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Possible Technological Areas for USC/Columbia Technology Incubator ClientsThe following is the example of different technological areas available for the new companies in the High Tech Incubator at USC. Only one university department is presented here. For more information contact Joel Stevenson at JStevenson@sc.edu.The Department of Mechanical Engineering has principal research thrusts in the following areas;
Characterization of Engineering MaterialsBackground:The state of the art in material technology is growing at an astounding pace. The performance of structural metals (e.g., aluminum and steel) are being enhanced through process modifications, composite materials are being developed for advanced structural applications (e.g., woven polymer composites, fiber reinforced polymer composites for aerospace systems), ceramic materials are being used in high temperature applications (e.g., turbine blades) and new materials are being developed for specialized applications (e.g., nanocrystalline materials for potential use in energy absorption applications). To address the wide variety of issues related to material performance (that is, long-term behavior, durability, damage tolerance, environmental sensitivity and strength) that will confront manufacturers and applications engineers, there is a need for (a) experimental facilities to quantify the effects of various variables on material response, (b) expertise in modeling of material behavior so that accurate predictions of structural behavior under a wide variety of conditions can be made and (c) advanced scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope facilities to correlate material microstructure to macroscopic performance. USC’s Focus: The Department of Mechanical Engineering has focused on characterization of material performance. Experimental studies are performed to develop a data base for each material. Computational models are developed and verified using the experimental data base. The experimentally validated models are used to predict performance of a component under a wide variety of conditions. To meet these objectives, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a state-of-the-art test facility to assess the performance of existing and new materials. The facility includes (a) several fully automated MTS fatigue testing systems, (b) a vacuum furnace for characterization of material response at high temperature without environmental effects, (c) several environmental chambers for use in test systems to assess the combined effects of environment and loading on material performance, (d) high strain rate loading facilities (e.g., drop towers, instrumented Charpy impact system and gas-propelled projectile loading system) to determine material response under dynamic loading, (e) single-axis vibration table for assessing structural response and (f) moderate temperature creep test frames for quantifying long-term changes in material response under the combination of loading and elevated temperature. In addition, USC has an excellent microstructure characterization facility, the Southeast Microscopy Center (SMC). The SMC has both a Hitachi SEM and a TEM, which are used extensively by faculty, students and local industry. In addition, the SMC has several optical microscopes, a scanning tunneling electron microscope for high resolution studies and an electron microprobe for surface composition studies. Contact: Dr. Michael A. Sutton, Director of State Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation; 803-777-7158; sutton@sc.edu Dr. Anthony P. Reynolds; 803-777-9548; reynolds@engr.sc.edu [ BACK TO TOP ] Reverse Engineering for Rapid Prototyping and ManufacturingBackground:To remain competitive in the global market, there is an ever-increasing need to speed up the transition from development of a preliminary design drawing to production of a component. At the same time, the military is faced with the loss of a vendor support base for many naval, army and air force systems, requiring that new parts be manufactured using only existing components as a guide. In South Carolina, increasing the size, sustainability and competitiveness of the manufacturing base remains a focus of the state in a continuing drive to increase the pace of economic development. Though these three seem unrelated, all require a high level of technological sophistication to be successful. USC’s Focus: To enhance the manufacturing technology base for the state of South Carolina, while addressing national critical needs, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a strong, multi-disciplinary program in the areas of (a) rapid and accurate experimental measurement of complex components, (b) reconstruction of a full, 360O representation for a component through accurate synthesis of multiple measurement data sets, (c) conversion of the full data set into a smooth surface fit and (d) transfer of the surface fit into a computer aided manufacturing (CAM) data stream for rapid prototyping and manufacturing. Measurement technologies have been successfully developed for accurate location of (x,y,z) coordinates on complex objects. The methods included (a) advanced white-light fringe projection methods and (b) three-dimensional computer vision methods using multiple cameras; positional errors less than 25 microns for each coordinate have been achieved for simple components that are less that .3 meters in size. Reconstruction of the full, three-dimensional data set for a component through synthesis of multiple patches has been successfully completed using synthetic data, including the effects of random measurement error. Contact: Dr. Michael A. Sutton, Director of State Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation; 803-777-7158; sutton@sc.edu Dr. Stephen R. McNeill; 803-777-3407; mcneill@sc.edu Dr. Y. J. Chao, 803-777-5869; chao@engr.sc.edu [ BACK TO TOP ] Life Assessment and Repair of Aging StructuresBackground:Due to the enormous cost of developing and manufacturing complex structures (e.g., large bridges cost several million, civilian airplanes cost 120 million, military aircraft cost from 200 million to 1 billion), life extension through continued assessment and repair is now a fact of life. To maintain safety margins and ensure the structural integrity of complex, aging systems, it is essential that advanced engineering concepts be coupled with the latest inspection technologies for accurate assessment of each structure. USC’s Focus: Under the auspices of the State Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed expertise in the areas of (a) composite and metallic materials, (b) experimental mechanics, (c) computational methods for large and small structures, (d) non-destructive evaluation capability using non-contacting optical methods, piezoelectric transducers and fiber optic systems. To meet the need for experimental evaluation of components, we have developed a state-of-the-art test facility to assess the performance of existing and new materials. The facility includes several fatigue testing systems, environmental chambers, and a vacuum furnace. Currently, we are performing research on composite overlays of existing concrete bridge structures to determine (a) the effect of long-term exposure to moisture and temperature on the bonding of the polymer composite overlay and the concrete, (b) the effect of varying polymer composition on bond strength and (c) the combined effect of environment and fatigue loading on bond strength. In addition, we are performing research on composite patching of aerospace structures. In particular, we are studying the effect of (a) fatigue crack growth in metallic material on load transfer into the surrounding area and (b) composite patch on fatigue crack growth process. Using experimental data obtained from these studies, we will determine the capabilities of various computational models and develop new models as required. Contact: Dr. Michael A. Sutton, Director of State Center for Mechanics,Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation; 803-777-7158; sutton@sc.edu Dr. Jed S. Lyons; 803-777-3407; lyons@engr.sc.edu Dr. Victor Giurgiutiu, 803-777-8018; victorg@sc.edu [ BACK TO TOP ] Sustainable Design and DevelopmentBackground:There is an international movement towards sustainable design and development (SDD), which has begun to gather momentum in the state of South Carolina, as demonstrated by the recent Workshop on Sustainable Design and Development held at the USC in April, 1997. Speakers from four states, US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy outlined current work and their vision of future studies in SDD, providing a forum for open discussion. A clear message from the Workshop is that more state and local officials, corporations and design professionals are recognizing the impact of social and environmental issues on their development decisions USC’s Focus: The Department of Mechanical Engineering is part of a university-wide effort to develop a national resource in the area of SDD. One aspect of the SDD effort will focus on developing educational programs that emphasize the importance of sustainability in design decisions. In addition, research efforts are underway at USC in the areas of (a) modeling of complex, human systems where the interrelationships between social, environmental and economic processes must be considered, (b) developing designs of simple systems and assessing the impact of various processes and (c) design of new sustainable systems using existing knowledge base. Contact: Dr. Walter H. Peters, III; 803-777-4327; peters@engr.sc.edu [ BACK TO TOP ] Structural JointsBackground:Improvements in material properties are a sure method of improving structural efficiency and reliability; however, complex structures are composed of numerous parts which must be joined together to form a useful structure. Typically, the structural joint is a weak point in a structure and if optimum joining techniques are not employed, potential gains from material property improvements cannot be realized. In today’s highly competitive environment, increasing emphasis is being placed on improved quality and performance as measured by increased structural life, reliability, and efficiency (particularly for transportation applications). These pressures for continuous improvement provide the impetus for research into improved structural joining technology so that the maximum benefit may be derived from the use of state-of-the-art materials USC’s Focus: In the USC Department of Mechanical Engineering, a multi-disciplinary approach is being applied to the study of structural joints. A team composed of heat transfer experts, solid mechanists, and materials scientists has been formed; this team will examine the performance of structural joints from both experimental and numerical/analytical modeling perspectives. The initial thrust of the structural joints program is toward an improved understanding of resistance spot welding of aluminum alloys for automotive applications. The overall strategy of the effort is to develop an understanding of how basic welding process parameters, influence structural performance. In addition to the resistance spot welding studies, smaller groups of researchers are examining other aluminum welding technologies such as TGA and friction stir welding; both of which hold promise for the production of aluminum alloy tailor welded blanks for automotive applications and built up structure for aerospace. Contact: Dr. Yuh J. Chao, Director of NSF Structural Joint Research Project, 803-777-5869; chao@engr.sc.edu Dr. Michael Sutton; 803-777-7158; sutton@sc.edu [ BACK TO TOP ] Metal CuttingBackground:Cutting is still one of the most common manufacturing processes for producing metal parts of desirable dimensions. It involves a range of complex thermo-mechanical phenomena, such as large inelastic deformation, friction and contact, and energy dissipation and local heating. An understanding of the material removal process in metal cutting is important in selecting tool materials and designs and in assuring consistent dimensional accuracy and surface integrity of the finished product. USC’s Focus: USC’s focus is to develop a unique, experimentally validated, computer-aided modeling and evaluation procedure for metal cutting processes. A key issue is the friction law governing the contact between the cutting tool and the workpiece, and its effect on the metal cutting process. USC researchers have shown that local heating in metal cutting is strongly dependent on the friction along the chip/tool interface, and that this friction can be quantified and characterized by an iteration procedure between computer predictions and in-situ temperature measurements. Findings from this research will provide insight in tool selection, tool wear prediction, and residual stress analysis for the finished product. Key funding for this research is being provided through the National Science Foundation. Contact: Dr. Xiaomin Deng, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7144, deng@engr.sc.edu [ BACK TO TOP ] Failure Analysis of Airframe MaterialsBackground:A current key concern in the aerospace industry is the structural integrity of aging aircraft in the presence of widespread fatigue damage (WFD), which consists of multiple tiny cracks in an aircraft structure caused by frequent taking off and landing of the aircraft. The accident in Hawaii on April 28, 1988, of the Aloha Airline Flight 243 (a Boeing 737) is often cited for this concern. To prevent structural failures of aircraft due to WFD, the growth behavior of cracks in airframe materials (e.g. aluminum alloys) must be understood in order to establish guidelines for the design, evaluation, and repair of aircraft. USC’s Focus: USC’s focus has been to develop computer codes, testing methods, and analysis techniques for characterizing the crack-growth behavior of airframe materials. Computer codes are used as file test beds for evaluating and implementing crack-growth criteria and simulation algorithms; structural testing methods are used to acquire experimental data for crack-growth model development and validation; and analysis techniques are developed to provide effective and efficient tools for industrial applications. Key funding for this research is being provided by NASA Langley Research Center and by NASA EPSCoR. Contact: Dr. Michael A. Sutton, Director of State Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation, and Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7158, sutton@sc.edu. Dr. Xiaomin Deng, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7144, deng@engr.sc.edu. [ BACK TO TOP ] Structural Damage Detection and Health MonitoringBackground:Damage (e.g. cracks) often occurs in engineering structures and machinery as a result of material defects, fabrication processes, and service operations. To ensure safe operation or service of these structures, it is important that damage can be detected and the health of the structures monitored by nondestructive means, so that critically damaged structures can be repaired or replaced before serious accidents happen. USC’s Focus: USC’s focus is to develop sensor technology and data processing techniques to detect and automate the detection of structural damage and to provide means of monitoring structural health. USC researchers have expertise in electromechanical impedance based methods and computer vision based methods. Major efforts are in progress in developing new techniques based on wavelet analysis of sensor signals. Key funding for this research is being provided through NSF EPSCoR and the South Carolina Space Grant Consortium. Contact: Dr. Xiaomin Deng, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7144, deng@engr.sc.edu. Dr. Victor Giurgiutiu, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-8018, victorg@sc.edu. Dr. Michael A. Sutton, Director of State Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation, and Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7158, sutton@sc.edu. [ BACK TO TOP ] Characterization of Creep and Oxygen Embrittlement of Structural MaterialsBackground:A number of steels and super-alloys suffer from performance degradation in an oxygen environment at elevated temperatures. This phenomenon is known as the stress-accelerated grain-boundary oxygen embrittlement (SAGBO), which often coexists with the traditional creep behavior seen at elevated temperatures and leads to premature failure of critical structure components, such as turbine engine blades. Because of the complexity of this elevated temperature behavior, a mechanical model that adequately describes this behavior does not exist, and failure analysis for such materials is difficult. USC’s Focus: USC’s focus is to develop, verify, and implement one of the first mechanical models for the combined creep and SAGBO phenomenon. So far, USC researchers have obtained a physically based phenomenological model and developed mechanical testing facilities and high-temperature deformation measurement techniques to acquire test data to validate and fine tune the model. Once verified, the model will be implemented in computer codes and can be used by the industry to perform computer-aided designs and evaluations for elevated temperature applications of these materials. Key funding for this research has been provided through the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research EPSCoR. Contact: Dr. Michael A. Sutton, Director of State Center for Mechanics, Materials and Non-Destructive Evaluation, and Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7158, sutton@sc.edu. Dr. Xiaomin Deng, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-7144, deng@engr.sc.edu. Dr. Jed S. Lyons, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 803-777-9552, lyons@engr.sc.edu. [ BACK TO TOP ] |
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