High-precision five-axis machine for high-speed material processing using linear motors and parallel-serial kinematics

The paper describes some details of the mechanical and kinematics design of a five-axis mechanism. The design has been utilized to physically realize an industrial-scale five-axis milling machine that can carry a three KW spindle. However, the mechanism could be utilized in other material processing and factory automation applications. The mechanism has five rectilinear joints/axes. Two of these axes are arranged traditionally, i.e. in series, and the other three axes utilize the concept of parallel kinematics. This combination results in a design that allows three translational and two rotational two-mode degrees of freedom (DOFs). The design provides speed, accuracy and cost advantages over traditional five-axis machines. All axes are actuated using linear motors. <br /

Two-mode overconstrained three-DOFs rotational-translational linear-motor-based parallel-kinematics mechanism for machine tool applications

The paper introduces a family of three-DOFs translational-rotational Parallel-Kinematics Mechanisms (PKMs) as well as the mobility analysis of such family using Lie-group theory. Each member of this family has two-rotational one-translational DOFs. A novel mechanism is presented and analyzed as a representative of that family. The use and the practical value of that modular mechanism are emphasized.<br /

The Effect of Intermittent Fasting and Caloric Restricted Diet on Diabetic Rats

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of intermittent fasting and caloric restricted diet (RD) for 8 weeks on diabetic rats. Forty-nine adult male albino rats were divided into two main groups; the first main group was fed only on basal diet and served as negative control group and the second main group: diabetic rats were induced by a single intra-peritoneal injection of freshly prepared STZ (60 mg/kg BW) then divided into 6 subgroups: Subgroup (1) was fed only on basal diet and was served as positive cont. Subgroup (2) was fed on RD only. Subgroups (3, 4) were fed on basal diet and were deprived of food except water from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. twice a week and every other day, respectively. Subgroups (5, 6): were fed on RD and intermittent fasting twice a week and every other day, respectively. The results indicated that RD and intermittent fasting significantly decreased the final body weight, feed intake and body weight gain % values as compared to the positive control rats. Diabetic treated rats had significant increase (p&lt;0.05) in insulin concentration and lower glucose levels as well as an improvement in liver functions and lipid profile as compared to the positive control group. Conclusion: the findings suggest that intermittent fasting and caloric restricted diet could have a potential role in managing diabetes

Extensions of Weak PS-Rings

In this paper, we prove that, under mild conditions, if R is a right weak PS-ring, then so does the skew inverse power series ring R[[x−1;α,δ]], the skew generalized power series ring R[[S,ω]], and the differential inverse power series ring R[[x−1;δ]]

Using recycled materials towards sustainable, eco-friendly building in hot regions – A Review

Due to population growth and increased urban activity, there is a rise in waste production, which poses health and environmental risks. Additionally, the extraction and transportation of natural resources to places of employment require significant energy consumption, and the world has therefore moved to seek new alternatives away from traditional construction methods by recycling building materials such as concrete, brick, glass, wood, etc., or using new building materials such as rice straw, plastics, corks, etc., taking into account architectural design. The research is aimed at demonstrating that recycled materials have the potential to perform a better environmental performance by preserving the environment and the natural resources used to produce construction materials and providing energy of all kinds, as well as reducing costs

Infrared Detector Activities at NASA Langley Research Center

Infrared detector development and characterization at NASA Langley Research Center will be reviewed. These detectors were intended for ground, airborne, and space borne remote sensing applications. Discussion will be focused on recently developed single-element infrared detector and future development of near-infrared focal plane arrays (FPA). The FPA will be applied to next generation space-based instruments. These activities are based on phototransistor and avalanche photodiode technologies, which offer high internal gain and relatively low noise-equivalent-power. These novel devices will improve the sensitivity of active remote sensing instruments while eliminating the need for a high power laser transmitter

Phototransistors Development and their Applications to Lidar

Custom-designed two-micron phototransistors have been developed using Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE), Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) techniques under Laser Risk Reduction Program (LRRP). The devices were characterized in the Detector Characterization Laboratory at NASA Langley Research Center. It appears that the performance of LPE- and MBE-grown phototransistors such as responsivity, noise-equivalent-power, and gain, are better than MOCVD-grown devices. Lidar tests have been conducted using LPE and MBE devices under the 2-micrometer CO2 Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, Colorado. The main focus of these tests was to examine the phototransistors performances as compared to commercial InGaAs avalanche photodiode by integrating them into the Raman-shifted Eye-safe Aerosol Lidar (REAL) operating at 1.543 micrometers. A simultaneous measurement of the atmospheric backscatter signals using the LPE phototransistors and the commercial APD demonstrated good agreement between these two devices. On the other hand, simultaneous detection of lidar backscatter signals using MBE-grown phototransistor and InGaAs APD, showed a general agreement between these two devices with a lower performance than LPE devices. These custom-built phototransistors were optimized for detection around 2-micrometer wavelength while the lidar tests were performed at 1.543 micrometers. Phototransistor operation at 2-micron will improve the performance of a lidar system operating at that wavelength. Measurements include detecting hard targets (Rocky Mountains), atmospheric structure consisting of cirrus clouds and boundary layer. These phototransistors may have potential for high sensitivity differential absorption lidar measurements of carbon dioxide and water vapor at 2.05-micrometers and 1.9-micrometers, respectively