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The technique for the simulation of the dynamic behaviour of rotating machines presented in the paper is based on an equivalent circuit representation of the magnetic configuration. The circuit parameters are obtained by a preliminary automated sequence of magnetostatic FEM analyses and take into account the local magnetic saturations. The adopted solution technique is based on an invariant network topology approach: its application, presented for the operation analysis of a low‐power synchronous generator, allows a great reduction of the calculation time in comparison with a commercial FEM code for the transient simulation.

Creativity is an important skill for design teams to reach new and useful solutions. Designers often use one or more of creativity and innovation techniques (CITs) to achieve the desired creative potential during new product development (NPD). The selection of adequate CITs requires considerable expertise, given the multiple application contexts and the extensive number of techniques available. The purpose of this study is to present a creativity support system able to manage this amount of information and provide valuable knowledge to improve NPD.

This study presents a knowledge-based system prototype using artificial intelligence (AI) to support knowledge management on the selection of CITs for design. CITs assertion is modelled through a double inference process using five categories, correlating over 500 different entry scenarios to 24 implemented CITs. The techniques are classified according to: design stage, innovation focus, team relationship, execution method and difficult of use. Prototype outputs explanations on the inference process and chosen techniques information.

To demonstrate the system scope, two opposite design cases are presented. The system was validated by experts in knowledge management and mechanical engineering design. The validation process demonstrates relevance of the approach and improvement directions for future developments.

Though literature contains toolkits and taxonomy for CITs, no work applies AI to identify design scenarios, select best CITs and instruct about their use. Validators reported to know less than half of the available techniques, showing a clear knowledge gap among design experts.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze theory of inventive problem-solving (TRIZ) in terms of knowledge, skill, workload and affect to understand its effectiveness in enabling designers to achieve their optimized mental performance.

TASKS framework, which aims to capture the causal relations among Task workload, affect, skills, knowledge and mental stress, is adopted as our methodology. The framework supports the analysis of how a methodology influence designer’s affect, skills, knowledge and workload. TRIZ-related publications are assessed using the TASKS framework to identify the barriers and enablers in TRIZ-supported design.

TRIZ has limitations on its logic and tools. Nevertheless, it could create a beneficial impact on mental performance of designers.

This paper provides a theory-driven TRIZ usability analysis based on the materials in the literature following the TASKS framework. The impact of TRIZ, as an enabler or a barrier, has been analyzed in accomplishing a design task.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the electromagnetic performances of the permanent magnet linear synchronous machines (PMLSM) with sine and third harmonic (SIN + 3rd) shaping mover in comparison with the PMLSM with sine (SIN) shaping mover and conventional shaping mover.

The optimal amplitude of the injected third harmonic to re-shape the SIN + 3rd shaping permanent magnet (PM) for maximizing the thrust force is analytically derived and confirmed by finite element method (FEM). Furthermore, the PM edge thickness, the pole arc to pole pitch ratio and the tooth to slot ratio are optimized. It is found that the optimal amplitude of the injected third harmonic is one-sixth of the fundamental one, the optimal PM edge thickness, the pole arc to pole pitch ratio and the tooth to slot ratio are 0, 0.85 and 0.5 mm, respectively. In addition, the electromagnetic performances are analyzed and quantitatively compared for the PMLSM with SIN + 3rd shaping mover, SIN shaping mover and conventional shaping mover.

The average thrust force and efficiency of the PMLSM with SIN + 3rd shaping mover are improved significantly, while the thrust ripple is not increased, comparing to those of the PMLSM with SIN shaping mover. Meanwhile, the thrust ripple is lower than that of the conventional shaping mover.

The purely sinusoidal currents are applied in this analysis and the influences of harmonics in the current on electromagnetic performances are not considered.

This paper presents a PMLSM with SIN + 3rd shaping mover to improve the thrust force and efficiency without increasing the thrust ripple, considering the effects of the amplitude of the injected third harmonic to re-shape the SIN + 3rd shaping PM, the PM edge thickness, the pole arc to pole pitch ratio and the tooth to slot ratio.