Reduce Product Development Time Research Articles

Building Mechanical Models for Real‐time Simulation

Simulating performance of aircraft and other complex mechanical systems in a computer can reduce product development time and cost. Dynamically exercising these models requires high‐speed computers and specialised software for virtually instantaneous calculation of motion equations for graphic displays.

Techniques for Improving Engineering Productivity of VLSI Designs

The ability of the semiconductor industry to produce chips with higher and higher circuit densities has created a challenge for the product designer: to utilize this capacity and still develop chips rapidly at reasonable cost. A multi-faceted approach to VLSI design is described that significantly reduces product development time and resource from those required with existing methods. This approach is based on the use of PLA structures or macros. It consists of a hardware/software modeling technique, use of laser-personalizable PLAs for rapid modeling of PLA macros, and a method for repairing design errors (that may hide other errors) on the actual VLSI wafers with a laser tool. A two-pass VLSI design is therefore highly probable.

Analysis of Connector Springs with Complex Geometry

Reliable and easy-to-use methods for the mechanical analysis of complex connector springs are described. The springs are classified according to their aspect ratio of length over thickness. Normal contact forces, insertion forces, and maximum stress are calculated for typical examples of low- and high-aspect-ratio springs. Experimental data are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Friction can increase contact and insertion forces significantly. The contact force in insulation displacment connectors is not related to the third power of the beam length as predicted by elementary beam analysis. Correct analysis of the mechanical behavior of springs at the design stage reduces product development time and cost and helps to optimize connector performance.

Literary Recognition

Production and maker spaces are increasingly generating mixed plastic material waste of varying quality from 3-D printers. Industrial interest is growing in embedding granulated recycled particulate material additives into a virgin binding matrix. Examples include the introduction of granulated mixed recycled materials into 3-D printer material, concrete, and pavement. The stress load-sharing between the particulate additive and the binding matrix is an important factor in design and development of these composite materials. With mixed material additives, a designer is interested in the variation of such predicted load-sharing. However, experimental development is costly and time-consuming, thus analytical and semi-analytical estimates are desired for accelerated development. In this work, we expand on previous analytically correlated phase-averaged micro- and macrostructural loading to include variational effects present in mixed recycled material. In addition, model trade-offs are provided to aid designers in quickly selecting application specific mixtures. This framework identifies the stress contributions, and their variation, to reduce product development time and costs, which could greatly accelerate material recycling and reuse for improved infrastructure materials, low-cost 3-D printer filament, and reduced waste towards a more circular economy.