Browse Topic: Fabrication
ABSTRACT Flash® Bainite Processing employs rapid thermal cycling (<10s) to strengthen commercial off the shelf (COTS) steel sheet, plate, and tubing into Ultra Hard 600 Armor, High Hard 500 Armor, and advanced high strength steel (AHSS). In a continuous process, induction technology heats a narrow segment of the steel cross section in just seconds to atypically high temperature (1000-1300°C). Quenching substantially immediately follows. A report by Benet Labs and Picatinny Arsenal, investigating a less mature flash technology in 2011, surmised that the novel flash bainite process for steels has the potential to reduce cost and weight while also enhancing mechanical performance [1]. Receiving five financial grants, the US Dept of Energy has greatly matured flash technology in the last few years and its metallurgical understanding in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Lab and others. DOE has named Flash Bainite as the “SBIR Small Business of the Year” in May 2018 and awarded a Phase 3
ABSTRACT The age of large autonomous ground vehicles has arrived. Wherever vehicles are used, autonomy is desired and, in most cases, being studied and developed. The last barrier is to prove to decision makers (and the general public) that these autonomous systems are safe. This paper describes a rigorous safety testing environment for large autonomous vehicles. Our approach to this borrows elements from game theory, where multiple competing players each attempt to maximize their payout. With this construct, we can model an environment that as an agent that seeks poor performance in an effort to find the rare corner cases that can lead to automation failure
ABSTRACT The International Council on Systems Engineering https://www.incose.org/ is a recognized standards body defining a system engineering knowledge-base, but this knowledge falls short of fully recognizing manufacturing in the Systems Engineering (SE) framework. To be inclusive, Manufacturing needs to join in the initiative of Model Based Systems Engineering to be relevant and succeed in the digital transformation in the field of systems engineering. This paper addresses this need in manufacturing by applying Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) to the identification and management of key characteristics so that a more relevant set of Manufacturing requirements can be introduced into the MBSE construct and help realize manufacturing resilience and become a full SE partner. Citation: “Identification and Management of Key Characteristics in Product Development Using Model Based Systems Engineering,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium
ABSTRACT The University of Delaware (UD) and the US Army DEVCOM-GVSC (GVSC) have partnered to show the feasibility of fabricating mission specific, man-packable, autonomous vehicles that are created by Computer Aided Design (CAD) and are then produced, from start-to-finish, in a single manufacturing unit-cell without human intervention in the manufacturing process. This unit-cell contains many manufacturing processes (e.g., additive manufacturing (AM), pick-and-place, circuit printing, and subtractive manufacturing) that work in concert to fabricate functional devices. Together, UD and GVSC have developed the very first mission specific autonomous vehicle that is fully fabricated in a single manufacturing unit-cell without being touched by human hand. Citation: Jacob W. Robinson, Thomas W. Lum, Zachary J. Larimore, Matthew P. Ludkey, Larry (LJ) R. Holmes, Jr. “AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING FOR AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS (AMASS)”, In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and
Improvements in trace biological molecule detection can have significant impact on healthcare, food safety, and environmental safety industries. Detection of trace biological molecules can be critical to the diagnosis of early onset of diseases or infections. Researchers at NASA Ames Research Center developed an electrochemical, bead-based biological sensor based on Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) combining a magnetic concentration of signaling molecules and electrochemical amplification using wafer-scale fabrication of microelectrode arrays
The Software Production Factory (SPF) is a cyber physical construct of computers, hardware and software integrated together to serve as an ideation and rapid prototyping environment. SPF is a virtual dynamic environment to analyze requirements, architecture, and design, assess trade-offs, test Ground Vehicle development artifacts such as structural and behavioral features, and deploy system artifacts and operational qualifications. SPF is utilized during the product development as well as during system operations and support. The white paper describes the components of the SPF to build relevant Ground Vehicle Rapid Prototyping (GVRP) models in accordance with the model-centric digital engineering process guidelines. The factory and the processes together ensure that the artifacts are produced as specified. The processes are centered around building, maintaining, and tracing single source of information from source all the way to final atomic element of the built system
To expand the availability of electricity generated from nuclear power, several countries have started developing designs for small modular reactors (SMRs), which could take less time and money to construct compared to existing reactors
Engineers at UC Berkeley have developed a new technique for making wearable sensors that enables medical researchers to prototype and test new designs much faster and at a far lower cost than existing methods
Photolithography involves manipulating light to precisely etch features onto a surface, and is commonly used to fabricate computer chips and optical devices like lenses. But tiny deviations during the manufacturing process often cause these devices to fall short of their designers’ intentions
To advance soft robotics, skin-integrated electronics, and biomedical devices, researchers have developed a 3D printed material that is soft and stretchable — traits needed for matching the properties of tissues and organs — and that self-assembles. Their approach employs a process that eliminates many drawbacks of previous fabrication methods, such as less conductivity or device failure
The photochemical etching (PCE) process is distinguished by its capacity to fabricate metal parts with unparalleled accuracy. This process sidesteps the typical stresses and deformations linked to conventional metal-working, like stamping or laser cutting, which can compromise material integrity. Such fidelity is crucial in the manufacture of components for thermal management systems, where material integrity and component precision are non-negotiable for ensuring effective heat creation or dissipation. PCE’s ability to craft parts with smooth, burr-free edges and exact dimensions means heat management components work more effectively, bolstering the reliability and extending the service life of micro electronic devices
To improve battery performance and production, Penn State researchers and collaborators have developed a new fabrication approach that could make for more efficient batteries that maintain energy and power levels
Light is used in many ways in sensor technology for high precision applications. For example, white light technology can be used for confocal chromatic sensors and interferometers that can make extremely precise and accurate measurements of distance and thickness down to the sub-nanometer range. This makes them suitable for production monitoring in different industries, including semiconductor fabrication. However, even though both sensor types work with white light technology, the two measurement methods differ significantly, although they complement each other
This technical paper reports the development of an automatic defect detector utilizing deep learning for “polished skins”. Materials with a “polished skin” are used in the fabrication of the external plates of commercial airplanes. The polished skin is obtained by polishing the surface of an aluminum clad material, and they are visually inspected, which places a significant burden on inspectors to find minute defects on relatively large pieces of material. Automated inspection of these skins is made more difficult because the material has a mirror finished surface. Defects are broadly classified into three categories: dents, bumps, and discolorations. Therefore, a defect detector must be able to detect these types of defects and measure the defects’ surface profile. This technical paper presents details related to the design and manufacture of an inexpensive automated defect detector that demonstrates a sufficiently high level of performance. The system employs multiple line sensor
Additive manufacturing enables unrivaled design freedom and flexible fabrication of components from a wide range of materials including metals, composites, polymers, and ceramics. The near net shape parts are made by processes like sequential melting or layer-by-layer material deposition with a complex set of processing variables. The sequential nature of the process means that every step can impact the next and thus, tools to evaluate that risk before and during manufacturing are necessary
Equal Channel Angular Pressing is proven to produce ultrafine-grained to nano-structured materials and is most advantageous in comparison with most severe plastic deformation processes, due to its multi-pass capability. The channel angle is the most dominant process parameter, depending on which the property of the processed material varies significantly. Hence to exploit the advantage of this process and to fabricate materials with tailor-made properties, it is desirable to have access to a wide range of channel angles. Limitations in existing designs restrict this to one fixed angle per die and a variation of the angle demands an entirely new die. Hence a novel die geometry is proposed, where the exit channel is made detachable from the parent die block, permitting flexibility of channel angle. Such a design cuts down the cost of fabricating a die setup for the desired channel angle by as much as 80%, in comparison with the traditional split die configuration where a whole new die
The experimental investigation aims to improve natural composite materials aligned with feasible development principles. These composites can be exploited across several industries, including the automobile and biomedical sectors. This research employs date seed powder and neem gum powder as reinforcing agents, along with polyester resin as the base material. The fabrication route comprises compression moulding, causing the production of the natural composite material. This study focuses extensively on mechanical characteristics such as tensile strength, flexural strength, hardness, and impact resistance to undergo comprehensive testing. Furthermore, the chemical properties of the composites are examined using the FTIR test to gain understanding by integrating different proportions of date seed powder (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) and neem gum powder (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%) in the matrix phase. These investigation goals are to evaluate the strength and performance of the fabricated composite
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a common way to make things faster in manufacturing era today. A mix of polypropylene (PP) and carbon fiber (CF) blended filament is strong and bonded well. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a common way to make things. For this research, made the test samples using a mix of PP and CF filament through FDM printer by varying infill speed of 40 meters per sec 50 meters per sec and 60 meters per sec in sequence. The tested these samples on a tribometer testing machine that slides them against a surface with different forces (from 5 to 20 N) and speeds (from 1 to 4 meters per sec). The findings of the study revealed a consistent linear increase in both wear rate and coefficient of friction across every sample analyzed. Nevertheless, noteworthy variations emerged when evaluating the samples subjected to the 40m/s infill speed test. Specifically, these particular samples exhibited notably lower wear rates and coefficients of friction compared to the remaining
In recent years, industry adoption of thermoplastic composites (TPCs) in lieu of thermosets and metallic structures has increased for the fabrication of air and launch vehicle components. Manufacturing of TPCs, performed via automated tape laying (ATL) and automated fiber placement (AFP), uses machines that place prepreg tow or tapes on molds in a unidirectional manner, which then undergo cure cycles, autoclaving, and other steps that require special tooling. The process is time, material, and energy intensive, requires large facilities to house equipment, and limits the size, mechanical properties and shapes of the parts manufactured. To address these limitations, NASA’s Langley Research Center has developed a simplified, tool-less automated tow/tape placement (ATP) system
Working on the nanoscale gives researchers a lot of insight and control when fabricating and characterizing materials. In larger scale manufacturing, as well as in nature, many materials have the capacity for flaws and impurities that can disrupt their complex structure. This creates several weak points that can easily break under stress. This is common with most glass, which is why it is thought of as such a delicate material
To improve battery performance and production, Penn State researchers and collaborators have developed a new fabrication approach that could make for more efficient batteries that maintain energy and power levels
Centimeter-scale walking and crawling robots are in demand both for their ability to explore tight or cluttered environments and for their low fabrication costs. Now, pulling from origami-inspired construction, researchers led by Cynthia Sung, Gabel Family Term Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, have crafted a more simplified approach to the design and fabrication of these robots
Magnesium alloy, known for its high strength and lightweight properties, finds widespread utilization in various technical applications. Aerospace applications, such as fuselages and steering columns, are well-suited for their utilization. These materials are frequently employed in automotive components, such as steering wheels and fuel tank lids, due to their notable corrosion resistance. The performance of magnesium alloy components remains unimproved by normal manufacturing methods due to the inherent characteristics of the material. This work introduces a contemporary approach to fabricating complex geometries through the utilization of Wire-Electro Discharge Machining (WEDM). The material utilized in this study was magnesium alloy. The investigation also considered the input parameters associated with the Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) process, specifically the pulse duration and peak current. The findings of the study encompassed the material removal rate and surface
This specification covers elemental copper in the form of powder (see 8.5
A research team has successfully overcome the limitations of soft strain sensors by integrating computer vision technology into optical sensors. The team developed a sensor technology known as computer vision-based optical strain (CVOS). Unlike conventional sensors reliant on electrical signals, CVOS sensors employ computer vision and optical sensors to analyze microscale optical patterns, extracting data regarding changes. This approach inherently enhances durability by eliminating elements that compromise sensor functionalities and streamlining fabrication processes, thereby facilitating sensor commercialization
A patent-pending method developed by Purdue University researchers brings the public one step closer to clothes with wearable electronics that don’t affect the wearer’s comfort. The method also simplifies the manufacturing process and boosts sensing capability
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have fabricated a novel device that could dramatically boost the conversion of heat into electricity. If perfected, the technology could help recoup some of the recoverable heat energy that is wasted in the U.S. at a rate of about $100 billion each year
A Penn State-led team of researchers have created a new process to fabricate large perovskite devices that is more cost- and time-effective than previously possible — and may accelerate future materials discovery
Designing the next generation of RF systems, such as high performance active electronically scanned arrays (AESA), requires contributions from a multidisciplinary team of engineers. Customers within the Department of Defense (DoD) require performance beyond the current state of the art in order to stay ahead of adversaries’ capabilities. As engineering teams work to meet these requirements, invariably, limitations in the available design, fabrication, and verification technologies consume the teams’ budget for design flexibility, performance, and novel solutions. Ultimately, this leads to concessions in the design and puts the overall project at risk for cost and schedule overruns
Sometimes an innovation comes along that changes the manufacturing landscape. Pro Spot International has created a unique Cobot Spot Welding solution. By bringing this new tool to the sheet metal fabrication market, the company aims to bring game-changing gains in productivity, reliability, traceability, and ergonomic safety to the manufacturing world
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