A computer-implemented method designs a supporting structure for the packaging of a solid object. The supporting structure comprises a plurality of linear support elements suitable to sustain the solid object inside a packaging container. The method includes: a) providing, as an input, a three-dimensional model of the solid object; b) computing a first cumulative linear mass density distribution of the solid object according to a first axis (x); and c) using said first cumulative linear mass density distribution to determine the positions, along said first axis, of a first plurality of said linear support elements oriented transversally to said first axis. The resultant positions enable even distribution of the weight of the solid object among the linear support elements of said first plurality. A computer program product, computer-readable data-storage medium, and CAD system carry out such a method. A supporting structure designed according to embodiments, and its manufacturing method.

A method for determining a demand for filling material in order to, when filling a shipping container, which has been in part pre-filled with products, secure the position of the products in the shipping container, comprises at least partially detecting the remaining space in the shipping container which is not occupied by the products, and determining the filling material required to at least partially fill the detected space. A three-dimensional grid is virtually generated which represents the portion of the remaining space in the interior of the shipping container which is not occupied by the products and which is accessible from above in the vertical direction. The method also comprises generating virtual spatial candidate elements which are suitable for filling, in various sub-combinations, the grid within specified tolerances and without collision, and selecting a sub-combination of this kind as result combination.

A method for creating a laboratory automation system is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a plurality of subgraphs that correspond to a plurality of system blocks. The system blocks are chosen and the subgraphs are stitched together to form a site graph for the laboratory automation system.

Systems are provided for automatically optimizing packaging and dunnage for a group of objects. The systems calculate dimensions for a custom-made packaging template. The dimensions for the custom-made packaging template are adjusted to allow for a specific amount of dunnage. The systems generate a packaging command that causes a packaging-production machine to generate custom-made packaging templates based upon the calculated dimensions for the custom-made packaging template. The systems also generate a dunnage command that causes a dunnage-production machine to generate the specific amount of dunnage.

A method for modelling a thermal environment of an electronic device is provided. The method includes obtaining a volumetric mesh representation of a region of three-dimensional space including the electronic device and a surrounding medium. A computational model for modelling the thermal environment of the region of space is determined based on the mesh representation and a set of thermal parameters for the plurality of mesh cells, and the computational model is evaluated to determine the thermal environment in each mesh cell of the mesh representation. The computational model includes an embedding of a boundary condition independent reduced order model of at least one component of the electronic device into a model of the surrounding medium.

A temperature change of a device on an integrated circuit chip due to self-heating and thermal coupling with other device(s) is modeled considering inefficient heat removal from the backside of the chip. To perform such modeling, ratios of an imaginary heat amount to an actual heat amount for different locations on the IC chip must be predetermined using a test integrated circuit (IC) chip. During testing, one test device at one specific location on the test IC chip is selected to function as a heat source, while at least two other test devices at other locations on the test IC chip function as temperature sensors. The heat source is biased and changes in temperature at the heat source and at the sensors are determined. These changes are used to calculate the value of the imaginary heat amount to actual heat amount ratio to be associated with the specific location.

A method of operating a processing system that includes at least one processor and a storage system.

A package design system creates one or more package design files by creating cut line instructions and fold line instructions for a package flat. If the system determines that the package flat should be split into two or more subparts across two or more substrates or two or more sub-regions of a single substrate, it will select a fold line and convert the selected fold line to a seam. Conversion to a seam may occur by creating cut line instructions for the selected fold line, imparting a first set of functional elements on a first side of the seam, and imparting a second set of functional elements on a second side of the seam. The first set of functional elements and the second set of functional elements will form a functional connection when the three-dimensional structure is formed.

A method and system for creating a customized package design. Package design and preference information related to a shape of the package design is received. The preference information includes user-specified information related to one or more levels of one or more structural attributes of the package design. A detailed design is generated that incorporates the user-specified information and a detailed design file is generated and output. Generation of the detailed design includes identifying functional elements associated with the package that correspond to the user-specified information and altering at least one physical characteristic of the identified functional elements based upon the preference information, and incorporating the altered physical characteristic into the detailed design. A determination can be made as to whether the altered detailed design satisfies any constraints associated with the package being design, and the detailed design file can be updated accordingly.

A package design system creates one or more package design files by creating cut line instructions and fold line instructions. If the system determines that the package should be split across two or more substrates, it will select a fold line and convert the selected fold line to a seam. Conversion to a seam may occur by creating cut line instructions for the selected fold line, imparting a first set of functional elements on a first side of the seam, and imparting a second set of functional elements on a second side of the seam. The first set of functional elements and the second set of functional elements will form a functional connection when the three-dimensional structure is formed.