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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2001

Table-driven software architecture for a stitching system

Native code for a CNC stitching machine is generated by generating a geometry model of a preform; generating tool paths from the geometry model, the tool paths including stitching instructions for making stitches; and generating additional instructions indicating thickness values. The thickness values are obtained from a lookup table. When the stitching machine runs the native code, it accesses a lookup table to determine a thread tension value corresponding to the thickness value. The stitching machine accesses another lookup table to determine a thread path geometry value corresponding to the thickness value.

Thrash, Patrick J.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Mechanical Prototyping and Manufacturing Internship

The internship was located at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Innovation Design Center (IDC), which is a facility where the JSC workforce can meet and conduct hands-on innovative design, fabrication, evaluation, and testing of ideas and concepts relevant to NASA's mission. The tasks of the internship included mechanical prototyping design and manufacturing projects in service of research and development as well as assisting the users of the IDC in completing their manufacturing projects. The first project was to manufacture hatch mechanisms for a team in the Systems Engineering and Project Advancement Program (SETMAP) hexacopter competition. These mechanisms were intended to improve the performance of the servomotors and offer an access point that would also seal to prevent cross-contamination. I also assisted other teams as they were constructing and modifying their hexacopters. The success of this competition demonstrated a proof of concept for aerial reconnaissance and sample return to be potentially used in future NASA missions. I also worked with Dr. Kumar Krishen to prototype an improved thermos and a novel, portable solar array. Computer-aided design (CAD) software was used to model the parts for both of these projects. Then, 3D printing as well as conventional techniques were used to produce the parts. These prototypes were then subjected to trials to determine the success of the designs. The solar array is intended to work in a cluster that is easy to set up and take down and doesn't require powered servomechanisms. It could be used terrestrially in areas not serviced by power grids. Both projects improve planetary exploration capabilities to future astronauts. Other projects included manufacturing custom rail brackets for EG-2, assisting engineers working on underwater instrument and tool cases for the NEEMO project, and helping to create mock-up parts for Space Center Houston. The use of the IDC enabled efficient completion of these projects at significantly reduced cost. I acquired and improved manufacturing and prototyping skills during my tour including learning about a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) program called Creo (Creo Parametric; design software), gaining valuable conventional machining experience with lathes, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machines and various other tools, and improving my engineering project communication and collaboration skills. The internship also allowed me to better understand operations at NASA. I plan to work in the aerospace industry or do academic research benefitting space science and exploration, and this internship experience will enable me to have insight into manufacturing processes for research and development.

Grenfell, Peter↗

NASA NTRS2000

Automated apparatus and method of generating native code for a stitching machine

A computer system automatically generates CNC code for a stitching machine. The computer determines the locations of a present stitching point and a next stitching point. If a constraint is not found between the present stitching point and the next stitching point, the computer generates code for making a stitch at the next stitching point. If a constraint is found, the computer generates code for changing a condition (e.g., direction) of the stitching machine's stitching head.

Miller, Jeffrey L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Recent manufacturing advances for spiral bevel gears

The U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM), through the Propulsion Directorate at NASA LRC, has recently sponsored projects to advance the manufacturing process for spiral bevel gears. This type of gear is a critical component in rotary-wing propulsion systems. Two successfully completed contracted projects are described. The first project addresses the automated inspection of spiral bevel gears through the use of coordinate measuring machines. The second project entails the computer-numerical-control (CNC) conversion of a spiral bevel gear grinding machine that is used for all aerospace spiral bevel gears. The results of these projects are described with regard to the savings effected in manufacturing time.

Handschuh, Robert F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Recent manufacturing advances for spiral bevel gears

The U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM), through the Propulsion Directorate at NASA Lewis Research Center, has recently sponsored projects to advance the manufacturing process for spiral bevel gears. This type of gear is a critical component in rotary-wing propulsion systems. Two successfully completed contracted projects are described. The first project addresses the automated inspection of spiral bevel gears through the use of coordinate measuring machines. The second project entails the computer-numerical-control (CNC) conversion of a spiral bevel gear grinding machine that is used for all aerospace spiral bevel gears. The results of these projects are described with regard to the savings effected in manufacturing time.

Handschuh, Robert F.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Optimal Synthesis of Compliant Mechanisms using Subdivision and Commercial FEA (DETC2004-57497)

The field of distributed-compliance mechanisms has seen significant work in developing suitable topology optimization tools for their design. These optimal design tools have grown out of the techniques of structural optimization. This paper will build on the previous work in topology optimization and compliant mechanism design by proposing an alternative design space parameterization through control points and adding another step to the process, that of subdivision. The control points allow a specific design to be represented as a solid model during the optimization process. The process of subdivision creates an additional number of control points that help smooth the surface (for example a C(sup 2) continuous surface depending on the method of subdivision chosen) creating a manufacturable design free of some traditional numerical instabilities. Note that these additional control points do not add to the number of design parameters. This alternative parameterization and description as a solid model effectively and completely separates the design variables from the analysis variables during the optimization procedure. The motivation behind this work is to create an automated design tool from task definition to functional prototype created on a CNC or rapid-prototype machine. This paper will describe the proposed compliant mechanism design process and will demonstrate the procedure on several examples common in the literature.

Hull, Patrick V.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Design of a Robotic Ankle Joint for a Microspine-Based Robot

Successful robotic exploration of near-Earth asteroids necessitates a method of securely anchoring to the surface of these bodies without gravitational assistance. Microspine grip- per arrays that can grasp rock faces are a potential solution to this problem. A key component of a future microspine-based rover will be the ankle used to attach each microspine gripper to the robot. The ankle's purpose is twofold: 1) to allow the gripper to conform to the rock so a higher percentage of microspines attach to the surface, and 2) to neutralize torques that may dislodge the grippers from the wall. Parts were developed using computer aided design and manufactured using a variety of methods including selective laser sintering, CNC milling, and traditional manual machining techniques. Upon completion of the final prototype, the gripper and ankle system was tested to demonstrate robotic engagement and disengagement of the gripper and to determine load bearing ability. The immediate application of this project is to out t the Lemur IIb robot so it can climb and hang from rock walls.

Near-Earth objects↗

NASA NTRS2018

Spring Internship 2018 at the Prototype Development Lab: A place of Dreamers and Makers

This paper covers the role of the design process and the methodology of creating a trophy during my Spring 2018 Internship at the Prototype Development Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center. In the course of this project I used many new machines and materials while trying to deliver a professional product for a competition that invites college student teams from across the country. The machines covered in this paper include the wood chop saw, CNC mill, water jet, laser engraver, and the 3D printer. This paper also serves as an assembly guide for the trophy.

Rueda, Juan F.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Confessions of a robot lobotomist

Since its inception, numerically controlled (NC) machining methods have been used throughout the aerospace industry to mill, drill, and turn complex shapes by sequentially stepping through motion programs. However, the recent demand for more precision, faster feeds, exotic sensors, and branching execution have existing computer numerical control (CNC) and distributed numerical control (DNC) systems running at maximum controller capacity. Typical disadvantages of current CNC's include fixed memory capacities, limited communication ports, and the use of multiple control languages. The need to tailor CNC's to meet specific applications, whether it be expanded memory, additional communications, or integrated vision, often requires replacing the original controller supplied with the commercial machine tool with a more powerful and capable system. This paper briefly describes the process and equipment requirements for new controllers and their evolutionary implementation in an aerospace environment. The process of controller retrofit with currently available machines is examined, along with several case studies and their computational and architectural implications.

Gottshall, R. Marc↗

NASA NTRS1982

Documentation for the machine-readable version of the Catalogue of Nearby Stars, edition 1969

The Catalogue of Nearby Stars, Edition 1969 (Gliese 1969) contains a number of modifications and additions to the 1957 catalog. It should be mentioned that the 1969 edition lists: (1) all 915 stars of the first edition, even though newer parallaxes place some of the stars below the catalog limit; (2) almost all known stars having trigonometric parallaxes or = 0.045 deg, although in some cases the mean values of trigonometric and spectral or photometric parallaxes are or = 0.045 deg. Pleiades stars and the carbon star X Cnc have been omitted; and (3) all stars with mean (resulting) parallaxes or = 0.045 deg. The resulting catalog contains 1529 single stars and systems with a total of 1890 components (not including spectroscopic and astrometric companions). The machine-readable version of the catalog is described. It is intended to enable users to read and process the data without problems or guesswork.

Warren, W. H., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Design and implementation of a Windows NT network to support CNC activities

The Manufacturing, Materials, & Processes Technology Division is undergoing dramatic changes to bring it's manufacturing practices current with today's technological revolution. The Division is developing Computer Automated Design and Computer Automated Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) abilities. The development of resource tracking is underway in the form of an accounting software package called Infisy. These two efforts will bring the division into the 1980's in relationship to manufacturing processes. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) is the final phase of change to be implemented. This document is a qualitative study and application of a CIM application capable of finishing the changes necessary to bring the manufacturing practices into the 1990's. The documentation provided in this qualitative research effort includes discovery of the current status of manufacturing in the Manufacturing, Materials, & Processes Technology Division including the software, hardware, network and mode of operation. The proposed direction of research included a network design, computers to be used, software to be used, machine to computer connections, estimate a timeline for implementation, and a cost estimate. Recommendation for the division's improvement include action to be taken, software to utilize, and computer configurations.

Shearrow, C. A.↗