

2009-07-22T14:00:00.003-05:00

Manufacturing activities are invariably done at remote locations. Each vendor has the responsibility of manufacturing and dispatching multiple parts (sometimes thousands of parts depending on the size of the package) from the manufacturing site to the project plant site.

PTS provides a simple and self-sufficient module for each vendor, allowing them to enter the status of every manufactured component and its shipment status and other relevant details such as LR/GR number. Manufacturers can also switch between multiple Projects and multiple Packages. The only things they receive are a web address, a username, and a password for accessing their web site.

This post is the third in a series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to learn about the Site Inspector Module

PTS - Engineering Calculations Module

2009-07-15T15:42:00.003-05:00

The DR Module (see last week's post) is accompanied by TK Solver, a powerful Engineering Calculations Module which aids in solving the most challenging engineering design problems. Design equations can be entered directly into TK Solver and solved instantly. Outputs and different sets of inputs for each design can be saved as part of every calculation model, allowing reviewers to instantly perform “what-if” calculations during the Design Review Process. TK Solver can accept up to 32,000 design equations and up to 32,000 variables in a single calculation. This module includes an Optimizer for performing non-linear optimization, Engineering Plots, Support for Tables, Advanced Units Conversion and List Solving.

This post is the second in a ten-part series about UTS's Project Tracking System. Check back next week to read about the Manufacturer or Vendor Module.

Project Tracking System - An Introduction

2009-07-08T14:09:00.018-05:00

Today's post is the first in a weekly series on the ten core modules that comprise UTS's Project Tracking System (PTS). The program is comprised of different modules to manage a project’s various aspects, including time, cost, meetings, documents and vendors, etc., and is designed to harness and utilize expert knowledge. New modules can be added, and existing modules customized to meet an organization’s needs, via web-based and client-server interfaces. Core modules include:

1. Work-Flow Based Design Review Module
2. Engineering Calculations Module
3. Manufacturer or Vendor Module
4. Site Inspector Module
5. Site Managers Module
6. Time Tracker & Cost Information Module
7. Corporate Client Module
8. Meetings Management Module
9. Document Management Module
10. Core Administration Module

Work-Flow Based Design Review (DR) Module
The DR Module is a work-flow based approach to reviewing and approving design-related documents: Engineering Drawings, Calculations, Data Sheets and Quality Plans. A list of Drawings (a Master List) is input to the system with specific drawing numbers, corresponding data sheets and quality plans. These can be appropriately grouped to flow from one member of a review panel to another until the review process is complete. (The Master List details can be
conveniently imported from a spreadsheet).

Each reviewer can add their comments and upload relevant reference documents. Comments and documents flow through multiple iterations and can be conveniently accessed by other reviewers. The system automatically tracks the documents’ status. Once the review is complete (all reviewers have approved the set of documents) the group is assumed to be complete and ready to send to the manufacturer or vendor.

A versioning system tracks each master document as it undergoes external changes and is fed back into the system. A document group can contain one or more master documents just as a review panel can consist of one or more reviewers. Different review panels can be created and assigned to different document groups. The DR module handles each in a systematic and non-interfering way. Sample screens are shown below:

Master list of documents for a sample AC Package

Document group ready for assignment to a Review Panel

Creation of Review Panels or Review Groups

Check back next week for details on the Engineering Calculations Module.

Share Your TK Models!

2009-06-15T06:20:00.005-05:00

Calling all authors! We'd love to see what you've done in TK, and share it with the greater TK community. Click here to see models TK users have shared with us in the past.

All models should be sent to todd.piefer@uts.us.com. Please check out the TK Model Share Guidelines for details.

TK Model Share Guidelines
When submitting a file for TK Model Share, please include the phrase "Model Share" in the email subject line.

Models should be properly documented, including a summary comment on the Comment Sheet. All variables on the variable sheet should include a description in the comment field. Additionally, you might consider including a separate DOC, PDF, XLS or other file to help document your model and zip them together into a compressed file.

If a model includes content in the MathLook Sheet, this information is stored in a separate file and its existence should be noted in the summary comment in case the files get separated. The path to the MathLook content file can be found at the bottom of the TK model file when viewed in a text editor. The path must be updated by each user who downloads the model. It might be best to avoid the use of MathLook content and simply zip a DOC or PDF with your model to display any diagrams or other associated graphics.

The TK model should not contain any "Included" files. Please merge any included files before submitting models.

You may also submit linked or packaged files produced using the TK-Excel Toolkit. If you submit a linked spreadsheet file that has not been packaged, be sure to submit the associated TK model(s) as well so that the link can be updated on each user's PC.

Check Out These Success Stories!

2009-06-08T07:11:00.003-05:00

Case studies and examples are a good thing. Sometimes, though, it's nice to read something a little less formal - say, an interview or first-hand account from a fellow TK user.

Click here to read how an award winning petroleum engineer uses TK Solver.

Click here to access a library of success stories.

Free Integrated Gear Software Case Studies

2009-06-02T13:45:00.004-05:00

60+ tutorials and examples, from an overview of Integrated Gear Software (IGS) to detailed case studies are available for free download on the UTS website. Click here to learn more.

Accurately Estimating Capacity When Designing Plastic Gears Using Integrated Gear Software

2009-05-26T13:21:00.013-05:00

Certain parameters hold true when designing all gears, including plastic:

Use of conjugate tooth forms.
Maintaining contact ratios greater than 1.00.
Minimizing specific sliding, thus improving efficiency.
Minimizing tooth deflections.
Keeping working stresses below material strengths to insure adequate service life.

Jim Marsch, our in-house gear expert, recently wrote about these and other topics pertaining to plastic gear design for an article that appeared on the IDES website. Click here to read the full article.

Visit our product page to learn more about Integrated Gear Software.

Deciding Whether to Use the TK or Excel Version of Roark's Formulas

2009-05-20T14:24:00.005-05:00

Customers sometimes ask how they should decide which version of Roark's Formulas to purchase - the TK Solver version, or the Excel version. Here's a bit of guidance:

Our TK Solver version of Roark’s Formulas uses the TK Solver interface and provides direct access to all the formulas, unit conversions, formats, etc. It will take a bit longer to learn all the capabilities but will be more flexible in the long term.

The Excel version of Roark’s Formulas uses Excel as the interface and the TK Solver math models are automatically called as subroutines from within Excel. It’s easy to use right away.

Those who are most interested in a familiar Excel interface should use the Excel version. Those who would like to add TK Solver’s features to their tool box and occasionally “get under the hood” should go with the TK version.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial - Part 5 of 5

2009-04-27T16:30:00.003-05:00

Continue with the annular plate from problem 4 (See the April 20 post). To optimize the design, you would like to specify that the maximum deflection in the center be at most 10% of the plate thickness. You can use the Excel Solver to solve this problem.

Click here to read the rest of the case study.
Click here to download a free trial of Roark's Formulas for Excel.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial: Problem 4 of 5

2009-04-20T08:46:00.005-05:00

Let's switch from beams to plates. The next problem involves a flat annular plate with uniform annular line load, fixed on the outside and free in the center.

Click here to read the rest of the case study.

Click here to download a free trial of Roark's Formulas for Excel.

Register Today for TK Solver and Plastic Gear Design and Manufacturing Training

2009-04-10T14:12:00.008-05:00

Universal Technical Systems, Inc. (UTS) is pleased to announce its upcoming TK Solver and Gear Design and Manufacturing Training. Metal Gear Design and Manufacturing is covered in the September 21-25 training session. Plastic Gear Design and Manufacturing is covered in the October 12-16 training session. Both sessions begin with one day of TK Solver training, and are conducted at UTS headquarters in Rockford, Illinois.

Click here to register online for one or both courses, or contact Kari Johnson, Sales Associate, at (815) 963-2220 or sales@uts.us.com.

TK Solver Training

Dates: September 21 and October 12

Participants will learn to use TK Solver for equation solving, manipulation of units and the creation of tables and plots in math models.

Metal Gear Design and Manufacturing Training

Dates: September 22-25

Participants will receive four days of intensive gear training. The course aims to do the following:

Provide you with a fundamental understanding of spur and helical involute gear geometry
Teach you to apply gear design concepts in your job
Help you to develop a working knowledge of UTS’ software tools

Throughout the course, the instructor will cover gear fundamentals, gear tooth form, gear geometry, standard proportions, quality, gear modifications, gear design considerations, and the gear design process.

In addition to these topics, students will learn how to use UTS software to solve their gear problems and will go through a specific example, step-by-step.

Students will also have the opportunity to take a tour of two leading gear companies in the area, Gleason Cutting Tools and Forest City Gear. At the end of the week, each student will have the option of meeting one–on–one with the instructor for an hour to discuss individual gear problems and questions.

Plus - everyone registering for Gear School will receive free access to “Fundamentals of Gearing”; the great new eLearning course from UTS. Visit http://uts-rkfd-1.uts.us.com/GearUniversity to register, login, or preview the course.

Plastic Gear Design and Manufacturing Training
Dates: October 13-16

Topics include:

Tuesday

Basic Gear Geometry
Design and Manufacturing
The fundamental theory of gearing
Review of common terminology
Basic involute theory
How changing the generating rack form affects the tooth form
What gear geometry factors are most important to control
What gear parameters are most influential in improving a gear design
How to optimize a gear set
Advanced Gear Design and Manufacturing Tour of Forest City Gear, a world-class fine-pitch gear shop in Roscoe, Illinois

Wednesday

Tour of Gleason Pfauter-Maag Cutting Tools’ gear manufacturing plant
Establishing preliminary design specifications
Designing and analyze the gear geometry
How to apply tip relief and crowning
Visual evaluation of the mesh
How lubrication affects your gear applications
Determining life and stress of gear sets
Sound plastic gear design methods for spur, helical and epicyclic (Planetary) gears

Thursday

Knowledge of robust design methods
Application of non-standard proportions
Making the best of material properties
Accounting for extreme conditions
Minimizing operational variation
Predicting tooth deflection at mesh temperature
Maximizing contact ratio
Applying proper tip relief
Design and selection of tooling
Use of grinding

Friday

Individual one-on-one time with instructor - one hour free! (A $250 value). Bring your prints and design problems.

Registration
Click here to register online for one or both courses, or contact Kari Johnson, Sales Associate, at (815) 963-2220 or sales@uts.us.com.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial - Part 3 of 5

2009-04-06T16:51:00.003-05:00

Suppose you decide to stick with the aluminum beam but you’re concerned about the deflection. You’d like to limit the deflection to .1 inch by resizing the beam cross section. For example, if you increase the dimension of side b, the deflection should decrease. The problem is how much do you change side b?

Click here to read more!

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial - Part 2 of 5

2009-03-30T14:54:00.002-05:00

***Click here to download a free trial of Roark's Formulas for Excel.***

Problem 2

Let’s extend Problem 1 (Friday, March 20) by adding beam support and load information. Specifically, assume that the beam will be steel, 6 ft long, fixed at both ends, with a maximum concentrated load of 2000 lbf at the center. You want to determine the deflection and stress values.

Click here to download the rest of the case study.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial - Part 1 of 5

2009-03-20T10:10:00.005-05:00

Five Quick Problems - Part 1 of 5

***Click here to download a free trial of Roark's Formulas for Excel.***

Tutorials will use the Standard User Mode to highlight the simplicity in using this software. All Tutorials are shown with the US unit system.

Problem 1

Suppose you are designing a beam with a hollow rectangular section and you need to know the area, moment of inertia, and plastic section modulus.

Start Excel and click on Roark’s Formulas for Excel (RFE) Explorer on the Roark’s Formulas for Excel Toolbar. Select the US unit system and click OK to open the Roark’s Formulas for Excel Explorer.

When the Explorer appears, select Table A.1, Case 3 by either double-clicking it or by clicking on it then clicking the Add button. Your selection is confirmed when it is displayed in the upper right portion of the Explorer screen.

After making your selection, click the Standard User Mode button to continue.

Click the Finish button to link the model into the Excel Worksheet.

You can now explore further on the Excel sheet. Change the inputs, change the units and see the results and plots instantly update.

Click here to download a free trial of Roark's Formulas for Excel.

UTS Enterprise Products

2009-03-13T10:11:00.007-05:00

You may have noticed that our homepage looks a bit different; we've reorganized as part of an initiative to highlight our suite of enterprise products. Galaxy is a knowledge management system that lets you develop and deploy calculations as enterprise solutions. Project Tracking System does exactly what its name implies, giving organizations the ability to select specific project management systems and tools, including design tools, project schedulers, databases, inventory management and ERP systems.

Another enterprise product, UTS Learning Center, is a web-based solution that lets you easily create and deliver training modules to anyone, anywhere in the world. Finally, TeamKonnect makes it easy for companies to develop standards or procedures with multiple authors. It is a secure, web-based application tailored specifically for collaborative writing, production, balloting, audit trailing (accountability), commenting, and other auditing features.

Contact us at +1 815-963-2220 or sales@uts.us.com to schedule a free, live web demo of these or any other UTS product.

Integrated Gear Software - A Case Study

2009-03-06T13:15:00.004-06:00

This week's case study is drawn from our collection of case studies developed using Integrated Gear Software (IGS). The primary purpose of the model is to provide a preliminary set of data and an estimate of the load capacity for an external gear set. Click here to read more.

Test Drive our Products

2009-02-27T16:02:00.007-06:00

We've made it even easier for you to access our website's features, including free software trials.

Check out our updated registration page! In under a minute you can create your user name and password and gain access to free trial software, product demos and user forums.

Click here to register.

Bivariate Normal Probabilities in Engineering

2009-02-20T16:07:00.004-06:00

An extensive study was made of shear strength (x2) and weld diameter (x1) in an attempt to substitute a less expensive, nondestructive testing procedure for a destructive test. The results of the study were as follows. . .

Click here to see the outcome of the study.

Visit our Product Tutorials and Examples page for a complete list of resources.

Have You Seen Our Free Library of Product Tutorials and Case Studies?

2009-02-13T15:38:00.006-06:00

Get a better feel for how our problem-solving software works! We're pleased to bring you a free library of product tutorials, examples and case studies. Why not take advantage of these resources?

This week, check out TK Solver--Many Solvers in One, for an overview of TK features. You'll learn about TK Solver's:

Direct Solver
Iterative Solver
Procedure Processor
Differential Equations Integrator
List Solver
Optimizer
TK Library of Root-Finders
Excel Tool Kit

Visit our Product Tutorials and Examples page for a complete list of resources.

Epicyclic Gearing: A Handbook

2008-09-30T10:16:00.006-05:00

Do you design gears? Whether you have years of experience or are just starting out, you'll find a valuable resource in Epicyclic Gearing: A Handbook . Co-written by Jim Marsch, the Gear Product Manager at UTS, and myself, the article appears in the September issue of Gear Solutions. The piece takes the reader through epicyclic gear types and arrangements and the design characteristics that make them unique. Additionally, the article covers the "do's and don'ts" of epicyclic gear design as well as design tips and pitfalls.

UTS Website Satisfaction Survey

2008-06-17T11:04:00.002-05:00

At UTS we are in the planning stages of updating our website, and would like some input from you, our customers. What could we do better? How might the site be re-organized to improve your experience? Please take a few minutes to complete our brief survey, which will be available through June 30.

Thank you for your participation. We value your feedback!

Knowledge Management: A Case Study, Part 2

2008-05-13T14:22:00.006-05:00

UTS is pleased bring you the second in a two-part series, guest-written by Rick Lukanen, Principal Engineer at Douglas Machine Inc. This series is based on a presentation Mr. Lukanen delivered April 22, 2008 at the Engineering, Globalization and Knowledge Management workshop co-hosted by the Northern Illinois University Engineering, Technology and Alumni Society (ETAS) and UTS.
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Douglas’ KMS in Action

Time Savings 100:1

There was a machine Douglas had designed many times before, but this time the design was somewhat unique, enough so that troubles arose during early tests. Three people worked 10 hr days for 10 days to solve the problems. At the time, it seemed it was just a matter of tweaking the problem into submission. It was early in the analysis so many people were not thinking about looking for solutions via a math investigation. Once an analysis person found out about this machine he modeled it in TK Solver, animated the machine, watched it run on his computer screen, and issued a report to the shop floor. The analysis work took 3 hours. The derived solution ran perfectly when it was loaded into the machine controller. Douglas realized a 100:1 ratio of effort.

Increased Life and Speed

A new transfer table design completed by the analysis group is proving to have 12 times greater life and 6.5 times greater speed capability. This was achieved using Douglas’ modular codes, rule based programming in TK Solver, and Roark’s Formulas. The new design is slated for acceptance in 2008.

Leveraging Expertise to Facilitate the Design Process

In 2008 Douglas had a large proto-type project that required it to demonstrate the feasibility of using a new machine design. A successful proto-type could potentially result in a very large order.

Advanced linear actuator analysis methods were deployed to assist the design engineers. Included on the analysis team were two members who had never used the advanced linear actuator program. The two analysis team members using the linear actuator model for the first time found the program easy to use since the component data was read into the inputs via ODBC connectivity. This advanced program made it possible for the designers to complete their work early and provided the opportunity to study the types of technologies that would need to be applied during the concept phase of the project. The machine validation was performed two weeks ahead of schedule and the customer initiated the order process for more machines. This example set the standard for future engineering projects.

Case Study: Rule Based Programming with Optimization

With imperative languages (BASIC, FORTRAN, Mathcad, etc.) users have to provide instructions in code (an algorithm) to solve a problem (and it can only solve the one the user wants to solve). With declarative rule based programming, the computer can solve every possible permutation described by the user’s rules (making it a solution space).

Optimization with imperative programming yields the best of what the programmer(s) could conceive, where optimization in declarative rule based programming yields the best results in a solution space – something so complicated that writing a program to do this would be very difficult to do, if not impossible.

Douglas was presented with the challenge of custom-designing guard door lift mechanisms on a tight schedule. This effort had to be right the first time and potential orders could follow. On-the-fly analysis was initiated to dodge what would have been a large amount of rework, lost profits, and a customer whose expectations would not be realized.

Rules were developed that described the lift strut’s linkage, the compression spring design, and constraints for each component as well as the strut itself. The rules would make the lift strut by optimization of the spring design, linkages, and size/orientation. Optimizations of three complex systems concurrently were not trivial problems. Initially, the problem appeared too complex to solve, but in three days’ time the problem was solved.

The custom spring strut was manufactured and it worked so well it remains Douglas’ standard due to its compact size and performance. This design is not only small; Douglas believes it to be impossible to make it smaller. The documentation produced by TK Solver’s report wizard was sent to the spring manufacturer. The springs arrived in a few days time – and they were correct. Customers have commented that Douglas has the best guard door in the industry. The guard door can be moved easily by one hand and, placed in any position, it will stay put.

In Conclusion

Douglas Machine has made the transition that they set out to achieve; they made the change to servo based machinery. During this process Douglas also realized the benefit of KMS development. Analysis reports are now used to manage projects. Reduced startups and machine commissioning has been realized. In 2007, all projects shipped on time. The support for further KMS development continues at Douglas.

As with any survey of technologies such as this one, it is not always possible to single out one act or plan that contributes to a company’s success; it often is a conglomeration of many efforts. However, everyone at Douglas Machine, and its customers, agree that the KMS has played a significant role in Douglas’ success.

Douglas Machine is employee owned and has more than 7,000 machines installed with customers in over 30 countries.

Rick Lukanen is a Principal Engineer at Douglas Machine, Inc., located in Alexandria, MN, USA. Rick has 20 years of experience in software development and numerical analysis applied in machine design. He currently manages the application of analysis technologies at Douglas and oversees a five-member analysis team.

Knowledge Management: A Case Study, Part 1

2008-05-13T13:54:00.014-05:00

UTS is pleased bring you the first of a two-part series, guest-written by Rick Lukanen, Principal Engineer at Douglas Machine Inc. This series is based on a presentation Mr. Lukanen delivered April 22, 2008 at the Engineering, Globalization and Knowledge Management Workshop co-hosted by the Northern Illinois University Engineering, Technology and Alumni Society (ETAS) and UTS.
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Introduction

Douglas Machine designs and manufactures high speed packaging machinery for clients in the United States and abroad. These machines are primarily for the food and beverage industries. Founded with a five-dollar sale in 1964, Douglas continues to grow, and, since 2003 has experienced steady growth of around 30% each year.

Shrink film wrapping machines and corrugated case packing machines are the two main products offered by Douglas Machine; today, these are fully servo controlled designs. The shrink film division (known as the Contour Business Unit) typically sells its products to the beverage industry. Shrink-wrapped packages produced by these machines can be found in your local grocery aisles where spring water and sodas are kept. Douglas’ Case Packers and Specials division manufactures machines that are used to package food, beverage and consumer goods into corrugated boxes. For example, the can of beans delivered to your grocery store was likely packaged using one of these machines.

In 2003, Douglas began implementing a Knowledge Management System (KMS) as part of its transition from the all-mechanical chain and line shaft era to the servo controlled machine. This paper documents Douglas’ efforts and successes in implementing their KMS, and shares the ways in which mathematical modeling and utilization of a KMS has increased Douglas’ client satisfaction and market share.

The Status Quo

Highly-tuned math software systems are plentiful today, so analysis methods need not be limited to ANSI standard languages such as C or BASIC. Companies typically equip their engineers with math software, but it is often the case that many engineers revert back to Excel or paper and pencils when faced with new design challenges. A study done by Maplesoft™ arrived at the same conclusion. The study found that 52% of people surveyed used hand calculations daily. 47% said they used printed reference tables in their work, while 40% of those surveyed turned to Excel for numerical computations.

The concern is that work done by hand gets lost in the desks of multiple engineers, never to be found again. Also, consider the reality of the following questions: Which reference materials were used to obtain input data? Are other engineers using different data? What about the Excel spreadsheets? How many individualized versions exist? Where are the calculations now? This is not a working KMS.

Developing the Douglas KMS

About five years ago Douglas began working with Universal Technical Systems, (UTS) based in Rockford, IL. UTS introduced Douglas to a new way of looking at programming paradigms: rule-based declarative programming.

It was through UTS that Douglas first considered a method of managing technology and information called Knowledge Management. The basic idea of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) is to keep all your information (proprietary process data, standards, and even numerical analysis programs) in a secure vault. The KMS also maintains the results of all the analyses performed, making it that much easier to reuse designs that have proven reliable.

Software life cycle maintenance issues are addressed with the KMS. Processes are easily updated because reports created in the past have a software build manager, making it possible to rebuild any program instantly. New versions of analysis codes, standards, etc. are easily managed and are kept secure in the KMS vault, with an administrator managing user access.

Douglas purchased two licenses of UTS’ TK Solver in 2003. TK Solver was chosen over other math software because of its ability to backsolve for any variable, which lets users bypass all the programming. The time required to develop an analysis model in TK Solver has in many instances been up to 30 times faster than would have been possible with a procedural language.

Douglas studied the types of problems that would present themselves in the near future and developed a plan that classified groups of problems into similar schema. Managing problems in this way allowed Douglas to develop a modular programming scheme that would be applicable to many types of jobs simultaneously.

Douglas also needed a way to document the results of its TK Solver analyses that did not require any manual labor. Engineers would be more likely to accept the documentation format if the reports looked more like schematic drawings rather than a novel. Microsoft Visio was selected for this process because it is simple to work with and does not tie up needed CAD resources. The automation link between TK Solver and Visio was achieved with object link and embedding (a fancy name for “paste special”), reducing the time it took to create reports from 8 hours to just minutes.

In 2004 Douglas began developing a motion language. As with many machines, mathematically describing the motion was the first step in performing the analysis. A system to describe motion was developed in TK Solver, along with standard variable names for each variable: position would be x, speed would be v, etc. This set up standards so that as groups of engineers collaborated on a machine design project, or worked to develop the next new analysis method there would be a structure to follow – an important step in fitting all of your software building blocks together.

Next, cam application software was created using these libraries. This application would be used to study motions, make decisions about performance demands on servos, power transmission design, and conduct strength of materials studies. After developing the motion libraries and modular codes the next task was to develop software connectivity to databases of our supplier’s component specifications. Douglas was on its way to developing a true KMS.

In 2005 Douglas Machine acknowledged the achievements that were made in the analysis group, and gave approval to develop the technologies to launch a formal KMS. A site license for TK Solver was obtained. A larger analysis team was created, allowing Douglas to formalize many of it’s “on the fly” methods into more advanced analysis processes. One such effort was the addition of polynomial cam motions. This enhancement allowed Douglas to command motions that would move an object to a specific position in time and simultaneously specify its speed and acceleration. Douglas’ strength of materials analysis also advanced in 2005 with the addition of UTS’ Roark’s Formulas package, which gave Douglas the ability to quickly optimize structural rigidity in the large frames used in the film wrapping machines.

In 2006 Douglas discovered that it needed to devise a way to visualize the results of motions in its machines. Early work was completed on animation development and a powerful concept was created that let the programmer work with graphic objects as if they were solids. Each object was able to interact with one another; for example, bumping into one another. These concepts were taken to a high level of sophistication in the Contour Business Unit.

Today, Douglas has modeled many of the film wrapping machinery concepts. This work, completely developed in TK Solver, could lead to an online product configuration tool for Douglas’ sales teams. Currently it is used almost daily by many at Douglas to solve motion control issues. To speak of its power, Douglas now uses this work to research new machine concepts in film wrapping.

With the development of advanced numerical methods for motion analysis complete, Douglas naturally wanted to extend this capability to its machine controllers (PLC). The cam algorithms were ported to the Rockwell Allen-Bradley machine controllers, giving the machines access to the same uniform and concise motion language used by the analysis engineers. Douglas’ machine performance improved significantly, but equally important, the company could now communicate between departments. The language of motion was now spoken across three departments: analysis, mechanical designers, and electrical controls. By this time, Douglas had been using TK’s built-in functions to retrieve data via ODBC and found that more power was necessary to achieve some of its goals. To continue KMS development Douglas asked UTS to provide more advanced query capability within TK.

In 2007 Douglas added MathML, a symbolic algebra package. MathML is simply a standard that allows representation of math symbols and equations. The algebra system let Douglas derive equations for new machine concepts and produce some needed documentation of methods that were already in place. At this time Douglas undertook the challenge to create an expert servo linear actuator design tool, which would perform a complete analysis of bearing, belts, gearboxes, servos, etc. The modular programming developed over the past few years would be used to create this application.

Current KMS Topology

In 2008, Douglas’ KMS system consists of TK Solver, a Microsoft Access database of supplier specifications, and Visio report templates. This implementation is probably considered a mid-level KMS (a full KMS, UTS’ Galaxy, is slated for launch in mid-2008).

To set up the database, Douglas decided on units of measure and exactly which data was important. This format was used to obtain information from new suppliers, thus broadening Douglas’ capabilities. Working with suppliers during this time was important, because they needed to understand why such highly detailed design data was required for their products.

Preferred components were a subset of this large and growing database. Douglas wanted its machine designers to be using these components as often as possible. Procurement departments were rewarded with a higher commitment from engineering that components with negotiated volume prices would be used.

A library of TK Solver libraries was created and stored in a server folder. These codes and rules are where engineers study Douglas’ processes. Analysis engineers are able retrieve TK applications from the servers and enter design information, perform an analysis, and save the runtime results. Visio reports are automatically created and then routed to other engineers and the manufacturing groups.

At this time the management of these codes is not done automatically but will be when the Galaxy system is finalized.

Douglas achieved its main objective: making the transition to all servo machinery. Additionally, the analysis system works well. It is easy to develop new applications with libraries of code and Douglas continues to produce results that could not have been achieved by trial and error. The KMS efforts have also gained the attention of Douglas’ customers. Their feedback has been positive and they have seen an improvement in Douglas’ products.

Because the analysis systems have grown and Douglas continues to massage them, machine startup and commissioning times dropped substantially from what they were before such analysis methods were in place. Previously, Douglas worked long hours to meet its delivery dates and still missed them on occasion. In 2007 Douglas shipped 100% of its projects on time.

Douglas Machine is employee owned and has more than 7,000 machines installed with customers in over 30 countries.

Have you visited the TK Library lately?

2008-04-29T12:48:00.002-05:00

The hundreds of tools in the TK Solver Library can save you hours of programming time. Many of the tech calls I receive regarding application development with TK are answered with the use of one or more TK Library functions. It's good to stay acquainted with all that's in there. Here’s a quick tour of some of the most popular Library tools and some of the more recent additions.

Bilinear Interpolation
The inpol2 function is found under Utilities -- Model Solving. It can be used to convert tables of data (families of curves) into two-way look-up tables with interpolation.

Calendar Functions
These are found under Utilities – Miscellaneous. There are six functions for computing days between dates, a useful collection for financial calculations.

Graphics Tools
The “pickit” tools are found under Utilities – Graphics. This collection of functions generates plot coordinates for lines, boxes, circles, and other shapes and can rotate, translate, mirror, and otherwise transform the coordinates. There are also 34 functions found in the Mathematics – Geometry folder for doing geometry calculations frequently required for CAD. For example, there are various equations for lines, angles, points of intersection, rules for collinearity and parallelism and a function for determining the coordinates of the common tangent of two circles.

Unit Sheets
Perhaps the most commonly used time-savers in the TK Library, these unit sheets – arranged by discipline – can be merged into your TK models to allow for a variety of different display units for your variables and lists. These unit sheets are found under Utilities – Units and Conversions.

Fluids and Mixtures
The Utilities – Fluid Properties folder includes tools for calculations involving combustion, psychrometric charts and latent heat of vaporization but the Fluids and Mixtures file is probably the most frequently referenced. It summarizes the results from all the built-in fluid property functions.

Root Finders
The tools in the Mathematics – Roots of Equations folder are a must for TK application developers. These functions can be used instead of the built-in iterative solver to solve sub-tasks within an application such as generating plot data. The most recent addition to this folder is a tool called mbisect which hunts for and returns multiple roots of functions.

Functions of Complex Numbers
The 18 comfun tools under Mathematics – Complex Numbers compute functions of complex numbers such as square root, log, and a variety of trig functions.

Optimization
Similar to the root-finders, these tools can be used to process sub-tasks within TK models, freeing the Optimizer for use with the complete model. A very popular routine is the Marqoptn function based on the Marquardt algorithm for nonlinear optimization with numerical differentiation of the objective function with respect to the decision variables.

Random Number Generation
A recent addition to the Statistics – Distributions and Random Numbers folder provides the ability to generate correlated multivariate random values. This can be vital in performing Monte Carlo simulations where it is known that two or more input variables in a model are not independent.

The TK Library now includes random number generators for 33 different probability distributions, from Beta to Zipf-Mandelbrot. It also includes routines for fitting distribution parameters to lists of values.

Financial Modeling Tools
The Finance folder includes the very popular mortgage calculator and a few other, more sophisticated tools such as the Black-Scholes options pricing model.

TK Solver Models Natural Disaster Outcomes for the Insurance Industry in South Africa

2008-02-08T10:25:00.001-06:00

Adi Hazan is a “fixer.” A programmer of last resort, the guy people call when all other efforts have fallen through. As he describes it, “I take on projects where other people have failed or where there is a crisis . . . in general, I’m the last line of defense.” And it’s no wonder. Hazan sold his first program at age 12, and to this day is a voracious learner, blazing through 1000+ pages a week on “absolutely anything.”

One of Hazan’s most recent programming challenges arrived 9 months ago, when he was approached by an actuary who hired him to solve some outstanding problems in mathematical modeling of natural disasters. A legislative deadline loomed: The South African government had made modeling a legal requirement for the insurance industry starting in 2008. When Hazan was approached, no one had been able to produce a workable model. After weeks of testing actuarial programs without success, he broadened his search and came across TK Solver, and immediately recognized the potential.

So what does the program do? Hazan explains: “The program tries to predict what the maximum damage from earthquakes could be so that insurance companies can keep the correct money reserves for such an emergency. A more detailed explanation is that the system clusters the historical data into regions, and then models the frequency and magnitude for the regions using 30 different statistical curves in TK, optimizing the curves to fit the data. Once the best fit is chosen from the 30 curves, a simulation of 10,000 years is done using random inputs to see what size of damage one can expect every 250 years on the client’s specific set of insurance policies.”

TK’s speed, power and accuracy were critical to Hazan’s work. On TK’s speed, he states, “It’s vital to note that any series of calculations done in TK is at least 10 times faster than Excel. This is not trivial when you consider a 10 hour process coming down to an hour.” As to TK’s power, Hazan comments, “We were able to solve problems using built-in functions that cannot be done on any platform that costs less than $150,000. Specifically, we were able to fit a curve of rounded, discrete values to a mean and standard deviation–what this means is that we can round and then optimize, not optimize and then round and lose accuracy. This is impossible on normal algorithms or the Frontline Solver for Excel.” Finally, accuracy was imperative to Hazan’s program, and TK delivered. He remarks, “A number of the rarely-used functions in Excel simply gave us wrong answers in comparison. When the TK answers were wrong we were able to adjust the functions, whereas in Excel it was ‘take-it-or-leave-it.’”

Hazan also cites TK’s support as “unparalleled,” in particular the expertise Todd and Mohan provided, on both complex statistical issues and non-mathematical technical support. As he puts it, “Imagine a call center getting a call asking how to ‘expand the Marquardt optimization algorithm so that it can accommodate discrete values and still move to the local minimum of multi-variable curves.’”

As for response to the program Hazan reports that it has been “excellent.” TK’s versatility prevented him from having to side-step any mathematical issues, giving Hazan the ability to build something “more detailed and accurate than anything else on the market.”

Root-Finders in TK Solver

2007-12-06T09:50:00.001-06:00

Here is a summary of the root-finders available in TK Solver, including their strengths and weaknesses. My goal is to help you choose the right tool for the task at hand. If you're just solving a problem once and need a quick solution, the built-in Iterative Solver is the best tool but if you're creating an application for repeated use, some other tools from the TK Library will be valuable.

Iterative Solver
The Iterative Solver uses a modified Newton-Raphson approach. It requires an initial guess. It cannot be bounded or controlled once engaged. It runs the entire model repeatedly until the solution is found or the processes diverges. It cannot be used on a subset of a model, such as within a procedure function loop. The initial guesses are programmable within TK. It can be run repeatedly at each element of a list solve.

Optimizer
The Optimizer uses a variety of methods. It is a close cousin to the Excel Solver add-in. It requires a Premium license. It uses the initial value as its guess. This initial value is not programmable within TK. It accepts bounds which may be functions of other variables. It runs the entire model repeatedly until the solution is found or the processes diverges. It cannot be used on a subset of a model, such as within a procedure function loop. It cannot be run repeatedly at each element of a list solve.

TK Library Functions
TK Library functions can be merged into models to solve subsets of equations such as within procedure loops. These complement the Iterative Solver and Optimizer.

Here is a listing of the root-finders in the TK Library.

The first batch process polynomial coefficients and return the roots.
quadr1 - solves quadratic equation for real roots
quadr2 - solves quadratic equation for real and complex roots
cubicg - solves cubic equations in general form
cubicnr - solves cubic equations in normal or reduced form
quartic - solves quartic equations for real and complex roots
Bairstow - solves polynomial equations for real and complex roots

The next group require that an error term be generated and returned by a function. For example, to solve the equation
Y = X*LN(X) + 20*X
for Y = 5, iteration would be required to find the value of X. Both the Iterative Solver and Optimizer could be used but what if Y will vary within a procedure function loop and solutions are required for each Y? Create a rule function with the following equation
Y = X*LN(X) + 20*X + ERROR
Make X the "argument" variable and ERROR the "result" variable. The value of Y will be passed in as a list element as it changes during the procedure loop. For example, the first element of a list called Ytemp could be used to store and retrieve the temporary value.
Y = 'Ytemp[1]
Now TK Library functions such as NewtonN can be used to determine the value of X that makes ERROR close to 0.

bisect - finds the point at which the sign of the error changes; Note that this may not be a root of the equation but could also be a point where the equation becomes undefined.
mbisect - finds a series of solutions within a range of values
refal - regula falsi (false position) method; Similar to bisect in that it searches for a sign change in the error and may return a root or a point where the equation becomes undefined
NewtonS - Newton's method, assuming that an equation for the derivative is known and available
NewtonN - Newton's method, with numeric differentiation
Newton2 - Newton's method with numeric differentation; functions of 2 unknowns
Newton3 - Newton's method with numeric differentation; functions of 3 unknowns
Newton4 - Newton's method with numeric differentation; functions of 4 unknowns
Newton5 - Newton's method with numeric differentation; functions of 5 unknowns
Newtonm - Newton's method with numeric differentation; functions of m unknowns; uses lists instead of variables to allow for an arbitrary number of unknowns.

TK Solver -My Journey

2007-11-06T08:50:00.000-06:00

Hi,

I have used TK Solver for over 15 years I guess. I used Fortran on my Mechanical Engineering degree at University and in my first job, I was asked to design an ejector for a subsea application. I was given a design manual and told to get on with it. What should I use, I asked - try TK Solver. And so my love of TK began.

I used TK Solver in the DOS days when all we had was a black screen with access to two Sheets at any given time. I have seen TK evolve and also experienced how other users from across the world use it. From designing black boxes, bridges, racing cars, to even modelling blood flow within a heart - I have seen many applications and always TK has helped users. The great benefit of TK's power is that as the user you do not need to concentrate on getting the formulas in the correct order. Enter them as you see it - then let TK do the rest.

One recent customer tried TK Solver for the first time, instead of taking the "usual" Excel approach. He needed assistance in working out what TK could do but within a short period of time, he was up to speed and modelling his system. He called me just to tell me about how much in awe he was with the power and capability that TK provided. It made me smile and he congratulated UTS on two fronts: 1) The power of the software and 2) The continued support he has been provided. The support side is something that UTS prides itself on and we do our best to address the issue as timely as possible. The fact that users speak to an end user that provides telephone and email support is valued amongst our User community.

I wonder how many original TK users from the version 1.0 days (remember those 5 1/4 discs) still use TK Solver. If you are a long time user tell us your story.

Regards,

Rahul Dogra

To quickly introduce myself. . .

2007-10-29T16:16:00.000-05:00

Since this is my first official post, I’m leaning towards formality. No doubt that will dissipate as we get to know one another. My name is Amy, and my job at UTS is to. . .well, it’s kind of an all-purpose thing. Basically, if there’s something to be written, I write it. As I reread up to this point, it appears that formality has already gone out the window. But I digress.

Here’s what you can expect from my posts: information about upcoming events, new software and commentary on issues that pertain to the industry. On occasion, I’ll share some entertaining, sometimes colorful tales from my trip around the scientific/engineering/statistical/software learning curve. For example, though I’d been successfully turning on computers for 20+ years, on my first full day at UTS I turned to our resident hardware expert for an assist, because I couldn't get my computer running. I quickly (humbly) realized that pressing the button that makes the CD drive open (which, in my defense, was stuck) is not conducive to getting the computer up and running. Crisis averted!

In my next post, I intend to discuss the relationship between engineering, globalization and knowledge management. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter. I’m also open to suggestions for other, industry-relevant topics.

Debugging a Complex TK Model

2007-09-20T16:00:00.001-05:00

A customer sent me a TK model with 200+ lines on the variable sheet and 100+ lines on the rule sheet, plus several procedure functions called from the rules. The request was for help in getting the model to solve. When the iterative solver was launched, TK responded with the dreaded "Dependency Error" message.

That error indicates that when the iterative solver reached a certain point, it discovered that changes to one or more of the guess values no longer resulted in significant changes to the error terms it was trying to make zeros.

There are many different causes for this condition. The iterative solver may have started from poor guesses and diverged so far from the solution that the values have become extremely large. The error function may not be a smooth, continuous surface over a particular domain. There may not be a solution for the given set of inputs.

The key to diagnosing the problem is to overdefine the problem, changing the status of all the guess variables to inputs. (For this article, I will continue to refer to them as guess variables.) TK will detect an inconsistency and point to the offending rule. Edit in an error term. Repeat this process until you have new error variables associated with each of the guess variables. Make some changes to the guess variables and watch to see that the error terms update. It is sometimes useful to list solve using lists for each of the guess variables, one by one, as inputs and the error terms as outputs. In effect, this plots a slice of the solution hyperspace. What you're looking for is the sensitivity of each of the error terms to each of the guess variables. Also be on the lookout for ranges over which it appears an error doesn't seem to change. That would be a tar pit for the iterative solver if it stumbled into that range. In models with just a single guess variable, this plot will show you exactly where the solution lies.

Next, for models with two or more guess variables, make all but one of the error terms inputs of 0 and change the status of the associated guess variables to GUESS. The remaining error term should be an output and its associated guess variable should be an input. It may not be possible to get a solution under this scenario but if this works, it's a major breakthrough because now you can repeat the process over a range of values of the remaining guess variable to see where its associated error term becomes zero. In other words, get the model to where you can list solve over a single guess variable and you'll be able to get a plot of where that error term goes to zero.

In the case of the recent tech call, this process worked and unfortunately, it became clear that there was no feasible solution to the given problem. That is the error plot for the remaining variable never approached zero over the feasible range of inputs.

In some cases, the iterative solver requires extremely good guesses to find a solution and you might want to use the Optimizer as an alternative. The Optimizer is less reliant on the initial guesses and allows for adding bounds on the guess variables and constraints on related expressions. Assuming you have the error terms identified as described above, add a rule to the rule sheet to find the square root of the sum of the squared error terms. Then set up the Optimizer to minimize that value by changing the guess variable values within your desired bounds. If the Optimizer can't get the result down near 0, it's likely that there isn't a valid solution to the simultaneous equations.

In the case of the tech call model, the square root of the sum of squares of the three error terms was around 1000, so it wasn't even close.

Math Models and Monte Carlo Simulation

2007-07-23T09:26:00.001-05:00

It's always nice to know your odds of success before taking on any challenge. In some cases, such as card games, the odds can be computed from the information known to you. In other cases, odds are based on assumptions and/or past performance. This is true for things like sporting events and performance of financial products. Engineering design can also involve probabilities. Design engineers doing tolerance stack calculations are determining the odds that things will fit in a given space. In many cases, the required calculations are prohibitively complex. That is when Monte Carlo simulation becomes so appealing.

Monte Carlo simulation involves running a math model repeatedly using "random" numbers from assumed distributions as the inputs. Then you observe the distributions of the output variables and use them to predict the probabilities of seeing values within particular ranges.

Simulation in TK Solver has the same prerequisites as List Solving, plus a few more. The model must have input and output variables on the variable sheet and the model must solve using the direct solver or with automatic iteration (i.e. - without having to manually provide guess values).

Next, you need to determine if any of the simulation inputs are correlated. If two variables are correlated, they tend to vary together. If any input variables are correlated, the random values used as inputs must be generated with that in mind. This can have a significant impact on the simulation results, as the results will show greater variability if no correlations are assumed.

TK Solver's list fill facility can be used to generate lists from a variety of distributions but it assumes that the variables are uncorrelated. The TK Library includes additional procedures for generating independent lists of random numbers.

We recently developed a procedure (let's call it "rancorr" for now) for generating correlated sets of lists. Rancorr provides a table for specifying correlations between the input variables. The correlation matrix for the input variables defaults to 0’s off the diagonal, indicating that the variables are independent. If non-zero correlations between any or all of the variables are to be assumed, edit the correlation matrix and the simulation will account for it. Correlations can vary from -1 to 1. The correlation matrix is symmetric, so if you enter a correlation in row m and column n of the matrix, the same value is automatically entered in row n, column m. It is possible to construct a correlation matrix that is mathematically infeasible. The procedure checks and reports on that condition.

Rancorr includes another table for specifying the distribution parameters for each variable. Here is the list of distributions:

Bernoulli, Beta, Binomial, Cauchy, Erlang, Exponential, Extreme Value, Gamma, Half Normal, Hypergeometric, Kumaraswamy, Log Series, Logistic, Lognormal, Negative Binomial, Normal, Poisson, Power, Rayleigh, Rectangle, Semicircle, Skellam, Trapezoid, Triangle, Truncated Normal, Uniform, Weibull, Weibull Series, Yule Simon, and Zipf Mandelbrot.

The TK Library includes many routines for fitting various probability distributions to lists. By fitting, we mean that they determine the parameters that cause a particular distribution to match a list of values as closely as possible. It is easy to launch a second TK, load a Library routine and then copy and paste an output list from a simulation run into the fitting routine.

That method assumes that you have some notion as to which distributions might fit the data. Each library routine does its best to determine the parameters of a specific distribution but does not compare the results to determine which fit best. We recently developed a TK routine called "fitall" which does just that. Fitall can run through a series of over 30 different distributions and determine the parameters of the one which fits a list the best.

Fitall processes each of the output lists, providing a frequency histogram, probability plots and descriptive statistics for a visual and numerical summary. The histogram also includes an overlay of the best fitting theoretical distribution. The descriptive statistics for the simulated values include:

Max/Min – Maximum and minimum values
Mean – Arithmetic mean
Standard Deviation – A measure of the variability
Mean +/- 3SD – The arithmetic mean plus (or minus) three standard deviations is often used as a practical estimate for the expected range.
Skewness – Used to compare the distribution with a normal distribution, skewness is an indication of the symmetry of the results about the mean value. The skewness for a normal distribution is zero, and any symmetric data should have skewness near zero. Negative values for the skewness indicate data that are skewed left and positive values indicate data that are skewed right. By skewed left, we mean that the left tail is heavier than the right tail.
Kurtosis - Used to compare the distribution with a normal distribution, kurtosis is an indication of the “peakedness” of the resulting distribution. Positive kurtosis indicates a "peaked" distribution and negative kurtosis indicates a "flat" distribution.

If the data contains any values less than or equal to zero, some of the distributions are eliminated. A chi-square test of the frequencies is done. Anderson-Darling and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test statistics are computed. The correlation between the data and the theoretical data is computed. The theory is that the best fitting distribution should have the smallest Chi-Square, Anderson-Darling and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics and the largest correlation coefficient.

The results from each distribution are ranked and the ranks summed to form a score. The distribution with the lowest score is selected. Tables summarize the results from each distribution tested along with the ranked scores.

Plots are available for each distribution. A plot of the best-fitting cumulative distribution is shown along with the actual data. A bar chart shows the observed and expected frequencies for five or more intervals.

Once you have the distribution parameters, you can compute the probability of observing values in any particular range. In effect, you now know the odds. The process only takes a minute or two so if you don't like the odds, you can tweak your math model and re-run the simulation until you're satisfied.

We are in the process of creating a Simulaton Wizard to automate the steps involved in using rancorr and fitall. Meanwhile, we are looking for individuals interested in testing these new tools. Please contact me if you are interested (todd@uts.com). You read this far... why not give them a try?!

Excerpts From a Recent TK Demo

2007-06-06T09:25:00.001-05:00

I was over an hour into a demo for a group of six engineers and had covered most of the basics when I got the usual question from a Mathcad fan who was growing frustrated by all the enthusiasm the audience was showing for TK. “What if I want to type everything into a single document, including text and formulas, and have the solutions appear as I progress down the document?”

I gave my standard response. “It’s easy to create documents in Word, copying and pasting TK objects such as equations, tables, plots, and sections of the Variable Sheet into them as needed. You can dynamically link the TK objects so that when you change the values in the model, the document updates as well. TK also provides a built-in report writer that’s an efficient way to automatically dump most of the model into a report.”

The Mathcad fan just grew more agitated by this. “But what if I want to type the values directly into the document? Can I type the values into Word and have the TK model update?”

Again, I gave my standard response. “No. The Word document includes your text but the variables, tables, and plots come from the linked TK model.” And then the shocker. “You might try using Mathcad if you want to type values into the document…”

The Mathcad fan quickly chirped, “Exactly. That’s the way I need to work.”

I couldn’t resist. “Really? So what happens when you’ve typed up your Mathcad document and then you find out the problem changed slightly (in TK terms, anyway) and what had been a solution variable suddenly becomes a critical input?”

There’s a moment of silence at this point. I waited but eventually answered the question myself. “Time to start redoing your document. Mathcad documents flow from right to left and top to bottom. You need to completely restructure your document to handle the new scenario. Meanwhile, with TK Solver and Word, the report automatically updates when the TK model is backsolved. The equations haven’t changed. It’s just the sequence in solving them that changes and TK handles that automatically.”

Another long pause. It’s like he just learned that the Earth isn’t flat. I press on. “You probably already know how to use Word so there’s nothing to learn. And since most office PCs have Word installed, there’s usually no added cost.”

The Mathcad fan mustered a half-hearted response: “But I really like being able to type and see the formulas directly.”

“You can type and see the formulas directly in TK Solver and they transfer nicely over to Word. Best of all, you can type REAL EQUATIONS into TK without any additional programming. For example, what if you’re making a point that two ratios must be equal? In TK Solver, you just type an equation showing ratios on both sides of an equal sign. Mathcad works with sequences of assignment statements. You have to decide which variable you are going to solve for and isolate it to the left of an assignment statement. That’s just a lot of extra work.”

The rest of the audience encouraged the Mathcad fan to give it up.

I’ve often heard it said that 85% of the technical engineering work is done by 15% of the engineers and that the rest devolve into paper pushers. TK Solver encourages innovation and creativity while efficiently producing concise, effective, adaptable reports. In the end, Mathcad users could accomplish much more with TK.

Join the innovators. Go with TK.

TK Solver Laws

2007-05-31T15:21:00.001-05:00

The late Dr. Milos Konopasek, inventor of TK Solver, wrote a paper several years ago entitled TK Solver Laws. That paper and a related TK model file are available via the TK Model Share section of the UTS web site, in the Miscellaneous group. The paper has been modified a few times over the years to reflect some of the new features that were added to the program. Here is the introduction and a quick summary of the laws from that paper.

The purpose of the following material is to contribute to the collective understanding of the essence of TK Solver. It does not answer the question, “What is TK?”, and it does not attempt to catalog or explain TK techniques and tricks to any extent. It is a set of problem solving laws which are good to know, respect and live by.

The “laws” are supplemented with a sample model FRUSTUM in the Appendix. It deals with the frustum of a cone and it has 18 variables and 15+ rules. It is an extension of the cone model frequently used in TK Solver demos and training materials.

1. As many independent equations are needed as there are unknown variables to be solved for.

2. A set of TK rules equivalent to m independent equations linking n variables provides a framework for solving all feasible combinations of input and output variables.

3. A TK model can be solved for a certain set of unknowns by the Direct Solver if the reduced variable-equation-coincidence (VEC) matrix can be triangulized by reshuffling of rows and columns. Every diagonal element points to a variable and an equation resolvable in that variable.

4. Simultaneous equations break down the propagation of solution by the Direct Solver.

5. The simultaneous equations for TK’s Iterative Solver to be concerned with are those left after resolving the triangulized head and removing the reverse-triangulized tail of the model.

6. A set of simultaneous equations can always be solved by the Direct Solver, after assigning input values to some of the unknowns and dealing with ensuing inconsistencies, by editing error terms into affected rules.

7. There is always a minimum number of unknown variables to be assigned input (guess) values in order to make the set of simultaneous equations resolvable by the Direct Solver.

8. The number of guess variables may be reduced, or the use of the Iterative Solver avoided altogether for some output variables, by presolving the subsystems of simultaneous equations symbolically and adding redundant equations to the set of rules, or by using the techniques of local root finding or iteration.

9. The invertibility of the operations and functions is the name of the game with TK.

10. The lexical analysis (with VEC matrices and other tools) helps us to use TK efficiently. It may assist with, but it never substitutesfor, the necessary mathematical and subject-related analysis.

11. List solving or block solving is a way of performing a series of simple solutions automatically for a series of values of input variable(s); it should not be launched before simple solving works satisfactorily.

12. Respect and take advantage of the difference between values of variables (that are initialized at the beginning and cannot be overwritten during the solution process) and values of list elements (no automatic initialization, free to overwrite any time).

13. Beware of multiple solutions.

My TK Wish List

2007-04-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

What's on your TK wish list? What features would you like to see added? Post a comment here on this site or send me an email (todd@uts.com). Meanwhile, here are the top items on my list...

Multiple X-Axis Lists for Line Charts
This one wins, hands down.

Bring Back the TK Macro Language
The conversion from DOS to Windows meant some significant changes to TK and one feature that didn't make the transition was the TK Macro Language. TKML was similar to the syntax used in procedure functions but it provided access to all of the menus and commands as well as editing of every field. Using TKML, you could automate virtually anything you could do manually. I wouldn't need the keystroke recorder we had; just the macro language.

Table Functions
These would be similar to the current list functions except they would interpolate both vertically and horizontally within a table with multiple columns. The TK Library includes a function called inpol2 which does the bilinear interpolation calculations but it would be much nicer to have the process automated.

Word Wrap on Comment Subsheets
I'd like to be able to create my model documentation in a text editor or word processor and then be able to copy and paste it directly into a Comment Subsheet. Sure, it would also be nice if I could just type directly into the Comment Subsheet and not have to worry about electronic carriage returns.

Mathcad to TK File Conversion
I get asked about this one frequently. With some of my projects involving conversion of single-purpose Mathcad documents into flexible, backsolvable multi-purpose TK models, it would be nice if the process was automated. Excel to TK conversions are simple enough as I can simply copy cells and paste into the rule sheet and the equations appear automatically. Using the MathLook for Excel utility makes the process simpler because of the way it handles cell names. Similar ease in dumping Mathcad formulas into TK would be very nice.

There's my top 5. What are yours?

P.S. - There has been a lot work put in to the new Galaxy Knowledge Management System. Galaxy will let you package your TK models (and/or Excel spreadsheets) within Web-based applications. The results are jaw-dropping. Even old cobblers like me can create some pretty fancy interfaces with very little effort. I'm guessing that Galaxy is going to address quite a few items on some wish lists out there...

Updated Excel Toolkit Features

2007-03-02T12:58:00.000-06:00

Many of you are discovering the TK Solver-Excel Toolkit as a great way to share your TK models with others who may not have TK Solver (yet). The Toolkit is also handy for combining several TK models into a single application with Excel as the interface. There are several important new features that were recently added that you're sure to like. Look for an update on our web site during the week of March 5th.

A Solve Button
Some of your more sophisticated TK models may take a few seconds to run, especially if they require list solving or include procedure functions which generate thousands of list values. When such models are linked with Excel, you don't necessarily want them to solve every time you change a cell in Excel. In most cases, you probably want to be able to make a series of inputs and then run the TK model. We added a solve button to the Toolkit toolbar. Make your inputs, then click the solve button.

Lock/Unlock Autosolve Feature
We added a new item to the Lock/Unlock form, allowing you to turn off autosolving of the TK model. If this option is used, the Solve button described above must be used to solve. This option is also included in the Toolkit Wizard so you can set it during the linking process.

Link Lists
After you have your variables and plots linked to Excel, you can now link any of the lists from the model too. It is handled separately from the Toolkit Wizard to allow you to place the lists in cells that won't trample over other important cells in your spreadsheets. The linked lists can be used in List Solving or with TK procedure functions. By default the lists take up the same number of cells as elements in the lists but you can specify longer ranges to allow for dynamic updating the list lengths. You will see a new icon on the Toolkit icon bar for this new feature.

Remember, these new features will install with a TK update from our web site sometime during the week of March 5th. If you have users of your Toolkit applications using TK Player, they will need to download the latest version of TK Player to take advantage of these features. Let them know the next time you send them a spreadsheet.

Finally, thanks to Tin Yin Lam and Michael Kampa for their help and patience in testing these new features.

Advanced Spring Design FAQs

2007-01-26T15:04:00.000-06:00

There are four technical questions about our Advanced Spring Design software that come in regularly. I'll take them on one at a time here.

1. Why can't I enter arms angle for torsion springs?
I know, I know... the drawing from the customer/designer specifies an arms angle so that's how you need the spring designed. Unfortunately, knowing the arms angle provides NO valuable information in designing a torsion spring. For example, if you specify an arms angle of 180 degrees, that could mean there are 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, ... coils and the spring will perform very differently for each of those situations. You MUST know how many coils the spring has. That determines the arms angle in the free position. Then you can specify loads or deflections from that point. Knowing an arms angle in a loaded position is no help either. If you know that the arms angle is 90 degrees in the free position and you say that the arms angle changes to 120 degrees when a certain load is applied, you still don't have enough information. The spring may have deflected 30 degrees, 390 degrees, etc. The number of coils and the deflection associated with a given load are unique pieces of information. Arms angles are not. We included arms angle fields in the interface for verification purposes. They're just outputs.

2. Why isn't there a place to add notes to the printed reports?
There is. When the report appears, you have an option to export it as either an RTF or a PDF file. If you export it as an RTF file, you can load it into Word or some other word processing software and add whatever text, graphics, etc. that you want.

3. Where are all the European and Asian material specifications?
Our partner in developing this software is the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). They provided a list of materials and coefficients. We added a feature to the software to allow you to add any other materials you like.

4. Why doesn't ASD report cycle life for more spring types and materials?
When ASD was released, SMI felt that there are too many factors involved and that life estimates would be unreliable for many of the materials and spring types. Some additional R&D has been done in this area and there is a possibility that future versions will provide more results in this area and/or allow users to input more information such as S-N curve data for their particular wire which in turn could be used for life estimation.

In closing, I can tell you that ASD7 is a HUGE step up from ASD6. I've personally learned a lot about spring design in the past five years through my interactions with our customers and the friendly folks at SMI, and I've put considerable effort into making ASD7 a much more functional spring design environment. The new conical spring designer handles nonlinear rates well according to some comparisons with springs already in use. Overall, the number of models has doubled with the addition of compression springs in series and parallel, snap rings, constant force springs, and more. Please be patient a few more months as we fine tune the new interface for an expected release in the second half of 2007.

TK Solver 5.0 Update Release 5.00.0130

2006-12-20T11:18:00.000-06:00

Applies to TK Solver 5.0 Regular and Premium Editions. New additions to TK Solver 5.0 Update Release 5.00.0130:

New features:

Added a GEOMETRY folder to the TK Library. You’ll find it in the Mathematics section.
Added a curve-fitting routine to the Statistics section of the Library that determines the center coordinates and radius of a circle that best fits through a set of coordinates.
TK's native FlexLM licensing code has been removed and replaced by calls to the UTSLicense.DLL component to centralize UTS licensing policies.

Bug fixes:

If a Startup function led to a user defined error message (ErrMsg), TK was displaying the error dialog twice.
On including or merging a TK model if the number of resulting objects on a sheet exceeded 32000, TK crashed. This is now trapped and the user is given a soft landing with an "Incomplete Load XX Sheet" message.
TK was crashing under the following circumstance -- pasting procedure function statements into MathLook, then deleting the parent function, saving and then reloading the model.
The Examine dialog was not able to Examine long rules or expressions if they exceeded 200 characters in length. This upper limit has now been extended to 512 characters.
Keeping the Navigation Bar open causes solution times to increase drastically especially for models that create and delete lists repeatedly. The Nav bar was attempting to keep itself updated during a solver loop. Navigation bar updates during solving have been disabled universally.

Debugging TK Procedure Functions

2006-11-29T11:19:00.000-06:00

Here are some ways to debug TK procedures that may not be generating the results you expect.

1. Use TK's DEBUG function. Insert a line in your procedure with a call to DEBUG. DEBUG reports the values of the expressions you include as its arguments. For example,

call DEBUG(i,x,cos(x*y))

When TK processes this statement, it pauses and displays the values of variables i and x as well as the cos function expression. If a value is not available, TK displays ??? instead. When you click ok to continue, TK continues processing the model and may run into the same statement again. TK displays the current values each time.

2. Insert a "bad" statement to trigger an error at a specific location. This trick is useful for determining where TK goes or has been. In some procedures, you may have programmed the logic such that some statements simply get skipped. To test this, insert a statement such as y = SQRT(-1) which will always stop TK. Keep moving it around until it's clear where your logic is leading TK astray.

3. In combination with the previous trick, use the Examine Command after TK generates an error. This is useful for learning what the last values were of local variables in functions prior to stopping for the error.

These tips can also be useful on the Rule Sheet but are more appropriate for procedure functions which follow a logical sequence. TK makes repeated passes through the rule sheet to solve the rules. Each pass will trigger a call to a DEBUG function used there. The Tracer Log and Solution Tracer Report are better options for understanding TK's journey through the rules.

Drop me a line if you find this useful.

- Todd
(todd@uts.com)

Updated TK Training and Materials

2006-11-10T13:30:00.000-06:00

TK5 Basic Training has been updated to include all the new features of the software. The web site includes the new training document. It's now 66 pages. You'll see that the TK/Excel Toolkit gets a lot more attention. An introduction to the variety of different solvers has been greatly expanded.

I've been doing TK Training for 20 years and the Basic class has always been an intense one-day session. You basically learn a programming language in a day. Fortunately, TK is so well structured that it's mostly a matter of learning how to create and combine objects. The hardest part I suppose is choosing the best approach to take in solving a problem, because there are usually several valid paths. Do I list solve or create a function? Do I use the Iterative Solver or the Optimizer?

The recent trend is to handle training in a series of short web-based sessions using Live Meeting. If you haven't had a Live Meeting session with us yet, give it a try. We can set one up at a moment's notice in most cases. I use them for tech calls too. I get the biggest kick from users of TK4 who never upgraded to TK5 and see it in a Live Meeting. The response is usually something like "Why didn't you tell me I could have been doing that?" Hey, TK can do so much more than most people think it can... and it's not hard to learn. Call us for training or a Live Meeting and get caught up!

Calendar of Events

2006-10-19T15:49:00.000-05:00

Coming Soon...

Galaxy is a Hit

2006-09-27T14:42:00.000-05:00

A while back I wrote a post about one of our new products: Galaxy. Recently we have contracted a number of projects for larger companies that involve building a knowledge management system, with Galaxy as the backbone. As we've shown Galaxy to our clients, we have been surprised to hear how excited they are about what Galaxy can do. Today we added Galaxy to the product listing on our website, although we are still waiting for a new and improved logo. Some of our customers' businesses are dependant on TK and Galaxy takes TK to a whole new level. Go check out the new page by clicking here or by visiting www.uts.com and clicking on Galaxy in the product catalog (link is on the left).

World Standards Week 2006

2006-09-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

October 9-13, 2006
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004

This year, UTS President Jack Marathe will be making the trip out to DC to make two presentations on smart standards: one on Monday the 9th, to the ANSI Company Member Forum, and one on Tuesday the 10th, to SDO's (Standard Development Organizations).

Thousands of standards are used every day by engineers in designing every conceivable product, from cell phones to cars to airplanes to electric motors. Hence, using such standards efficiently can save a huge amount of time. That is where smart standards come in.

Smart standards are an online, interactive, customizable, instructive, easy to use, and convenient version of their traditional printed counterparts or Cd's. They often utilize automated tools, allowing the user to accomplish more things with the standard, such as making calculations or instantly accessing relevant resources. Jack Marathe will speak on exactly what is meant by "smart standards," what they are, how they are developed, how and why they are used, their costs, and their benefits.

For more information, visit ANSI.org.

TeamKonnect - Admin Features

2006-09-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I talked about some of the external features of TeamKonnect. Today I'm going to give you a tour of what happens behind the scenes. TeamKonnect has a whole slew of administrative capabilities, and these functions are what really make TeamKonnect a powerful tool.

Any system could store a collection of Standards, but TeamKonnect makes them even more accessible by allowing admins to assign them to categories. Standards can be easily moved from category to category, and when it comes to finding a standard, it's that much easier.

Standards are organized and indexed within two hierarchies, both of which are composed of multiple levels. These hierarchies are Subject Area and Business Area. The number of levels within each hierachy are up to the organization using the software.

When it comes to Standards - the amount of work involved seems endless, especially when you consider the fact that most companies do not handle 1 or 2 Standards, but hundreds or thousands. Often there is an equally vast group of people who work on developing and updating these Standards as the industry and its expectations evolve.

Committees and their members are handled in a similar fashion as Standards. TeamKonnect can organize members and keep track of information such as location, background, and expertise. Members can be added and removed from committees; Committees can be assigned and removed from Standards. It's as simple as click and drag.

In addition to organizing the Standards and committees, admins can control all features available to external users. They can add and modify events, set up alerts, address concerns and schedule tasks.

TeamKonnect's interface is intuitive and easy to use. Admin's will appreciate the extent of work they can accomplish in one single dashboard. Everyone will appreciate how much simple managing a library of Standards can be.

Product Tour: TeamKonnect

2006-09-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

One of UTS' most recent developments is TeamKonnect. The technical definition is Standards Development Process Management Software. Simply put, it's a web-based piece of software that assists people in developing standards or other large documents. TeamKonnect provides the customer with a way to keep track of deadlines, changes, team members, events and other related information.

Benefits:

Ideal for both small and large standards devlopment organizations and corporations.
Efficiently manages an unlimited number of standards or documents, as well as the committees and people who maintain them.
Easy to learn and easy to use.
Provides a complete audit trail.
Reduces the need for travel.
Makes collaboration easier and more convenient.

The front page looks something like this. I've magnified the menu on the left in order to show you the different areas external users have access to.

Register
Home
Standards - Access public and assigned standards. View Standard History and reference material. Download the latest version and upload changes.
Committees - View committee lists and committee member information.
Events - View a personalized calendar of upcoming events.
Forums - Discuss various topics surrounding the Standard with team members.
Calculations - Conduct simple or complex calculations using powerful, built in calculation tools.
Ballots - Vote on changes, versions, and other decisions.
Alerts - Recieve alerts from the administrator of important events or deadlines.
Concerns - See a list of concerns you've submitted in the past.
Submit Concern - Voice your concerns and recieve feedback.
Contact the Admin
About TeamKonnect

TeamKonnect has the ability to organize a virtually unlimited number of standards and users. Users can all log on to one place and access the latest versions of the Standards they have access to. They are given the tools they need to complete a variety of tasks. Communication, voting, and event planning are all made easy with TeamKonnect's email, forums, balloting system and calendar. Plus, everything is tracked for auditing purposes.

In addition, TeamKonnect organizes and makes available a number of resources for each standard. (See buttons shown above.)

For more information about TeamKonnect, visit www.UTS.com or give us a call at (815) 963-2220.

Coming Soon: TeamKonnect Administrative Functionality.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial V

2006-09-05T11:12:00.000-05:00

Five Quick Problems - 5 of 5

Continue with the annular plate from problem 4. To optimize the design, you would like to specify that the maximum deflection in the center be at most 10% of the plate thickness.

You can use the Excel Solver to solve this problem. Specify the deflection output as the “Target” cell and use either the minimize or maximize option. Use the thickness cell as the “Changing” cell. Add a constraint that the deflection at the inner edge must equal -0.1 times the thickness and click Solve.

After a few iterations, success! If you make the plate at least .367 inches thick, the deflection will be OK.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial IV

2006-08-30T11:44:00.000-05:00

Five Quick Problems - 4 of 5

Tutorials will use the Standard User Mode to highlight the simplicity in using this software. Advanced Users may want to use the Power User Mode.

All Tutorials are shown with the US unit system.

Problem 4

Let’s switch from beams to plates. The next problem involves a flat annular plate with uniform annular line load, fixed on the outside and free in the center.

Open the Roark’s Formulas for Excel Explorer and select a case from Plates Table, Table 11.2, Case 1e -- a flat annular plate of constant thickness with uniform annular line load w at a radius r0, with the plate fixed on the outside and free in the center.

Click the Standard User Mode button to continue. Once loaded into Excel the Worksheet looks as follows:

Enter the following input values:

Uniform annular line load 30 in
Radius to annular line load 6 in
Material number 20
Outer radius of the plate 18 in
Inner radius 1 in
Plate thickness .25 in
Radius 6 in

Note the new Worksheet.

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial III

2006-08-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

Five Quick Problems - Part 3 of 5

Tutorials will use the Standard User Mode to highlight the simplicity in using this software. Advanced Users may want to use the Power User Mode.

All Tutorials are shown with the US unit system.

Problem 3

Suppose you decide to stick with the aluminum beam but you’re concerned about the deflection. You’d like to limit the deflection to −.1 inch by resizing the beam cross section. For example, if you increase the dimension of side b, the deflection should decrease. The problem is how much do you change side b? You could simply keep entering data and solving until the problem is solved. Alternatively you could use a powerful iterative solving capability available in this product, Power User Mode.

Power User Mode Approach

So, how much do you change side b? The answer is to let the application backsolve for the solution. Enter −.1 as the input value for variable y, delete the input for side b and click Solve. No solution… Don’t panic. The application includes capabilities for both direct and iterative solutions. The Direct Solver solves equations that do not require iteration. For example, the Direct Solver can solve the equation a+b = c/d in four different ways depending on which three of the four variables are known. Iterative solutions are required for problems involving simultaneous equations or equations with unknowns that cannot be isolated. This must be a job for the Iterative Solver! To invoke the Iterative Solver, type a G in the Status Field of the t1b variable. You can also click in the status field and select Guess status. This indicates that the value in the input field will be the initial guess for t1b. Now when you click Solve, the program will solve repeatedly using updated guesses until the dimension for side b results in the required deflection.

Success!

Click on Setup Layout button, check the required options on setup dialog boxes appearing in sequence and click on Finish button. The revised beam design model including the description, definition sketch, selected Input/Output Variables and Plots are transferred to Excel as shown in the following.

Try these keystrokes and functions

2006-08-11T12:23:00.000-05:00

Here are some TK keystrokes and functions that most people never use. Let me know what you think of them.

If you press CTRL-SPACE or CTRL-F while editing in the Rule Sheet or a function subsheet, TK presents you with a list of all the built-in functions in alphabetical order. The fluid property and matrix functions show up at the top because they start with $.

If you click and drag on a line chart, TK zooms to the outlined region. You can reverse the zoom by pressing ALT-z.

If you have defined a matrix, either by manually entering a list of lists on the List Sheet or via any of the matrix-related functions, you can ask TK to build a table for you and display the matrix by using the SHOWMATRIX function. For example, if the list A contains the names of lists which in turn contain values, call SHOWMATRIX('A) will build a horizontal table displaying the matrix.

The BLANKM function works just like the BLANK function except that it allows for any number of arguments, meaning it can blank multiple lists. The BLANK function is still valuable, however, because it includes options for blanking specific elements within a given list.

I'm amazed at the number of people who do not use the Navigation Bar in TK. It's the fastest way to get around, PLUS it gives you access to the online documentation and function wizards. It's role is expanded for TK6 as you can see and edit all the properties of the highlighted object in the current sheet and build/use your own TK Model Library menu there.

Galaxy

2006-08-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

My latest project is creating a visual representation of Galaxy and what it does. The new release of Galaxy does so much more than the original version, and certainly lives up to its name. It has so many facets and does so many things. Needless to say, creating an illustration of such a vast concept is a piece of work.

In a nutshell, Galaxy allows the user to take their existing TK Model, along with information from their database, and create a user friendly "widget," or web application, that they can share and distribute with anyone they choose. Galaxy allows them to share their model without the risk of compromising the original equations or requiring others to know and use TK Solver. TK Solver is a powerful math solving engine, but it's not an ideal platform for sharing common calculations with colleagues. With Galaxy, users can share their models from a user friendly interface, on the web. Their equations cannot be altered and the interface can be modified to look and feel however they choose.

On the other side of things, the end user is provided with a simple program that will let them input values, solve and print reports without downloading or learning any new software. The GUI is extremely accessible and easy to use.

Galaxy is ideal for large companies who have a library of models that a number of employees use often. Their models are protected and centralized. It is great for rapid development and deployment of electronic catalogues, sales configurations, web-based engineering, retirement planning models, bond calculations, lease payment calculators, and other similar applications.

We've had a number of people look at Galaxy and they are already excited about what it can do. When the latest version is complete, I would guess that a number of people will be looking to snatch it right up.

(Over)doing it with Symbolic Algebra and TK Solver

2006-08-03T13:58:00.000-05:00

Consider the following equation as might be found in a TK Solver math model...

If we know values of r and k, TK's Direct Solver can easily compute x. What if we know x and r and need to compute k? We have several options. We can use TK's Iterative Solver. We can also use the TK Optimizer. If our goal is to create a model that is easy to use and maintain, it would be best if we could simplify the equation so it solves directly for k. No problem... we can (perhaps using a symbolic algebra software package) derive the equivalent equation.

Let's use the same approach to solve for r given x and k. Again, we can algebraically rearrange things...

We now have equations that solve for each of the three variables in the original equation. If we enter all three on the TK Solver rule sheet, TK can directly solve the equation with the isolated unknown. Let’s try them out with the following inputs… r = 2 and k = 1 .

The first equation solves directly for x = 0.

The second equation is found consistent, saying that 1 = ln(2)/ln(2).

The third equation fails, with TK reporting a division by zero error message when TK divides 1 by (1-1).

One way to avoid this error is to use a conditional rule (if k<>1 then...), but the simplest approach of all is to use a single equation where each of the variables appears just once.

TK’s Direct Solver can solve this equation given any two of the three variables, even for the troublesome input of k = 1. The only condition that will cause an error is when k = 0, but that is the case for all the other equations as well.

Be on the lookout for opportunities like this to make life easy for TK's Direct Solver. It will make your models easier to use. And be aware that symbolic algebra software can help you to simplify your TK models -- but you still need to THINK or you might just overdo it.

Plastic Gear Fundamentals: Design & Manufacturing (October 2006)

2006-08-01T16:41:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that there is only 1 month left to pre-register and recieve 20% off the ticket price for this years Plastic Gear Seminar. Early registration will be closed September 1st. (Book your hotel by September 16th for a discounted room rate.)

Every year UTS joins forces with Ohio State University, Ticona, and UFE Inc. to host a 2 day seminar on Plastic Gearing. The seminar aims to give attendees a wealth of practical experience. Each segment includes discussion of various case studies - some of which are submitted by attendees beforehand.

This year the seminar will be held the Holiday Inn Select - O'Hare Airport in Rosemont, Illinois, from October 17th through the 18th. All you have to do to register is visit the Plastic Gear Seminar page on our website at www.uts.com/PlasticGearSeminar. If you'd like to look at the brochure, click here to download the pdf. You can also call Kari for more information (815-963-2220).

Roark's Formulas for Excel Tutorial II

2006-07-31T13:27:00.000-05:00

Five Quick Problems - Part 2 of 5

Problem 2

Let’s extend Problem 1 (Thursday, July 27) by adding beam support and load information. Specifically, assume that the beam will be steel, 6 ft long, fixed at both ends, with a maximum concentrated load of 2000 lbf at the center. You want to determine the deflection and stress values.

Open the Roark’s Formulas for Excel Explorer and select Table A.1, Case 3 (hollow rectangular cross-section). Then select Table 8.1, Case 1d and add this to the previous case selection.

Click the Standard User Mode button to continue.

Once loaded into Excel the Worksheet looks as follows:

Now, enter the cross section dimensions in the Worksheet. Simply move to the Value column of the relevant variable and enter the data.

Neutral Axis	1
Side b	1.5 in
Hollow side bi	1.3125 in
Side d	2.75 in
Hollow side di	2 in

Note the revised Excel Worksheet.

Two Tech Calls That Make Me Wince

2006-07-28T16:30:00.000-05:00

Question 1: Is there a way to access those NIST fluid properties dynamically within a TK rule? I click on the NIST Fluid Properties Wizard and some program called REFPROP pops up. Is there a way to tie the values from that program with TK.
Answer: Ouch... The REFPROP utility is included with TK to help you research fluid or mixture properties. It includes some nice plotting capabilities. But TK also includes built in fluid property functions that can be used in rules and functions. The on-line documentation summarizes these functions but the easiest way to access them is via the Wizards tab at the bottom of the Navigation bar. Click on Function Wizards and you will see Fluid Properties at the bottom.

Question 2: I have multiple sets of x,y data I want to plot on the same graph. How do I do that?
Answer: Well... You need to copy all the x values in series to a single list and then line up the element numbers of the corresponding y value lists so they are the same as the x values. If you need to maintain the original list elements, then you will need to copy (using the LISTCOPY function) the lists to new lists and then reposition those elements. Meanwhile, the pre-release TK6 I'm using has multiple x-axis lists on the plot subsheet, so this question is about to completely go away. I can't wait!

Manuals, Forums, Tutorials, Tech Notes and Blogs

2006-07-28T12:15:00.000-05:00

I'm told you're more likely to read a Blog than other forms of communication. In our case, the UTS web site includes Testimonials, Case Studies, Forums and Tech Notes -- lots to browse. I encourage you to browse the Forums and Tech Notes sections of the UTS site, as there are many answers to questions there. I'm hoping that the Tech Notes section will soon have a search feature based on keywords so that you don't have to browse through 139+ documents to find your answer. TK's on-line documentation and help file are well-organized and I hope you use those often.

So why add a Blog? How can we make this time well spent for you? I intend to use this as an avenue to share solutions to interesting (to me anyway) tech calls and problems encountered during the many projects we tackle here. I suppose I could use the Forums for this but I guess I'd rather leave that as an area where users can ask questions and interact.

I think this will be a good way to share thoughts on new features too.

Roark’s Formulas for Excel Tutorial

2006-07-27T10:13:00.000-05:00

Five Quick Problems - Part 1 of 5

Tutorials will use the Standard User Mode to highlight the simplicity in using this software. All Tutorials are shown with the US unit system.

Problem 1

Suppose you are designing a beam with a hollow rectangular section and you need to know the area, moment of inertia, and plastic section modulus.

Start Excel and click on Roark’s Formulas for Excel (RFE) Explorer on the Roark’s Formulas for Excel Toolbar. Select the US unit system and click OK to open the Roark’s Formulas for Excel Explorer.

After making your selection, click the Standard User Mode button to continue.

Click the Finish button to link the model into the Excel Worksheet.

You can now explore further on the Excel sheet. Change the inputs, change the units and see the results and plots instantly update.

Coming Soon - IGS Service Pack 3

2006-07-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

We're getting ready to release the latest upgrade to Integrated Gear Software. Our gear engineer, Jim, filled me in on some of the new features. Now IGS will have Range Analysis, an Exported File Set Viewer, Gear Mesh Animation, a DXF converter, and Ticona M15HP. There are a few other changes (minor features, bug fixes, etc.); these will be officially announced with the release.

Range Analysis:
Range Analysis allows you to select a variable from the model to assign a range of values. You may select up to seven dependent variables to tabulate. Simply assign values to the independent variable and solve for the range. Values for each dependent variable will be computed for each value of the independent variable. All values are then presented in a table that may be conveniently printed in a professional looking report.

Exported File Set Viewer:
When importing a data file from one of several archived .igs files, it can be difficult to find the archive you need. Previously, one had to load each archive in order to view its contents. Now, the Exported File Set Viewer allows you to see the contents of the archive before loading it, similar to viewing the contents of a .zip file.

Gear Mesh Animation:
Now you can animate the mesh while viewing the gear mesh plot in 60-400, 60-450 or 60-610. The animator will rotate the gears through the length of the active profile, allowing you to observe contact conditions and root clearances.

DXF Converter:
Licensed users of 60-410, 60-460 and 60-470 will now be able to easily export tooth coordinates for shaped, hobbed and formed teeth. This converter will generate a DXF and ASCII file of “X” and “Y” coordinates to many more significant decimal places than the old converter. Simply enter in the list names and click convert. The “X” and “Y” list names can be obtained from the plot sub sheet. When the converted file is loaded into CAD, a polyline of the tooth profile is constructed with its center at coordinates 0,0.

Material Added to 60-610
Ticona M15HP has been added to the program. M15HP Celcon (POM) is a higher performance acetal copolymer.

To learn more about our Integrated Gear Software, visit the IGS page on our website.

Welcome to the Universal Technical Systems Blog

2006-07-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

Thanks for visiting our new blog! We are an engineering software company located in Rockford, IL. You may recognize us as the creators of TK Solver, Integrated Gear Software, and Interactive Roark's Formulas. You can visit our website at www.UTS.com. Some of the things we hope to do with this blog are:

Offer tips and tricks on our existing software products and services.
Introduce our latest releases.
Address customer concerns and questions.
Share industry news and information about upcoming events.
Keep our customers up to date about what's been going on at UTS headquarters.

You'll be hearing from various team members, including:

Kim, Communications Specialist: Industry News, Product News, Events, etc.
Todd, our TK Solver expert: tips and tricks for TK Solver users.

We hope you will come back and visit us often!