Masanobu Umeda

Applications of Declarative Programming and Knowledge Management

Invited Talk.- A Guide for Manual Construction of Difference-List Procedures.- Constraints.- Linear Weighted-Task-Sum - Scheduling Prioritized Tasks on a Single Resource.- Efficient Edge-Finding on Unary Resources with Optional Activities.- Encoding of Planning Problems and Their Optimizations in Linear Logic.- Constraint-Based Timetabling System for the German University in Cairo.- Databases and Data Mining.- Squash: A Tool for Analyzing, Tuning and Refactoring Relational Database Applications.- Relational Models for Tabling Logic Programs in a Database.- Integrating XQuery and Logic Programming.- Causal Subgroup Analysis for Detecting Confounding.- Using Declarative Specifications of Domain Knowledge for Descriptive Data Mining.- Extensions of Logic Programming.- Integrating Temporal Annotations in a Modular Logic Language.- Visual Generalized Rule Programming Model for Prolog with Hybrid Operators.- The Kiel Curry System KiCS.- Narrowing for First Order Functional Logic Programs with Call-Time Choice Semantics.- Java Type Unification with Wildcards.- System Demonstrations.- Testing Relativised Uniform Equivalence under Answer-Set Projection in the System cc???.- spock: A Debugging Support Tool for Logic Programs under the Answer-Set Semantics.

A design product model for mechanism parts by injection molding

Recently, design support tools have been used to improve the efficiency of design work. These tools support design verification at each design stage, and succeed to some extent in improving the efficiency of the design work. However, the management of scattered design information and data conversion have lately become difficult because designers often require two or more tools. In this paper, we focus on the detailed design of mechanism parts made by injection molding and used in precision consumer products. We propose a design product model which describes the detailed design of such parts. The model describes the mechanism parts based on sets of faces, which are basic units in design work. In this way, the model can express design information in both two- and three-dimensional forms. We also define the procedures used to operate the model. Finally, the effectiveness of this model is shown by applying it to an experimental system.

An Application of Assembly Structure in Welding Estimate of Welding Object in Manufacturing Design

Welding vessel objects such as heat-exchanger, oil-tank and other civil-used pressure vessels are comparatively large size products. Design works for such products not only concern with the geometric data, more important aspect is to treat with the design knowledge used in design process. But traditional CAD systems generally depend on shape-oriented approaches and pay less attention on the features of design and dealing with design knowledge. Therefore, there has been a considerable growth of interest toward knowledge-based design support systems. We have proposed a design object model for manufacturing design of welding vessels. In this model, the assembly structure of a design object is represented by the essential design elements and their dependencies. This paper discusses its application and focus on welding estimate of a welding object and dealing with design knowledge related.

A knowledge-based system for process planning in cold forging using the adjustment of stepped cylinder method

We report on a knowledge-based system for process planning in cold forging. In this system, a forged product is represented as an aggregation of forming patterns that consists of cylindrical pillar parts. The basic principle of the inference method we propose is to adjust the diameters of neighboring stepped cylinders so that they are identical. Plural deformable process plans are generated using expert knowledge about working limits, die configurations, and metal flow. This system can eliminate ineffective plans by using the knowledge of how to combine plural forming patterns into a single process. Moreover, it can evaluate process plans and interactively select the optimal one by considering production costs, the forming load, the effective strain in the product, the equipment, and other factors. We applied this system to actual forged products. As a result, this system is widely applicable to various shapes and types of equipment and can improve both maintenance and operation.

Knowledge management strategy and tactics for forging die design support

The design tasks of cold forged products are very important because they have a great influence on the quality of the final products and the life of the forging dies. However, the design expertise required for the design tends to get scattered and lost, and therefore there is a need for a framework that will enable the accumulation, utilization and evolution of this expertise. The authors have been developing a knowledge-based system to support process planning and the design of dies and die-sets for cold forged products. The knowledge base contains design knowledge on cold forging, which is systematized based on the formal definition of die design problems and on methods with high generality for resolving these problems. These features facilitate the improvement of product quality using an exhaustive search of process plans and die structures, and the improvement of design performance by automating the design work. They also make it easier to pass on and evolve expertise by allowing design experts to self audit and maintain their own knowledge base. The proposed system has been applied to several cold forged products. Experiments show that it can generate multiple forging process plans, dies, and die-sets based on the design knowledge, and that feasible solutions can be obtained within a practical time span.

Translating Nondeterministic Functional Language Based on Attribute Grammars into Java

Knowledge-based systems are suitable for realizing advanced functions that require domain-specific expert knowledge, while knowledge representation languages and their supporting environments are essential for realizing such systems. Although Prolog is both useful and effective in this regard, the language interoperability with other implementation languages, such as Java, is often critical in practical application development. This paper describes the techniques for translating a knowledge representation language, a nondeterministic functional language based on attribute grammars, into Java. Translation is based on binarization and current techniques for Prolog to Java translation although the semantics are different from those of Prolog. A continuation unit is introduced to handle continuation efficiently, while variable and register management for backtracking is simplified by exploiting the single and unidirectional assignment features of variables. Experimental results for several benchmarks show that the code generated by the prototype translator is more than 25 times and 2 times faster than that of Prolog Cafe for nondeterministic programs and deterministic programs, respectively, and more than 2 times faster than B-Prolog for nondeterministic programs.

Knowledge-based system for die configuration design in cold forging

We propose a knowledge-based system for process planning in cold forging. In our study, we had developed FORTEK-L (FORging Technology of process planning using Expert Knowledge for Layout), which is widely applicable to various shapes and types of equipment. In the next step, we have developed a knowledge-based die configuration design system, FORTEK-D (Die configuration design), which can generate suitable die configurations from layouts obtained from FORTEK-L. In the development of FORTEK-D, we have analyzed and reproduced the expert engineer’s thinking process during die configuration design. Moreover, we have formulated the data representation, inference method, and knowledge-base for use with this system. In accordance with the formulation, we have developed a prototype system. We applied FORTEK-D to actual forged products and obtained appropriate results. The knowledge using the basic principle is widely applicable to various shapes and on a variety of equipment. Therefore, the abilities to maintain and operate the system have been improved.

Multi-threading inside prolog for knowledge-based enterprise applications

A knowledge-based system is suitable for realizing advanced functions that require domain-specific expert knowledge in enterprise-mission-critical information systems (enterprise applications). This paper describes a newly implemented multi-threaded Prolog system that evolves single-threaded Inside Prolog. It is intended as a means to apply a knowledge-based system written in Prolog to an enterprise application. It realizes a high degree of parallelism on an SMP system by minimizing mutual exclusion for scalability essential in enterprise use. Also briefly introduced is the knowledge processing server which is a framework for operating a knowledge-based system written in Prolog with an enterprise application. Experimental results indicated that on an SMP system the multi-threaded Prolog could achieve a high degree of parallelism while the server could obtain scalability. The application of the server to clinical decision support in a hospital information system also demonstrated that the multi-threaded Prolog and the server were sufficiently robust for use in an enterprise application.

Design Verifications using Knowledge Representation Language KOSA

We focus on design verifications which can be interpreted as the relationships between inferior and superior characteristics in a model of design object. We are researching on a knowledge representation language and its programming techniques for tolerance analysis which is needed in design verifications. In this paper, the language is applied to some design verification. Design verification systems can be constructed using knowledge representation and programming techniques in the language. A designer who does not have knowledge of computers can easily put their knowledge into this system. A prototype system has been developed and applied to real world problems. The experiments show that this language has enough describability, maintainability and extensibility. We hope that our approach will have a positive impact on design verification systems.