SBIR Phase I: Made in USA-Profitably

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一个统一的计算机辅助工程软件框架，用于通过材料遵从性获得其功能的系统设计。该软件所需的第一个元素是定义问题规格的界面，例如所需的运动和强制功能、可用的封装空间、制造限制、材料强度和疲劳特性。第二个元素是一个引擎，它对可行的候选解决方案进行排序，以找到最适合的形式。最后一个元素是一个引擎，它迭代微妙的候选解决方案细节，以确定成本、制造和功能之间的权衡。虽然商业上可用的设计软件可以帮助用户评估设计，但它们缺乏解决柔性机械解决方案的最佳设计的能力。尽管存在提供全面服务的兼容设计软件所需的专有算法，但它们还没有被编织到一个“非专业”用户可以访问的公共环境中。这样一个通用的、易于使用的商业软件将会在市场上大量出现兼容的解决方案。这将促进国内生产的增加，因为劳动密集型的“经典”机制将被合规机制所取代。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是兼容机械解决方案的扩散，使其能够进入全球市场。单件柔性机构是在外部负载下显着变形以执行运动或强制任务的机械系统。作为连体泳衣的结果？建筑，产品可以使用不需要组装的技术制造。这种特性对国内制造业尤其有吸引力，因为由于劳动密集型的设计，国内制造业的工作岗位往往被转移到海外。换句话说，当劳动力最小化时，供应链延迟和库存的运输成本和价值损失无法抵消。作为最简单的一类柔性机构的例子，翻盖瓶通常被设计为在“活铰链”中定位运动。虽然它们使用简单的设计和制造方法提供了低成本的运动功能，但它们的整体寿命有限。相比之下，具有“分布式顺应性”的机构能够满足苛刻的疲劳要求，从而实现更苛刻和复杂的运动功能。这些机制可以应用于从消费品到航空等各个经济部门。该建议的动机是开发一个CAE环境来服务于兼容设计，并反过来促进有利于“使用点”（即国内）制造的设计实践。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a framework for a unified Computer Aided Engineering software for the design of systems that obtain their functionality through material compliance. The first element required in this software is an interface that defines problem specifications such as desired motion and forcing functions, available package space, manufacturing limitations, material strength, and fatigue properties. The second element is an engine that sorts through feasible candidate solutions to find the best-suited form. The final element is an engine that iterates subtle candidate-solution details to identify tradeoffs between costs, manufacturing, and function. While commercially available design software can assist users in evaluating designs, they lack the ability to tackle optimal design of compliant mechanical solutions. Though the proprietary algorithms necessary for full-service compliant design software exist, they have yet to be woven into a common environment that can be accessed by a "non-expert" user. It is envisioned that such a generic, easy-to-use, commercial software would proliferate compliant solutions in the marketplace. This would promote an increase in domestic production as labor-intensive "classical" mechanisms are replaced with compliant ones.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the proliferation of compliant mechanical solutions enabled to the global marketplace. Single-piece compliant mechanisms are mechanical systems that deform significantly under external load to perform a motion or forcing task. As a result of the ?one-piece? construction, goods can be manufactured using techniques that require no assembly. This attribute is especially of interest to domestic manufacturing, where jobs are otherwise shipped overseas because of labor intensive designs. In other words, shipping costs and value lost in supply chain delays and inventories cannot be offset when labor is minimized. As an example of the simplest class of compliant mechanisms, flip-top bottles are commonly designed with motion localized in a "living hinge". While they provide a low-cost motion function using unsophisticated design and manufacturing methods, their overall life is limited. In contrast, mechanisms with "distributed compliance" enable more demanding and complex motion functions as they meet demanding fatigue requirements. These mechanisms can serve applications in every sector of the economy, from consumer products to aviation. The motive of this proposal is to develop a CAE environment to serve compliant design, and in turn, promote design practices that favor "point of use" (i.e. domestic) manufacturing.