SBIR Phase I: Made in USA-Profitably

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.