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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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At least 109 records · Page 6

Interconnect fatigue design for terrestrial photovoltaic modules

The results of comprehensive investigation of interconnect fatigue that has led to the definition of useful reliability-design and life-prediction algorithms are presented. Experimental data indicate that the classical strain-cycle (fatigue) curve for the interconnect material is a good model of mean interconnect fatigue performance, but it fails to account for the broad statistical scatter, which is critical to reliability prediction. To fill this shortcoming the classical fatigue curve is combined with experimental cumulative interconnect failure rate data to yield statistical fatigue curves (having failure probability as a parameter) which enable (1) the prediction of cumulative interconnect failures during the design life of an array field, and (2) the unambiguous--ie., quantitative--interpretation of data from field-service qualification (accelerated thermal cycling) tests. Optimal interconnect cost-reliability design algorithms are derived based on minimizing the cost of energy over the design life of the array field.

Mon, G. R.↗

Issues in the development of a general design algorithm for reliable failure detection

The design of residual-generation processes is briefly discussed, the goal being to develop a methodology for designing robust processes of this type. It is noted that analytical redundancy forms the basis for residual-generation, representing the relationships between the outputs of sensors and inputs of actuators via the dynamics of the system. It is because of this relationship that sensor outputs (even those of dissimilar sensors and at different times) can, in effect, be compared to ascertain whether they are consistent with normal system behavior. The residuals can be seen as constituting the discrepancy between the output resulting from such comparisons; they should display noise-like characteristics only in the normal mode. Failures in the system would lead to a discrepancy between the observed and expected behavior of the sensor outputs and hence to abnormal characteristics (failure signatures) in the residual.

Chow, E. Y.↗

NASA Space Engineering Research Center for VLSI systems design

This annual review reports the center's activities and findings on very large scale integration (VLSI) systems design for 1990, including project status, financial support, publications, the NASA Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) Symposium on VLSI Design, research results, and outreach programs. Processor chips completed or under development are listed. Research results summarized include a design technique to harden complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) memory circuits against single event upset (SEU); improved circuit design procedures; and advances in computer aided design (CAD), communications, computer architectures, and reliability design. Also described is a high school teacher program that exposes teachers to the fundamentals of digital logic design.

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A study of software standards used in the avionics industry

Within the past decade, software has become an increasingly common element in computing systems. In particular, the role of software used in the aerospace industry, especially in life- or safety-critical applications, is rapidly expanding. This intensifies the need to use effective techniques for achieving and verifying the reliability of avionics software. Although certain software development processes and techniques are mandated by government regulating agencies, no one methodology has been shown to consistently produce reliable software. The knowledge base for designing reliable software simply has not reached the maturity of its hardware counterpart. In an effort to increase our understanding of software, the Langley Research Center conducted a series of experiments over 15 years with the goal of understanding why and how software fails. As part of this program, the effectiveness of current industry standards for the development of avionics is being investigated. This study involves the generation of a controlled environment to conduct scientific experiments on software processes.

Hayhurst, Kelly J.↗

Engineering Trade-off Considerations Regarding Design-for-Security, Design-for-Verification, and Design-for-Test

The United States government has identified that application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and field programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware are at risk from a variety of adversary attacks. This finding affects system security and trust. Consequently, processes are being developed for system mitigation and countermeasure application. The scope of this tutorial pertains to potential vulnerabilities and countermeasures within the ASIC/FPGA design cycle. The presentation demonstrates how design practices can affect the risk for the adversary to: change circuitry, steal intellectual property, and listen to data operations. An important portion of the design cycle is assuring the design is working as specified or as expected. This is accomplished by exhaustive testing of the target design. Alternatively, it has been shown that well established schemes for test coverage enhancement (design-for-verification (DFV) and design-for-test (DFT)) can create conduits for adversary accessibility. As a result, it is essential to perform a trade between robust test coverage versus reliable design implementation. The goal of this tutorial is to explain the evolution of design practices; review adversary accessibility points due to DFV and DFT circuitry insertion (back door circuitry); and to describe common engineering trade-off considerations for test versus adversary threats.

Design for reliability (DFR)↗

Fatigue criterion to system design, life and reliability

A generalized methodology to structural life prediction, design, and reliability based upon a fatigue criterion is advanced. The life prediction methodology is based in part on work of W. Weibull and G. Lundberg and A. Palmgren. The approach incorporates the computed life of elemental stress volumes of a complex machine element to predict system life. The results of coupon fatigue testing can be incorporated into the analysis allowing for life prediction and component or structural renewal rates with reasonable statistical certainty.

Zaretsky, E. V.↗

Fatigue criterion to system design, life and reliability

A generalized methodology to structural life prediction, design, and reliability based upon a fatigue criterion is advanced. The life prediction methodology is based in part on work of Weibull and Lundberg and Palmgren. The approach incorporates the computed life of elemental stress volumes of a complex machine element to predict system life. The results of coupon fatigue testing can be incorporated into the analysis allowing for life prediction and component or structural renewal rates with reasonable statistical certainty.

Zaretsky, E. V.↗

Space Station Freedom biomedical monitoring and countermeasures: Biomedical facility hardware catalog

This hardware catalog covers that hardware proposed under the Biomedical Monitoring and Countermeasures Development Program supported by the Johnson Space Center. The hardware items are listed separately by item, and are in alphabetical order. Each hardware item specification consists of four pages. The first page describes background information with an illustration, definition and a history/design status. The second page identifies the general specifications, performance, rack interface requirements, problems, issues, concerns, physical description, and functional description. The level of hardware design reliability is also identified under the maintainability and reliability category. The third page specifies the mechanical design guidelines and assumptions. Described are the material types and weights, modules, and construction methods. Also described is an estimation of percentage of construction which utilizes a particular method, and the percentage of required new mechanical design is documented. The fourth page analyzes the electronics, the scope of design effort, and the software requirements. Electronics are described by percentages of component types and new design. The design effort, as well as, the software requirements are identified and categorized.

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Urban Air Mobility Electric Motor Winding Insulation Reliability: Challenges in the Design and Qualification of High Reliability Electric Motors and NASA’s Research Plan

This work was motivated by the needs of the emerging Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concept. Guided by analyses of concept vehicles, electric motor winding insulation reliability was identified as a subsystem limiting the vehicle reliability. This paper covers NASA’s understanding of the current state-of-the-art for electric motor winding insulation reliability, life modeling and qualification testing in the context of UAM. The needed improvements to the accepted practice for qualification of high reliability UAM motors are highlighted. NASA’s Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technologies Project strives to develop new testing methods to support the rating and qualification of UAM motor winding insulation. We describe assumptions used to frame a research approach, and we outline a NASA RVLT research plan for motor winding insulation.

Thomas Tallerico↗

Design for ASIC reliability for low-temperature applications

In this paper, we present a methodology to design for reliability for low temperature applications without requiring process improvement. The developed hot carrier aging lifetime projection model takes into account both the transistor substrate current profile and temperature profile to determine the minimum transistor size needed in order to meet reliability requirements. The methodology is applicable for automotive, military, and space applications, where there can be varying temperature ranges. A case study utilizing this methodology is given to design for reliability into a custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a Mars exploration mission.

reliability↗

Machine-learning enabled thermodynamic model for the design of new rare-earth compounds

We employ a descriptor based machine-learning approach to assess the effect of chemical alloying on formation-enthalpy of rare-earth intermetallics. Application of machine-learning approaches in rare-earth intermetallic design have been sparse due to limited availability of reliable datasets. In this work, we developed an ‘in-house’ rare-earth database with more than 600 + compounds, each entry was populated with formation enthalpy and related atomic features using high-throughput density-functional theory (DFT). The SISSO (sure independence screening and sparsifying operator) based machine-learning method with meaningful atomic features was used for training and testing the formation enthalpies of rare earth compounds. The complex lattice function coupled with the machine-learning model was used to explore the effect of transition metal alloying on the energy stability of Ce based cubic Laves phases (MgCu 2 type). The SISSO predictions show good agreement with high-fidelity DFT calculations and X-ray powder diffraction measurements. Our study provides quantitative guidance for compositional considerations within a machine-learning model and discovering new metastable materials. The electronic-structure of Ce-Fe-Cu based compound was also analyzed to get an in-depth understanding of the electronic origin of phase stability. The interpretable analytical models in combination with density-functional theory and experiments provide a fast and reliable design guide for discovering technologically useful materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Solid Rocket Motor Performance Analysis and Prediction

Current design practices are reviewed and assessed, and guidance is established for achieving greater consistency in design, reliability in the end product, and efficiency in the design effort. The total problem is discussed, and design elements involved in successful design are identified. Design criteria are described, and the rule, guide, limitation, or standard which must be imposed on each essential design element is given. Recommended practices are presented for satisfying each of the criteria.

Source record↗

Launch vehicle systems design analysis

Current launch vehicle design emphasis is on low life-cycle cost. This paper applies total quality management (TQM) principles to a conventional systems design analysis process to provide low-cost, high-reliability designs. Suggested TQM techniques include Steward's systems information flow matrix method, quality leverage principle, quality through robustness and function deployment, Pareto's principle, Pugh's selection and enhancement criteria, and other design process procedures. TQM quality performance at least-cost can be realized through competent concurrent engineering teams and brilliance of their technical leadership.

Ryan, Robert↗

Turnaround Time Modeling for Conceptual Rocket Engines

Recent years have brought about a paradigm shift within NASA and the Space Launch Community regarding the performance of conceptual design. Reliability, maintainability, supportability, and operability are no longer effects of design; they have moved to the forefront and are affecting design. A primary focus of this shift has been a planned decrease in vehicle turnaround time. Potentials for instituting this decrease include attacking the issues of removing, refurbishing, and replacing the engines after each flight. less, it is important to understand the operational affects of an engine on turnaround time, ground support personnel and equipment. One tool for visualizing this relationship involves the creation of a Discrete Event Simulation (DES). A DES model can be used to run a series of trade studies to determine if the engine is meeting its requirements, and, if not, what can be altered to bring it into compliance. Using DES, it is possible to look at the ways in which labor requirements, parallel maintenance versus serial maintenance, and maintenance scheduling affect the overall turnaround time. A detailed DES model of the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) has been developed. Trades may be performed using the SSME Processing Model to see where maintenance bottlenecks occur, what the benefits (if any) are of increasing the numbers of personnel, or the number and location of facilities, in addition to trades previously mentioned, all with the goal of optimizing the operational turnaround time and minimizing operational cost. The SSME Processing Model was developed in such a way that it can easily be used as a foundation for developing DES models of other operational or developmental reusable engines. Performing a DES on a developmental engine during the conceptual phase makes it easier to affect the design and make changes to bring about a decrease in turnaround time and costs.

Nix, Michael↗