Results for “smart manufacturing” — Page 6

DOE OSTI2024

Scalable Thin Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Light Sheet Platform

The goal of the Scalable Thin Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Light Sheet Platform project is to derisk the manufacturing scalability for a high chip count heterogeneous smart lighting platform, with the potential to enable significant energy savings through dynamic directional light control and custom. Specifically, the project derisks the scalability of a disruptive new computer controlled microassembly fabrication process SRI International is developing, to address fundamental cost barriers to mass production of high chip count systems. This is key for enabling mass adoption and thus maximum societal energy savings impact. The LED light sheet technology is a smart illumination platform that can be applied to lighting, signage, and display. It has features and a form factor similar to bendable or conformal OLED light sheets but uses more efficient LEDs with a remote phosphor layer that is very close to the LED to deliver a luminous efficacy that exceeds 125 lumen/Watt and enable > 50% Lighting Application Efficiency (LAE) energy savings. During Budget Period 1 (BP1), all of the BP1 milestones were successfully completed: (M2.0.1) Design demonstrator details that will meet the final project goals, (M6.1.1) Show lighting output model can predict illuminance, spatial, spectral distribution for specific light-sheet designs and use case, (M3.2.1) Automated loading supports 200 chip arrays, and (M3.3.1) Finish first interconnect process run for 200 chip array. The BP1 Go/No-Go Decision Point (G/NG 1) 200 chip demonstrator sample was in the process of final assembly and test at the end of BP1 on December 31, 2023. The objective was successfully achieved on January 16, 2024, when a wired 200-chip sample underwent confirmation testing that demonstrated a 93.75% first pass electrical yield that successfully exceeded the 75% first-pass electrical yield BP1 G/NG requirement. In addition, all 93.75% of the sample devices lit up, further demonstrating the ability to assemble and transfer small LED chips without damaging their functionality.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1991

Preliminary design studies of an advanced general aviation aircraft

Preliminary design studies are presented for an advanced general aviation aircraft. Advanced guidance and display concepts, laminar flow, smart structures, fuselage and wing structural design and manufacturing, and preliminary configuration design are discussed. This project was conducted as a graduate level design class under the auspices of the KU/NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program in Aeronautics. The results obtained during the fall semester of 1990 (Phase 1) and the spring semester of 1991 (Phase 2) are presented.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2016

Synthetic Biology as an Enabling Technology for Space Exploration

Human exploration off planet is severely limited by the cost of launching materials into space and by re-supply. Thus materials brought from Earth must be light, stable and reliable at destination. Using traditional approaches, a lunar or Mars base would require either transporting a hefty store of metals or heavy manufacturing equipment and construction materials for in situ extraction; both would severely limit any other mission objectives. Long-term human space presence requires periodic replenishment, adding a massive cost overhead. Even robotic missions often sacrifice science goals for heavy radiation and thermal protection. Biology has the potential to solve these problems because life can replicate and repair itself, and perform a wide variety of chemical reactions including making food, fuel and materials. Synthetic biology enhances and expands life's evolved repertoire. Using organisms as feedstock, additive manufacturing through bioprinting will make possible the dream of producing bespoke tools, food, smart fabrics and even replacement organs on demand. This new approach and the resulting novel products will enable human exploration and settlement on Mars, while providing new manufacturing approaches for life on Earth.

Synthetic biology↗

NASA NTRS2015

3D Printing of Advanced Biocomposites on Earth and Beyond

Human exploration off planet is severely limited by the cost of launching materials into space and re-supply. Thus materials brought from earth must be light, stable and reliable at destination. Using traditional approaches a lunar or Mars base would require either transporting a hefty store of metals or heavy manufacturing equipment and construction materials for in situ extraction; both would severely limit any other mission objectives. Long-term human space presence requires periodic replenishment, adding a massive cost overhead. Even robotic missions often sacrifice science goals for heavy radiation and thermal protection. Biology has the potential to solve these problems because it can replicate and repair itself, and do a wide variety of chemical reactions including making food, fuel and materials. Synthetic biology enhances and expands life's evolved repertoire. Using organisms as feedstock, additive manufacturing could make possible the dream of producing bespoke tools, food, smart fabrics and even replacement organs on demand. Image what new products can be enabled by such a technology, on earth or beyond!

Manufacturing↗

DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing Solar PV Deployment in Manufacturing: A Morphological Matrix and Fuzzy TOPSIS Approach

The growing energy demand of the industrial sector and the need for sustainable solutions highlight the importance of efficient decision making in solar photovoltaic (PV) implementation. Selecting optimal PV configuration is complex due to the interdependent technical, economic, environmental, and social factors involved. This study introduces an integrated decision-making method combining a morphological matrix and fuzzy TOPSIS to systematically select and rank optimal PV system configurations for manufacturing firms. While the morphological matrix exhaustively examines possible design solutions based on sensing, smart, sustainable, and social (S4) attributes, the fuzzy TOPSIS method ranks the alternatives by handling uncertainty in decision making. A case study conducted in a Mexican manufacturing company validates the methodology’s effectiveness. The optimal PV configuration identified comprehensively addresses operational and sustainability criteria, covering all lifecycle stages. This approach demonstrates quantitative superiority and greater robustness compared to existing fuzzy TOPSIS-based methods for solar PV applications. The findings highlight the practical value of data-driven, multi-criteria decision making for industrial solar energy adoption, enhancing project feasibility, cost efficiency, and environmental compliance. Future research will incorporate discrete event simulation (DES) to further refine energy consumption strategies in manufacturing.

Briceño, Citlaly Pérez↗

NASA NTRS2000

Smart Microsystems with Photonic Element and Their Applications to Aerospace Platforms

The need to make manufacturing, operation, and support of airborne vehicles safer and more efficient forces engineers and scientists to look for lighter, cheaper, more reliable technologies. Light weight, immunity to EMI, fire safety, high bandwidth, and high signal fidelity have already made photonics in general and fiber optics in particular an extremely attractive medium for communication purposes. With the fiber optics serving as a central nervous system of the vehicle, generation, detection, and processing of the signal occurs at the peripherals that include smart structures and devices. Due to their interdisciplinary nature, photonic technologies cover such diverse areas as optical sensors and actuators, embedded and distributed sensors, sensing schemes and architectures, harnesses and connectors, signal processing and algorithms. The paper includes a brief description of work in the photonic area that is going on at NASA, especially at the Glenn Research Center (GRC).

Adamovsky, G.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Cyber-Physical System Implementation for Manufacturing With Analytics in the Cloud Layer

Effective and efficient modern manufacturing operations require the acceptance and incorporation of the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0. Traditional shop floors are evolving their production into smart factories. To continue this trend, a specific architecture for the cyber-physical system is required, as well as a systematic approach to automate the application of algorithms and transform the acquired data into useful information. This work makes use of an approach that distinguishes three layers that are part of the existing Industry 4.0 paradigm: edge, fog, and cloud. Each of the layers performs computational operations, transforming the data produced in the smart factory into useful information. Trained or untrained methods for data analytics can be incorporated into the architecture. A case study is presented in which a real-time statistical control process algorithm based on control charts was implemented. The algorithm automatically detects changes in the material being processed in a computerized numerical control (CNC) machine. The algorithm implemented in the proposed architecture yielded short response times. The performance was effective since it automatically adapted to the machining of aluminum and then detected when the material was switched to steel. The data were backed up in a database that would allow traceability to the line of g-code that performed the machining.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Demand Response in Industrial Facilities: Peak Electric Demand

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Better Buildings, Better Plants Program (Better Plants) is a voluntary energy efficiency leadership initiative for US manufacturers and water/wastewater entities. The program encourages organizations to commit to reducing the energy intensity of their US operations over a 10-year period, typically by 25%. Companies joining Better Plants are recognized by DOE for their leadership in implementing energy efficiency practices and for reducing their energy intensity. Better Plants Partners are assigned to a Technical Account Manager, who can help companies establish energy intensity baselines, develop energy management plans, and identify key resources and incentives from DOE, other federal agencies, states, utilities, and other organizations that can enable them to reach their goals. Better Plants Partners are expected to report their progress to DOE once a year. This involves establishing an energy intensity baseline upon joining the program and then tracking their progress over time. Demand Response in Industrial Facilities: Peak Electrical Demand is intended to help companies understand peak demand response programs offering by their local utility. Manufacturing industries can learn about time-varying rates and smart technologies they can use to help them reduce their energy bills. This guidance document is applicable to companies participating at either the program or challenge level. Although this guide is intended primarily to assist companies participating in Better Plants, the methodologies and guidance within the document are applicable to any organization interested in understanding peak demand response programs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2022

Demand Response in Industrial Facilities: Peak Electric Demand

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Better Buildings, Better Plants Program (Better Plants) is a voluntary energy efficiency leadership initiative for US manufacturers and water/wastewater entities. The program encourages organizations to commit to reducing the energy intensity of their US operations over a 10-year period, typically by 25%. Companies joining Better Plants are recognized by DOE for their leadership in implementing energy efficiency practices and for reducing their energy intensity. Better Plants Partners are assigned to a Technical Account Manager, who can help companies establish energy intensity baselines, develop energy management plans, and identify key resources and incentives from DOE, other federal agencies, states, utilities, and other organizations that can enable them to reach their goals. Better Plants Partners are expected to report their progress to DOE once a year. This involves establishing an energy intensity baseline upon joining the program and then tracking their progress over time. Demand Response in Industrial Facilities: Peak Electrical Demand is intended to help companies understand peak demand response programs offering by their local utility. Manufacturing industries can learn about time-varying rates and smart technologies they can use to help them reduce their energy bills. This guidance document is applicable to companies participating at either the program or challenge level. Although this guide is intended primarily to assist companies participating in Better Plants, the methodologies and guidance within the document are applicable to any organization interested in understanding peak demand response programs.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2022

2022 roadmap on 3D printing for energy

The energy transition is one of the main challenges of our society and therefore a major driver for the scientific community. To ensure a smart transition to a sustainable future energy scenario different technologies such as energy harvesting using solar cells or windmills and chemical storage in batteries, super-capacitors or hydrogen have to be developed and ultimately deployed. New fabrication approaches based on additive manufacturing and the digitalization of the industrial processes increase the potential to achieve highly efficient and smart technologies required to increase the competitiveness of clean energy technologies against fossil fuels. In this frame, the present roadmap highlights the tremendous potential of 3D printing as a new route to fully automate the manufacturing of energy devices designed as digital files. Additionally, this article gives numerous guidelines to maximize the performance and efficiency of the next generation of 3D printed devices for the energy transition while reducing the waste of critical raw materials. In particular, the paper is focused on the current status, present challenges and the expected and required advances of 3D printing for the fabrication of the most relevant energy technologies such as fuel cells and electrolysers, batteries, solar cells, super-capacitors, thermoelectric generators, chemical reactors and turbomachinery.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2017

On Beyond Star Trek: Synthetic Biology and the Future of Space Exploration

A turtle carries its own habitat. While it is reliable, it costs energy. NASA makes the same trade-off when it transports habitats and other structures needed to lunar and planetary surfaces increasing upmass, and affecting other mission goals. Long-term human space presence requires periodic replenishment, adding a massive cost overhead. Even robotic missions often sacrifice science goals for heavy radiation and thermal protection. Biology has the potential to solve these problems because it can replicate and repair itself, and do a wide variety of chemical reactions including making food, fuel and materials. Synthetic biology enhances and expands life's evolved repertoire. Using organisms as feedstock, additive manufacturing could make possible the dream of producing bespoke tools, food, smart fabrics and even replacement organs on demand. Imagine what new products can be enabled by such a technology, on earth or beyond!

Rothschild, Lynn J.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Additive manufacturing of ceramic materials for energy applications: Road map and opportunities

Among engineering materials, ceramics are indispensable in energy applications such as batteries, capacitors, solar cells, smart glass, fuel cells and electrolyzers, nuclear power plants, thermoelectrics, thermoionics, carbon capture and storage, control of harmful emission from combustion engines, piezoelectrics, turbines and heat exchangers, among others. Advances in additive manufacturing (AM) offer new opportunities to fabricate these devices in geometries unachievable previously and may provide higher efficiencies and performance, all at lower costs. This article reviews the state of the art in ceramic materials for various energy applications. The focus of the review is on material selections, processing, and opportunities for AM technologies in energy related ceramic materials manufacturing. The aim of the article is to provide a roadmap for stakeholders such as industry, academia and funding agencies on research and development in additive manufacturing of ceramic materials toward more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable energy systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Plug-in Electric Vehicle Charging Response Characterization for Grid Integration: Implications for Smart Charge Management

The rapid expansion of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) has created a unique challenge for electrical grids due to their significant power demand. At the same time, PEVs also create a unique opportunity to ease their own burden on the power grid, as they create a growing fleet of distributed energy resources capable of providing grid services such as demand response, frequency regulation, and renewable balancing. For aggregators and grid operators to effectively integrate PEVs into grid management, it is essential to first understand and characterize how they would respond in such situations. This study examines 25 models of PEVs across 25 makes, spanning model years from 2013 to 2025, to characterize their responses to the basic controls used in vehicle-grid integration (VGI): stopping, starting, and modulating the charge rate. Each vehicle was tested in a controlled laboratory setting to evaluate its performance in response to varying the maximum allowable current via the SAE J1772 control pilot signal, as well as its response to wake-up commands outlined in SAE J1772. Results show measurable differences across vehicle makes in the accuracy, latency, and precision with which PEVs respond to changes in ampacity, as well as varying sleep and wake-up behavior. The test results show that all vehicles respond to changes in ampacity, though with varying accuracy, precision, latency, and resolution. Wake-up behavior also differs across makes and models. These findings indicate that effective grid integration strategies must account for these differences. The results provide a foundation for understanding current vehicle behavior and advancing smart-charging methods while also highlighting the need for further testing, broader standardization, and manufacturer collaboration to ensure the successful integration of PEVs into the electrical grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2022

The Energy in Modular (EMOD) Buildings Method: A Guide to Energy-Efficient Design for Industrialized Construction of Modular Buildings

Industrialized construction has immense potential to address the growing need globally to build and upgrade the building stock to be affordable, energy-efficient, and resilient. It can also help achieve the United States' goal of a 50% reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. Despite this potential, and the ever-increasing push for electrification and decarbonization of households in the United States, industrialized construction has not yet been leveraged specifically to help address these challenges and accelerate the pathway to meet these goals. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) aims to claim this missed opportunity by focusing on delivering affordable, grid-efficient net-zero energy (NZE) modular buildings for underserved communities to ensure an equitable transition to the future of clean energy, accelerate decarbonization of the built environment, and support the development of a high-productivity construction and energy efficiency workforce. The Energy in Modular (EMOD) method is our approach to designing, producing, and delivering affordable, net-zero energy, low-carbon, and healthier buildings at scale. The following energy efficiency strategies are part of the scope of this guide: envelope thermal control, envelope infiltration control, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, smart controls, and solar plus storage. We draw synergies between design for manufacturing and assembly, process optimization, retrofit technologies, and digitization. Our goal is to influence the improvement and production of buildings to increase performance, enhance energy efficiency, and reduce GHG emissions. This guide documents the research and development efforts initiated by a set of design objectives to "modularize" a set of energy efficiency and low-carbon strategies into a housing unit while preserving and enhancing energy efficiency benefits and decarbonization pathways. This guide is intended to serve as a framework for housing developers, housing agencies, architects, energy experts, and process engineers or factory operator personnel who are critical to today's modular builder teams. This guide focuses on specific energy efficiency strategies, decarbonization pathways, and associated processes as part of NREL's research efforts. Stakeholders may substitute other means, methods, and technologies for the ones evaluated in this study.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

NASA NTRS2015

3D Printing of Advanced Biocomposites on Earth and Beyond

Human exploration off planet is severely limited by the cost of launching materials into space and re-supply. Thus materials brought from earth must be light, stable and reliable at destination. Using traditional approaches a lunar or Mars base would require either transporting a hefty store of metals or heavy manufacturing equipment and construction materials for in situ extraction; both would severely limit any other mission objectives. Long-term human space presence requires periodic replenishment, adding a massive cost overhead. Even robotic missions often sacrifice science goals for heavy radiation and thermal protection. Biology has the potential to solve these problems because it can replicate and repair itself, and do a wide variety of chemical reactions including making food, fuel and materials. Synthetic biology can greatly enhance and expand life's evolved repertoire. Using natural and synthetically altered organisms as the feedstock for additive manufacturing could one day make possible the dream of producing bespoke tools, food, smart fabrics and even replacement organs on demand. To this end our lab has produced a proof-of-concept bioprinter with nearly one-cell resolution. Genetically engineering yeast cells to secrete bioproducts subsequent to printing allows the potential to make biomaterials with a fine microstructure. Imagine a production system that, at a few micron scale resolution, can add mollusk shell for compressive strength per unit mass, spider silk or collagen for tensile strength per unit mass, and potentially biologically-deposited wires. Now imagine what new products can be enabled by such a technology, on earth or beyond

Metals↗

NASA NTRS2014

3D Printing of Advanced Biocomposites on Earth and Beyond

Human exploration off planet is severely limited by the cost of launching materials into space and re-supply. Thus materials brought from earth must be light, stable and reliable at destination. Using traditional approaches a lunar or Mars base would require either transporting a hefty store of metals or heavy manufacturing equipment and construction materials for in situ extraction; both would severely limit any other mission objectives. Long-term human space presence requires periodic replenishment, adding a massive cost overhead. Even robotic missions often sacrifice science goals for heavy radiation and thermal protection. Biology has the potential to solve these problems because it can replicate and repair itself, and do a wide variety of chemical reactions including making food, fuel and materials. Synthetic biology can greatly enhance and expand life's evolved repertoire. Using natural and synthetically altered organisms as the feedstock for additive manufacturing could one day make possible the dream of producing bespoke tools, food, smart fabrics and even replacement organs on demand. To this end our lab has produced a proof-of-concept bioprinter with nearly one-cell resolution. Genetically engineering yeast cells to secrete bioproducts subsequent to printing allows the potential to make biomaterials with a fine microstructure. Imagine a production system that, at a few micron scale resolution, can add mollusk shell for compressive strength per unit mass, spider silk or collagen for tensile strength per unit mass, and potentially biologically-deposited wires. Now imagine what new products can be enabled by such a technology, on earth or beyond.

Biology↗

NASA NTRS1999

Lithium-Ion Batteries for Aerospace Applications

This presentation reviews: (1) the goals and objectives, (2) the NASA and Airforce requirements, (3) the potential near term missions, (4) management approach, (5) the technical approach and (6) the program road map. The objectives of the program include: (1) develop high specific energy and long life lithium ion cells and smart batteries for aerospace and defense applications, (2) establish domestic production sources, and to demonstrate technological readiness for various missions. The management approach is to encourage the teaming of universities, R&D organizations, and battery manufacturing companies, to build on existing commercial and government technology, and to develop two sources for manufacturing cells and batteries. The technological approach includes: (1) develop advanced electrode materials and electrolytes to achieve improved low temperature performance and long cycle life, (2) optimize cell design to improve specific energy, cycle life and safety, (3) establish manufacturing processes to ensure predictable performance, (4) establish manufacturing processes to ensure predictable performance, (5) develop aerospace lithium ion cells in various AH sizes and voltages, (6) develop electronics for smart battery management, (7) develop a performance database required for various applications, and (8) demonstrate technology readiness for the various missions. Charts which review the requirements for the Li-ion battery development program are presented.

Surampudi, S.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Robot-based Additive Manufacturing of Lego-type Modular Molds for Wind Blades

The objective of this project is to reduce the cost and lead time of horizontal wind turbine blade mold tooling and blade transportation, while maintaining the highest standards of blade quality. The solution involves a smart-design family of modular molds that are easily transportable to fabrication sites near the place of service. Key innovations include the use of additive manufacturing (AM) to integrate conformal thermal management channels, offering enhanced control over the thermal profiles tailored to specific blade materials. This approach enables in-situ quality assurance during mold fabrication, significantly improves mold life, and allows for reuse across multiple production cycles. Ultimately, the solution aims to optimize both tooling and transportation costs, contributing to the scalability of wind turbine blade production. A significant barrier to scaling up the production of large wind turbine blades lies in the high costs associated with tooling and the transportation of blades. Traditional molds are expensive, bulky, and difficult to transport, adding considerable lead time and cost to the overall manufacturing process. Additionally, transporting blades to distant locations for final assembly further exacerbates these challenges. The project aims to address these inefficiencies by demonstrating a modularized, additive-manufactured mold that meets all necessary blade specification requirements, specifically for blade lengths between 120m and 150m.

17 WIND ENERGY↗