17,645 research outputs found
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Hybrid Manufacturing: Integrating Direct Write and Stereolithography
A commercial stereolithography (SL) machine was modified to integrate fluid dispensing or
direct-write (DW) technology with SL in an integrated manufacturing environment for
automated and efficient hybrid manufacturing of complex electrical devices, combining threedimensional (3D) electrical circuitry with SL-manufactured parts. The modified SL system
operates similarly to a commercially available machine, although build interrupts were used to
stop and start the SL build while depositing fluid using the DW system. An additional linear
encoder was attached to the SL platform z-stage and used to maintain accurate part registration
during the SL and DW build processes. Individual STL files were required as part of the
manufacturing process plan. The DW system employed a three-axis translation mechanism that
was integrated with the commercial SL machine. Registration between the SL part, SL laser and
the DW nozzle was maintained through the use of 0.025-inch diameter cylindrical reference
holes manufactured in the part during SL. After depositing conductive ink using DW, the SL
laser was commanded to trace the profile until the ink was cured. The current system allows for
easy exchange between SL and DW in order to manufacture fully functional 3D electrical
circuits and structures in a semi-automated environment. To demonstrate the manufacturing
capabilities, the hybrid SL/DW setup was used to make a simple multi-layer SL part with
embedded circuitry. This hybrid system is not intended to function as a commercial system, it is
intended for experimental demonstration only. This hybrid SL/DW system has the potential for
manufacturing fully functional electromechanical devices that are more compact, less expensive,
and more reliable than their conventional predecessors, and work is ongoing in order to fully
automate the current system.Mechanical Engineerin
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Expanding Rapid Prototyping for Electronic Systems Integration of Arbitrary Form
An innovative method for rapid prototyping (RP) of electronic circuits with components
characteristic of typical electronics applications was demonstrated using an enhanced version of
a previously developed hybrid stereolithography (SL) and direct write (DW) system, where an
existing SL machine was integrated with a three-axis DW fluid dispensing system for combined
arbitrary form electronic systems manufacturing. This paper presents initial efforts at embedding
functional electronic circuits using the hybrid SL/DW system. A simple temperature-sensitive
circuit was selected, which oscillated an LED at a frequency proportional to the temperature
sensed by the thermistor. The circuit was designed to incorporate all the required electronic
components within a 2.5” x 2” x 0.5” SL part. Electrical interconnects between electronic
components were deposited on the SL part with a DW system using silver conductive ink lines.
Several inks were deposited, cured, and tested on a variety of SL resin substrates, and the E 1660
ink (Ercon Inc, Wareham, MA) was selected due to its measured lowest average resistivity on
the SL substrates. The finished circuit was compared with Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
technology for functionality. The electronic components used here include a low voltage battery,
LM 555 timer chip, resistors, a thermistor, capacitors, and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). This
circuit was selected because it (1) represented a simple circuit combining many typically used
electronic components and thus provided a useful demonstration for integrated electronic
systems manufacturing applicable to a wide variety of devices, and (2) provided an indication of
the parasitic resistances and capacitances introduced by the fabrication process due to its
sensitivity to manufacturing variation. The hybrid technology can help achieve significant size
reductions, enable systems integration in atypical forms, a natural resistance to reverse
engineering and possibly increase maximum operating temperatures of electronic circuits as
compared to the traditional PCB process. This research demonstrates the ability of the hybrid
SL/DW technology for fabricating combined electronic systems for unique electronics
applications in which arbitrary form is a requirement and traditional PCB technology cannot be
used.Mechanical Engineerin
A method to Formalise the Rapid Prototyping Process
Facing the increasing complexity of the product design area, (reduction of cycle times, introduction of simultaneous engineering, introduction of digital mock-up, ... ) a research department which wants to define a rapid prototyping process is confronted to the problem of the tools’ choice. Therefore, we will propose in this article, a method allowing to conceive such a process. In a first chapter, we present the rapid prototyping area in the product design environment, in a second chapter we will propose our method illustrated by an industrial case
Developments in the tools and methodologies of synthetic biology.
Synthetic biology is principally concerned with the rational design and engineering of biologically based parts, devices, or systems. However, biological systems are generally complex and unpredictable, and are therefore, intrinsically difficult to engineer. In order to address these fundamental challenges, synthetic biology is aiming to unify a body of knowledge from several foundational scientific fields, within the context of a set of engineering principles. This shift in perspective is enabling synthetic biologists to address complexity, such that robust biological systems can be designed, assembled, and tested as part of a biological design cycle. The design cycle takes a forward-design approach in which a biological system is specified, modeled, analyzed, assembled, and its functionality tested. At each stage of the design cycle, an expanding repertoire of tools is being developed. In this review, we highlight several of these tools in terms of their applications and benefits to the synthetic biology community
Attempto - From Specifications in Controlled Natural Language towards Executable Specifications
Deriving formal specifications from informal requirements is difficult since
one has to take into account the disparate conceptual worlds of the application
domain and of software development. To bridge the conceptual gap we propose
controlled natural language as a textual view on formal specifications in
logic. The specification language Attempto Controlled English (ACE) is a subset
of natural language that can be accurately and efficiently processed by a
computer, but is expressive enough to allow natural usage. The Attempto system
translates specifications in ACE into discourse representation structures and
into Prolog. The resulting knowledge base can be queried in ACE for
verification, and it can be executed for simulation, prototyping and validation
of the specification.Comment: 15 pages, compressed, uuencoded Postscript, to be presented at EMISA
Workshop 'Naturlichsprachlicher Entwurf von Informationssystemen -
Grundlagen, Methoden, Werkzeuge, Anwendungen', May 28-30, 1996, Ev. Akademie
Tutzin
Virtual bloXing - assembly rapid prototyping for near net shapes
Virtual reality (VR) provides another dimension to many engineering applications. Its immersive and interactive nature allows an intuitive approach to study both cognitive activities and performance evaluation. Market competitiveness means having products meet form, fit and function quickly. Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (RP&M) technologies are increasingly being applied to produce functional prototypes and the direct manufacturing of small components. Despite its flexibility, these systems have common drawbacks such as slow build rates, a limited number of build axes (typically one) and the need for post processing. This paper presents a Virtual Assembly Rapid Prototyping (VARP) project which involves evaluating cognitive activities in assembly tasks based on the adoption of immersive virtual reality along with a novel nonlayered rapid prototyping for near net shape (NNS) manufacturing of components. It is envisaged that this integrated project will facilitate a better understanding of design for manufacture and assembly by utilising equivalent scale digital and physical prototyping in one rapid prototyping system. The state of the art of the VARP project is also presented in this paper
An application generator for rapid prototyping of Ada real-time control software
The need to increase engineering productivity and decrease software life cycle costs in real-time system development establishes a motivation for a method of rapid prototyping. The design by iterative rapid prototyping technique is described. A tool which facilitates such a design methodology for the generation of embedded control software is described
An approach for real world data modelling with the 3D terrestrial laser scanner for built environment
Capturing and modelling 3D information of the built environment is a big challenge. A number of techniques and technologies are now in use. These include EDM, GPS, and photogrammetric application, remote sensing and traditional building surveying applications. However, use of these technologies cannot be practical and efficient in regard to time, cost and accuracy. Furthermore, a multi disciplinary knowledge base, created from the studies and research about the regeneration aspects is fundamental: historical, architectural, archeologically, environmental, social, economic, etc. In order to have an adequate diagnosis of regeneration, it is necessary to describe buildings and surroundings by means of documentation and plans. However, at this point in time the foregoing is considerably far removed from the real situation, since more often than not it is extremely difficult to obtain full documentation and cartography, of an acceptable quality, since the material, constructive pathologies and systems are often insufficient or deficient (flat that simply reflects levels, isolated photographs,..). Sometimes the information in reality exists, but this fact is not known, or it is not easily accessible, leading to the unnecessary duplication of efforts and resources.
In this paper, we discussed 3D laser scanning technology, which can acquire high density point data in an accurate, fast way. Besides, the scanner can digitize all the 3D information concerned with a real world object such as buildings, trees and terrain down to millimetre detail Therefore, it can provide benefits for refurbishment process in regeneration in the Built Environment and it can be the potential solution to overcome the challenges above. The paper introduce an approach for scanning buildings, processing the point cloud raw data, and a modelling approach for CAD extraction and building objects classification by a pattern matching approach in IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format. The approach presented in this paper from an undertaken research can lead to parametric design and Building Information Modelling (BIM) for existing structures. Two case studies are introduced to demonstrate the use of laser scanner technology in the Built Environment. These case studies are the Jactin House Building in East Manchester and the Peel building in the campus of University Salford. Through these case studies, while use of laser scanners are explained, the integration of it with various technologies and systems are also explored for professionals in Built Environmen
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