Cloyd, Richard | Search NASA

NASA NTRS2004

Improved Ball-and-Socket Docking Mechanism

A proposed docking mechanism would form a ball-and-socket joint in the docked condition. The mechanism could tolerate significant initial misalignment because it would include an alignment cone that would guide the ball into the socket. Like other ball-and-socket joints, the joint would have three rotational degrees of freedom. This docking mechanism would be a successor to the one described in Passive Capture Joint With Three Degrees of Freedom (MFS-31146), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 22, No. 7 (July 1998), page 65. It would contain most of the components of the prior mechanism, plus some additional components that would expand its capabilities.

Cloyd, Richard↗

NASA NTRS1998

An Example of Concurrent Engineering

The Collaborative Engineering Design and Analysis Room (CEDAR) facility allows on-the- spot design review capability for any project during all phases of development. The required disciplines assemble in this facility to work on any problems (analysis, manufacturing, inspection, etc.) associated with a particular design. A small highly focused team of specialists can meet in this room to better expedite the process of developing a solution to an engineering task within the framework of the constraints that are unique to each discipline. This facility provides the engineering tools and translators to develop a concept within the confines of the room or with remote team members that could access the team's data from other locations. The CEDAR area is envisioned as excellent for failure investigation meetings to be conducted where the computer capabilities can be utilized in conjunction with the Smart Board display to develop failure trees, brainstorm failure modes, and evaluate possible solutions.

Rowe, Sidney↗