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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 127 records · Page 7

Visualization and modeling of factors influencing visibility in computer-aided crewstation design

We have developed two modules for use in computer-aided design (CAD) of crewstation environments that enhance the designer's appreciation of factors influencing the pilot's vision and visual processing capacity. The Binocular Optics Module (BOM) is an interactive tool for visualizing geometric aspects of (1) how retinal imagery of the environment changes on the pilot's retinas under conditions of eye and object motion, and (2) how visual capabilities that can be modeled as regions or contours on the retinas, affect spatial perception of the environment. The Visual Performance Module (VPM) contains a signal processing model of human visual discrimination that quantitatively predicts visual discrimination performance. The outputs of the VPM are retinal contours that represent performance probabilities. These contours may be used as inputs to the BOM for visualizing those volumes of space within the crewstation that bound different levels of the pilot's of visual discrimination capability. Used together, the BOM and VPM provide the designer with the opportunity to interactively explore relationships between environmental retinal imagery and visual function, and the ability to factor the pilot's visual capabilities into the earliest phases of crewstation CAD.

Arditi, Aries↗

March of the Interns

Summer 2019 brought 70 interns — from Puerto Rico, 44 continental US states, Sweden, and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago — into the NASA Ames Aeromechanics Branch. Some were high school students learning engineering for the first time, while most were mechanical and aerospace engineering students, though two physics majors and a math major jumped into the mix to provide balance. This year’s interns completed work on 30 different projects with a collective of 30,000 dedicated hours of work. The projects this year were on urban air mobility (UAM), search and rescue vehicle design, all things Mars, Titan exploration concept designs, 3D modeling (i.e. computer aided design, CAD), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and much more. Last year we addressed the question of what to do with an army of interns. This year, we are following its path to change the world.

Dromiack, Hannah↗

Optical Micromachining

Under an SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) with Marshall Space Flight Center, Potomac Photonics, Inc., constructed and demonstrated a unique tool that fills a need in the area of diffractive and refractive micro-optics. It is an integrated computer-aided design and computer-aided micro-machining workstation that will extend the benefits of diffractive and micro-optic technology to optical designers. Applications of diffractive optics include sensors and monitoring equipment, analytical instruments, and fiber optic distribution and communication. The company has been making diffractive elements with the system as a commercial service for the last year.

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Shaded-Color Picture Generation of Computer-Defined Arbitrary Shapes

SHADE computer program generates realistic color-shaded pictures from computer-defined arbitrary shapes. Objects defined for computer representation displayed as smooth, color-shaded surfaces, including varying degrees of transparency. Results also used for presentation of computational results. By performing color mapping, SHADE colors model surface to display analysis results as pressures, stresses, and temperatures. NASA has used SHADE extensively in sign and analysis of high-performance aircraft. Industry should find applications for SHADE in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. SHADE written in VAX FORTRAN and MACRO Assembler for either interactive or batch execution.

Cozzolongo, J. V.↗

A SINDA thermal model using CAD/CAE technologies

The approach to thermal analysis described by this paper is a technique that incorporates Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) to develop a thermal model that has the advantages of Finite Element Methods (FEM) without abandoning the unique advantages of Finite Difference Methods (FDM) in the analysis of thermal systems. The incorporation of existing CAD geometry, the powerful use of a pre and post processor and the ability to do interdisciplinary analysis, will be described.

Rodriguez, Jose A.↗

Computational System For Rapid CFD Analysis In Engineering

Computational system comprising modular hardware and software sub-systems developed to accelerate and facilitate use of techniques of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in engineering environment. Addresses integration of all aspects of CFD analysis process, including definition of hardware surfaces, generation of computational grids, CFD flow solution, and postprocessing. Incorporates interfaces for integration of all hardware and software tools needed to perform complete CFD analysis. Includes tools for efficient definition of flow geometry, generation of computational grids, computation of flows on grids, and postprocessing of flow data. System accepts geometric input from any of three basic sources: computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided engineering (CAE), or definition by user.

Barson, Steven L.↗

Space Spurred Computer Graphics

Dicomed Corporation was asked by NASA in the early 1970s to develop processing capabilities for recording images sent from Mars by Viking spacecraft. The company produced a film recorder which increased the intensity levels and the capability for color recording. This development led to a strong technology base resulting in sophisticated computer graphics equipment. Dicomed systems are used to record CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacturing) equipment, to update maps and produce computer generated animation.

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Computer-aided structural design of a lunar radio telescope

This paper describes a computer-aided structural design of the main reflector of a fully steerable radio telescope to be located (in the 21st century) on the moon, and presents the results of the structural analysis of the reflector. The reflector is a paraboloid with a surface area of 12,660 sq m and a focal ratio of 0.42. The reflector's surface will be covered by a 5.08 cm-thick sandwich panel made of thin-walled aluminum cells filled with low-density foam. The low weight of the design will be achieved by using graphite-epoxy as the structural material.

Akgul, Ferhat↗

Computer-aided linear-circuit design.

Usually computer-aided design (CAD) refers to programs that analyze circuits conceived by the circuit designer. Among the services such programs should perform are direct network synthesis, analysis, optimization of network parameters, formatting, storage of miscellaneous data, and related calculations. The program should be embedded in a general-purpose conversational language such as BASIC, JOSS, or APL. Such a program is MARTHA, a general-purpose linear-circuit analyzer embedded in APL.

Penfield, P.↗

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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Overview of the Integrated Programs for Aerospace Vehicle Design (IPAD) project

To respond to national needs for improved productivity in engineering design and manufacturing, a NASA supported joint industry/government project is underway denoted Integrated Programs for Aerospace Vehicle Design (IPAD). The objective is to improve engineering productivity through better use of computer technology. It focuses on development of data base management technology and associated software for integrated company wide management of engineering and manufacturing information. Results to date on the IPAD project include an in depth documentation of a representative design process for a large engineering project, the definition and design of computer aided design software needed to support that process, and the release of prototype software to manage engineering information. This paper provides an overview of the IPAD project and summarizes progress to date and future plans.

Venneri, S. L.↗

Spectral analysis of linear, shift-invariant interpolants

The use of a spectral analysis technique to evaluate the reconstruction/interpolation performance of linear, shift-invariant interpolants is examined. The technique was utilized to measure the performance of cubic hermite, quintic hermite, exponential, cubic, spline, Nu, PCC, Keys cubic, and BAWA cubic interpolants. The performance criterion is based upon the mean square error of the difference between the sampled and reconstructed functions. The reconstruction properties, interpolation functions, and reconstruction filters for the interpolants are studied and compared. It is noted that the spectral analysis technique is applicable to reconstruction algorithms used in signal and image processes, and interpolants used in numerical analysis, computer-aided design, and computer graphics.

Lansing, Donald L.↗

Spectral Analysis Of Linear, Shift-Invariant Interpolants

Method of analysis provides quantitative measure of reconstruction and interpolation performances of linear, shift-invariant interpolants. Criterion of performance based upon mean-square error of difference between sampled and reconstructed functions. Applicable to reconstruction algorithms used in processing of signals and images and to types of interpolants used in numerical analysis, computer-aided design, and computer graphics.

Lansing, Donald L.↗

Characteristics of products generated by selective sintering and stereolithography rapid prototyping processes

The trend in the modern global economy towards free market policies has motivated companies to use rapid prototyping technologies to not only reduce product development cycle time but also to maintain their competitive edge. A rapid prototyping technology is one which combines computer aided design with computer controlled tracking of focussed high energy source (eg. lasers, heat) on modern ceramic powders, metallic powders, plastics or photosensitive liquid resins in order to produce prototypes or models. At present, except for the process of shape melting, most rapid prototyping processes generate products that are only dimensionally similar to those of the desired end product. There is an urgent need, therefore, to enhance the understanding of the characteristics of these processes in order to realize their potential for production. Currently, the commercial market is dominated by four rapid prototyping processes, namely selective laser sintering, stereolithography, fused deposition modelling and laminated object manufacturing. This phase of the research has focussed on the selective laser sintering and stereolithography rapid prototyping processes. A theoretical model for these processes is under development. Different rapid prototyping sites supplied test specimens (based on ASTM 638-84, Type I) that have been measured and tested to provide a data base on surface finish, dimensional variation and ultimate tensile strength. Further plans call for developing and verifying the theoretical models by carefully designed experiments. This will be a joint effort between NASA and other prototyping centers to generate a larger database, thus encouraging more widespread usage by product designers.

Cariapa, Vikram↗

Spacesuit glove manufacturing enhancements through the use of advanced technologies

The sucess of astronauts performing extravehicular activity (EVA) on orbit is highly dependent upon the performance of their spacesuit gloves.A study has recently been conducted to advance the development and manufacture of spacesuit gloves. The process replaces the manual techniques of spacesuit glove manufacture by utilizing emerging technologies such as laser scanning, Computer Aided Design (CAD), computer generated two-dimensional patterns from three-dimensionl surfaces, rapid prototyping technology, and laser cutting of materials, to manufacture the new gloves. Results of the program indicate that the baseline process will not increase the cost of the gloves as compared to the existing styles, and in production, may reduce the cost of the gloves. perhaps the most important outcome of the Laserscan process is that greater accuracy and design control can be realized. Greater accuracy was achieved in the baseline anthropometric measurement and CAD data measurement which subsequently improved the design feature. This effectively enhances glove performance through better fit and comfort.

Cadogan, David↗

Braided Composites for Aerospace Applications. (Latest citations from the Aerospace Database)

The bibliography contains citations concerning the design, fabrication, and testing of structural composites formed by braiding machines. Topics include computer aided design and associated computer aided manufacture of braided tubular and flat forms. Applications include aircraft and spacecraft structures, where high shear strength and stiffness are required.

COMPOSITE STRUCTURES↗