Engineering Commons^™

Understanding Orbits: Just Enough To Make You Dangerous, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs titled "Understanding Orbits: Just enough to make you dangerous" from October 22, 2024.

Sunrise Propulsion Subsystem Leak Rate Measurement Methodology, Alex Kirkman, Brittany Woytko, Holly Walen, Bret Maughan

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

As part of the integration and testing for Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE), it was necessary to characterize the propellent leak rate of the fully assembled propulsion subsystem for each satellite to ensure compliance with performance requirements. SunRISE utilized a cold gas system for its propulsion subsystem, using R-236fa propellant inside a tank made from a monolithic 3D printed SLA material. It was not possible to accurately characterize the propellent leak rate via weight by measuring the mass loss from the tank. This is due to the SLA material having both a high absorbance rate of water in normal …

Origami And Kirigami-Inspired Sandwich Panels For Uam Primary Structural Applications, Kalyan Raj Kota, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Foldcore sandwich panels (FSPs) provide highly tailorable structural and multifunctional performance over legacy sandwich panels made with honeycomb or foam cores. In FSP manufacturing, skins and foldcore are made from any flat sheets of unitary or hybrid materials, folded into a desired pattern. Two common folding mechanisms include origami and kirigami: origami core is involved with folding only, while kirigami core is associated with a strategic combination of folding and cutting. Material and core geometry can be determined to satisfy the applications’ performance requirements. Overall, origami- or kirigami-inspired FSPs have the potential to revolutionize the ways to design and …

Wing-Shaped Leading-Edge Stealth Composites Using An Over-Expanded Honeycomb Core And A Periodic Pattern Etched On Ni-Coated Glass Fabric For Lightning Strike Protection, Seonghaeng Heo, Hannah Jang, Shanigaram Mallesh, Dongjun Hong, Byeongsu Kwak, Juhyeong Lee, Youngwoo Nam

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper proposes an RF-stealth sandwich composite, designed in a leading-edge shape, using Ni-coated glass fabric and an over-expanded honeycomb core, which incorporates a highly conductive nickel-coated glass fabric for lightning strike protection. The presented structure was designed and fabricated using nickel-coated glass fiber, which effectively absorbs electromagnetic (EM) waves, and an SWCNT-coated over-expanded honeycomb core, which improves sheet resistance properties. The designed RAS was subjected to an artificial lightning strike with the waveform of component A. Pristine and damaged RAS specimens from the artificial lightning strikes were measured using a free-space measurement system. The fabricated RAS specimens demonstrated satisfactory …

Multiscale Analysis Of Thermal Barrier Coated Cfrp Composites Under Thermal Loading, Devin Nielsen, Trenton M. Ricks, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are commonly used in high performance applications. Although offering several advantages (i.e., superior specific properties and improved structural rigidity), traditional CFRP composites often exhibit poor thermal stability due to a low matrix thermal decomposition temperature. The effective operating temperature of the CFRP composites can be raised by applying an outermost, protective thermal barrier coating (TBC) layer. Prefabricated high void content ceramic TBCs are ideal for composite applications due to their high thermal stability and relatively low thermal conductivity. In this paper, the thermo-mechanical response of the TBCCFRP composite laminate subjected to 500°C are assessed through …

Impact Of Low-Altitude Technology On Low-Altitude Industry Development From Perspective Of Low-Altitude Economy, Yong Wang, Yusen Yang, Jimin Zeng, Zhenglong He, Zongxi Cen

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Low-altitude economy, as a typical representative of new quality productive forces and a strategic emerging industry, has become an important engine for promoting high-quality economic development and achieving technological self-reliance and self-improvement in China. This study systematically reviews the development trajectory of low-altitude economy, deeply elucidates the connotations and characteristics of low-altitude technology and its impact mechanisms on low-altitude industrial development, providing theoretical support for constructing a modernized low-altitude economic system. It finds that the concept of low-altitude economy has undergone a paradigm shift from industry terminology to economic formation, gradually completing the institutionalization process from strategic planning to legal …

Development Index Assessment And Future Prospects Of China’S Low-Altitude Economy, Jiaoe Wang, Delin Du, Zhuo Chen, Wenwei Tan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

With the gradual opening of low-altitude airspace and continuous advancements in low-altitude technology, the low-altitude economy has ushered in significant development opportunities, emerging as a quintessential example of new quality productive forces and garnering widespread attention from both the state and society. However, given China’s vast territory, the development trends and foundational conditions of the low-altitude economy vary considerably across regions, presenting distinct challenges and prospects. To accurately assess the development trends of the low-altitude economy, this study constructs an evaluation framework based on five dimensions, namely, innovation efficacy, industrial strength, scenario vitality, development potential, and support capability, and conducts …

Data-Driven Sparse Sensor Placement Optimization On Wings For Flight-By-Feel: Bioinspired Approach And Application, Alex C. Hollenbeck, Atticus J. Beachy, Ramana V. Grandhi, Alexander M. Pankonien

Faculty Publications

Flight-by-feel (FBF) is an approach to flight control that uses dispersed sensors on the wings of aircraft to detect flight state. While biological FBF systems, such as the wings of insects, often contain hundreds of strain and flow sensors, artificial systems are highly constrained by size, weight, and power (SWaP) considerations, especially for small aircraft. An optimization approach is needed to determine how many sensors are required and where they should be placed on the wing. Airflow fields can be highly nonlinear, and many local minima exist for sensor placement, meaning conventional optimization techniques are unreliable for this application. The …

Stereo Vision Relative Navigation Of Airborne Vehicles, Scott L. Nykl, Brian Woolley, John Pecarina

AFIT Patents

An automated aerial formation (AAF) system includes an imaging device mounted on an imaging first aircraft that receives reflected energy from an imaged second aircraft. A controller is communicatively coupled to the imaging device and a flight control system of one of the first and the second aircraft. The controller generates a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud based on the reflected energy and identifies a target 3D model in the 3D point cloud. The controller rotates and scales one of a pre-defined 3D model and the target 3D model to find a 3D point registration between the target 3D model and …

Numerical Study Of Flow Control On An Asymmetric Beveled Trailing Edge, M. M. Mosallem, Zienab A. Ahmed

Journal of Engineering Research

The current research aims to numerically study the effect of inserting a small rod into the wake of an asymmetric beveled trailing edge on the hydrodynamic forces and wake structure. The test model used in this study is a blunt-faced flat plate of thickness H and having an asymmetrical 60° beveled trailing edge. A control rod with diameter d = 0.2 H was inserted into two different locations (Location (1); x/H = 0.18, y/H = 1.0) and (Location (2); x/H = 0.28, y/H = 0.9) behind the trailing edge. Unsteady 2D numerical simulation was performed at Reynolds number, …

Editorial For The Special Issue On Nanomaterials For Micro/Nanodevices, Amir Hussain Idrisi

Michigan Tech Publications

The Special Issue of Micromachines, titled "Nanomaterials for Micro/Nanodevices", comprehensively examines the intersection of nanotechnology and micro/nanodevices [...].

Thermo-Structural Analysis Of Stiffened Fgm Panels With Cutout Under Non Uniform And Localized In-Plane Edge Loadings, Balaraman P

Theses and Dissertations

Most aerospace applications involve structural components with a high stiffness-toweight ratio and excellent resistance to high temperatures. Buckling, vibration as well as other forms of instability are the consequences of a non uniform stress field caused by non uniform, localized edge loadings and the presence of discontinuities. In order to improve structural properties and increase load bearing capacity, designers concentrate on structural integrity, especially in high-temperature applications. The adaptability and customizable nature of functionally graded material (FGM) make it valuable in addressing these challenges.

Metal-ceramic FGM is an advanced composite material that integrates the distinctive qualities of metal and ceramic …

Study Of The Synthesis Mechanism And Some Properties Of Oligomers Based On Epichlorohydrin And Diphenylguanidine, Rovshan Israilovich Ismailov, Normuhamad Edgarov, Alisher Israilovich Ismailov

Technical science and innovation

In this work, the synthesis and the scheme for obtaining an oligomer based on epiiodhydrin with diphenylguanidine were studied, the proportions of epiiodhydrin in the initial mixture, the yield of oligomers, and the reduced viscosity were studied. The results of spectroscopic and elemental analyzes are obtained, which show that changes in the ratio of monomers have almost no effect on the iodine content in the oligomer. This is apparently due to the fact that epiiodhydrin is much more active in reactions than amino compounds. By studying the degree of conversion on the viscosity of the oligomerization products, the effects on …

Justification Of The Effectiveness Of Software For The Design Of Open-Pit Mining, Tolib Olimovich Komilov, Bobirjon Nabijonovich Ashurov, Ulugbek Bakhtiyorovich Sattarov, Ma’Ruf Ixtiyorovich Karimov

Technical science and innovation

The article notes that the economic feasibility of implementing a project based on deposits directly affects the economy of the country and the region, as well as the construction of new facilities, the use of the most balanced approaches and design solutions in a complex will allow achieving the set goal of increasing production volumes and bringing the enterprise to a new level of development. In order to achieve the above goals, it has been proven with the implementation of investment projects using software for the design of open-pit mining, it is possible to further develop the region, agriculture with …

Study Of The Physical-Chemical Properties Of Chitosan Synthesized By The Cryogenic Method From Apis Mellifera Bees, Dilnoza Sohibovna Isomitdinova, Gulnora Akmalovna Ikhtiyarova, Jahongir Mustaqim O’G’Li Sharopov

Technical science and innovation

Chitosan was synthesized from Apis Mellifera dead bees by traditional and cryogenic methods, and the degree of deacetylation, viscosity, and molecular mass of the synthesized sample was studied. Chitosan was synthesized by deacetylation of chitin under cryogenic conditions. NaOH concentration 40%, temperature 90 ± 3 °C, time 120 min. The degree of deacetylation, and molecular mass was determined using an Ubbelode viscometer. DDA was determined by conductometric titration under standard conditions. The degree of deacetylation of Apis Mellifera chitosan was 87%. synthesized by cryogenic method DDA of chitosan was 83% synthesized by traditional method. Conducting the synthesis in liquid nitrogen …

Development Of A Universal Humidity Converter At Ultra High Frequency, Hulkar Asadullayevna Usmonova, Asadulla Turgunbayev

Technical science and innovation

The article proposes the and principle of operation of a universal primary measuring transducer of humidity at an ultra-high frequency with reciprocating motion along the vertical axis of rotation, which allows increasing the information redundancy of the primary measuring transducer (the influence of inhomogeneities, including humidity in the composition of the material, on the measurement result is averaged). The design of the primary measuring transducer under consideration provides for correction of the moisture measurement result by the mass (density) of the material, which will make it possible to carry out measurements without preliminary weighing the sample. The obtained results of …

Advancements In The Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner Measurement Technology For Enhanced Detection Of Harmful Algal Blooms, John J. Langan, Jungyun Bae

Michigan Tech Publications

The Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner (PHySS) represents a significant breakthrough in monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs), specifically targeting the “Florida red tide” caused by Karenia brevis. By utilizing a Fourth-Derivative Spectral Similarity Index (SI), this study establishes a strong positive correlation between the SI and phytoplankton counts, underscoring the PHySS’s potential for early detection and effective management of HABs. Our findings suggest that the PHySS could act as a predictive tool, offering crucial lead time to mitigate the ecological and economic repercussions of blooms. However, this study also identifies certain limitations of the PHySS technology, such as its inability to …

Atmospheric Waves Experiment (Awe) Advanced Mesopheric Temperature Mapper (Amtm) Optomechanical Design, Fabrication, And Environmental Test, Tyrel C. Rupp, James Champagne, Greg Hopkins, Roy Esplin, Burt Lamborn, Erik Syrstad, Jordan Jacobson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The AWE AMTM is a widefield of view (WFOV) infrared imaging radiometer designed for use in measuring the P₁(2) and P₁(4) emission lines of the earth’s OH layer to determine temperature and produce images of gravity waves. The sensor was designed, built, and characterized by Utah State University (USU) Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) and has been externally mounted to the International Space Station (ISS) looking nadir to collect images for analysis for a minimum of two years. The Opto-Mechanical Assembly (OMA) consists of four identical imaging telescopes, each comprised of a fisheye lens, a field lens, …

Spacecraft Attitude Control Simulator, Bricen S. Rigby

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The Spacecraft Attitude Control Simulator is a single-axis attitude control platform which is intended to recreate the frictionless space environment in order to test cold-gas thruster control schemes. The overall goal of this research project was to observe settling data from the platform and compare it to simulated data. In practice, the predicted settling time was only 7% larger than observed settling time.

Kinetic Modeling Of Dust Grain Dynamics In Electrostatic Sieving, Aaron Berkhoff, Easton Ingram, Fateme Rezaei, Jeffrey Smith, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Daoru Han

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new kinetic particle modeling framework was developed to investigate electrostatic transport of lunar regolith dust particles with applications to the concept of electrostatic sieving. the new approach is based on kinetic particle dynamics and includes major modules of sampling the particle size distribution, solving electric fields, and tracking motion of charged dust grains. a case study for a concept of electrostatic sieving was chosen to validate the new model. the simulation achieved similar performance of particle size classification as reported in the literature. the new model is computationally efficient (takes a few minutes on a PC-type laptop computer) so …

Interlaboratory Study Of The Operational Stability Of Automated Sorption Balances, Samuel L. Zelinka, Samuel V. Glass, Eleanor Q. D. Lazarcik, Emil E. Thybring, Michael Altgen, Lauri Rautkari, Simon Curling, Jinzhen Cao, Yujiao Wang, Tina Kunniger, Gustav Nystrom, Christopher Hubert Dreimol, Ingo Burgert, Mohd Khairun Anwar Uyup, Tumirah Khadiran, Mark G. Roper, Darren P. Broom, Matthew Schwarzkopf, Arief Yudhanto, Mohammad Subah, Gilles Lubineau, Maria Fredriksson, Marcin Strojecki, Wieslaw Olek, Jerzy Majka, Nanna Bjerregaard Pedersen, Daniel J. Burnett, Armando R. Garcia, Els Verdonck, Frieder Dreisbach, Louis Waguespack, Jennifer Schott, Luis G. Esteban, Alberto Garcia-Iruela, Thibaut Colinart, Romain Remond, Brahim Mazian, Patrick Perre, Lukas Emmerich, Ling Li

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Automated sorption balances are widely used for characterizing the interaction of water vapor with hygroscopic materials. These instruments provide an efficient way to collect sorption isotherm data and kinetic data. A typical method for defining equilibrium after a step change in relative humidity (RH) is using a particular threshold value for the rate of change in mass with time. Recent studies indicate that commonly used threshold values yield substantial errors and that further measurements are needed at extended hold times as a basis to assess the accuracy of abbreviated equilibration criteria. However, the mass measurement accuracy at extended times depends …

Iterative Correction Of Robotic Grinding Using Spatial Feedback For Precision Applications, Philip A. Olubodun, Joseph D. Fischer, Douglas A. Bristow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Since the advent of robots, many tasks that were originally performed by humans have now been tasked to industrial robots. From a manufacturing standpoint, robots have primarily been used in pick-and-place or other non-machining operations that require high repeatability. However, with the increasing availability of CAD/CAM software and the development of high-precision metrology, comes the opportunity to integrate robots into a wider variety of manufacturing processes through the use of feedback control. One such machining operation that is being explored is precision grinding of metal parts. Most other work in this area has focused on force regulation to improve grind …

Wind Shear Induced Tornados With Full Thermodynamic Effects, Kakkattukuzhy M. Isaac

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Wind shear-induced Tornado behavior under full thermodynamic formulation using the ideal gas equation is investigated. The computational fluid dynamics model that includes the energy equation is used to obtain solutions of a natural-scale tornado under pressure and temperature boundary conditions that account for their variations vs. altitude in the atmosphere. The present results show significant differences from previous isothermal simulations and those using the Boussinesq model for buoyancy under small temperature differences. Results show that the downdraft observed in tornados originating from supercells, often accompanied by rain and hail can be captured using the present model that simulates the genesis, …

A Feedforward Kinematic Error Controller With An Angular Positioning Deviations Model For Backlash Compensation Of Industrial Robots, Mitchell R. Woodside, Tian Hao Cui, John Emelko, Soichi Ibaraki, Robert G. Landers, Douglas A. Bristow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The accuracy of industrial robots, typically on the order of several millimeters, has inhibited their adoption in advanced aerospace manufacturing applications, such as robotic machining. For this reason, extensive investigations have been conducted to develop solutions to improve their accuracy. These solutions can be categorized into offline and online compensation strategies, both of which have advantages and limitations. Offline compensation has been shown to improve the accuracy of industrial robots by two to three orders of magnitude; however, the sensitivity of these solutions to environmental changes and external disturbances can degrade their performance. In contrast, online compensation, which utilizes real-time …

Impact-Free Gaits For Planar Bipeds: Changing Walking Speed And Gait, Aakash Khandelwal, Nilay Kant, Ranjan Mukherjee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The problems of changing the walking speed and stride length of impact-free gaits for point-foot planar bipeds are addressed. The impact-free gaits are designed using an approach developed in prior work. It is shown that the impulse controlled Poincaré map (ICPM) approach can be modified to transition between orbits defining gaits with different walking speeds, and the continuous controller can be changed during the swing phase to transition between gaits that have distinct stride lengths. The effectiveness of the approaches is demonstrated using simulations carried out on a five-link biped.

Cryogenic Fuel Applications To Sustainable Commercial Aircraft, Jack R. Kisling, Lillian Panning

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Finding a source of clean and renewable energy is one of the greatest challenges humanity will face in the 21st century. With populations expanding, developing countries increasing their use of resources, and the rapid and alarming effects of climate change, a shift to a sustainable future is an existential prospect.

The goal of our project is to take the first steps toward getting safety procedures and lab space established, so mechanical engineering senior projects can quickly begin to experiment with cryogenic fuels. They will explore the application of cryogenic fuels to commercial aviation.

Development Of Python Library For Spacecraft Modeling, Shreya Kale

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project involved developing a python library to be used in modeling spacecraft attitude dynamics and control

Attitude Control Of A Flexible Flapping Wing Uav Based On Fuzzy Logic, Reed M. Paulson, Tyson Chen, Diego Del Real, Nico Morrison

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project revolves around creating an a attitude controller for a hovering flexible flapping wing UAV that is based on a flying hummingbird. We based our model from a paper by Banazadeh and Taymourtash1 , First replicating the open-loop results using the nonlinear dynamic model and the equations of motion (seen below) while considering aerodynamic loads. Once replicated, we then used fuzzy logic to model the dynamic model. Subsequently, we designed a fuzzy controller to stabilize the hovering mode. We then considered and detailed future work needed to make further progress in this area.

In-Situ Characterization And Machine Learning Applications For Composite Processing, Pragathi Agraharam Chan

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Numerous aircraft and spacecrafts utilize carbon fiber-reinforced polymer structures to significantly enhance their operational efficiency and overall performance. Autoclave composite processing offers a solution for the intricate design of complex structures. However, the rapid temperature and strain fluctuations experienced during the processing gives rise to a multitude of defects and residual stresses in the composite. In this study, we have devised an in-situ methodology that leverages Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Machine Learning Applications to effectively observe and track defect deformations occurring throughout the process. This process presents a dataset derived from the curing process of 40 carbon fiber-reinforced polymer …

Ridds: Removal Of Irregular Debris Using Double Nets, Kayann Coote

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The quantity of debris in Earth’s orbit is increasing at an alarming rate, and without a sustainable solution, this will detriment the space environment, impacting the future of space travel and space traffic management. While numerous debris removal concepts and designs have been proposed, very few have made it to actual flight tests, and none can remove debris at a fast enough rate to stop debris growth. For debris currently in orbit, most proposed systems are costly on a large scale and cannot adapt to the wide variety of debris shape and geometry and tumbling. The purpose of the proposed …