IGF::OT::IGF A TRANSDUCER ELEMENT THAT IS HEARTY ENOUGH FOR A MARS LANDER MISSION NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED SO…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF A TRANSDUCER ELEMENT THAT IS HEARTY ENOUGH FOR A MARS LANDER MISSION NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED SO THAT A SIX-AXIS FORCE AND TORQUE TRANSDUCER IS POSSIBLE. THE TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. A TRANSDUCER ELEMENT CAPABLE OF SURVIVING TEMPERATURES FROM -135C TO +125C. 2. THE TRANSDUCER ELEMENT IN OBJECTIVE 1 WITH TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION TO MINIMIZE SPAN AND OFFSET DRIFT FROM -80C TO +70C. 3. THE TRANSDUCER ELEMENT IN OBJECTIVE 2 CONSTRUCTED SO THAT IT WILL SENSE PROPERLY IN AN ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM OF 1E-5 TORR. 4. THE TRANSDUCER ELEMENT IN OBJECTIVE 3 MADE OF LOW-OUTGASSING MATERIALS THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH AN INTERPLANETARY SAMPLE-COLLECTING MISSION. 5. THE TRANSDUCER ELEMENT IN OBJECTIVE 4 INSTRUMENTED WITH REDUNDANT SETS OF STRAIN GAGES. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES, ATI INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION HAS DIVIDED THE PROJECT INTO THESE TASKS: * SIX DEGREE OF FREEDOM TRANSDUCER DESIGN AND FABRICATION, * LOAD FIXTURE DESIGN AND FABRICATION, * INSTRUMENTATION AND TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION OF TRANSDUCERS - USING SEMICONDUCTOR STRAIN GAGES AND - USING METAL-FOIL STRAIN GAGES, * CALIBRATION OF INSTRUMENTED BEAMS AND REDUNDANT INSTRUMENTATION, * PERFORMANCE CHARACTERIZATION OF BOTH TRANSDUCER INSTRUMENTATION TYPES AT TEMPERATURE AND VACUUM.