Lindell, Markku, Stoaks, Paul, Carey, David, and Sandborn, Peter
IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Part. Dec 1998, Vol. 4 Issue 21, p611, 6 p. 4
Subjects
Product development -- Technology application, New products -- Design and construction, and Industrial design -- Methods
Abstract
The development of low manufacturing volume systems and of time-to-market driven, high manufacturing, volume products may be considered two segments respectively positioned at the opposite ends of a continuous spectrum. However, they share a common and critical dependence on the virtual prototyping design approach. Virtual prototyping enables system attributes to be defined and tested prior to large investments in design or fabrication and provides benefits in terms of life cycle costs and electronic system optimization.
Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering. Nov 1998, Vol. 120 Issue 4, p728, 8 p. 3
Subjects
Industrial design -- Research, Production engineering research -- Analysis, and Finite element method -- Research
Abstract
Manufacturability analysis of product design reduces the downstream problems of manufacturing. Such design approaches are referred to as Virtual Prototyping when performed on the computer. In the present research, Virtual Prototyping is facilitated by the use of an automated method of determining the finite element meshes needed to perform finite element analyses. Finite element analysis requires a finite element mesh of the product model as input. This mesh (an approximation of an object's geometry and topology, composed in terms of a given individual unit, e.g., a tetrahedron, or a hexahedron), can be generated using a variety of methods. The research presented here offers an approach for automatic mesh generation that addresses some of the limitations in the mesh-generation technologies currently available. This article presents an approach for automatically generating hexahedral meshes from solid models. The mesh generating method presented in this paper involves four major steps. First, objects called Basic LOgical Bulk shapes (BLOBs) are determined from the solid model of a given part. Second, these BLOBs are used to decompose the solid model into its various sub-volumes. Third, a multiple-block structure (MBS), which is a group of hexahedral objects, is constructed to approximate the solid model. Finally, transfinite mapping is employed to project the faces of the MBS onto the surfaces of a model to generate the finite element meshes.
Haug, E.J., Choi, K.K., Kuhl, J.G., and Wargo, J.D.
Journal of Mechanical Design. June 1995, Vol. 117 Issue 2, pS63, 8 p. photograph
Subjects
Vehicles, Military -- Design and construction, Computer simulation -- Innovations, and Computer-aided design -- Methods
Abstract
Developments in simulation technology that enable a qualitatively new virtual prototyping approach to design of mechanical systems are summarized and their integration into an engineering design environment is illustrated. Simulation tools and their enabling technologies are presented in the context of vehicle design, with references to the literature provided. Their implementation for design representation, real-time driver-in-the-loop simulation, dynamic performance simulation, dynamic stress and life prediction, maintainability analysis, design sensitivity analysis, and design optimization is outlined. A testbed comprised of computer aided engineering tools and a design level of fidelity driving simulator that has been developed to demonstrate the feasibility of virtual prototyping simulation for mechanical system design is presented. Two 1994 demonstrations of this capability for vehicle design are presented, to illustrate the state of the technology and to identify challenges that remain in making virtual prototyping simulation an integral part of mechanical system design in US industry.
IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering. June 1995, Vol. 7 Issue 3, p378, 13 p. table
Subjects
Knowledge-based systems -- Design and construction, Software -- Validation, and Database design -- Research
Abstract
Many knowledge based systems are designed and built with little attention paid to the reliability of the output. In this paper, we present an approach, using partitioning of both the knowledge base and the input space, that allows for the measurement of the reliability during any program increment in a rapid prototyping development cycle. Before presenting the approach, we formalize the problem using concepts from general systems theory and then describe our three objectives: 1) measurement of the reliability of the knowledge-based system at the current program increment, 2) prediction of the reliability of the future system, and 3) support for design decisions. Finally, we apply our approach to a design-aiding knowledge-based system for the selection of materials under various climatic conditions. The design-aiding knowledge-based system is used by U.S. Army personnel in the development of equipment to be used by the U.S. Army in various regions of the world. We find that the current system, containing 40 rules, has a reliability of approximately 0.85. However, more importantly, we have discovered the rules that led to many of the failures. Index Items - Knowledge-based systems, software reliability modeling, rapid prototyping, reliability prediction, knowledge base design, knowledge base development.
Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering. Nov 1997, Vol. 119 Issue 4, p811, 6 p. chart
Subjects
Prototypes, Engineering -- Design and construction and Computer-aided manufacturing -- Innovations
Abstract
This article will give a brief review of the start-of-the-art in commercial practice and advanced research in the field of Rapid Prototyping with special attention to the additive methods of Solid Free Form Fabrication. Recent applications of this technology in computer integrated manufacturing environments will be outlined. Future applications and research in new materials will also be addressed.
Policy Sciences. August 1997, Vol. 30 Issue 3, p167, 23 p.
Subjects
College students -- Education, Education -- Standards, and College teachers -- Evaluation
Abstract
Public concerns about the quality of undergraduate education merit the attention of research universities. This policy analysis documents standards of learning and teaching that fall far short of a liberal education in one department. It attributes the problem primarily to factors that obscure differences in standards, especially quantitative performance measures. And it recommends liberating small working groups of faculty volunteers to develop and distinguish courses that do raise standards. This prototyping strategy is an alternative to the status quo, which is unsustainable, and a comprehensive, centrally-directed plan, which is impractical. It may be adapted to similar situations elsewhere.
Thermal sensitivity analysis of the 119 plastic ball grid array (PBGA) package enables its rapid design via dynamic prototyping. Analysis of the board and the package using heat flow physics and factorial analysis generates a design options map. A thermal conductivity of 0.03 watt/cm degrees celsius is necessary to maintain the junction temperature constraint for high performance. The PBGA contains thermal vias and pumps and permits flexibility in design.
Burstein, Mark H., Schantz, Richard, Bienkowski, Marie A., desJardins, Marie E., and Smith, Stephen F.
IEEE Expert. Feb 1995, Vol. 10 Issue 1, p17, 10 p. table
Subjects
Rome Air Development Center -- Research, Integrated software -- Evaluation, and Military planning
Abstract
The Common Prototyping Environment (CPE) promotes project development by sharing information and enabling the researchers to exchange their works. CPE Repository, an element of CPE, is a software clearinghouse and includes military transportation planning data and software prepared by ARPI contractors. The CPE Testbed resulting from Technology Integration Experiments, based on interoperability model, integrates experiment and evaluation of the technology.
Madigan, Chris, Silber, Michael K., and Wilson, Suzanne
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. June 1997, Vol. 40 Issue 2, p139, 5 p.
Subjects
Sandia National Laboratories -- Information management -- 00330181 and Information resources management -- Methods
Abstract
Sandia National Laboratories faced a number of challenges when it first decided to use the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) to bring together large volumes of extremely complex information into a single electronic publication. It was found to be hard to learn SGML, and further problems were caused by constantly changing applications. However, those involved in the project enjoyed developing the laboratory's extremely complex system and found that they improved their skills in C++ and PERL.
IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing. Nov 1994, Vol. 42 Issue 11, p3188, 21 p. chart
Subjects
Algorithms -- Research and Signal processing -- Innovations
Abstract
Deterministic recursive digital signal processing algorithms are prototyped on to multiple programmable signal processors by a new systematic quantitative methodology. The rate, delay, processor and communications optimal schedules are determined by using a scheduling framework based on linear integer programming methods. The optimal schedules are applicable to signal processing algorithms for their representation in a data flow graph.
Computer Languages. Dec 1993, Vol. 19 Issue 4, p213, 21 p. table
Subjects
Semantics -- Usage and Compilers -- Design and construction
Abstract
Mosses-Watt's action semantics aids the development of a new procedure for compiler synthesis. Specific 'analysis functions' such as binding-time and typing exist for each and every action of action semantics notation. The language in action semantics forms binding-time and typing analyses for individual actions. The new compiler incorporates type checker and static semantics processor in the analyses.
Electronics Now. June 1999, Vol. 70 Issue 6, p41, 4 p. Photograph
Subjects
Computers -- Equipment and supplies and Integrated circuits -- Equipment and supplies
Abstract
The BreadBlox system is ideal for breadboarding a new computer circuit. Five BreadBlox devices can be used for plugging small personal computer boards into a solderless breadboard, namely, clock generator, tone decoder, inverting and non-inverting operational amplifier and voltage regulator.
IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics. Nov 1997, Vol. 43 Issue 4, p1100, 10 p. chart
Subjects
Digital television -- Equipment and supplies, Television broadcasting -- Equipment and supplies, and Broadband modems -- Testing
Abstract
This paper introduces Rapid Prototyping of a complex system and the difficulties that appear when a real-time prototype of such a system is approached. These concepts are applied to the construction of a test modem for Terrestrial Broadcasting of Digital Television, in which Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is the transmission technique. The possibility of reducing the number of sub-carriers in the OFDM signal and obtaining enough information about the system performance in hostile environments (multipath, phase noise, non-linear, ...) is considered and discarded. As a conclusion, a non-real time prototype is presented which allows one to optimize parameters, verify the possibility of implementation and evaluate subjective qualities.
Mechanical Dynamics Inc. -- Product information -- 00204138, ADAMS (CAE software) -- Usage, Computer software industry -- Product information, Virtual computer systems -- Usage, and Prototypes, Engineering
Abstract
Ann Arbor, MI-based Mechanical Dynamics markets ADAMS, which is a virtual prototyping software which aids engineers in designing aircrafts using a more efficient and cost-saving technique. With the software, aircraft designers can create a prototype without spending millions of dollars on manufacturing. Virtual prototyping allows engineers to view the actual product, to test how the parts and assemblies fit and assess the aircraft's motion.
Kinematic and dynamic analysis enables engineers to make virtual prototypes of their designs and simulate many what-if tests without the added cost of a physical model. The approach, which may be done on desktop computers, involves the application of physical laws to a computer-aided-design model to determine a product's operating parameters. It also addresses several limitations of rapid prototyping such as lack of finite element analysis data.
Electronics Now. March 1995, Vol. 66 Issue 3, p54, 8 p. photograph
Subjects
Electronic equipment and supplies -- Design and construction
Abstract
Electronic enthusiasts can build prototyping breadboard stations from self-selected components. Such a custom-made equipment allows the user to add features according to his needs.
Industry Week. Feb 1, 1993, Vol. 242 Issue 3, p38, 4 p. photograph
Subjects
Computer peripherals -- Forecasts and trends, Engineering design -- Forecasts and trends, Computer peripherals industry -- Forecasts and trends, and Computer-aided design -- Forecasts and trends
Abstract
Computer peripheral equipment that can create models right in the office using computer aided design is being developed. Rapid prototyping created directly from computer graphics could revolutionize the process of engineering design.
Aerospace America. Oct 1995, Vol. 33 Issue 10, p15, 3 p. photograph
Subjects
Aerospace industry -- Production management, Computer-aided design -- Economic aspects, Prototypes, Engineering -- Economic aspects, and Product life cycle -- Economic aspects
Abstract
The time taken to transform aerospace systems from concept to production needs to be decreased. Some of the technologies employed include computer-aided engineering, computer-aided drafting and design, for manufacture and assembly. Rapid prototyping uses a 3-D CAD representation and creates a physical model electronically using computers. A significant factor in the growth of rapid prototyping is the use of 3-D CAD solid models.
Krovi, Venkat, Kumar, Vijay, Ananthasuresh, G.K., and Vezien, Jean-Marc
Journal of Mechanical Design. Sept, 1999, Vol. 121 Issue 3, p456, 3 p.
Subjects
Intelligent devices -- Design and construction and Human-machine systems -- Design and construction
Abstract
This paper presents the methodology for user-customized design of a class of one-of-a-kind assistive devices. This class consists of passive, articulated mechanical manipulation aids, which are physically coupled to the user and therefore, must be customized to the user. Geometric and kinematic measurements of the user are used to create a virtual model of the user. The design of the customized product is based on kinematic synthesis and simulation. An integrated virtual environment, with a virtual model of the user interacting with the product, allows the testing, iterative re-design, and evaluation of the product. Geometric and kinematic data acquisition, mechanism design and analysis, CAD/CAM and visualization modules aid the designer in this process. A head-controlled feeding aid for quadriplegics is used to illustrate the approach.