Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Radiation-Shielding Polymer/Soil Composites
It has been proposed to fabricate polymer/soil composites primarily from extraterrestrial resources, using relatively lowenergy processes, with the original intended application being that habitat structures constructed from such composites would have sufficient structural integrity and also provide...
Briefs: Materials
Increasing Durability of Flame-Sprayed Strain Gauges
Thermally sprayed dielectric ceramic coatings are the primary means of attaching strain and temperature gauges to hot-section rotating parts of turbine engines. As hot-section temperatures...
Briefs: Materials
Multifunctional, High-Temperature Nanocomposites
In experiments conducted as part of a continuing effort to incorporate multifunctionality into advanced composite materials, blends of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a resin denoted...
Briefs: Materials
Multilayer Impregnated Fibrous Thermal Insulation Tiles
The term "secondary polymer layered impregnated tile" ("SPLIT") denotes a type of ablative composite-material thermal- insulation tiles having engineered, spatially non-uniform...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Counterrotating-Shoulder Mechanism for Friction Stir Welding
A counterrotating-shoulder mechanism has been proposed as an alternative to the mechanism and fixtures used in conventional friction stir welding. The mechanism would internally...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Strain Gauges Indicate Differential-CTE-Induced Failures
A method of detecting mechanical failure induced by variation in temperature at an adhesive bond between two materials that have different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs)...
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Emhart Teknologies Presents “Create the Future” 2006 Design Contest Winners
Creating the future is about change, creativity, and risk - the core building blocks that foster innovation.
For the past five years, Emhart Teknologies has partnered with NASA Tech Briefs in challenging the engineering community through our “Create the...
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
First Prize Winner, “Create the Future” 2006 Design Contest
Designed by:
Buck AlbrittonGearMax
Ashland, VA
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Merit Prize Winners, “Create the Future” 2006 Design Contest
Martin O’Toole, Revolution Motorcycles, Doylestown, PA
The concept of the parallel-plate framing system is to eliminate the welded tubular frame. The components are made using 3-axis CNC milling, waterjet, and laser-cutting machines. By...
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Sponsors,“Create the Future” 2006 Design Contest
In today’s competitive marketplace, manufacturers need suppliers who not only deliver the parts required to build a product, but those who deliver support and consultation on how best to...
Briefs: Materials
Accounting for Uncertainties in Strengths of SiC MEMS Parts
A methodology has been devised for accounting for uncertainties in the strengths of silicon carbide structural components of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The methodology enables prediction of the probabilistic strengths of complexly shaped MEMS parts using data from tests of...
Briefs: Materials
Lithium Dinitramide as an Additive in Lithium Power Cells
Lithium dinitramide, LiN(NO2)2 has shown promise as an additive to nonaqueous electrolytes in rechargeable and non-rechargeable lithium-ion-based electrochemical power cells. Such non-aqueous electrolytes consist of lithium salts dissolved in mixtures of organic...
Briefs: Materials
Ion-Conducting Organic/Inorganic Polymers
Ion-conducting polymers that are hybrids of organic and inorganic moieties and that are suitable for forming into solid electrolyte membranes have been invented in an effort to improve upon the...
Briefs: Materials
MoO₃ Cathodes for High-Temperature Lithium Thin-Film Cells
MoO3 has shown promise as a cathode material that can extend the upper limit of operating temperature of rechargeable lithium thin-film electrochemical cells. Cells of...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Core-Cutoff Tool
A tool makes a cut perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of a core hole at a predetermined depth to free the core at that depth. The tool does not damage the surrounding material from which the core was cut, and it operates...
Application Briefs: Materials
Elastic Memory Composite Hinges Tested on Shuttle
Composite Technology Development (CTD) Lafayette, CO
303-664-0394
www.ctd-materials.com
Elastic Memory Composite Hinges...
Briefs: Materials
Progressive Failure Analysis of Composite Structures with FEA Software
The Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) is core technology in a software suite called ImMAC, developed at NASA's John Glenn Research...
Products: Materials
Dichroic Filter
Patterned dichroic filters from Deposition Sciences, Inc. (Santa Rosa, CA) operate over a wide range of wavelengths, from near ultraviolet to infrared. Able to be applied in a variety of substrates in multiple shapes and...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Self-Advancing Step-Tap Drills
Self-advancing tool bits that are hybrids of drills and stepped taps make it possible to form threaded holes wider than about 1/2 in. (about 13 mm) without applying any more axial force than is necessary for...
Briefs: Materials
Ceramic Paste for Patching High-Temperature Insulation
A ceramic paste that can be applied relatively easily, either by itself or in combination with one or more layer(s) of high temperature ceramic fabrics, such as silicon carbide or zirconia, has been invented as a means of patching cracks or holes in the reinforced carbon-carbon forward...
Briefs: Materials
Protective Skins for Aerogel Monoliths
A method of imparting relatively hard protective outer skins to aerogel monoliths has been developed. Even more than aerogel beads, aerogel monoliths are attractive as thermal-insulation materials, but the commercial utilization of aerogel monoliths in thermal-insulation panels has been inhibited by their...
Briefs: Materials
Fabrication of Polyimide-Matrix/Carbon and Boron-Fiber Tape
The term "HYCARB" denotes a hybrid composite of polyimide matrices reinforced with carbon and boron fibers. HYCARB and an improved process for fabricating dry HYCARB tapes have been...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Artificial Hair Cells for Sensing Flows
The purpose of this article is to present additional information about the flow-velocity sensors described briefly in the immediately preceding article. As noted therein, these sensors can be...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Manufacturing Large Membrane Mirrors at Low Cost
Relatively inexpensive processes have been developed for manufacturing lightweight, wide-aperture mirrors that consist mainly of reflectively coated, edge-supported polyimide membranes. The polyimide and other materials in these mirrors can withstand the environment of outer space, and the mirrors...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Double-Vacuum-Bag Process for Making Resin-Matrix Composites
A double-vacuum-bag process has been devised as a superior alternative to a single-vacuum-bag process used heretofore in making laminated fiber-reinforced resin-matrix...
Briefs: Materials
Composite Elastic Skins for Shape-Changing Structures
Composite elastic skins having tailorable mechanical properties have been invented for covering shape-changing ("morphable") structures. These skins are intended especially for use on...
Briefs: Materials
Glass/Ceramic Composites for Sealing Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
A family of glass/ceramic composite materials has been investigated for use as sealants in planar solid oxide fuel cells. These materials are modified versions of a barium calcium...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Temperature Sensing for Oil, Gas, and Structural Analysis
With retirement of the space shuttle imminent, and the commercial space industry burgeoning, NASA is searching for safe and innovative...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Pulse-Flow Microencapsulation System
The pulse-flow microencapsulation system (PFMS) is an automated system that continuously produces a stream of liquid-filled microcapsules for delivery of therapeutic agents to target tissues. Prior...
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