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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

Gradually including potential users: A tool to counter design exclusions.

PubMed

Zitkus, Emilene; Langdon, Patrick; Clarkson, P John

2018-01-01

The paper describes an iterative development process used to understand the suitability of different inclusive design evaluation tools applied into design practices. At the end of this process, a tool named Inclusive Design Advisor was developed, combining data related to design features of small appliances with ergonomic task demands, anthropometric data and exclusion data. When auditing a new design the tool examines the exclusion that each design feature can cause, followed by objective recommendations directly related to its features. Interactively, it allows designers or clients to balance design changes with the exclusion caused. It presents the type of information that enables designers and clients to discuss user needs and make more inclusive design decisions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The role of optimization in the next generation of computer-based design tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogan, J. Edward

1989-01-01

There is a close relationship between design optimization and the emerging new generation of computer-based tools for engineering design. With some notable exceptions, the development of these new tools has not taken full advantage of recent advances in numerical design optimization theory and practice. Recent work in the field of design process architecture has included an assessment of the impact of next-generation computer-based design tools on the design process. These results are summarized, and insights into the role of optimization in a design process based on these next-generation tools are presented. An example problem has been worked out to illustrate the application of this technique. The example problem - layout of an aircraft main landing gear - is one that is simple enough to be solved by many other techniques. Although the mathematical relationships describing the objective function and constraints for the landing gear layout problem can be written explicitly and are quite straightforward, an approximation technique has been used in the solution of this problem that can just as easily be applied to integrate supportability or producibility assessments using theory of measurement techniques into the design decision-making process.

ON DEVELOPING TOOLS AND METHODS FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

Two types of tools are generally needed for designing processes and products that are cleaner from environmental impact perspectives. The first kind is called process tools. Process tools are based on information obtained from experimental investigations in chemistry., material s...

EVALUATING POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRESS (P2P) III: AN ENVIRONMENTAL TOOL FOR SCREENING IN PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND CHEMICAL PROCESS DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

P2P is a computer-based tool that supports the comparison of process and product alternatives in terms of environmental impacts. This tool provides screening-level information for use in process design and in product LCA. Twenty one impact categories and data for approximately ...

Benefits of Efficient Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

Providing Guidance in Virtual Lab Experimentation: The Case of an Experiment Design Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efstathiou, Charalampos; Hovardas, Tasos; Xenofontos, Nikoletta A.; Zacharia, Zacharias C.; deJong, Ton; Anjewierden, Anjo; van Riesen, Siswa A. N.

2018-01-01

The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to assess a computer-based tool, which was intended to scaffold the task of designing experiments when using a virtual lab for the process of experimentation. In particular, we assessed the impact of this tool on primary school students' cognitive processes and inquiry skills before and after…

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Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

Design mentoring tool.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

In 2004 a design engineer on-line mentoring tool was developed and implemented The purpose of the tool was to assist senior engineers : mentoring new engineers to the INDOT design process and improve their technical competency. This approach saves se...

Improving designer productivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Gary C.

1992-01-01

Designer and design team productivity improves with skill, experience, and the tools available. The design process involves numerous trials and errors, analyses, refinements, and addition of details. Computerized tools have greatly speeded the analysis, and now new theories and methods, emerging under the label Artificial Intelligence (AI), are being used to automate skill and experience. These tools improve designer productivity by capturing experience, emulating recognized skillful designers, and making the essence of complex programs easier to grasp. This paper outlines the aircraft design process in today's technology and business climate, presenting some of the challenges ahead and some of the promising AI methods for meeting those challenges.

Rethinking the architectural design concept in the digital culture (in architecture's practice perspective)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prawata, Albertus Galih

2017-11-01

The architectural design stages in architectural practices or in architectural design studio consist of many aspects. One of them is during the early phases of the design process, where the architects or designers try to interpret the project brief into the design concept. This paper is a report of the procedure of digital tools in the early design process in an architectural practice in Jakarta. It targets principally the use of BIM and digital modeling to generate information and transform them into conceptual forms, which is not very common in Indonesian architectural practices. Traditionally, the project brief is transformed into conceptual forms by using sketches, drawings, and physical model. The new method using digital tools shows that it is possible to do the same thing during the initial stage of the design process to create early architectural design forms. Architect's traditional tools and methods begin to be replaced effectively by digital tools, which would drive bigger opportunities for innovation.

Method and Tool for Design Process Navigation and Automatic Generation of Simulation Models for Manufacturing Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, Masaru; Kubota, Fumiko; Inamori, Yutaka; Mitsuyuki, Keiji

Manufacturing system designers should concentrate on designing and planning manufacturing systems instead of spending their efforts on creating the simulation models to verify the design. This paper proposes a method and its tool to navigate the designers through the engineering process and generate the simulation model automatically from the design results. The design agent also supports collaborative design projects among different companies or divisions with distributed engineering and distributed simulation techniques. The idea was implemented and applied to a factory planning process.

Design mentoring tool : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

In 2004 a design engineer on-line mentoring tool was developed and implemented The purpose of the tool was to assist senior engineers mentoring new engineers to the INDOT design process and improve their technical competency. This approach saves seni...

WASTE REDUCTION USING COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN TOOLS

EPA Science Inventory

Growing environmental concerns have spurred considerable interest in pollution prevention. In most instances, pollution prevention involves introducing radical changes to the design of processes so that waste generation is minimized.
Process simulators can be effective tools i...

The Macro Dynamics of Weapon System Acquisition: Shaping Early Decisions to Get Better Outcomes

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-17

defects and rework •Design tools and processes •Lack of feedback to key design and SE processes •Lack of quantified risk and uncertainty at key... Tools for Rapid Exploration of the Physical Design Space Coupling Operability, Interoperability, and Physical Feasibility Analyses – a Game Changer...Interoperability •Training Quantified Margins and Uncertainties at Each Critical Decision Point M&S RDT&E A Continuum of Tools Underpinned with

Improving designer productivity. [artificial intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Gary C.

1992-01-01

Designer and design team productivity improves with skill, experience, and the tools available. The design process involves numerous trials and errors, analyses, refinements, and addition of details. Computerized tools have greatly speeded the analysis, and now new theories and methods, emerging under the label Artificial Intelligence (AI), are being used to automate skill and experience. These tools improve designer productivity by capturing experience, emulating recognized skillful designers, and making the essence of complex programs easier to grasp. This paper outlines the aircraft design process in today's technology and business climate, presenting some of the challenges ahead and some of the promising AI methods for meeting these challenges.

A service concept and tools to improve maternal and newborn health in Nigeria and Uganda.

PubMed

Salgado, Mariana; Wendland, Melanie; Rodriguez, Damaris; Bohren, Meghan A; Oladapo, Olufemi T; Ojelade, Olubunmi A; Mugerwa, Kidza; Fawole, Bukola

2017-12-01

The "Better Outcomes in Labor Difficulty" (BOLD) project used a service design process to design a set of tools to improve quality of care during childbirth by strengthening linkages between communities and health facilities in Nigeria and Uganda. This paper describes the Passport to Safer Birth concept and the tools developed as a result. Service design methods were used to identify facilitators and barriers to quality care, and to develop human-centered solutions. The service design process had three phases: Research for Design, Concept Design, and Detail Design, undertaken in eight hospitals and catchment communities. The service concept "Better Beginnings" comprises three tools. The "Pregnancy Purse" provides educational information to women throughout pregnancy. The "Birth Board" is a visual communication tool that presents the labor and childbirth process. The "Family Pass" is a set of wearable passes for the woman and her supporter to facilitate communication of care preferences. The Better Beginnings service concept and tools form the basis for the promotion of access to information and knowledge acquisition, and could improve communication between the healthcare provider, the woman, and her family during childbirth. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The World Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.

Improving Tools and Processes in Mechanical Design Collaboration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Clark

2009-01-01

Cooperative product development projects in the aerospace and defense industry are held hostage to high cost and risk due to poor alignment of collaborative design tools and processes. This impasse can be broken if companies will jointly develop implementation approaches and practices in support of high value working arrangements. The current tools can be used to better advantage in many situations and there is reason for optimism that tool vendors will provide significant support.

Investigation of the effects of process and geometrical parameters on formability in tube hydroforming using a modular hydroforming tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joghan, Hamed Dardaei; Staupendahl, Daniel; Hassan, Hamad ul; Henke, Andreas; Keesser, Thorsten; Legat, Francois; Tekkaya, A. Erman

2018-05-01

Tube hydroforming is one of the most important manufacturing processes for the production of exhaust systems. Tube hydroforming allows generating parts with highly complex geometries with the forming accuracies needed in the automotive sector. This is possible due to the form-closed nature of the production process. One of the main cost drivers is tool manufacturing, which is expensive and time consuming, especially when forming large parts. To cope with the design trend of individuality, which is gaining more and more importance and leads to a high number of product variants, a new flexible tool design was developed. The designed tool offers a high flexibility in manufacturing different shapes and geometries of tubes with just local alterations and relocation of tool segments. The tolerancing problems that segmented tools from the state of the art have are overcome by an innovative and flexible die holder design. The break-even point of this initially more expensive tool design is already overcome when forming more than 4 different tube shapes. Together with an additionally designed rotary hydraulic tube feeding system, a highly adaptable forming setup is generated. To investigate the performance of the developed tool setup, a study on geometrical and process parameters during forming of a spherical dome was done. Austenitic stainless steel (grade 1.4301) tube with a diameter of 40 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm was used for the investigations. The experimental analyses were supported by finite element simulations and statistical analyses. The results show that the flexible tool setup can efficiently be used to analyze the interaction of the inner pressure, friction, and the location of the spherical dome and demonstrate the high influence of the feeding rate on the formed part.

PD-atricians: Leveraging Physicians and Participatory Design to Develop Novel Clinical Information Tools

PubMed Central

Pollack, Ari H; Miller, Andrew; Mishra, Sonali R.; Pratt, Wanda

2016-01-01

Participatory design, a method by which system users and stakeholders meaningfully contribute to the development of a new process or technology, has great potential to revolutionize healthcare technology, yet has seen limited adoption. We conducted a design session with eleven physicians working to create a novel clinical information tool utilizing participatory design methods. During the two-hour session, the physicians quickly engaged in the process and generated a large quantity of information, informing the design of a future tool. By utilizing facilitators experienced in design methodology, with detailed domain expertise, and well integrated into the healthcare organization, the participatory design session engaged a group of users who are often disenfranchised with existing processes as well as health information technology in general. We provide insight into why participatory design works with clinicians and provide guiding principles for how to implement these methods in healthcare organizations interested in advancing health information technology. PMID:28269900

CFD Process Pre- and Post-processing Automation in Support of Space Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorney, Suzanne M.

2003-01-01

The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics or CFD has become standard practice in the design and analysis of the major components used for space propulsion. In an attempt to standardize and improve the CFD process a series of automated tools have been developed. Through the use of these automated tools the application of CFD to the design cycle has been improved and streamlined. This paper presents a series of applications in which deficiencies were identified in the CFD process and corrected through the development of automated tools.

Designed tools for analysis of lithography patterns and nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dervillé, Alexandre; Baderot, Julien; Bernard, Guilhem; Foucher, Johann; Grönqvist, Hanna; Labrosse, Aurélien; Martinez, Sergio; Zimmermann, Yann

2017-03-01

We introduce a set of designed tools for the analysis of lithography patterns and nano structures. The classical metrological analysis of these objects has the drawbacks of being time consuming, requiring manual tuning and lacking robustness and user friendliness. With the goal of improving the current situation, we propose new image processing tools at different levels: semi automatic, automatic and machine-learning enhanced tools. The complete set of tools has been integrated into a software platform designed to transform the lab into a virtual fab. The underlying idea is to master nano processes at the research and development level by accelerating the access to knowledge and hence speed up the implementation in product lines.

Nonlinear Shaping Architecture Designed with Using Evolutionary Structural Optimization Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Januszkiewicz, Krystyna; Banachowicz, Marta

2017-10-01

The paper explores the possibilities of using Structural Optimization Tools (ESO) digital tools in an integrated structural and architectural design in response to the current needs geared towards sustainability, combining ecological and economic efficiency. The first part of the paper defines the Evolutionary Structural Optimization tools, which were developed specifically for engineering purposes using finite element analysis as a framework. The development of ESO has led to several incarnations, which are all briefly discussed (Additive ESO, Bi-directional ESO, Extended ESO). The second part presents result of using these tools in structural and architectural design. Actual building projects which involve optimization as a part of the original design process will be presented (Crematorium in Kakamigahara Gifu, Japan, 2006 SANAA“s Learning Centre, EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland 2008 among others). The conclusion emphasizes that the structural engineering and architectural design mean directing attention to the solutions which are used by Nature, designing works optimally shaped and forming their own environments. Architectural forms never constitute the optimum shape derived through a form-finding process driven only by structural optimization, but rather embody and integrate a multitude of parameters. It might be assumed that there is a similarity between these processes in nature and the presented design methods. Contemporary digital methods make the simulation of such processes possible, and thus enable us to refer back to the empirical methods of previous generations.

Student Evaluation of CALL Tools during the Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesbitt, Dallas

2013-01-01

This article discusses the comparative effectiveness of student input at different times during the design of CALL tools for learning kanji, the Japanese characters of Chinese origin. The CALL software "package" consisted of tools to facilitate the writing, reading and practising of kanji characters in context. A pre-design questionnaire…

ITRB Spar Domestic Source

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-14

Each pair of rollers is designed to capture the shafts mounted to both ends of the tool lid. Additionally, a safety pin can be put in place to...ITRB for the AH-64D. The scope of the program included structural design , materials selection, manufacturing producibility analysis, tooling design ...responsible for tooling design and fabrication, fabrication process development and fabrication of spars and test samples; G3 who designed the RTM

Prediction of Cutting Force in Turning Process-an Experimental Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thangarasu, S. K.; Shankar, S.; Thomas, A. Tony; Sridhar, G.

2018-02-01

This Paper deals with a prediction of Cutting forces in a turning process. The turning process with advanced cutting tool has a several advantages over grinding such as short cycle time, process flexibility, compatible surface roughness, high material removal rate and less environment problems without the use of cutting fluid. In this a full bridge dynamometer has been used to measure the cutting forces over mild steel work piece and cemented carbide insert tool for different combination of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut. The experiments are planned based on taguchi design and measured cutting forces were compared with the predicted forces in order to validate the feasibility of the proposed design. The percentage contribution of each process parameter had been analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Both the experimental results taken from the lathe tool dynamometer and the designed full bridge dynamometer were analyzed using Taguchi design of experiment and Analysis of Variance.

Design tool for multiprocessor scheduling and evaluation of iterative dataflow algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Robert L., III

1995-01-01

A graph-theoretic design process and software tool is defined for selecting a multiprocessing scheduling solution for a class of computational problems. The problems of interest are those that can be described with a dataflow graph and are intended to be executed repetitively on a set of identical processors. Typical applications include signal processing and control law problems. Graph-search algorithms and analysis techniques are introduced and shown to effectively determine performance bounds, scheduling constraints, and resource requirements. The software tool applies the design process to a given problem and includes performance optimization through the inclusion of additional precedence constraints among the schedulable tasks.

Integrating reliability and maintainability into a concurrent engineering environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Clifton B.; Peterson, Robert R.

1993-02-01

This paper describes the results of a reliability and maintainability study conducted at the University of California, San Diego and supported by private industry. Private industry thought the study was important and provided the university access to innovative tools under cooperative agreement. The current capability of reliability and maintainability tools and how they fit into the design process is investigated. The evolution of design methodologies leading up to today's capability is reviewed for ways to enhance the design process while keeping cost under control. A method for measuring the consequences of reliability and maintainability policy for design configurations in an electronic environment is provided. The interaction of selected modern computer tool sets is described for reliability, maintainability, operations, and other elements of the engineering design process. These tools provide a robust system evaluation capability that brings life cycle performance improvement information to engineers and their managers before systems are deployed, and allow them to monitor and track performance while it is in operation.

Role of Graphics Tools in the Learning Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laisney, Patrice; Brandt-Pomares, Pascale

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the design activities of students in secondary school in France. Graphics tools are now part of the capacity of design professionals. It is therefore apt to reflect on their integration into the technological education. Has the use of intermediate graphical tools changed students' performance, and if so in what direction, in…

Trajectory Design Tools for Libration and Cis-Lunar Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David C.; Webster, Cassandra M.; Bosanac, Natasha; Cox, Andrew; Guzzetti, Davide; Howell, Kathleen C.

2016-01-01

Innovative trajectory design tools are required to support challenging multi-body regimes with complex dynamics, uncertain perturbations, and the integration of propulsion influences. Two distinctive tools, Adaptive Trajectory Design and the General Mission Analysis Tool have been developed and certified to provide the astrodynamics community with the ability to design multi-body trajectories. In this paper we discuss the multi-body design process and the capabilities of both tools. Demonstrable applications to confirmed missions, the Lunar IceCube Cubesat lunar mission and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Sun-Earth L2 mission, are presented.

System Level Uncertainty Assessment for Collaborative RLV Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charania, A. C.; Bradford, John E.; Olds, John R.; Graham, Matthew

2002-01-01

A collaborative design process utilizing Probabilistic Data Assessment (PDA) is showcased. Given the limitation of financial resources by both the government and industry, strategic decision makers need more than just traditional point designs, they need to be aware of the likelihood of these future designs to meet their objectives. This uncertainty, an ever-present character in the design process, can be embraced through a probabilistic design environment. A conceptual design process is presented that encapsulates the major engineering disciplines for a Third Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). Toolsets consist of aerospace industry standard tools in disciplines such as trajectory, propulsion, mass properties, cost, operations, safety, and economics. Variations of the design process are presented that use different fidelities of tools. The disciplinary engineering models are used in a collaborative engineering framework utilizing Phoenix Integration's ModelCenter and AnalysisServer environment. These tools allow the designer to join disparate models and simulations together in a unified environment wherein each discipline can interact with any other discipline. The design process also uses probabilistic methods to generate the system level output metrics of interest for a RLV conceptual design. The specific system being examined is the Advanced Concept Rocket Engine 92 (ACRE-92) RLV. Previous experience and knowledge (in terms of input uncertainty distributions from experts and modeling and simulation codes) can be coupled with Monte Carlo processes to best predict the chances of program success.

Risk based decision tool for space exploration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Cornford, Steve; Moran, Terrence

2003-01-01

This paper presents an approach and corresponding tool to assess and analyze the risks involved in a mission during the pre-phase A design process. This approach is based on creating a risk template for each subsystem expert involved in the mission design process and defining appropriate interactions between the templates.

Process development and tooling design for intrinsic hybrid composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riemer, M.; Müller, R.; Drossel, W. G.; Landgrebe, D.

2017-09-01

Hybrid parts, which combine the advantages of different material classes, are moving into the focus of lightweight applications. This development is amplified by their high potential for usage in the field of crash relevant structures. By the current state of the art, hybrid parts are mainly made in separate, subsequent forming and joining processes. By using the concept of an intrinsic hybrid, the shaping of the part and the joining of the different materials are performed in a single process step for shortening the overall processing time and thereby the manufacturing costs. The investigated hybrid part is made from continuous fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), in which a metallic reinforcement structure is integrated. The connection between these layered components is realized by a combination of adhesive bonding and a geometrical form fit. The form fit elements are intrinsically generated during the forming process. This contribution regards the development of the forming process and the design of the forming tool for the single step production of a hybrid part. To this end a forming tool, which combines the thermo-forming and the metal forming process, is developed. The main challenge by designing the tool is the temperature management of the tool elements for the variothermal forming process. The process parameters are determined in basic tests and finite element (FE) simulation studies. On the basis of these investigations a control concept for the steering of the motion axes and the tool temperature is developed. Forming tests are carried out with the developed tool and the manufactured parts are analysed by computer assisted tomography (CT) scans.

Decision support tool for diagnosing the source of variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masood, Ibrahim; Azrul Azhad Haizan, Mohamad; Norbaya Jumali, Siti; Ghazali, Farah Najihah Mohd; Razali, Hazlin Syafinaz Md; Shahir Yahya, Mohd; Azlan, Mohd Azwir bin

2017-08-01

Identifying the source of unnatural variation (SOV) in manufacturing process is essential for quality control. The Shewhart control chart patterns (CCPs) are commonly used to monitor the SOV. However, a proper interpretation of CCPs associated to its SOV requires a high skill industrial practitioner. Lack of knowledge in process engineering will lead to erroneous corrective action. The objective of this study is to design the operating procedures of computerized decision support tool (DST) for process diagnosis. The DST is an embedded tool in CCPs recognition scheme. Design methodology involves analysis of relationship between geometrical features, manufacturing process and CCPs. The DST contents information about CCPs and its possible root cause error and description on SOV phenomenon such as process deterioration in tool bluntness, offsetting tool, loading error, and changes in materials hardness. The DST will be useful for an industrial practitioner in making effective troubleshooting.

Simulation in the Service of Design - Asking the Right Questions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Donn, Michael; Selkowitz, Stephen; Bordass, Bill

2009-03-01

This paper proposes an approach to the creation of design tools that address the real information needs of designers in the early stages of design of nonresidential buildings. Traditional simplified design tools are typically too limited to be of much use, even in conceptual design. The proposal is to provide access to the power of detailed simulation tools, at a stage in design when little is known about the final building, but at a stage also when the freedom to explore options is greatest. The proposed approach to tool design has been derived from consultation with design analysis teams asmore » part of the COMFEN tool development. The paper explores how tools like COMFEN have been shaped by this consultation and how requests from these teams for real-world relevance might shape such tools in the future, drawing into the simulation process the lessons from Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) of buildings.« less

Rapid Modeling and Analysis Tools: Evolution, Status, Needs and Directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, Norman F., Jr.; Stone, Thomas J.; Ransom, Jonathan B. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Advanced aerospace systems are becoming increasingly more complex, and customers are demanding lower cost, higher performance, and high reliability. Increased demands are placed on the design engineers to collaborate and integrate design needs and objectives early in the design process to minimize risks that may occur later in the design development stage. High performance systems require better understanding of system sensitivities much earlier in the design process to meet these goals. The knowledge, skills, intuition, and experience of an individual design engineer will need to be extended significantly for the next generation of aerospace system designs. Then a collaborative effort involving the designer, rapid and reliable analysis tools and virtual experts will result in advanced aerospace systems that are safe, reliable, and efficient. This paper discusses the evolution, status, needs and directions for rapid modeling and analysis tools for structural analysis. First, the evolution of computerized design and analysis tools is briefly described. Next, the status of representative design and analysis tools is described along with a brief statement on their functionality. Then technology advancements to achieve rapid modeling and analysis are identified. Finally, potential future directions including possible prototype configurations are proposed.

Replacement Windows for Existing Homes Homes | Efficient Windows

Science.gov Websites

Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Selection Tool will take you through a series of design conditions pertaining to your design and location

Verifying and Validating Proposed Models for FSW Process Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Judith

2008-01-01

This slide presentation reviews Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and the attempts to model the process in order to optimize and improve the process. The studies are ongoing to validate and refine the model of metal flow in the FSW process. There are slides showing the conventional FSW process, a couple of weld tool designs and how the design interacts with the metal flow path. The two basic components of the weld tool are shown, along with geometries of the shoulder design. Modeling of the FSW process is reviewed. Other topics include (1) Microstructure features, (2) Flow Streamlines, (3) Steady-state Nature, and (4) Grain Refinement Mechanisms

Evaluating the Usability of a Professional Modeling Tool Repurposed for Middle School Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Vanessa L.; Songer, Nancy Butler

2013-01-01

This paper reports the results of a three-stage usability test of a modeling tool designed to support learners' deep understanding of the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. The design process involved repurposing an existing modeling technology used by professional scientists into a learning tool specifically designed for middle school…

Effects of Various Sketching Tools on Visual Thinking in Idea Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Po Ying; Hung, Hsiu Yen; Wu, Chih Fu; Liu, Yen Te

2017-01-01

Due to the wide application of digital tools and the improvement in interactive technologies, design thinking might change in digital world comparing to that in traditional design process. This study aims to explore the difference of design thinking between three kinds of sketching tools, i.e. hand-sketch, tablet, and pen-input display, by means…

National Combustion Code, a Multidisciplinary Combustor Design System, Will Be Transferred to the Commercial Sector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steele, Gynelle C.

1999-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center and Flow Parametrics will enter into an agreement to commercialize the National Combustion Code (NCC). This multidisciplinary combustor design system utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) tools for geometry creation, advanced mesh generators for creating solid model representations, a common framework for fluid flow and structural analyses, modern postprocessing tools, and parallel processing. This integrated system can facilitate and enhance various phases of the design and analysis process.

Streamlining the Design-to-Build Transition with Build-Optimization Software Tools.

PubMed

Oberortner, Ernst; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Hillson, Nathan J; Deutsch, Samuel

2017-03-17

Scaling-up capabilities for the design, build, and test of synthetic biology constructs holds great promise for the development of new applications in fuels, chemical production, or cellular-behavior engineering. Construct design is an essential component in this process; however, not every designed DNA sequence can be readily manufactured, even using state-of-the-art DNA synthesis methods. Current biological computer-aided design and manufacture tools (bioCAD/CAM) do not adequately consider the limitations of DNA synthesis technologies when generating their outputs. Designed sequences that violate DNA synthesis constraints may require substantial sequence redesign or lead to price-premiums and temporal delays, which adversely impact the efficiency of the DNA manufacturing process. We have developed a suite of build-optimization software tools (BOOST) to streamline the design-build transition in synthetic biology engineering workflows. BOOST incorporates knowledge of DNA synthesis success determinants into the design process to output ready-to-build sequences, preempting the need for sequence redesign. The BOOST web application is available at https://boost.jgi.doe.gov and its Application Program Interfaces (API) enable integration into automated, customized DNA design processes. The herein presented results highlight the effectiveness of BOOST in reducing DNA synthesis costs and timelines.

From the Paper to the Tablet: On the Design of an AR-Based Tool for the Inspection of Pre-Fab Buildings. Preliminary Results of the SIRAE Project.

PubMed

Portalés, Cristina; Casas, Sergio; Gimeno, Jesús; Fernández, Marcos; Poza, Montse

2018-04-19

Energy-efficient Buildings (EeB) are demanded in today’s constructions, fulfilling the requirements for green cities. Pre-fab buildings, which are modularly fully-built in factories, are a good example of this. Although this kind of building is quite new, the in situ inspection is documented using traditional tools, mainly based on paper annotations. Thus, the inspection process is not taking advantage of new technologies. In this paper, we present the preliminary results of the SIRAE project that aims to provide an Augmented Reality (AR) tool that can seamlessly aid in the regular processes of pre-fab building inspections to detect and eliminate the possible existing quality and energy efficiency deviations. In this regards, we show a description of the current inspection process and how an interactive tool can be designed and adapted to it. Our first results show the design and implementation of our tool, which is highly interactive and involves AR visualizations and 3D data-gathering, allowing the inspectors to quickly manage it without altering the way the inspection process is done. First trials on a real environment show that the tool is promising for massive inspection processes.

From the Paper to the Tablet: On the Design of an AR-Based Tool for the Inspection of Pre-Fab Buildings. Preliminary Results of the SIRAE Project

PubMed Central

Fernández, Marcos; Poza, Montse

2018-01-01

Energy-efficient Buildings (EeB) are demanded in today’s constructions, fulfilling the requirements for green cities. Pre-fab buildings, which are modularly fully-built in factories, are a good example of this. Although this kind of building is quite new, the in situ inspection is documented using traditional tools, mainly based on paper annotations. Thus, the inspection process is not taking advantage of new technologies. In this paper, we present the preliminary results of the SIRAE project that aims to provide an Augmented Reality (AR) tool that can seamlessly aid in the regular processes of pre-fab building inspections to detect and eliminate the possible existing quality and energy efficiency deviations. In this regards, we show a description of the current inspection process and how an interactive tool can be designed and adapted to it. Our first results show the design and implementation of our tool, which is highly interactive and involves AR visualizations and 3D data-gathering, allowing the inspectors to quickly manage it without altering the way the inspection process is done. First trials on a real environment show that the tool is promising for massive inspection processes. PMID:29671799

New Design Tool Can Help Cut building Energy Use

Science.gov Websites

help almost any architect or engineer evaluate passive solar and efficiency design strategies in a tool that enables them to walk through the design process and understand the consequences of design , a feature that tells designers how large of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC

Game Methodology for Design Methods and Tools Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Rafiq; Lahonde, Nathalie; Omhover, Jean-françois

2014-01-01

Design process optimisation and intelligence are the key words of today's scientific community. A proliferation of methods has made design a convoluted area. Designers are usually afraid of selecting one method/tool over another and even expert designers may not necessarily know which method is the best to use in which circumstances. This…

Experiences on developing digital down conversion algorithms using Xilinx system generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Chengfa; Yuan, Yuan; Zhao, Lizhi

2013-07-01

The Digital Down Conversion (DDC) algorithm is a classical signal processing method which is widely used in radar and communication systems. In this paper, the DDC function is implemented by Xilinx System Generator tool on FPGA. System Generator is an FPGA design tool provided by Xilinx Inc and MathWorks Inc. It is very convenient for programmers to manipulate the design and debug the function, especially for the complex algorithm. Through the developing process of DDC function based on System Generator, the results show that System Generator is a very fast and efficient tool for FPGA design.

FILTSoft: A computational tool for microstrip planar filter design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsayed, M. H.; Abidin, Z. Z.; Dahlan, S. H.; Cholan N., A.; Ngu, Xavier T. I.; Majid, H. A.

2017-09-01

Filters are key component of any communication system to control spectrum and suppress interferences. Designing a filter involves long process as well as good understanding of the basic hardware technology. Hence this paper introduces an automated design tool based on Matlab-GUI, called the FILTSoft (acronym for Filter Design Software) to ease the process. FILTSoft is a user friendly filter design tool to aid, guide and expedite calculations from lumped elements level to microstrip structure. Users just have to provide the required filter specifications as well as the material description. FILTSoft will calculate and display the lumped element details, the planar filter structure, and the expected filter's response. An example of a lowpass filter design was calculated using FILTSoft and the results were validated through prototype measurement for comparison purposes.

DeMAID/GA an Enhanced Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. L.

1996-01-01

Many companies are looking for new tools and techniques to aid a design manager in making decisions that can reduce the time and cost of a design cycle. One tool is the Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition (DeMAID). Since the initial public release of DeMAID in 1989, much research has been done in the areas of decomposition, concurrent engineering, parallel processing, and process management; many new tools and techniques have emerged. Based on these recent research and development efforts, numerous enhancements have been added to DeMAID to further aid the design manager in saving both cost and time in a design cycle. The key enhancement, a genetic algorithm (GA), will be available in the next public release called DeMAID/GA. The GA sequences the design processes to minimize the cost and time in converging a solution. The major enhancements in the upgrade of DeMAID to DeMAID/GA are discussed in this paper. A sample conceptual design project is used to show how these enhancements can be applied to improve the design cycle.

Experience with case tools in the design of process-oriented software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novakov, Ognian; Sicard, Claude-Henri

1994-12-01

In Accelerator systems such as the CERN PS complex, process equipment has a life time which may exceed the typical life cycle of its related software. Taking into account the variety of such equipment, it is important to keep the analysis and design of the software in a system-independent form. This paper discusses the experience gathered in using commercial CASE tools for analysis, design and reverse engineering of different process-oriented software modules, with a principal emphasis on maintaining the initial analysis in a standardized form. Such tools have been in existence for several years, but this paper shows that they are not fully adapted to our needs. In particular, the paper stresses the problems of integrating such a tool into an existing data-base-dependent development chain, the lack of real-time simulation tools and of Object-Oriented concepts in existing commercial packages. Finally, the paper gives a broader view of software engineering needs in our particular context.

A Framework for Preliminary Design of Aircraft Structures Based on Process Information. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Rohani, Masoud

1998-01-01

This report discusses the general framework and development of a computational tool for preliminary design of aircraft structures based on process information. The described methodology is suitable for multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) activities associated with integrated product and process development (IPPD). The framework consists of three parts: (1) product and process definitions; (2) engineering synthesis, and (3) optimization. The product and process definitions are part of input information provided by the design team. The backbone of the system is its ability to analyze a given structural design for performance as well as manufacturability and cost assessment. The system uses a database on material systems and manufacturing processes. Based on the identified set of design variables and an objective function, the system is capable of performing optimization subject to manufacturability, cost, and performance constraints. The accuracy of the manufacturability measures and cost models discussed here depend largely on the available data on specific methods of manufacture and assembly and associated labor requirements. As such, our focus in this research has been on the methodology itself and not so much on its accurate implementation in an industrial setting. A three-tier approach is presented for an IPPD-MDO based design of aircraft structures. The variable-complexity cost estimation methodology and an approach for integrating manufacturing cost assessment into design process are also discussed. This report is presented in two parts. In the first part, the design methodology is presented, and the computational design tool is described. In the second part, a prototype model of the preliminary design Tool for Aircraft Structures based on Process Information (TASPI) is described. Part two also contains an example problem that applies the methodology described here for evaluation of six different design concepts for a wing spar.

The Development of a Communication Tool to Facilitate the Cancer Trial Recruitment Process and Increase Research Literacy among Underrepresented Populations.

PubMed

Torres, Samantha; de la Riva, Erika E; Tom, Laura S; Clayman, Marla L; Taylor, Chirisse; Dong, Xinqi; Simon, Melissa A

2015-12-01

Despite increasing need to boost the recruitment of underrepresented populations into cancer trials and biobanking research, few tools exist for facilitating dialogue between researchers and potential research participants during the recruitment process. In this paper, we describe the initial processes of a user-centered design cycle to develop a standardized research communication tool prototype for enhancing research literacy among individuals from underrepresented populations considering enrollment in cancer research and biobanking studies. We present qualitative feedback and recommendations on the prototype's design and content from potential end users: five clinical trial recruiters and ten potential research participants recruited from an academic medical center. Participants were given the prototype (a set of laminated cards) and were asked to provide feedback about the tool's content, design elements, and word choices during semi-structured, in-person interviews. Results suggest that the prototype was well received by recruiters and patients alike. They favored the simplicity, lay language, and layout of the cards. They also noted areas for improvement, leading to card refinements that included the following: addressing additional topic areas, clarifying research processes, increasing the number of diverse images, and using alternative word choices. Our process for refining user interfaces and iterating content in early phases of design may inform future efforts to develop tools for use in clinical research or biobanking studies to increase research literacy.

Design and development of progressive tool for manufacturing washer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annigeri, Ulhas K.; Raghavendra Ravi Kiran, K.; Deepthi, Y. P.

2017-07-01

In a progressive tool the raw material is worked at different station to finally fabricate the component. A progressive tool is a lucrative tool for mass production of components. A lot of automobile and other transport industries develop progressive tool for the production of components. The design of tool involves lot of planning and the same amount of skill of process planning is required in the fabrication of the tool. The design also involves use of thumb rules and standard elements as per experience gained in practice. Manufacturing the press tool is a laborious task as special jigs and fixtures have to be designed for the purpose. Assembly of all the press tool elements is another task where use of accurate measuring instruments for alignment of various tool elements is important. In the present study, design and fabrication of progressive press tool for production of washer has been developed and the press tool has been tried out on a mechanical type of press. The components produced are to dimensions.

Internet MEMS design tools based on component technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brueck, Rainer; Schumer, Christian

1999-03-01

The micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) industry in Europe is characterized by small and medium sized enterprises specialized on products to solve problems in specific domains like medicine, automotive sensor technology, etc. In this field of business the technology driven design approach known from micro electronics is not appropriate. Instead each design problem aims at its own, specific technology to be used for the solution. The variety of technologies at hand, like Si-surface, Si-bulk, LIGA, laser, precision engineering requires a huge set of different design tools to be available. No single SME can afford to hold licenses for all these tools. This calls for a new and flexible way of designing, implementing and distributing design software. The Internet provides a flexible manner of offering software access along with methodologies of flexible licensing e.g. on a pay-per-use basis. New communication technologies like ADSL, TV cable of satellites as carriers promise to offer a bandwidth sufficient even for interactive tools with graphical interfaces in the near future. INTERLIDO is an experimental tool suite for process specification and layout verification for lithography based MEMS technologies to be accessed via the Internet. The first version provides a Java implementation even including a graphical editor for process specification. Currently, a new version is brought into operation that is based on JavaBeans component technology. JavaBeans offers the possibility to realize independent interactive design assistants, like a design rule checking assistants, a process consistency checking assistants, a technology definition assistants, a graphical editor assistants, etc. that may reside distributed over the Internet, communicating via Internet protocols. Each potential user thus is able to configure his own dedicated version of a design tool set dedicated to the requirements of the current problem to be solved.

Single Event Effects mitigation with TMRG tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulis, S.

2017-01-01

Single Event Effects (SEE) are a major concern for integrated circuits exposed to radiation. There have been several techniques proposed to protect circuits against radiation-induced upsets. Among the others, the Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) technique is one of the most popular. The purpose of the Triple Modular Redundancy Generator (TMRG) tool is to automatize the process of triplicating digital circuits freeing the designer from introducing the TMR code manually at the implementation stage. It helps to ensure that triplicated logic is maintained through the design process. Finally, the tool streamlines the process of introducing SEE in gate level simulations for final verification.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hull, Patrick V.; Canfield, Stephen

2004-01-01

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.

Design of capability measurement instruments pedagogic content knowledge (PCK) for prospective mathematics teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aminah, N.; Wahyuni, I.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to find out how the process of designing a tool of measurement Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) capabilities, especially for prospective mathematics teachers are valid and practical. The design study of this measurement appliance uses modified Plomp development step, which consists of (1) initial assessment stage, (2) design stage at this stage, the researcher designs the measuring grille of PCK capability, (3) realization stage that is making measurement tool ability of PCK, (4) test phase, evaluation, and revision that is testing validation of measurement tools conducted by experts. Based on the results obtained that the design of PCK capability measurement tool is valid as indicated by the assessment of expert validator, and the design of PCK capability measurement tool, shown based on the assessment of teachers and lecturers as users of states strongly agree the design of PCK measurement tools can be used.

Evaluating two process scale chromatography column header designs using CFD.

PubMed

Johnson, Chris; Natarajan, Venkatesh; Antoniou, Chris

2014-01-01

Chromatography is an indispensable unit operation in the downstream processing of biomolecules. Scaling of chromatographic operations typically involves a significant increase in the column diameter. At this scale, the flow distribution within a packed bed could be severely affected by the distributor design in process scale columns. Different vendors offer process scale columns with varying design features. The effect of these design features on the flow distribution in packed beds and the resultant effect on column efficiency and cleanability needs to be properly understood in order to prevent unpleasant surprises on scale-up. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) provides a cost-effective means to explore the effect of various distributor designs on process scale performance. In this work, we present a CFD tool that was developed and validated against experimental dye traces and tracer injections. Subsequently, the tool was employed to compare and contrast two commercially available header designs. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Allied health clinicians using translational research in action to develop a reliable stroke audit tool.

PubMed

Abery, Philip; Kuys, Suzanne; Lynch, Mary; Low Choy, Nancy

2018-05-23

To design and establish reliability of a local stroke audit tool by engaging allied health clinicians within a privately funded hospital. Design: Two-stage study involving a modified Delphi process to inform stroke audit tool development and inter-tester reliability. Allied health clinicians. A modified Delphi process to select stroke guideline recommendations for inclusion in the audit tool. Reliability study: 1 allied health representative from each discipline audited 10 clinical records with sequential admissions to acute and rehabilitation services. Recommendations were admitted to the audit tool when 70% agreement was reached, with 50% set as the reserve agreement. Inter-tester reliability was determined using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) across 10 clinical records. Twenty-two participants (92% female, 50% physiotherapists, 17% occupational therapists) completed the modified Delphi process. Across 6 voting rounds, 8 recommendations reached 70% agreement and 2 reached 50% agreement. Two recommendations (nutrition/hydration; goal setting) were added to ensure representation for all disciplines. Substantial consistency across raters was established for the audit tool applied in acute stroke (ICC .71; range .48 to .90) and rehabilitation (ICC.78; range .60 to .93) services. Allied health clinicians within a privately funded hospital generally agreed in an audit process to develop a reliable stroke audit tool. Allied health clinicians agreed on stroke guideline recommendations to inform a stroke audit tool. The stroke audit tool demonstrated substantial consistency supporting future use for service development. This process, which engages local clinicians, could be adopted by other facilities to design reliable audit tools to identify local service gaps to inform changes to clinical practice. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reengineering the JPL Spacecraft Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, C.

1995-01-01

This presentation describes the factors that have emerged in the evolved process of reengineering the unmanned spacecraft design process at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Topics discussed include: New facilities, new design factors, new system-level tools, complex performance objectives, changing behaviors, design integration, leadership styles, and optimization.

Development of hybrid lifecycle cost estimating tool (HLCET) for manufacturing influenced design tradeoff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirirojvisuth, Apinut

In complex aerospace system design, making an effective design decision requires multidisciplinary knowledge from both product and process perspectives. Integrating manufacturing considerations into the design process is most valuable during the early design stages since designers have more freedom to integrate new ideas when changes are relatively inexpensive in terms of time and effort. Several metrics related to manufacturability are cost, time, and manufacturing readiness level (MRL). Yet, there is a lack of structured methodology that quantifies how changes in the design decisions impact these metrics. As a result, a new set of integrated cost analysis tools are proposed in this study to quantify the impacts. Equally important is the capability to integrate this new cost tool into the existing design methodologies without sacrificing agility and flexibility required during the early design phases. To demonstrate the applicability of this concept, a ModelCenter environment is used to develop software architecture that represents Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) methodology used in several aerospace systems designs. The environment seamlessly integrates product and process analysis tools and makes effective transition from one design phase to the other while retaining knowledge gained a priori. Then, an advanced cost estimating tool called Hybrid Lifecycle Cost Estimating Tool (HLCET), a hybrid combination of weight-, process-, and activity-based estimating techniques, is integrated with the design framework. A new weight-based lifecycle cost model is created based on Tailored Cost Model (TCM) equations [3]. This lifecycle cost tool estimates the program cost based on vehicle component weights and programmatic assumptions. Additional high fidelity cost tools like process-based and activity-based cost analysis methods can be used to modify the baseline TCM result as more knowledge is accumulated over design iterations. Therefore, with this concept, the additional manufacturing knowledge can be used to identify a more accurate lifecycle cost and facilitate higher fidelity tradeoffs during conceptual and preliminary design. Advanced Composite Cost Estimating Model (ACCEM) is employed as a process-based cost component to replace the original TCM result of the composite part production cost. The reason for the replacement is that TCM estimates production costs from part weights as a result of subtractive manufacturing of metallic origin such as casting, forging, and machining processes. A complexity factor can sometimes be adjusted to reflect different types of metal and machine settings. The TCM assumption, however, gives erroneous results when applied to additive processes like those of composite manufacturing. Another innovative aspect of this research is the introduction of a work measurement technique called Maynard Operation Sequence Technique (MOST) to be used, similarly to Activity-Based Costing (ABC) approach, to estimate manufacturing time of a part by virtue of breaking down the operations occurred during its production. ABC allows a realistic determination of cost incurred in each activity, as opposed to using a traditional method of time estimation by analogy or using response surface equations from historical process data. The MOST concept provides a tailored study of an individual process typically required for a new, innovative design. Nevertheless, the MOST idea has some challenges, one of which is its requirement to build a new process from ground up. The process development requires a Subject Matter Expertise (SME) in manufacturing method of the particular design. The SME must have also a comprehensive understanding of the MOST system so that the correct parameters are chosen. In practice, these knowledge requirements may demand people from outside of the design discipline and a priori training of MOST. To relieve the constraint, this study includes an entirely new sub-system architecture that comprises 1) a knowledge-based system to provide the required knowledge during the process selection; and 2) a new user-interface to guide the parameter selection when building the process using MOST. Also included in this study is the demonstration of how the HLCET and its constituents can be integrated with a Georgia Tech' Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) methodology. The applicability of this work will be shown through a complex aerospace design example to gain insights into how manufacturing knowledge helps make better design decisions during the early stages. The setup process is explained with an example of its utility demonstrated in a hypothetical fighter aircraft wing redesign. The evaluation of the system effectiveness against existing methodologies is illustrated to conclude the thesis.

Toward a More Flexible Web-Based Framework for Multidisciplinary Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. L.; Salas, A. O.

1999-01-01

In today's competitive environment, both industry and government agencies are under pressure to reduce the time and cost of multidisciplinary design projects. New tools have been introduced to assist in this process by facilitating the integration of and communication among diverse disciplinary codes. One such tool, a framework for multidisciplinary design, is defined as a hardware-software architecture that enables integration, execution, and communication among diverse disciplinary processes. An examination of current frameworks reveals weaknesses in various areas, such as sequencing, monitoring, controlling, and displaying the design process. The objective of this research is to explore how Web technology can improve these areas of weakness and lead toward a more flexible framework. This article describes a Web-based system that optimizes and controls the execution sequence of design processes in addition to monitoring the project status and displaying the design results.

Method for automation of tool preproduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rychkov, D. A.; Yanyushkin, A. S.; Lobanov, D. V.; Arkhipov, P. V.

2018-03-01

The primary objective of tool production is a creation or selection of such tool design which could make it possible to secure high process efficiency, tool availability as well as a quality of received surfaces with minimum means and resources spent on it. It takes much time of application people, being engaged in tool preparation, to make a correct selection of the appropriate tool among the set of variants. Program software has been developed to solve the problem, which helps to create, systematize and carry out a comparative analysis of tool design to identify the rational variant under given production conditions. The literature indicates that systematization and selection of the tool rational design has been carried out in accordance with the developed modeling technology and comparative design analysis. Software application makes it possible to reduce the period of design by 80....85% and obtain a significant annual saving.

What makes a sustainability tool valuable, practical and useful in real-world healthcare practice? A mixed-methods study on the development of the Long Term Success Tool in Northwest London

PubMed Central

Lennox, Laura; Doyle, Cathal; Reed, Julie E

2017-01-01

Objectives Although improvement initiatives show benefits to patient care, they often fail to sustain. Models and frameworks exist to address this challenge, but issues with design, clarity and usability have been barriers to use in healthcare settings. This work aimed to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a sustainability tool relevant to people in healthcare settings and practical for use in improvement initiatives. Design Tool development was conducted in six stages. A scoping literature review, group discussions and a stakeholder engagement event explored literature findings and their resonance with stakeholders in healthcare settings. Interviews, small-scale trialling and piloting explored the design and tested the practicality of the tool in improvement initiatives. Setting National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for Northwest London (CLAHRC NWL). Participants CLAHRC NWL improvement initiative teams and staff. Results The iterative design process and engagement of stakeholders informed the articulation of the sustainability factors identified from the literature and guided tool design for practical application. Key iterations of factors and tool design are discussed. From the development process, the Long Term Success Tool (LTST) has been designed. The Tool supports those implementing improvements to reflect on 12 sustainability factors to identify risks to increase chances of achieving sustainability over time. The Tool is designed to provide a platform for improvement teams to share their own views on sustainability as well as learn about the different views held within their team to prompt discussion and actions. Conclusion The development of the LTST has reinforced the importance of working with stakeholders to design strategies which respond to their needs and preferences and can practically be implemented in real-world settings. Further research is required to study the use and effectiveness of the tool in practice and assess engagement with the method over time. PMID:28947436

MEMS product engineering: methodology and tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortloff, Dirk; Popp, Jens; Schmidt, Thilo; Hahn, Kai; Mielke, Matthias; Brück, Rainer

2011-03-01

The development of MEMS comprises the structural design as well as the definition of an appropriate manufacturing process. Technology constraints have a considerable impact on the device design and vice-versa. Product design and technology development are therefore concurrent tasks. Based on a comprehensive methodology the authors introduce a software environment that links commercial design tools from both area into a common design flow. In this paper emphasis is put on automatic low threshold data acquisition. The intention is to collect and categorize development data for further developments with minimum overhead and minimum disturbance of established business processes. As a first step software tools that automatically extract data from spreadsheets or file-systems and put them in context with existing information are presented. The developments are currently carried out in a European research project.

Pressure variation of developed lapping tool on surface roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, A. K.; Lee, K. Q.; Aung, L. M.; Abu, A.; Tan, L. K.; Kang, H. S.

2018-01-01

Improving the surface roughness is always one of the major concerns in the development of lapping process as high precision machining caters a great demand in manufacturing process. This paper aims to investigate the performance of a newly designed lapping tool in term of surface roughness. Polypropylene is used as the lapping tool head. The lapping tool is tested for different pressure to identify the optimum working pressure for lapping process. The theoretical surface roughness is also calculated using Vickers Hardness. The present study shows that polypropylene is able to produce good quality and smooth surface roughness. The optimum lapping pressure in the present study is found to be 45 MPa. By comparing the theoretical and experimental values, the present study shows that the newly designed lapping tool is capable to produce finer surface roughness.

Elements of Designing for Cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, Edwin B.; Unal, Resit

1992-01-01

During recent history in the United States, government systems development has been performance driven. As a result, systems within a class have experienced exponentially increasing cost over time in fixed year dollars. Moreover, little emphasis has been placed on reducing cost. This paper defines designing for cost and presents several tools which, if used in the engineering process, offer the promise of reducing cost. Although other potential tools exist for designing for cost, this paper focuses on rules of thumb, quality function deployment, Taguchi methods, concurrent engineering, and activity based costing. Each of these tools has been demonstrated to reduce cost if used within the engineering process.

Elements of designing for cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, Edwin B.; Unal, Resit

1992-01-01

During recent history in the United States, government systems development has been performance driven. As a result, systems within a class have experienced exponentially increasing cost over time in fixed year dollars. Moreover, little emphasis has been placed on reducing cost. This paper defines designing for cost and presents several tools which, if used in the engineering process, offer the promise of reducing cost. Although other potential tools exist for designing for cost, this paper focuses on rules of thumb, quality function deployment, Taguchi methods, concurrent engineering, and activity-based costing. Each of these tools has been demonstrated to reduce cost if used within the engineering process.

Electronic Design Automation: Integrating the Design and Manufacturing Functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachnak, Rafic; Salkowski, Charles

1997-01-01

As the complexity of electronic systems grows, the traditional design practice, a sequential process, is replaced by concurrent design methodologies. A major advantage of concurrent design is that the feedback from software and manufacturing engineers can be easily incorporated into the design. The implementation of concurrent engineering methodologies is greatly facilitated by employing the latest Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools. These tools offer integrated simulation of the electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing functions and support virtual prototyping, rapid prototyping, and hardware-software co-design. This report presents recommendations for enhancing the electronic design and manufacturing capabilities and procedures at JSC based on a concurrent design methodology that employs EDA tools.

The Virtual Intercultural Team Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rus, Calin

2010-01-01

This article describes the Virtual Intercultural Team Tool (VITT) and discusses its processes and benefits. VIIT is a virtual platform designed with the aim of assisting European project teams to improve intercultural communication and build on their cultural diversity for effective implementation of their projects. It is a process-focused tool,…

12th Annual Science and Engineering Technology Conference/DoD TECH Exposition

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-23

compound when planning horizons grow: long design - test - build-field-adapt lead-times exacerbate uncertain futures problems, overload designs , and...ERS Environment ERS: Tools and Technologies to Facilitate Adaptability & Trustability 4. Tying design , physical and computational testing 6...science, engineering concepts, processes, and design tools to: • Continuously coordinate design , testing , and production with warfighter review to

USE OF COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS ENGINEERING TOOL IN POLLUTION PREVENTION

EPA Science Inventory

Computer-Aided Process Engineering has become established in industry as a design tool. With the establishment of the CAPE-OPEN software specifications for process simulation environments. CAPE-OPEN provides a set of "middleware" standards that enable software developers to acces...

Framework for Multidisciplinary Analysis, Design, and Optimization with High-Fidelity Analysis Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orr, Stanley A.; Narducci, Robert P.

2009-01-01

A plan is presented for the development of a high fidelity multidisciplinary optimization process for rotorcraft. The plan formulates individual disciplinary design problems, identifies practical high-fidelity tools and processes that can be incorporated in an automated optimization environment, and establishes statements of the multidisciplinary design problem including objectives, constraints, design variables, and cross-disciplinary dependencies. Five key disciplinary areas are selected in the development plan. These are rotor aerodynamics, rotor structures and dynamics, fuselage aerodynamics, fuselage structures, and propulsion / drive system. Flying qualities and noise are included as ancillary areas. Consistency across engineering disciplines is maintained with a central geometry engine that supports all multidisciplinary analysis. The multidisciplinary optimization process targets the preliminary design cycle where gross elements of the helicopter have been defined. These might include number of rotors and rotor configuration (tandem, coaxial, etc.). It is at this stage that sufficient configuration information is defined to perform high-fidelity analysis. At the same time there is enough design freedom to influence a design. The rotorcraft multidisciplinary optimization tool is built and substantiated throughout its development cycle in a staged approach by incorporating disciplines sequentially.

Process Improvement Through Tool Integration in Aero-Mechanical Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Clark

2010-01-01

Emerging capabilities in commercial design tools promise to significantly improve the multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary design and analysis coverage for aerospace mechanical engineers. This paper explores the analysis process for two example problems of a wing and flap mechanical drive system and an aircraft landing gear door panel. The examples begin with the design solid models and include various analysis disciplines such as structural stress and aerodynamic loads. Analytical methods include CFD, multi-body dynamics with flexible bodies and structural analysis. Elements of analysis data management, data visualization and collaboration are also included.

Modelling of teeth of a gear transmission for modern manufacturing technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monica, Z.; Banaś, W.; Ćwikla, G.; Topolska, S.

2017-08-01

The technological process of manufacturing of gear wheels is influenced by many factors. It is designated depending on the type of material from which the gear is to be produced, its heat treatment parameters, the required accuracy, the geometrical form and the modifications of the tooth. Therefor the parameters selection process is not easy and moreover it is unambiguous. Another important stage of the technological process is the selection of appropriate tools to properly machine teeth in the operations of both roughing and finishing. In the presented work the focus is put first of all on modern production methods of gears using technologically advanced instruments in comparison with conventional tools. Conventional processing tools such as gear hobbing cutters or Fellows gear-shaper cutters are used from the beginning of the machines for the production of gear wheels. With the development of technology and the creation of CNC machines designated for machining of gears wheel it was also developed the manufacturing technology as well as the design knowledge concerning the technological tools. Leading manufacturers of cutting tools extended the range of tools designated for machining of gears on the so-called hobbing cutters with inserted cemented carbide tips. The same have be introduced to Fellows gear-shaper cutters. The results of tests show that is advantaged to use hobbing cutters with inserted cemented carbide tips for milling gear wheels with a high number of teeth, where the time gains are very high, in relation to the use of conventional milling cutters.

Diversification and cumulative evolution in New Caledonian crow tool manufacture.

PubMed Central

Hunt, Gavin R; Gray, Russell D

2003-01-01

Many animals use tools but only humans are generally considered to have the cognitive sophistication required for cumulative technological evolution. Three important characteristics of cumulative technological evolution are: (i) the diversification of tool design; (ii) cumulative change; and (iii) high-fidelity social transmission. We present evidence that crows have diversified and cumulatively changed the design of their pandanus tools. In 2000 we carried out an intensive survey in New Caledonia to establish the geographical variation in the manufacture of these tools. We documented the shapes of 5550 tools from 21 sites throughout the range of pandanus tool manufacture. We found three distinct pandanus tool designs: wide tools, narrow tools and stepped tools. The lack of ecological correlates of the three tool designs and their different, continuous and overlapping geographical distributions make it unlikely that they evolved independently. The similarities in the manufacture method of each design further suggest that pandanus tools have gone through a process of cumulative change from a common historical origin. We propose a plausible scenario for this rudimentary cumulative evolution. PMID:12737666

DSC: software tool for simulation-based design of control strategies applied to wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Ruano, M V; Ribes, J; Seco, A; Ferrer, J

2011-01-01

This paper presents a computer tool called DSC (Simulation based Controllers Design) that enables an easy design of control systems and strategies applied to wastewater treatment plants. Although the control systems are developed and evaluated by simulation, this tool aims to facilitate the direct implementation of the designed control system to the PC of the full-scale WWTP (wastewater treatment plants). The designed control system can be programmed in a dedicated control application and can be connected to either the simulation software or the SCADA of the plant. To this end, the developed DSC incorporates an OPC server (OLE for process control) which facilitates an open-standard communication protocol for different industrial process applications. The potential capabilities of the DSC tool are illustrated through the example of a full-scale application. An aeration control system applied to a nutrient removing WWTP was designed, tuned and evaluated with the DSC tool before its implementation in the full scale plant. The control parameters obtained by simulation were suitable for the full scale plant with only few modifications to improve the control performance. With the DSC tool, the control systems performance can be easily evaluated by simulation. Once developed and tuned by simulation, the control systems can be directly applied to the full-scale WWTP.

Seismology software: state of the practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, W. Spencer; Zeng, Zheng; Carette, Jacques

2018-05-01

We analyzed the state of practice for software development in the seismology domain by comparing 30 software packages on four aspects: product, implementation, design, and process. We found room for improvement in most seismology software packages. The principal areas of concern include a lack of adequate requirements and design specification documents, a lack of test data to assess reliability, a lack of examples to get new users started, and a lack of technological tools to assist with managing the development process. To assist going forward, we provide recommendations for a document-driven development process that includes a problem statement, development plan, requirement specification, verification and validation (V&V) plan, design specification, code, V&V report, and a user manual. We also provide advice on tool use, including issue tracking, version control, code documentation, and testing tools.

Seismology software: state of the practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, W. Spencer; Zeng, Zheng; Carette, Jacques

2018-02-01

We analyzed the state of practice for software development in the seismology domain by comparing 30 software packages on four aspects: product, implementation, design, and process. We found room for improvement in most seismology software packages. The principal areas of concern include a lack of adequate requirements and design specification documents, a lack of test data to assess reliability, a lack of examples to get new users started, and a lack of technological tools to assist with managing the development process. To assist going forward, we provide recommendations for a document-driven development process that includes a problem statement, development plan, requirement specification, verification and validation (V&V) plan, design specification, code, V&V report, and a user manual. We also provide advice on tool use, including issue tracking, version control, code documentation, and testing tools.

The Goal-Based Scenario Builder: Experiences with Novice Instructional Designers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Benjamin; Korcuska, Michael

Creating educational software generally requires a great deal of computer expertise, and as a result, educators lacking such knowledge have largely been excluded from the design process. Recently, researchers have been designing tools for automating some aspects of building instructional applications. These tools typically aim for generality,…

Integrated Design Tools Reduce Risk, Cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

Thanks in part to a SBIR award with Langley Research Center, Phoenix Integration Inc., based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, modified and advanced software for process integration and design automation. For NASA, the tool has resulted in lower project costs and reductions in design time; clients of Phoenix Integration are experiencing the same rewards.

Web-Based Learning Design Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruno, F. B.; Silva, T. L. K.; Silva, R. P.; Teixeira, F. G.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a web-based tool that enables the development and provision of learning designs and its reuse and re-contextualization as generative learning objects, aimed at developing educational materials. Design/methodology/approach: The use of learning objects can facilitate the process of production and…

Design and field test of collaborative tools in the service of an innovative organization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Beler, N.; Parfouru, S.

2012-07-01

This paper presents the design process of collaborative tools, based on ICT, aiming at supporting the tasks of the team that manages an outage of an energy production plant for maintenance activities. The design process follows an iterative and multidisciplinary approach, based on a collective tasks modeling of the outage management team in the light of Socio Organizational and Human (SOH) field studies, and on the state of the art of ICT. Field test of the collaborative tools designed plays a great place in this approach, allowing taking into account the operational world but involves also some risks which mustmore » be managed. To implement tools on all the production plants, we build an 'operational concept' with a level of description which authorizes the evolution of tools and allows some local adaptations. The field tests provide lessons on the ICT topics. For examples: the status of the remote access tools, the potential of use of a given information input by an actor for several individual and collective purposes, the actors perception of the tools meaning, and the requirements for supporting the implementation of change. (authors)« less

Materials Genome Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vickers, John

2015-01-01

The Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) project element is a cross-Center effort that is focused on the integration of computational tools to simulate manufacturing processes and materials behavior. These computational simulations will be utilized to gain understanding of processes and materials behavior to accelerate process development and certification to more efficiently integrate new materials in existing NASA projects and to lead to the design of new materials for improved performance. This NASA effort looks to collaborate with efforts at other government agencies and universities working under the national MGI. MGI plans to develop integrated computational/experimental/ processing methodologies for accelerating discovery and insertion of materials to satisfy NASA's unique mission demands. The challenges include validated design tools that incorporate materials properties, processes, and design requirements; and materials process control to rapidly mature emerging manufacturing methods and develop certified manufacturing processes

PROCESS SIMULATION TOOLS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION: NEW METHODS REDUCE THE MAGNITUDE OF WASTE STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Growing environmental concerns have spurred considerable interest in pollution prevention. In most instances, pollution prevention involves introducing radical changes to the design of processes so that waste generation is minimized. Process simulators can be effective tools in a...

Design of Friction Stir Spot Welding Tools by Using a Novel Thermal-Mechanical Approach

PubMed Central

Su, Zheng-Ming; Qiu, Qi-Hong; Lin, Pai-Chen

2016-01-01

A simple thermal-mechanical model for friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was developed to obtain similar weld performance for different weld tools. Use of the thermal-mechanical model and a combined approach enabled the design of weld tools for various sizes but similar qualities. Three weld tools for weld radii of 4, 5, and 6 mm were made to join 6061-T6 aluminum sheets. Performance evaluations of the three weld tools compared fracture behavior, microstructure, micro-hardness distribution, and welding temperature of welds in lap-shear specimens. For welds made by the three weld tools under identical processing conditions, failure loads were approximately proportional to tool size. Failure modes, microstructures, and micro-hardness distributions were similar. Welding temperatures correlated with frictional heat generation rate densities. Because the three weld tools sufficiently met all design objectives, the proposed approach is considered a simple and feasible guideline for preliminary tool design. PMID:28773800

Design of Friction Stir Spot Welding Tools by Using a Novel Thermal-Mechanical Approach.

PubMed

Su, Zheng-Ming; Qiu, Qi-Hong; Lin, Pai-Chen

2016-08-09

A simple thermal-mechanical model for friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was developed to obtain similar weld performance for different weld tools. Use of the thermal-mechanical model and a combined approach enabled the design of weld tools for various sizes but similar qualities. Three weld tools for weld radii of 4, 5, and 6 mm were made to join 6061-T6 aluminum sheets. Performance evaluations of the three weld tools compared fracture behavior, microstructure, micro-hardness distribution, and welding temperature of welds in lap-shear specimens. For welds made by the three weld tools under identical processing conditions, failure loads were approximately proportional to tool size. Failure modes, microstructures, and micro-hardness distributions were similar. Welding temperatures correlated with frictional heat generation rate densities. Because the three weld tools sufficiently met all design objectives, the proposed approach is considered a simple and feasible guideline for preliminary tool design.

Parallel workflow tools to facilitate human brain MRI post-processing

PubMed Central

Cui, Zaixu; Zhao, Chenxi; Gong, Gaolang

2015-01-01

Multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques are widely applied in human brain studies. To obtain specific brain measures of interest from MRI datasets, a number of complex image post-processing steps are typically required. Parallel workflow tools have recently been developed, concatenating individual processing steps and enabling fully automated processing of raw MRI data to obtain the final results. These workflow tools are also designed to make optimal use of available computational resources and to support the parallel processing of different subjects or of independent processing steps for a single subject. Automated, parallel MRI post-processing tools can greatly facilitate relevant brain investigations and are being increasingly applied. In this review, we briefly summarize these parallel workflow tools and discuss relevant issues. PMID:26029043

Ergonomics for the inclusion of older workers in the knowledge workforce and a guidance tool for designers.

PubMed

Gonzalez, I; Morer, P

2016-03-01

The ageing of the population and the inverted population pyramid is bringing important changes to society as a whole. These changes are associated with the inclusion of an older workforce in knowledge work and the challenge they represent in adapting the work environment accordingly. In order to approach a more universal design of the work environment, industrial designers need support from user-sensitive inclusive design studies. While there are plenty of guidelines and tools containing relevant information, there is a need to develop more appropriate tools for Industrial Designers that cover the initial phase of the design process. This study provides a review of the available tools and guidelines and proposes a theoretical framework intended for developing a design guidance tool for inclusive workstation design. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Reinventing The Design Process: Teams and Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, Stephen D.

1999-01-01

The future of space mission designing will be dramatically different from the past. Formerly, performance-driven paradigms emphasized data return with cost and schedule being secondary issues. Now and in the future, costs are capped and schedules fixed-these two variables must be treated as independent in the design process. Accordingly, JPL has redesigned its design process. At the conceptual level, design times have been reduced by properly defining the required design depth, improving the linkages between tools, and managing team dynamics. In implementation-phase design, system requirements will be held in crosscutting models, linked to subsystem design tools through a central database that captures the design and supplies needed configuration management and control. Mission goals will then be captured in timelining software that drives the models, testing their capability to execute the goals. Metrics are used to measure and control both processes and to ensure that design parameters converge through the design process within schedule constraints. This methodology manages margins controlled by acceptable risk levels. Thus, teams can evolve risk tolerance (and cost) as they would any engineering parameter. This new approach allows more design freedom for a longer time, which tends to encourage revolutionary and unexpected improvements in design.

PICASSO: an end-to-end image simulation tool for space and airborne imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cota, Steve A.; Bell, Jabin T.; Boucher, Richard H.; Dutton, Tracy E.; Florio, Chris J.; Franz, Geoffrey A.; Grycewicz, Thomas J.; Kalman, Linda S.; Keller, Robert A.; Lomheim, Terrence S.; Paulson, Diane B.; Willkinson, Timothy S.

2008-08-01

The design of any modern imaging system is the end result of many trade studies, each seeking to optimize image quality within real world constraints such as cost, schedule and overall risk. Image chain analysis - the prediction of image quality from fundamental design parameters - is an important part of this design process. At The Aerospace Corporation we have been using a variety of image chain analysis tools for many years, the Parameterized Image Chain Analysis & Simulation SOftware (PICASSO) among them. In this paper we describe our PICASSO tool, showing how, starting with a high quality input image and hypothetical design descriptions representative of the current state of the art in commercial imaging satellites, PICASSO can generate standard metrics of image quality in support of the decision processes of designers and program managers alike.

PICASSO: an end-to-end image simulation tool for space and airborne imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cota, Stephen A.; Bell, Jabin T.; Boucher, Richard H.; Dutton, Tracy E.; Florio, Christopher J.; Franz, Geoffrey A.; Grycewicz, Thomas J.; Kalman, Linda S.; Keller, Robert A.; Lomheim, Terrence S.; Paulson, Diane B.; Wilkinson, Timothy S.

2010-06-01

The design of any modern imaging system is the end result of many trade studies, each seeking to optimize image quality within real world constraints such as cost, schedule and overall risk. Image chain analysis - the prediction of image quality from fundamental design parameters - is an important part of this design process. At The Aerospace Corporation we have been using a variety of image chain analysis tools for many years, the Parameterized Image Chain Analysis & Simulation SOftware (PICASSO) among them. In this paper we describe our PICASSO tool, showing how, starting with a high quality input image and hypothetical design descriptions representative of the current state of the art in commercial imaging satellites, PICASSO can generate standard metrics of image quality in support of the decision processes of designers and program managers alike.

Supporting cognition in systems biology analysis: findings on users' processes and design implications.

PubMed

Mirel, Barbara

2009-02-13

Current usability studies of bioinformatics tools suggest that tools for exploratory analysis support some tasks related to finding relationships of interest but not the deep causal insights necessary for formulating plausible and credible hypotheses. To better understand design requirements for gaining these causal insights in systems biology analyses a longitudinal field study of 15 biomedical researchers was conducted. Researchers interacted with the same protein-protein interaction tools to discover possible disease mechanisms for further experimentation. Findings reveal patterns in scientists' exploratory and explanatory analysis and reveal that tools positively supported a number of well-structured query and analysis tasks. But for several of scientists' more complex, higher order ways of knowing and reasoning the tools did not offer adequate support. Results show that for a better fit with scientists' cognition for exploratory analysis systems biology tools need to better match scientists' processes for validating, for making a transition from classification to model-based reasoning, and for engaging in causal mental modelling. As the next great frontier in bioinformatics usability, tool designs for exploratory systems biology analysis need to move beyond the successes already achieved in supporting formulaic query and analysis tasks and now reduce current mismatches with several of scientists' higher order analytical practices. The implications of results for tool designs are discussed.

Chimera Grid Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, William M.; Rogers, Stuart E.; Nash, Steven M.; Buning, Pieter G.; Meakin, Robert

2005-01-01

Chimera Grid Tools (CGT) is a software package for performing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis utilizing the Chimera-overset-grid method. For modeling flows with viscosity about geometrically complex bodies in relative motion, the Chimera-overset-grid method is among the most computationally cost-effective methods for obtaining accurate aerodynamic results. CGT contains a large collection of tools for generating overset grids, preparing inputs for computer programs that solve equations of flow on the grids, and post-processing of flow-solution data. The tools in CGT include grid editing tools, surface-grid-generation tools, volume-grid-generation tools, utility scripts, configuration scripts, and tools for post-processing (including generation of animated images of flows and calculating forces and moments exerted on affected bodies). One of the tools, denoted OVERGRID, is a graphical user interface (GUI) that serves to visualize the grids and flow solutions and provides central access to many other tools. The GUI facilitates the generation of grids for a new flow-field configuration. Scripts that follow the grid generation process can then be constructed to mostly automate grid generation for similar configurations. CGT is designed for use in conjunction with a computer-aided-design program that provides the geometry description of the bodies, and a flow-solver program.

Advanced composite rudders for DC-10 aircraft: Design, manufacturing, and ground tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lehman, G. M.; Purdy, D. M.; Cominsky, A.; Hawley, A. V.; Amason, M. P.; Kung, J. T.; Palmer, R. J.; Purves, N. B.; Marra, P. J.; Hancock, G. R.

1976-01-01

Design synthesis, tooling and process development, manufacturing, and ground testing of a graphite epoxy rudder for the DC-10 commercial transport are discussed. The composite structure was fabricated using a unique processing method in which the thermal expansion characteristics of rubber tooling mandrels were used to generate curing pressures during an oven cure cycle. The ground test program resulted in certification of the rudder for passenger-carrying flights. Results of the structural and environmental tests are interpreted and detailed development of the rubber tooling and manufacturing process is described. Processing, tooling, and manufacturing problems encountered during fabrication of four development rudders and ten flight-service rudders are discussed and the results of corrective actions are described. Non-recurring and recurring manufacturing labor man-hours are tabulated at the detailed operation level. A weight reduction of 13.58 kg (33 percent) was attained in the composite rudder.

Teaching Process Design through Integrated Process Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Matthew J.; Glasser, Benjamin J.; Patel, Bilal; Hildebrandt, Diane; Glasser, David

2012-01-01

The design course is an integral part of chemical engineering education. A novel approach to the design course was recently introduced at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. The course aimed to introduce students to systematic tools and techniques for setting and evaluating performance targets for processes, as well as…

Innovated Conceptual Design of Loading Unloading Tool for Livestock at the Port

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustakim, Achmad; Hadi, Firmanto

2018-03-01

The condition of loading and unloading process of livestock in a number of Indonesian ports doesn’t meet the principle of animal welfare, which makes cattle lose weight and injury when unloaded. Livestock loading and unloading is done by throwing cattle into the sea one by one, tying cattle hung with a sling strap and push the cattle to the berth directly. This process is against PP. 82 year 2000 on Article 47 and 55 about animal welfare. Innovation of loading and unloading tools design offered are loading and unloading design with garbarata. In the design of loading and unloading tools with garbarata, apply the concept of semi-horizontal hydraulic ladder that connects the ship and truck directly. This livestock unloading equipment design innovation is a combination of fire extinguisher truck design and bridge equipped with weightlifting equipment. In 10 years of planning garbarata, requires a total cost of IDR 321,142,921; gets benefits IDR 923,352,333; and BCR (Benefit-Cost Ratio) Value worth 2.88. BCR value >1 means the tool is feasible applied. The designs of this loading and unloading tools are estimated up to 1 hour faster than existing way. It can also minimize risks such as injury and also weight reduction livestock agencies significantly.

DyNAMiC Workbench: an integrated development environment for dynamic DNA nanotechnology

PubMed Central

Grun, Casey; Werfel, Justin; Zhang, David Yu; Yin, Peng

2015-01-01

Dynamic DNA nanotechnology provides a promising avenue for implementing sophisticated assembly processes, mechanical behaviours, sensing and computation at the nanoscale. However, design of these systems is complex and error-prone, because the need to control the kinetic pathway of a system greatly increases the number of design constraints and possible failure modes for the system. Previous tools have automated some parts of the design workflow, but an integrated solution is lacking. Here, we present software implementing a three ‘tier’ design process: a high-level visual programming language is used to describe systems, a molecular compiler builds a DNA implementation and nucleotide sequences are generated and optimized. Additionally, our software includes tools for analysing and ‘debugging’ the designs in silico, and for importing/exporting designs to other commonly used software systems. The software we present is built on many existing pieces of software, but is integrated into a single package—accessible using a Web-based interface at http://molecular-systems.net/workbench. We hope that the deep integration between tools and the flexibility of this design process will lead to better experimental results, fewer experimental design iterations and the development of more complex DNA nanosystems. PMID:26423437

Cockpit System Situational Awareness Modeling Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, John; Lebiere, Christian; Shay, Rick; Latorella, Kara

2004-01-01

This project explored the possibility of predicting pilot situational awareness (SA) using human performance modeling techniques for the purpose of evaluating developing cockpit systems. The Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT) was combined with the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) cognitive modeling architecture to produce a tool that can model both the discrete tasks of pilots and the cognitive processes associated with SA. The techniques for using this tool to predict SA were demonstrated using the newly developed Aviation Weather Information (AWIN) system. By providing an SA prediction tool to cockpit system designers, cockpit concepts can be assessed early in the design process while providing a cost-effective complement to the traditional pilot-in-the-loop experiments and data collection techniques.

The Design of Technology-Rich Learning Environments as Metacognitive Tools in History Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poitras, Eric; Lajoie, Susanne; Hong, Yuan-Jin

2012-01-01

Research has shown that learners do not always engage in appropriate metacognitive and self-regulatory processes while learning complex historical topics. However, little research exists to guide the design of technology-rich learning environments as metacognitive tools in history education. In order to address this issue, we designed a…

Adaptation Design Tool for Climate-Smart Management of Coral Reefs and Other Natural Resources.

PubMed

West, Jordan M; Courtney, Catherine A; Hamilton, Anna T; Parker, Britt A; Gibbs, David A; Bradley, Patricia; Julius, Susan H

2018-06-22

Scientists and managers of natural resources have recognized an urgent need for improved methods and tools to enable effective adaptation of management measures in the face of climate change. This paper presents an Adaptation Design Tool that uses a structured approach to break down an otherwise overwhelming and complex process into tractable steps. The tool contains worksheets that guide users through a series of design considerations for adapting their planned management actions to be more climate-smart given changing environmental stressors. Also provided with other worksheets is a framework for brainstorming new adaptation options in response to climate threats not yet addressed in the current plan. Developed and tested in collaboration with practitioners in Hawai'i and Puerto Rico using coral reefs as a pilot ecosystem, the tool and associated reference materials consist of worksheets, instructions and lessons-learned from real-world examples. On the basis of stakeholder feedback from expert consultations during tool development, we present insights and recommendations regarding how to maximize tool efficiency, gain the greatest value from the thought process, and deal with issues of scale and uncertainty. We conclude by reflecting on how the tool advances the theory and practice of assessment and decision-making science, informs higher level strategic planning, and serves as a platform for a systematic, transparent and inclusive process to tackle the practical implications of climate change for management of natural resources.

Computer assisted blast design and assessment tools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cameron, A.R.; Kleine, T.H.; Forsyth, W.W.

1995-12-31

In general the software required by a blast designer includes tools that graphically present blast designs (surface and underground), can analyze a design or predict its result, and can assess blasting results. As computers develop and computer literacy continues to rise the development of and use of such tools will spread. An example of the tools that are becoming available includes: Automatic blast pattern generation and underground ring design; blast design evaluation in terms of explosive distribution and detonation simulation; fragmentation prediction; blast vibration prediction and minimization; blast monitoring for assessment of dynamic performance; vibration measurement, display and signal processing;more » evaluation of blast results in terms of fragmentation; and risk and reliability based blast assessment. The authors have identified a set of criteria that are essential in choosing appropriate software blasting tools.« less

Managing design excellence tools during the development of new orthopaedic implants.

PubMed

Défossez, Henri J P; Serhan, Hassan

2013-11-01

Design excellence (DEX) tools have been widely used for years in some industries for their potential to facilitate new product development. The medical sector, targeted by cost pressures, has therefore started adopting them. Numerous tools are available; however only appropriate deployment during the new product development stages can optimize the overall process. The primary study objectives were to describe generic tools and illustrate their implementation and management during the development of new orthopaedic implants, and compile a reference package. Secondary objectives were to present the DEX tool investment costs and savings, since the method can require significant resources for which companies must carefully plan. The publicly available DEX method "Define Measure Analyze Design Verify Validate" was adopted and implemented during the development of a new spinal implant. Several tools proved most successful at developing the correct product, addressing clinical needs, and increasing market penetration potential, while reducing design iterations and manufacturing validations. Cost analysis and Pugh Matrix coupled with multi generation planning enabled developing a strong rationale to activate the project, set the vision and goals. improved risk management and product map established a robust technical verification-validation program. Design of experiments and process quantification facilitated design for manufacturing of critical features, as early as the concept phase. Biomechanical testing with analysis of variance provided a validation model with a recognized statistical performance baseline. Within those tools, only certain ones required minimum resources (i.e., business case, multi generational plan, project value proposition, Pugh Matrix, critical To quality process validation techniques), while others required significant investments (i.e., voice of customer, product usage map, improved risk management, design of experiments, biomechanical testing techniques). All used techniques provided savings exceeding investment costs. Some other tools were considered and found less relevant. A matrix summarized the investment costs and generated estimated savings. Globally, all companies can benefit from using DEX by smartly selecting and estimating those tools with best return on investment at the start of the project. For this, a good understanding of the available company resources, background and development strategy are needed. In conclusion, it was possible to illustrate that appropriate management of design excellence tools can greatly facilitate the development of new orthopaedic implant systems.

A Flexure-Based Tool Holder for Sub-(micro)m Positioning of a Single Point Cutting Tool on a Four-axis Lathe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bono, M J; Hibbard, R L

2005-12-05

A tool holder was designed to facilitate the machining of precision meso-scale components with complex three-dimensional shapes with sub-{micro}m accuracy on a four-axis lathe. A four-axis lathe incorporates a rotary table that allows the cutting tool to swivel with respect to the workpiece to enable the machining of complex workpiece forms, and accurately machining complex meso-scale parts often requires that the cutting tool be aligned precisely along the axis of rotation of the rotary table. The tool holder designed in this study has greatly simplified the process of setting the tool in the correct location with sub-{micro}m precision. The toolmore » holder adjusts the tool position using flexures that were designed using finite element analyses. Two flexures adjust the lateral position of the tool to align the center of the nose of the tool with the axis of rotation of the B-axis, and another flexure adjusts the height of the tool. The flexures are driven by manual micrometer adjusters, each of which provides a minimum increment of motion of 20 nm. This tool holder has simplified the process of setting a tool with sub-{micro}m accuracy, and it has significantly reduced the time required to set a tool.« less

DEVELOPING A CAPE-OPEN COMPLIANT METAL FINISHING FACILITY POLLUTION PREVENTION TOOL (CO-MFFP2T)

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA is developing a Computer Aided Process Engineering (CAPE) software tool for the metal finishing industry that helps users design efficient metal finishing processes that are less polluting to the environment. Metal finishing process lines can be simulated and evaluated...

Transforming BIM to BEM: Generation of Building Geometry for the NASA Ames Sustainability Base BIM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Donnell, James T.; Maile, Tobias; Rose, Cody

Typical processes of whole Building Energy simulation Model (BEM) generation are subjective, labor intensive, time intensive and error prone. Essentially, these typical processes reproduce already existing data, i.e. building models already created by the architect. Accordingly, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) developed a semi-automated process that enables reproducible conversions of Building Information Model (BIM) representations of building geometry into a format required by building energy modeling (BEM) tools. This is a generic process that may be applied to all building energy modeling tools but to date has only been used for EnergyPlus. This report describes and demonstrates each stage inmore » the semi-automated process for building geometry using the recently constructed NASA Ames Sustainability Base throughout. This example uses ArchiCAD (Graphisoft, 2012) as the originating CAD tool and EnergyPlus as the concluding whole building energy simulation tool. It is important to note that the process is also applicable for professionals that use other CAD tools such as Revit (“Revit Architecture,” 2012) and DProfiler (Beck Technology, 2012) and can be extended to provide geometry definitions for BEM tools other than EnergyPlus. Geometry Simplification Tool (GST) was used during the NASA Ames project and was the enabling software that facilitated semi-automated data transformations. GST has now been superseded by Space Boundary Tool (SBT-1) and will be referred to as SBT-1 throughout this report. The benefits of this semi-automated process are fourfold: 1) reduce the amount of time and cost required to develop a whole building energy simulation model, 2) enable rapid generation of design alternatives, 3) improve the accuracy of BEMs and 4) result in significantly better performing buildings with significantly lower energy consumption than those created using the traditional design process, especially if the simulation model was used as a predictive benchmark during operation. Developing BIM based criteria to support the semi-automated process should result in significant reliable improvements and time savings in the development of BEMs. In order to define successful BIMS, CAD export of IFC based BIMs for BEM must adhere to a standard Model View Definition (MVD) for simulation as provided by the concept design BIM MVD (buildingSMART, 2011). In order to ensure wide scale adoption, companies would also need to develop their own material libraries to support automated activities and undertake a pilot project to improve understanding of modeling conventions and design tool features and limitations.« less

An evaluation of software tools for the design and development of cockpit displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Thomas D., Jr.

1993-01-01

The use of all-glass cockpits at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) simulation facility has changed the means of design, development, and maintenance of instrument displays. The human-machine interface has evolved from a physical hardware device to a software-generated electronic display system. This has subsequently caused an increased workload at the facility. As computer processing power increases and the glass cockpit becomes predominant in facilities, software tools used in the design and development of cockpit displays are becoming both feasible and necessary for a more productive simulation environment. This paper defines LaRC requirements of a display software development tool and compares two available applications against these requirements. As a part of the software engineering process, these tools reduce development time, provide a common platform for display development, and produce exceptional real-time results.

Colossal Tooling Design: 3D Simulation for Ergonomic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Steve L.; Dischinger, Charles; Thomas, Robert E.; Babai, Majid

2003-01-01

The application of high-level 3D simulation software to the design phase of colossal mandrel tooling for composite aerospace fuel tanks was accomplished to discover and resolve safety and human engineering problems. The analyses were conducted to determine safety, ergonomic and human engineering aspects of the disassembly process of the fuel tank composite shell mandrel. Three-dimensional graphics high-level software, incorporating various ergonomic analysis algorithms, was utilized to determine if the process was within safety and health boundaries for the workers carrying out these tasks. In addition, the graphical software was extremely helpful in the identification of material handling equipment and devices for the mandrel tooling assembly/disassembly process.

Trapped rubber processing for advanced composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marra, P. J.

1976-01-01

Trapped rubber processing is a molding technique for composites in which precast silicone rubber is placed within a closed cavity where it thermally expands against the composite's surface supported by the vessel walls. The method has been applied by the Douglas Aircraft Company, under contract to NASA-Langley, to the design and fabrication of 10 DC-10 graphite/epoxy upper aft rudder assemblies. A three-bay development tool form mold die has been designed and manufactured, and tooling parameters have been established. Fabrication procedures include graphite layup, assembly of details in the tool, and a cure cycle. The technique has made it possible for the cocured fabrication of complex primary box structures otherwise impracticable via standard composite material processes.

Metal Cutting Theory and Friction Stir Welding Tool Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Payton, Lewis N.

2003-01-01

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a relatively new industrial process that was invented at The Weld Institute (TWI, United Kingdom) and patented in 1992 under research funded by in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Often quoted advantages of the process include good strength and ductility along with minimization of residual stress and distortion. Less well advertised are the beneficial effects of this solid state welding process in the field of occupational and environmental safety. It produces superior weld products in difficult to weld materials without producing any toxic fumes or solid waste that must be controlled as hazardous waste. In fact, it reduces noise pollution in the workspace as well. In the early days of FSW, most welding was performed on modified machine tools, in particular on milling machines with modified milling cutters. In spite of the obvious milling heritage of the process, the techniques and lessons learned from almost 250 years of successful metalworking with milling machines have not been applied in the field of modern Friction Stir Welding. The goal of the current research was to study currently successful FSW tools and parameterize the process in such a way that the design of new tools for new materials could be accelerated. Along the way, several successful new tooling designs were developed for current issues at the Marshall Space Flight Center with accompanying patent disclosures

Implementing a prototyping network for injection moulded imaging lenses in Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keränen, K.; Mäkinen, J.-T.; Pääkkönen, E. J.; Koponen, M.; Karttunen, M.; Hiltunen, J.; Karioja, P.

2005-10-01

A network for prototyping imaging lenses using injection moulding was established in Finland. The network consists of several academic and industrial partners capable of designing, processing and characterising imaging lenses produced by injection moulding technology. In order to validate the operation of the network a demonstrator lens was produced. The process steps included in the manufacturing were lens specification, designing and modelling, material selection, mould tooling, moulding process simulation, injection moulding and characterisation. A magnifying imaging singlet lens to be used as an add-on in a camera phone was selected as a demonstrator. The design of the add-on lens proved to be somewhat challenging, but a double aspheric singlet lens design fulfilling nearly the requirement specification was produced. In the material selection task the overall characteristics profile of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material was seen to be the most fitting to the pilot case. It is a low cost material with good moulding properties and therefore it was selected as a material for the pilot lens. Lens mould design was performed using I-DEAS and tested by using MoldFlow 3D injection moulding simulation software. The simulations predicted the achievable lens quality in the processing, when using a two-cavity mould design. First cavity was tooled directly into the mould plate and the second cavity was made by tooling separate insert pieces for the mould. Mould material was steel and the inserts were made from Moldmax copper alloy. Parts were tooled with high speed milling machines. Insert pieces were hand polished after tooling. Prototype lenses were injection moulded using two PMMA grades, namely 6N and 7N. Different process parameters were also experimented in the injection moulding test runs. Prototypes were characterised by measuring mechanical dimensions, surface profile, roughness and MTF of the lenses. Characterisations showed that the lens surface RMS roughness was 30-50 nm and the profile deviation was 5 μm from the design at a distance of 0.3 mm from the lens vertex. These manufacturing defects caused that the measured MTF values were lower than designed. The lens overall quality, however, was adequate to demonstrate the concept successfully. Through the implementation of the demonstrator lens we could test effectively different stages of the manufacturing process and get information about process component weight and risk factors and validate the overall performance of the network.

VARED: Verification and Analysis of Requirements and Early Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Badger, Julia; Throop, David; Claunch, Charles

2014-01-01

Requirements are a part of every project life cycle; everything going forward in a project depends on them. Good requirements are hard to write, there are few useful tools to test, verify, or check them, and it is difficult to properly marry them to the subsequent design, especially if the requirements are written in natural language. In fact, the inconsistencies and errors in the requirements along with the difficulty in finding these errors contribute greatly to the cost of the testing and verification stage of flight software projects [1]. Large projects tend to have several thousand requirements written at various levels by different groups of people. The design process is distributed and a lack of widely accepted standards for requirements often results in a product that varies widely in style and quality. A simple way to improve this would be to standardize the design process using a set of tools and widely accepted requirements design constraints. The difficulty with this approach is finding the appropriate constraints and tools. Common complaints against the tools available include ease of use, functionality, and available features. Also, although preferable, it is rare that these tools are capable of testing the quality of the requirements.

Open environments to support systems engineering tool integration: A study using the Portable Common Tool Environment (PCTE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckhardt, Dave E., Jr.; Jipping, Michael J.; Wild, Chris J.; Zeil, Steven J.; Roberts, Cathy C.

1993-01-01

A study of computer engineering tool integration using the Portable Common Tool Environment (PCTE) Public Interface Standard is presented. Over a 10-week time frame, three existing software products were encapsulated to work in the Emeraude environment, an implementation of the PCTE version 1.5 standard. The software products used were a computer-aided software engineering (CASE) design tool, a software reuse tool, and a computer architecture design and analysis tool. The tool set was then demonstrated to work in a coordinated design process in the Emeraude environment. The project and the features of PCTE used are described, experience with the use of Emeraude environment over the project time frame is summarized, and several related areas for future research are summarized.

The Use of Computer Tools in the Design Process of Students’ Architectural Projects. Case Studies in Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saighi, Ouafa; Salah Zerouala, Mohamed

2017-12-01

This The paper particularly deals with the way in which computer tools are used by students in their design studio’s projects. Four institutions of architecture education in Algeria are considered as a case study to evaluate the impact of such tools on student design process. This aims to inspect in depth such use, to sort out its advantages and shortcomings in order to suggest some solutions. A field survey was undertaken on a sample of students and their teachers at the same institutions. The analysed results mainly show that computer tools are highly focusing on improving the quality of drawings representation and images seeking observers’ satisfaction hence influencing their decision. Some teachers are not very keen to overuse the computer during the design phase; they prefer the “traditional” approach. This is the present situation that Algerian university is facing which leads to conflict and disagreement between students and teachers. Meanwhile, there was no doubt that computer tools have effectively contributed to improve the competitive level among students.

TaN resistor process development and integration.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Romero, Kathleen; Martinez, Marino John; Clevenger, Jascinda

This paper describes the development and implementation of an integrated resistor process based on reactively sputtered tantalum nitride. Image reversal lithography was shown to be a superior method for liftoff patterning of these films. The results of a response surface DOE for the sputter deposition of the films are discussed. Several approaches to stabilization baking were examined and the advantages of the hot plate method are shown. In support of a new capability to produce special-purpose HBT-based Small-Scale Integrated Circuits (SSICs), we developed our existing TaN resistor process, designed for research prototyping, into one with greater maturity and robustness. Includedmore » in this work was the migration of our TaN deposition process from a research-oriented tool to a tool more suitable for production. Also included was implementation and optimization of a liftoff process for the sputtered TaN to avoid the complicating effects of subtractive etching over potentially sensitive surfaces. Finally, the method and conditions for stabilization baking of the resistors was experimentally determined to complete the full implementation of the resistor module. Much of the work to be described involves the migration between sputter deposition tools - from a Kurt J. Lesker CMS-18 to a Denton Discovery 550. Though they use nominally the same deposition technique (reactive sputtering of Ta with N{sup +} in a RF-excited Ar plasma), they differ substantially in their design and produce clearly different results in terms of resistivity, conformity of the film and the difference between as-deposited and stabilized films. We will describe the design of and results from the design of experiments (DOE)-based method of process optimization on the new tool and compare this to what had been used on the old tool.« less

Naval electronic warfare simulation for effectiveness assessment and softkill programmability facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lançon, F.

2011-06-01

The Anti-ship Missile (ASM) threat to be faced by ships will become more diverse and difficult. Intelligence, rules of engagement constraints, fast reaction-time for effective softkill solution require specific tools to design Electronic Warfare (EW) systems and to integrate it onboard ship. SAGEM Company provides decoy launcher system [1] and its associated Naval Electronic Warfare Simulation tool (NEWS) to permit softkill effectiveness analysis for anti-ship missile defence. NEWS tool generates virtual environment for missile-ship engagement and counter-measure simulator over a wide spectrum: RF, IR, EO. It integrates EW Command & Control (EWC2) process which is implemented in decoy launcher system and performs Monte-Carlo batch processing to evaluate softkill effectiveness in different engagement situations. NEWS is designed to allow immediate EWC2 process integration from simulation to real decoy launcher system. By design, it allows the final operator to be able to program, test and integrate its own EWC2 module and EW library onboard, so intelligence of each user is protected and evolution of threat can be taken into account through EW library update. The objectives of NEWS tool are also to define a methodology for trial definition and trial data reduction. Growth potential would permit to design new concept for EWC2 programmability and real time effectiveness estimation in EW system. This tool can also be used for operator training purpose. This paper presents the architecture design, the softkill programmability facility concept and the flexibility for onboard integration on ship. The concept of this operationally focused simulation, which is to use only one tool for design, development, trial validation and operational use, will be demonstrated.

Toxic release consequence analysis tool (TORCAT) for inherently safer design plant.

PubMed

Shariff, Azmi Mohd; Zaini, Dzulkarnain

2010-10-15

Many major accidents due to toxic release in the past have caused many fatalities such as the tragedy of MIC release in Bhopal, India (1984). One of the approaches is to use inherently safer design technique that utilizes inherent safety principle to eliminate or minimize accidents rather than to control the hazard. This technique is best implemented in preliminary design stage where the consequence of toxic release can be evaluated and necessary design improvements can be implemented to eliminate or minimize the accidents to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) without resorting to costly protective system. However, currently there is no commercial tool available that has such capability. This paper reports on the preliminary findings on the development of a prototype tool for consequence analysis and design improvement via inherent safety principle by utilizing an integrated process design simulator with toxic release consequence analysis model. The consequence analysis based on the worst-case scenarios during process flowsheeting stage were conducted as case studies. The preliminary finding shows that toxic release consequences analysis tool (TORCAT) has capability to eliminate or minimize the potential toxic release accidents by adopting the inherent safety principle early in preliminary design stage. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Smart Cutting Tools and Smart Machining: Development Approaches, and Their Implementation and Application Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Kai; Niu, Zhi-Chao; Wang, Robin C.; Rakowski, Richard; Bateman, Richard

2017-09-01

Smart machining has tremendous potential and is becoming one of new generation high value precision manufacturing technologies in line with the advance of Industry 4.0 concepts. This paper presents some innovative design concepts and, in particular, the development of four types of smart cutting tools, including a force-based smart cutting tool, a temperature-based internally-cooled cutting tool, a fast tool servo (FTS) and smart collets for ultraprecision and micro manufacturing purposes. Implementation and application perspectives of these smart cutting tools are explored and discussed particularly for smart machining against a number of industrial application requirements. They are contamination-free machining, machining of tool-wear-prone Si-based infra-red devices and medical applications, high speed micro milling and micro drilling, etc. Furthermore, implementation techniques are presented focusing on: (a) plug-and-produce design principle and the associated smart control algorithms, (b) piezoelectric film and surface acoustic wave transducers to measure cutting forces in process, (c) critical cutting temperature control in real-time machining, (d) in-process calibration through machining trials, (e) FE-based design and analysis of smart cutting tools, and (f) application exemplars on adaptive smart machining.

Sandia Advanced MEMS Design Tools v. 3.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yarberry, Victor R.; Allen, James J.; Lantz, Jeffrey W.

This is a major revision to the Sandia Advanced MEMS Design Tools. It replaces all previous versions. New features in this version: Revised to support AutoCAD 2014 and 2015 This CD contains an integrated set of electronic files that: a) Describe the SUMMiT V fabrication process b) Provide enabling educational information (including pictures, videos, technical information) c) Facilitate the process of designing MEMS with the SUMMiT process (prototype file, Design Rule Checker, Standard Parts Library) d) Facilitate the process of having MEMS fabricated at Sandia National Laboratories e) Facilitate the process of having post-fabrication services performed. While there exists somemore » files on the CD that are used in conjunction with software package AutoCAD, these files are not intended for use independent of the CD. Note that the customer must purchase his/her own copy of AutoCAD to use with these files.« less

Influence of Punch Geometry on Process Parameters in Cold Backward Extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plančak, M.; Barišić, B.; Car, Z.; Movrin, D.

2011-01-01

In cold extrusion of steel tools make direct contact with the metal to be extruded. Those tools are exposed to high contact stresses which, in certain cases, may be limiting factors in applying this technology. The present paper was bound to the influence of punch head design on radial stress at the container wall in the process of cold backward extrusion. Five different punch head geometries were investigated. Radial stress on the container wall was measured by pin load cell technique. Special tooling for the experimental investigation was designed and made. Process has been analyzed also by FE method. 2D models of tools were obtained by UGS NX and for FE analysis Simufact Forming GP software was used. Obtained results (experimental and obtained by FE) were compared and analyzed. Optimal punch head geometry has been suggested.

An Engineering Educator's Decision Support Tool for Improving Innovation in Student Design Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozaltin, Nur Ozge; Besterfield-Sacre, Mary; Clark, Renee M.

2015-01-01

Learning how to design innovatively is a critical process skill for undergraduate engineers in the 21st century. To this end, our paper discusses the development and validation of a Bayesian network decision support tool that can be used by engineering educators to make recommendations that positively impact the innovativeness of product designs.…

Integrating automated structured analysis and design with Ada programming support environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hecht, Alan; Simmons, Andy

1986-01-01

Ada Programming Support Environments (APSE) include many powerful tools that address the implementation of Ada code. These tools do not address the entire software development process. Structured analysis is a methodology that addresses the creation of complete and accurate system specifications. Structured design takes a specification and derives a plan to decompose the system subcomponents, and provides heuristics to optimize the software design to minimize errors and maintenance. It can also produce the creation of useable modules. Studies have shown that most software errors result from poor system specifications, and that these errors also become more expensive to fix as the development process continues. Structured analysis and design help to uncover error in the early stages of development. The APSE tools help to insure that the code produced is correct, and aid in finding obscure coding errors. However, they do not have the capability to detect errors in specifications or to detect poor designs. An automated system for structured analysis and design TEAMWORK, which can be integrated with an APSE to support software systems development from specification through implementation is described. These tools completement each other to help developers improve quality and productivity, as well as to reduce development and maintenance costs. Complete system documentation and reusable code also resultss from the use of these tools. Integrating an APSE with automated tools for structured analysis and design provide capabilities and advantages beyond those realized with any of these systems used by themselves.

Bio-jETI: a service integration, design, and provisioning platform for orchestrated bioinformatics processes.

PubMed

Margaria, Tiziana; Kubczak, Christian; Steffen, Bernhard

2008-04-25

With Bio-jETI, we introduce a service platform for interdisciplinary work on biological application domains and illustrate its use in a concrete application concerning statistical data processing in R and xcms for an LC/MS analysis of FAAH gene knockout. Bio-jETI uses the jABC environment for service-oriented modeling and design as a graphical process modeling tool and the jETI service integration technology for remote tool execution. As a service definition and provisioning platform, Bio-jETI has the potential to become a core technology in interdisciplinary service orchestration and technology transfer. Domain experts, like biologists not trained in computer science, directly define complex service orchestrations as process models and use efficient and complex bioinformatics tools in a simple and intuitive way.

Rapid tooling for functional prototyping of metal mold processes. CRADA final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zacharia, T.; Ludtka, G.M.; Bjerke, M.A.

1997-12-01

The overall scope of this endeavor was to develop an integrated computer system, running on a network of heterogeneous computers, that would allow the rapid development of tool designs, and then use process models to determine whether the initial tooling would have characteristics which produce the prototype parts. The major thrust of this program for ORNL was the definition of the requirements for the development of the integrated die design system with the functional purpose to link part design, tool design, and component fabrication through a seamless software environment. The principal product would be a system control program that wouldmore » coordinate the various application programs and implement the data transfer so that any networked workstation would be useable. The overall system control architecture was to be required to easily facilitate any changes, upgrades, or replacements of the model from either the manufacturing end or the design criteria standpoint. The initial design of such a program is described in the section labeled ``Control Program Design``. A critical aspect of this research was the design of the system flow chart showing the exact system components and the data to be transferred. All of the major system components would have been configured to ensure data file compatibility and transferability across the Internet. The intent was to use commercially available packages to model the various manufacturing processes for creating the die and die inserts in addition to modeling the processes for which these parts were to be used. In order to meet all of these requirements, investigative research was conducted to determine the system flow features and software components within the various organizations contributing to this project. This research is summarized.« less

Computer-aided system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Carrie K.

1991-01-01

A technique has been developed for combining features of a systems architecture design and assessment tool and a software development tool. This technique reduces simulation development time and expands simulation detail. The Architecture Design and Assessment System (ADAS), developed at the Research Triangle Institute, is a set of computer-assisted engineering tools for the design and analysis of computer systems. The ADAS system is based on directed graph concepts and supports the synthesis and analysis of software algorithms mapped to candidate hardware implementations. Greater simulation detail is provided by the ADAS functional simulator. With the functional simulator, programs written in either Ada or C can be used to provide a detailed description of graph nodes. A Computer-Aided Software Engineering tool developed at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL CASE) automatically generates Ada or C code from engineering block diagram specifications designed with an interactive graphical interface. A technique to use the tools together has been developed, which further automates the design process.

Optimization of the propulsion for multistage solid rocket motor launchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calabro, M.; Dufour, A.; Macaire, A.

2002-02-01

Some tools focused on a rapid multidisciplinary optimization capability for multistage launch vehicle design were developed at EADS-LV. These tools may be broken down into two categories, those related to propulsion design optimization and a computer code devoted to trajectories and under constraints optimization. Both are linked in order to obtain optimal vehicle design after an iterative process. After a description of the two categories tools, an example of application is given on a small space launcher.

Context-Aware Design for Process Flexibility and Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yao, Wen

2012-01-01

Today's organizations face continuous and unprecedented changes in their business environment. Traditional process design tools tend to be inflexible and can only support rigidly defined processes (e.g., order processing in the supply chain). This considerably restricts their real-world applications value, especially in the dynamic and…

System Engineering Concept Demonstration, Effort Summary. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

involve only the system software, user frameworks and user tools. U •User Tool....s , Catalyst oExternal 00 Computer Framwork P OSystems • •~ Sysytem...analysis, synthesis, optimization, conceptual design of Catalyst. The paper discusses the definition, design, test, and evaluation; operational concept...This approach will allow system engineering The conceptual requirements for the Process Model practitioners to recognize and tailor the model. This

Collaborating with Youth to Inform and Develop Tools for Psychotropic Decision Making

PubMed Central

Murphy, Andrea; Gardner, David; Kutcher, Stan; Davidson, Simon; Manion, Ian

2010-01-01

Introduction: Youth oriented and informed resources designed to support psychopharmacotherapeutic decision-making are essentially unavailable. This article outlines the approach taken to design such resources, the product that resulted from the approach taken, and the lessons learned from the process. Methods: A project team with psychopharmacology expertise was assembled. The project team reviewed best practices regarding medication educational materials and related tools to support decisions. Collaboration with key stakeholders who were thought of as primary end-users and target groups occurred. A graphic designer and a plain language consultant were also retained. Results: Through an iterative and collaborative process over approximately 6 months, Med Ed and Med Ed Passport were developed. Literature and input from key stakeholders, in particular youth, was instrumental to the development of the tools and materials within Med Ed. A training program utilizing a train-the-trainer model was developed to facilitate the implementation of Med Ed in Ontario, which is currently ongoing. Conclusion: An evidence-informed process that includes youth and key stakeholder engagement is required for developing tools to support in psychopharmacotherapeutic decision-making. The development process fostered an environment of reciprocity between the project team and key stakeholders. PMID:21037916

Design Curve Generation for 3D SiC Fiber Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, Jerry; Dicarlo, James A.

2014-01-01

The design tool provides design curves that allow a simple and quick way to examine multiple factors that can influence the processing and key properties of the preforms and their final SiC-reinforced ceramic composites without over obligating financial capital for the fabricating of materials. Tool predictions for process and fiber fraction properties have been validated for a HNS 3D preform.The virtualization aspect of the tool will be used to provide a quick generation of solid models with actual fiber paths for finite element evaluation to predict mechanical and thermal properties of proposed composites as well as mechanical displacement behavior due to creep and stress relaxation to study load sharing characteristic between constitutes for better performance.Tool predictions for the fiber controlled properties of the SiCSiC CMC fabricated from the HNS preforms will be valuated and up-graded from the measurements on these CMC

A flexible tool for hydraulic and water quality performance analysis of green infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massoudieh, A.; Alikhani, J.

2017-12-01

Models that allow for design considerations of green infrastructure (GI) practices to control stormwater runoff and associated contaminants have received considerable attention in recent years. To be used to evaluate the effect design configurations on the long-term performance of GIs, models should be able to consider processes within GIs with good fidelity. In this presentation, a sophisticated, yet flexible tool for hydraulic and water quality assessment of GIs will be introduced. The tool can be used by design engineers and researchers to capture and explore the effect of design factors and properties of the media employed in the performance of GI systems at a relatively small scale. We deemed it essential to have a flexible GI modeling tool that is capable of simulating GI system components and specific biogeochemical processes affecting contaminants such as evapotranspiration, plant uptake, reactions, and particle-associated transport accurately while maintaining a high degree of flexibility to account for the myriad of GI alternatives. The mathematical framework for a stand-alone GI performance assessment tool has been developed and will be demonstrated. The process-based model framework developed here can be used to model a diverse range of GI practices such as stormwater ponds, green roofs, retention ponds, bioretention systems, infiltration trench, permeable pavement and other custom-designed combinatory systems. An example of the application of the system to evaluate the performance of a rain-garden system will be demonstrated.

Data-driven multi-scale multi-physics models to derive process-structure-property relationships for additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Wentao; Lin, Stephen; Kafka, Orion L.; Lian, Yanping; Yu, Cheng; Liu, Zeliang; Yan, Jinhui; Wolff, Sarah; Wu, Hao; Ndip-Agbor, Ebot; Mozaffar, Mojtaba; Ehmann, Kornel; Cao, Jian; Wagner, Gregory J.; Liu, Wing Kam

2018-05-01

Additive manufacturing (AM) possesses appealing potential for manipulating material compositions, structures and properties in end-use products with arbitrary shapes without the need for specialized tooling. Since the physical process is difficult to experimentally measure, numerical modeling is a powerful tool to understand the underlying physical mechanisms. This paper presents our latest work in this regard based on comprehensive material modeling of process-structure-property relationships for AM materials. The numerous influencing factors that emerge from the AM process motivate the need for novel rapid design and optimization approaches. For this, we propose data-mining as an effective solution. Such methods—used in the process-structure, structure-properties and the design phase that connects them—would allow for a design loop for AM processing and materials. We hope this article will provide a road map to enable AM fundamental understanding for the monitoring and advanced diagnostics of AM processing.

Data-driven multi-scale multi-physics models to derive process-structure-property relationships for additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Wentao; Lin, Stephen; Kafka, Orion L.; Lian, Yanping; Yu, Cheng; Liu, Zeliang; Yan, Jinhui; Wolff, Sarah; Wu, Hao; Ndip-Agbor, Ebot; Mozaffar, Mojtaba; Ehmann, Kornel; Cao, Jian; Wagner, Gregory J.; Liu, Wing Kam

2018-01-01

Additive manufacturing (AM) possesses appealing potential for manipulating material compositions, structures and properties in end-use products with arbitrary shapes without the need for specialized tooling. Since the physical process is difficult to experimentally measure, numerical modeling is a powerful tool to understand the underlying physical mechanisms. This paper presents our latest work in this regard based on comprehensive material modeling of process-structure-property relationships for AM materials. The numerous influencing factors that emerge from the AM process motivate the need for novel rapid design and optimization approaches. For this, we propose data-mining as an effective solution. Such methods—used in the process-structure, structure-properties and the design phase that connects them—would allow for a design loop for AM processing and materials. We hope this article will provide a road map to enable AM fundamental understanding for the monitoring and advanced diagnostics of AM processing.

What makes a sustainability tool valuable, practical and useful in real-world healthcare practice? A mixed-methods study on the development of the Long Term Success Tool in Northwest London.

PubMed

Lennox, Laura; Doyle, Cathal; Reed, Julie E; Bell, Derek

2017-09-24

Although improvement initiatives show benefits to patient care, they often fail to sustain. Models and frameworks exist to address this challenge, but issues with design, clarity and usability have been barriers to use in healthcare settings. This work aimed to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a sustainability tool relevant to people in healthcare settings and practical for use in improvement initiatives. Tool development was conducted in six stages. A scoping literature review, group discussions and a stakeholder engagement event explored literature findings and their resonance with stakeholders in healthcare settings. Interviews, small-scale trialling and piloting explored the design and tested the practicality of the tool in improvement initiatives. National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for Northwest London (CLAHRC NWL). CLAHRC NWL improvement initiative teams and staff. The iterative design process and engagement of stakeholders informed the articulation of the sustainability factors identified from the literature and guided tool design for practical application. Key iterations of factors and tool design are discussed. From the development process, the Long Term Success Tool (LTST) has been designed. The Tool supports those implementing improvements to reflect on 12 sustainability factors to identify risks to increase chances of achieving sustainability over time. The Tool is designed to provide a platform for improvement teams to share their own views on sustainability as well as learn about the different views held within their team to prompt discussion and actions. The development of the LTST has reinforced the importance of working with stakeholders to design strategies which respond to their needs and preferences and can practically be implemented in real-world settings. Further research is required to study the use and effectiveness of the tool in practice and assess engagement with the method over time. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Ambient Assisted Living spaces validation by services and devices simulation.

PubMed

Fernández-Llatas, Carlos; Mocholí, Juan Bautista; Sala, Pilar; Naranjo, Juan Carlos; Pileggi, Salvatore F; Guillén, Sergio; Traver, Vicente

2011-01-01

The design of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) products is a very demanding challenge. AAL products creation is a complex iterative process which must accomplish exhaustive prerequisites about accessibility and usability. In this process the early detection of errors is crucial to create cost-effective systems. Computer-assisted tools can suppose a vital help to usability designers in order to avoid design errors. Specifically computer simulation of products in AAL environments can be used in all the design phases to support the validation. In this paper, a computer simulation tool for supporting usability designers in the creation of innovative AAL products is presented. This application will benefit their work saving time and improving the final system functionality.

A Principled Approach to the Specification of System Architectures for Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKelvin, Mark L. Jr.; Castillo, Robert; Bonanne, Kevin; Bonnici, Michael; Cox, Brian; Gibson, Corrina; Leon, Juan P.; Gomez-Mustafa, Jose; Jimenez, Alejandro; Madni, Azad

2015-01-01

Modern space systems are increasing in complexity and scale at an unprecedented pace. Consequently, innovative methods, processes, and tools are needed to cope with the increasing complexity of architecting these systems. A key systems challenge in practice is the ability to scale processes, methods, and tools used to architect complex space systems. Traditionally, the process for specifying space system architectures has largely relied on capturing the system architecture in informal descriptions that are often embedded within loosely coupled design documents and domain expertise. Such informal descriptions often lead to misunderstandings between design teams, ambiguous specifications, difficulty in maintaining consistency as the architecture evolves throughout the system development life cycle, and costly design iterations. Therefore, traditional methods are becoming increasingly inefficient to cope with ever-increasing system complexity. We apply the principles of component-based design and platform-based design to the development of the system architecture for a practical space system to demonstrate feasibility of our approach using SysML. Our results show that we are able to apply a systematic design method to manage system complexity, thus enabling effective data management, semantic coherence and traceability across different levels of abstraction in the design chain. Just as important, our approach enables interoperability among heterogeneous tools in a concurrent engineering model based design environment.

Modern trends in increasing the quality of the steels intended for cutting and metal-working tools: I. Improvement of granule metallurgy processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyanchikov, L. N.

2008-12-01

The following new technological processes for producing fine gas-atomized powders of tool and high-speed steels with a low content of nonmetallic inclusions are considered: the process designed by Böhler Uddeholm Powder Technology (Austria) and processes involving a heated gas. In the former process, a metal is poured from a ladle with electroslag heating, and the atomizing unit consists of three injectors. A new process of producing tools from fine powders by three-dimensional printing, i.e., so-called 3D-printing, is described.

The role of the optimization process in illumination design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauvin, Michael A.; Jacobsen, David; Byrne, David J.

2015-07-01

This paper examines the role of the optimization process in illumination design. We will discuss why the starting point of the optimization process is crucial to a better design and why it is also important that the user understands the basic design problem and implements the correct merit function. Both a brute force method and the Downhill Simplex method will be used to demonstrate optimization methods with focus on using interactive design tools to create better starting points to streamline the optimization process.

Prototyping scalable digital signal processing systems for radio astronomy using dataflow models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sane, N.; Ford, J.; Harris, A. I.; Bhattacharyya, S. S.

2012-05-01

There is a growing trend toward using high-level tools for design and implementation of radio astronomy digital signal processing (DSP) systems. Such tools, for example, those from the Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER), are usually platform-specific, and lack high-level, platform-independent, portable, scalable application specifications. This limits the designer's ability to experiment with designs at a high-level of abstraction and early in the development cycle. We address some of these issues using a model-based design approach employing dataflow models. We demonstrate this approach by applying it to the design of a tunable digital downconverter (TDD) used for narrow-bandwidth spectroscopy. Our design is targeted toward an FPGA platform, called the Interconnect Break-out Board (IBOB), that is available from the CASPER. We use the term TDD to refer to a digital downconverter for which the decimation factor and center frequency can be reconfigured without the need for regenerating the hardware code. Such a design is currently not available in the CASPER DSP library. The work presented in this paper focuses on two aspects. First, we introduce and demonstrate a dataflow-based design approach using the dataflow interchange format (DIF) tool for high-level application specification, and we integrate this approach with the CASPER tool flow. Secondly, we explore the trade-off between the flexibility of TDD designs and the low hardware cost of fixed-configuration digital downconverter (FDD) designs that use the available CASPER DSP library. We further explore this trade-off in the context of a two-stage downconversion scheme employing a combination of TDD or FDD designs.

A Switching-Mode Power Supply Design Tool to Improve Learning in a Power Electronics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miaja, P. F.; Lamar, D. G.; de Azpeitia, M.; Rodriguez, A.; Rodriguez, M.; Hernando, M. M.

2011-01-01

The static design of ac/dc and dc/dc switching-mode power supplies (SMPS) relies on a simple but repetitive process. Although specific spreadsheets, available in various computer-aided design (CAD) programs, are widely used, they are difficult to use in educational applications. In this paper, a graphic tool programmed in MATLAB is presented,…

WASP: a Web-based Allele-Specific PCR assay designing tool for detecting SNPs and mutations

PubMed Central

Wangkumhang, Pongsakorn; Chaichoompu, Kridsadakorn; Ngamphiw, Chumpol; Ruangrit, Uttapong; Chanprasert, Juntima; Assawamakin, Anunchai; Tongsima, Sissades

2007-01-01

Background Allele-specific (AS) Polymerase Chain Reaction is a convenient and inexpensive method for genotyping Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and mutations. It is applied in many recent studies including population genetics, molecular genetics and pharmacogenomics. Using known AS primer design tools to create primers leads to cumbersome process to inexperience users since information about SNP/mutation must be acquired from public databases prior to the design. Furthermore, most of these tools do not offer the mismatch enhancement to designed primers. The available web applications do not provide user-friendly graphical input interface and intuitive visualization of their primer results. Results This work presents a web-based AS primer design application called WASP. This tool can efficiently design AS primers for human SNPs as well as mutations. To assist scientists with collecting necessary information about target polymorphisms, this tool provides a local SNP database containing over 10 million SNPs of various populations from public domain databases, namely NCBI dbSNP, HapMap and JSNP respectively. This database is tightly integrated with the tool so that users can perform the design for existing SNPs without going off the site. To guarantee specificity of AS primers, the proposed system incorporates a primer specificity enhancement technique widely used in experiment protocol. In particular, WASP makes use of different destabilizing effects by introducing one deliberate 'mismatch' at the penultimate (second to last of the 3'-end) base of AS primers to improve the resulting AS primers. Furthermore, WASP offers graphical user interface through scalable vector graphic (SVG) draw that allow users to select SNPs and graphically visualize designed primers and their conditions. Conclusion WASP offers a tool for designing AS primers for both SNPs and mutations. By integrating the database for known SNPs (using gene ID or rs number), this tool facilitates the awkward process of getting flanking sequences and other related information from public SNP databases. It takes into account the underlying destabilizing effect to ensure the effectiveness of designed primers. With user-friendly SVG interface, WASP intuitively presents resulting designed primers, which assist users to export or to make further adjustment to the design. This software can be freely accessed at . PMID:17697334

Open source cardiology electronic health record development for DIGICARDIAC implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dugarte, Nelson; Medina, Rubén.; Huiracocha, Lourdes; Rojas, Rubén.

2015-12-01

This article presents the development of a Cardiology Electronic Health Record (CEHR) system. Software consists of a structured algorithm designed under Health Level-7 (HL7) international standards. Novelty of the system is the integration of high resolution ECG (HRECG) signal acquisition and processing tools, patient information management tools and telecardiology tools. Acquisition tools are for management and control of the DIGICARDIAC electrocardiograph functions. Processing tools allow management of HRECG signal analysis searching for indicative patterns of cardiovascular pathologies. Telecardiology tools incorporation allows system communication with other health care centers decreasing access time to the patient information. CEHR system was completely developed using open source software. Preliminary results of process validation showed the system efficiency.

Iterating between Tools to Create and Edit Visualizations.

PubMed

Bigelow, Alex; Drucker, Steven; Fisher, Danyel; Meyer, Miriah

2017-01-01

A common workflow for visualization designers begins with a generative tool, like D3 or Processing, to create the initial visualization; and proceeds to a drawing tool, like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, for editing and cleaning. Unfortunately, this is typically a one-way process: once a visualization is exported from the generative tool into a drawing tool, it is difficult to make further, data-driven changes. In this paper, we propose a bridge model to allow designers to bring their work back from the drawing tool to re-edit in the generative tool. Our key insight is to recast this iteration challenge as a merge problem - similar to when two people are editing a document and changes between them need to reconciled. We also present a specific instantiation of this model, a tool called Hanpuku, which bridges between D3 scripts and Illustrator. We show several examples of visualizations that are iteratively created using Hanpuku in order to illustrate the flexibility of the approach. We further describe several hypothetical tools that bridge between other visualization tools to emphasize the generality of the model.

Development of a knowledge management system for complex domains.

PubMed

Perott, André; Schader, Nils; Bruder, Ralph; Leonhardt, Jörg

2012-01-01

Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH, the German Air Navigation Service Provider, follows a systematic approach, called HERA, for investigating incidents. The HERA analysis shows a distinctive occurrence of incidents in German air traffic control in which the visual perception of information plays a key role. The reasons can be partially traced back to workstation design, where basic ergonomic rules and principles are not sufficiently followed by the designers in some cases. In cooperation with the Institute of Ergonomics in Darmstadt the DFS investigated possible approaches that may support designers to implement ergonomic systems. None of the currently available tools were found to be able to meet the identified user requirements holistically. Therefore it was suggested to develop an enhanced software tool called Design Process Guide. The name Design Process Guide indicates that this tool exceeds the classic functions of currently available Knowledge Management Systems. It offers "design element" based access, shows processual and content related topics, and shows the implications of certain design decisions. Furthermore, it serves as documentation, detailing why a designer made to a decision under a particular set of conditions.

Presence for design: conveying atmosphere through video collages.

PubMed

Keller, I; Stappers, P J

2001-04-01

Product designers use imagery for inspiration in their creative design process. To support creativity, designers apply many tools and techniques, which often rely on their ability to be inspired by found and previously made visual material and to experience the atmosphere of the user environment. Computer tools and developments in VR offer perspectives to support this kind of imagery and presence in the design process. But currently these possibilities come at too high a technological overhead and price to be usable in the design practice. This article proposes an expressive and technically lightweight approach using the possibilities of VR and computer tools, by creating a sketchy environment using video collages. Instead of relying on highly realistic or even "hyperreal" graphics, these video collages use lessons learned from theater and cinema to get a sense of atmosphere across. Product designers can use these video collages to reexperience their observations in the environment in which a product is to be used, and to communicate this atmosphere to their colleagues and clients. For user-centered design, video collages can also provide an environmental context for concept testing with prospective user groups.

Representing the work of medical protocols for organizational simulation.

PubMed Central

Fridsma, D. B.

1998-01-01

Developing and implementing patient care protocols within a specific organizational setting requires knowledge of the protocol, the organization, and the way in which the organization does its work. Computer-based simulation tools have been used in many industries to provide managers with prospective insight into problems of work process and organization design mismatch. Many of these simulation tools are designed for well-understood routine work processes in which there are few contingent tasks. In this paper, we describe theoretic that make it possible to simulate medical protocols using an information-processing theory framework. These simulations will allow medical administrators to test different protocol and organizational designs before actually using them within a particular clinical setting. PMID:9929231

An Overview of the Role of Systems Analysis in NASA's Hypersonics Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Jeffrey S.; Martin John G.; Bowles, Jeffrey V> ; Mehta, Unmeel B.; Snyder, CHristopher A.

2006-01-01

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate recently restructured its Vehicle Systems Program, refocusing it towards understanding the fundamental physics that govern flight in all speed regimes. Now called the Fundamental Aeronautics Program, it is comprised of four new projects, Subsonic Fixed Wing, Subsonic Rotary Wing, Supersonics, and Hypersonics. The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate has charged the Hypersonics Project with having a basic understanding of all systems that travel at hypersonic speeds within the Earth's and other planets atmospheres. This includes both powered and unpowered systems, such as re-entry vehicles and vehicles powered by rocket or airbreathing propulsion that cruise in and accelerate through the atmosphere. The primary objective of the Hypersonics Project is to develop physics-based predictive tools that enable the design, analysis and optimization of such systems. The Hypersonics Project charges the systems analysis discipline team with providing it the decision-making information it needs to properly guide research and technology development. Credible, rapid, and robust multi-disciplinary system analysis processes and design tools are required in order to generate this information. To this end, the principal challenges for the systems analysis team are the introduction of high fidelity physics into the analysis process and integration into a design environment, quantification of design uncertainty through the use of probabilistic methods, reduction in design cycle time, and the development and implementation of robust processes and tools enabling a wide design space and associated technology assessment capability. This paper will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the systems analysis discipline team within the Hypersonics Project as well as the tools, methods, processes, and approach that the team will undertake in order to perform its project designated functions.

High-throughput strategies for the discovery and engineering of enzymes for biocatalysis.

PubMed

Jacques, Philippe; Béchet, Max; Bigan, Muriel; Caly, Delphine; Chataigné, Gabrielle; Coutte, François; Flahaut, Christophe; Heuson, Egon; Leclère, Valérie; Lecouturier, Didier; Phalip, Vincent; Ravallec, Rozenn; Dhulster, Pascal; Froidevaux, Rénato

2017-02-01

Innovations in novel enzyme discoveries impact upon a wide range of industries for which biocatalysis and biotransformations represent a great challenge, i.e., food industry, polymers and chemical industry. Key tools and technologies, such as bioinformatics tools to guide mutant library design, molecular biology tools to create mutants library, microfluidics/microplates, parallel miniscale bioreactors and mass spectrometry technologies to create high-throughput screening methods and experimental design tools for screening and optimization, allow to evolve the discovery, development and implementation of enzymes and whole cells in (bio)processes. These technological innovations are also accompanied by the development and implementation of clean and sustainable integrated processes to meet the growing needs of chemical, pharmaceutical, environmental and biorefinery industries. This review gives an overview of the benefits of high-throughput screening approach from the discovery and engineering of biocatalysts to cell culture for optimizing their production in integrated processes and their extraction/purification.

Bio-jETI: a service integration, design, and provisioning platform for orchestrated bioinformatics processes

PubMed Central

Margaria, Tiziana; Kubczak, Christian; Steffen, Bernhard

2008-01-01

Background With Bio-jETI, we introduce a service platform for interdisciplinary work on biological application domains and illustrate its use in a concrete application concerning statistical data processing in R and xcms for an LC/MS analysis of FAAH gene knockout. Methods Bio-jETI uses the jABC environment for service-oriented modeling and design as a graphical process modeling tool and the jETI service integration technology for remote tool execution. Conclusions As a service definition and provisioning platform, Bio-jETI has the potential to become a core technology in interdisciplinary service orchestration and technology transfer. Domain experts, like biologists not trained in computer science, directly define complex service orchestrations as process models and use efficient and complex bioinformatics tools in a simple and intuitive way. PMID:18460173

Preliminary Design Phases, Part of Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The typical design process for schools begins with programming and selection of the architectural-engineering team. It then proceeds through schematic design, design development, contract documents, construction, commissioning and occupancy.

Software integration for automated stability analysis and design optimization of a bearingless rotor blade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunduz, Mustafa Emre

Many government agencies and corporations around the world have found the unique capabilities of rotorcraft indispensable. Incorporating such capabilities into rotorcraft design poses extra challenges because it is a complicated multidisciplinary process. The concept of applying several disciplines to the design and optimization processes may not be new, but it does not currently seem to be widely accepted in industry. The reason for this might be the lack of well-known tools for realizing a complete multidisciplinary design and analysis of a product. This study aims to propose a method that enables engineers in some design disciplines to perform a fairly detailed analysis and optimization of a design using commercially available software as well as codes developed at Georgia Tech. The ultimate goal is when the system is set up properly, the CAD model of the design, including all subsystems, will be automatically updated as soon as a new part or assembly is added to the design; or it will be updated when an analysis and/or an optimization is performed and the geometry needs to be modified. Designers and engineers will be involved in only checking the latest design for errors or adding/removing features. Such a design process will take dramatically less time to complete; therefore, it should reduce development time and costs. The optimization method is demonstrated on an existing helicopter rotor originally designed in the 1960's. The rotor is already an effective design with novel features. However, application of the optimization principles together with high-speed computing resulted in an even better design. The objective function to be minimized is related to the vibrations of the rotor system under gusty wind conditions. The design parameters are all continuous variables. Optimization is performed in a number of steps. First, the most crucial design variables of the objective function are identified. With these variables, Latin Hypercube Sampling method is used to probe the design space of several local minima and maxima. After analysis of numerous samples, an optimum configuration of the design that is more stable than that of the initial design is reached. The above process requires several software tools: CATIA as the CAD tool, ANSYS as the FEA tool, VABS for obtaining the cross-sectional structural properties, and DYMORE for the frequency and dynamic analysis of the rotor. MATLAB codes are also employed to generate input files and read output files of DYMORE. All these tools are connected using ModelCenter.

PAT: an intelligent authoring tool for facilitating clinical trial design.

PubMed

Tagaris, Anastasios; Andronikou, Vassiliki; Karanastasis, Efstathios; Chondrogiannis, Efthymios; Tsirmpas, Charalambos; Varvarigou, Theodora; Koutsouris, Dimitris

2014-01-01

Great investments are made by both private and public funds and a wealth of research findings is published, the research and development pipeline phases quite low productivity and tremendous delays. In this paper, we present a novel authoring tool which has been designed and developed for facilitating study design. Its underlying models are based on a thorough analysis of existing clinical trial protocols (CTPs) and eligibility criteria (EC) published in clinicaltrials.gov by domain experts. Moreover, its integration with intelligent decision support services and mechanisms linking the study design process with healthcare patient data as well as its direct access to literature designate it as a powerful tool offering great support to researchers during clinical trial design.

A quality by design study applied to an industrial pharmaceutical fluid bed granulation.

PubMed

Lourenço, Vera; Lochmann, Dirk; Reich, Gabriele; Menezes, José C; Herdling, Thorsten; Schewitz, Jens

2012-06-01

The pharmaceutical industry is encouraged within Quality by Design (QbD) to apply science-based manufacturing principles to assure quality not only of new but also of existing processes. This paper presents how QbD principles can be applied to an existing industrial pharmaceutical fluid bed granulation (FBG) process. A three-step approach is presented as follows: (1) implementation of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) monitoring tools at the industrial scale process, combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) of process and PAT data to increase the process knowledge; (2) execution of scaled-down designed experiments at a pilot scale, with adequate PAT monitoring tools, to investigate the process response to intended changes in Critical Process Parameters (CPPs); and finally (3) the definition of a process Design Space (DS) linking CPPs to Critical to Quality Attributes (CQAs), within which product quality is ensured by design, and after scale-up enabling its use at the industrial process scale. The proposed approach was developed for an existing industrial process. Through enhanced process knowledge established a significant reduction in product CQAs, variability already within quality specifications ranges was achieved by a better choice of CPPs values. The results of such step-wise development and implementation are described. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tools and Metrics for Environmental Sustainability

EPA Science Inventory

Within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development the National Risk Management Research Laboratory has been developing tools to help design and evaluate chemical processes with a life cycle perspective. These tools include the Waste Reduction (...

Arbitrary Shape Deformation in CFD Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landon, Mark; Perry, Ernest

2014-01-01

Sculptor(R) is a commercially available software tool, based on an Arbitrary Shape Design (ASD), which allows the user to perform shape optimization for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) design. The developed software tool provides important advances in the state-of-the-art of automatic CFD shape deformations and optimization software. CFD is an analysis tool that is used by engineering designers to help gain a greater understanding of the fluid flow phenomena involved in the components being designed. The next step in the engineering design process is to then modify, the design to improve the components' performance. This step has traditionally been performed manually via trial and error. Two major problems that have, in the past, hindered the development of an automated CFD shape optimization are (1) inadequate shape parameterization algorithms, and (2) inadequate algorithms for CFD grid modification. The ASD that has been developed as part of the Sculptor(R) software tool is a major advancement in solving these two issues. First, the ASD allows the CFD designer to freely create his own shape parameters, thereby eliminating the restriction of only being able to use the CAD model parameters. Then, the software performs a smooth volumetric deformation, which eliminates the extremely costly process of having to remesh the grid for every shape change (which is how this process had previously been achieved). Sculptor(R) can be used to optimize shapes for aerodynamic and structural design of spacecraft, aircraft, watercraft, ducts, and other objects that affect and are affected by flows of fluids and heat. Sculptor(R) makes it possible to perform, in real time, a design change that would manually take hours or days if remeshing were needed.

A Critical Review of Options for Tool and Workpiece Sensing

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-02

Tool Temperature Control ." International Machine Tool Design Res., Vol. 7, pp. 465-75, 1967. 5. Cook, N. H., Subramanian, K., and Basile, S. A...if necessury and identify by block riumber) FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP 1. Detectors 3. Control Equipment 1 08 2. Sensor Characteristics 4. Process Control ...will provide conceptual designs and recommend a system (Continued) 20. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21 ABSTRACT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 0

A Web-Based Monitoring System for Multidisciplinary Design Projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.; Salas, Andrea O.; Weston, Robert P.

1998-01-01

In today's competitive environment, both industry and government agencies are under pressure to reduce the time and cost of multidisciplinary design projects. New tools have been introduced to assist in this process by facilitating the integration of and communication among diverse disciplinary codes. One such tool, a framework for multidisciplinary computational environments, is defined as a hardware and software architecture that enables integration, execution, and communication among diverse disciplinary processes. An examination of current frameworks reveals weaknesses in various areas, such as sequencing, displaying, monitoring, and controlling the design process. The objective of this research is to explore how Web technology, integrated with an existing framework, can improve these areas of weakness. This paper describes a Web-based system that optimizes and controls the execution sequence of design processes; and monitors the project status and results. The three-stage evolution of the system with increasingly complex problems demonstrates the feasibility of this approach.

Process models as tools in forestry research and management

Treesearch

Kurt Johnsen; Lisa Samuelson; Robert Teskey; Steve McNulty; Tom Fox

2001-01-01

Forest process models are mathematical representations of biological systems that incorporate our understanding of physiological and ecological mechanisms into predictive algorithms. These models were originally designed and used for research purposes, but are being developed for use in practical forest management. Process models designed for research...

Issues in Benchmarking and Assessing Institutional Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furco, Andrew; Miller, William

2009-01-01

The process of assessing and benchmarking community engagement can take many forms. To date, more than two dozen assessment tools for measuring community engagement institutionalization have been published. These tools vary substantially in purpose, level of complexity, scope, process, structure, and focus. While some instruments are designed to…

EVA - A Textual Data Processing Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakopin, Primoz

EVA, a text processing tool designed to be self-contained and useful for a variety of languages, is described briefly, and its extensive coded character set is illustrated. Features, specifications, and database functions are noted. Its application in development of a Slovenian literary dictionary is also described. (MSE)

Generating Systems Biology Markup Language Models from the Synthetic Biology Open Language.

PubMed

Roehner, Nicholas; Zhang, Zhen; Nguyen, Tramy; Myers, Chris J

2015-08-21

In the context of synthetic biology, model generation is the automated process of constructing biochemical models based on genetic designs. This paper discusses the use cases for model generation in genetic design automation (GDA) software tools and introduces the foundational concepts of standards and model annotation that make this process useful. Finally, this paper presents an implementation of model generation in the GDA software tool iBioSim and provides an example of generating a Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) model from a design of a 4-input AND sensor written in the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL).

Analogical Reasoning in the Engineering Design Process and Technology Education Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daugherty, Jenny; Mentzer, Nathan

2008-01-01

This synthesis paper discusses the research exploring analogical reasoning, the role of analogies in the engineering design process, and educational applications for analogical reasoning. Researchers have discovered that analogical reasoning is often a fundamental cognitive tool in design problem solving. Regarding the possible role of analogical…

A Web Based Collaborative Design Environment for Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunphy, Julia

1998-01-01

In this era of shrinking federal budgets in the USA we need to dramatically improve our efficiency in the spacecraft engineering design process. We have come up with a method which captures much of the experts' expertise in a dataflow design graph: Seamlessly connectable set of local and remote design tools; Seamlessly connectable web based design tools; and Web browser interface to the developing spacecraft design. We have recently completed our first web browser interface and demonstrated its utility in the design of an aeroshell using design tools located at web sites at three NASA facilities. Multiple design engineers and managers are now able to interrogate the design engine simultaneously and find out what the design looks like at any point in the design cycle, what its parameters are, and how it reacts to adverse space environments.

A survey of ground operations tools developed to simulate the pointing of space telescopes and the design for WISE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fabinsky, Beth

2006-01-01

WISE, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer, is scheduled for launch in June 2010. The mission operations system for WISE requires a software modeling tool to help plan, integrate and simulate all spacecraft pointing and verify that no attitude constraints are violated. In the course of developing the requirements for this tool, an investigation was conducted into the design of similar tools for other space-based telescopes. This paper summarizes the ground software and processes used to plan and validate pointing for a selection of space telescopes; with this information as background, the design for WISE is presented.

Hierarchical Thinking: A Cognitive Tool for Guiding Coherent Decision Making in Design Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haupt, Grietjie

2018-01-01

This paper builds on two concepts, the first of which is the extended information processing model of expert design cognition. This proposes twelve internal psychological characteristics interacting with the external world of expert designers during the early phases of the design process. Here, I explore one of the characteristics, hierarchical…

Implementation of "Quality by Design (QbD)" Approach for the Development of 5-Fluorouracil Loaded Thermosensitive Hydrogel.

PubMed

Dalwadi, Chintan; Patel, Gayatri

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate Quality by Design (QbD) principle for the preparation of hydrogel products to prove both practicability and utility of executing QbD concept to hydrogel based controlled release systems. Product and process understanding will help in decreasing the variability of critical material and process parameters, which give quality product output and reduce the risk. This study includes the identification of the Quality Target Product Profiles (QTPPs) and Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) from literature or preliminary studies. To identify and control the variability in process and material attributes, two tools of QbD was utilized, Quality Risk Management (QRM) and Experimental Design. Further, it helps to identify the effect of these attributes on CQAs. Potential risk factors were identified from fishbone diagram and screened by risk assessment and optimized by 3-level 2- factor experimental design with center points in triplicate, to analyze the precision of the target process. This optimized formulation was further characterized by gelling time, gelling temperature, rheological parameters, in-vitro biodegradation and in-vitro drug release. Design space was created using experimental design tool that gives the control space and working within this controlled space reduces all the failure modes below the risk level. In conclusion, QbD approach with QRM tool provides potent and effectual pyramid to enhance the quality into the hydrogel.

Digital Sketch Modelling: Integrating Digital Sketching as a Transition between Sketching and CAD in Industrial Design Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranscombe, Charlie; Bissett-Johnson, Katherine

2017-01-01

Literature on the use of design tools in educational settings notes an uneasy relationship between student use of traditional hand sketching and digital modelling tools (CAD) during the industrial design process. This is often manifested in the transition from sketching to CAD and exacerbated by a preference of current students to use CAD. In this…

VisAdapt: A Visualization Tool to Support Climate Change Adaptation.

PubMed

Johansson, Jimmy; Opach, Tomasz; Glaas, Erik; Neset, Tina-Simone; Navarra, Carlo; Linner, Bjorn-Ola; Rod, Jan Ketil

2017-01-01

The web-based visualization VisAdapt tool was developed to help laypeople in the Nordic countries assess how anticipated climate change will impact their homes. The tool guides users through a three-step visual process that helps them explore risks and identify adaptive actions specifically modified to their location and house type. This article walks through the tool's multistep, user-centered design process. Although VisAdapt's target end users are Nordic homeowners, the insights gained from the development process and the lessons learned from the project are applicable to a wide range of domains.

Design sensitivity analysis and optimization tool (DSO) for sizing design applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Kuang-Hua; Choi, Kyung K.; Perng, Jyh-Hwa

1992-01-01

The DSO tool, a structural design software system that provides the designer with a graphics-based menu-driven design environment to perform easy design optimization for general applications, is presented. Three design stages, preprocessing, design sensitivity analysis, and postprocessing, are implemented in the DSO to allow the designer to carry out the design process systematically. A framework, including data base, user interface, foundation class, and remote module, has been designed and implemented to facilitate software development for the DSO. A number of dedicated commercial software/packages have been integrated in the DSO to support the design procedures. Instead of parameterizing an FEM, design parameters are defined on a geometric model associated with physical quantities, and the continuum design sensitivity analysis theory is implemented to compute design sensitivity coefficients using postprocessing data from the analysis codes. A tracked vehicle road wheel is given as a sizing design application to demonstrate the DSO's easy and convenient design optimization process.

Cognitive learning: a machine learning approach for automatic process characterization from design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foucher, J.; Baderot, J.; Martinez, S.; Dervilllé, A.; Bernard, G.

2018-03-01

Cutting edge innovation requires accurate and fast process-control to obtain fast learning rate and industry adoption. Current tools available for such task are mainly manual and user dependent. We present in this paper cognitive learning, which is a new machine learning based technique to facilitate and to speed up complex characterization by using the design as input, providing fast training and detection time. We will focus on the machine learning framework that allows object detection, defect traceability and automatic measurement tools.

Lightweight solar array blanket tooling, laser welding and cover process technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dillard, P. A.

1983-01-01

A two phase technology investigation was performed to demonstrate effective methods for integrating 50 micrometer thin solar cells into ultralightweight module designs. During the first phase, innovative tooling was developed which allows lightweight blankets to be fabricated in a manufacturing environment with acceptable yields. During the second phase, the tooling was improved and the feasibility of laser processing of lightweight arrays was confirmed. The development of the cell/interconnect registration tool and interconnect bonding by laser welding is described.

Design for human factors (DfHF): a grounded theory for integrating human factors into production design processes.

PubMed

Village, Judy; Searcy, Cory; Salustri, Filipo; Patrick Neumann, W

2015-01-01

The 'design for human factors' grounded theory explains 'how' human factors (HF) went from a reactive, after-injury programme in safety, to being proactively integrated into each step of the production design process. In this longitudinal case study collaboration with engineers and HF Specialists in a large electronics manufacturer, qualitative data (e.g. meetings, interviews, observations and reflections) were analysed using a grounded theory methodology. The central tenet in the theory is that when HF Specialists acclimated to the engineering process, language and tools, and strategically aligned HF to the design and business goals of the organisation, HF became a means to improve business performance. This led to engineers 'pulling' HF Specialists onto their team. HF targets were adopted into engineering tools to communicate HF concerns quantitatively, drive continuous improvement, visibly demonstrate change and lead to benchmarking. Senior management held engineers accountable for HF as a key performance indicator, thus integrating HF into the production design process. Practitioner Summary: Research and practice lack explanations about how HF can be integrated early in design of production systems. This three-year case study and the theory derived demonstrate how ergonomists changed their focus to align with design and business goals to integrate HF into the design process.

Using CFD as Rocket Injector Design Tool: Recent Progress at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Kevin; West, Jeff; Williams, Robert; Lin, Jeff; Rocker, Marvin; Canabal, Francisco; Robles, Bryan; Garcia, Robert; Chenoweth, James

2003-01-01

The choice of tools used for injector design is in a transitional phase between exclusive reliance on the empirically based correlations and extensive use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) Program goals emphasizing lower costs and increased reliability have produced a need to enable CFD as an injector design tool in a shorter time frame. This is the primary objective of the Staged Combustor Injector Technology Task currently under way at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The documentation of this effort begins with a very brief status of current injector design tools. MSFC's vision for use of CFD as a tool for combustion devices design is stated and discussed with emphasis on the injector. The concept of the Simulation Readiness Level (SRL), comprised of solution fidelity, robustness and accuracy, is introduced and discussed. This quantitative measurement is used to establish the gap between the current state of demonstrated capability and that necessary for regular use in the design process. MSFC's view of the validation process is presented and issues associated with obtaining the necessary data are noted and discussed. Three current experimental efforts aimed at generating validation data are presented. The importance of uncertainty analysis to understand the data quality is also demonstrated. First, a brief status of current injector design tools is provided as context for the current effort. Next, the MSFC vision for using CFD as an injector design tool is stated. A generic CFD-based injector design methodology is also outlined and briefly discussed. Three areas where MSFC is using injector CFD analyses for program support will be discussed. These include the Integrated Powerhead Development (IPD) engine which uses hydrogen and oxygen propellants in a full flow staged combustion (FFSC) cycle and the TR-107 and the RS84 engine both of which use RP-1 and oxygen in an ORSC cycle. Finally, an attempt is made to objectively summarize what progress has been made at MSFC in enabling CFD as an injector design tool.

Forest landscape models, a tool for understanding the effect of the large-scale and long-term landscape processes

Treesearch

Hong S. He; Robert E. Keane; Louis R. Iverson

2008-01-01

Forest landscape models have become important tools for understanding large-scale and long-term landscape (spatial) processes such as climate change, fire, windthrow, seed dispersal, insect outbreak, disease propagation, forest harvest, and fuel treatment, because controlled field experiments designed to study the effects of these processes are often not possible (...

Development of a low-cost, modified resin transfer molding process using elastomeric tooling and automated preform fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doane, William J.; Hall, Ronald G.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the design and process development of low-cost structural parts made by a modified resin transfer molding process. Innovative application of elastomeric tooling to increase laminate fiber volume and automated forming of fiber preforms are discussed, as applied to fabrication of a representative section of a cruise missile fuselage.

3-D Printing as an Effective Educational Tool for MEMS Design and Fabrication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahle, Reena; Rasel, Rafiul

2016-01-01

This paper presents a series of course modules developed as a high-impact and cost-effective learning tool for modeling and simulating the microfabrication process and design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices using three-dimensional (3-D) printing. Microfabrication technology is an established fabrication technique for small and…

Research on Mathematics Teachers as Partners in Task Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Keith; Pepin, Birgit

2016-01-01

Mathematical tasks and tools, including tasks in the form of digital tools, are key resources in mathematics teaching and in mathematics teacher education. Even so, the "design" of mathematical tasks is perceived in different ways: sometimes seen as something distinct from the teaching and learning process, and sometimes as integral to…

Belle2VR: A Virtual-Reality Visualization of Subatomic Particle Physics in the Belle II Experiment.

PubMed

Duer, Zach; Piilonen, Leo; Glasson, George

2018-05-01

Belle2VR is an interactive virtual-reality visualization of subatomic particle physics, designed by an interdisciplinary team as an educational tool for learning about and exploring subatomic particle collisions. This article describes the tool, discusses visualization design decisions, and outlines our process for collaborative development.

Optimization of turning process through the analytic flank wear modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Prete, A.; Franchi, R.; De Lorenzis, D.

2018-05-01

In the present work, the approach used for the optimization of the process capabilities for Oil&Gas components machining will be described. These components are machined by turning of stainless steel castings workpieces. For this purpose, a proper Design Of Experiments (DOE) plan has been designed and executed: as output of the experimentation, data about tool wear have been collected. The DOE has been designed starting from the cutting speed and feed values recommended by the tools manufacturer; the depth of cut parameter has been maintained as a constant. Wear data has been obtained by means the observation of the tool flank wear under an optical microscope: the data acquisition has been carried out at regular intervals of working times. Through a statistical data and regression analysis, analytical models of the flank wear and the tool life have been obtained. The optimization approach used is a multi-objective optimization, which minimizes the production time and the number of cutting tools used, under the constraint on a defined flank wear level. The technique used to solve the optimization problem is a Multi Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPS). The optimization results, validated by the execution of a further experimental campaign, highlighted the reliability of the work and confirmed the usability of the optimized process parameters and the potential benefit for the company.

Experimental evaluation of tool wear throughout a continuous stroke blanking process of quenched 22MnB5 ultra-high-strength steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, S.; Neumayer, F. F.; Serkyov, I.; Jesner, G.; Kelsch, R.; Geile, M.; Sommer, A.; Golle, R.; Volk, W.

2017-09-01

Steel is the most common material used in vehicles’ chassis, which makes its research an important topic for the automotive industry. Recently developed ultra-high-strength steels (UHSS) provide extreme tensile strength up to 1,500 MPa and combine great crashworthiness with good weight reduction potential. However, in order to reach the final shape of sheet metal parts additional cutting steps such as trimming and piercing are often required. The final trimming of quenched metal sheets presents a huge challenge to a conventional process, mainly because of the required extreme cutting force. The high cutting impact, due to the materials’ brittleness, causes excessive tool wear or even sudden tool failure. Therefore, a laser is commonly used for the cutting process, which is time and energy consuming. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the capability of a conventional blanking tool design in a continuous stroke piercing process using boron steel 22MnB5 sheets. Two different types of tool steel were tested for their suitability as active cutting elements: electro-slag remelted (ESR) cold work tool steel Bohler K340 ISODUR and powder-metallurgic (PM) high speed steel Bohler S390 MICROCLEAN. A FEM study provided information about an optimized punch design, which withstands buckling under high cutting forces. The wear behaviour of the process was assessed by the tool wear of the active cutting elements as well as the quality of cut surfaces.

Using intervention mapping to develop a work-related guidance tool for those affected by cancer.

PubMed

Munir, Fehmidah; Kalawsky, Katryna; Wallis, Deborah J; Donaldson-Feilder, Emma

2013-01-05

Working-aged individuals diagnosed and treated for cancer require support and assistance to make decisions regarding work. However, healthcare professionals do not consider the work-related needs of patients and employers do not understand the full impact cancer can have upon the employee and their work. We therefore developed a work-related guidance tool for those diagnosed with cancer that enables them to take the lead in stimulating discussion with a range of different healthcare professionals, employers, employment agencies and support services. The tool facilitates discussions through a set of questions individuals can utilise to find solutions and minimise the impact cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment may have on their employment, sick leave and return to work outcomes. The objective of the present article is to describe the systematic development and content of the tool using Intervention Mapping Protocol (IMP). The study used the first five steps of the intervention mapping process to guide the development of the tool. A needs assessment identified the 'gaps' in information/advice received from healthcare professionals and other stakeholders. The intended outcomes and performance objectives for the tool were then identified followed by theory-based methods and an implementation plan. A draft of the tool was developed and subjected to a two-stage Delphi process with various stakeholders. The final tool was piloted with 38 individuals at various stages of the cancer journey. The tool was designed to be a self-led tool that can be used by any person with a cancer diagnosis and working for most types of employers. The pilot study indicated that the tool was relevant and much needed. Intervention Mapping is a valuable protocol for designing complex guidance tools. The process and design of this particular tool can lend itself to other situations both occupational and more health-care based.

Using intervention mapping to develop a work-related guidance tool for those affected by cancer

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Working-aged individuals diagnosed and treated for cancer require support and assistance to make decisions regarding work. However, healthcare professionals do not consider the work-related needs of patients and employers do not understand the full impact cancer can have upon the employee and their work. We therefore developed a work-related guidance tool for those diagnosed with cancer that enables them to take the lead in stimulating discussion with a range of different healthcare professionals, employers, employment agencies and support services. The tool facilitates discussions through a set of questions individuals can utilise to find solutions and minimise the impact cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment may have on their employment, sick leave and return to work outcomes. The objective of the present article is to describe the systematic development and content of the tool using Intervention Mapping Protocol (IMP). Methods The study used the first five steps of the intervention mapping process to guide the development of the tool. A needs assessment identified the ‘gaps’ in information/advice received from healthcare professionals and other stakeholders. The intended outcomes and performance objectives for the tool were then identified followed by theory-based methods and an implementation plan. A draft of the tool was developed and subjected to a two-stage Delphi process with various stakeholders. The final tool was piloted with 38 individuals at various stages of the cancer journey. Results The tool was designed to be a self-led tool that can be used by any person with a cancer diagnosis and working for most types of employers. The pilot study indicated that the tool was relevant and much needed. Conclusions Intervention Mapping is a valuable protocol for designing complex guidance tools. The process and design of this particular tool can lend itself to other situations both occupational and more health-care based. PMID:23289708

Printed Circuit Board Design (PCB) with HDL Designer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winkert, Thomas K.; LaFourcade, Teresa

2004-01-01

Contents include the following: PCB design with HDL designer, design process and schematic capture - symbols and diagrams: 1. Motivation: time savings, money savings, simplicity. 2. Approach: use single tool PCB for FPGA design, more FPGA designs than PCB designers. 3. Use HDL designer for schematic capture.

76 FR 70517 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-14

... requested. These systems generally also provide analytics, spreadsheets, and other tools designed to enable funds to analyze the data presented, as well as communication tools to process fund instructions...

Rapid and low-cost prototyping of medical devices using 3D printed molds for liquid injection molding.

PubMed

Chung, Philip; Heller, J Alex; Etemadi, Mozziyar; Ottoson, Paige E; Liu, Jonathan A; Rand, Larry; Roy, Shuvo

2014-06-27

Biologically inert elastomers such as silicone are favorable materials for medical device fabrication, but forming and curing these elastomers using traditional liquid injection molding processes can be an expensive process due to tooling and equipment costs. As a result, it has traditionally been impractical to use liquid injection molding for low-cost, rapid prototyping applications. We have devised a method for rapid and low-cost production of liquid elastomer injection molded devices that utilizes fused deposition modeling 3D printers for mold design and a modified desiccator as an injection system. Low costs and rapid turnaround time in this technique lower the barrier to iteratively designing and prototyping complex elastomer devices. Furthermore, CAD models developed in this process can be later adapted for metal mold tooling design, enabling an easy transition to a traditional injection molding process. We have used this technique to manufacture intravaginal probes involving complex geometries, as well as overmolding over metal parts, using tools commonly available within an academic research laboratory. However, this technique can be easily adapted to create liquid injection molded devices for many other applications.

Specification and Design Methodologies for High-Speed Fault-Tolerant Array Algorithms and Structures for VLSI.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

evaluation and chip layout planning for VLSI digital systems. A high-level applicative (functional) language, implemented at UCLA, allows combining of...operating system. 2.1 Introduction The complexity of VLSI requires the application of CAD tools at all levels of the design process. In order to be...effective, these tools must be adaptive to the specific design. In this project we studied a design method based on the use of applicative languages

Physical Modeling of Contact Processes on the Cutting Tools Surfaces of STM When Turning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belozerov, V. A.; Uteshev, M. H.

2016-08-01

This article describes how to create an optimization model of the process of fine turning of superalloys and steel tools from STM on CNC machines, flexible manufacturing units (GPM), machining centers. Creation of the optimization model allows you to link (unite) contact processes simultaneously on the front and back surfaces of the tool from STM to manage contact processes and the dynamic strength of the cutting tool at the top of the STM. Established optimization model of management of the dynamic strength of the incisors of the STM in the process of fine turning is based on a previously developed thermomechanical (physical, heat) model, which allows the system thermomechanical approach to choosing brands STM (domestic and foreign) for cutting tools from STM designed for fine turning of heat resistant alloys and steels.

Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool Development Using a Genetic Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pak, Chan-gi; Li, Wesley

2009-01-01

Multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization using a genetic algorithm is being developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards, California) to automate analysis and design process by leveraging existing tools to enable true multidisciplinary optimization in the preliminary design stage of subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic aircraft. This is a promising technology, but faces many challenges in large-scale, real-world application. This report describes current approaches, recent results, and challenges for multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization as demonstrated by experience with the Ikhana fire pod design.!

Managing complex research datasets using electronic tools: A meta-analysis exemplar

PubMed Central

Brown, Sharon A.; Martin, Ellen E.; Garcia, Theresa J.; Winter, Mary A.; García, Alexandra A.; Brown, Adama; Cuevas, Heather E.; Sumlin, Lisa L.

2013-01-01

Meta-analyses of broad scope and complexity require investigators to organize many study documents and manage communication among several research staff. Commercially available electronic tools, e.g., EndNote, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Blackboard, Excel, and IBM SPSS Statistics (SPSS), are useful for organizing and tracking the meta-analytic process, as well as enhancing communication among research team members. The purpose of this paper is to describe the electronic processes we designed, using commercially available software, for an extensive quantitative model-testing meta-analysis we are conducting. Specific electronic tools improved the efficiency of (a) locating and screening studies, (b) screening and organizing studies and other project documents, (c) extracting data from primary studies, (d) checking data accuracy and analyses, and (e) communication among team members. The major limitation in designing and implementing a fully electronic system for meta-analysis was the requisite upfront time to: decide on which electronic tools to use, determine how these tools would be employed, develop clear guidelines for their use, and train members of the research team. The electronic process described here has been useful in streamlining the process of conducting this complex meta-analysis and enhancing communication and sharing documents among research team members. PMID:23681256

Managing complex research datasets using electronic tools: a meta-analysis exemplar.

PubMed

Brown, Sharon A; Martin, Ellen E; Garcia, Theresa J; Winter, Mary A; García, Alexandra A; Brown, Adama; Cuevas, Heather E; Sumlin, Lisa L

2013-06-01

Meta-analyses of broad scope and complexity require investigators to organize many study documents and manage communication among several research staff. Commercially available electronic tools, for example, EndNote, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Blackboard, Excel, and IBM SPSS Statistics (SPSS), are useful for organizing and tracking the meta-analytic process as well as enhancing communication among research team members. The purpose of this article is to describe the electronic processes designed, using commercially available software, for an extensive, quantitative model-testing meta-analysis. Specific electronic tools improved the efficiency of (a) locating and screening studies, (b) screening and organizing studies and other project documents, (c) extracting data from primary studies, (d) checking data accuracy and analyses, and (e) communication among team members. The major limitation in designing and implementing a fully electronic system for meta-analysis was the requisite upfront time to decide on which electronic tools to use, determine how these tools would be used, develop clear guidelines for their use, and train members of the research team. The electronic process described here has been useful in streamlining the process of conducting this complex meta-analysis and enhancing communication and sharing documents among research team members.

Towards the Integration of APECS with VE-Suite to Create a Comprehensive Virtual Engineering Environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCorkle, D.; Yang, C.; Jordan, T.

2007-06-01

Modeling and simulation tools are becoming pervasive in the process engineering practice of designing advanced power generation facilities. These tools enable engineers to explore many what-if scenarios before cutting metal or constructing a pilot scale facility. While such tools enable investigation of crucial plant design aspects, typical commercial process simulation tools such as Aspen Plus®, gPROMS®, and HYSYS® still do not explore some plant design information, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for complex thermal and fluid flow phenomena, economics models for policy decisions, operational data after the plant is constructed, and as-built information for use in as-designed models. Softwaremore » tools must be created that allow disparate sources of information to be integrated if environments are to be constructed where process simulation information can be accessed. At the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the Advanced Process Engineering Co-Simulator (APECS) has been developed as an integrated software suite that combines process simulation (e.g., Aspen Plus) and high-fidelity equipment simulation (e.g., Fluent® CFD), together with advanced analysis capabilities including case studies, sensitivity analysis, stochastic simulation for risk/uncertainty analysis, and multi-objective optimization. In this paper, we discuss the initial phases of integrating APECS with the immersive and interactive virtual engineering software, VE-Suite, developed at Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory. VE-Suite utilizes the ActiveX (OLE Automation) controls in Aspen Plus wrapped by the CASI library developed by Reaction Engineering International to run the process simulation and query for unit operation results. This integration permits any application that uses the VE-Open interface to integrate with APECS co-simulations, enabling construction of the comprehensive virtual engineering environment needed for the rapid engineering of advanced power generation facilities.« less

Friction Stir Welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nunes, Arthur C., Jr.

2008-01-01

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state welding process invented in 1991 at The Welding Institute in the United Kingdom. A weld is made in the FSW process by translating a rotating pin along a weld seam so as to stir the sides of the seam together. FSW avoids deleterious effects inherent in melting and promises to be an important welding process for any industries where welds of optimal quality are demanded. This article provides an introduction to the FSW process. The chief concern is the physical effect of the tool on the weld metal: how weld seam bonding takes place, what kind of weld structure is generated, potential problems, possible defects for example, and implications for process parameters and tool design. Weld properties are determined by structure, and the structure of friction stir welds is determined by the weld metal flow field in the vicinity of the weld tool. Metal flow in the vicinity of the weld tool is explained through a simple kinematic flow model that decomposes the flow field into three basic component flows: a uniform translation, a rotating solid cylinder, and a ring vortex encircling the tool. The flow components, superposed to construct the flow model, can be related to particular aspects of weld process parameters and tool design; they provide a bridge to an understanding of a complex-at-first-glance weld structure. Torques and forces are also discussed. Some simple mathematical models of structural aspects, torques, and forces are included.

Multimedia Design and Development: Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Michael T.

An important use of multimedia as a learning tool in academia is the process of designing and developing a multimedia project. The design and development process empowers students to explore, discuss, evaluate, and articulate their knowledge in a richer medium. A journalistic approach to examining the virtues, limitations, and components of the…

Application of predictive modelling techniques in industry: from food design up to risk assessment.

PubMed

Membré, Jeanne-Marie; Lambert, Ronald J W

2008-11-30

In this communication, examples of applications of predictive microbiology in industrial contexts (i.e. Nestlé and Unilever) are presented which cover a range of applications in food safety from formulation and process design to consumer safety risk assessment. A tailor-made, private expert system, developed to support safe product/process design assessment is introduced as an example of how predictive models can be deployed for use by non-experts. Its use in conjunction with other tools and software available in the public domain is discussed. Specific applications of predictive microbiology techniques are presented relating to investigations of either growth or limits to growth with respect to product formulation or process conditions. An example of a probabilistic exposure assessment model for chilled food application is provided and its potential added value as a food safety management tool in an industrial context is weighed against its disadvantages. The role of predictive microbiology in the suite of tools available to food industry and some of its advantages and constraints are discussed.

Biomimetics: process, tools and practice.

PubMed

Fayemi, P E; Wanieck, K; Zollfrank, C; Maranzana, N; Aoussat, A

2017-01-23

Biomimetics applies principles and strategies abstracted from biological systems to engineering and technological design. With a huge potential for innovation, biomimetics could evolve into a key process in businesses. Yet challenges remain within the process of biomimetics, especially from the perspective of potential users. We work to clarify the understanding of the process of biomimetics. Therefore, we briefly summarize the terminology of biomimetics and bioinspiration. The implementation of biomimetics requires a stated process. Therefore, we present a model of the problem-driven process of biomimetics that can be used for problem-solving activity. The process of biomimetics can be facilitated by existing tools and creative methods. We mapped a set of tools to the biomimetic process model and set up assessment sheets to evaluate the theoretical and practical value of these tools. We analyzed the tools in interdisciplinary research workshops and present the characteristics of the tools. We also present the attempt of a utility tree which, once finalized, could be used to guide users through the process by choosing appropriate tools respective to their own expertize. The aim of this paper is to foster the dialogue and facilitate a closer collaboration within the field of biomimetics.

Learning Design Rashomon I--Supporting the Design of One Lesson through Different Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Persico, Donatella; Pozzi, Francesca; Anastopoulou, Stamatina; Conole, Grainne; Craft, Brock; Dimitriadis, Yannis; Hernandez-Leo, Davinia; Kali, Yael; Mor, Yishay; Perez-Sanagustin, Mar; Walmsley, Helen

2013-01-01

This paper presents and compares a variety of approaches that have been developed to guide the decision-making process in learning design. Together with the companion Learning Design Rashomon II (Prieto "et al.," 2013), devoted to existing tools to support the same process, it aims to provide a view on relevant research results in this…

An automated performance budget estimator: a process for use in instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laporte, Philippe; Schnetler, Hermine; Rees, Phil

2016-08-01

Current day astronomy projects continue to increase in size and are increasingly becoming more complex, regardless of the wavelength domain, while risks in terms of safety, cost and operability have to be reduced to ensure an affordable total cost of ownership. All of these drivers have to be considered carefully during the development process of an astronomy project at the same time as there is a big drive to shorten the development life-cycle. From the systems engineering point of view, this evolution is a significant challenge. Big instruments imply management of interfaces within large consortia and dealing with tight design phase schedules which necessitate efficient and rapid interactions between all the stakeholders to firstly ensure that the system is defined correctly and secondly that the designs will meet all the requirements. It is essential that team members respond quickly such that the time available for the design team is maximised. In this context, performance prediction tools can be very helpful during the concept phase of a project to help selecting the best design solution. In the first section of this paper we present the development of such a prediction tool that can be used by the system engineer to determine the overall performance of the system and to evaluate the impact on the science based on the proposed design. This tool can also be used in "what-if" design analysis to assess the impact on the overall performance of the system based on the simulated numbers calculated by the automated system performance prediction tool. Having such a tool available from the beginning of a project can allow firstly for a faster turn-around between the design engineers and the systems engineer and secondly, between the systems engineer and the instrument scientist. Following the first section we described the process for constructing a performance estimator tool, followed by describing three projects in which such a tool has been utilised to illustrate how such a tool have been used in astronomy projects. The three use-cases are; EAGLE, one of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) instruments that was studied from 2007 to 2009, the Multi-Object Optical and Near-Infrared Spectrograph (MOONS) for the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT), currently under development and SST-GATE.

New Tooling System for Forming Aluminum Beverage Can End Shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Koetsu; Otsuka, Takayasu; Han, Jing; Hasegawa, Takashi; Shirasawa, Taketo

2011-08-01

This paper proposes a new tooling system for forming shells of aluminum beverage can ends. At first, forming process of a conversional tooling system has been simulated using three-dimensional finite element models. Simulation results have been confirmed to be consistent with those of axisymmetric models, so simulations for further study have been performed using axisymmetric models to save computational time. A comparison shows that thinning of the shell formed by the proposed tooling system has been improved about 3.6%. Influences of the tool upmost surface profiles and tool initial positions in the new tooling system have been investigated and the design optimization method based on the numerical simulations has been then applied to search optimum design points, in order to minimize thinning subjected to the constraints of the geometrical dimensions of the shell. At last, the performance of the shell subjected to internal pressure has been confirmed to meet design requirements.

User-Centered Design of a Tablet Waiting Room Tool for Complex Patients to Prioritize Discussion Topics for Primary Care Visits.

PubMed

Lyles, Courtney R; Altschuler, Andrea; Chawla, Neetu; Kowalski, Christine; McQuillan, Deanna; Bayliss, Elizabeth; Heisler, Michele; Grant, Richard W

2016-09-14

Complex patients with multiple chronic conditions often face significant challenges communicating and coordinating with their primary care physicians. These challenges are exacerbated by the limited time allotted to primary care visits. Our aim was to employ a user-centered design process to create a tablet tool for use by patients for visit discussion prioritization. We employed user-centered design methods to create a tablet-based waiting room tool that enables complex patients to identify and set discussion topic priorities for their primary care visit. In an iterative design process, we completed one-on-one interviews with 40 patients and their 17 primary care providers, followed by three design sessions with a 12-patient group. We audiorecorded and transcribed all discussions and categorized major themes. In addition, we met with 15 key health communication, education, and technology leaders within our health system to further review the design and plan for broader implementation of the tool. In this paper, we present the significant changes made to the tablet tool at each phase of this design work. Patient feedback emphasized the need to make the tablet tool accessible for patients who lacked technical proficiency and to reduce the quantity and complexity of text presentation. Both patients and their providers identified specific content choices based on their personal experiences (eg, the ability to raise private or sensitive concerns) and recommended targeting new patients. Stakeholder groups provided essential input on the need to augment text with video and to create different versions of the videos to match sex and race/ethnicity of the actors with patients. User-centered design in collaboration with patients, providers, and key health stakeholders led to marked evolution in the initial content, layout, and target audience for a tablet waiting room tool intended to assist complex patients with setting visit discussion priorities.

Development of a Mobile Clinical Prediction Tool to Estimate Future Depression Severity and Guide Treatment in Primary Care: User-Centered Design

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background Around the world, depression is both under- and overtreated. The diamond clinical prediction tool was developed to assist with appropriate treatment allocation by estimating the 3-month prognosis among people with current depressive symptoms. Delivering clinical prediction tools in a way that will enhance their uptake in routine clinical practice remains challenging; however, mobile apps show promise in this respect. To increase the likelihood that an app-delivered clinical prediction tool can be successfully incorporated into clinical practice, it is important to involve end users in the app design process. Objective The aim of the study was to maximize patient engagement in an app designed to improve treatment allocation for depression. Methods An iterative, user-centered design process was employed. Qualitative data were collected via 2 focus groups with a community sample (n=17) and 7 semistructured interviews with people with depressive symptoms. The results of the focus groups and interviews were used by the computer engineering team to modify subsequent protoypes of the app. Results Iterative development resulted in 3 prototypes and a final app. The areas requiring the most substantial changes following end-user input were related to the iconography used and the way that feedback was provided. In particular, communicating risk of future depressive symptoms proved difficult; these messages were consistently misinterpreted and negatively viewed and were ultimately removed. All participants felt positively about seeing their results summarized after completion of the clinical prediction tool, but there was a need for a personalized treatment recommendation made in conjunction with a consultation with a health professional. Conclusions User-centered design led to valuable improvements in the content and design of an app designed to improve allocation of and engagement in depression treatment. Iterative design allowed us to develop a tool that allows users to feel hope, engage in self-reflection, and motivate them to treatment. The tool is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. PMID:29685864

Ergonomic design intervention strategy for work tools development for women agro based workers in Northeast India.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, Debkumar; Bhattachheriya, Nandita

2012-01-01

Strategy for finding the appropriate strategy for work tool development has become a crucial issue in occupational wellness of varied nature of women workforce of Northeast India. This paper deals with ergonomics intervention through sustainable work tool design development process. Workers who frequently shift to different activities quite often in unorganised small-scale fruit processing units where productivity is directly related to the harvesting season require different work tools relevant to specific tasks and mostly workers themselves manage work tools of their own with available local resources. Whereas in contrast the tea-leaf pluckers are engaged in a single task throughout the year, and the work schedule and work equipment is decided and supplied to them based on the corporate decision where the workers do not have any individual control. Observations confirm the need for organising participatory workshops specific to trade based occupational well-being and different work tools for different tasks in mostly private owned unorganised sector. Implementation of single variety work tool development that supports a crucial component in tea-leaf plucking for which they are engaged in full time employment; and through a corporate decision a single design with its number of users makes a good effect.

Role of System Architecture in Architecture in Developing New Drafting Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorguç, Arzu Gönenç

In this study, the impact of information technologies in architectural design process is discussed. In this discussion, first the differences/nuances between the concept of software engineering and system architecture are clarified. Then, the design process in engineering, and design process in architecture has been compared by considering 3-D models as the center of design process over which the other disciplines involve the design. It is pointed out that in many high-end engineering applications, 3-D solid models and consequently digital mock-up concept has become a common practice. But, architecture as one of the important customers of CAD systems employing these tools has not started to use these 3-D models. It is shown that the reason of this time lag between architecture and engineering lies behind the tradition of design attitude. Therefore, it is proposed a new design scheme a meta-model to develop an integrated design model being centered on 3-D model. It is also proposed a system architecture to achieve the transformation of architectural design process by replacing 2-D thinking with 3-D thinking. It is stated that in the proposed system architecture, the CAD systems are included and adapted for 3-D architectural design in order to provide interfaces for integration of all possible disciplines to design process. It is also shown that such a change will allow to elaborate the intelligent or smart building concept in future.

Object-Oriented MDAO Tool with Aeroservoelastic Model Tuning Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pak, Chan-gi; Li, Wesley; Lung, Shun-fat

2008-01-01

An object-oriented multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization (MDAO) tool has been developed at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to automate the design and analysis process and leverage existing commercial as well as in-house codes to enable true multidisciplinary optimization in the preliminary design stage of subsonic, transonic, supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. Once the structural analysis discipline is finalized and integrated completely into the MDAO process, other disciplines such as aerodynamics and flight controls will be integrated as well. Simple and efficient model tuning capabilities based on optimization problem are successfully integrated with the MDAO tool. More synchronized all phases of experimental testing (ground and flight), analytical model updating, high-fidelity simulations for model validation, and integrated design may result in reduction of uncertainties in the aeroservoelastic model and increase the flight safety.

Measuring health literacy in populations: illuminating the design and development process of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Several measurement tools have been developed to measure health literacy. The tools vary in their approach and design, but few have focused on comprehensive health literacy in populations. This paper describes the design and development of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q), an innovative, comprehensive tool to measure health literacy in populations. Methods Based on a conceptual model and definition, the process involved item development, pre-testing, field-testing, external consultation, plain language check, and translation from English to Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Greek, Polish, and Spanish. Results The development process resulted in the HLS-EU-Q, which entailed two sections, a core health literacy section and a section on determinants and outcomes associated to health literacy. The health literacy section included 47 items addressing self-reported difficulties in accessing, understanding, appraising and applying information in tasks concerning decisions making in healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion. The second section included items related to, health behaviour, health status, health service use, community participation, socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. Conclusions By illuminating the detailed steps in the design and development process of the HLS-EU-Q, it is the aim to provide a deeper understanding of its purpose, its capability and its limitations for others using the tool. By stimulating a wide application it is the vision that HLS-EU-Q will be validated in more countries to enhance the understanding of health literacy in different populations. PMID:24112855

Using Teamcenter engineering software for a successive punching tool lifecycle management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaga, F.; Pele, A.-V.; Stǎnǎşel, I.; Buidoş, T.; Hule, V.

2015-11-01

The paper presents studies and researches results of the implementation of Teamcenter (TC) integrated management of a product lifecycle, in a virtual enterprise. The results are able to be implemented also in a real enterprise. The product was considered a successive punching and cutting tool, designed to materialize a metal sheet part. The paper defines the technical documentation flow (flow of information) in the process of constructive computer aided design of the tool. After the design phase is completed a list of parts is generated containing standard or manufactured components (BOM, Bill of Materials). The BOM may be exported to MS Excel (.xls) format and can be transferred to other departments of the company in order to supply the necessary materials and resources to achieve the final product. This paper describes the procedure to modify or change certain dimensions of sheet metal part obtained by punching. After 3D and 2D design, the digital prototype of punching tool moves to following lifecycle phase of the manufacturing process. For each operation of the technological process the corresponding phases are described in detail. Teamcenter enables to describe manufacturing company structure, underlying workstations that carry out various operations of manufacturing process. The paper revealed that the implementation of Teamcenter PDM in a company, improves efficiency of managing product information, eliminating time working with search, verification and correction of documentation, while ensuring the uniqueness and completeness of the product data.

Advanced engineering environment pilot project.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwegel, Jill; Pomplun, Alan R.; Abernathy, Rusty

2006-10-01

The Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE) is a concurrent engineering concept that enables real-time process tooling design and analysis, collaborative process flow development, automated document creation, and full process traceability throughout a product's life cycle. The AEE will enable NNSA's Design and Production Agencies to collaborate through a singular integrated process. Sandia National Laboratories and Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) are working together on a prototype AEE pilot project to evaluate PTC's product collaboration tools relative to the needs of the NWC. The primary deliverable for the project is a set of validated criteria for defining a complete commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutionmore » to deploy the AEE across the NWC.« less

Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) compendium of tools, revision 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A set of programs used to aid software product development is listed. Known as software tools, such programs include requirements analyzers, design languages, precompilers, code auditors, code analyzers, and software librarians. Abstracts, resource requirements, documentation, processing summaries, and availability are indicated for most tools.

Tools for Collaboration: Using and Designing Tools in Interorganizational Economic-Crime Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puonti, Anne

2004-01-01

Economic-crime investigation in Finland is in transition from hierarchically organized, sequential collaboration between authorities toward parallel, interorganizational collaboration. This article describes the tools used and developed for managing the new collaborative economic-crime-investigation process. The challenge is to find…

Efficient simulation of press hardening process through integrated structural and CFD analyses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palaniswamy, Hariharasudhan; Mondalek, Pamela; Wronski, Maciek

Press hardened steel parts are being increasingly used in automotive structures for their higher strength to meet safety standards while reducing vehicle weight to improve fuel consumption. However, manufacturing of sheet metal parts by press hardening process to achieve desired properties is extremely challenging as it involves complex interaction of plastic deformation, metallurgical change, thermal distribution, and fluid flow. Numerical simulation is critical for successful design of the process and to understand the interaction among the numerous process parameters to control the press hardening process in order to consistently achieve desired part properties. Until now there has been no integratedmore » commercial software solution that can efficiently model the complete process from forming of the blank, heat transfer between the blank and tool, microstructure evolution in the blank, heat loss from tool to the fluid that flows through water channels in the tools. In this study, a numerical solution based on Altair HyperWorks® product suite involving RADIOSS®, a non-linear finite element based structural analysis solver and AcuSolve®, an incompressible fluid flow solver based on Galerkin Least Square Finite Element Method have been utilized to develop an efficient solution for complete press hardening process design and analysis. RADIOSS is used to handle the plastic deformation, heat transfer between the blank and tool, and microstructure evolution in the blank during cooling. While AcuSolve is used to efficiently model heat loss from tool to the fluid that flows through water channels in the tools. The approach is demonstrated through some case studies.« less

Genetic algorithm approaches for conceptual design of spacecraft systems including multi-objective optimization and design under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Rania A.

In the design of complex large-scale spacecraft systems that involve a large number of components and subsystems, many specialized state-of-the-art design tools are employed to optimize the performance of various subsystems. However, there is no structured system-level concept-architecting process. Currently, spacecraft design is heavily based on the heritage of the industry. Old spacecraft designs are modified to adapt to new mission requirements, and feasible solutions---rather than optimal ones---are often all that is achieved. During the conceptual phase of the design, the choices available to designers are predominantly discrete variables describing major subsystems' technology options and redundancy levels. The complexity of spacecraft configurations makes the number of the system design variables that need to be traded off in an optimization process prohibitive when manual techniques are used. Such a discrete problem is well suited for solution with a Genetic Algorithm, which is a global search technique that performs optimization-like tasks. This research presents a systems engineering framework that places design requirements at the core of the design activities and transforms the design paradigm for spacecraft systems to a top-down approach rather than the current bottom-up approach. To facilitate decision-making in the early phases of the design process, the population-based search nature of the Genetic Algorithm is exploited to provide computationally inexpensive---compared to the state-of-the-practice---tools for both multi-objective design optimization and design optimization under uncertainty. In terms of computational cost, those tools are nearly on the same order of magnitude as that of standard single-objective deterministic Genetic Algorithm. The use of a multi-objective design approach provides system designers with a clear tradeoff optimization surface that allows them to understand the effect of their decisions on all the design objectives under consideration simultaneously. Incorporating uncertainties avoids large safety margins and unnecessary high redundancy levels. The focus on low computational cost for the optimization tools stems from the objective that improving the design of complex systems should not be achieved at the expense of a costly design methodology.

Toward a Visualization-Supported Workflow for Cyber Alert Management using Threat Models and Human-Centered Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Franklin, Lyndsey; Pirrung, Megan A.; Blaha, Leslie M.

Cyber network analysts follow complex processes in their investigations of potential threats to their network. Much research is dedicated to providing automated tool support in the effort to make their tasks more efficient, accurate, and timely. This tool support comes in a variety of implementations from machine learning algorithms that monitor streams of data to visual analytic environments for exploring rich and noisy data sets. Cyber analysts, however, often speak of a need for tools which help them merge the data they already have and help them establish appropriate baselines against which to compare potential anomalies. Furthermore, existing threat modelsmore » that cyber analysts regularly use to structure their investigation are not often leveraged in support tools. We report on our work with cyber analysts to understand they analytic process and how one such model, the MITRE ATT&CK Matrix [32], is used to structure their analytic thinking. We present our efforts to map specific data needed by analysts into the threat model to inform our eventual visualization designs. We examine data mapping for gaps where the threat model is under-supported by either data or tools. We discuss these gaps as potential design spaces for future research efforts. We also discuss the design of a prototype tool that combines machine-learning and visualization components to support cyber analysts working with this threat model.« less

Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production involving continuous processes--a process system engineering (PSE)-assisted design framework.

PubMed

Cervera-Padrell, Albert E; Skovby, Tommy; Kiil, Søren; Gani, Rafiqul; Gernaey, Krist V

2012-10-01

A systematic framework is proposed for the design of continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Specifically, the design framework focuses on organic chemistry based, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) synthetic processes, but could potentially be extended to biocatalytic and fermentation-based products. The method exploits the synergic combination of continuous flow technologies (e.g., microfluidic techniques) and process systems engineering (PSE) methods and tools for faster process design and increased process understanding throughout the whole drug product and process development cycle. The design framework structures the many different and challenging design problems (e.g., solvent selection, reactor design, and design of separation and purification operations), driving the user from the initial drug discovery steps--where process knowledge is very limited--toward the detailed design and analysis. Examples from the literature of PSE methods and tools applied to pharmaceutical process design and novel pharmaceutical production technologies are provided along the text, assisting in the accumulation and interpretation of process knowledge. Different criteria are suggested for the selection of batch and continuous processes so that the whole design results in low capital and operational costs as well as low environmental footprint. The design framework has been applied to the retrofit of an existing batch-wise process used by H. Lundbeck A/S to produce an API: zuclopenthixol. Some of its batch operations were successfully converted into continuous mode, obtaining higher yields that allowed a significant simplification of the whole process. The material and environmental footprint of the process--evaluated through the process mass intensity index, that is, kg of material used per kg of product--was reduced to half of its initial value, with potential for further reduction. The case-study includes reaction steps typically used by the pharmaceutical industry featuring different characteristic reaction times, as well as L-L separation and distillation-based solvent exchange steps, and thus constitutes a good example of how the design framework can be useful to efficiently design novel or already existing API manufacturing processes taking advantage of continuous processes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Comparative Judgment as a Tool for Assessing Open-Ended Design Problems and Model Eliciting Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartholomew, Scott R.; Nadelson, Louis S.; Goodridge, Wade H.; Reeve, Edward M.

2018-01-01

We investigated the use of adaptive comparative judgment to evaluate the middle school student learning, engagement, and experience with the design process in an open-ended problem assigned in a technology and engineering education course. Our results indicate that the adaptive comparative judgment tool effectively facilitated the grading of the…

Design as a research development tool.

PubMed

Pearson, M

2005-05-01

The design and development process is due for some innovation. Current practices use design as a downstream activity. This article explores how to use it during research and development and the benefits this offers companies.

Ergonomic risk assessment with DesignCheck to evaluate assembly work in different phases of the vehicle development process.

PubMed

Winter, Gabriele; Schaub, Karlheinz G; Großmann, Kay; Laun, Gerhard; Landau, Kurt; Bruder, Ralph

2012-01-01

Occupational hazards exist, if the design of the work situation is not in accordance with ergonomic design principles. At assembly lines ergonomics is applied to the design of work equipment and tasks and to work organisation. The ignoring of ergonomic principles in planning and design of assembly work leads to unfavourable working posture, action force and material handling. Disorders of the musculoskeletal system are of a common occurrence throughout Europe. Musculoskeletal disorders are a challenge against the background of disabled workers. The changes in a worker's capability have to be regarded in the conception of redesigned and new assembly lines. In this way ergonomics becomes progressively more important in planning and design of vehicles: The objective of ergonomic design in different stages of the vehicles development process is to achieve an optimal adaptation of the assembly work to workers. Hence the ergonomic screening tool "Design Check" (DC) was developed to identify ergonomic deficits in workplace layouts. The screening-tool is based on the current ergonomic state of the art in the design of physical work and relevant EU legal requirements. It was tested within a federal German research project at selected work stations at the assembly lines at Dr.-Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG / Stuttgart. Meanwhile the application of the screening-tool DC is transferred in other parts of the Porsche AG, Stuttgart. It is also realized as an ergonomic standard method to perform assembly work in different phases of the vehicle development process.

A New Capability for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amiri, Benjamin W.; Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611; Kapernick, Richard J.

2007-01-30

This paper describes a new capability for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) design that has been developed, and presents the results of some analyses performed with this design tool. The purpose of the tool is to design to specified mission and material limits, while maximizing system thrust to weight. The head end of the design tool utilizes the ROCket Engine Transient Simulation (ROCETS) code to generate a system design and system design requirements as inputs to the core analysis. ROCETS is a modular system level code which has been used extensively in the liquid rocket engine industry for many years. Themore » core design tool performs high-fidelity reactor core nuclear and thermal-hydraulic design analysis. At the heart of this process are two codes TMSS-NTP and NTPgen, which together greatly automate the analysis, providing the capability to rapidly produce designs that meet all specified requirements while minimizing mass. A PERL based command script, called CORE DESIGNER controls the execution of these two codes, and checks for convergence throughout the process. TMSS-NTP is executed first, to produce a suite of core designs that meet the specified reactor core mechanical, thermal-hydraulic and structural requirements. The suite of designs consists of a set of core layouts and, for each core layout specific designs that span a range of core fuel volumes. NTPgen generates MCNPX models for each of the core designs from TMSS-NTP. Iterative analyses are performed in NTPgen until a reactor design (fuel volume) is identified for each core layout that meets cold and hot operation reactivity requirements and that is zoned to meet a radial core power distribution requirement.« less

Technological Improvements for Digital Fire Control Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-30

Final Technical Status Report For DOTC-12-01-INIT061 Technological Improvements for Digital Fire Control Systems Reporting Period: 30 Sep...Initiative Information Develop and fabricate next generation designs using advanced materials and processes. This will include but is not limited to...4.2 Develop manufacturing processes 100% 4.3 Develop manufacturing processes 100% 4.4 Develop manufacturing processes 100% 5 Design Tooling

Java Tool Framework for Automation of Hardware Commissioning and Maintenance Procedures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ho, J C; Fisher, J M; Gordon, J B

2007-10-02

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a 192-beam laser system designed to study high energy density physics. Each beam line contains a variety of line replaceable units (LRUs) that contain optics, stepping motors, sensors and other devices to control and diagnose the laser. During commissioning and subsequent maintenance of the laser, LRUs undergo a qualification process using the Integrated Computer Control System (ICCS) to verify and calibrate the equipment. The commissioning processes are both repetitive and tedious when we use remote manual computer controls, making them ideal candidates for software automation. Maintenance and Commissioning Tool (MCT) software was developed tomore » improve the efficiency of the qualification process. The tools are implemented in Java, leveraging ICCS services and CORBA to communicate with the control devices. The framework provides easy-to-use mechanisms for handling configuration data, task execution, task progress reporting, and generation of commissioning test reports. The tool framework design and application examples will be discussed.« less

A Multiagent Modeling Environment for Simulating Work Practice in Organizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sierhuis, Maarten; Clancey, William J.; vanHoof, Ron

2004-01-01

In this paper we position Brahms as a tool for simulating organizational processes. Brahms is a modeling and simulation environment for analyzing human work practice, and for using such models to develop intelligent software agents to support the work practice in organizations. Brahms is the result of more than ten years of research at the Institute for Research on Learning (IRL), NYNEX Science & Technology (the former R&D institute of the Baby Bell telephone company in New York, now Verizon), and for the last six years at NASA Ames Research Center, in the Work Systems Design and Evaluation group, part of the Computational Sciences Division (Code IC). Brahms has been used on more than ten modeling and simulation research projects, and recently has been used as a distributed multiagent development environment for developing work practice support tools for human in-situ science exploration on planetary surfaces, in particular a human mission to Mars. Brahms was originally conceived of as a business process modeling and simulation tool that incorporates the social systems of work, by illuminating how formal process flow descriptions relate to people s actual located activities in the workplace. Our research started in the early nineties as a reaction to experiences with work process modeling and simulation . Although an effective tool for convincing management of the potential cost-savings of the newly designed work processes, the modeling and simulation environment was only able to describe work as a normative workflow. However, the social systems, uncovered in work practices studied by the design team played a significant role in how work actually got done-actual lived work. Multi- tasking, informal assistance and circumstantial work interactions could not easily be represented in a tool with a strict workflow modeling paradigm. In response, we began to develop a tool that would have the benefits of work process modeling and simulation, but be distinctively able to represent the relations of people, locations, systems, artifacts, communication and information content.

Performance modeling & simulation of complex systems (A systems engineering design & analysis approach)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Laverne

1995-01-01

Modeling of the Multi-mission Image Processing System (MIPS) will be described as an example of the use of a modeling tool to design a distributed system that supports multiple application scenarios. This paper examines: (a) modeling tool selection, capabilities, and operation (namely NETWORK 2.5 by CACl), (b) pointers for building or constructing a model and how the MIPS model was developed, (c) the importance of benchmarking or testing the performance of equipment/subsystems being considered for incorporation the design/architecture, (d) the essential step of model validation and/or calibration using the benchmark results, (e) sample simulation results from the MIPS model, and (f) how modeling and simulation analysis affected the MIPS design process by having a supportive and informative impact.

Friction Stir Welding of Large Scale Cryogenic Tanks for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Carolyn; Ding, R. Jeffrey

1998-01-01

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has established a facility for the joining of large-scale aluminum cryogenic propellant tanks using the friction stir welding process. Longitudinal welds, approximately five meters in length, have been made by retrofitting an existing vertical fusion weld system, designed to fabricate tank barrel sections ranging from two to ten meters in diameter. The structural design requirements of the tooling, clamping and travel system will be described in this presentation along with process controls and real-time data acquisition developed for this application. The approach to retrofitting other large welding tools at MSFC with the friction stir welding process will also be discussed.

Designing the safety of healthcare. Participation of ergonomics to the design of cooperative systems in radiotherapy.

PubMed

Munoz, Maria Isabel; Bouldi, Nadia; Barcellini, Flore; Nascimento, Adelaide

2012-01-01

This communication deals with the involvement of ergonomists in a research-action design process of a software platform in radiotherapy. The goal of the design project is to enhance patient safety by designing a workflow software that supports cooperation between professionals producing treatment in radiotherapy. The general framework of our approach is the ergonomics management of a design process, which is based in activity analysis and grounded in participatory design. Two fields are concerned by the present action: a design environment which is a participatory design process that involves software designers, caregivers as future users and ergonomists; and a reference real work setting in radiotherapy. Observations, semi-structured interviews and participatory workshops allow the characterization of activity in radiotherapy dealing with uses of cooperative tools, sources of variability and non-ruled strategies to manage the variability of the situations. This production of knowledge about work searches to enhance the articulation between technocentric and anthropocentric approaches, and helps in clarifying design requirements. An issue of this research-action is to develop a framework to define the parameters of the workflow tool, and the conditions of its deployment.

Diagnostic Tools for the Systemic Reform of Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amsler, Mary; Kirsch, Kayla

This paper presents three interrelated diagnostic tools that can be used by school staff as they begin to plan a systemic reform effort. These tools are designed to help educators reflect on their experiences in creating changes in their school and to examine the current barriers to and supports for the change process. The tools help school design…

Designer's unified cost model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, William T.; Ilcewicz, L. B.; Swanson, G. D.; Gutowski, T.

1992-01-01

A conceptual and preliminary designers' cost prediction model has been initiated. The model will provide a technically sound method for evaluating the relative cost of different composite structural designs, fabrication processes, and assembly methods that can be compared to equivalent metallic parts or assemblies. The feasibility of developing cost prediction software in a modular form for interfacing with state of the art preliminary design tools and computer aided design programs is being evaluated. The goal of this task is to establish theoretical cost functions that relate geometric design features to summed material cost and labor content in terms of process mechanics and physics. The output of the designers' present analytical tools will be input for the designers' cost prediction model to provide the designer with a data base and deterministic cost methodology that allows one to trade and synthesize designs with both cost and weight as objective functions for optimization. The approach, goals, plans, and progress is presented for development of COSTADE (Cost Optimization Software for Transport Aircraft Design Evaluation).

High School Students' Compositions of Ranch Designs: Implications for Academic and Personal Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smagorinsky, Peter; Pettis, Victoria; Reed, Patty

2004-01-01

This research analyzed the composing processes of two high school students designing horse ranch plans for a course in equine management and production. The investigation focused on understanding the problems driving the design process, the tools through which the students inscribed and encoded meaning in their compositions, and the integration,…

A climate responsive urban design tool: a platform to improve energy efficiency in a dry hot climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Dallal, Norhan; Visser, Florentine

2017-09-01

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, new urban developments should address the climatic conditions to improve outdoor comfort and to reduce the energy consumption of buildings. This article describes a design tool that supports climate responsive design for a dry hot climate. The approach takes the climate as an initiator for the conceptual urban form with a more energy-efficient urban morphology. The methodology relates the different passive strategies suitable for major climate conditions in MENA region (dry-hot) to design parameters that create the urban form. This parametric design approach is the basis for a tool that generates conceptual climate responsive urban forms so as to assist the urban designer early in the design process. Various conceptual scenarios, generated by a computational model, are the results of the proposed platform. A practical application of the approach is conducted on a New Urban Community in Aswan (Egypt), showing the economic feasibility of the resulting urban form and morphology, and the proposed tool.

Parametric Geometry, Structured Grid Generation, and Initial Design Study for REST-Class Hypersonic Inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferlemann, Paul G.; Gollan, Rowan J.

2010-01-01

Computational design and analysis of three-dimensional hypersonic inlets with shape transition has been a significant challenge due to the complex geometry and grid required for three-dimensional viscous flow calculations. Currently, the design process utilizes an inviscid design tool to produce initial inlet shapes by streamline tracing through an axisymmetric compression field. However, the shape is defined by a large number of points rather than a continuous surface and lacks important features such as blunt leading edges. Therefore, a design system has been developed to parametrically construct true CAD geometry and link the topology of a structured grid to the geometry. The Adaptive Modeling Language (AML) constitutes the underlying framework that is used to build the geometry and grid topology. Parameterization of the CAD geometry allows the inlet shapes produced by the inviscid design tool to be generated, but also allows a great deal of flexibility to modify the shape to account for three-dimensional viscous effects. By linking the grid topology to the parametric geometry, the GridPro grid generation software can be used efficiently to produce a smooth hexahedral multiblock grid. To demonstrate the new capability, a matrix of inlets were designed by varying four geometry parameters in the inviscid design tool. The goals of the initial design study were to explore inviscid design tool geometry variations with a three-dimensional analysis approach, demonstrate a solution rate which would enable the use of high-fidelity viscous three-dimensional CFD in future design efforts, process the results for important performance parameters, and perform a sample optimization.

Marshall Space Flight Center's Virtual Reality Applications Program 1993

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, Joseph P., II

1993-01-01

A Virtual Reality (VR) applications program has been under development at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) since 1989. Other NASA Centers, most notably Ames Research Center (ARC), have contributed to the development of the VR enabling technologies and VR systems. This VR technology development has now reached a level of maturity where specific applications of VR as a tool can be considered. The objectives of the MSFC VR Applications Program are to develop, validate, and utilize VR as a Human Factors design and operations analysis tool and to assess and evaluate VR as a tool in other applications (e.g., training, operations development, mission support, teleoperations planning, etc.). The long-term goals of this technology program is to enable specialized Human Factors analyses earlier in the hardware and operations development process and develop more effective training and mission support systems. The capability to perform specialized Human Factors analyses earlier in the hardware and operations development process is required to better refine and validate requirements during the requirements definition phase. This leads to a more efficient design process where perturbations caused by late-occurring requirements changes are minimized. A validated set of VR analytical tools must be developed to enable a more efficient process for the design and development of space systems and operations. Similarly, training and mission support systems must exploit state-of-the-art computer-based technologies to maximize training effectiveness and enhance mission support. The approach of the VR Applications Program is to develop and validate appropriate virtual environments and associated object kinematic and behavior attributes for specific classes of applications. These application-specific environments and associated simulations will be validated, where possible, through empirical comparisons with existing, accepted tools and methodologies. These validated VR analytical tools will then be available for use in the design and development of space systems and operations and in training and mission support systems.

Computer Aided Design of Computer Generated Holograms for electron beam fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urquhart, Kristopher S.; Lee, Sing H.; Guest, Clark C.; Feldman, Michael R.; Farhoosh, Hamid

1989-01-01

Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems that have been developed for electrical and mechanical design tasks are also effective tools for the process of designing Computer Generated Holograms (CGHs), particularly when these holograms are to be fabricated using electron beam lithography. CAD workstations provide efficient and convenient means of computing, storing, displaying, and preparing for fabrication many of the features that are common to CGH designs. Experience gained in the process of designing CGHs with various types of encoding methods is presented. Suggestions are made so that future workstations may further accommodate the CGH design process.

DESIGNING GREENER SOLVENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Computer-aided design of chemicals and chemical mixtures provides a powerful tool to help engineers identify cleaner process designs and more-benign alternatives to toxic industrial solvents. Three software programs are discussed: (1) PARIS II (Program for Assisting the Replaceme...

Study on Product Innovative Design Process Driven by Ideal Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fuying; Lu, Ximei; Wang, Ping; Liu, Hui

Product innovative design in companies today relies heavily on individual members’ experience and creative ideation as well as their skills of integrating creativity and innovation tools with design methods agilely. Creative ideation and inventive ideas generation are two crucial stages in product innovative design process. Ideal solution is the desire final ideas for given problem, and the striving reaching target for product design. In this paper, a product innovative design process driven by ideal solution is proposed. This design process encourages designers to overcome their psychological inertia, to foster creativity in a systematic way for acquiring breakthrough creative and innovative solutions in a reducing sphere of solution-seeking, and results in effective product innovative design rapidly. A case study example is also presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design process.

A quality-based cost model for new electronic systems and products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shina, Sammy G.; Saigal, Anil

1998-04-01

This article outlines a method for developing a quality-based cost model for the design of new electronic systems and products. The model incorporates a methodology for determining a cost-effective design margin allocation for electronic products and systems and its impact on manufacturing quality and cost. A spreadsheet-based cost estimating tool was developed to help implement this methodology in order for the system design engineers to quickly estimate the effect of design decisions and tradeoffs on the quality and cost of new products. The tool was developed with automatic spreadsheet connectivity to current process capability and with provisions to consider the impact of capital equipment and tooling purchases to reduce the product cost.

Improving Patient Experience and Primary Care Quality for Patients With Complex Chronic Disease Using the Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes Tool: Adopting Qualitative Methods Into a User-Centered Design Approach.

PubMed

Steele Gray, Carolyn; Khan, Anum Irfan; Kuluski, Kerry; McKillop, Ian; Sharpe, Sarah; Bierman, Arlene S; Lyons, Renee F; Cott, Cheryl

2016-02-18

Many mHealth technologies do not meet the needs of patients with complex chronic disease and disabilities (CCDDs) who are among the highest users of health systems worldwide. Furthermore, many of the development methodologies used in the creation of mHealth and eHealth technologies lack the ability to embrace users with CCDD in the specification process. This paper describes how we adopted and modified development techniques to create the electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePRO) tool, a patient-centered mHealth solution to help improve primary health care for patients experiencing CCDD. This paper describes the design and development approach, specifically the process of incorporating qualitative research methods into user-centered design approaches to create the ePRO tool. Key lessons learned are offered as a guide for other eHealth and mHealth research and technology developers working with complex patient populations and their primary health care providers. Guided by user-centered design principles, interpretive descriptive qualitative research methods were adopted to capture user experiences through interviews and working groups. Consistent with interpretive descriptive methods, an iterative analysis technique was used to generate findings, which were then organized in relation to the tool design and function to help systematically inform modifications to the tool. User feedback captured and analyzed through this method was used to challenge the design and inform the iterative development of the tool. Interviews with primary health care providers (n=7) and content experts (n=6), and four focus groups with patients and carers (n=14) along with a PICK analysis-Possible, Implementable, (to be) Challenged, (to be) Killed-guided development of the first prototype. The initial prototype was presented in three design working groups with patients/carers (n=5), providers (n=6), and experts (n=5). Working group findings were broken down into categories of what works and what does not work to inform modifications to the prototype. This latter phase led to a major shift in the purpose and design of the prototype, validating the importance of using iterative codesign processes. Interpretive descriptive methods allow for an understanding of user experiences of patients with CCDD, their carers, and primary care providers. Qualitative methods help to capture and interpret user needs, and identify contextual barriers and enablers to tool adoption, informing a redesign to better suit the needs of this diverse user group. This study illustrates the value of adopting interpretive descriptive methods into user-centered mHealth tool design and can also serve to inform the design of other eHealth technologies. Our approach is particularly useful in requirements determination when developing for a complex user group and their health care providers.

Applications of Parallel Process HiMAP for Large Scale Multidisciplinary Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guruswamy, Guru P.; Potsdam, Mark; Rodriguez, David; Kwak, Dochay (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

HiMAP is a three level parallel middleware that can be interfaced to a large scale global design environment for code independent, multidisciplinary analysis using high fidelity equations. Aerospace technology needs are rapidly changing. Computational tools compatible with the requirements of national programs such as space transportation are needed. Conventional computation tools are inadequate for modern aerospace design needs. Advanced, modular computational tools are needed, such as those that incorporate the technology of massively parallel processors (MPP).

Finite element analysis as a design tool for thermoplastic vulcanizate glazing seals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gase, K.M.; Hudacek, L.L.; Pesevski, G.T.

1998-12-31

There are three materials that are commonly used in commercial glazing seals: EPDM, silicone and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs). TPVs are a high performance class of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), where TPEs have elastomeric properties with thermoplastic processability. TPVs have emerged as materials well suited for use in glazing seals due to ease of processing, economics and part design flexibility. The part design and development process is critical to ensure that the chosen TPV provides economics, quality and function in demanding environments. In the design and development process, there is great value in utilizing dual durometer systems to capitalize on the benefitsmore » of soft and rigid materials. Computer-aided design tools, such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), are effective in minimizing development time and predicting system performance. Examples of TPV glazing seals will illustrate the benefits of utilizing FEA to take full advantage of the material characteristics, which results in functional performance and quality while reducing development iterations. FEA will be performed on two glazing seal profiles to confirm optimum geometry.« less

Application of decomposition techniques to the preliminary design of a transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogan, J. E.; Mcelveen, R. P.; Kolb, M. A.

1986-01-01

A multifaceted decomposition of a nonlinear constrained optimization problem describing the preliminary design process for a transport aircraft has been made. Flight dynamics, flexible aircraft loads and deformations, and preliminary structural design subproblems appear prominently in the decomposition. The use of design process decomposition for scheduling design projects, a new system integration approach to configuration control, and the application of object-centered programming to a new generation of design tools are discussed.

Integrating Thermal Tools Into the Mechanical Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsuyuki, Glenn T.; Siebes, Georg; Novak, Keith S.; Kinsella, Gary M.

1999-01-01

The intent of mechanical design is to deliver a hardware product that meets or exceeds customer expectations, while reducing cycle time and cost. To this end, an integrated mechanical design process enables the idea of parallel development (concurrent engineering). This represents a shift from the traditional mechanical design process. With such a concurrent process, there are significant issues that have to be identified and addressed before re-engineering the mechanical design process to facilitate concurrent engineering. These issues also assist in the integration and re-engineering of the thermal design sub-process since it resides within the entire mechanical design process. With these issues in mind, a thermal design sub-process can be re-defined in a manner that has a higher probability of acceptance, thus enabling an integrated mechanical design process. However, the actual implementation is not always problem-free. Experience in applying the thermal design sub-process to actual situations provides the evidence for improvement, but more importantly, for judging the viability and feasibility of the sub-process.

Operationally efficient propulsion system study (OEPSS) data book. Volume 7; Launch Operations Index (LOI) Design Features and Options

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziese, James M.

1992-01-01

A design tool of figure of merit was developed that allows the operability of a propulsion system design to be measured. This Launch Operations Index (LOI) relates Operations Efficiency to System Complexity. The figure of Merit can be used by conceptual designers to compare different propulsion system designs based on their impact on launch operations. The LOI will improve the design process by making sure direct launch operations experience is a necessary feedback to the design process.

Path programmable logic: A structured design method for digital and/or mixed analog integrated circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, B.

1990-01-01

The design of Integrated Circuits has evolved past the black art practiced by a few semiconductor companies to a world wide community of users. This was basically accomplished by the development of computer aided design tools which were made available to this community. As the tools matured into different components of the design task they were accepted into the community at large. However, the next step in this evolution is being ignored by the large tool vendors hindering the continuation of this process. With system level definition and simulation through the logic specification well understood, why is the physical generation so blatantly ignored. This portion of the development is still treated as an isolated task with information being passed from the designer to the layout function. Some form of result given back but it severely lacks full definition of what has transpired. The level of integration in I.C.'s for tomorrow, whether through new processes or applications will require higher speeds, increased transistor density, and non-digital performance which can only be achieved through attention to the physical implementation.

Verification of a rapid mooring and foundation design tool

DOE PAGES

Weller, Sam D.; Hardwick, Jon; Gomez, Steven; ...

2018-02-15

Marine renewable energy devices require mooring and foundation systems that suitable in terms of device operation and are also robust and cost effective. In the initial stages of mooring and foundation development a large number of possible configuration permutations exist. Filtering of unsuitable designs is possible using information specific to the deployment site (i.e. bathymetry, environmental conditions) and device (i.e. mooring and/or foundation system role and cable connection requirements). The identification of a final solution requires detailed analysis, which includes load cases based on extreme environmental statistics following certification guidance processes. Static and/or quasi-static modelling of the mooring and/or foundationmore » system serves as an intermediate design filtering stage enabling dynamic time-domain analysis to be focused on a small number of potential configurations. Mooring and foundation design is therefore reliant on logical decision making throughout this stage-gate process. The open-source DTOcean (Optimal Design Tools for Ocean Energy Arrays) Tool includes a mooring and foundation module, which automates the configuration selection process for fixed and floating wave and tidal energy devices. As far as the authors are aware, this is one of the first tools to be developed for the purpose of identifying potential solutions during the initial stages of marine renewable energy design. While the mooring and foundation module does not replace a full design assessment, it provides in addition to suitable configuration solutions, assessments in terms of reliability, economics and environmental impact. This article provides insight into the solution identification approach used by the module and features the verification of both the mooring system calculations and the foundation design using commercial software. Several case studies are investigated: a floating wave energy converter and several anchoring systems. It is demonstrated that the mooring and foundation module is able to provide device and/or site developers with rapid mooring and foundation design solutions to appropriate design criteria.« less

Verification of a rapid mooring and foundation design tool

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weller, Sam D.; Hardwick, Jon; Gomez, Steven

Marine renewable energy devices require mooring and foundation systems that suitable in terms of device operation and are also robust and cost effective. In the initial stages of mooring and foundation development a large number of possible configuration permutations exist. Filtering of unsuitable designs is possible using information specific to the deployment site (i.e. bathymetry, environmental conditions) and device (i.e. mooring and/or foundation system role and cable connection requirements). The identification of a final solution requires detailed analysis, which includes load cases based on extreme environmental statistics following certification guidance processes. Static and/or quasi-static modelling of the mooring and/or foundationmore » system serves as an intermediate design filtering stage enabling dynamic time-domain analysis to be focused on a small number of potential configurations. Mooring and foundation design is therefore reliant on logical decision making throughout this stage-gate process. The open-source DTOcean (Optimal Design Tools for Ocean Energy Arrays) Tool includes a mooring and foundation module, which automates the configuration selection process for fixed and floating wave and tidal energy devices. As far as the authors are aware, this is one of the first tools to be developed for the purpose of identifying potential solutions during the initial stages of marine renewable energy design. While the mooring and foundation module does not replace a full design assessment, it provides in addition to suitable configuration solutions, assessments in terms of reliability, economics and environmental impact. This article provides insight into the solution identification approach used by the module and features the verification of both the mooring system calculations and the foundation design using commercial software. Several case studies are investigated: a floating wave energy converter and several anchoring systems. It is demonstrated that the mooring and foundation module is able to provide device and/or site developers with rapid mooring and foundation design solutions to appropriate design criteria.« less

Reflective Drawing as a Tool for Reflection in Design Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvo, Mirian

2017-01-01

This article explores the role of drawing as a tool for reflection. It reports on a PhD research project that aims to identify and analyse the value that co-design processes can bring to participants and their communities. The research is associated with Leapfrog, a three-year project funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).…

Energy-Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT): Use of Laser Engineered Net Shaping for Rapid Manufacturing of Dies with Protective Coatings and Improved Thermal Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brevick, Jerald R.

2014-06-13

In the high pressure die casting process, molten metal is introduced into a die cavity at high pressure and velocity, enabling castings of thin wall section and complex geometry to be obtained. Traditional die materials have been hot work die steels, commonly H13. Manufacture of the dies involves machining the desired geometry from monolithic blocks of annealed tool steel, heat treating to desired hardness and toughness, and final machining, grinding and polishing. The die is fabricated with internal water cooling passages created by drilling. These materials and fabrication methods have been used for many years, however, there are limitations. Toolmore » steels have relatively low thermal conductivity, and as a result, it takes time to remove the heat from the tool steel via the drilled internal water cooling passages. Furthermore, the low thermal conductivity generates large thermal gradients at the die cavity surfaces, which ultimately leads to thermal fatigue cracking on the surfaces of the die steel. The high die surface temperatures also promote the metallurgical bonding of the aluminum casting alloy to the surface of the die steel (soldering). In terms of process efficiency, these tooling limitations reduce the number of die castings that can be made per unit time by increasing cycle time required for cooling, and increasing downtime and cost to replace tooling which has failed either by soldering or by thermal fatigue cracking (heat checking). The objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of designing, fabricating, and testing high pressure die casting tooling having properties equivalent to H13 on the surface in contact with molten casting alloy - for high temperature and high velocity molten metal erosion resistance – but with the ability to conduct heat rapidly to interior water cooling passages. A layered bimetallic tool design was selected, and the design evaluated for thermal and mechanical performance via finite element analysis. H13 was retained as the exterior layer of the tooling, while commercially pure copper was chosen for the interior structure of the tooling. The tooling was fabricated by traditional machining of the copper substrate, and H13 powder was deposited on the copper via the Laser Engineered Net Shape (LENSTM) process. The H13 deposition layer was then final machined by traditional methods. Two tooling components were designed and fabricated; a thermal fatigue test specimen, and a core for a commercial aluminum high pressure die casting tool. The bimetallic thermal fatigue specimen demonstrated promising performance during testing, and the test results were used to improve the design and LENS TM deposition methods for subsequent manufacture of the commercial core. Results of the thermal finite element analysis for the thermal fatigue test specimen indicate that it has the ability to lose heat to the internal water cooling passages, and to external spray cooling, significantly faster than a monolithic H13 thermal fatigue sample. The commercial core is currently in the final stages of fabrication, and will be evaluated in an actual production environment at Shiloh Die casting. In this research, the feasibility of designing and fabricating copper/H13 bimetallic die casting tooling via LENS TM processing, for the purpose of improving die casting process efficiency, is demonstrated.« less

A brief understanding of process optimisation in microwave-assisted extraction of botanical materials: options and opportunities with chemometric tools.

PubMed

Das, Anup Kumar; Mandal, Vivekananda; Mandal, Subhash C

2014-01-01

Extraction forms the very basic step in research on natural products for drug discovery. A poorly optimised and planned extraction methodology can jeopardise the entire mission. To provide a vivid picture of different chemometric tools and planning for process optimisation and method development in extraction of botanical material, with emphasis on microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of botanical material. A review of studies involving the application of chemometric tools in combination with MAE of botanical materials was undertaken in order to discover what the significant extraction factors were. Optimising a response by fine-tuning those factors, experimental design or statistical design of experiment (DoE), which is a core area of study in chemometrics, was then used for statistical analysis and interpretations. In this review a brief explanation of the different aspects and methodologies related to MAE of botanical materials that were subjected to experimental design, along with some general chemometric tools and the steps involved in the practice of MAE, are presented. A detailed study on various factors and responses involved in the optimisation is also presented. This article will assist in obtaining a better insight into the chemometric strategies of process optimisation and method development, which will in turn improve the decision-making process in selecting influential extraction parameters. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Model-based high-throughput design of ion exchange protein chromatography.

PubMed

Khalaf, Rushd; Heymann, Julia; LeSaout, Xavier; Monard, Florence; Costioli, Matteo; Morbidelli, Massimo

2016-08-12

This work describes the development of a model-based high-throughput design (MHD) tool for the operating space determination of a chromatographic cation-exchange protein purification process. Based on a previously developed thermodynamic mechanistic model, the MHD tool generates a large amount of system knowledge and thereby permits minimizing the required experimental workload. In particular, each new experiment is designed to generate information needed to help refine and improve the model. Unnecessary experiments that do not increase system knowledge are avoided. Instead of aspiring to a perfectly parameterized model, the goal of this design tool is to use early model parameter estimates to find interesting experimental spaces, and to refine the model parameter estimates with each new experiment until a satisfactory set of process parameters is found. The MHD tool is split into four sections: (1) prediction, high throughput experimentation using experiments in (2) diluted conditions and (3) robotic automated liquid handling workstations (robotic workstation), and (4) operating space determination and validation. (1) Protein and resin information, in conjunction with the thermodynamic model, is used to predict protein resin capacity. (2) The predicted model parameters are refined based on gradient experiments in diluted conditions. (3) Experiments on the robotic workstation are used to further refine the model parameters. (4) The refined model is used to determine operating parameter space that allows for satisfactory purification of the protein of interest on the HPLC scale. Each section of the MHD tool is used to define the adequate experimental procedures for the next section, thus avoiding any unnecessary experimental work. We used the MHD tool to design a polishing step for two proteins, a monoclonal antibody and a fusion protein, on two chromatographic resins, in order to demonstrate it has the ability to strongly accelerate the early phases of process development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tool and Fixture Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Graham, Mark W.

2015-07-28

In a manufacturing process, a need is identified and a product is created to fill this need. While design and engineering of the final product is important, the tools and fixtures that aid in the creation of the final product are just as important, if not more so. Power supplies assembled at the TA-55 PF-5 have been designed by an excellent engineering team. The task in PF-5 now is to ensure that all steps of the assembly and manufacturing process can be completed safely, reliably, and in a quality repeatable manner. One of these process steps involves soldering fine wiresmore » to an electrical connector. During the process development phase, the method of soldering included placing the power supply in a vice in order to manipulate it into a position conducive to soldering. This method is unacceptable from a reliability, repeatability, and ergonomic standpoint. To combat these issues, a fixture was designed to replace the current method. To do so, a twelve step engineering design process was used to create the fixture that would provide a solution to a multitude of problems, and increase the safety and efficiency of production.« less

Development of a Rolling Process Design Tool for Use in Improving Hot Roll Slab Recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Couch, R; Becker, R; Rhee, M

2004-09-24

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory participated in a U. S. Department of Energy/Office of Industrial Technology sponsored research project 'Development of a Rolling Process Design Tool for Use in Improving Hot Roll Slab Recovery', as a Cooperative Agreement TC-02028 with the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC). The objective of the joint project with Alcoa is to develop a numerical modeling capability to optimize the hot rolling process used to produce aluminum plate. Product lost in the rolling process and subsequent recycling, wastes resources consumed in the energy-intensive steps of remelting and reprocessing the ingot. The modeling capability developed by project partners willmore » be used to produce plate more efficiently and with reduced product loss.« less

The development of a tool to predict team performance.

PubMed

Sinclair, M A; Siemieniuch, C E; Haslam, R A; Henshaw, M J D C; Evans, L

2012-01-01

The paper describes the development of a tool to predict quantitatively the success of a team when executing a process. The tool was developed for the UK defence industry, though it may be useful in other domains. It is expected to be used by systems engineers in initial stages of systems design, when concepts are still fluid, including the structure of the team(s) which are expected to be operators within the system. It enables answers to be calculated for questions such as "What happens if I reduce team size?" and "Can I reduce the qualifications necessary to execute this process and still achieve the required level of success?". The tool has undergone verification and validation; it predicts fairly well and shows promise. An unexpected finding is that the tool creates a good a priori argument for significant attention to Human Factors Integration in systems projects. The simulations show that if a systems project takes full account of human factors integration (selection, training, process design, interaction design, culture, etc.) then the likelihood of team success will be in excess of 0.95. As the project derogates from this state, the likelihood of team success will drop as low as 0.05. If the team has good internal communications and good individuals in key roles, the likelihood of success rises towards 0.25. Even with a team comprising the best individuals, p(success) will not be greater than 0.35. It is hoped that these results will be useful for human factors professionals involved in systems design. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Micro-based fact collection tool user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayer, Richard

1988-01-01

A procedure designed for use by an analyst to assist in the collection and organization of data gathered during the interview processes associated with system analysis and modeling task is described. The basic concept behind the development of this tool is that during the interview process an analyst is presented with assertions of facts by the domain expert. The analyst also makes observations of the domain. These facts need to be collected and preserved in such a way as to allow them to serve as the basis for a number of decision making processes throughout the system development process. This tool can be thought of as a computerization of the analysts's notebook.

ELISA, a demonstrator environment for information systems architecture design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panem, Chantal

1994-01-01

This paper describes an approach of reusability of software engineering technology in the area of ground space system design. System engineers have lots of needs similar to software developers: sharing of a common data base, capitalization of knowledge, definition of a common design process, communication between different technical domains. Moreover system designers need to simulate dynamically their system as early as possible. Software development environments, methods and tools now become operational and widely used. Their architecture is based on a unique object base, a set of common management services and they host a family of tools for each life cycle activity. In late '92, CNES decided to develop a demonstrative software environment supporting some system activities. The design of ground space data processing systems was chosen as the application domain. ELISA (Integrated Software Environment for Architectures Specification) was specified as a 'demonstrator', i.e. a sufficient basis for demonstrations, evaluation and future operational enhancements. A process with three phases was implemented: system requirements definition, design of system architectures models, and selection of physical architectures. Each phase is composed of several activities that can be performed in parallel, with the provision of Commercial Off the Shelves Tools. ELISA has been delivered to CNES in January 94, currently used for demonstrations and evaluations on real projects (e.g. SPOT4 Satellite Control Center). It is on the way of new evolutions.

Review of Software Tools for Design and Analysis of Large scale MRM Proteomic Datasets

PubMed Central

Colangelo, Christopher M.; Chung, Lisa; Bruce, Can; Cheung, Kei-Hoi

2013-01-01

Selective or Multiple Reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM) is a liquid-chromatography (LC)/tandem-mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method that enables the quantitation of specific proteins in a sample by analyzing precursor ions and the fragment ions of their selected tryptic peptides. Instrumentation software has advanced to the point that thousands of transitions (pairs of primary and secondary m/z values) can be measured in a triple quadrupole instrument coupled to an LC, by a well-designed scheduling and selection of m/z windows. The design of a good MRM assay relies on the availability of peptide spectra from previous discovery-phase LC-MS/MS studies. The tedious aspect of manually developing and processing MRM assays involving thousands of transitions has spurred to development of software tools to automate this process. Software packages have been developed for project management, assay development, assay validation, data export, peak integration, quality assessment, and biostatistical analysis. No single tool provides a complete end-to-end solution, thus this article reviews the current state and discusses future directions of these software tools in order to enable researchers to combine these tools for a comprehensive targeted proteomics workflow. PMID:23702368

Discrete event simulation tool for analysis of qualitative models of continuous processing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T. (Inventor); Basham, Bryan D. (Inventor); Harris, Richard A. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

An artificial intelligence design and qualitative modeling tool is disclosed for creating computer models and simulating continuous activities, functions, and/or behavior using developed discrete event techniques. Conveniently, the tool is organized in four modules: library design module, model construction module, simulation module, and experimentation and analysis. The library design module supports the building of library knowledge including component classes and elements pertinent to a particular domain of continuous activities, functions, and behavior being modeled. The continuous behavior is defined discretely with respect to invocation statements, effect statements, and time delays. The functionality of the components is defined in terms of variable cluster instances, independent processes, and modes, further defined in terms of mode transition processes and mode dependent processes. Model construction utilizes the hierarchy of libraries and connects them with appropriate relations. The simulation executes a specialized initialization routine and executes events in a manner that includes selective inherency of characteristics through a time and event schema until the event queue in the simulator is emptied. The experimentation and analysis module supports analysis through the generation of appropriate log files and graphics developments and includes the ability of log file comparisons.

Rapid and Low-cost Prototyping of Medical Devices Using 3D Printed Molds for Liquid Injection Molding

PubMed Central

Chung, Philip; Heller, J. Alex; Etemadi, Mozziyar; Ottoson, Paige E.; Liu, Jonathan A.; Rand, Larry; Roy, Shuvo

2014-01-01

Biologically inert elastomers such as silicone are favorable materials for medical device fabrication, but forming and curing these elastomers using traditional liquid injection molding processes can be an expensive process due to tooling and equipment costs. As a result, it has traditionally been impractical to use liquid injection molding for low-cost, rapid prototyping applications. We have devised a method for rapid and low-cost production of liquid elastomer injection molded devices that utilizes fused deposition modeling 3D printers for mold design and a modified desiccator as an injection system. Low costs and rapid turnaround time in this technique lower the barrier to iteratively designing and prototyping complex elastomer devices. Furthermore, CAD models developed in this process can be later adapted for metal mold tooling design, enabling an easy transition to a traditional injection molding process. We have used this technique to manufacture intravaginal probes involving complex geometries, as well as overmolding over metal parts, using tools commonly available within an academic research laboratory. However, this technique can be easily adapted to create liquid injection molded devices for many other applications. PMID:24998993

Conceptual Design Optimization of an Augmented Stability Aircraft Incorporating Dynamic Response and Actuator Constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welstead, Jason; Crouse, Gilbert L., Jr.

2014-01-01

Empirical sizing guidelines such as tail volume coefficients have long been used in the early aircraft design phases for sizing stabilizers, resulting in conservatively stable aircraft. While successful, this results in increased empty weight, reduced performance, and greater procurement and operational cost relative to an aircraft with optimally sized surfaces. Including flight dynamics in the conceptual design process allows the design to move away from empirical methods while implementing modern control techniques. A challenge of flight dynamics and control is the numerous design variables, which are changing fluidly throughout the conceptual design process, required to evaluate the system response to some disturbance. This research focuses on addressing that challenge not by implementing higher order tools, such as computational fluid dynamics, but instead by linking the lower order tools typically used within the conceptual design process so each discipline feeds into the other. In thisresearch, flight dynamics and control was incorporated into the conceptual design process along with the traditional disciplines of vehicle sizing, weight estimation, aerodynamics, and performance. For the controller, a linear quadratic regulator structure with constant gains has been specified to reduce the user input. Coupling all the disciplines in the conceptual design phase allows the aircraft designer to explore larger design spaces where stabilizers are sized according to dynamic response constraints rather than historical static margin and volume coefficient guidelines.

Investigation of Machine Design for Friction Stir Welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romine, Peter L.

1996-01-01

The process of joining two pieces of metal together has not significantly changed over the last few decades. The basic idea used is to bring the pieces together and apply enough heat to melt the metal at the interface. The molten metal mixes and after cooling forms a strong joint. This process is called the fusion process. The most significant difference between the many fusion processes is how the heat is generated and applied. The Welding Institute (TWI), in Great Britain, has recently patented an innovative application of mechanical friction. TWI designed a tool and process called Friction Stir Welding (FSW) that uses friction to heat the metal to within a few hundred degrees Fahrenheit of melting, just to the point of being plastic-like. The tool then stirs the plasticized metal together forming a joint that has been shown to be as good or better than an equivalent fusion joint. The FSW process is well suited for the joining of the aluminum alloys used in the aerospace industry. The relatively low melting point of aluminum eliminates the requirements for exotic materials for pin tool design. The FSW process has been successfully used to join alloys such as 7075 which were before considered "unweldable", and aluminum-lithium 2195 which exhibits many problems when fusion welded. The objective this summer was to investigate the design of a FSW system that could take this process from the laboratory to the manufacturing floor. In particular, it was the goal of my NASA colleague to develop a concept for applying the FSW process to the manufacturing of aluminum cryogenic oxygen and hydrogen tanks, of the sort used to make the Shuttle External Tank.

Application of Multimedia Design Principles to Visuals Used in Course-Books: An Evaluation Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzu, Abdullah; Akbulut, Yavuz; Sahin, Mehmet Can

2007-01-01

This paper introduces an evaluation tool prepared to examine the quality of visuals in course-books. The tool is based on Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (i.e. Generative Theory) and its principles regarding the correct use of illustrations within text. The reason to generate the tool, the development process along with the…

"Development Radar": The Co-Configuration of a Tool in a Learning Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toiviainen, Hanna; Kerosuo, Hannele; Syrjala, Tuula

2009-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to argue that new tools are needed for operating, developing and learning in work-life networks where academic and practice knowledge are intertwined in multiple levels of and in boundary-crossing across activities. At best, tools for learning are designed in a process of co-configuration, as the analysis of one tool,…

78 FR 48912 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Reinstatement, With, of a...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-12

... for analysis in the NCUA Low-Income Designation (LID) Tool. The LID Tool is a geocoding software... the member address data are obtained through the examination process and the results of the LID Tool... may send an electronic member address data file for analysis in the LID Tool. If a credit union does...

78 FR 59377 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Reinstatement, With Change, of a...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-26

... analysis in the NCUA Low-Income Designation (LID) Tool. The LID Tool is a geocoding software program which... data are obtained through the examination process and the results of the LID Tool indicate the credit... electronic member address data file for analysis in the LID Tool. If a credit union does not qualify for a...

Information Design Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettersson, Rune

2014-01-01

Information design has practical and theoretical components. As an academic discipline we may view information design as a combined discipline, a practical theory, or as a theoretical practice. So far information design has incorporated facts, influences, methods, practices, principles, processes, strategies, and tools from a large number of…

Robotic tool positioning process using a multi-line off-axis laser triangulation sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto, T. C.; Matos, G.

2018-03-01

Proper positioning of a friction stir welding head for pin insertion, driven by a closed chain robot, is important to ensure quality repair of cracks. A multi-line off-axis laser triangulation sensor was designed to be integrated to the robot, allowing relative measurements of the surface to be repaired. This work describes the sensor characteristics, its evaluation and the measurement process for tool positioning to a surface point of interest. The developed process uses a point of interest image and a measured point cloud to define the translation and rotation for tool positioning. Sensor evaluation and tests are described. Keywords: laser triangulation, 3D measurement, tool positioning, robotics.

Low Achieving Eighth Graders Learn to Crack Word Problems: A Design Research Project for Aligning a Strategic Scaffolding Tool to Students' Mental Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prediger, Susanne; Krägeloh, Nadine

2015-01-01

Topic-specific didactical design research provides means not only to investigate how to learn but also what to learn, i.e., for specifying learning contents by analyzing students' comprehension processes in detail. This important characteristic of didactical design research is exemplarily shown for students' difficulties in finding symbolic…

Navy Medical Information Storage and Retrieval System: Navy MEDISTARS. TR-1-71-Part 2, Manual of Indexing Terms; First Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey-Klee, Diane M.

A computer-based information storage and retrieval system was designed and implemented for processing Navy neuropsychiatric case history reports. The system design objectives were to produce a dynamic and flexible medical information processing tool. The system that was designed has been given the name NAVY MEDical Information STorage and…

Towards a systems approach to risk considerations for concurrent design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Oberto, Robert E.

2004-01-01

This paper describes the new process used by the Project Design Center at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the identification, assessment and communication of risk elements throughout the lifecycle of a mission design. This process includes a software tool, 'RAP' that collects and communicates risk information between the various designers and a 'risk expert' who mediates this process. The establishment of this process is an attempt towards the systematic consideration of risk in the design decision making process. Using this process, we are able to better keep track of the risks associated with the design decisions. Furthermore, it helps us develop better risk profiles for the studies under consideration. We aim to refine and expand the current process to enable more thorough risk analysis capabilities in the future.

Dataflow Design Tool: User's Manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Robert L., III

1996-01-01

The Dataflow Design Tool is a software tool for selecting a multiprocessor scheduling solution for a class of computational problems. The problems of interest are those that can be described with a dataflow graph and are intended to be executed repetitively on a set of identical processors. Typical applications include signal processing and control law problems. The software tool implements graph-search algorithms and analysis techniques based on the dataflow paradigm. Dataflow analyses provided by the software are introduced and shown to effectively determine performance bounds, scheduling constraints, and resource requirements. The software tool provides performance optimization through the inclusion of artificial precedence constraints among the schedulable tasks. The user interface and tool capabilities are described. Examples are provided to demonstrate the analysis, scheduling, and optimization functions facilitated by the tool.

A Clinical Reasoning Tool for Virtual Patients: Design-Based Research Study.

PubMed

Hege, Inga; Kononowicz, Andrzej A; Adler, Martin

2017-11-02

Clinical reasoning is a fundamental process medical students have to learn during and after medical school. Virtual patients (VP) are a technology-enhanced learning method to teach clinical reasoning. However, VP systems do not exploit their full potential concerning the clinical reasoning process; for example, most systems focus on the outcome and less on the process of clinical reasoning. Keeping our concept grounded in a former qualitative study, we aimed to design and implement a tool to enhance VPs with activities and feedback, which specifically foster the acquisition of clinical reasoning skills. We designed the tool by translating elements of a conceptual clinical reasoning learning framework into software requirements. The resulting clinical reasoning tool enables learners to build their patient's illness script as a concept map when they are working on a VP scenario. The student's map is compared with the experts' reasoning at each stage of the VP, which is technically enabled by using Medical Subject Headings, which is a comprehensive controlled vocabulary published by the US National Library of Medicine. The tool is implemented using Web technologies, has an open architecture that enables its integration into various systems through an open application program interface, and is available under a Massachusetts Institute of Technology license. We conducted usability tests following a think-aloud protocol and a pilot field study with maps created by 64 medical students. The results show that learners interact with the tool but create less nodes and connections in the concept map than an expert. Further research and usability tests are required to analyze the reasons. The presented tool is a versatile, systematically developed software component that specifically supports the clinical reasoning skills acquisition. It can be plugged into VP systems or used as stand-alone software in other teaching scenarios. The modular design allows an extension with new feedback mechanisms and learning analytics algorithms. ©Inga Hege, Andrzej A Kononowicz, Martin Adler. Originally published in JMIR Medical Education (http://mededu.jmir.org), 02.11.2017.

Design and thermal analysis of a mold used in the injection of elastomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fekiri, Nasser; Canto, Cécile; Madec, Yannick; Mousseau, Pierre; Plot, Christophe; Sarda, Alain

2017-10-01

In the process of injection molding of elastomers, improving the energy efficiency of the tools is a current challenge for industry in terms of energy consumption, productivity and product quality. In the rubber industry, 20% of the energy consumed by capital goods comes from heating processes; more than 50% of heat losses are linked to insufficient control and thermal insulation of Molds. The design of the tooling evolves in particular towards the reduction of the heated mass and the thermal insulation of the molds. In this paper, we present a complex tool composed, on one hand, of a multi-cavity mold designed by reducing the heated mass and equipped with independent control zones placed closest to each molding cavity and, on the other hand, of a regulated channel block (RCB) which makes it possible to limit the waste of rubber during the injection. The originality of this tool lies in thermally isolating the regulated channel block from the mold and the cavities between them in order to better control the temperature field in the material which is transformed. We present the design and the instrumentation of the experimental set-up. Experimental measurements allow us to understand the thermal of the tool and to show the thermal heterogeneities on the surface of the mold and in the various cavities. Tests of injection molding of the rubber and a thermal balance on the energy consumption of the tool are carried out.

A Computational Workflow for the Automated Generation of Models of Genetic Designs.

PubMed

Misirli, Göksel; Nguyen, Tramy; McLaughlin, James Alastair; Vaidyanathan, Prashant; Jones, Timothy S; Densmore, Douglas; Myers, Chris; Wipat, Anil

2018-06-05

Computational models are essential to engineer predictable biological systems and to scale up this process for complex systems. Computational modeling often requires expert knowledge and data to build models. Clearly, manual creation of models is not scalable for large designs. Despite several automated model construction approaches, computational methodologies to bridge knowledge in design repositories and the process of creating computational models have still not been established. This paper describes a workflow for automatic generation of computational models of genetic circuits from data stored in design repositories using existing standards. This workflow leverages the software tool SBOLDesigner to build structural models that are then enriched by the Virtual Parts Repository API using Systems Biology Open Language (SBOL) data fetched from the SynBioHub design repository. The iBioSim software tool is then utilized to convert this SBOL description into a computational model encoded using the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML). Finally, this SBML model can be simulated using a variety of methods. This workflow provides synthetic biologists with easy to use tools to create predictable biological systems, hiding away the complexity of building computational models. This approach can further be incorporated into other computational workflows for design automation.

ATC automation concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erzberger, Heinz

1990-01-01

Information on the design of human-centered tools for terminal area air traffic control (ATC) is given in viewgraph form. Information is given on payoffs and products, guidelines, ATC as a team process, automation tools for ATF, and the traffic management advisor.

Application of decomposition techniques to the preliminary design of a transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogan, J. E.; Kolb, M. A.

1987-01-01

A nonlinear constrained optimization problem describing the preliminary design process for a transport aircraft has been formulated. A multifaceted decomposition of the optimization problem has been made. Flight dynamics, flexible aircraft loads and deformations, and preliminary structural design subproblems appear prominently in the decomposition. The use of design process decomposition for scheduling design projects, a new system integration approach to configuration control, and the application of object-centered programming to a new generation of design tools are discussed.

Recipe for Success: Digital Viewables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaPha, Steven; Gaydos, Frank

2014-01-01

The Engineering Services Contract (ESC) and Information Management Communication Support contract (IMCS) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) provide services to NASA in respect to flight and ground systems design and development. These groups provides the necessary tools, aid, and best practice methodologies required for efficient, optimized design and process development. The team is responsible for configuring and implementing systems, software, along with training, documentation, and administering standards. The team supports over 200 engineers and design specialists with the use of Windchill, Creo Parametric, NX, AutoCAD, and a variety of other design and analysis tools.

ED-WAVE tool design approach: Case of a textile wastewater treatment plant in Blantyre, Malawi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chipofya, V.; Kraslawski, A.; Avramenko, Y.

The ED-WAVE tool is a PC based package for imparting training on wastewater treatment technologies. The system consists of four modules viz. Reference Library, Process Builder, Case Study Manager, and Treatment Adviser. The principles of case-based design and case-based reasoning as applied in the ED-WAVE tool are utilised in this paper to evaluate the design approach of the wastewater treatment plant at Mapeto David Whitehead & Sons (MDW&S) textile and garments factory, Blantyre, Malawi. The case being compared with MDW&S in the ED-WAVE tool is Textile Case 4 in Sri Lanka (2003). Equalisation, coagulation and rotating biological contactors is the sequencing of treatment units at Textile Case 4 in Sri Lanka. Screening, oxidation ditches and sedimentation is the sequencing of treatment units at MDW&S textile and garments factory. The study suggests that aerobic biological treatment is necessary in the treatment of wastewater from a textile and garments factory. MDW&S incorporates a sedimentation process which is necessary for the removal of settleable matter before the effluent is discharged to the municipal wastewater treatment plant. The study confirmed the practical use of the ED-WAVE tool in the design of wastewater treatment systems, where after encountering a new situation; already collected decision scenarios (cases) are invoked and modified in order to arrive at a particular design alternative. What is necessary, however, is to appropriately modify the case arrived at through the Case Study Manager in order to come up with a design appropriate to the local situation taking into account technical, socio-economic and environmental aspects.

Aerospace Power Systems Design and Analysis (APSDA) Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truong, Long V.

1998-01-01

The conceptual design of space and/or planetary electrical power systems has required considerable effort. Traditionally, in the early stages of the design cycle (conceptual design), the researchers have had to thoroughly study and analyze tradeoffs between system components, hardware architectures, and operating parameters (such as frequencies) to optimize system mass, efficiency, reliability, and cost. This process could take anywhere from several months to several years (as for the former Space Station Freedom), depending on the scale of the system. Although there are many sophisticated commercial software design tools for personal computers (PC's), none of them can support or provide total system design. To meet this need, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center cooperated with Professor George Kusic from the University of Pittsburgh to develop a new tool to help project managers and design engineers choose the best system parameters as quickly as possible in the early design stages (in days instead of months). It is called the Aerospace Power Systems Design and Analysis (APSDA) Tool. By using this tool, users can obtain desirable system design and operating parameters such as system weight, electrical distribution efficiency, bus power, and electrical load schedule. With APSDA, a large-scale specific power system was designed in a matter of days. It is an excellent tool to help designers make tradeoffs between system components, hardware architectures, and operation parameters in the early stages of the design cycle. user interface. It operates on any PC running the MS-DOS (Microsoft Corp.) operating system, version 5.0 or later. A color monitor (EGA or VGA) and two-button mouse are required. The APSDA tool was presented at the 30th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (IECEC) and is being beta tested at several NASA centers. Beta test packages are available for evaluation by contacting the author.

Methodology for balancing design and process tradeoffs for deep-subwavelength technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graur, Ioana; Wagner, Tina; Ryan, Deborah; Chidambarrao, Dureseti; Kumaraswamy, Anand; Bickford, Jeanne; Styduhar, Mark; Wang, Lee

2011-04-01

For process development of deep-subwavelength technologies, it has become accepted practice to use model-based simulation to predict systematic and parametric failures. Increasingly, these techniques are being used by designers to ensure layout manufacturability, as an alternative to, or complement to, restrictive design rules. The benefit of model-based simulation tools in the design environment is that manufacturability problems are addressed in a design-aware way by making appropriate trade-offs, e.g., between overall chip density and manufacturing cost and yield. The paper shows how library elements and the full ASIC design flow benefit from eliminating hot spots and improving design robustness early in the design cycle. It demonstrates a path to yield optimization and first time right designs implemented in leading edge technologies. The approach described herein identifies those areas in the design that could benefit from being fixed early, leading to design updates and avoiding later design churn by careful selection of design sensitivities. This paper shows how to achieve this goal by using simulation tools incorporating various models from sparse to rigorously physical, pattern detection and pattern matching, checking and validating failure thresholds.

Optimising the design and operation of semi-continuous affinity chromatography for clinical and commercial manufacture.

PubMed

Pollock, James; Bolton, Glen; Coffman, Jon; Ho, Sa V; Bracewell, Daniel G; Farid, Suzanne S

2013-04-05

This paper presents an integrated experimental and modelling approach to evaluate the potential of semi-continuous chromatography for the capture of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in clinical and commercial manufacture. Small-scale single-column experimental breakthrough studies were used to derive design equations for the semi-continuous affinity chromatography system. Verification runs with the semi-continuous 3-column and 4-column periodic counter current (PCC) chromatography system indicated the robustness of the design approach. The product quality profiles and step yields (after wash step optimisation) achieved were comparable to the standard batch process. The experimentally-derived design equations were incorporated into a decisional tool comprising dynamic simulation, process economics and sizing optimisation. The decisional tool was used to evaluate the economic and operational feasibility of whole mAb bioprocesses employing PCC affinity capture chromatography versus standard batch chromatography across a product's lifecycle from clinical to commercial manufacture. The tool predicted that PCC capture chromatography would offer more significant savings in direct costs for early-stage clinical manufacture (proof-of-concept) (∼30%) than for late-stage clinical (∼10-15%) or commercial (∼5%) manufacture. The evaluation also highlighted the potential facility fit issues that could arise with a capture resin (MabSelect) that experiences losses in binding capacity when operated in continuous mode over lengthy commercial campaigns. Consequently, the analysis explored the scenario of adopting the PCC system for clinical manufacture and switching to the standard batch process following product launch. The tool determined the PCC system design required to operate at commercial scale without facility fit issues and with similar costs to the standard batch process whilst pursuing a process change application. A retrofitting analysis established that the direct cost savings obtained by 8 proof-of-concept batches would be sufficient to pay back the investment cost of the pilot-scale semi-continuous chromatography system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Process of Designing for Learning: Understanding University Teachers' Design Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Sue; Agostinho, Shirley; Lockyer, Lori

2017-01-01

Interest in how to support the design work of university teachers has led to research and development initiatives that include technology-based design-support tools, online repositories, and technical specifications. Despite these initiatives, remarkably little is known about the design work that university teachers actually do. This paper…

Primer-BLAST: A tool to design target-specific primers for polymerase chain reaction

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Choosing appropriate primers is probably the single most important factor affecting the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Specific amplification of the intended target requires that primers do not have matches to other targets in certain orientations and within certain distances that allow undesired amplification. The process of designing specific primers typically involves two stages. First, the primers flanking regions of interest are generated either manually or using software tools; then they are searched against an appropriate nucleotide sequence database using tools such as BLAST to examine the potential targets. However, the latter is not an easy process as one needs to examine many details between primers and targets, such as the number and the positions of matched bases, the primer orientations and distance between forward and reverse primers. The complexity of such analysis usually makes this a time-consuming and very difficult task for users, especially when the primers have a large number of hits. Furthermore, although the BLAST program has been widely used for primer target detection, it is in fact not an ideal tool for this purpose as BLAST is a local alignment algorithm and does not necessarily return complete match information over the entire primer range. Results We present a new software tool called Primer-BLAST to alleviate the difficulty in designing target-specific primers. This tool combines BLAST with a global alignment algorithm to ensure a full primer-target alignment and is sensitive enough to detect targets that have a significant number of mismatches to primers. Primer-BLAST allows users to design new target-specific primers in one step as well as to check the specificity of pre-existing primers. Primer-BLAST also supports placing primers based on exon/intron locations and excluding single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites in primers. Conclusions We describe a robust and fully implemented general purpose primer design tool that designs target-specific PCR primers. Primer-BLAST offers flexible options to adjust the specificity threshold and other primer properties. This tool is publicly available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/tools/primer-blast. PMID:22708584

GREENSCOPE: Sustainable Process Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

EPA researchers are responding to environmental problems by incorporating sustainability into process design and evaluation. EPA researchers are also developing a tool that allows users to assess modifications to existing and new chemical processes to determine whether changes in...

Assessing Chemical Process Sustainability with GREENSCOPE

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

GREENSCOPE is a sustainability assessment tool used to evaluate and assist in the design of chemical processes. The goal is to minimize resource use, prevent or reduce releases, and increase the economic feasibility of a chemical process.

DeMAID/GA USER'S GUIDE Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition with a Genetic Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.

1996-01-01

Many companies are looking for new tools and techniques to aid a design manager in making decisions that can reduce the time and cost of a design cycle. One tool that is available to aid in this decision making process is the Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition (DeMAID). Since the initial release of DEMAID in 1989, numerous enhancements have been added to aid the design manager in saving both cost and time in a design cycle. The key enhancement is a genetic algorithm (GA) and the enhanced version is called DeMAID/GA. The GA orders the sequence of design processes to minimize the cost and time to converge to a solution. These enhancements as well as the existing features of the original version of DEMAID are described. Two sample problems are used to show how these enhancements can be applied to improve the design cycle. This report serves as a user's guide for DeMAID/GA.

Development of an Interactive Social Media Tool for Parents with Concerns about Vaccines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoup, Jo Ann; Wagner, Nicole M.; Kraus, Courtney R.; Narwaney, Komal J.; Goddard, Kristin S.; Glanz, Jason M.

2015-01-01

Objective: Describe a process for designing, building, and evaluating a theory-driven social media intervention tool to help reduce parental concerns about vaccination. Method: We developed an interactive web-based tool using quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., survey, focus groups, individual interviews, and usability testing). Results:…

Coring Sample Acquisition Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haddad, Nicolas E.; Murray, Saben D.; Walkemeyer, Phillip E.; Badescu, Mircea; Sherrit, Stewart; Bao, Xiaoqi; Kriechbaum, Kristopher L.; Richardson, Megan; Klein, Kerry J.

2012-01-01

A sample acquisition tool (SAT) has been developed that can be used autonomously to sample drill and capture rock cores. The tool is designed to accommodate core transfer using a sample tube to the IMSAH (integrated Mars sample acquisition and handling) SHEC (sample handling, encapsulation, and containerization) without ever touching the pristine core sample in the transfer process.

Development and Evaluation of Computer-Based Laboratory Practical Learning Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandole, Y. B.

2006-01-01

Effective evaluation of educational software is a key issue for successful introduction of advanced tools in the curriculum. This paper details to developing and evaluating a tool for computer assisted learning of science laboratory courses. The process was based on the generic instructional system design model. Various categories of educational…

A Preliminary Report on the Strength and Metallography of a Bimetallic Friction Stir Weld Joint Between AA6061 and MIL-DTL-46100E High Hardness Steel Armor

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-26

alloy and High Hardness steel armor (MIL- STD-46100) were successfully joined by the friction stir welding (FSW) process using a tungsten- rhenium ...tungsten- rhenium stir tool. Process parameter variation experiments, which included inductive pre-heating, tool design geometry, plunge and traverse

Concept design theory and model for multi-use space facilities: Analysis of key system design parameters through variance of mission requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynerson, Charles Martin

This research has been performed to create concept design and economic feasibility data for space business parks. A space business park is a commercially run multi-use space station facility designed for use by a wide variety of customers. Both space hardware and crew are considered as revenue producing payloads. Examples of commercial markets may include biological and materials research, processing, and production, space tourism habitats, and satellite maintenance and resupply depots. This research develops a design methodology and an analytical tool to create feasible preliminary design information for space business parks. The design tool is validated against a number of real facility designs. Appropriate model variables are adjusted to ensure that statistical approximations are valid for subsequent analyses. The tool is used to analyze the effect of various payload requirements on the size, weight and power of the facility. The approach for the analytical tool was to input potential payloads as simple requirements, such as volume, weight, power, crew size, and endurance. In creating the theory, basic principles are used and combined with parametric estimation of data when necessary. Key system parameters are identified for overall system design. Typical ranges for these key parameters are identified based on real human spaceflight systems. To connect the economics to design, a life-cycle cost model is created based upon facility mass. This rough cost model estimates potential return on investments, initial investment requirements and number of years to return on the initial investment. Example cases are analyzed for both performance and cost driven requirements for space hotels, microgravity processing facilities, and multi-use facilities. In combining both engineering and economic models, a design-to-cost methodology is created for more accurately estimating the commercial viability for multiple space business park markets.

Efficient Multidisciplinary Analysis Approach for Conceptual Design of Aircraft with Large Shape Change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chwalowski, Pawel; Samareh, Jamshid A.; Horta, Lucas G.; Piatak, David J.; McGowan, Anna-Maria R.

2009-01-01

The conceptual and preliminary design processes for aircraft with large shape changes are generally difficult and time-consuming, and the processes are often customized for a specific shape change concept to streamline the vehicle design effort. Accordingly, several existing reports show excellent results of assessing a particular shape change concept or perturbations of a concept. The goal of the current effort was to develop a multidisciplinary analysis tool and process that would enable an aircraft designer to assess several very different morphing concepts early in the design phase and yet obtain second-order performance results so that design decisions can be made with better confidence. The approach uses an efficient parametric model formulation that allows automatic model generation for systems undergoing radical shape changes as a function of aerodynamic parameters, geometry parameters, and shape change parameters. In contrast to other more self-contained approaches, the approach utilizes off-the-shelf analysis modules to reduce development time and to make it accessible to many users. Because the analysis is loosely coupled, discipline modules like a multibody code can be easily swapped for other modules with similar capabilities. One of the advantages of this loosely coupled system is the ability to use the medium- to high-fidelity tools early in the design stages when the information can significantly influence and improve overall vehicle design. Data transfer among the analysis modules are based on an accurate and automated general purpose data transfer tool. In general, setup time for the integrated system presented in this paper is 2-4 days for simple shape change concepts and 1-2 weeks for more mechanically complicated concepts. Some of the key elements briefly described in the paper include parametric model development, aerodynamic database generation, multibody analysis, and the required software modules as well as examples for a telescoping wing, a folding wing, and a bat-like wing. The paper also includes the verification of a medium-fidelity aerodynamic tool used for the aerodynamic database generation with a steady and unsteady high-fidelity CFD analysis tool for a folding wing example.

Advanced metrology by offline SEM data processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakcher, Amine; Schneider, Loïc.; Le-Gratiet, Bertrand; Ducoté, Julien; Farys, Vincent; Besacier, Maxime

2017-06-01

Today's technology nodes contain more and more complex designs bringing increasing challenges to chip manufacturing process steps. It is necessary to have an efficient metrology to assess process variability of these complex patterns and thus extract relevant data to generate process aware design rules and to improve OPC models. Today process variability is mostly addressed through the analysis of in-line monitoring features which are often designed to support robust measurements and as a consequence are not always very representative of critical design rules. CD-SEM is the main CD metrology technique used in chip manufacturing process but it is challenged when it comes to measure metrics like tip to tip, tip to line, areas or necking in high quantity and with robustness. CD-SEM images contain a lot of information that is not always used in metrology. Suppliers have provided tools that allow engineers to extract the SEM contours of their features and to convert them into a GDS. Contours can be seen as the signature of the shape as it contains all the dimensional data. Thus the methodology is to use the CD-SEM to take high quality images then generate SEM contours and create a data base out of them. Contours are used to feed an offline metrology tool that will process them to extract different metrics. It was shown in two previous papers that it is possible to perform complex measurements on hotspots at different process steps (lithography, etch, copper CMP) by using SEM contours with an in-house offline metrology tool. In the current paper, the methodology presented previously will be expanded to improve its robustness and combined with the use of phylogeny to classify the SEM images according to their geometrical proximities.

Further Development and Assessment of a Broadband Liner Optimization Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nark, Douglas M.; Jones, Michael G.; Sutliff, Daniel L.

2016-01-01

The utilization of advanced fan designs (including higher bypass ratios) and shorter engine nacelles has highlighted a need for increased fan noise reduction over a broader frequency range. Thus, improved broadband liner designs must account for these constraints and, where applicable, take advantage of advanced manufacturing techniques that have opened new possibilities for novel configurations. This work focuses on the use of an established broadband acoustic liner optimization process to design a variable-depth, multi-degree of freedom liner for a high speed fan. Specifically, in-duct attenuation predictions with a statistical source model are used to obtain optimum impedance spectra over the conditions of interest. The predicted optimum impedance information is then used with acoustic liner modeling tools to design a liner aimed at producing impedance spectra that most closely match the predicted optimum values. The multi-degree of freedom design is carried through design, fabrication, and testing. In-duct attenuation predictions compare well with measured data and the multi-degree of freedom liner is shown to outperform a more conventional liner over a range of flow conditions. These promising results provide further confidence in the design tool, as well as the enhancements made to the overall design process.

Sandia Advanced MEMS Design Tools, Version 2.2.5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yarberry, Victor; Allen, James; Lantz, Jeffery

2010-01-19

The Sandia National Laboratories Advanced MEMS Design Tools, Version 2.2.5, is a collection of menus, prototype drawings, and executables that provide significant productivity enhancements when using AutoCAD to design MEMS components. This release is designed for AutoCAD 2000i, 2002, or 2004 and is supported under Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or XP. SUMMiT V (Sandia Ultra planar Multi level MEMS Technology) is a 5 level surface micromachine fabrication technology, which customers internal and external to Sandia can access to fabricate prototype MEMS devices. This CD contains an integrated set of electronic files that: a) Describe the SUMMiT V fabrication processmore » b) Facilitate the process of designing MEMS with the SUMMiT process (prototype file, Design Rule Checker, Standard Parts Library) New features in this version: AutoCAD 2004 support has been added. SafeExplode ? a new feature that explodes blocks without affecting polylines (avoids exploding polylines into objects that are ignored by the DRC and Visualization tools). Layer control menu ? a pull-down menu for selecting layers to isolate, freeze, or thaw. Updated tools: A check has been added to catch invalid block names. DRC features: Added username/password validation, added a method to update the user?s password. SNL_DRC_WIDTH ? a value to control the width of the DRC error lines. SNL_BIAS_VALUE ? a value use to offset selected geometry SNL_PROCESS_NAME ? a value to specify the process name Documentation changes: The documentation has been updated to include the new features. While there exist some files on the CD that are used in conjunction with software package AutoCAD, these files are not intended for use independent of the CD. Note that the customer must purchase his/her own copy of AutoCAD to use with these files.« less

Modelling of tunnelling processes and rock cutting tool wear with the particle finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbonell, Josep Maria; Oñate, Eugenio; Suárez, Benjamín

2013-09-01

Underground construction involves all sort of challenges in analysis, design, project and execution phases. The dimension of tunnels and their structural requirements are growing, and so safety and security demands do. New engineering tools are needed to perform a safer planning and design. This work presents the advances in the particle finite element method (PFEM) for the modelling and the analysis of tunneling processes including the wear of the cutting tools. The PFEM has its foundation on the Lagrangian description of the motion of a continuum built from a set of particles with known physical properties. The method uses a remeshing process combined with the alpha-shape technique to detect the contacting surfaces and a finite element method for the mechanical computations. A contact procedure has been developed for the PFEM which is combined with a constitutive model for predicting the excavation front and the wear of cutting tools. The material parameters govern the coupling of frictional contact and wear between the interacting domains at the excavation front. The PFEM allows predicting several parameters which are relevant for estimating the performance of a tunnelling boring machine such as wear in the cutting tools, the pressure distribution on the face of the boring machine and the vibrations produced in the machinery and the adjacent soil/rock. The final aim is to help in the design of the excavating tools and in the planning of the tunnelling operations. The applications presented show that the PFEM is a promising technique for the analysis of tunnelling problems.

Development of a Mobile Clinical Prediction Tool to Estimate Future Depression Severity and Guide Treatment in Primary Care: User-Centered Design.

PubMed

Wachtler, Caroline; Coe, Amy; Davidson, Sandra; Fletcher, Susan; Mendoza, Antonette; Sterling, Leon; Gunn, Jane

2018-04-23

Around the world, depression is both under- and overtreated. The diamond clinical prediction tool was developed to assist with appropriate treatment allocation by estimating the 3-month prognosis among people with current depressive symptoms. Delivering clinical prediction tools in a way that will enhance their uptake in routine clinical practice remains challenging; however, mobile apps show promise in this respect. To increase the likelihood that an app-delivered clinical prediction tool can be successfully incorporated into clinical practice, it is important to involve end users in the app design process. The aim of the study was to maximize patient engagement in an app designed to improve treatment allocation for depression. An iterative, user-centered design process was employed. Qualitative data were collected via 2 focus groups with a community sample (n=17) and 7 semistructured interviews with people with depressive symptoms. The results of the focus groups and interviews were used by the computer engineering team to modify subsequent protoypes of the app. Iterative development resulted in 3 prototypes and a final app. The areas requiring the most substantial changes following end-user input were related to the iconography used and the way that feedback was provided. In particular, communicating risk of future depressive symptoms proved difficult; these messages were consistently misinterpreted and negatively viewed and were ultimately removed. All participants felt positively about seeing their results summarized after completion of the clinical prediction tool, but there was a need for a personalized treatment recommendation made in conjunction with a consultation with a health professional. User-centered design led to valuable improvements in the content and design of an app designed to improve allocation of and engagement in depression treatment. Iterative design allowed us to develop a tool that allows users to feel hope, engage in self-reflection, and motivate them to treatment. The tool is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. ©Caroline Wachtler, Amy Coe, Sandra Davidson, Susan Fletcher, Antonette Mendoza, Leon Sterling, Jane Gunn. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 23.04.2018.

AnyWave: a cross-platform and modular software for visualizing and processing electrophysiological signals.

PubMed

Colombet, B; Woodman, M; Badier, J M; Bénar, C G

2015-03-15

The importance of digital signal processing in clinical neurophysiology is growing steadily, involving clinical researchers and methodologists. There is a need for crossing the gap between these communities by providing efficient delivery of newly designed algorithms to end users. We have developed such a tool which both visualizes and processes data and, additionally, acts as a software development platform. AnyWave was designed to run on all common operating systems. It provides access to a variety of data formats and it employs high fidelity visualization techniques. It also allows using external tools as plug-ins, which can be developed in languages including C++, MATLAB and Python. In the current version, plug-ins allow computation of connectivity graphs (non-linear correlation h2) and time-frequency representation (Morlet wavelets). The software is freely available under the LGPL3 license. AnyWave is designed as an open, highly extensible solution, with an architecture that permits rapid delivery of new techniques to end users. We have developed AnyWave software as an efficient neurophysiological data visualizer able to integrate state of the art techniques. AnyWave offers an interface well suited to the needs of clinical research and an architecture designed for integrating new tools. We expect this software to strengthen the collaboration between clinical neurophysiologists and researchers in biomedical engineering and signal processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of best practice approaches for designing decision support tools: The preparatory education about clinical trials (PRE-ACT) study

PubMed Central

Fleisher, Linda; Ruggieri, Dominique G.; Miller, Suzanne M.; Manne, Sharon; Albrecht, Terrance; Buzaglo, Joanne; Collins, Michael A.; Katz, Michael; Kinzy, Tyler G.; Liu, Tasnuva; Manning, Cheri; Charap, Ellen Specker; Millard, Jennifer; Miller, Dawn M.; Poole, David; Raivitch, Stephanie; Roach, Nancy; Ross, Eric A.; Meropol, Neal J.

2014-01-01

Objective This article describes the rigorous development process and initial feedback of the PRE-ACT (Preparatory Education About Clinical Trials) web-based- intervention designed to improve preparation for decision making in cancer clinical trials. Methods The multi-step process included stakeholder input, formative research, user testing and feedback. Diverse teams (researchers, advocates and developers) participated including content refinement, identification of actors, and development of video scripts. Patient feedback was provided in the final production period and through a vanguard group (N = 100) from the randomized trial. Results Patients/advocates confirmed barriers to cancer clinical trial participation, including lack of awareness and knowledge, fear of side effects, logistical concerns, and mistrust. Patients indicated they liked the tool’s user-friendly nature, the organized and comprehensive presentation of the subject matter, and the clarity of the videos. Conclusion The development process serves as an example of operationalizing best practice approaches and highlights the value of a multi-disciplinary team to develop a theory-based, sophisticated tool that patients found useful in their decision making process. Practice implications Best practice approaches can be addressed and are important to ensure evidence-based tools that are of value to patients and supports the usefulness of a process map in the development of e-health tools. PMID:24813474

Manufacturing process and material selection in concurrent collaborative design of MEMS devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zha, Xuan F.; Du, H.

2003-09-01

In this paper we present knowledge of an intensive approach and system for selecting suitable manufacturing processes and materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices in concurrent collaborative design environment. In the paper, fundamental issues on MEMS manufacturing process and material selection such as concurrent design framework, manufacturing process and material hierarchies, and selection strategy are first addressed. Then, a fuzzy decision support scheme for a multi-criteria decision-making problem is proposed for estimating, ranking and selecting possible manufacturing processes, materials and their combinations. A Web-based prototype advisory system for the MEMS manufacturing process and material selection, WebMEMS-MASS, is developed based on the client-knowledge server architecture and framework to help the designer find good processes and materials for MEMS devices. The system, as one of the important parts of an advanced simulation and modeling tool for MEMS design, is a concept level process and material selection tool, which can be used as a standalone application or a Java applet via the Web. The running sessions of the system are inter-linked with webpages of tutorials and reference pages to explain the facets, fabrication processes and material choices, and calculations and reasoning in selection are performed using process capability and material property data from a remote Web-based database and interactive knowledge base that can be maintained and updated via the Internet. The use of the developed system including operation scenario, use support, and integration with an MEMS collaborative design system is presented. Finally, an illustration example is provided.

The service blueprint as a tool for designing innovative pharmaceutical services.

PubMed

Holdford, D A; Kennedy, D T

1999-01-01

To describe service blueprints, discuss their need and design, and provide examples of their use in advancing pharmaceutical care. Service blueprints are pictures or maps of service processes that permit the people involved in designing, providing, managing, and using the service to better understand them and deal with them objectively. A service blueprint simultaneously depicts the service process and the roles of consumers, service providers, and supporting services. Service blueprints can be useful in pharmacy because many of the obstacles to pharmaceutical care are a result of insufficient planning by service designers and/or poor communication between those designing services and those implementing them. One consequence of this poor design and communication is that many consumers and third party payers are uninformed about pharmacist roles. Service blueprints can be used by pharmacists to promote the value of pharmaceutical care to consumers and other decision makers. They can also assist in designing better pharmaceutical services. Blueprints are designed by identifying and mapping a process from the consumer's point of view, mapping employee actions and support activities, and adding visible evidence of service at each consumer action step. Key components of service blueprints are consumer actions, "onstage" and "backstage" employee actions, and support processes. Blueprints can help pharmacy managers identify and correct problems with the service process, provide pharmacy employees an opportunity to offer feedback in the planning stages of services, and demonstrate the value of pharmaceutical services to consumers. Service blueprints can be a valuable tool for designing, implementing, and evaluating pharmacy services.

STILTS -- Starlink Tables Infrastructure Library Tool Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Mark

STILTS is a set of command-line tools for processing tabular data. It has been designed for, but is not restricted to, use on astronomical data such as source catalogues. It contains both generic (format-independent) table processing tools and tools for processing VOTable documents. Facilities offered include crossmatching, format conversion, format validation, column calculation and rearrangement, row selection, sorting, plotting, statistical calculations and metadata display. Calculations on cell data can be performed using a powerful and extensible expression language. The package is written in pure Java and based on STIL, the Starlink Tables Infrastructure Library. This gives it high portability, support for many data formats (including FITS, VOTable, text-based formats and SQL databases), extensibility and scalability. Where possible the tools are written to accept streamed data so the size of tables which can be processed is not limited by available memory. As well as the tutorial and reference information in this document, detailed on-line help is available from the tools themselves. STILTS is available under the GNU General Public Licence.

Advanced engineering environment collaboration project.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lamph, Jane Ann; Pomplun, Alan R.; Kiba, Grant W.

2008-12-01

The Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE) is a model for an engineering design and communications system that will enhance project collaboration throughout the nuclear weapons complex (NWC). Sandia National Laboratories and Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) worked together on a prototype project to evaluate the suitability of a portion of PTC's Windchill 9.0 suite of data management, design and collaboration tools as the basis for an AEE. The AEE project team implemented Windchill 9.0 development servers in both classified and unclassified domains and used them to test and evaluate the Windchill tool suite relative to the needs of the NWC using weaponsmore » project use cases. A primary deliverable was the development of a new real time collaborative desktop design and engineering process using PDMLink (data management tool), Pro/Engineer (mechanical computer aided design tool) and ProductView Lite (visualization tool). Additional project activities included evaluations of PTC's electrical computer aided design, visualization, and engineering calculations applications. This report documents the AEE project work to share information and lessons learned with other NWC sites. It also provides PTC with recommendations for improving their products for NWC applications.« less

Tool for Rapid Analysis of Monte Carlo Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Restrepo, Carolina; McCall, Kurt E.; Hurtado, John E.

2011-01-01

Designing a spacecraft, or any other complex engineering system, requires extensive simulation and analysis work. Oftentimes, the large amounts of simulation data generated are very di cult and time consuming to analyze, with the added risk of overlooking potentially critical problems in the design. The authors have developed a generic data analysis tool that can quickly sort through large data sets and point an analyst to the areas in the data set that cause specific types of failures. The Tool for Rapid Analysis of Monte Carlo simulations (TRAM) has been used in recent design and analysis work for the Orion vehicle, greatly decreasing the time it takes to evaluate performance requirements. A previous version of this tool was developed to automatically identify driving design variables in Monte Carlo data sets. This paper describes a new, parallel version, of TRAM implemented on a graphical processing unit, and presents analysis results for NASA's Orion Monte Carlo data to demonstrate its capabilities.

On the next generation of reliability analysis tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Babcock, Philip S., IV; Leong, Frank; Gai, Eli

1987-01-01

The current generation of reliability analysis tools concentrates on improving the efficiency of the description and solution of the fault-handling processes and providing a solution algorithm for the full system model. The tools have improved user efficiency in these areas to the extent that the problem of constructing the fault-occurrence model is now the major analysis bottleneck. For the next generation of reliability tools, it is proposed that techniques be developed to improve the efficiency of the fault-occurrence model generation and input. Further, the goal is to provide an environment permitting a user to provide a top-down design description of the system from which a Markov reliability model is automatically constructed. Thus, the user is relieved of the tedious and error-prone process of model construction, permitting an efficient exploration of the design space, and an independent validation of the system's operation is obtained. An additional benefit of automating the model construction process is the opportunity to reduce the specialized knowledge required. Hence, the user need only be an expert in the system he is analyzing; the expertise in reliability analysis techniques is supplied.

Modeling Post-Accident Vehicle Egress

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

interest for military situations may involve rolled-over vehicles for which detailed movement data are not available. In the current design process...test trials. These evaluations are expensive and time-consuming, and are often performed late in the design process when it is too difficult to...alter the design if weaknesses are discovered. Yet, due to the limitations of current software tools, digital human models (DHMs) are not yet widely

Use of Concurrent Engineering in Space Mission Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, S.

2000-01-01

In recent years, conceptual-phase (proposal level) design of space missions has been improved considerably. Team structures, tool linkage, specialized facilities known as design centers and scripted processes have been demonstrated to cut proposal-level engineering design time from a few months to a few weeks.

Designers' unified cost model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, W.; Ilcewicz, L.; Swanson, G.; Gutowski, T.

1992-01-01

The Structures Technology Program Office (STPO) at NASA LaRC has initiated development of a conceptual and preliminary designers' cost prediction model. The model will provide a technically sound method for evaluating the relative cost of different composite structural designs, fabrication processes, and assembly methods that can be compared to equivalent metallic parts or assemblies. The feasibility of developing cost prediction software in a modular form for interfacing with state-of-the-art preliminary design tools and computer aided design programs is being evaluated. The goal of this task is to establish theoretical cost functions that relate geometric design features to summed material cost and labor content in terms of process mechanics and physics. The output of the designers' present analytical tools will be input for the designers' cost prediction model to provide the designer with a database and deterministic cost methodology that allows one to trade and synthesize designs with both cost and weight as objective functions for optimization. This paper presents the team members, approach, goals, plans, and progress to date for development of COSTADE (Cost Optimization Software for Transport Aircraft Design Evaluation).

On the design of computer-based models for integrated environmental science.

PubMed

McIntosh, Brian S; Jeffrey, Paul; Lemon, Mark; Winder, Nick

2005-06-01

The current research agenda in environmental science is dominated by calls to integrate science and policy to better understand and manage links between social (human) and natural (nonhuman) processes. Freshwater resource management is one area where such calls can be heard. Designing computer-based models for integrated environmental science poses special challenges to the research community. At present it is not clear whether such tools, or their outputs, receive much practical policy or planning application. It is argued that this is a result of (1) a lack of appreciation within the research modeling community of the characteristics of different decision-making processes including policy, planning, and (2) participation, (3) a lack of appreciation of the characteristics of different decision-making contexts, (4) the technical difficulties in implementing the necessary support tool functionality, and (5) the socio-technical demands of designing tools to be of practical use. This article presents a critical synthesis of ideas from each of these areas and interprets them in terms of design requirements for computer-based models being developed to provide scientific information support for policy and planning. Illustrative examples are given from the field of freshwater resources management. Although computer-based diagramming and modeling tools can facilitate processes of dialogue, they lack adequate simulation capabilities. Component-based models and modeling frameworks provide such functionality and may be suited to supporting problematic or messy decision contexts. However, significant technical (implementation) and socio-technical (use) challenges need to be addressed before such ambition can be realized.

Teaching a Foreign Language to Deaf People via Vodcasting & Web 2.0 Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drigas, Athanasios; Vrettaros, John; Tagoulis, Alexandors; Kouremenos, Dimitris

This paper presents the design and development of an e-learning course in teaching deaf people in a foreign language, whose first language is the sign language. The course is based in e-material, vodcasting and web 2.0 tools such as social networking and blog The course has been designed especially for deaf people and it is exploring the possibilities that e-learning material vodcasting and web 2.0 tools can offer to enhance the learning process and achieve more effective learning results.

Application programs written by using customizing tools of a computer-aided design system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, X.; Huang, R.; Juricic, D.

1995-12-31

Customizing tools of Computer-Aided Design Systems have been developed to such a degree as to become equivalent to powerful higher-level programming languages that are especially suitable for graphics applications. Two examples of application programs written by using AutoCAD`s customizing tools are given in some detail to illustrate their power. One tool uses AutoLISP list-processing language to develop an application program that produces four views of a given solid model. The other uses AutoCAD Developmental System, based on program modules written in C, to produce an application program that renders a freehand sketch from a given CAD drawing.

Integrating Data Sources for Process Sustainability ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

To perform a chemical process sustainability assessment requires significant data about chemicals, process design specifications, and operating conditions. The required information includes the identity of the chemicals used, the quantities of the chemicals within the context of the sustainability assessment, physical properties of these chemicals, equipment inventory, as well as health, environmental, and safety properties of the chemicals. Much of this data are currently available to the process engineer either from the process design in the chemical process simulation software or online through chemical property and environmental, health, and safety databases. Examples of these databases include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA’s) Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH’s) Hazardous Substance Database (HSDB), and National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) Chemistry Webbook. This presentation will provide methods and procedures for extracting chemical identity and flow information from process design tools (such as chemical process simulators) and chemical property information from the online databases. The presentation will also demonstrate acquisition and compilation of the data for use in the EPA’s GREENSCOPE process sustainability analysis tool. This presentation discusses acquisition of data for use in rapid LCI development.

Graphic Design Is Not a Medium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruber, John Edward, Jr.

2001-01-01

Discusses graphic design and reviews its development from analog processes to a digital tool with the use of computers. Topics include graphical user interfaces; the need for visual communication concepts; transmedia as opposed to repurposing; and graphic design instruction in higher education. (LRW)

A Modeling Tool for Household Biogas Burner Flame Port Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Decker, Thomas J.

Anaerobic digestion is a well-known and potentially beneficial process for rural communities in emerging markets, providing the opportunity to generate usable gaseous fuel from agricultural waste. With recent developments in low-cost digestion technology, communities across the world are gaining affordable access to the benefits of anaerobic digestion derived biogas. For example, biogas can displace conventional cooking fuels such as biomass (wood, charcoal, dung) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), effectively reducing harmful emissions and fuel cost respectively. To support the ongoing scaling effort of biogas in rural communities, this study has developed and tested a design tool aimed at optimizing flame port geometry for household biogas-fired burners. The tool consists of a multi-component simulation that incorporates three-dimensional CAD designs with simulated chemical kinetics and computational fluid dynamics. An array of circular and rectangular port designs was developed for a widely available biogas stove (called the Lotus) as part of this study. These port designs were created through guidance from previous studies found in the literature. The three highest performing designs identified by the tool were manufactured and tested experimentally to validate tool output and to compare against the original port geometry. The experimental results aligned with the tool's prediction for the three chosen designs. Each design demonstrated improved thermal efficiency relative to the original, with one configuration of circular ports exhibiting superior performance. The results of the study indicated that designing for a targeted range of port hydraulic diameter, velocity and mixture density in the tool is a relevant way to improve the thermal efficiency of a biogas burner. Conversely, the emissions predictions made by the tool were found to be unreliable and incongruent with laboratory experiments.

Issues in developing valid assessments of speech pathology students' performance in the workplace.

PubMed

McAllister, Sue; Lincoln, Michelle; Ferguson, Alison; McAllister, Lindy

2010-01-01

Workplace-based learning is a critical component of professional preparation in speech pathology. A validated assessment of this learning is seen to be 'the gold standard', but it is difficult to develop because of design and validation issues. These issues include the role and nature of judgement in assessment, challenges in measuring quality, and the relationship between assessment and learning. Valid assessment of workplace-based performance needs to capture the development of competence over time and account for both occupation specific and generic competencies. This paper reviews important conceptual issues in the design of valid and reliable workplace-based assessments of competence including assessment content, process, impact on learning, measurement issues, and validation strategies. It then goes on to share what has been learned about quality assessment and validation of a workplace-based performance assessment using competency-based ratings. The outcomes of a four-year national development and validation of an assessment tool are described. A literature review of issues in conceptualizing, designing, and validating workplace-based assessments was conducted. Key factors to consider in the design of a new tool were identified and built into the cycle of design, trialling, and data analysis in the validation stages of the development process. This paper provides an accessible overview of factors to consider in the design and validation of workplace-based assessment tools. It presents strategies used in the development and national validation of a tool COMPASS, used in an every speech pathology programme in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The paper also describes Rasch analysis, a model-based statistical approach which is useful for establishing validity and reliability of assessment tools. Through careful attention to conceptual and design issues in the development and trialling of workplace-based assessments, it has been possible to develop the world's first valid and reliable national assessment tool for the assessment of performance in speech pathology.

Analysis of Cryogenic Cycle with Process Modeling Tool: Aspen HYSYS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, D. M.; Patel, H. K.

2015-10-01

Cryogenic engineering deals with the development and improvement of low temperature techniques, processes and equipment. A process simulator such as Aspen HYSYS, for the design, analysis, and optimization of process plants, has features that accommodate the special requirements and therefore can be used to simulate most cryogenic liquefaction and refrigeration processes. Liquefaction is the process of cooling or refrigerating a gas to a temperature below its critical temperature so that liquid can be formed at some suitable pressure which is below the critical pressure. Cryogenic processes require special attention in terms of the integration of various components like heat exchangers, Joule-Thompson Valve, Turbo expander and Compressor. Here, Aspen HYSYS, a process modeling tool, is used to understand the behavior of the complete plant. This paper presents the analysis of an air liquefaction plant based on the Linde cryogenic cycle, performed using the Aspen HYSYS process modeling tool. It covers the technique used to find the optimum values for getting the maximum liquefaction of the plant considering different constraints of other parameters. The analysis result so obtained gives clear idea in deciding various parameter values before implementation of the actual plant in the field. It also gives an idea about the productivity and profitability of the given configuration plant which leads to the design of an efficient productive plant.

Automated CAD design for sculptured airfoil surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, S. D.; Yeagley, S. R.

1990-11-01

The design of tightly tolerated sculptured surfaces such as those for airfoils requires a significant design effort in order to machine the tools to create these surfaces. Because of the quantity of numerical data required to describe the airfoil surfaces, a CAD approach is required. Although this approach will result in productivity gains, much larger gains can be achieved by automating the design process. This paper discusses an application which resulted in an eightfold improvement in productivity by automating the design process on the CAD system.

A system approach to aircraft optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1991-01-01

Mutual couplings among the mathematical models of physical phenomena and parts of a system such as an aircraft complicate the design process because each contemplated design change may have a far reaching consequence throughout the system. Techniques are outlined for computing these influences as system design derivatives useful for both judgemental and formal optimization purposes. The techniques facilitate decomposition of the design process into smaller, more manageable tasks and they form a methodology that can easily fit into existing engineering organizations and incorporate their design tools.

Advances in the production of freeform optical surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tohme, Yazid E.; Luniya, Suneet S.

2007-05-01

Recent market demands for free-form optics have challenged the industry to find new methods and techniques to manufacture free-form optical surfaces with a high level of accuracy and reliability. Production techniques are becoming a mix of multi-axis single point diamond machining centers or deterministic ultra precision grinding centers coupled with capable measurement systems to accomplish the task. It has been determined that a complex software tool is required to seamlessly integrate all aspects of the manufacturing process chain. Advances in computational power and improved performance of computer controlled precision machinery have driven the use of such software programs to measure, visualize, analyze, produce and re-validate the 3D free-form design thus making the process of manufacturing such complex surfaces a viable task. Consolidation of the entire production cycle in a comprehensive software tool that can interact with all systems in design, production and measurement phase will enable manufacturers to solve these complex challenges providing improved product quality, simplified processes, and enhanced performance. The work being presented describes the latest advancements in developing such software package for the entire fabrication process chain for aspheric and free-form shapes. It applies a rational B-spline based kernel to transform an optical design in the form of parametrical definition (optical equation), standard CAD format, or a cloud of points to a central format that drives the simulation. This software tool creates a closed loop for the fabrication process chain. It integrates surface analysis and compensation, tool path generation, and measurement analysis in one package.

Dynamic Modeling of Process Technologies for Closed-Loop Water Recovery Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allada, Rama Kumar; Lange, Kevin; Anderson, Molly

2011-01-01

Detailed chemical process simulations are a useful tool in designing and optimizing complex systems and architectures for human life support. Dynamic and steady-state models of these systems help contrast the interactions of various operating parameters and hardware designs, which become extremely useful in trade-study analyses. NASA s Exploration Life Support technology development project recently made use of such models to compliment a series of tests on different waste water distillation systems. This paper presents dynamic simulations of chemical process for primary processor technologies including: the Cascade Distillation System (CDS), the Vapor Compression Distillation (VCD) system, the Wiped-Film Rotating Disk (WFRD), and post-distillation water polishing processes such as the Volatiles Removal Assembly (VRA) that were developed using the Aspen Custom Modeler and Aspen Plus process simulation tools. The results expand upon previous work for water recovery technology models and emphasize dynamic process modeling and results. The paper discusses system design, modeling details, and model results for each technology and presents some comparisons between the model results and available test data. Following these initial comparisons, some general conclusions and forward work are discussed.

Modeling interdependencies between business and communication processes in hospitals.

PubMed

Brigl, Birgit; Wendt, Thomas; Winter, Alfred

2003-01-01

The optimization and redesign of business processes in hospitals is an important challenge for the hospital information management who has to design and implement a suitable HIS architecture. Nevertheless, there are no tools available specializing in modeling information-driven business processes and the consequences on the communication between information processing, tools. Therefore, we will present an approach which facilitates the representation and analysis of business processes and resulting communication processes between application components and their interdependencies. This approach aims not only to visualize those processes, but to also to evaluate if there are weaknesses concerning the information processing infrastructure which hinder the smooth implementation of the business processes.

Effects of Thinking Style on Design Strategies: Using Bridge Construction Simulation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Chuen-Tsai; Wang, Dai-Yi; Chang, Yu-Yeh

2013-01-01

Computer simulation users can freely control operational factors and simulation results, repeat processes, make changes, and learn from simulation environment feedback. The focus of this paper is on simulation-based design tools and their effects on student learning processes in a group of 101 Taiwanese senior high school students. Participants…

TU-AB-BRD-01: Process Mapping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palta, J.

2015-06-15

Current quality assurance and quality management guidelines provided by various professional organizations are prescriptive in nature, focusing principally on performance characteristics of planning and delivery devices. However, published analyses of events in radiation therapy show that most events are often caused by flaws in clinical processes rather than by device failures. This suggests the need for the development of a quality management program that is based on integrated approaches to process and equipment quality assurance. Industrial engineers have developed various risk assessment tools that are used to identify and eliminate potential failures from a system or a process before amore » failure impacts a customer. These tools include, but are not limited to, process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis, fault tree analysis. Task Group 100 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has developed these tools and used them to formulate an example risk-based quality management program for intensity-modulated radiotherapy. This is a prospective risk assessment approach that analyzes potential error pathways inherent in a clinical process and then ranks them according to relative risk, typically before implementation, followed by the design of a new process or modification of the existing process. Appropriate controls are then put in place to ensure that failures are less likely to occur and, if they do, they will more likely be detected before they propagate through the process, compromising treatment outcome and causing harm to the patient. Such a prospective approach forms the basis of the work of Task Group 100 that has recently been approved by the AAPM. This session will be devoted to a discussion of these tools and practical examples of how these tools can be used in a given radiotherapy clinic to develop a risk based quality management program. Learning Objectives: Learn how to design a process map for a radiotherapy process Learn how to perform failure modes and effects analysis analysis for a given process Learn what fault trees are all about Learn how to design a quality management program based upon the information obtained from process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analysis. Dunscombe: Director, TreatSafely, LLC and Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences; Consultant to IAEA and Varian Thomadsen: President, Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences Palta: Vice President of the Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences.« less

Improving Patient Experience and Primary Care Quality for Patients With Complex Chronic Disease Using the Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes Tool: Adopting Qualitative Methods Into a User-Centered Design Approach

PubMed Central

Khan, Anum Irfan; Kuluski, Kerry; McKillop, Ian; Sharpe, Sarah; Bierman, Arlene S; Lyons, Renee F; Cott, Cheryl

2016-01-01

Background Many mHealth technologies do not meet the needs of patients with complex chronic disease and disabilities (CCDDs) who are among the highest users of health systems worldwide. Furthermore, many of the development methodologies used in the creation of mHealth and eHealth technologies lack the ability to embrace users with CCDD in the specification process. This paper describes how we adopted and modified development techniques to create the electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePRO) tool, a patient-centered mHealth solution to help improve primary health care for patients experiencing CCDD. Objective This paper describes the design and development approach, specifically the process of incorporating qualitative research methods into user-centered design approaches to create the ePRO tool. Key lessons learned are offered as a guide for other eHealth and mHealth research and technology developers working with complex patient populations and their primary health care providers. Methods Guided by user-centered design principles, interpretive descriptive qualitative research methods were adopted to capture user experiences through interviews and working groups. Consistent with interpretive descriptive methods, an iterative analysis technique was used to generate findings, which were then organized in relation to the tool design and function to help systematically inform modifications to the tool. User feedback captured and analyzed through this method was used to challenge the design and inform the iterative development of the tool. Results Interviews with primary health care providers (n=7) and content experts (n=6), and four focus groups with patients and carers (n=14) along with a PICK analysis—Possible, Implementable, (to be) Challenged, (to be) Killed—guided development of the first prototype. The initial prototype was presented in three design working groups with patients/carers (n=5), providers (n=6), and experts (n=5). Working group findings were broken down into categories of what works and what does not work to inform modifications to the prototype. This latter phase led to a major shift in the purpose and design of the prototype, validating the importance of using iterative codesign processes. Conclusions Interpretive descriptive methods allow for an understanding of user experiences of patients with CCDD, their carers, and primary care providers. Qualitative methods help to capture and interpret user needs, and identify contextual barriers and enablers to tool adoption, informing a redesign to better suit the needs of this diverse user group. This study illustrates the value of adopting interpretive descriptive methods into user-centered mHealth tool design and can also serve to inform the design of other eHealth technologies. Our approach is particularly useful in requirements determination when developing for a complex user group and their health care providers. PMID:26892952

Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) Systems Integration Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Tracy; Merbitz, Jerad; Kennedy, Kriss; Tri, Terry; Toups, Larry; Howe, A. Scott

2011-01-01

The Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) project team constructed an analog prototype lunar surface laboratory called the Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM). The prototype unit subsystems were integrated in a short amount of time, utilizing a rapid prototyping approach that brought together over 20 habitation-related technologies from a variety of NASA centers. This paper describes the system integration strategies and lessons learned, that allowed the PEM to be brought from paper design to working field prototype using a multi-center team. The system integration process was based on a rapid prototyping approach. Tailored design review and test and integration processes facilitated that approach. The use of collaboration tools including electronic tools as well as documentation enabled a geographically distributed team take a paper concept to an operational prototype in approximately one year. One of the major tools used in the integration strategy was a coordinated effort to accurately model all the subsystems using computer aided design (CAD), so conflicts were identified before physical components came together. A deliberate effort was made following the deployment of the HDU PEM for field operations to collect lessons learned to facilitate process improvement and inform the design of future flight or analog versions of habitat systems. Significant items within those lessons learned were limitations with the CAD integration approach and the impact of shell design on flexibility of placing systems within the HDU shell.

Numerical continuation and bifurcation analysis in aircraft design: an industrial perspective.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjiv; Coetzee, Etienne B; Lowenberg, Mark H; Neild, Simon A; Krauskopf, Bernd

2015-09-28

Bifurcation analysis is a powerful method for studying the steady-state nonlinear dynamics of systems. Software tools exist for the numerical continuation of steady-state solutions as parameters of the system are varied. These tools make it possible to generate 'maps of solutions' in an efficient way that provide valuable insight into the overall dynamic behaviour of a system and potentially to influence the design process. While this approach has been employed in the military aircraft control community to understand the effectiveness of controllers, the use of bifurcation analysis in the wider aircraft industry is yet limited. This paper reports progress on how bifurcation analysis can play a role as part of the design process for passenger aircraft. © 2015 The Author(s).

Simulation technology - A key to effective man-machine integration for future combat rotorcraft systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, Andrew W.

1990-01-01

The utilization of advanced simulation technology in the development of the non-real-time MANPRINT design tools in the Army/NASA Aircrew-Aircraft Integration (A3I) program is described. A description is then given of the Crew Station Research and Development Facilities, the primary tool for the application of MANPRINT principles. The purpose of the A3I program is to develop a rational, predictive methodology for helicopter cockpit system design that integrates human factors engineering with other principles at an early stage in the development process, avoiding the high cost of previous system design methods. Enabling technologies such as the MIDAS work station are examined, and the potential of low-cost parallel-processing systems is indicated.

Design and analysis of lifting tool assemblies to lift different engine block

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawant, Arpana; Deshmukh, Nilaj N.; Chauhan, Santosh; Dabhadkar, Mandar; Deore, Rupali

2017-07-01

Engines block are required to be lifted from one place to another while they are being processed. The human effort required for this purpose is more and also the engine block may get damaged if it is not handled properly. There is a need for designing a proper lifting tool which will be able to conveniently lift the engine block and place it at the desired position without any accident and damage to the engine block. In the present study lifting tool assemblies are designed and analyzed in such way that it may lift different categories of engine blocks. The lifting tool assembly consists of lifting plate, lifting ring, cap screws and washers. A parametric model and assembly of Lifting tool is done in 3D modelling software CREO 2.0 and analysis is carried out in ANSYS Workbench 16.0. A test block of weight equivalent to that of an engine block is considered for the purpose of analysis. In the preliminary study, without washer the stresses obtained on the lifting tool were more than the safety margin. In the present design, washers were used with appropriate dimensions which helps to bring down the stresses on the lifting tool within the safety margin. Analysis is carried out to verify that tool design meets the ASME BTH-1 required safety margin.

Process Development for the Design and Manufacturing of Personalizable Mouth Sticks.

PubMed

Berger, Veronika M; Pölzer, Stephan; Nussbaum, Gerhard; Ernst, Waltraud; Major, Zoltan

2017-01-01

To increase the independence of people with reduced hand/arm functionality, a process to generate personalizable mouth sticks was developed based on the participatory design principle. In a web tool, anybody can choose the geometry and the materials of their mouth piece, stick and tip. Manufacturing techniques (e.g. 3D printing) and materials used in the process are discussed and evaluated.

A Usability Study of Users’ Perceptions Toward a Multimedia Computer-Assisted Learning Tool for Neuroanatomy

PubMed Central

Gould, Douglas J.; Terrell, Mark A.; Fleming, Jo

2015-01-01

This usability study evaluated users’ perceptions of a multimedia prototype for a new e-learning tool: Anatomy of the Central Nervous System: A Multimedia Course. Usability testing is a collection of formative evaluation methods that inform the developmental design of e-learning tools to maximize user acceptance, satisfaction, and adoption. Sixty-two study participants piloted the prototype and completed a usability questionnaire designed to measure two usability properties: program need and program applicability. Statistical analyses were used to test the hypothesis that the multimedia prototype was well designed and highly usable, it was perceived as: 1) highly needed across a spectrum of educational contexts, 2) highly applicable in supporting the pedagogical processes of teaching and learning neuroanatomy, and 3) was highly usable by all types of users. Three independent variables represented user differences: level of expertise (faculty vs. student), age, and gender. Analysis of the results supports the research hypotheses that the prototype was designed well for different types of users in various educational contexts and for supporting the pedagogy of neuroanatomy. In addition, the results suggest that the multimedia program will be most useful as a neuroanatomy review tool for health-professions students preparing for licensing or board exams. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating quality properties of usability with principles of human learning during the instructional design process for multimedia products. PMID:19177405

Architectural evaluation of dynamic and partial reconfigurable systems designed with DREAMS tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otero, Andrés.; Gallego, Ángel; de la Torre, Eduardo; Riesgo, Teresa

2013-05-01

Benefits of dynamic and partial reconfigurable systems are increasingly being more accepted by the industry. For this reason, SRAM-based FPGA manufacturers have improved, or even included for the first time, the support they offer for the design of this kind of systems. However, commercial tools still offer a poor flexibility, which leads to a limited efficiency. This is witnessed by the overhead introduced by the communication primitives, as well as by the inability to relocate reconfigurable modules, among others. For this reason, authors have proposed an academic design tool called DREAMS, which targets the design of dynamically reconfigurable systems. In this paper, main features offered by DREAMS are described, comparing them with existing commercial and academic tools. Moreover, a graphic user interface (GUI) is originally described in this work, with the aim of simplifying the design process, as well as to hide the low level device dependent details to the system designer. The overall goal is to increase the designer productivity. Using the graphic interface, different reconfigurable architectures are provided as design examples. Among them, both conventional slot-based architectures and mesh type designs have been included.

Design of a high pulse repitition frequency carbon dioxide laser for processing high damage threshold materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatwin, Christopher R.; McDonald, Donald W.; Scott, Brian F.

1989-07-01

The absence of an applications led design philosophy has compromised both the development of laser source technology and its effective implementation into manufacturing technology in particular. For example, CO2 lasers are still incapable of processing classes of refractory and non-ferrous metals. Whilst the scope of this paper is restricted to high power CO2 lasers; the design methodology reported herein is applicable to source technology in general, which when exploited, will effect an expansion of applications. The CO2 laser operational envelope should not only be expanded to incorporate high damage threshold materials but also offer a greater degree of controllability. By a combination of modelling and experimentation the requisite beam characteristics, at the workpiece, were determined then utilised to design the Laser Manufacturing System. The design of sub-system elements was achieved by a combination of experimentation and simulation which benefited from a comprehensive set of software tools. By linking these tools the physical processes in the laser - electron processes in the plasma, the history of photons in the resonator, etc. - can be related, in a detailed model, to the heating mechanisms in the workpiece.

A Framework for Automating Cost Estimates in Assembly Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Calton, T.L.; Peters, R.R.

1998-12-09

When a product concept emerges, the manufacturing engineer is asked to sketch out a production strategy and estimate its cost. The engineer is given an initial product design, along with a schedule of expected production volumes. The engineer then determines the best approach to manufacturing the product, comparing a variey of alternative production strategies. The engineer must consider capital cost, operating cost, lead-time, and other issues in an attempt to maximize pro$ts. After making these basic choices and sketching the design of overall production, the engineer produces estimates of the required capital, operating costs, and production capacity. 177is process maymore » iterate as the product design is refined in order to improve its pe~ormance or manufacturability. The focus of this paper is on the development of computer tools to aid manufacturing engineers in their decision-making processes. This computer sof~are tool provides aj?amework in which accurate cost estimates can be seamlessly derivedfiom design requirements at the start of any engineering project. Z+e result is faster cycle times through first-pass success; lower ll~e cycie cost due to requirements-driven design and accurate cost estimates derived early in the process.« less

Tools to Develop or Convert MOVES Inputs

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The following tools are designed to help users develop inputs to MOVES and post-process the output. With the release of MOVES2014, EPA strongly encourages state and local agencies to develop local inputs based on MOVES fleet and activity categories.

Optimization technique for rolled edge control process based on the acentric tool influence functions.

PubMed

Du, Hang; Song, Ci; Li, Shengyi; Xu, Mingjin; Peng, Xiaoqiang

2017-05-20

In the process of computer controlled optical surfacing (CCOS), the uncontrollable rolled edge restricts further improvements of the machining accuracy and efficiency. Two reasons are responsible for the rolled edge problem during small tool polishing. One is that the edge areas cannot be processed because of the orbit movement. The other is that changing the tool influence function (TIF) is difficult to compensate for in algorithms, since pressure step appears in the local pressure distribution at the surface edge. In this paper, an acentric tool influence function (A-TIF) is designed to remove the rolled edge after CCOS polishing. The model of A-TIF is analyzed theoretically, and a control point translation dwell time algorithm is used to verify that the full aperture of the workpiece can be covered by the peak removal point of the tool influence functions. Thus, surface residual error in the full aperture can be effectively corrected. Finally, the experiments are carried out. Two fused silica glass samples of 100  mm×100  mm are polished by traditional CCOS and the A-TIF method, respectively. The rolled edge was clearly produced in the sample polished by the traditional CCOS, while residual errors do not show this problem the sample polished by the A-TIF method. Therefore, the rolled edge caused by the traditional CCOS process is successfully suppressed during the A-TIF process. The ability to suppress the rolled edge of the designed A-TIF has been confirmed.

Performance and Reliability Optimization for Aerospace Systems subject to Uncertainty and Degradation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, David W.; Uebelhart, Scott A.; Blaurock, Carl

2004-01-01

This report summarizes work performed by the Space Systems Laboratory (SSL) for NASA Langley Research Center in the field of performance optimization for systems subject to uncertainty. The objective of the research is to develop design methods and tools to the aerospace vehicle design process which take into account lifecycle uncertainties. It recognizes that uncertainty between the predictions of integrated models and data collected from the system in its operational environment is unavoidable. Given the presence of uncertainty, the goal of this work is to develop means of identifying critical sources of uncertainty, and to combine these with the analytical tools used with integrated modeling. In this manner, system uncertainty analysis becomes part of the design process, and can motivate redesign. The specific program objectives were: 1. To incorporate uncertainty modeling, propagation and analysis into the integrated (controls, structures, payloads, disturbances, etc.) design process to derive the error bars associated with performance predictions. 2. To apply modern optimization tools to guide in the expenditure of funds in a way that most cost-effectively improves the lifecycle productivity of the system by enhancing the subsystem reliability and redundancy. The results from the second program objective are described. This report describes the work and results for the first objective: uncertainty modeling, propagation, and synthesis with integrated modeling.

School Turnaround Teachers: Selection Toolkit. Part of the School Turnaround Collection from Public Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Impact, 2008

2008-01-01

This toolkit includes these separate sections: (1) Selection Preparation Guide; (2) Day-of-Interview Tools; (3) Candidate Rating Tools; and (4) Candidate Comparison and Decision Tools. Each of the sections is designed to be used at different stages of the selection process. The first section provides turnaround teacher competencies that are the…

School Turnaround Leaders: Selection Toolkit. Part of the School Turnaround Collection from Public Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Impact, 2008

2008-01-01

This toolkit includes the following separate sections: (1) Selection Preparation Guide; (2) Day-of-Interview Tools; (3) Candidate Rating Tools; and (4) Candidate Comparison and Decision Tools. Each of the sections is designed to be used at different stages of the selection process. The first section provides a list of competencies that would…

Can the Computer Design a School Building?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Charles

The implications of computer technology and architecture are discussed with reference to school building design. A brief introduction is given of computer applications in other fields leading to the conclusions that computers alone cannot design school buildings but may serve as a useful tool in the overall design process. Specific examples are…

National Combustion Code: A Multidisciplinary Combustor Design System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stubbs, Robert M.; Liu, Nan-Suey

1997-01-01

The Internal Fluid Mechanics Division conducts both basic research and technology, and system technology research for aerospace propulsion systems components. The research within the division, which is both computational and experimental, is aimed at improving fundamental understanding of flow physics in inlets, ducts, nozzles, turbomachinery, and combustors. This article and the following three articles highlight some of the work accomplished in 1996. A multidisciplinary combustor design system is critical for optimizing the combustor design process. Such a system should include sophisticated computer-aided design (CAD) tools for geometry creation, advanced mesh generators for creating solid model representations, a common framework for fluid flow and structural analyses, modern postprocessing tools, and parallel processing. The goal of the present effort is to develop some of the enabling technologies and to demonstrate their overall performance in an integrated system called the National Combustion Code.

Making sense from space-time data in laboratory experiments on space plasma processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gekelman, Walter; Bamber, James; Leneman, David; Vincena, Steve; Maggs, James; Rosenberg, Steve

1995-01-01

A number of visualization techniques are discussed in a laboratory experiment designed to study phenomena that occur in space. Visualization tools are used to design the apparatus, collect data, and make one-, two-, and three-dimensional plots of the results. These tools are an indispensable part of the experiment because the data sets are hundreds of megabytes in size and rapid turnaround is required.

Application of Design of Experiments and Surrogate Modeling within the NASA Advanced Concepts Office, Earth-to-Orbit Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zwack, Mathew R.; Dees, Patrick D.; Holt, James B.

2016-01-01

Decisions made during early conceptual design have a large impact upon the expected life-cycle cost (LCC) of a new program. It is widely accepted that up to 80% of such cost is committed during these early design phases. Therefore, to help minimize LCC, decisions made during conceptual design must be based upon as much information as possible. To aid in the decision making for new launch vehicle programs, the Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) provides rapid turnaround pre-phase A and phase A concept definition studies. The ACO team utilizes a proven set of tools to provide customers with a full vehicle mass breakdown to tertiary subsystems, preliminary structural sizing based upon worst-case flight loads, and trajectory optimization to quantify integrated vehicle performance for a given mission. Although the team provides rapid turnaround for single vehicle concepts, the scope of the trade space can be limited due to analyst availability and the manpower requirements for manual execution of the analysis tools. In order to enable exploration of a broader design space, the ACO team has implemented an advanced design methods (ADM) based approach. This approach applies the concepts of design of experiments (DOE) and surrogate modeling to more exhaustively explore the trade space and provide the customer with additional design information to inform decision making. This paper will first discuss the automation of the ACO tool set, which represents a majority of the development effort. In order to fit a surrogate model within tolerable error bounds a number of DOE cases are needed. This number will scale with the number of variable parameters desired and the complexity of the system's response to those variables. For all but the smallest design spaces, the number of cases required cannot be produced within an acceptable timeframe using a manual process. Therefore, automation of the tools was a key enabler for the successful application of an ADM approach to an ACO design study. Following the overview of the tool set automation, an example problem will be given to illustrate the implementation of the ADM approach. The example problem will first cover the inclusion of ground rules and assumptions (GR&A) for a study. The GR&A are very important to the study as they determine the constraints within which a trade study can be conducted. These trades must ultimately reconcile with the customer's desired output and any anticipated "what if" questions. The example problem will then illustrate the setup and execution of a DOE through the automated ACO tools. This process is accomplished more efficiently in this work by splitting the tools into two separate environments. The first environment encompasses the structural optimization and mass estimation tools, while the second is focused on trajectory optimization. Surrogate models are fit to the outputs of each environment and are "integrated" via connection of the surrogate equations. Throughout this process, checks are implemented to compare the output of the surrogates to the output of manually run cases to ensure that the error of the final surrogates is at an acceptable level. The conclusion of the example problem demonstrates the utility of the ADM based approach. Using surrogate models gives the ACO team the ability to visualize vehicle sensitivities to various design parameters and identify regions of interest within the design space. The ADM approach can thus be used to inform concept down selection and isolate promising vehicle configurations to be explored in more detail through the manual design process. In addition it provides the customer with an almost instantaneous turnaround on any ''what if" questions that may arise within the bounds of the surrogate model. This approach ultimately expands the ability of the ACO team to provide its customer with broad and rapid turnaround trade studies for launch vehicle conceptual design. The ability to identify a selection of designs which can meet the customer requirements will help ensure lower LCC of launch vehicle designs originating from ACO.

Application of Design of Experiments and Surrogate Modeling within the NASA Advanced Concepts Office, Earth-to-Orbit Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zwack, Mathew R.; Dees, Patrick D.; Holt, James B.

2016-01-01

Decisions made during early conceptual design have a large impact upon the expected life-cycle cost (LCC) of a new program. It is widely accepted that up to 80% of such cost is committed during these early design phases.1 Therefore, to help minimize LCC, decisions made during conceptual design must be based upon as much information as possible. To aid in the decision making for new launch vehicle programs, the Advanced Concepts Office (ACO) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) provides rapid turnaround pre-phase A and phase A concept definition studies. The ACO team utilizes a proven set of tools to provide customers with a full vehicle mass breakdown to tertiary subsystems, preliminary structural sizing based upon worst-case flight loads, and trajectory optimization to quantify integrated vehicle performance for a given mission.2 Although the team provides rapid turnaround for single vehicle concepts, the scope of the trade space can be limited due to analyst availability and the manpower requirements for manual execution of the analysis tools. In order to enable exploration of a broader design space, the ACO team has implemented an Advanced Design Methods (ADM) based approach. This approach applies the concepts of Design of Experiments (DOE) and surrogate modeling to more exhaustively explore the trade space and provide the customer with additional design information to inform decision making. This paper will first discuss the automation of the ACO tool set, which represents a majority of the development e ort. In order to t a surrogate model within tolerable error bounds a number of DOE cases are needed. This number will scale with the number of variable parameters desired and the complexity of the system's response to those variables. For all but the smallest design spaces, the number of cases required cannot be produced within an acceptable timeframe using a manual process. Therefore, automation of the tools was a key enabler for the successful application of an ADM approach to an ACO design study. Following the overview of the tool set automation, an example problem will be given to illustrate the implementation of the ADM approach. The example problem will first cover the inclusion of Ground Rules and Assumptions (GR&A) for a study. The GR&A are very important to the study as they determine the constraints within which a trade study can be conducted. These trades must ultimately reconcile with the customer's desired output and any anticipated \\what if" questions. The example problem will then illustrate the setup and execution of a DOE through the automated ACO tools. This process is accomplished more efficiently in this work by splitting the tools into two separate environments. The first environment encompasses the structural optimization and mass estimation tools, while the second is focused on trajectory optimization. Surrogate models are t to the outputs of each environment and are integrated via connection of the surrogate equations. Throughout this process, checks are implemented to compare the output of the surrogates to the output of manually run cases to ensure that the error of the final surrogates is at an acceptable level. The conclusion of the example problem demonstrates the utility of the ADM based approach. Using surrogate models gives the ACO team the ability to visualize vehicle sensitivities to various design parameters and identify regions of interest within the design space. The ADM approach can thus be used to inform concept down selection and isolate promising vehicle configurations to be explored in more detail through the manual design process. In addition it provides the customer with an almost instantaneous turnaround on any \\what if" questions that may arise within the bounds of the surrogate model. This approach ultimately expands the ability of the ACO team to provide its customer with broad and rapid turnaround trade studies for launch vehicle conceptual design. The ability to identify a selection of designs which can meet the customer requirements will have the potential to lower LCC of launch vehicle designs originating from ACO.

Developing Parametric Models for the Assembly of Machine Fixtures for Virtual Multiaxial CNC Machining Centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaykin, A. V.; Bezsonov, K. A.; Nekhoroshev, M. V.; Shulepov, A. P.

2018-01-01

This paper dwells upon a variance parameterization method. Variance or dimensional parameterization is based on sketching, with various parametric links superimposed on the sketch objects and user-imposed constraints in the form of an equation system that determines the parametric dependencies. This method is fully integrated in a top-down design methodology to enable the creation of multi-variant and flexible fixture assembly models, as all the modeling operations are hierarchically linked in the built tree. In this research the authors consider a parameterization method of machine tooling used for manufacturing parts using multiaxial CNC machining centers in the real manufacturing process. The developed method allows to significantly reduce tooling design time when making changes of a part’s geometric parameters. The method can also reduce time for designing and engineering preproduction, in particular, for development of control programs for CNC equipment and control and measuring machines, automate the release of design and engineering documentation. Variance parameterization helps to optimize construction of parts as well as machine tooling using integrated CAE systems. In the framework of this study, the authors demonstrate a comprehensive approach to parametric modeling of machine tooling in the CAD package used in the real manufacturing process of aircraft engines.

Detailed Modeling of Distillation Technologies for Closed-Loop Water Recovery Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allada, Rama Kumar; Lange, Kevin E.; Anderson, Molly S.

2011-01-01

Detailed chemical process simulations are a useful tool in designing and optimizing complex systems and architectures for human life support. Dynamic and steady-state models of these systems help contrast the interactions of various operating parameters and hardware designs, which become extremely useful in trade-study analyses. NASA?s Exploration Life Support technology development project recently made use of such models to compliment a series of tests on different waste water distillation systems. This paper presents efforts to develop chemical process simulations for three technologies: the Cascade Distillation System (CDS), the Vapor Compression Distillation (VCD) system and the Wiped-Film Rotating Disk (WFRD) using the Aspen Custom Modeler and Aspen Plus process simulation tools. The paper discusses system design, modeling details, and modeling results for each technology and presents some comparisons between the model results and recent test data. Following these initial comparisons, some general conclusions and forward work are discussed.

The development of the super-biodiesel production continuously from Sunan pecan oil through the process of reactive distillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yohana, Eflita; Yulianto, Moh. Endy; Ikhsan, Diyono; Nanta, Aditya Marga; Puspitasari, Ristiyanti

2016-06-01

In general, a vegetable oil-based biodiesel production commercially operates a batch process with high investments and operational costs. Thus, it is necessary to develop super-biodiesel production from sunan pecan oil continuously through the process of reactive distillation. There are four advantages of the reactive distillation process for the biodiesel production, as follows: (i) it incorporates the process of transesterification reaction, and product separation of residual reactants become one stage of the process, so it saves the investment and operation costs, (ii) it reduces the need for raw materials because the methanol needed corresponds to the stoichiometry, so it also reduces the operation costs, (iii) the holdup time in the column is relatively short (5±0,5 minutes) compared to the batch process (1-2 hours), so it will reduce the operational production costs, and (iv) it is able to shift the reaction equilibrium, because the products and reactants that do not react are instantly separated (based on Le Chatelier's principles) so the conversion will be increased. However, the very crucial problem is determining the design tools and process conditions in order to maximize the conversion of the transesterification reaction in both phases. Thus, the purpose of this research was to design a continuous reactive distillation process by using a recycled condensate to increase the productivity of the super-biodiesel from sunan pecan oil. The research was carried out in three stages including (i) designing and fabricating the reactive distillation equipment, (ii) testing the tool performance and the optimization of the biodiesel production, and (iii) biodiesel testing on the diesel engine. These three stages were needed in designing and scaling-up the process tools and the process operation commercially. The reactive distillation process tools were designed and manufactured with reference to the design system tower by Kitzer, et.al. (2008). The manufactured reactive distillation consisted of packing distillation columns equipped with a reboiler and condenser, with the prototype made of stainless steel material equipped with sigh glass. The filling column expands the contact of liquid-vapor phase so that the two reactants between methanol and oil would be converted into methyl ester and glycerol. The initial results of the study indicated that the relatively good condition is reached at the peak temperature and the base of the column of 62°C and 71°C with NaOH 2% of methanol weight as the catalyst at the feed ratio of methanol and the sunan pecan oil 4:1. The result of the performance test of the diesel engine indicated that the efficiency of the biodiesel fuel was achieved relatively good at 1.7% with 2500 rpm engine speed.

Modeling and analysis of power processing systems: Feasibility investigation and formulation of a methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biess, J. J.; Yu, Y.; Middlebrook, R. D.; Schoenfeld, A. D.

1974-01-01

A review is given of future power processing systems planned for the next 20 years, and the state-of-the-art of power processing design modeling and analysis techniques used to optimize power processing systems. A methodology of modeling and analysis of power processing equipment and systems has been formulated to fulfill future tradeoff studies and optimization requirements. Computer techniques were applied to simulate power processor performance and to optimize the design of power processing equipment. A program plan to systematically develop and apply the tools for power processing systems modeling and analysis is presented so that meaningful results can be obtained each year to aid the power processing system engineer and power processing equipment circuit designers in their conceptual and detail design and analysis tasks.

TU-AB-BRD-00: Task Group 100

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2015-06-15

Current quality assurance and quality management guidelines provided by various professional organizations are prescriptive in nature, focusing principally on performance characteristics of planning and delivery devices. However, published analyses of events in radiation therapy show that most events are often caused by flaws in clinical processes rather than by device failures. This suggests the need for the development of a quality management program that is based on integrated approaches to process and equipment quality assurance. Industrial engineers have developed various risk assessment tools that are used to identify and eliminate potential failures from a system or a process before amore » failure impacts a customer. These tools include, but are not limited to, process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis, fault tree analysis. Task Group 100 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has developed these tools and used them to formulate an example risk-based quality management program for intensity-modulated radiotherapy. This is a prospective risk assessment approach that analyzes potential error pathways inherent in a clinical process and then ranks them according to relative risk, typically before implementation, followed by the design of a new process or modification of the existing process. Appropriate controls are then put in place to ensure that failures are less likely to occur and, if they do, they will more likely be detected before they propagate through the process, compromising treatment outcome and causing harm to the patient. Such a prospective approach forms the basis of the work of Task Group 100 that has recently been approved by the AAPM. This session will be devoted to a discussion of these tools and practical examples of how these tools can be used in a given radiotherapy clinic to develop a risk based quality management program. Learning Objectives: Learn how to design a process map for a radiotherapy process Learn how to perform failure modes and effects analysis analysis for a given process Learn what fault trees are all about Learn how to design a quality management program based upon the information obtained from process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analysis. Dunscombe: Director, TreatSafely, LLC and Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences; Consultant to IAEA and Varian Thomadsen: President, Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences Palta: Vice President of the Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences.« less

TU-AB-BRD-03: Fault Tree Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunscombe, P.

2015-06-15

Current quality assurance and quality management guidelines provided by various professional organizations are prescriptive in nature, focusing principally on performance characteristics of planning and delivery devices. However, published analyses of events in radiation therapy show that most events are often caused by flaws in clinical processes rather than by device failures. This suggests the need for the development of a quality management program that is based on integrated approaches to process and equipment quality assurance. Industrial engineers have developed various risk assessment tools that are used to identify and eliminate potential failures from a system or a process before amore » failure impacts a customer. These tools include, but are not limited to, process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis, fault tree analysis. Task Group 100 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has developed these tools and used them to formulate an example risk-based quality management program for intensity-modulated radiotherapy. This is a prospective risk assessment approach that analyzes potential error pathways inherent in a clinical process and then ranks them according to relative risk, typically before implementation, followed by the design of a new process or modification of the existing process. Appropriate controls are then put in place to ensure that failures are less likely to occur and, if they do, they will more likely be detected before they propagate through the process, compromising treatment outcome and causing harm to the patient. Such a prospective approach forms the basis of the work of Task Group 100 that has recently been approved by the AAPM. This session will be devoted to a discussion of these tools and practical examples of how these tools can be used in a given radiotherapy clinic to develop a risk based quality management program. Learning Objectives: Learn how to design a process map for a radiotherapy process Learn how to perform failure modes and effects analysis analysis for a given process Learn what fault trees are all about Learn how to design a quality management program based upon the information obtained from process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analysis. Dunscombe: Director, TreatSafely, LLC and Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences; Consultant to IAEA and Varian Thomadsen: President, Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences Palta: Vice President of the Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences.« less

TU-AB-BRD-04: Development of Quality Management Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomadsen, B.

2015-06-15

Current quality assurance and quality management guidelines provided by various professional organizations are prescriptive in nature, focusing principally on performance characteristics of planning and delivery devices. However, published analyses of events in radiation therapy show that most events are often caused by flaws in clinical processes rather than by device failures. This suggests the need for the development of a quality management program that is based on integrated approaches to process and equipment quality assurance. Industrial engineers have developed various risk assessment tools that are used to identify and eliminate potential failures from a system or a process before amore » failure impacts a customer. These tools include, but are not limited to, process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis, fault tree analysis. Task Group 100 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has developed these tools and used them to formulate an example risk-based quality management program for intensity-modulated radiotherapy. This is a prospective risk assessment approach that analyzes potential error pathways inherent in a clinical process and then ranks them according to relative risk, typically before implementation, followed by the design of a new process or modification of the existing process. Appropriate controls are then put in place to ensure that failures are less likely to occur and, if they do, they will more likely be detected before they propagate through the process, compromising treatment outcome and causing harm to the patient. Such a prospective approach forms the basis of the work of Task Group 100 that has recently been approved by the AAPM. This session will be devoted to a discussion of these tools and practical examples of how these tools can be used in a given radiotherapy clinic to develop a risk based quality management program. Learning Objectives: Learn how to design a process map for a radiotherapy process Learn how to perform failure modes and effects analysis analysis for a given process Learn what fault trees are all about Learn how to design a quality management program based upon the information obtained from process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analysis. Dunscombe: Director, TreatSafely, LLC and Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences; Consultant to IAEA and Varian Thomadsen: President, Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences Palta: Vice President of the Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences.« less

TU-AB-BRD-02: Failure Modes and Effects Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huq, M.

2015-06-15

Current quality assurance and quality management guidelines provided by various professional organizations are prescriptive in nature, focusing principally on performance characteristics of planning and delivery devices. However, published analyses of events in radiation therapy show that most events are often caused by flaws in clinical processes rather than by device failures. This suggests the need for the development of a quality management program that is based on integrated approaches to process and equipment quality assurance. Industrial engineers have developed various risk assessment tools that are used to identify and eliminate potential failures from a system or a process before amore » failure impacts a customer. These tools include, but are not limited to, process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis, fault tree analysis. Task Group 100 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has developed these tools and used them to formulate an example risk-based quality management program for intensity-modulated radiotherapy. This is a prospective risk assessment approach that analyzes potential error pathways inherent in a clinical process and then ranks them according to relative risk, typically before implementation, followed by the design of a new process or modification of the existing process. Appropriate controls are then put in place to ensure that failures are less likely to occur and, if they do, they will more likely be detected before they propagate through the process, compromising treatment outcome and causing harm to the patient. Such a prospective approach forms the basis of the work of Task Group 100 that has recently been approved by the AAPM. This session will be devoted to a discussion of these tools and practical examples of how these tools can be used in a given radiotherapy clinic to develop a risk based quality management program. Learning Objectives: Learn how to design a process map for a radiotherapy process Learn how to perform failure modes and effects analysis analysis for a given process Learn what fault trees are all about Learn how to design a quality management program based upon the information obtained from process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analysis. Dunscombe: Director, TreatSafely, LLC and Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences; Consultant to IAEA and Varian Thomadsen: President, Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences Palta: Vice President of the Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences.« less

Review of software tools for design and analysis of large scale MRM proteomic datasets.

PubMed

Colangelo, Christopher M; Chung, Lisa; Bruce, Can; Cheung, Kei-Hoi

2013-06-15

Selective or Multiple Reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM) is a liquid-chromatography (LC)/tandem-mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method that enables the quantitation of specific proteins in a sample by analyzing precursor ions and the fragment ions of their selected tryptic peptides. Instrumentation software has advanced to the point that thousands of transitions (pairs of primary and secondary m/z values) can be measured in a triple quadrupole instrument coupled to an LC, by a well-designed scheduling and selection of m/z windows. The design of a good MRM assay relies on the availability of peptide spectra from previous discovery-phase LC-MS/MS studies. The tedious aspect of manually developing and processing MRM assays involving thousands of transitions has spurred to development of software tools to automate this process. Software packages have been developed for project management, assay development, assay validation, data export, peak integration, quality assessment, and biostatistical analysis. No single tool provides a complete end-to-end solution, thus this article reviews the current state and discusses future directions of these software tools in order to enable researchers to combine these tools for a comprehensive targeted proteomics workflow. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Pipeline Tool for CCD Image Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Jon F.; Young, Peter J.; Roberts, William H.; Sebo, Kim M.

MSSSO is part of a collaboration developing a wide field imaging CCD mosaic (WFI). As part of this project, we have developed a GUI based pipeline tool that is an integrated part of MSSSO's CICADA data acquisition environment and processes CCD FITS images as they are acquired. The tool is also designed to run as a stand alone program to process previously acquired data. IRAF tasks are used as the central engine, including the new NOAO mscred package for processing multi-extension FITS files. The STScI OPUS pipeline environment may be used to manage data and process scheduling. The Motif GUI was developed using SUN Visual Workshop. C++ classes were written to facilitate launching of IRAF and OPUS tasks. While this first version implements calibration processing up to and including flat field corrections, there is scope to extend it to other processing.

Challenges Facing Design and Analysis Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, Norman F., Jr.; Broduer, Steve (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The design and analysis of future aerospace systems will strongly rely on advanced engineering analysis tools used in combination with risk mitigation procedures. The implications of such a trend place increased demands on these tools to assess off-nominal conditions, residual strength, damage propagation, and extreme loading conditions in order to understand and quantify these effects as they affect mission success. Advances in computer hardware such as CPU processing speed, memory, secondary storage, and visualization provide significant resources for the engineer to exploit in engineering design. The challenges facing design and analysis tools fall into three primary areas. The first area involves mechanics needs such as constitutive modeling, contact and penetration simulation, crack growth prediction, damage initiation and progression prediction, transient dynamics and deployment simulations, and solution algorithms. The second area involves computational needs such as fast, robust solvers, adaptivity for model and solution strategies, control processes for concurrent, distributed computing for uncertainty assessments, and immersive technology. Traditional finite element codes still require fast direct solvers which when coupled to current CPU power enables new insight as a result of high-fidelity modeling. The third area involves decision making by the analyst. This area involves the integration and interrogation of vast amounts of information - some global in character while local details are critical and often drive the design. The proposed presentation will describe and illustrate these areas using composite structures, energy-absorbing structures, and inflatable space structures. While certain engineering approximations within the finite element model may be adequate for global response prediction, they generally are inadequate in a design setting or when local response prediction is critical. Pitfalls to be avoided and trends for emerging analysis tools will be described.

Development and manufacture of visor for helmet-mounted display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krevor, David H.; McNelly, Gregg; Skubon, John; Speirs, Robert

2004-01-01

The manufacturing design and process development for the Visor for the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System) are discussed. The JHMCS system is a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) system currently flying on the F-15, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft. The Visor manufacturing processes are essential to both system performance and economy. The Visor functions both as the system optical combiner and personal protective equipment for the pilot. The Visor material is optical polycarbonate. For a military HMD system, the mechanical and environmental properties of the Visor are as necessary as the optical properties. The visor must meet stringent dimensional requirements to assure adequate system optical performance. Injection molding can provide dimensional fidelity to the requirements, if done properly. Concurrent design of the visor and the tool (i.e., the injection mold) is essential. The concurrent design necessarily considers manufacturing operations and the use environment of the Visor. Computer modeling of the molding process is a necessary input to the mold design. With proper attention to product design and tool development, it is possible to improve upon published standard dimensional tolerances for molded polycarbonate articles.

Dynamic Systems Analysis for Turbine Based Aero Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csank, Jeffrey T.

2016-01-01

The aircraft engine design process seeks to optimize the overall system-level performance, weight, and cost for a given concept. Steady-state simulations and data are used to identify trade-offs that should be balanced to optimize the system in a process known as systems analysis. These systems analysis simulations and data may not adequately capture the true performance trade-offs that exist during transient operation. Dynamic systems analysis provides the capability for assessing the dynamic tradeoffs at an earlier stage of the engine design process. The dynamic systems analysis concept, developed tools, and potential benefit are presented in this paper. To provide this capability, the Tool for Turbine Engine Closed-loop Transient Analysis (TTECTrA) was developed to provide the user with an estimate of the closed-loop performance (response time) and operability (high pressure compressor surge margin) for a given engine design and set of control design requirements. TTECTrA along with engine deterioration information, can be used to develop a more generic relationship between performance and operability that can impact the engine design constraints and potentially lead to a more efficient engine.

Machine Learning: A Crucial Tool for Sensor Design

PubMed Central

Zhao, Weixiang; Bhushan, Abhinav; Santamaria, Anthony D.; Simon, Melinda G.; Davis, Cristina E.

2009-01-01

Sensors have been widely used for disease diagnosis, environmental quality monitoring, food quality control, industrial process analysis and control, and other related fields. As a key tool for sensor data analysis, machine learning is becoming a core part of novel sensor design. Dividing a complete machine learning process into three steps: data pre-treatment, feature extraction and dimension reduction, and system modeling, this paper provides a review of the methods that are widely used for each step. For each method, the principles and the key issues that affect modeling results are discussed. After reviewing the potential problems in machine learning processes, this paper gives a summary of current algorithms in this field and provides some feasible directions for future studies. PMID:20191110

Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool Development using a Genetic Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pak, Chan-gi; Li, Wesley

2008-01-01

Multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization using a genetic algorithm is being developed at the National Aeronautics and Space A dministration Dryden Flight Research Center to automate analysis and design process by leveraging existing tools such as NASTRAN, ZAERO a nd CFD codes to enable true multidisciplinary optimization in the pr eliminary design stage of subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypers onic aircraft. This is a promising technology, but faces many challe nges in large-scale, real-world application. This paper describes cur rent approaches, recent results, and challenges for MDAO as demonstr ated by our experience with the Ikhana fire pod design.

Parametric tools over crowdsourced maps as means for participatory consideration of environmental issues in cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montoya, Paula; Ballesteros, José; Gervás, Pablo

2015-04-01

The increasing complexity of space use and resource cycles in cities, demands an understanding of the built environment as "ecological": enabling mutation while remaining balanced and biologically sustainable. Designing man`s environment is no longer a question of defining types, but rather an act of inserting changes within a complex system. Architecture and urban planning have become increasingly aware of their condition as system-oriented disciplines, and they are in the process of developing the necessary languages, design tools, and alliances. We will argue the relevance of parametric maps as one of the most powerful of those tools, in terms of their potential for adaptive prototype design, convergence of disciplines, and collaborative work. Cities need to change in order to survive. As the main human landscape (by 2050 75% of the world's population will live in urban areas) cities follow biological patterns of behaviour, constantly replacing their cells, renovating infrastructure systems and refining methods for energy provision and waste management. They need to adapt constantly. As responsive entities, they develop their own protocols for reaction to environmental change and challenge the increasing pressure of several issues related to scale: population, mobility, water and energy supply, pollution... The representation of these urban issues on maps becomes crucial for understanding and addressing them in design. Maps enhanced with parametric tools are relational and not only they register environmental dynamics but they allow adaptation of the system through interwoven parameters of mutation. Citizens are taking part in decisions and becoming aware of their role as urban experts in a bottom-up design process of the cities where they live. Modern tools for dynamic visualisation and collaborative edition of maps have an important role to play in this process. More and more people consult maps on hand-held devices as part of their daily routine. The advent of open access collaborative maps allows them to actively extend and modify these maps by uploading data of their own design. This can generate an immense amount of unique information that is publicly available. The work of architects, planners, and political agents can be informed by the contributions of a community of volunteer cartographers. Counter-cartographies built through collaboration arise from spontaneous processes of knowledge and data collection, and demand continuous non-commercial revision. Both scientific and non-academic users have direct access to geostrategic information and actively take part in exploring, recording and inserting their contrasted contributions into the way in which our world is described. This proposal explores the idea of a counter-cartography as a collection of maps that unveil territorial environmental conditions different from those shown in official maps. By using parametric tools we can incorporate information of this type directly into architectural documents and generate interlaced changes in the design. A parametric map is a flexible yet accurate tool for design and discovery: it integrates multiple particular views into a precise physical context that culminates in a generative design. Working with complex maps in this way is gradually becoming the ultimate document for designing the city in an integrated manner.

Progress toward Topology Optimization (TO) for Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Fatigue

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-15

traditional manufacturing processes due to cost, tool-path constraints, or operator limitations. While AM significantly widens the design space for TO... manufacturing constraints and limitations remain1 and should be addressed in the design process. An objective of this work is to consider manufacturing ...account for AM limitations within the design . The limitations of interest in this work are the production of support material and enclosed pores. Both

Design, evaluation, and fabrication of low-cost composite blades for intermediate-size wind turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weingart, O.

1981-01-01

Low cost approaches for production of 60 ft long glass fiber/resin composite rotor blades for the MOD-OA wind turbine were identified and evaluated. The most cost-effective configuration was selected for detailed design. Subelement and subscale specimens were fabricated for testing to confirm physical and mechanical properties of the composite blade materials, to develop and evaluate blade fabrication techniques and processes, and to confirm the structural adequacy of the root end joint. Full-scale blade tooling was constructed and a partial blade for tool and process tryout was built. Then two full scale blades were fabricated and delivered to NASA-LeRC for installation on a MOD-OA wind turbine at Clayton, New Mexico for operational testing. Each blade was 60 ft. long with 4.5 ft. chord at root end and 2575 lbs weight including metal hub adapter. The selected blade configuration was a three cell design constructed using a resin impregnated glass fiber tape winding process that allows rapid wrapping of primarily axially oriented fibers onto a tapered mandrel, with tapered wall thickness. The ring winder/transverse filament tape process combination was used for the first time on this program to produce entire rotor blade structures. This approach permitted the complete blade to be wound on stationary mandrels, an improvement which alleviated some of the tooling and process problems encountered on previous composite blade programs.

EuPaGDT: a web tool tailored to design CRISPR guide RNAs for eukaryotic pathogens.

PubMed

Peng, Duo; Tarleton, Rick

2015-10-01

Recent development of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing has enabled highly efficient and versatile manipulation of a variety of organisms and adaptation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to eukaryotic pathogens has opened new avenues for studying these otherwise hard to manipulate organisms. Here we describe a webtool, Eukaryotic Pathogen gRNA Design Tool (EuPaGDT; available at http://grna.ctegd.uga.edu), which identifies guide RNA (gRNA) in input gene(s) to guide users in arriving at well-informed and appropriate gRNA design for many eukaryotic pathogens. Flexibility in gRNA design, accommodating unique eukaryotic pathogen (gene and genome) attributes and high-throughput gRNA design are the main features that distinguish EuPaGDT from other gRNA design tools. In addition to employing an array of known principles to score and rank gRNAs, EuPaGDT implements an effective on-target search algorithm to identify gRNA targeting multi-gene families, which are highly represented in these pathogens and play important roles in host-pathogen interactions. EuPaGDT also identifies and scores microhomology sequences flanking each gRNA targeted cut-site; these sites are often essential for the microhomology-mediated end joining process used for double-stranded break repair in these organisms. EuPaGDT also assists users in designing single-stranded oligonucleotides for homology directed repair. In batch processing mode, EuPaGDT is able to process genome-scale sequences, enabling preparation of gRNA libraries for large-scale screening projects.

Control/structure interaction design methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Hugh C.; Layman, William E.

1989-01-01

The Control Structure Interaction Program is a technology development program for spacecraft that exhibit interactions between the control system and structural dynamics. The program objectives include development and verification of new design concepts (such as active structure) and new tools (such as a combined structure and control optimization algorithm) and their verification in ground and possibly flight test. The new CSI design methodology is centered around interdisciplinary engineers using new tools that closely integrate structures and controls. Verification is an important CSI theme and analysts will be closely integrated to the CSI Test Bed laboratory. Components, concepts, tools and algorithms will be developed and tested in the lab and in future Shuttle-based flight experiments. The design methodology is summarized in block diagrams depicting the evolution of a spacecraft design and descriptions of analytical capabilities used in the process. The multiyear JPL CSI implementation plan is described along with the essentials of several new tools. A distributed network of computation servers and workstations was designed that will provide a state-of-the-art development base for the CSI technologies.

Photochemical tools to study dynamic biological processes

PubMed Central

Specht, Alexandre; Bolze, Frédéric; Omran, Ziad; Nicoud, Jean-François; Goeldner, Maurice

2009-01-01

Light-responsive biologically active compounds offer the possibility to study the dynamics of biological processes. Phototriggers and photoswitches have been designed, providing the capability to rapidly cause the initiation of wide range of dynamic biological phenomena. We will discuss, in this article, recent developments in the field of light-triggered chemical tools, specially how two-photon excitation, “caged” fluorophores, and the photoregulation of protein activities in combination with time-resolved x-ray techniques should break new grounds in the understanding of dynamic biological processes. PMID:20119482

HTP-OligoDesigner: An Online Primer Design Tool for High-Throughput Gene Cloning and Site-Directed Mutagenesis.

PubMed

Camilo, Cesar M; Lima, Gustavo M A; Maluf, Fernando V; Guido, Rafael V C; Polikarpov, Igor

2016-01-01

Following burgeoning genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data, biochemical and molecular biology groups worldwide are implementing high-throughput cloning and mutagenesis facilities in order to obtain a large number of soluble proteins for structural and functional characterization. Since manual primer design can be a time-consuming and error-generating step, particularly when working with hundreds of targets, the automation of primer design process becomes highly desirable. HTP-OligoDesigner was created to provide the scientific community with a simple and intuitive online primer design tool for both laboratory-scale and high-throughput projects of sequence-independent gene cloning and site-directed mutagenesis and a Tm calculator for quick queries.

Validation of the procedures. [integrated multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantay, Wayne R.

1989-01-01

Validation strategies are described for procedures aimed at improving the rotor blade design process through a multidisciplinary optimization approach. Validation of the basic rotor environment prediction tools and the overall rotor design are discussed.

Pointo - a Low Cost Solution to Point Cloud Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houshiar, H.; Winkler, S.

2017-11-01

With advance in technology access to data especially 3D point cloud data becomes more and more an everyday task. 3D point clouds are usually captured with very expensive tools such as 3D laser scanners or very time consuming methods such as photogrammetry. Most of the available softwares for 3D point cloud processing are designed for experts and specialists in this field and are usually very large software packages containing variety of methods and tools. This results in softwares that are usually very expensive to acquire and also very difficult to use. Difficulty of use is caused by complicated user interfaces that is required to accommodate a large list of features. The aim of these complex softwares is to provide a powerful tool for a specific group of specialist. However they are not necessary required by the majority of the up coming average users of point clouds. In addition to complexity and high costs of these softwares they generally rely on expensive and modern hardware and only compatible with one specific operating system. Many point cloud customers are not point cloud processing experts or willing to spend the high acquisition costs of these expensive softwares and hardwares. In this paper we introduce a solution for low cost point cloud processing. Our approach is designed to accommodate the needs of the average point cloud user. To reduce the cost and complexity of software our approach focuses on one functionality at a time in contrast with most available softwares and tools that aim to solve as many problems as possible at the same time. Our simple and user oriented design improve the user experience and empower us to optimize our methods for creation of an efficient software. In this paper we introduce Pointo family as a series of connected softwares to provide easy to use tools with simple design for different point cloud processing requirements. PointoVIEWER and PointoCAD are introduced as the first components of the Pointo family to provide a fast and efficient visualization with the ability to add annotation and documentation to the point clouds.

Experiences with a generator tool for building clinical application modules.

PubMed

Kuhn, K A; Lenz, R; Elstner, T; Siegele, H; Moll, R

2003-01-01

To elaborate main system characteristics and relevant deployment experiences for the health information system (HIS) Orbis/OpenMed, which is in widespread use in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In a deployment phase of 3 years in a 1.200 bed university hospital, where the system underwent significant improvements, the system's functionality and its software design have been analyzed in detail. We focus on an integrated CASE tool for generating embedded clinical applications and for incremental system evolution. We present a participatory and iterative software engineering process developed for efficient utilization of such a tool. The system's functionality is comparable to other commercial products' functionality; its components are embedded in a vendor-specific application framework, and standard interfaces are being used for connecting subsystems. The integrated generator tool is a remarkable feature; it became a key factor of our project. Tool generated applications are workflow enabled and embedded into the overall data base schema. Rapid prototyping and iterative refinement are supported, so application modules can be adapted to the users' work practice. We consider tools supporting an iterative and participatory software engineering process highly relevant for health information system architects. The potential of a system to continuously evolve and to be effectively adapted to changing needs may be more important than sophisticated but hard-coded HIS functionality. More work will focus on HIS software design and on software engineering. Methods and tools are needed for quick and robust adaptation of systems to health care processes and changing requirements.

Full 3D visualization tool-kit for Monte Carlo and deterministic transport codes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frambati, S.; Frignani, M.

2012-07-01

We propose a package of tools capable of translating the geometric inputs and outputs of many Monte Carlo and deterministic radiation transport codes into open source file formats. These tools are aimed at bridging the gap between trusted, widely-used radiation analysis codes and very powerful, more recent and commonly used visualization software, thus supporting the design process and helping with shielding optimization. Three main lines of development were followed: mesh-based analysis of Monte Carlo codes, mesh-based analysis of deterministic codes and Monte Carlo surface meshing. The developed kit is considered a powerful and cost-effective tool in the computer-aided design formore » radiation transport code users of the nuclear world, and in particular in the fields of core design and radiation analysis. (authors)« less

Design selection of an innovative tool holder for ultrasonic vibration assisted turning (IN-UVAT) using finite element analysis simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rachmat, Haris; Ibrahim, M. Rasidi; Hasan, Sulaiman bin

2017-04-01

On of high technology in machining is ultrasonic vibration assisted turning. The design of tool holder was a crucial step to make sure the tool holder is enough to handle all forces on turning process. Because of the direct experimental approach is expensive, the paper studied to predict feasibility of tool holder displacement and effective stress was used the computational in finite element simulation. SS201 and AISI 1045 materials were used with sharp and ramp corners flexure hinges on design. The result shows that AISI 1045 material and which has ramp corner flexure hinge was the best choice to be produced. The displacement is around 11.3 micron and effective stress is 1.71e+008 N/m2 and also the factor of safety is 3.10.

DEVELOPMENT OF A CHEMICAL PROCESS MODELING ENVIRONMENT BASED ON CAPE-OPEN INTERFACE STANDARDS AND THE MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK

EPA Science Inventory

Chemical process simulation has long been used as a design tool in the development of chemical plants, and has long been considered a means to evaluate different design options. With the advent of large scale computer networks and interface models for program components, it is po...

Bank Record Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Barnett Banks of Florida, Inc. operates 150 banking offices in 80 Florida cities. Banking offices have computerized systems for processing deposits or withdrawals in checking/savings accounts, and for handling commercial and installment loan transactions. In developing a network engineering design for the terminals used in record processing, an affiliate, Barnett Computing Company, used COSMIC's STATCOM program. This program provided a reliable network design tool and avoided the cost of developing new software.

Micro-optical fabrication by ultraprecision diamond machining and precision molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hui; Li, Likai; Naples, Neil J.; Roblee, Jeffrey W.; Yi, Allen Y.

2017-06-01

Ultraprecision diamond machining and high volume molding for affordable high precision high performance optical elements are becoming a viable process in optical industry for low cost high quality microoptical component manufacturing. In this process, first high precision microoptical molds are fabricated using ultraprecision single point diamond machining followed by high volume production methods such as compression or injection molding. In the last two decades, there have been steady improvements in ultraprecision machine design and performance, particularly with the introduction of both slow tool and fast tool servo. Today optical molds, including freeform surfaces and microlens arrays, are routinely diamond machined to final finish without post machining polishing. For consumers, compression molding or injection molding provide efficient and high quality optics at extremely low cost. In this paper, first ultraprecision machine design and machining processes such as slow tool and fast too servo are described then both compression molding and injection molding of polymer optics are discussed. To implement precision optical manufacturing by molding, numerical modeling can be included in the future as a critical part of the manufacturing process to ensure high product quality.

The NASA Constellation University Institutes Project: Thrust Chamber Assembly Virtual Institute

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, P. Kevin; Rybak, Jeffry A.; Hulka, James R.; Jones, Gregg W.; Nesman, Tomas; West, Jeffrey S.

2006-01-01

This paper documents key aspects of the Constellation University Institutes Project (CUIP) Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA) Virtual Institute (VI). Specifically, the paper details the TCA VI organizational and functional aspects relative to providing support for Constellation Systems. The TCA VI vision is put forth and discussed in detail. The vision provides the objective and approach for improving thrust chamber assembly design methodologies by replacing the current empirical tools with verified and validated CFD codes. The vision also sets out ignition, performance, thermal environments and combustion stability as focus areas where application of these improved tools is required. Flow physics and a study of the Space Shuttle Main Engine development program are used to conclude that the injector is the key to robust TCA design. Requirements are set out in terms of fidelity, robustness and demonstrated accuracy of the design tool. Lack of demonstrated accuracy is noted as the most significant obstacle to realizing the potential of CFD to be widely used as an injector design tool. A hierarchical decomposition process is outlined to facilitate the validation process. A simulation readiness level tool used to gauge progress toward the goal is described. Finally, there is a description of the current efforts in each focus area. The background of each focus area is discussed. The state of the art in each focus area is noted along with the TCA VI research focus in the area. Brief highlights of work in the area are also included.

GREENSCOPE Technical User’s Guide

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

GREENSCOPE’s methodology has been developed and its software tool designed such that it can be applied to an entire process, to a piece of equipment or process unit, or at the investigatory bench scale.

Probabilistic Structural Analysis of the SRB Aft Skirt External Fitting Modification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, John S.; Peck, J.; Ayala, S.

1999-01-01

NASA has funded several major programs (the PSAM Project is an example) to develop Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods and tools for engineers to apply in the design and assessment of aerospace hardware. A probabilistic finite element design tool, known as NESSUS, is used to determine the reliability of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) aft skirt critical weld. An external bracket modification to the aft skirt provides a comparison basis for examining the details of the probabilistic analysis and its contributions to the design process.

Communicating Navigation Data Inside the Cassini-Huygens Project: Visualizations and Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, Sean V.; Gist, Emily M.; Goodson, Troy D.; Hahn, Yungsun; Stumpf, Paul W.; Williams, Powtawche N.

2008-01-01

The Cassini-Huygens Saturn tour poses an interesting navigation challenge. From July 2004 through June 2008, the Cassini orbiter performed 112 of 161 planned maneuvers. This demanding schedule, where maneuvers are often separated by just a few days, motivated the development of maneuver design/analysis automation software tools. Besides generating maneuver designs and presentations, these tools are the mechanism to producing other types of navigation information; information used to facilitate operational decisions on such issues as maneuver cancellation and alternate maneuver strategies. This paper will discuss the navigation data that are communicated inside the Cassini-Huygens Project, as well as the maneuver software tools behind the processing of the data.

Porous tooling process for manufacture of graphite/polyimide composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smiser, L. W.; Orr, K. K.; Araujo, S. M.

1981-01-01

A porous tooling system was selected for the processing of Graphite/PMR-15 Polyimide laminates in thickness up to 3.2 mm. (0.125 inch). This tool system must have a reasonable strength, permeability dimensional stability, and thermal conductivity to accomplish curing at 600 F and 200 psi and 200 psi autoclave temperature and pressure. A permeability measuring apparatus was constructed and permeability vs. casting water level determined to produce tools at three different permeability levels. On these tools, laminates of 5, 11, and 22 plies (.027, .060, and 0.121 inch) were produced and evaluated by ultrasonic, mechanical, and thermal tests to determine the effect of the tool permeability on the cured laminates. All tools produced acceptable laminates at 5 and 11 plies but only the highest permeability produced acceptable clear ultrasonic C-Scans. Recommendations are made for future investigations of design geometry, and strengthening techniques for porous ceramic tooling.

Development and Evaluation of a Case-Based Digital Learning Tool about Children's Mathematical Thinking for Elementary School Teachers (L-TEST)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olkun, Sinan; Altun, Arif; Deryakulu, Deniz

2009-01-01

It is important for teachers of mathematics to know how pupils react to certain mathematical situations and what these reactions imply, in order to design more effective instructional environments based on their learning needs. This study reports the development processes of a digital learning tool (Learning Tool for Elementary School Teachers…

Design Time Optimization for Hardware Watermarking Protection of HDL Designs

PubMed Central

Castillo, E.; Morales, D. P.; García, A.; Parrilla, L.; Todorovich, E.; Meyer-Baese, U.

2015-01-01

HDL-level design offers important advantages for the application of watermarking to IP cores, but its complexity also requires tools automating these watermarking algorithms. A new tool for signature distribution through combinational logic is proposed in this work. IPP@HDL, a previously proposed high-level watermarking technique, has been employed for evaluating the tool. IPP@HDL relies on spreading the bits of a digital signature at the HDL design level using combinational logic included within the original system. The development of this new tool for the signature distribution has not only extended and eased the applicability of this IPP technique, but it has also improved the signature hosting process itself. Three algorithms were studied in order to develop this automated tool. The selection of a cost function determines the best hosting solutions in terms of area and performance penalties on the IP core to protect. An 1D-DWT core and MD5 and SHA1 digital signatures were used in order to illustrate the benefits of the new tool and its optimization related to the extraction logic resources. Among the proposed algorithms, the alternative based on simulated annealing reduces the additional resources while maintaining an acceptable computation time and also saving designer effort and time. PMID:25861681

Blood Sugar, Your Pancreas, and Unicorns: The Development of Health Education Materials for Youth With Prediabetes.

PubMed

Yazel-Smith, Lisa G; Pike, Julie; Lynch, Dustin; Moore, Courtney; Haberlin, Kathryn; Taylor, Jennifer; Hannon, Tamara S

2018-05-01

The obesity epidemic has led to an increase in prediabetes in youth, causing a serious public health concern. Education on diabetes risk and initiation of lifestyle change are the primary treatment modalities. There are few existing age-appropriate health education tools to address diabetes prevention for high-risk youth. To develop an age-appropriate health education tool(s) to help youth better understand type 2 diabetes risk factors and the reversibility of risk. Health education tool development took place in five phases: exploration, design, analysis, refinement, and process evaluation. The project resulted in (1) booklet designed to increase knowledge of risk, (2) meme generator that mirrors the booklet graphics and allows youth to create their own meme based on their pancreas' current mood, (3) environmental posters for clinic, and (4) brief self-assessment that acts as a conversation starter for the health educators. Patients reported high likability and satisfaction with the health education tools, with the majority of patients giving the materials an "A" rating. The process evaluation indicated a high level of fidelity and related measures regarding how the health education tools were intended to be used and how they were actually used in the clinic setting.

Geometry Modeling and Grid Generation for Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid A.

1998-01-01

Geometry modeling and grid generation (GMGG) have played and will continue to play an important role in computational aerosciences. During the past two decades, tremendous progress has occurred in GMGG; however, GMGG is still the biggest bottleneck to routine applications for complicated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Computational Structures Mechanics (CSM) models for analysis, design, and optimization. We are still far from incorporating GMGG tools in a design and optimization environment for complicated configurations. It is still a challenging task to parameterize an existing model in today's Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems, and the models created are not always good enough for automatic grid generation tools. Designers may believe their models are complete and accurate, but unseen imperfections (e.g., gaps, unwanted wiggles, free edges, slivers, and transition cracks) often cause problems in gridding for CSM and CFD. Despite many advances in grid generation, the process is still the most labor-intensive and time-consuming part of the computational aerosciences for analysis, design, and optimization. In an ideal design environment, a design engineer would use a parametric model to evaluate alternative designs effortlessly and optimize an existing design for a new set of design objectives and constraints. For this ideal environment to be realized, the GMGG tools must have the following characteristics: (1) be automated, (2) provide consistent geometry across all disciplines, (3) be parametric, and (4) provide sensitivity derivatives. This paper will review the status of GMGG for analysis, design, and optimization processes, and it will focus on some emerging ideas that will advance the GMGG toward the ideal design environment.

Development of a Software Tool to Automate ADCO Flight Controller Console Planning Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Mark G.

2011-01-01

This independent study project covers the development of the International Space Station (ISS) Attitude Determination and Control Officer (ADCO) Planning Exchange APEX Tool. The primary goal of the tool is to streamline existing manual and time-intensive planning tools into a more automated, user-friendly application that interfaces with existing products and allows the ADCO to produce accurate products and timelines more effectively. This paper will survey the current ISS attitude planning process and its associated requirements, goals, documentation and software tools and how a software tool could simplify and automate many of the planning actions which occur at the ADCO console. The project will be covered from inception through the initial prototype delivery in November 2011 and will include development of design requirements and software as well as design verification and testing.

CANISTER HANDLING FACILITY DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.F. Beesley

The purpose of this facility description document (FDD) is to establish requirements and associated bases that drive the design of the Canister Handling Facility (CHF), which will allow the design effort to proceed to license application. This FDD will be revised at strategic points as the design matures. This FDD identifies the requirements and describes the facility design, as it currently exists, with emphasis on attributes of the design provided to meet the requirements. This FDD is an engineering tool for design control; accordingly, the primary audience and users are design engineers. This FDD is part of an iterative designmore » process. It leads the design process with regard to the flowdown of upper tier requirements onto the facility. Knowledge of these requirements is essential in performing the design process. The FDD follows the design with regard to the description of the facility. The description provided in this FDD reflects the current results of the design process.« less

An intelligent advisor for the design manager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.; Padula, Sharon L.

1989-01-01

A design problem is viewed as a complex system divisible into modules. Before the design of a complex system can begin, much time and money are spent in determining the couplings among modules and the presence of iterative loops. This is important because the design manager must know how to group the modules into substems and how to assign subsystems to design teams so that changes in one subsystem will have predictable effects on other subsystems. Determining these subsystems is not an easy, straightforward process and often important couplings are overlooked. Moreover, the planning task must be repeated as new information becomes available or as the design specifications change. The purchase of this research effort is to develop a knowledge-based tool to act as an intelligent advisor for the design manager. This tool identifies the subsystems of a complex design problem, orders them into a well-structured format, and marks the couplings among the subsystems to facilitate the use of multilevel tools. The tool was tested in the decomposition of the COFS (Control of Flexible Structures) mast design which has about 50 modules. This test indicated that this type of approach could lead to a substantial savings by organizing and displaying a complex problem as a sequence of subsystems easily divisible among design teams.

Technology Enhanced Learning for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Cerebral Paralysis: The MAS Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colomo-Palacios, Ricardo; Paniagua-Martín, Fernando; García-Crespo, Ángel; Ruiz-Mezcua, Belén

Education for students with disabilities now takes place in a wide range of settings, thus, including a wider range of assistive tools. As a result of this, one of the most interesting application domains of technology enhanced learning is related to the adoption of learning technologies and designs for people with disabilities. Following this unstoppable trend, this paper presents MAS, a software platform aimed to help people with severe intellectual disabilities and cerebral paralysis in their learning processes. MAS, as a technology enhanced learning platform, provides several tools that supports learning and monitoring for people with special needs, including adaptative games, data processing and monitoring tools. Installed in a special needs education institution in Madrid, Spain, MAS provides special educators with a tool that improved students education processes.

Micro Autonomous Systems Research: Systems Engineering Processes for Micro Autonomous Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

product family design and reconfigurable system design with recent developments in the fields of automated manufacturing and micro-autonomous...mapped to design parameters. These mappings are the mechanism by which physical product designs are formulated. Finally, manufacture of the product ... design tools and manufacturing and testing the resulting design . The final products were inspected and flight tested so that their

Compositing Visualization Tools for Improving Design Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Wayne C.

2005-01-01

Today's designers deal with a range of communication modes. These modes vary from hand gestures to sketches, physical models, and computer-generated images. It has been the norm to use these mediums throughout the process to visualize the intended design so that the potential users, designers, team members, and clients can understand the end…

Teachers as Designers: Multimodal Immersion and Strategic Reading on the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalton, Bridget; Smith, Blaine E.

2012-01-01

This study examined teachers' literacy and technology integration in their design of Internet-based lessons for Grade 1-6 students using a tool that scaffolds the design process to focus on Internet resources and reading strategies. Twenty-six teachers' lessons on a public database were analyzed for design orientation, goals, curricular…

System data communication structures for active-control transport aircraft, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, A. L.; Martin, J. H.; Brock, L. D.; Jansson, D. G.; Serben, S.; Smith, T. B.; Hanley, L. D.

1981-01-01

Candidate data communication techniques are identified, including dedicated links, local buses, broadcast buses, multiplex buses, and mesh networks. The design methodology for mesh networks is then discussed, including network topology and node architecture. Several concepts of power distribution are reviewed, including current limiting and mesh networks for power. The technology issues of packaging, transmission media, and lightning are addressed, and, finally, the analysis tools developed to aid in the communication design process are described. There are special tools to analyze the reliability and connectivity of networks and more general reliability analysis tools for all types of systems.

Organizational Commitment through Organizational Socialization Tactics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filstad, Cathrine

2011-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to investigate how organizational socialization tactics affect newcomers' organizational commitment and learning processes. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted using a measurement tool based on Van Maanen and Schein's theory on organizational socialization tactics and Kuvaas' measurement tools of…

Prediction Of Tensile And Shear Strength Of Friction Surfaced Tool Steel Deposit By Using Artificial Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzoor Hussain, M.; Pitchi Raju, V.; Kandasamy, J.; Govardhan, D.

2018-04-01

Friction surface treatment is well-established solid technology and is used for deposition, abrasion and corrosion protection coatings on rigid materials. This novel process has wide range of industrial applications, particularly in the field of reclamation and repair of damaged and worn engineering components. In this paper, we present the prediction of tensile and shear strength of friction surface treated tool steel using ANN for simulated results of friction surface treatment. This experiment was carried out to obtain tool steel coatings of low carbon steel parts by changing contribution process parameters essentially friction pressure, rotational speed and welding speed. The simulation is performed by a 33-factor design that takes into account the maximum and least limits of the experimental work performed with the 23-factor design. Neural network structures, such as the Feed Forward Neural Network (FFNN), were used to predict tensile and shear strength of tool steel sediments caused by friction.

Soft qualities in healthcare. Method and tools for soft qualities design in hospitals' built environments.

PubMed

Capolongo, S; Bellini, E; Nachiero, D; Rebecchi, A; Buffoli, M

2014-01-01

The design of hospital environments is determined by functional requirements and technical regulations, as well as numerous protocols, which define the structure and system characteristics that such environments need to achieve. In order to improve people's well-being and the quality of their experience within public hospitals, design elements (soft qualities) are added to those 'necessary' features. The aim of this research has been to experiment a new design process and also to create health care spaces with high environmental quality and capable to meet users' emotional and perceptual needs. Such needs were investigated with the help of qualitative research tools and the design criteria for one of these soft qualities - colour - were subsequently defined on the basis of the findings. The colour scheme design for the new San Paolo Hospital Emergency Department in Milan was used as case study. Focus groups were fundamental in defining the project's goals and criteria. The issues raised have led to believe that the proper procedure is not the mere consultation of the users in order to define the goals: users should rather be involved in the whole design process and become co-agents of the choices that determine the environment characteristics, so as to meet the quality requirements identified by the users themselves. The case study has shown the possibility of developing a designing methodology made by three steps (or operational tools) in which users' groups are involved in the choices, loading to plan the environments where compliance with expectations is already implied and verified by means of the process itself. Thus, the method leads to the creation of soft qualities in Healthcare.

Experiences in using DISCUS for visualizing human communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groehn, Matti; Nieminen, Marko; Haho, Paeivi; Smeds, Riitta

2000-02-01

In this paper, we present further improvement to the DISCUS software that can be used to record and analyze the flow and constants of business process simulation session discussion. The tool was initially introduced in 'visual data exploration and analysis IV' conference. The initial features of the tool enabled the visualization of discussion flow in business process simulation sessions and the creation of SOM analyses. The improvements of the tool consists of additional visualization possibilities that enable quick on-line analyses and improved graphical statistics. We have also created the very first interface to audio data and implemented two ways to visualize it. We also outline additional possibilities to use the tool in other application areas: these include usability testing and the possibility to use the tool for capturing design rationale in a product development process. The data gathered with DISCUS may be used in other applications, and further work may be done with data ming techniques.

Tribological investigations of the applicability of surface functionalization for dry extrusion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teller, Marco; Prünte, Stephan; Ross, Ingo; Temmler, André; Schneider, Jochen M.; Hirt, Gerhard

2017-10-01

Cold extrusion processes are characterized by large relative contact stresses combined with a severe surface enlargement of the workpiece. Under these process conditions a high risk for galling of workpiece material to the tool steel occurs especially in processing of aluminum and aluminum alloys. In order to reduce adhesive wear lubricants for separation of workpiece and tool surfaces are used. As a consequence additional process steps (e.g. preparation and cleaning of workpieces) are necessary. Thus, the realization of a dry forming process is aspired from an environmental and economic perspective. In this paper a surface functionalization with self-assembled-monolayers (SAM) of the tool steels AISI D2 (DIN 1.2379) and AISI H11 (DIN 1.2343) is evaluated by a process-oriented tribological test. The tribological experiment is able to resemble and scale the process conditions of cold extrusion related to relative contact stress and surface enlargement for the forming of pure aluminum (Al99.5). The effect of reduced relative contact stress, surface enlargement and relative velocity on adhesive wear and tool lifetime is evaluated. Similar process conditions are achievable by different die designs with decreased extrusion ratios and adjusted die angles. The effect of surface functionalization critically depends on the substrate material. The different microstructure and the resulting differences in surface chemistry of the two tested tool steels appear to affect the performance of the tool surface functionalization with SAM.

Development strategy and process models for phased automation of design and digital manufacturing electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korshunov, G. I.; Petrushevskaya, A. A.; Lipatnikov, V. A.; Smirnova, M. S.

2018-03-01

The strategy of quality of electronics insurance is represented as most important. To provide quality, the processes sequence is considered and modeled by Markov chain. The improvement is distinguished by simple database means of design for manufacturing for future step-by-step development. Phased automation of design and digital manufacturing electronics is supposed. The MatLab modelling results showed effectiveness increase. New tools and software should be more effective. The primary digital model is proposed to represent product in the processes sequence from several processes till the whole life circle.

Optimizing laser beam profiles using micro-lens arrays for efficient material processing: applications to solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauschild, Dirk; Homburg, Oliver; Mitra, Thomas; Ivanenko, Mikhail; Jarczynski, Manfred; Meinschien, Jens; Bayer, Andreas; Lissotschenko, Vitalij

2009-02-01

High power laser sources are used in various production tools for microelectronic products and solar cells, including the applications annealing, lithography, edge isolation as well as dicing and patterning. Besides the right choice of the laser source suitable high performance optics for generating the appropriate beam profile and intensity distribution are of high importance for the right processing speed, quality and yield. For industrial applications equally important is an adequate understanding of the physics of the light-matter interaction behind the process. In advance simulations of the tool performance can minimize technical and financial risk as well as lead times for prototyping and introduction into series production. LIMO has developed its own software founded on the Maxwell equations taking into account all important physical aspects of the laser based process: the light source, the beam shaping optical system and the light-matter interaction. Based on this knowledge together with a unique free-form micro-lens array production technology and patented micro-optics beam shaping designs a number of novel solar cell production tool sub-systems have been built. The basic functionalities, design principles and performance results are presented with a special emphasis on resilience, cost reduction and process reliability.

Development of the Gliding Hole of the Dynamics Compression Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salim, U. A.; Suyitno; Magetsari, R.; Mahardika, M.

2017-02-01

The gliding hole of the dynamics compression plate is designed to facilitate relative movement of pedicle screw during surgery application. The gliding hole shape is then geometrically complex. The gliding hole manufactured using machining processes used to employ ball-nose cutting tool. Then, production cost is expensive due to long production time. This study proposed to increase productivity of DCP products by introducing forming process (cold forming). The forming process used to involve any press tool devices. In the closed die forming press tool is designed with little allowance, then work-pieces is trapped in the mould after forming. Therefore, it is very important to determine hole geometry and dimensions of raw material in order to success on forming process. This study optimized the hole sizes with both geometry analytics and experiments. The success of the forming process was performed by increasing the holes size on the raw materials. The holes size need to be prepared is diameter of 5.5 mm with a length of 11.4 mm for the plate thickness 3 mm and diameter of 6 mm with a length of 12.5 mm for the plate thickness 4 mm.

Planar Inlet Design and Analysis Process (PINDAP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slater, John W.; Gruber, Christopher R.

2005-01-01

The Planar Inlet Design and Analysis Process (PINDAP) is a collection of software tools that allow the efficient aerodynamic design and analysis of planar (two-dimensional and axisymmetric) inlets. The aerodynamic analysis is performed using the Wind-US computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program. A major element in PINDAP is a Fortran 90 code named PINDAP that can establish the parametric design of the inlet and efficiently model the geometry and generate the grid for CFD analysis with design changes to those parameters. The use of PINDAP is demonstrated for subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic inlets.

Corps of Engineers National Automation Team (CENAT) Technology Transfer Test Bed (T(3)B) Demonstration of the Design 4D Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-01

other design tools. RESULTS OF TEST/DEMONSTRATION: Training for the Design 4D Program was conducted at USACERL. Although nearly half of the test...subjects had difficulty with the prompts, their understanding of the program improved after experimenting with the commands. After training , most felt...Equipment Testing Process 3 TEST DISTRICT TRAINING ........................................... 10 Training Process Post Training Survey Post Training

Design of an instrument to measure the quality of care in Physical Therapy.

PubMed

Cavalheiro, Leny Vieira; Eid, Raquel Afonso Caserta; Talerman, Claudia; Prado, Cristiane do; Gobbi, Fátima Cristina Martorano; Andreoli, Paola Bruno de Araujo

2015-01-01

To design an instrument composed of domains that would demonstrate physical therapy activities and generate a consistent index to represent the quality of care in physical therapy. The methodology Lean Six Sigma was used to design the tool. The discussion involved seven different management groups staff. By means of brainstorming and Cause & Effect Matrix, we set up the process map. Five requirements composed the quality of care index in physical therapy, after application of the tool called Cause & Effect Matrix. The following requirements were assessed: physical therapist performance, care outcome indicator, adherence to physical therapy protocols, measure whether the prognosis and treatment outcome was achieved and Infrastructure. The proposed design allowed evaluating several items related to physical therapy service, enabling customization, reproducibility and benchmarking with other organizations. For management, this index provides the opportunity to identify areas for improvement and the strengths of the team and process of physical therapy care.

Highlights of the Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

1997-01-01

Economic stresses are forcing many industries to reduce cost and time-to-market, and to insert emerging technologies into their products. Engineers are asked to design faster, ever more complex systems. Hence, there is a need for novel design paradigms and effective design tools to reduce the design and development times. Several computational tools and facilities have been developed to support the design process. Some of these are described in subsequent presentations. The focus of the workshop is on the computational tools and facilities which have high potential for use in future design environment for aerospace systems. The outline for the introductory remarks is given. First, the characteristics and design drivers for future aerospace systems are outlined; second, simulation-based design environment, and some of its key modules are described; third, the vision for the next-generation design environment being planned by NASA, the UVA ACT Center and JPL is presented. The anticipated major benefits of the planned environment are listed; fourth, some of the government-supported programs related to simulation-based design are listed; and fifth, the objectives and format of the workshop are presented.

Integrated performance and reliability specification for digital avionics systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brehm, Eric W.; Goettge, Robert T.

1995-01-01

This paper describes an automated tool for performance and reliability assessment of digital avionics systems, called the Automated Design Tool Set (ADTS). ADTS is based on an integrated approach to design assessment that unifies traditional performance and reliability views of system designs, and that addresses interdependencies between performance and reliability behavior via exchange of parameters and result between mathematical models of each type. A multi-layer tool set architecture has been developed for ADTS that separates the concerns of system specification, model generation, and model solution. Performance and reliability models are generated automatically as a function of candidate system designs, and model results are expressed within the system specification. The layered approach helps deal with the inherent complexity of the design assessment process, and preserves long-term flexibility to accommodate a wide range of models and solution techniques within the tool set structure. ADTS research and development to date has focused on development of a language for specification of system designs as a basis for performance and reliability evaluation. A model generation and solution framework has also been developed for ADTS, that will ultimately encompass an integrated set of analytic and simulated based techniques for performance, reliability, and combined design assessment.

Analytical Design Package (ADP2): A computer aided engineering tool for aircraft transparency design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wuerer, J. E.; Gran, M.; Held, T. W.

1994-01-01

The Analytical Design Package (ADP2) is being developed as a part of the Air Force Frameless Transparency Program (FTP). ADP2 is an integrated design tool consisting of existing analysis codes and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software. The objective of the ADP2 is to develop and confirm an integrated design methodology for frameless transparencies, related aircraft interfaces, and their corresponding tooling. The application of this methodology will generate high confidence for achieving a qualified part prior to mold fabrication. ADP2 is a customized integration of analysis codes, CAE software, and material databases. The primary CAE integration tool for the ADP2 is P3/PATRAN, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software tool. The open architecture of P3/PATRAN allows customized installations with different applications modules for specific site requirements. Integration of material databases allows the engineer to select a material, and those material properties are automatically called into the relevant analysis code. The ADP2 materials database will be composed of four independent schemas: CAE Design, Processing, Testing, and Logistics Support. The design of ADP2 places major emphasis on the seamless integration of CAE and analysis modules with a single intuitive graphical interface. This tool is being designed to serve and be used by an entire project team, i.e., analysts, designers, materials experts, and managers. The final version of the software will be delivered to the Air Force in Jan. 1994. The Analytical Design Package (ADP2) will then be ready for transfer to industry. The package will be capable of a wide range of design and manufacturing applications.

Developing and Validating a New Classroom Climate Observation Assessment Tool

PubMed Central

Leff, Stephen S.; Thomas, Duane E.; Shapiro, Edward S.; Paskewich, Brooke; Wilson, Kim; Necowitz-Hoffman, Beth; Jawad, Abbas F.

2011-01-01

The climate of school classrooms, shaped by a combination of teacher practices and peer processes, is an important determinant for children’s psychosocial functioning and is a primary factor affecting bullying and victimization. Given that there are relatively few theoretically-grounded and validated assessment tools designed to measure the social climate of classrooms, our research team developed an observation tool through participatory action research (PAR). This article details how the assessment tool was designed and preliminarily validated in 18 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classrooms in a large urban public school district. The goals of this study are to illustrate the feasibility of a PAR paradigm in measurement development, ascertain the psychometric properties of the assessment tool, and determine associations with different indices of classroom levels of relational and physical aggression. PMID:21643447

Developing and Validating a New Classroom Climate Observation Assessment Tool.

PubMed

Leff, Stephen S; Thomas, Duane E; Shapiro, Edward S; Paskewich, Brooke; Wilson, Kim; Necowitz-Hoffman, Beth; Jawad, Abbas F

2011-01-01

The climate of school classrooms, shaped by a combination of teacher practices and peer processes, is an important determinant for children's psychosocial functioning and is a primary factor affecting bullying and victimization. Given that there are relatively few theoretically-grounded and validated assessment tools designed to measure the social climate of classrooms, our research team developed an observation tool through participatory action research (PAR). This article details how the assessment tool was designed and preliminarily validated in 18 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classrooms in a large urban public school district. The goals of this study are to illustrate the feasibility of a PAR paradigm in measurement development, ascertain the psychometric properties of the assessment tool, and determine associations with different indices of classroom levels of relational and physical aggression.

Development of an interactive social media tool for parents with concerns about vaccines.

PubMed

Shoup, Jo Ann; Wagner, Nicole M; Kraus, Courtney R; Narwaney, Komal J; Goddard, Kristin S; Glanz, Jason M

2015-06-01

Describe a process for designing, building, and evaluating a theory-driven social media intervention tool to help reduce parental concerns about vaccination. We developed an interactive web-based tool using quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., survey, focus groups, individual interviews, and usability testing). Survey results suggested that social media may represent an effective intervention tool to help parents make informed decisions about vaccination for their children. Focus groups and interviews revealed four main themes for development of the tool: Parents wanted information describing both benefits and risks of vaccination, transparency of sources of information, moderation of the tool by an expert, and ethnic and racial diversity in the visual display of people. Usability testing showed that parents were satisfied with the usability of the tool but had difficulty with performing some of the informational searches. Based on focus groups, interviews, and usability evaluations, we made additional revisions to the tool's content, design, functionality, and overall look and feel. Engaging parents at all stages of development is critical when designing a tool to address concerns about childhood vaccines. Although this can be both resource- and time-intensive, the redesigned tool is more likely to be accepted and used by parents. Next steps involve a formal evaluation through a randomized trial. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

A novel methodology for building robust design rules by using design based metrology (DBM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Myeongdong; Choi, Seiryung; Choi, Jinwoo; Kim, Jeahyun; Sung, Hyunju; Yeo, Hyunyoung; Shim, Myoungseob; Jin, Gyoyoung; Chung, Eunseung; Roh, Yonghan

2013-03-01

This paper addresses a methodology for building robust design rules by using design based metrology (DBM). Conventional method for building design rules has been using a simulation tool and a simple pattern spider mask. At the early stage of the device, the estimation of simulation tool is poor. And the evaluation of the simple pattern spider mask is rather subjective because it depends on the experiential judgment of an engineer. In this work, we designed a huge number of pattern situations including various 1D and 2D design structures. In order to overcome the difficulties of inspecting many types of patterns, we introduced Design Based Metrology (DBM) of Nano Geometry Research, Inc. And those mass patterns could be inspected at a fast speed with DBM. We also carried out quantitative analysis on PWQ silicon data to estimate process variability. Our methodology demonstrates high speed and accuracy for building design rules. All of test patterns were inspected within a few hours. Mass silicon data were handled with not personal decision but statistical processing. From the results, robust design rules are successfully verified and extracted. Finally we found out that our methodology is appropriate for building robust design rules.

Using TRACI for Sustainability Metrics

EPA Science Inventory

TRACI, the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts, has been developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, and product and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sustainable products, processes,...

Virtual Power Electronics: Novel Software Tools for Design, Modeling and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamar, Janos; Nagy, István; Funato, Hirohito; Ogasawara, Satoshi; Dranga, Octavian; Nishida, Yasuyuki

The current paper is dedicated to present browser-based multimedia-rich software tools and e-learning curriculum to support the design and modeling process of power electronics circuits and to explain sometimes rather sophisticated phenomena. Two projects will be discussed. The so-called Inetele project is financed by the Leonardo da Vinci program of the European Union (EU). It is a collaborative project between numerous EU universities and institutes to develop state-of-the art curriculum in Electrical Engineering. Another cooperative project with participation of Japanese, European and Australian institutes focuses especially on developing e-learning curriculum, interactive design and modeling tools, furthermore on development of a virtual laboratory. Snapshots from these two projects will be presented.

Application of the Tool for Turbine Engine Closed-Loop Transient Analysis (TTECTrA) for Dynamic Systems Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csank, Jeffrey T.; Zinnecker, Alicia M.

2014-01-01

The aircraft engine design process seeks to achieve the best overall system-level performance, weight, and cost for a given engine design. This is achieved by a complex process known as systems analysis, where steady-state simulations are used to identify trade-offs that should be balanced to optimize the system. The steady-state simulations and data on which systems analysis relies may not adequately capture the true performance trade-offs that exist during transient operation. Dynamic Systems Analysis provides the capability for assessing these trade-offs at an earlier stage of the engine design process. The concept of dynamic systems analysis and the type of information available from this analysis are presented in this paper. To provide this capability, the Tool for Turbine Engine Closed-loop Transient Analysis (TTECTrA) was developed. This tool aids a user in the design of a power management controller to regulate thrust, and a transient limiter to protect the engine model from surge at a single flight condition (defined by an altitude and Mach number). Results from simulation of the closed-loop system may be used to estimate the dynamic performance of the model. This enables evaluation of the trade-off between performance and operability, or safety, in the engine, which could not be done with steady-state data alone. A design study is presented to compare the dynamic performance of two different engine models integrated with the TTECTrA software.

Knowledge management in a waste based biorefinery in the QbD paradigm.

PubMed

Rathore, Anurag S; Chopda, Viki R; Gomes, James

2016-09-01

Shifting resource base from fossil feedstock to renewable raw materials for production of chemical products has opened up an area of novel applications of industrial biotechnology-based process tools. This review aims to provide a concise and focused discussion on recent advances in knowledge management to facilitate efficient and optimal operation of a biorefinery. Application of quality by design (QbD) and process analytical technology (PAT) as tools for knowledge creation and management at different levels has been highlighted. Role of process integration, government policies, knowledge exchange through collaboration, and use of databases and computational tools have also been touched upon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational fluid dynamics applications to improve crop production systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), numerical analysis and simulation tools of fluid flow processes have emerged from the development stage and become nowadays a robust design tool. It is widely used to study various transport phenomena which involve fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, providing det...

Mash-up of techniques between data crawling/transfer, data preservation/stewardship and data processing/visualization technologies on a science cloud system designed for Earth and space science: a report of successful operation and science projects of the NICT Science Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, K. T.

2014-12-01

Data-intensive or data-centric science is 4th paradigm after observational and/or experimental science (1st paradigm), theoretical science (2nd paradigm) and numerical science (3rd paradigm). Science cloud is an infrastructure for 4th science methodology. The NICT science cloud is designed for big data sciences of Earth, space and other sciences based on modern informatics and information technologies [1]. Data flow on the cloud is through the following three techniques; (1) data crawling and transfer, (2) data preservation and stewardship, and (3) data processing and visualization. Original tools and applications of these techniques have been designed and implemented. We mash up these tools and applications on the NICT Science Cloud to build up customized systems for each project. In this paper, we discuss science data processing through these three steps. For big data science, data file deployment on a distributed storage system should be well designed in order to save storage cost and transfer time. We developed a high-bandwidth virtual remote storage system (HbVRS) and data crawling tool, NICTY/DLA and Wide-area Observation Network Monitoring (WONM) system, respectively. Data files are saved on the cloud storage system according to both data preservation policy and data processing plan. The storage system is developed via distributed file system middle-ware (Gfarm: GRID datafarm). It is effective since disaster recovery (DR) and parallel data processing are carried out simultaneously without moving these big data from storage to storage. Data files are managed on our Web application, WSDBank (World Science Data Bank). The big-data on the cloud are processed via Pwrake, which is a workflow tool with high-bandwidth of I/O. There are several visualization tools on the cloud; VirtualAurora for magnetosphere and ionosphere, VDVGE for google Earth, STICKER for urban environment data and STARStouch for multi-disciplinary data. There are 30 projects running on the NICT Science Cloud for Earth and space science. In 2003 56 refereed papers were published. At the end, we introduce a couple of successful results of Earth and space sciences using these three techniques carried out on the NICT Sciences Cloud. [1] http://sc-web.nict.go.jp

Image Navigation and Registration Performance Assessment Evaluation Tools for GOES-R ABI and GLM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houchin, Scott; Porter, Brian; Graybill, Justin; Slingerland, Philip

2017-01-01

The GOES-R Flight Project has developed an Image Navigation and Registration (INR) Performance Assessment Tool Set (IPATS) for measuring Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) INR performance metrics in the post-launch period for performance evaluation and long term monitoring. IPATS utilizes a modular algorithmic design to allow user selection of data processing sequences optimized for generation of each INR metric. This novel modular approach minimizes duplication of common processing elements, thereby maximizing code efficiency and speed. Fast processing is essential given the large number of sub-image registrations required to generate INR metrics for the many images produced over a 24 hour evaluation period. This paper describes the software design and implementation of IPATS and provides preliminary test results.

Virtual Collaborative Simulation Environment for Integrated Product and Process Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulli, Michael A.

1997-01-01

Deneb Robotics is a leader in the development of commercially available, leading edge three- dimensional simulation software tools for virtual prototyping,, simulation-based design, manufacturing process simulation, and factory floor simulation and training applications. Deneb has developed and commercially released a preliminary Virtual Collaborative Engineering (VCE) capability for Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD). This capability allows distributed, real-time visualization and evaluation of design concepts, manufacturing processes, and total factory and enterprises in one seamless simulation environment.

Dynamic Modeling of Process Technologies for Closed-Loop Water Recovery Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allada, Rama Kumar; Lange, Kevin E.; Anderson, Molly S.

2012-01-01

Detailed chemical process simulations are a useful tool in designing and optimizing complex systems and architectures for human life support. Dynamic and steady-state models of these systems help contrast the interactions of various operating parameters and hardware designs, which become extremely useful in trade-study analyses. NASA s Exploration Life Support technology development project recently made use of such models to compliment a series of tests on different waste water distillation systems. This paper presents dynamic simulations of chemical process for primary processor technologies including: the Cascade Distillation System (CDS), the Vapor Compression Distillation (VCD) system, the Wiped-Film Rotating Disk (WFRD), and post-distillation water polishing processes such as the Volatiles Removal Assembly (VRA). These dynamic models were developed using the Aspen Custom Modeler (Registered TradeMark) and Aspen Plus(Registered TradeMark) process simulation tools. The results expand upon previous work for water recovery technology models and emphasize dynamic process modeling and results. The paper discusses system design, modeling details, and model results for each technology and presents some comparisons between the model results and available test data. Following these initial comparisons, some general conclusions and forward work are discussed.

An integrated, open-source set of tools for urban vulnerability monitoring from Earth observation data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Vecchi, Daniele; Harb, Mostapha; Dell'Acqua, Fabio; Aurelio Galeazzo, Daniel

2015-04-01

Aim: The paper introduces an integrated set of open-source tools designed to process medium and high-resolution imagery with the aim to extract vulnerability indicators [1]. Problem: In the context of risk monitoring [2], a series of vulnerability proxies can be defined, such as the extension of a built-up area or buildings regularity [3]. Different open-source C and Python libraries are already available for image processing and geospatial information (e.g. OrfeoToolbox, OpenCV and GDAL). They include basic processing tools but not vulnerability-oriented workflows. Therefore, it is of significant importance to provide end-users with a set of tools capable to return information at a higher level. Solution: The proposed set of python algorithms is a combination of low-level image processing and geospatial information handling tools along with high-level workflows. In particular, two main products are released under the GPL license: source code, developers-oriented, and a QGIS plugin. These tools were produced within the SENSUM project framework (ended December 2014) where the main focus was on earthquake and landslide risk. Further development and maintenance is guaranteed by the decision to include them in the platform designed within the FP 7 RASOR project . Conclusion: With the lack of a unified software suite for vulnerability indicators extraction, the proposed solution can provide inputs for already available models like the Global Earthquake Model. The inclusion of the proposed set of algorithms within the RASOR platforms can guarantee support and enlarge the community of end-users. Keywords: Vulnerability monitoring, remote sensing, optical imagery, open-source software tools References [1] M. Harb, D. De Vecchi, F. Dell'Acqua, "Remote sensing-based vulnerability proxies in the EU FP7 project SENSUM", Symposium on earthquake and landslide risk in Central Asia and Caucasus: exploiting remote sensing and geo-spatial information management, 29-30th January 2014, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. [2] UNISDR, "Living with Risk", Geneva, Switzerland, 2004. [3] P. Bisch, E. Carvalho, H. Degree, P. Fajfar, M. Fardis, P. Franchin, M. Kreslin, A. Pecker, "Eurocode 8: Seismic Design of Buildings", Lisbon, 2011. (SENSUM: www.sensum-project.eu, grant number: 312972 ) (RASOR: www.rasor-project.eu, grant number: 606888 )

Participant Observation, Anthropology Methodology and Design Anthropology Research Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunn, Wendy; Løgstrup, Louise B.

2014-01-01

Within the design studio, and across multiple field sites, the authors compare involvement of research tools and materials during collaborative processes of designing. Their aim is to trace temporal dimensions (shifts/ movements) of where and when learning takes place along different sites of practice. They do so by combining participant…

Students' Construction of External Representations in Design-Based Learning Situations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Vries, Erica

2006-01-01

This article develops a theoretical framework for the study of students' construction of mixed multiple external representations in design-based learning situations involving an adaptation of professional tasks and tools to a classroom setting. The framework draws on research on professional design processes and on learning with multiple external…

The ID Database: Managing the Instructional Development Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piña, Anthony A.; Sanford, Barry K.

2017-01-01

Management is evolving as a foundational domain to the field of instructional design and technology. However, there are few tools dedicated to the management of instructional design and development projects and activities. In this article, we describe the development, features and implementation of an instructional design database--built from a…

EVA design: lessons learned.

PubMed

Ross, J L

1994-01-01

Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) are very demanding and specialized space flight activities. There are many aspects to consider in the design of hardware, tools, and procedures to be used on an EVA mission. To help minimize costs and optimize the EVA productivity, experience shows that astronauts should become involved early in the design process.

Strategic Teaching: Student Learning through Working the Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spanbroek, Nancy

2010-01-01

The designers of our future built environment must possess intellectual tools which will allow them to be disciplined, flexible and analytical thinkers, able to address and resolve new and complex problems. In response, an experimental and collaborative design studio was designed to inspire and build on students' knowledge and their creative…

FODEM: A Multi-Threaded Research and Development Method for Educational Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suhonen, Jarkko; de Villiers, M. Ruth; Sutinen, Erkki

2012-01-01

Formative development method (FODEM) is a multithreaded design approach that was originated to support the design and development of various types of educational technology innovations, such as learning tools, and online study programmes. The threaded and agile structure of the approach provides flexibility to the design process. Intensive…

Introduced Species: Can We Balance Human Systems with Natural Processes? Global Environmental Change Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Teachers Association, Arlington, VA.

The seven activities contained in this book are designed to equip students (grades 9-12) with scientific tools and skills for understanding what introduced species are, how they impact natural processes and human systems, and what may be done about them. The activities are designed to link the biology and ecology of introduced species with…

Teaching Tip: Using Activity Diagrams to Model Systems Analysis Techniques: Teaching What We Preach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lending, Diane; May, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

Activity diagrams are used in Systems Analysis and Design classes as a visual tool to model the business processes of "as-is" and "to-be" systems. This paper presents the idea of using these same activity diagrams in the classroom to model the actual processes (practices and techniques) of Systems Analysis and Design. This tip…

Structural design/margin assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, R. S.

1993-01-01

Determining structural design inputs and the structural margins following design completion is one of the major activities in space exploration. The end result is a statement of these margins as stability, safety factors on ultimate and yield stresses, fracture limits (fracture control), fatigue lifetime, reuse criteria, operational criteria and procedures, stability factors, deflections, clearance, handling criteria, etc. The process is normally called a load cycle and is time consuming, very complex, and involves much more than structures. The key to successful structural design is the proper implementation of the process. It depends on many factors: leadership and management of the process, adequate analysis and testing tools, data basing, communications, people skills, and training. This process and the various factors involved are discussed.

Novel ergonomic postural assessment method (NERPA) using product-process computer aided engineering for ergonomic workplace design.

PubMed

Sanchez-Lite, Alberto; Garcia, Manuel; Domingo, Rosario; Angel Sebastian, Miguel

2013-01-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that result from poor ergonomic design are one of the occupational disorders of greatest concern in the industrial sector. A key advantage in the primary design phase is to focus on a method of assessment that detects and evaluates the potential risks experienced by the operative when faced with these types of physical injuries. The method of assessment will improve the process design identifying potential ergonomic improvements from various design alternatives or activities undertaken as part of the cycle of continuous improvement throughout the differing phases of the product life cycle. This paper presents a novel postural assessment method (NERPA) fit for product-process design, which was developed with the help of a digital human model together with a 3D CAD tool, which is widely used in the aeronautic and automotive industries. The power of 3D visualization and the possibility of studying the actual assembly sequence in a virtual environment can allow the functional performance of the parts to be addressed. Such tools can also provide us with an ergonomic workstation design, together with a competitive advantage in the assembly process. The method developed was used in the design of six production lines, studying 240 manual assembly operations and improving 21 of them. This study demonstrated the proposed method's usefulness and found statistically significant differences in the evaluations of the proposed method and the widely used Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method.

Reducing Design Cycle Time and Cost Through Process Resequencing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.

2004-01-01

In today's competitive environment, companies are under enormous pressure to reduce the time and cost of their design cycle. One method for reducing both time and cost is to develop an understanding of the flow of the design processes and the effects of the iterative subcycles that are found in complex design projects. Once these aspects are understood, the design manager can make decisions that take advantage of decomposition, concurrent engineering, and parallel processing techniques to reduce the total time and the total cost of the design cycle. One software tool that can aid in this decision-making process is the Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition (DeMAID). The DeMAID software minimizes the feedback couplings that create iterative subcycles, groups processes into iterative subcycles, and decomposes the subcycles into a hierarchical structure. The real benefits of producing the best design in the least time and at a minimum cost are obtained from sequencing the processes in the subcycles.

Quality By Design: Concept To Applications.

PubMed

Swain, Suryakanta; Padhy, Rabinarayan; Jena, Bikash Ranjan; Babu, Sitty Manohar

2018-03-08

Quality by Design is associated to the modern, systematic, scientific and novel approach which is concerned with pre-distinct objectives that not only focus on product, process understanding but also leads to process control. It predominantly signifies the design and product improvement and the manufacturing process in order to fulfill the predefined manufactured goods or final products quality characteristics. It is quite essential to identify desire and required product performance report such as Target Product Profile, typical Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) and Critical Quality attributes (CQA). This review highlighted about the concepts of QbD design space, for critical material attributes (CMAs) as well as the critical process parameters that can totally affect the CQAs within which the process shall be unaffected and consistently manufacture the required product. Risk assessment tools and design of experiments are its prime components. This paper outlines the basic knowledge of QbD, the key elements; steps as well as various tools for QbD implementation in pharmaceutics field are presented briefly. In addition to this, quite a lot of applications of QbD in numerous pharmaceutical related unit operations are discussed and summarized. This article provides a complete data as well as the road map for universal implementation and application of QbD for pharmaceutical products. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Designing Pulse Laser Surface Modification of H13 Steel Using Response Surface Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aqida, S. N.; Brabazon, D.; Naher, S.

2011-01-01

This paper presents a design of experiment (DOE) for laser surface modification process of AISI H13 tool steel in achieving the maximum hardness and minimum surface roughness at a range of modified layer depth. A Rofin DC-015 diffusion-cooled CO2 slab laser was used to process AISI H13 tool steel samples. Samples of 10 mm diameter were sectioned to 100 mm length in order to process a predefined circumferential area. The parameters selected for examination were laser peak power, overlap percentage and pulse repetition frequency (PRF). The response surface method with Box-Behnken design approach in Design Expert 7 software was used to design the H13 laser surface modification process. Metallographic study and image analysis were done to measure the modified layer depth. The modified surface roughness was measured using two-dimensional surface profilometer. The correlation of the three laser processing parameters and the modified surface properties was specified by plotting three-dimensional graph. The hardness properties were tested at 981 mN force. From metallographic study, the laser modified surface depth was between 37 μm and 150 μm. The average surface roughness recorded from the 2D profilometry was at a minimum value of 1.8 μm. The maximum hardness achieved was between 728 and 905 HV0.1. These findings are significant to modern development of hard coatings for wear resistant applications.

1-G Human Factors for Optimal Processing and Operability of Ground Systems Up to CxP GOP PDR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stambolian, Damon B.; Henderson, Gena; Miller, Darcy; Prevost, Gary; Tran, Donald; Barth, Tim

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the development and use of a process and tool for developing these requirements and improve the design for ground operations. A Human Factors Engineering Analysis (HFEA) Tool was developed to create a dedicated subset of requirements from the FAA requirements for each subsystem. As an example the use of the human interface with an actuator motor is considered.

EST databases and web tools for EST projects.

PubMed

Shen, Yao-Qing; O'Brien, Emmet; Koski, Liisa; Lang, B Franz; Burger, Gertraud

2009-01-01

This chapter outlines key considerations for constructing and implementing an EST database. Instead of showing the technological details step by step, emphasis is put on the design of an EST database suited to the specific needs of EST projects and how to choose the most suitable tools. Using TBestDB as an example, we illustrate the essential factors to be considered for database construction and the steps for data population and annotation. This process employs technologies such as PostgreSQL, Perl, and PHP to build the database and interface, and tools such as AutoFACT for data processing and annotation. We discuss these in comparison to other available technologies and tools, and explain the reasons for our choices.

Navigating complex patients using an innovative tool: the MTM Spider Web.

PubMed

Morello, Candis M; Hirsch, Jan D; Lee, Kelly C

2013-01-01

To introduce a teaching tool that can be used to assess the complexity of medication therapy management (MTM) patients, prioritize appropriate interventions, and design patient-centered care plans for each encounter. MTM patients are complex as a result of multiple comorbidities, medications, and socioeconomic and behavioral issues. Pharmacists who provide MTM services are required to synthesize a plethora of information (medical and nonmedical), evaluate and prioritize the clinical problems, and design a comprehensive patient-centered care plan. The MTM Spider Web is a visual tool to facilitate this process. A description is provided regarding how to build the MTM Spider Web using case-based scenarios. This model can be used to teach pharmacists, health professional students, and patients. The MTM Spider Web is an innovative teaching tool that can be used to teach pharmacists and students how to assess complex patients and design a patient-centered care plan to deliver the most appropriate medication therapy.

Heat Treatment of Tools in Light Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petukhov, V. A.

2005-09-01

Heat treatment processes for some tools (knitting needles, travelers for thimbles of spinning and doubling frames, thread-forming spinnerets) used for the production of cloths, hosiery, and other articles) in the knitting and textile industries are considered. Problems of the choice of steel and the kind and parameters of heat treatment are discussed in connection with the special features of tool design and operating conditions.

Quantification and propagation of disciplinary uncertainty via Bayesian statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantis, George Constantine

2002-08-01

Several needs exist in the military, commercial, and civil sectors for new hypersonic systems. These needs remain unfulfilled, due in part to the uncertainty encountered in designing these systems. This uncertainty takes a number of forms, including disciplinary uncertainty, that which is inherent in the analytical tools utilized during the design process. Yet, few efforts to date empower the designer with the means to account for this uncertainty within the disciplinary analyses. In the current state-of-the-art in design, the effects of this unquantifiable uncertainty significantly increase the risks associated with new design efforts. Typically, the risk proves too great to allow a given design to proceed beyond the conceptual stage. To that end, the research encompasses the formulation and validation of a new design method, a systematic process for probabilistically assessing the impact of disciplinary uncertainty. The method implements Bayesian Statistics theory to quantify this source of uncertainty, and propagate its effects to the vehicle system level. Comparison of analytical and physical data for existing systems, modeled a priori in the given analysis tools, leads to quantification of uncertainty in those tools' calculation of discipline-level metrics. Then, after exploration of the new vehicle's design space, the quantified uncertainty is propagated probabilistically through the design space. This ultimately results in the assessment of the impact of disciplinary uncertainty on the confidence in the design solution: the final shape and variability of the probability functions defining the vehicle's system-level metrics. Although motivated by the hypersonic regime, the proposed treatment of uncertainty applies to any class of aerospace vehicle, just as the problem itself affects the design process of any vehicle. A number of computer programs comprise the environment constructed for the implementation of this work. Application to a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle concept, developed by the NASA Langley Research Center under the Space Launch Initiative, provides the validation case for this work, with the focus placed on economics, aerothermodynamics, propulsion, and structures metrics. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Making Scientific Data Usable and Useful

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satwicz, T.; Bharadwaj, A.; Evans, J.; Dirks, J.; Clark Cole, K.

2017-12-01

Transforming geological data into information that has broad scientific and societal impact is a process fraught with barriers. Data sets and tools are often reported to have poor user experiences (UX) that make scientific work more challenging than it needs be. While many other technical fields have benefited from ongoing improvements to the UX of their tools (e.g., healthcare and financial services) scientists are faced with using tools that are labor intensive and not intuitive. Our research team has been involved in a multi-year effort to understand and improve the UX of scientific tools and data sets. We use a User-Centered Design (UCD) process that involves naturalistic behavioral observation and other qualitative research methods adopted from Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and related fields. Behavioral observation involves having users complete common tasks on data sets, tools, and websites to identify usability issues and understand the severity of the issues. We measure how successfully they complete tasks and diagnosis the cause of any failures. Behavioral observation is paired with in-depth interviews where users describe their process for generating results (from initial inquiry to final results). By asking detailed questions we unpack common patterns and challenges scientists experience while working with data. We've found that tools built using the UCD process can have a large impact on scientist work flows and greatly reduce the time it takes to process data before analysis. It is often challenging to understand the organization and nuances of data across scientific fields. By better understanding how scientists work we can create tools that make routine tasks less-labor intensive, data easier to find, and solve common issues with discovering new data sets and engaging in interdisciplinary research. There is a tremendous opportunity for advancing scientific knowledge and helping the public benefit from that work by creating intuitive, interactive, and powerful tools and resources for generating knowledge. The pathway to achieving that is through building a detailed understanding of users and their needs, then using this knowledge to inform the design of the data products, tools, and services scientists and non-scientists use to do their work.

Functional Fault Model Development Process to Support Design Analysis and Operational Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melcher, Kevin J.; Maul, William A.; Hemminger, Joseph A.

2016-01-01

A functional fault model (FFM) is an abstract representation of the failure space of a given system. As such, it simulates the propagation of failure effects along paths between the origin of the system failure modes and points within the system capable of observing the failure effects. As a result, FFMs may be used to diagnose the presence of failures in the modeled system. FFMs necessarily contain a significant amount of information about the design, operations, and failure modes and effects. One of the important benefits of FFMs is that they may be qualitative, rather than quantitative and, as a result, may be implemented early in the design process when there is more potential to positively impact the system design. FFMs may therefore be developed and matured throughout the monitored system's design process and may subsequently be used to provide real-time diagnostic assessments that support system operations. This paper provides an overview of a generalized NASA process that is being used to develop and apply FFMs. FFM technology has been evolving for more than 25 years. The FFM development process presented in this paper was refined during NASA's Ares I, Space Launch System, and Ground Systems Development and Operations programs (i.e., from about 2007 to the present). Process refinement took place as new modeling, analysis, and verification tools were created to enhance FFM capabilities. In this paper, standard elements of a model development process (i.e., knowledge acquisition, conceptual design, implementation & verification, and application) are described within the context of FFMs. Further, newer tools and analytical capabilities that may benefit the broader systems engineering process are identified and briefly described. The discussion is intended as a high-level guide for future FFM modelers.

A multi-fidelity framework for physics based rotor blade simulation and optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Kyle Brian

New helicopter rotor designs are desired that offer increased efficiency, reduced vibration, and reduced noise. Rotor Designers in industry need methods that allow them to use the most accurate simulation tools available to search for these optimal designs. Computer based rotor analysis and optimization have been advanced by the development of industry standard codes known as "comprehensive" rotorcraft analysis tools. These tools typically use table look-up aerodynamics, simplified inflow models and perform aeroelastic analysis using Computational Structural Dynamics (CSD). Due to the simplified aerodynamics, most design studies are performed varying structural related design variables like sectional mass and stiffness. The optimization of shape related variables in forward flight using these tools is complicated and results are viewed with skepticism because rotor blade loads are not accurately predicted. The most accurate methods of rotor simulation utilize Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) but have historically been considered too computationally intensive to be used in computer based optimization, where numerous simulations are required. An approach is needed where high fidelity CFD rotor analysis can be utilized in a shape variable optimization problem with multiple objectives. Any approach should be capable of working in forward flight in addition to hover. An alternative is proposed and founded on the idea that efficient hybrid CFD methods of rotor analysis are ready to be used in preliminary design. In addition, the proposed approach recognizes the usefulness of lower fidelity physics based analysis and surrogate modeling. Together, they are used with high fidelity analysis in an intelligent process of surrogate model building of parameters in the high fidelity domain. Closing the loop between high and low fidelity analysis is a key aspect of the proposed approach. This is done by using information from higher fidelity analysis to improve predictions made with lower fidelity models. This thesis documents the development of automated low and high fidelity physics based rotor simulation frameworks. The low fidelity framework uses a comprehensive code with simplified aerodynamics. The high fidelity model uses a parallel processor capable CFD/CSD methodology. Both low and high fidelity frameworks include an aeroacoustic simulation for prediction of noise. A synergistic process is developed that uses both the low and high fidelity frameworks together to build approximate models of important high fidelity metrics as functions of certain design variables. To test the process, a 4-bladed hingeless rotor model is used as a baseline. The design variables investigated include tip geometry and spanwise twist distribution. Approximation models are built for metrics related to rotor efficiency and vibration using the results from 60+ high fidelity (CFD/CSD) experiments and 400+ low fidelity experiments. Optimization using the approximation models found the Pareto Frontier anchor points, or the design having maximum rotor efficiency and the design having minimum vibration. Various Pareto generation methods are used to find designs on the frontier between these two anchor designs. When tested in the high fidelity framework, the Pareto anchor designs are shown to be very good designs when compared with other designs from the high fidelity database. This provides evidence that the process proposed has merit. Ultimately, this process can be utilized by industry rotor designers with their existing tools to bring high fidelity analysis into the preliminary design stage of rotors. In conclusion, the methods developed and documented in this thesis have made several novel contributions. First, an automated high fidelity CFD based forward flight simulation framework has been built for use in preliminary design optimization. The framework was built around an integrated, parallel processor capable CFD/CSD/AA process. Second, a novel method of building approximate models of high fidelity parameters has been developed. The method uses a combination of low and high fidelity results and combines Design of Experiments, statistical effects analysis, and aspects of approximation model management. And third, the determination of rotor blade shape variables through optimization using CFD based analysis in forward flight has been performed. This was done using the high fidelity CFD/CSD/AA framework and method mentioned above. While the low and high fidelity predictions methods used in the work still have inaccuracies that can affect the absolute levels of the results, a framework has been successfully developed and demonstrated that allows for an efficient process to improve rotor blade designs in terms of a selected choice of objective function(s). Using engineering judgment, this methodology could be applied today to investigate opportunities to improve existing designs. With improvements in the low and high fidelity prediction components that will certainly occur, this framework could become a powerful tool for future rotorcraft design work. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Improved Broadband Liner Optimization Applied to the Advanced Noise Control Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nark, Douglas M.; Jones, Michael G.; Sutliff, Daniel L.; Ayle, Earl; Ichihashi, Fumitaka

2014-01-01

The broadband component of fan noise has grown in relevance with the utilization of increased bypass ratio and advanced fan designs. Thus, while the attenuation of fan tones remains paramount, the ability to simultaneously reduce broadband fan noise levels has become more desirable. This paper describes improvements to a previously established broadband acoustic liner optimization process using the Advanced Noise Control Fan rig as a demonstrator. Specifically, in-duct attenuation predictions with a statistical source model are used to obtain optimum impedance spectra over the conditions of interest. The predicted optimum impedance information is then used with acoustic liner modeling tools to design liners aimed at producing impedance spectra that most closely match the predicted optimum values. Design selection is based on an acceptance criterion that provides the ability to apply increased weighting to specific frequencies and/or operating conditions. Constant-depth, double-degree of freedom and variable-depth, multi-degree of freedom designs are carried through design, fabrication, and testing to validate the efficacy of the design process. Results illustrate the value of the design process in concurrently evaluating the relative costs/benefits of these liner designs. This study also provides an application for demonstrating the integrated use of duct acoustic propagation/radiation and liner modeling tools in the design and evaluation of novel broadband liner concepts for complex engine configurations.

Next Generation Loading System for Detonators and Primers

DTIC Science & Technology

Designed , fabricated and installed next generation tooling to provide additional manufacturing capabilities for new detonators and other small...prototype munitions on automated, semi-automated and manual machines. Lead design effort, procured and installed a primary explosive Drying Oven for a pilot...facility. Designed , fabricated and installed a Primary Explosives Waste Treatment System in a pilot environmental processing facility. Designed

Talking to Texts and Sketches: The Function of Written and Graphic Mediation in Engineering Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Barbara

2000-01-01

Describes the author's research that explores the role of language, particularly texts, in the engineering design process. Notes that results of this case study support a new "mediated" model of engineering design as an inventional activity in which designers use talk, written language, and other symbolic representations as tools to think about…

Modeling workflow to design machine translation applications for public health practice

PubMed Central

Turner, Anne M.; Brownstein, Megumu K.; Cole, Kate; Karasz, Hilary; Kirchhoff, Katrin

2014-01-01

Objective Provide a detailed understanding of the information workflow processes related to translating health promotion materials for limited English proficiency individuals in order to inform the design of context-driven machine translation (MT) tools for public health (PH). Materials and Methods We applied a cognitive work analysis framework to investigate the translation information workflow processes of two large health departments in Washington State. Researchers conducted interviews, performed a task analysis, and validated results with PH professionals to model translation workflow and identify functional requirements for a translation system for PH. Results The study resulted in a detailed description of work related to translation of PH materials, an information workflow diagram, and a description of attitudes towards MT technology. We identified a number of themes that hold design implications for incorporating MT in PH translation practice. A PH translation tool prototype was designed based on these findings. Discussion This study underscores the importance of understanding the work context and information workflow for which systems will be designed. Based on themes and translation information workflow processes, we identified key design guidelines for incorporating MT into PH translation work. Primary amongst these is that MT should be followed by human review for translations to be of high quality and for the technology to be adopted into practice. Counclusion The time and costs of creating multilingual health promotion materials are barriers to translation. PH personnel were interested in MT's potential to improve access to low-cost translated PH materials, but expressed concerns about ensuring quality. We outline design considerations and a potential machine translation tool to best fit MT systems into PH practice. PMID:25445922

Design and fabrication of a freeform phase plate for high-order ocular aberration correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Allen Y.; Raasch, Thomas W.

2005-11-01

In recent years it has become possible to measure and in some instances to correct the high-order aberrations of human eyes. We have investigated the correction of wavefront error of human eyes by using phase plates designed to compensate for that error. The wavefront aberrations of the four eyes of two subjects were experimentally determined, and compensating phase plates were machined with an ultraprecision diamond-turning machine equipped with four independent axes. A slow-tool servo freeform trajectory was developed for the machine tool path. The machined phase-correction plates were measured and compared with the original design values to validate the process. The position of the phase-plate relative to the pupil is discussed. The practical utility of this mode of aberration correction was investigated with visual acuity testing. The results are consistent with the potential benefit of aberration correction but also underscore the critical positioning requirements of this mode of aberration correction. This process is described in detail from optical measurements, through machining process design and development, to final results.

Emerging CFD technologies and aerospace vehicle design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aftosmis, Michael J.

1995-01-01

With the recent focus on the needs of design and applications CFD, research groups have begun to address the traditional bottlenecks of grid generation and surface modeling. Now, a host of emerging technologies promise to shortcut or dramatically simplify the simulation process. This paper discusses the current status of these emerging technologies. It will argue that some tools are already available which can have positive impact on portions of the design cycle. However, in most cases, these tools need to be integrated into specific engineering systems and process cycles to be used effectively. The rapidly maturing status of unstructured and Cartesian approaches for inviscid simulations makes suggests the possibility of highly automated Euler-boundary layer simulations with application to loads estimation and even preliminary design. Similarly, technology is available to link block structured mesh generation algorithms with topology libraries to avoid tedious re-meshing of topologically similar configurations. Work in algorithmic based auto-blocking suggests that domain decomposition and point placement operations in multi-block mesh generation may be properly posed as problems in Computational Geometry, and following this approach may lead to robust algorithmic processes for automatic mesh generation.

CQI: using the Hoshin planning system to design an orientation process.

PubMed

Platt, D; Laird, C

1995-01-01

The Hoshin planning system, developed in Japan after World War II, includes management tools intended specifically for planning new processes. There are seven tools, which can be used individually or in any combination: affinity diagrams, interrelationship digraphs, systematic diagrams, matrix diagrams, process decision program charts, arrow diagrams and prioritization matrices. The radiology department at Carson-Tahoe Hospital formed a CQI team to improve the training of front office clerks. The team quickly discovered that a new orientation program was needed and decided to use Hoshin tools to create one. Using the tools, the team identified and prioritized all relevant factors, described specific tasks needed to complete the planning process and how long each would take, anticipated problems, and assigned areas of responsibility to members of the team. Each time the team grew weary or discouraged, the clarity and organization afforded by the tools helped them feel productive and in control of the process. The team was amazed at the creative ideas they generated through this 3-month-long process. Not only did they develop and implement a new orientation program, they also cultivated a stronger sense of pride and confidence in their work and each other.

Web Based Tool for Mission Operations Scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyles, Carole A.; Bindschadler, Duane L.

2008-01-01

A conventional practice for spaceflight projects is to document scenarios in a monolithic Operations Concept document. Such documents can be hundreds of pages long and may require laborious updates. Software development practice utilizes scenarios in the form of smaller, individual use cases, which are often structured and managed using UML. We have developed a process and a web-based scenario tool that utilizes a similar philosophy of smaller, more compact scenarios (but avoids the formality of UML). The need for a scenario process and tool became apparent during the authors' work on a large astrophysics mission. It was noted that every phase of the Mission (e.g., formulation, design, verification and validation, and operations) looked back to scenarios to assess completeness of requirements and design. It was also noted that terminology needed to be clarified and structured to assure communication across all levels of the project. Attempts to manage, communicate, and evolve scenarios at all levels of a project using conventional tools (e.g., Excel) and methods (Scenario Working Group meetings) were not effective given limitations on budget and staffing. The objective of this paper is to document the scenario process and tool created to offer projects a low-cost capability to create, communicate, manage, and evolve scenarios throughout project development. The process and tool have the further benefit of allowing the association of requirements with particular scenarios, establishing and viewing relationships between higher- and lower-level scenarios, and the ability to place all scenarios in a shared context. The resulting structured set of scenarios is widely visible (using a web browser), easily updated, and can be searched according to various criteria including the level (e.g., Project, System, and Team) and Mission Phase. Scenarios are maintained in a web-accessible environment that provides a structured set of scenario fields and allows for maximum visibility across the project. One key aspect is that the tool was built for a scenario process that accounts for stakeholder input, review, comment, and concurrence. By creating well-designed opportunities for stakeholder input and concurrence and by making the scenario content easily accessible to all project personnel, we maximize the opportunities for stakeholders to both understand and agree on the concepts for how their mission is to be carried out.

Identification of Tools and Techniques to Enhance Interdisciplinary Collaboration During Design and Construction Projects.

PubMed

Keys, Yolanda; Silverman, Susan R; Evans, Jennie

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study was to collect the perceptions of design professionals and clinicians regarding design process success strategies and elements of interprofessional engagement and communication during healthcare design and construction projects. Additional objectives were to gather best practices to maximize clinician engagement and provide tools and techniques to improve interdisciplinary collaboration for future projects. Strategies are needed to enhance the design and construction process and create interactions that benefit not only the project but the individuals working to see its completion. Meaningful interprofessional collaboration is essential to any healthcare design project and making sure the various players communicate is a critical element. This was a qualitative study conducted via an online survey. Respondents included architects, construction managers, interior designers, and healthcare personnel who had recently been involved in a building renovation or new construction project for a healthcare facility. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed for themes, and descriptive statistics were used to provide insight into participant demographics. Information on the impressions, perceptions, and opportunities related to clinician involvement in design projects was collected from nurses, architects, interior designers, and construction managers. Qualitative analysis revealed themes of clinician input, organizational dynamics, and a variety of communication strategies to be the most frequently mentioned elements of successful interprofessional collaboration. This study validates the need to include clinician input in the design process, to consider the importance of organizational dynamics on design team functioning, and to incorporate effective communication strategies during design and construction projects.

A Practical Framework Toward Prediction of Breaking Force and Disintegration of Tablet Formulations Using Machine Learning Tools.

PubMed

Akseli, Ilgaz; Xie, Jingjin; Schultz, Leon; Ladyzhynsky, Nadia; Bramante, Tommasina; He, Xiaorong; Deanne, Rich; Horspool, Keith R; Schwabe, Robert

2017-01-01

Enabling the paradigm of quality by design requires the ability to quantitatively correlate material properties and process variables to measureable product performance attributes. Conventional, quality-by-test methods for determining tablet breaking force and disintegration time usually involve destructive tests, which consume significant amount of time and labor and provide limited information. Recent advances in material characterization, statistical analysis, and machine learning have provided multiple tools that have the potential to develop nondestructive, fast, and accurate approaches in drug product development. In this work, a methodology to predict the breaking force and disintegration time of tablet formulations using nondestructive ultrasonics and machine learning tools was developed. The input variables to the model include intrinsic properties of formulation and extrinsic process variables influencing the tablet during manufacturing. The model has been applied to predict breaking force and disintegration time using small quantities of active pharmaceutical ingredient and prototype formulation designs. The novel approach presented is a step forward toward rational design of a robust drug product based on insight into the performance of common materials during formulation and process development. It may also help expedite drug product development timeline and reduce active pharmaceutical ingredient usage while improving efficiency of the overall process. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TRACI 2.0 - The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts

EPA Science Inventory

TRACI 2.0, the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts 2.0, has been expanded and developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, industrial ecology, and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sus...

Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) TRACI version 2.1 User’s Guide

EPA Science Inventory

TRACI 2.1 (the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts) has been developed for sustainability metrics, life cycle impact assessment, industrial ecology, and process design impact assessment for developing increasingly sustainable products...

On the Development of a Hospital-Patient Web-Based Communication Tool: A Case Study From Norway.

PubMed

Granja, Conceição; Dyb, Kari; Bolle, Stein Roald; Hartvigsen, Gunnar

2015-01-01

Surgery cancellations are undesirable in hospital settings as they increase costs, reduce productivity and efficiency, and directly affect the patient. The problem of elective surgery cancellations in a North Norwegian University Hospital is addressed. Based on a three-step methodology conducted at the hospital, the preoperative planning process was modeled taking into consideration the narratives from different health professions. From the analysis of the generated process models, it is concluded that in order to develop a useful patient centered web-based communication tool, it is necessary to fully understand how hospitals plan and organize surgeries today. Moreover, process reengineering is required to generate a standard process that can serve as a tool for health ICT designers to define the requirements for a robust and useful system.

A Distributed Control System Prototyping Environment to Support Control Room Modernization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lew, Roger Thomas; Boring, Ronald Laurids; Ulrich, Thomas Anthony

Operators of critical processes, such as nuclear power production, must contend with highly complex systems, procedures, and regulations. Developing human-machine interfaces (HMIs) that better support operators is a high priority for ensuring the safe and reliable operation of critical processes. Human factors engineering (HFE) provides a rich and mature set of tools for evaluating the performance of HMIs, however the set of tools for developing and designing HMIs is still in its infancy. Here we propose a rapid prototyping approach for integrating proposed HMIs into their native environments before a design is finalized. This approach allows researchers and developers tomore » test design ideas and eliminate design flaws prior to fully developing the new system. We illustrate this approach with four prototype designs developed using Microsoft’s Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). One example is integrated into a microworld environment to test the functionality of the design and identify the optimal level of automation for a new system in a nuclear power plant. The other three examples are integrated into a full-scale, glasstop digital simulator of a nuclear power plant. One example demonstrates the capabilities of next generation control concepts; another aims to expand the current state of the art; lastly, an HMI prototype was developed as a test platform for a new control system currently in development at U.S. nuclear power plants. WPF possesses several characteristics that make it well suited to HMI design. It provides a tremendous amount of flexibility, agility, robustness, and extensibility. Distributed control system (DCS) specific environments tend to focus on the safety and reliability requirements for real-world interfaces and consequently have less emphasis on providing functionality to support novel interaction paradigms. Because of WPF’s large user-base, Microsoft can provide an extremely mature tool. Within process control applications,WPF is platform independent and can communicate with popular full-scope process control simulator vendor plant models and DCS platforms.« less

Jupiter Europa Orbiter Architecture Definition Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rasmussen, Robert; Shishko, Robert

2011-01-01

The proposed Jupiter Europa Orbiter mission, planned for launch in 2020, is using a new architectural process and framework tool to drive its model-based systems engineering effort. The process focuses on getting the architecture right before writing requirements and developing a point design. A new architecture framework tool provides for the structured entry and retrieval of architecture artifacts based on an emerging architecture meta-model. This paper describes the relationships among these artifacts and how they are used in the systems engineering effort. Some early lessons learned are discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roger Lew; Ronald L. Boring; Thomas A. Ulrich

Operators of critical processes, such as nuclear power production, must contend with highly complex systems, procedures, and regulations. Developing human-machine interfaces (HMIs) that better support operators is a high priority for ensuring the safe and reliable operation of critical processes. Human factors engineering (HFE) provides a rich and mature set of tools for evaluating the performance of HMIs, but the set of tools for developing and designing HMIs is still in its infancy. Here we propose that Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is well suited for many roles in the research and development of HMIs for process control.

Software Development Technologies for Reactive, Real-Time, and Hybrid Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manna, Zohar

1996-01-01

The research is directed towards the design and implementation of a comprehensive deductive environment for the development of high-assurance systems, especially reactive (concurrent, real-time, and hybrid) systems. Reactive systems maintain an ongoing interaction with their environment, and are among the most difficult to design and verify. The project aims to provide engineers with a wide variety of tools within a single, general, formal framework in which the tools will be most effective. The entire development process is considered, including the construction, transformation, validation, verification, debugging, and maintenance of computer systems. The goal is to automate the process as much as possible and reduce the errors that pervade hardware and software development.

A Web Centric Architecture for Deploying Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Design Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woyak, Scott; Kim, Hongman; Mullins, James; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

2004-01-01

There are continuous needs for engineering organizations to improve their design process. Current state of the art techniques use computational simulations to predict design performance, and optimize it through advanced design methods. These tools have been used mostly by individual engineers. This paper presents an architecture for achieving results at an organization level beyond individual level. The next set of gains in process improvement will come from improving the effective use of computers and software within a whole organization, not just for an individual. The architecture takes advantage of state of the art capabilities to produce a Web based system to carry engineering design into the future. To illustrate deployment of the architecture, a case study for implementing advanced multidisciplinary design optimization processes such as Bi-Level Integrated System Synthesis is discussed. Another example for rolling-out a design process for Design for Six Sigma is also described. Each example explains how an organization can effectively infuse engineering practice with new design methods and retain the knowledge over time.

Visual Analytics Tools for Sustainable Lifecycle Design: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Opportunities.

PubMed

Ramanujan, Devarajan; Bernstein, William Z; Chandrasegaran, Senthil K; Ramani, Karthik

2017-01-01

The rapid rise in technologies for data collection has created an unmatched opportunity to advance the use of data-rich tools for lifecycle decision-making. However, the usefulness of these technologies is limited by the ability to translate lifecycle data into actionable insights for human decision-makers. This is especially true in the case of sustainable lifecycle design (SLD), as the assessment of environmental impacts, and the feasibility of making corresponding design changes, often relies on human expertise and intuition. Supporting human sense-making in SLD requires the use of both data-driven and user-driven methods while exploring lifecycle data. A promising approach for combining the two is through the use of visual analytics (VA) tools. Such tools can leverage the ability of computer-based tools to gather, process, and summarize data along with the ability of human-experts to guide analyses through domain knowledge or data-driven insight. In this paper, we review previous research that has created VA tools in SLD. We also highlight existing challenges and future opportunities for such tools in different lifecycle stages-design, manufacturing, distribution & supply chain, use-phase, end-of-life, as well as life cycle assessment. Our review shows that while the number of VA tools in SLD is relatively small, researchers are increasingly focusing on the subject matter. Our review also suggests that VA tools can address existing challenges in SLD and that significant future opportunities exist.

Software engineering and Ada in design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oneill, Don

1986-01-01

Modern software engineering promises significant reductions in software costs and improvements in software quality. The Ada language is the focus for these software methodology and tool improvements. The IBM FSD approach, including the software engineering practices that guide the systematic design and development of software products and the management of the software process are examined. The revised Ada design language adaptation is revealed. This four level design methodology is detailed including the purpose of each level, the management strategy that integrates the software design activity with the program milestones, and the technical strategy that maps the Ada constructs to each level of design. A complete description of each design level is provided along with specific design language recording guidelines for each level. Finally, some testimony is offered on education, tools, architecture, and metrics resulting from project use of the four level Ada design language adaptation.

Simulation of the infiltration process of a ceramic open-pore body with a metal alloy in semi-solid state to design the manufacturing of interpenetrating phase composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schomer, Laura; Liewald, Mathias; Riedmüller, Kim Rouven

2018-05-01

Metal-ceramic Interpenetrating Phase Composites (IPC) belong to a special subcategory of composite materials and reveal enhanced properties compared to conventional composite materials. Currently, IPC are produced by infiltration of a ceramic open-pore body with liquid metal applying high pressure and I or high temperature to avoid residual porosity. However, these IPC are not able to gain their complete potential, because of structural damages and interface reactions occurring during the manufacturing process. Compared to this, the manufacturing of IPC using the semi-solid forming technology offers great perspectives due to relative low processing temperatures and reduced mechanical pressure. In this context, this paper is focusing on numerical investigations conducted by using the FLOW-3D software for gaining a deeper understanding of the infiltration of open-pore bodies with semi-solid materials. For flow simulation analysis, a geometric model and different porous media drag models have been used. They have been adjusted and compared to get a precise description of the infiltration process. Based on these fundamental numerical investigations, this paper also shows numerical investigations that were used for basically designing a semi-solid forming tool. Thereby, the development of the flow front and the pressure during the infiltration represent the basis of the evaluation. The use of an open and closed tool cavity combined with various geometries of the upper die shows different results relating to these evaluation arguments. Furthermore, different overflows were designed and its effects on the pressure at the end of the infiltration process were investigated. Thus, this paper provides a general guideline for a tool design for manufacturing of metal-ceramic IPC using semi-solid forming.

Chromatography process development in the quality by design paradigm I: Establishing a high-throughput process development platform as a tool for estimating "characterization space" for an ion exchange chromatography step.

PubMed

Bhambure, R; Rathore, A S

2013-01-01

This article describes the development of a high-throughput process development (HTPD) platform for developing chromatography steps. An assessment of the platform as a tool for establishing the "characterization space" for an ion exchange chromatography step has been performed by using design of experiments. Case studies involving use of a biotech therapeutic, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor have been used to demonstrate the performance of the platform. We discuss the various challenges that arise when working at such small volumes along with the solutions that we propose to alleviate these challenges to make the HTPD data suitable for empirical modeling. Further, we have also validated the scalability of this platform by comparing the results from the HTPD platform (2 and 6 μL resin volumes) against those obtained at the traditional laboratory scale (resin volume, 0.5 mL). We find that after integration of the proposed correction factors, the HTPD platform is capable of performing the process optimization studies at 170-fold higher productivity. The platform is capable of providing semi-quantitative assessment of the effects of the various input parameters under consideration. We think that platform such as the one presented is an excellent tool for examining the "characterization space" and reducing the extensive experimentation at the traditional lab scale that is otherwise required for establishing the "design space." Thus, this platform will specifically aid in successful implementation of quality by design in biotech process development. This is especially significant in view of the constraints with respect to time and resources that the biopharma industry faces today. Copyright © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Practicing universal design to actual hand tool design process.

PubMed

Lin, Kai-Chieh; Wu, Chih-Fu

2015-09-01

UD evaluation principles are difficult to implement in product design. This study proposes a methodology for implementing UD in the design process through user participation. The original UD principles and user experience are used to develop the evaluation items. Difference of product types was considered. Factor analysis and Quantification theory type I were used to eliminate considered inappropriate evaluation items and to examine the relationship between evaluation items and product design factors. Product design specifications were established for verification. The results showed that converting user evaluation into crucial design verification factors by the generalized evaluation scale based on product attributes as well as the design factors applications in product design can improve users' UD evaluation. The design process of this study is expected to contribute to user-centered UD application. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Micro-balance sensor integrated with atomic layer deposition chamber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martinson, Alex B. F.; Libera, Joseph A.; Elam, Jeffrey W.

The invention is directed to QCM measurements in monitoring ALD processes. Previously, significant barriers remain in the ALD processes and accurate execution. To turn this exclusively dedicated in situ technique into a routine characterization method, an integral QCM fixture was developed. This new design is easily implemented on a variety of ALD tools, allows rapid sample exchange, prevents backside deposition, and minimizes both the footprint and flow disturbance. Unlike previous QCM designs, the fast thermal equilibration enables tasks such as temperature-dependent studies and ex situ sample exchange, further highlighting the feasibility of this QCM design for day-to-day use. Finally, themore » in situ mapping of thin film growth rates across the ALD reactor was demonstrated in a popular commercial tool operating in both continuous and quasi-static ALD modes.« less

Simulation Of Assembly Processes With Technical Of Virtual Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García García, Manuel; Arenas Reina, José Manuel; Lite, Alberto Sánchez; Sebastián Pérez, Miguel Ángel

2009-11-01

Virtual reality techniques use at industrial processes provides a real approach to product life cycle. For components manual assembly, the use of virtual surroundings facilitates a simultaneous engineering in which variables such as human factors and productivity take a real act. On the other hand, in the actual phase of industrial competition it is required a rapid adjustment to client needs and to market situation. In this work it is analyzed the assembly of the front components of a vehicle using virtual reality tools and following up a product-process design methodology which includes every life service stage. This study is based on workstations design, taking into account productive and human factors from the ergonomic point of view implementing a postural study of every assembly operation, leaving the rest of stages for a later study. Design is optimized applying this methodology together with the use of virtual reality tools. It is also achieved a 15% reduction on time assembly and of 90% reduction in muscle—skeletal diseases at every assembly operation.

An investigation into creative design methodologies for textiles and fashion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gault, Alison

2017-10-01

Understanding market intelligence, trends, influences and personal approaches are essential tools for design students to develop their ideas in textiles and fashion. Identifying different personal approaches including, visual, process-led or concept by employing creative methodologies are key to developing a brief. A series of ideas or themes start to emerge and through the design process serve to underpin and inform an entire collection. These investigations ensure that the design collections are able to produce a diverse range of outcomes. Following key structures and coherent stages in the design process creates authentic collections in textiles and fashion. A range of undergraduate students presented their design portfolios (180) and the methodologies employed were mapped against success at module level, industry response and graduate employment.

Rigorous ILT optimization for advanced patterning and design-process co-optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selinidis, Kosta; Kuechler, Bernd; Cai, Howard; Braam, Kyle; Hoppe, Wolfgang; Domnenko, Vitaly; Poonawala, Amyn; Xiao, Guangming

2018-03-01

Despite the large difficulties involved in extending 193i multiple patterning and the slow ramp of EUV lithography to full manufacturing readiness, the pace of development for new technology node variations has been accelerating. Multiple new variations of new and existing technology nodes have been introduced for a range of device applications; each variation with at least a few new process integration methods, layout constructs and/or design rules. This had led to a strong increase in the demand for predictive technology tools which can be used to quickly guide important patterning and design co-optimization decisions. In this paper, we introduce a novel hybrid predictive patterning method combining two patterning technologies which have each individually been widely used for process tuning, mask correction and process-design cooptimization. These technologies are rigorous lithography simulation and inverse lithography technology (ILT). Rigorous lithography simulation has been extensively used for process development/tuning, lithography tool user setup, photoresist hot-spot detection, photoresist-etch interaction analysis, lithography-TCAD interactions/sensitivities, source optimization and basic lithography design rule exploration. ILT has been extensively used in a range of lithographic areas including logic hot-spot fixing, memory layout correction, dense memory cell optimization, assist feature (AF) optimization, source optimization, complex patterning design rules and design-technology co-optimization (DTCO). The combined optimization capability of these two technologies will therefore have a wide range of useful applications. We investigate the benefits of the new functionality for a few of these advanced applications including correction for photoresist top loss and resist scumming hotspots.