NSF Award
9424419
9424419 Sokol This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project introduces the application of concurrent engineering methods to the materials industry. Discrete product manufacturers have utilized computer-based tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), but materials suppliers perform the materials product design function relying on the traditional paper-based approach for documentation and communication. SBIR Phase I research produced a conceptual design and a specification definition language for capturing materials specifications in a structured electronic format. Phase II is expected to validate the design of a concurrent engineering design software system and extend the scope of application to forging and casting design activities. A complete working prototype will be developed in coordination with two industrial partners and with the subcontract support of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the Edison Materials Technology Center of Kettering, OH. A significant commercial potential for this software rests in large cost savings and quality improvements made possible through new applications of concurrent engineering design techniques in materials and related industries.
