A Model of a Photocopier Paper Path
Vineet Gupta, Vijay Saraswat, Peter Struss
Abstract
We present a compositional steady-state model of paper
transportation in a photocopier that is meant to support
different problem solving tasks like simulation and diagnosis,
and to be applicable to a variety of configurations. The model
avoids making hard-wired implicit assumptions about design
principles and possible scenarios, though second-order effects
such as the effect of gravity, and non-zero sheet mass are
ignored.
The model represents the instantaneous spatially distributed
interactions between a sheet of paper and multiple transport
elements (e.g., rollers) acting on it. The model can predict
essential features of the motion of the sheet of paper, such as
buckling and tearing. In most interesting cases, it can predict
the instantaneous velocity of the leading edge of the sheet.
The framework provided is quite generic and can be used as a
starting point for developing models of other transportation
domains.
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