Manufacturing Commons^™

A Full Polymer Piezoelectric Flextensional Energy Harvester, Nadia Ahbab, Sidra Naz, Bingqi Zhao, Tian-Bing Xu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This study presents a full polymer piezoelectric flextensional energy harvester (FPPFEH) comprising a single-layer poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) film bonded to a 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) flextensional frame. For an arm inclination angle of θ=10°, the free-body model gives a theoretical geometric force-amplification factor of M_F=cot θ ≈ 5.67; this value represents an ideal upper bound and was not independently validated by local force or strain measurements. During assembly, the film was tensioned only to remove visible slack and maintain a flat configuration. No intentional pretension was applied, and any residual tension was not measured. Off-resonance force-controlled tests showed …

Pin-Plane Electrical Discharge Driven By A Mosfet Dc Current Source, Myles Perry, Sidmar Holoman, Daniel Wozniak, Shirshak Kumar Dhali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The generation of atmospheric pressure nonequilibrium plasma using electrical discharges is an active area of research due to its significance in a wide spectrum of applications including medicine, combustion, and manufacturing. In our attempt to create a helium plasma jet in a pin-plane discharge with a constant current source, we observed self-pulsating behavior. We present the results of the electrical, optical, and spectroscopic measurements carried out to characterize the discharge. The duration of the discharge is a few tens of nanoseconds, and the repetition rate is in the few tens of kHz. The effect of the gap distance and gas …

40 - Design, Fabrication, And Installation Of Morphing Control Surfaces For Small-Scale Uas, Kyle Purser

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Morphing control surface technology, inspired by organic structures and compliant mechanisms, offers significant potential for enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency and performance of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Despite these benefits, its adoption has been hindered by complexities in design, manufacturing, and installation, particularly when compared to traditional flap systems. This research explores the design, fabrication, and integration of morphing control surfaces for small-scale UAS using additive manufacturing techniques. To reduce costs and streamline the design process, fused deposition modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing was employed for component fabrication. An off-the-shelf Horizon Sport Cub S2 served as the testing platform, modified with a …

Solid Loading Effects On The Assembly Of Alumina Particles In Aqueous Suspensions Due To The Dielectrophoretic Forces, Sivakumar Chithamallu, Rohan Kiran Parai, Dipankar Ghosh

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Current work in situ investigated the mechanisms of the interparticle interactions that evolve in dilute aqueous alumina suspensions subjected to alternating current (AC) electric field and the effects of solid loading of suspensions. The interactions were investigated for alumina suspension compositions in the 0.005‒0.04 vol.% solid loading range. Field‐induced interactions evolved via particle motion and dynamic assembly, chain formation parallel to the direction of the applied field and chain growth, chain cross‐linking, and chain thickening. The evolution time of each of those events was rapidly accelerated with solid loading. While chain cross‐linking was negligible in low solid loading suspensions, a …

Navigating The Complexities Of Engineering Management: Insights Into Metrics, Measurements, And Pitfalls, Charles Daniels

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

In the realm of Engineering Management, the reliance on metrics and measurements stands as a cornerstone for effective decision-making processes. These quantitative tools offer insights into performance dynamics and facilitate informed strategic choices. However, the uncritical application of metrics devoid of profound domain expertise presents significant challenges. This abstract explores the pitfalls inherent in utilizing metrics and measurements within Engineering Management without comprehensive understanding, emphasizing the potential consequences and proposing strategies for navigating this complex terrain.

Energy Efficiency In Additive Manufacturing: Condensed Review, Ismail Fidan, Vivekanand Naikwadi, Suhas Alkunte, Roshan Mishra, Khalid Tantawi

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Today, it is significant that the use of additive manufacturing (AM) has growing in almost every aspect of the daily life. A high number of sectors are adapting and implementing this revolutionary production technology in their domain to increase production volumes, reduce the cost of production, fabricate light weight and complex parts in a short period of time, and respond to the manufacturing needs of customers. It is clear that the AM technologies consume energy to complete the production tasks of each part. Therefore, it is imperative to know the impact of energy efficiency in order to economically and properly …

Effect Of Resin Bleed Out On Compaction Behavior Of The Fiber Tow Gap Region During Automated Fiber Placement Manufacturing, Von Clyde Jamora, Virginia Rauch, Sergii G. Kravchenko, Oleksandr G. Kravchenko

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Automated fiber placement is a state-of-the-art manufacturing method which allows for precise control over layup design. However, AFP results in irregular morphology due to fiber tow deposition induced features such as tow gaps and overlaps. Factors such as the squeeze flow and resin bleed out, combined with large non-linear deformation, lead to morphological variability. To understand these complex interacting phenomena, a coupled multiphysics finite element framework was developed to simulate the compaction behavior around fiber tow gap regions, which consists of coupled chemo-rheological and flow-compaction analysis. The compaction analysis incorporated a visco-hyperelastic constitutive model with anisotropic tensorial prepreg viscosity, which …

Parametrization Of Fluid Models For Electrical Breakdown Of Nitrogen At Atmospheric Pressure, Shirshak K. Dhali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In the transient phase of an atmospheric pressure discharge, the avalanche turns into a streamer discharge with time. Hydrodynamic fluid models are frequently used to describe the formation and propagation of streamers, where charge particle transport is dominated by the creation of space charge. The required electron transport data and rate coefficients for the fluid model are parameterized using the local mean energy approximation (LMEA) and the local field approximation (LFA). In atmospheric pressure applications, the excited species produced in the electrical discharge determine the subsequent conversion chemistry. We performed the fluid model simulation of streamers in nitrogen gas at …

Exploring Additive Manufacturing In A Space Environment - A Capstone Design Project Experience, Zain Zafar Khan, Zachary Alan Sobelman, Sharanabasaweshwara Asundi

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The employment of additive manufacturing in the non-standard environments like space, ships, or submarines has the potential to be an advanced utility not only in the pre-flight production of aerospace components and structures, but also for the onboard manufacturing of components and tools necessary for future space missions. For example, the ability to produce tools and structural components on the International Space Station can provide the space community the opportunity to make repairs and upgrades to the space station without wasting time and resources transporting such materials through additional missions. Additive manufacturing would allow for space missions to use on …

Smart Manufacturing—Theories, Methods, And Applications, Zhuming Bi, Lida Xu, Puren Ouyang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Smart manufacturing (SM) distinguishes itself from other system paradigms by introducing ‘smartness’ as a measure to a manufacturing system; however, researchers in different domains have different expectations of system smartness from their own perspectives. In this Special Issue (SI), SM refers to a system paradigm where digital technologies are deployed to enhance system smartness by (1) empowering physical resources in production, (2) utilizing virtual and dynamic assets over the internet to expand system capabilities, (3) supporting data-driven decision making at all domains and levels of businesses, or (4) reconfiguring systems to adapt changes and uncertainties in dynamic environments. …

Generic Design Methodology For Smart Manufacturing Systems From A Practical Perspective, Part I—Digital Triad Concept And Its Application As A System Reference Model, Zhuming Bi, Wen-Jun Zhang, Chong Wu, Chaomin Luo, Lida Xu

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Rapidly developed information technologies (IT) have continuously empowered manufacturing systems and accelerated the evolution of manufacturing system paradigms, and smart manufacturing (SM) has become one of the most promising paradigms. The study of SM has attracted a great deal of attention for researchers in academia and practitioners in industry. However, an obvious fact is that people with different backgrounds have different expectations for SM, and this has led to high diversity, ambiguity, and inconsistency in terms of definitions, reference models, performance matrices, and system design methodologies. It has been found that the state of the art SM research is limited …

Digital Twins For Manufacturing And Logistics Systems: Is Simulation Practice Ready?, Francesco Longo, Antonio Padovano, Letizia Nicoletti, Mohaiad Elbasheer, Rafael Diaz

VMASC Publications

This article provides a theoretical contribution to the state-of-the-art of digital twins for manufacturing and logistics systems. The primary goal of this paper is to draw attention to the gap between the theoretical framework of digital twins in manufacturing and supply chain and their practical implementation from a simulation modeling point of view. Therefore, highlighting the recent innovations in the simulation practice that could provide the basis for digital twins with high levels of data integration, automation, and smart capabilities. This study follows a comparative approach to analyzing theoretical and technical readiness for developing digital twins with high fidelity and …

Generic Design Methodology For Smart Manufacturing Systems From A Practical Perspective. Part Ii—Systematic Designs Of Smart Manufacturing Systems, Zhuming Bi, Wen-Jun Zhang, Chong Wu, Chaomin Luo, Lida Xu

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

In a traditional system paradigm, an enterprise reference model provides the guide for practitioners to select manufacturing elements, configure elements into a manufacturing system, and model system options for evaluation and comparison of system solutions against given performance metrics. However, a smart manufacturing system aims to reconfigure different systems in achieving high-level smartness in its system lifecycle; moreover, each smart system is customized in terms of the constraints of manufacturing resources and the prioritized performance metrics to achieve system smartness. Few works were found on the development of systematic methodologies for the design of smart manufacturing systems. The novel contributions …

Virginia Digital Shipbuilding Program (Vdsp): Building An Agile Modern Workforce To Improve Performance In The Shipbuilding And Ship Repair Industry, Joseph Peter Kosteczko, Katherine Smith, Jessica Johnson, Rafael Diaz

VMASC Publications

Industry 4.0 is the latest stage in the Industrial Revolution and is reflected in the digital transformation and use of emergent technologies including the Internet of Things, Big Data, Robotic automation of processes, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the manufacturing industry. The implementation of these technologies in the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Industry is currently in a nascent stage. Considering this, there is huge potential to increase cost savings, decrease production timelines, and drive down inefficiencies in Lifecyle management of ships. However, the implementation of these Industry 4.0 technologies is hindered by a noticeable …

A Review Of Problem Structuring Methods For Consideration In Prognostics And Smart Manufacturing, Patrick T. Hester, Andrew J. Collins, Barry Ezell, John Horst

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Successful use of prognostics involves the prediction of future system behaviors in an effort to maintain system availability and reduce the cost of maintenance and repairs. Recent work by the National Institute of Standards and Technology indicates that the field of prognostics and health management is vital for remaining competitive in today’s manufacturing environment. While prognostics-based maintenance involves many traditional operations research-centric challenges for successful deployment such as limited availability of information and concerns regarding computational efficiency, the authors argue in this paper that the field of prognostics and health management, still in its embryonic development stage, could benefit greatly …

Design And Manufacture Of An Inertial Cascade Impactor For Industrial Hygiene Purposes, Hector Joel Gortaire

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Inertial cascade impactors are devices commonly used for industrial hygiene and pharmaceutical studies. Their main purpose is to separate particulate matter suspended in aerosols according to their sizes, which can vary from over 10 µm to 0.5 µm. Their versatility and ease of operation make them suitable for on-site sampling; however, designing them requires a careful consideration of the different geometric parameters that characterize them.

In this thesis, a 5-stage inertial cascade impactor was designed, modelled, constructed, and tested. The main design parameter was the volumetric flow rate, 40 l/min, which was provided by a vacuum pump. By continuous iterations, …

Metal Cutting And Manufacturing Economics Project For Freshmen, Hüseyin Sarper, Nebojsa I. Jaksic, Linda Vahala

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper describes a laboratory experiment and a team project to teach manufacturing concepts to new students. This project is one of two team projects of 1.5 credit portion of a two-credit course in exploration of engineering and technology. This course teaches students skills they need late and teamwork is a major skill that they acquire. They organize into a group with specialized responsibilities for the purpose of calculating the total production time and cost of a manufactured part using turning, drilling, and milling operations. Students also learn or improve spreadsheet skills while performing data entry and necessary machining calculations. …

Period Batch Control - A Production Planning System Applied To Virtual Manufacturing Cells, Z. Tesic, B. Stevanaov, V. Jovanovic, M. Tomic, C. Kafol

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Period Batch Control (PBC) system has been known for its implementation with the classical group technology (GT) cells, and it has been known for its simplicity. The main production planning decisions concern the choice of the period length and the stage number and contents. Also, in order to better integrate the production planning with the application of GT cells at the shop floor, the concept of virtual manufacturing cells has been applied. Since virtual cells configurations are changing periodically, a model for implementing the PBC system into virtual manufacturing cells environment is developed. The model enables alignment of the PBC …

Applications Of Digital Manufacturing In Manufacturing Process Support, Vukica Jovanovic, Mihael Debevec, Niko Herakovic, Alok Verma, Mileta Tomovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In this study, the authors developed three new approaches and models for improvements related to manufacturing processes. The main focus was on planning in a digital environment before the actual manufacturing process is carried out. The first approach is digital manufacturing, which gives affords the opportunity for performing an entire manufacturing process in a virtual environment. In this way, engineers virtually define, plan, create, monitor, and control all production processes. The planning phase can be done simultaneously, while other manufacturing processes are already in place. In this way, processes can continue with no interruption. Various product lifecycle management tools have …

The Reconfigurable Machinery Efficient Workspace Analysis Based On The Twist Angles, Ana M. Djuric, Vukica Jovanovic, Mirjana Filipovic, Ljubinko Kevac

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A novel methodology for the calculation, visualisation and analysis of the Reconfigurable Machinery Efficient Workspace (RMEW), based on the twist angles, is presented in this paper. The machinery's kinematic parameters are used for calculating the workspace, while the efficient workspace is associated with the machinery's path and includes the end-effector position and orientation. To analyse and visualise many different machinery efficient workspaces at the same time, the calculation is based on the previously developed and validated complex reconfigurable machinery's kinematic structure named n-DOF Global Kinematic Model (n-GKM). An industrial robot is used as an example to demonstrate …

Addressing New Skills Needed For The Automotive Industry Through A Motorsports Educational Pathway, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Mileta M. Tomovic, Alok K. Verma, Nathan Luetke, Steve Branch

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The automotive industry has higher-skilled positions available that need engineers and engineering technologists qualified and capable to work in a high-paced, advanced manufacturing sector. Various educational programs across the country offer programs related to the motorsports area at the Associate of Science level. There are also various articu-lation agreements that enable students to continue their education to the baccalaureate level. These programs try to fill in the gap related to the skills shortage in systems and new design methods and processes. The main strength of such educational pathways is that students, who are trained to work as technicians with an …

A Simulation-Based Approach To Risk Assessment And Mitigation In Supply Chain Networks, Mamadou Seck, Ghaith Rabadi, Christian Koestler

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

We present in this paper a simulation-based approach to evaluate the risk associated with supply chain disruptions caused by failures in some supply chains nodes and measure the impact of such disruptions on supply chain key performance measures (KPIs) of interest. The proposed framework enables analysts and managers to repeatedly assess the risk to their supply chains based on various simulated scenarios and identify the most critical nodes whose disruption will have the highest impact on the KPIs of interest. As a result, companies can focus on the most critical supply chain assets and develop targeted mitigation plans that minimize …

Theory Of Constraints Project Management In A Manufacturing Environment, Shihching Kraft

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The following thesis covers the concepts of Theory of Constraints (TOC) Project Management. Introduced by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in I 984, TOC is a management philosophy that focuses on the use of critical chain project management to prioritize everyday tasks in a company. In TOC Project Management, there is always at least one resource constraint that limits the speed at which projects are completed. TOC management philosophy also recognizes that most projects in the manufacturing industry face unknown schedule delays that could cause projects to be completed late or over the planned budget. During project plan creation, plans are developed …

Web-Based Virtual Learning For Digital Manufacturing Fundamentals For Automotive Workforce Training, Vukica Jovanovic, Nathan W. Hartman

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Automotive manufacturers are experiencing difficulties in hiring highly qualified workers with ability to adopt new technologies fast. This kind of ongoing need for training is slowing innovation. This problem is related to the difficulty in obtaining consistent training resources and services especially with lack of training for advanced manufacturing practices for specialised industry sectors. More and more occupations require degrees higher than secondary education because of the global need for so called ‘knowledge workers’. An example of an interactive learning programme, developed with the support of narrated presentation technology, podcasts and online access has been shown in this paper. Sixty …

Factors Impacting Technology Transfer: The Maquiladora Industry In Yucatan, Mexico, Ana Maria Canto, Carlos Blanco, Pilar Pazos

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Technology transfer and knowledge transfer are the building blocks for innovation, efficiency and increased competitiveness. The topic of technology transfer in the context of multinational companies has been the focus of technology management researchers for well over two decades. Developing countries housing twin plans have been exposed to technology transfer from very diverse countries with different approaches to the technology transfer process and different levels of success. This cultural and national diversity adds an additional level of complexity to the technology transfer domain that has been largely unexplored. This paper will explore critical factors that had an impact in successful …

The Transfer Of Laser-Machined Micro-Structured Patterns From Silicon To Polymethyl Methacrylate, Warren E. Withrow

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This research project's purpose was transferring a micro-scaled pattern from a silicon wafer to a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or acrylic, substrate through light absorption generated heat. The secondary objective was to determine if the pattern on the silicon wafer could then be transferred to silica (i.e. a microscope glass slide) through light absorption generated heat. Once this pattern-transfer technique is developed for the micro scale, it could be instituted on the nano scale. The experiment was designed to find an alternate method to that currently being used to mass-produce compact discs (CDs). The most popular method employs a stamping process …

Perspectives On Quality Coordination And Assurance In Global Supply Chains, Ling Li, John N. Warfield

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

The 2007 recall of Berko Electric Toe-Space Heaters made in the US, the recall of backpack blowers made in Japan, the recalls of toys and pet food produced in China have exposed the potential of global supply chain disruptions. This product recall storm leads to the issue of quality assurance in global supply chain management. Product recalls indicate that manufacturing companies are particularly vulnerable to ensure quality when they source via a global supply chain with poor visibility. Obviously, a supply chain cannot afford this kind of sourcing and supply structure that threatens the supply-chain integrity. This special issue on …

Analysis Of Possible Use Of Identification Technologies In Disassembly, Vukica Jovanović, Sreten Filipović, Gordana Ostojić, Stevan Stankovski, Milovan Lazarević

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The barcodes and Radio Frequency Identification tags that are being used during manufacturing, assembly, warehousing, and distribution could also be reused at the end of the product lifecycle for an identification of the correct disassembly process that would result in recycling of its components. The barcodes or RFID tags can be helpful in identifying objects in terms of sustainable development, regarding disassembly, recycling and reuse. In this paper, the analysis of the current applications of RFID Technology in the final phase of the product lifecycle will be presented. The simulation of the disassembly process supported by both barcode and RFID-enabled …

Development Of Comprehensive Agility Measurement Tool, Ameya Surendra Erande

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This research focuses on the development of Comprehensive Agility Measurement Tool. Industry independent use of such a tool would help enterprises benchmark their success in achieving agility.

Continuous improvement and modernization of manufacturing techniques around the globe have brought many mutations in manufacturing industry. Customer expectations and demands are behind the introduction of new paradigms such as mass production, lean, mass customization, agile and now internet-based manufacturing. Though lean was first coined with respect to manufacturing industry, soon it became applicable in all the industries based on its waste reduction and productivity improvement techniques. Lacking international competitiveness of US manufacturing …

Fixture Design For Load Measurement In Friction Stir Welding, Shekhar S. Kulkarni

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In the Friction Stir Welding Process a vertical force is required for plunging the pin or probe of the tool into the workpiece specimen material, and maintaining contact between the shoulder and the substrate. In addition to the vertical force, Friction Stir Welding Process also involves a horizontal force, which is instrumental for the advancement of the tool as the weld progresses. The essential objective of the thesis was to design, manufacture and test a fixture that can be utilized to measure the vertical force as well as the horizontal force. The designing of the fixture was concerned with various …