Like most other fundamental mechanical components which form the basis of many mechanical systems, springs have existed since the Bronze Age for storage or release of energy, absorption or utilization of vibration, relaxation or absorption of impact force and when unloaded, return to the original position or to the original shape. Quality, service requirement, performance as well as durability ...

The paper describes I-Promise, an expert system for configuration design of complex protective materials. Configuration problem of I-Promise is a part of conceptual design of complex protective materials; hence the context of conceptual design and configuration problems is briefly described before the detailed description of I-Promise, its problem domain, its design, and its application. Due to...

The posterior restorative material of choice depends on the individual clinical situation and patient. Amalgam has a long history of use and clinical success. Esthetic restorations are increasingly in demand, and include glass ionomers, compomers and composite resins. Fluoride release is a desirable attribute in a restorative material, as are wear resistance, low polymerization shrinkage and lo...

The dynamic programming technique used in the paper overlays a grid of points on top of the problem space and calculates the maximum expected utility of each location given optimal future actions. This is done recursively starting at the target locations and moving outward until values for all points are calculated, and then repeating the process until the values converge. Using the equations g...

The selection of proper materials for different components is one of the most challenging tasks in engineer’s activity. The traditional approach to the selection of materials required looking through the literature and material safty data sheets.With the development of information technology, engineering work has also changed. It involves not only arduous browsing catalogues and guides but also...