bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Steam Punks
Authors: Winters Jefrey
Published: July 2018

This article discusses how some amateur engineers are working to design and build a set of tools that would enable self-reliant people to make everything they need. Marcin Jakubowski and his colleagues are among such people who are working for the past many years on the concept of open-source economy. The rationale for this concept is steeped in the language of empowerment. Using an open-source Web platform known as a wiki, Jakubowski worked with a far-flung network of collaborators over the Internet to identify the minimum number of technologies needed to produce a reasonable facsimile of modern life. Some of the items on the resulting list are the greatest hits of industrialism over the past 200 years: the steam engine, the combine, and the induction furnace. So far, the team has completed seven prototype machines: the tractor, a tiller, a hydraulic power unit, a computer numerically controlled plasma torch table, a drill press, a hole punch, and a compressed earth block press.
Birds of a Feather
Authors: Borchardt John K.
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on the benefits of clustering same field companies in the same city or region. The article also discusses that clustering same field companies in same region can help businesses and engineers and in making vital decisions. In addition, interactions and successful partnering among these various organizations can create synergies that increase the productivity of companies, drive the direction and pace of innovation, and stimulate new business start-ups. The concentration of energy businesses along Katy Freeway, Houston is a classic example of what economists call a business cluster, an industry cluster. Investing in technology centers and instituting government-sponsored incentives may persuade firms to locate in a region, however, without the economic culture of collaborative relationships; a collection of companies will never become a true business cluster. The article also highlights that professional organizations can promote fruitful interactions between individuals in an industry and help promote business interests in a cluster.
Patent Watch
Authors: Teska Kirk
Published: July 2018

This article discusses the significance of injunctions in patent infringement lawsuits. In earlier times, if a patent owner sued for patent infringement, the patent owner had a good chance of winning a preliminary injunction prohibiting sales of the allegedly infringing product pending the outcome of the trial. If the patent owner then won the trial, a permanent injunction was almost automatic. In 2001, it became much harder to win a preliminary injunction. All the accused infringer had to do was put up some kind of defense in order for the judge to deny the patent holder a preliminary injunction pending the outcome of the trial. The odds of obtaining a permanent injunction has been affected by several fairly recent cases as well. In 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that permanent injunctions, even when the patent holder wins, are no longer guaranteed. Some judges later ruled that the patent-infringing company, so long as it paid a license, could keep selling the infringing product. The judges even set the royalty rate.
History in 3-D
Authors: Thilmany Jean
Published: July 2018

This article discusses how kinematic mechanisms created by Franz Reuleaux are now being made available by Cornell University for students and researchers. The university’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering owns the largest set of cast iron and brass models of machines designed by Reuleaux more than 130 years ago. Cornell librarians have helped develop the Kinematic Models for Design Digital Library, or K-MODDL, to allow Internet users to view the models close up. The Cornell Reuleaux Collection contains numerous kinematic mechanisms for rotary and reciprocating engines using both steam and internal combustion. It also includes a dozen working clock escapement mechanisms, from the early verge and foliot escapement to the gravity escapement employed in London’s famous Big Ben. K-MODDL will make the collection available to educators, researchers, and students well beyond the Cornell campus. Those with access to a 3-D printer will be able to build a reproduction of the real thing to see up close how the mechanism works.
Prediction of Aeroacoustic Resonance in Cavities of Hole-Pattern Stator Seals
Authors: Liliedahl David N. , Carpenter Forrest L. , Cizmas Paul G. A.
Published: July 2018

This article discusses the mechanism for prediction of aeroacoustic resonance in cavities of hole-pattern stator seals. A Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver developed in-house was used to simulate grazing channel flow past a cavity located in a channel. The numerical results generated with the RANS solver showed good agreement with those obtained using a commercial large eddy simulation code. In addition, the numerical results agreed well with the experimental data. Rossiter’s formula, a popular semi-empirical model used to predict frequencies of holetone acoustic instabilities caused by grazing fluid flow past open cavities, was modified using the RANS solver results to allow for its application to channel flows. This was done by modifying the empirical constant, the ratio of vortex velocity, and the freestream velocity. The RANS solver accurately captured the salient features of the flow/acoustic interaction and predicted well the dominant acoustic frequencies measured in an experimental investigation. The flow solver also provided detailed physical insight into the cavity flow instability mechanism.
Bringing them Down Safely
Authors: Takizawa Kenji , Tezduyar Tayfun E.
Published: July 2018

This article reviews the computational technology being developed by the Team for Advanced Flow Simulation and Modeling (T*AFSM) at Rice University in Houston and Waseda University in Tokyo that can reliably predict the performance of various NASA parachute designs. The data from these simulations permit NASA to focus on a few of the most promising designs for testing, and also lets designers explore a greater number of alternative designs. The T*AFSM modeled a base design that NASA put through a drop test over the desert, and the team was very pleased to see that the predictions of its model held up well against data from that NASA test. For instance, the computer model predicted a descent speed of 21.4 feet per second, which was within 10% of the average speed observed in the test. Other predictions—such as the rate of swinging and breathing periods—were well within 10% of the observed behavior of parachutes in the physical test.
Patent Watch: Who's on first?
Authors: Teska Kirk
Published: July 2018

This article highlights the significance of being first in a patent system. In a first-to-file patent system, the inventor who files the first patent application wins the patent. All countries except the United States, until now, have first-to-file systems. The United States has been a first-to-invent country. That means, if two or more inventors apply to patent a similar idea, the inventor who can establish that he worked out the idea first will win the patent even if another inventor has filed a patent application first. Who was first to invent the idea can be decided by using a quasi-judicial procedure convened at the Patent Office called an “interference.” During an interference, first to invent means looking at both inventors’ invention conception dates and how and when they each reduced their inventions to practice. Lawyers are hired, invention notebooks are reviewed, and after a lot of time and money are spent, a winner is declared by a patent examiner.
Domestic or Offshore
Authors: Mortensen Jay
Published: July 2018

This article explains how teardowns can help a company in arriving at a right manufacturing decision. Most poor decisions occur when people are starved for useful information. An understanding how lack of knowledge about product design and accounting undermines domestic-based production can help companies achieve globally competitive manufacturing sourced in home markets. Comparative teardowns have been performed for generations. The issue that prevents teardowns from reaching their full potential is that they are not performed with rigorous standardization. To compare teardowns efficiently, companies need a consistent methodology to capture, measure, and then communicate information effectively. Too often people tend to tear something apart, look at the pieces, and extract just a limited amount of the data. High-powered teardowns that consistently deliver results are carefully controlled. Moreover, the data is collected from such teardowns so that it can be easily accessed and analyzed, from the shop floor to the boardroom.
“Something Trouble the Matter with the Engine”
Authors: Busch John Laurence
Published: July 2018

This article describes the design of steamboats during the first generation. The first generation of steamboat mechanics and engineers stuck to what they believed they could manage: low-steam engines with pressure gauges properly installed and monitored; single cylinders and moving parts that were kept continuously lubricated with tallow; boilers that were kept as air-tight as possible; and on the insides of those boilers, a periodic scraping and cleaning of any salt build-up, which became a bigger and bigger problem as steamboats ventured into saltier waters along the East Coast. As this wonderful new technology continued to expand into new territories, its true believers concluded that more powerful engines were needed. In the early 1820s, there was increased experimentation with two-cylinder engines and high-pressure boilers, both of which served to give steam-powered vessels the strength and stamina they needed to push a larger hull over greater distances. With their increasing adoption through the 1820s, multi-cylinder high-pressure steam engines marked the end of the first family of steam vessels, and the beginning of the next generation.
Mighty Mite
Authors: Wright Steven
Published: July 2018

This article presents an overview of a turbine that uses supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) to deliver great power. At around 73 atmospheres and roughly room temperature, CO2 makes a strange transition from a gas to a state known as a supercritical fluid. A supercritical fluid is dense, like a liquid, but it expands to fill a volume the way a gas does. These properties make supercritical CO2 an incredibly tantalizing working fluid for Brayton cycle gas turbines. Such gas turbine systems promise an increased thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency of 50% over conventional gas turbines. The system is also very small and simple, meaning that capital costs should be relatively low. The plant uses standard materials like chrome-based steel alloys, stainless steels, or nickel-based alloys at high temperatures (up to 800°C). It can also be used with all heat sources, opening up a wide array of previously unavailable markets for power production. For these reasons, the technology is quite promising.
Alternative Financing
Authors: Perkin Nic
Published: July 2018

This article explains the concept of online receivables auction and its benefits. With the use of online receivables financing, companies have been able to accelerate its growth when they want and on their own terms. A key distinction between The Receivables Exchange and other, traditional forms of financing is that the Exchange gives sellers the opportunity to choose when and at what price to sell individual invoices. As a result, each company maintains control over its cash flow. Auctioning receivables can increase a company’s liquidity by cutting its day sales outstanding. In today’s financial climate, cash flow management strategies can mean the difference between the life and death of a company. Growth-oriented engineering firms are no longer judged by their short track record or lack of tangible collateral. Rather, because buyers judge the credit quality of the seller’s customers, sellers are able to leverage the strength of their best customers to increase their short-term liquidity at competitive rates.
Training for the Next Wave
Authors: Noor Ahmed K.
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on various aspects of an ecosystem that can accelerate the training, which the engineering workforce needs to realize and sustain complex systems. Several science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) improvement and pilot academic engineering programs have been proposed to address some of the needs and challenges of the high-tech workforce. Companies have launched their own educational programs to address some of the reskilling and large-scale system integration needs of complex systems. A step towards the implementation of the comprehensive strategy is the development of Intelligent Cyber-Physical Engineering Ecosystems to advance collaboration among engineering and research institutions, industry, professional societies, and other stakeholders working on complex systems. The ecosystems will consist of large numbers of distributed interacting components that are continually updated and expanded. The ecosystems are expected to grow and to reach unanticipated levels of complexity because of the relations among the continually expanding individual components. The ecosystems are expected to provide knowledge-rich, immersive environments for integrating engineering practice with learning, training, and workforce development needed for complex systems.
Penetrating the Engineering Culture
Authors: Brown Alan S.
Published: July 2018

This article discusses ASME/Autodesk Sustainable Design Survey results and suggestions. The survey reveals that more engineers than ever before report working on an increasingly diverse range of sustainability projects. Companies are also showing growing interest in using recycled and renewable materials, and minimizing toxic and other substances of concern. The survey asked engineers to pick the two most important sustainable practices. However, several engineers used the survey to complain about government regulations. Suggestions provided by engineers and experts ranged from offering more college and on-the-job training courses in sustainability to sharing best practices and showcasing successful designs. Several engineers wanted a set of standards—definitions and measurements—to design against. The survey suggests that sustainable practices involve a change in mindset that is difficult to implement. Innovation always contains a certain element of risk, and minimizing risk is always at the forefront in business practice.
Forging a New Nuclear Safety Construct
Authors:   By the ASME Presidential Task Force on Response to Japan Nuclear Power Plant Events
Published: July 2018

This article provides an insight into critical elements, challenges, and next steps of the ASME’s Presidential Task Force, which has been formed to examine unforeseen nuclear plant events and their implications. Within its broad charter, the ASME Task Force chose to build on the growing body of United States and international technical assessments of different events, and to examine the Fukushima Daiichi accident in the context of the broader lessons learned from a half-century of nuclear operations. This initiative could be perceived as just another layer of requirements limiting the economic viability of nuclear power. On the contrary, the intention is to support the overall viability of safe nuclear generation. The ASME Task Force is convinced that a new nuclear safety construct can be developed that addresses the safety issues from the Fukushima lessons learned with reasonable and well-defined provisions. The ASME Task Force report recommends a set of next actions in this regard, particularly using the experience, stature, and capabilities of ASME in convening workshops, to bring together worldwide stakeholders including industry, regulators, professional societies, government agencies, and industry organizations worldwide.
Gears Galore!
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a review of gas turbines and Honeywell, a company based in Phoenix, history. The article through the review and historical analysis intends to provide perspective on the status of geared fan engines. The addition of a fan to a jet engine, first proposed by Frank Whittle, one of the inventors of the jet engine, increases thrust and reduces fuel consumption. Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce were the first to develop a dual spool engine for more efficient operation over a range of flight conditions. Work started on the geared fan TFE731 at the Garrett AiResearch Phoenix Division in 1968. The TFE731 gearbox resulted in a gear reduction of 1.8:1, to power the fan for a 2.5 bypass ratio, which was very high for the 1960s. Honeywell also has another geared turbofan engine, the ALF502. It was developed by AVCO Lycoming in Stratford, Connecticut, and has a 6000–7000 lbt thrust range. Honeywell’s successful 45-year record of producing geared fan small gas turbines gives promise of a bright future for geared fans on large commercial jet engines, providing lower fuel consumption and less noise.
Reach Out and Touch
Authors: Vance Judy
Published: July 2018

This paper explores the use of immersive computing or virtual reality throughout a product design, assembly, and disassembly. Virtual reality or immersive computing creates a sense of presence for participants through devices that stimulate the senses. Immersive computing technology goes a step further by allowing the participant to interact with computer-generated models or environments rather than to passively view a screen. The technology is a collection of hardware and software that lets the participant explore digitally created objects within a three-dimensional space. Immersive computing presents a sharp contrast to existing two-dimensional computer interfaces used with computer-aided design (CAD) software programs. In order to illustrate the use of immersive computing in product design, research projects focus on using the technology to explore uncertainty in making design decisions. Industry is realizing the benefits of increased communication and deeper understanding of complex design issues through the use of immersive computing. Experts believe that when every engineer’s desktop includes immersive computing technology, the results will be better products produced more economically and with increased national competitiveness.
Flight Testing at Edwards AFB in the 1950s
Authors: Schmidt Harry
Published: July 2018

This article is a memoir of Harry Schmidt, a Pratt & Whitney test pilot at Edwards AFB during the mid-1950s. Schmidt recalls that the J57 was critical to P&W’s long-term success, so the testing program was vital both to the United States Air Force (USAF) as well as to P&W. Early in the testing program, the engine would stall even in a shallow bank; however, after a couple of months, the team was able to complete hard turns without a stall. To solve the high-speed stall problem, P&W engineers tweaked the engine turbine vanes to provide greater stall margin. In the fall of 1955, the team received its F-101, a twin-engine fighter with two J57s and a top speed of about Mach 1.5. Because the team was operating the fastest aircraft in the world, they figured they could also set an unofficial world’s altitude record by achieving max Mach at about 40,000’ and then climb trading airspeed for altitude.
Homes on the Shales
Authors: Testa bridget Mintz
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on different opportunities and challenges posed by shale oil and gas reserves in Texas. Texas has about as many drilling rigs as the rest of the country combined. There are places in which the shale boom feels more like a stampede. Texans have long accommodated themselves to the oil industry and sought its upside. Over the years, the combination of high oil prices and the new application of hydraulic fracturing techniques to unlock shale gas and oil have led to resurgence. Fort Worth’s ordinance, regulating gas drilling inside the city, is widely seen as a success. Oil and gas operators evidently see the ordinance as a cooperative effort, since they generally abide by it and keep working with the city and residents to update it. As per expert’s view, the State has not put adequate emphasis on the rights of landowners.
Waves, Currents and Electric Potential
Authors: Crawford Mark
Published: July 2018

This article discusses various aspects and uses of hydrokinetics in the turbine industry. Hydrokinetics is a rapidly developing field, where both big companies and start-ups can compete equally in engineering and design. Designs for hydrokinetic devices continue to evolve. The most popular hydrokinetic device is the turbine. As these turbines are installed underwater, which is much denser than air, hydrokinetic turbines provide much more power than wind turbines at relatively low water current speeds. Considerable research and development are being conducted on three aspects of hydrokinetics technology: optimization of the devices to maximize their capture of wave energy; overall electromechanical system design; and development of control approaches to maximize power output under a variety of sea states. In addition to the efforts to optimize hydrokinetics, important research is also dealing with critical aspects of site evaluation, seabed mechanics and engineering, environmental impacts, and regulatory compliance. Research shows that interdisciplinary engineering and environmental analysis is at the forefront of identifying potential environmental impacts of hydrokinetics and mitigating them through engineering design.
CFD & Safety Factors
Authors: Leishear Robert A.
Published: July 2018

This article presents a research that demonstrates the need for experimental validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for complex processes, such as blending. An additional result of the study is that it provided researchers a better understanding of how to use CFD models in general. The principle for blending is the same for all blender-pump designs: the business end of a centrifugal pump will be submerged in the salt solutions in the tank. Lab researchers found that, although CFD provided good estimates of an average blending time, experimental blending times varied significantly from the average. The issue of experimental uncertainty is inherent in CFD modeling as well as in many empirical equations used for modeling and design methods. In order to bring all of this research together, the process variables investigated were the fluid velocities in the tanks and the times required to blend the fluids. The large scatter in experimental data shows that large errors can be obtained from CFD models in the absence of experimental correction factors.
Gas Turbines and Natural Gas Synergism
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: July 2018

This article presents a study on new electric power gas turbines and the advent of shale natural gas, which now are upending electrical energy markets. Energy Information Administration (EIA) results show that total electrical production cost for a conventional coal plant would be 9.8 cents/kWh, while a conventional natural gas fueled gas turbine combined cycle plant would be a much lower at 6.6 cents/kWh. Furthermore, EIA estimates that 70% of new US power plants will be fueled by natural gas. Gas turbines are the prime movers for the modern combined cycle power plant. On the natural gas side of the recently upended electrical energy markets, new shale gas production and the continued development of worldwide liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities provide the other element of synergism. The US natural gas prices are now low enough to compete directly with coal. The study concludes that the natural gas fueled gas turbine will continue to be a growing part of the world’s electric power generation.
China’s Innovation Gap
Authors: Fred Simon Denis
Published: July 2018

This article highlights innovation, research and development (R&D), and other efforts that are being made to assure China’s progress in the coming future. Chinese leaders understand that innovation is central to their critical interests. Without it, China will never capture the true wealth generated by its dynamic manufacturing sector, improve its competitiveness, or reduce its overall dependence on foreign technology. China has created the educational and research infrastructure needed to embed itself in emerging transnational knowledge networks. Thriving foreign enterprises are likely to have a significant impact on China’s R&D culture. The study reveals that to thrive in the future, China needs to build on its brains, not its brawn. The central government has laid the groundwork for a more innovative economy. A series of medium-to-long-term initiatives are funding science and technology research, reforming education, developing talent, and supporting emerging industries. The results are mixed, but show signs of China’s progress over the past two decades. If Taiwan is any indicator, Chinese with multinational experience are likely to become the technology entrepreneurs of China’s future.
Not So Simple Machines
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: July 2018

This article talks about evolving technologies in making efficient gears for different auto engines. Gears are integral to a new engine that has the potential to change commercial aviation. Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) jet engine will have significantly better fuel economy and much quieter operation. The P&W GTF combines existing jet engine technology with the well-established mechanical engineering technology of gears. Due to its high bypass ratio, the geared turbofan engine is 16% more efficient than standard jet engines. A key facility for developing the GTF gearbox has been a specially designed four-square gear test rig at P&W’s Middletown plant. The orientation of the GTF test gearboxes can be adjusted with respect to gravity to simulate different flight conditions. After an extensive program using a four-square rig and a long history of gearbox experience associated with their very popular turboprop gas turbines at Pratt & Whitney Canada, P&W engineers are convinced their new GTF engines will have a bright future.
Are Engineers Ready to Lead?
Authors: Brown Alan S.
Published: July 2018

This article presents an overview of a discussion named ‘Decision Point Dialogues,’ which is intended to explore engineering leadership and other critical issues facing the profession. The inaugural dialogue addressed the question: ‘Will engineers be true global problem solvers?’ Using a format developed by Fred Friendly, the former president of CBS News, the seminar started with a story and a problem. Jackson challenged panelists to respond to issues involving specific people, places, and events. Richard Benson, Virginia Tech’s dean of engineering, believes the issue of retention is more complex. Benson said that half of all engineers leave the profession within five years after graduation, where some switch to medicine, law, or business and others receive promotions to management. However, some fail to maintain their skills in a profession that advances at a furious pace. Governments may direct projects to villages to buy votes rather than to meet community needs. For development to succeed, communities must have a stake in the project.
Reaching for the Sky
Authors: Crawford Mark
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on works of various engineering units, which are working to design large wind turbines that can extract more power with greater efficiency. One of the biggest recent developments in wind energy is that grid operators have been successful in finding ways to integrate copious quantities of variable, location-constrained energy resources at reasonable costs, without compromising the overall requirements of a safe and reliable electricity supply system. While most of the wind power development in the United States is in onshore wind farms, internationally some big projects are being built offshore. The economics—and politics—of offshore wind allow for extraordinarily large turbines. Researchers are exploring the aerodynamic design of blades, advanced approaches to control the turbulent flow around the blades, and lighter and structurally more resilient materials for blades, gearbox technology, and power transmission systems. The integration of advanced computational approaches with laboratory and field-scale experimentation is helping researchers understand the very complex interaction between turbulence in the atmosphere and the machine.
Towards Quieter Seas
Authors: Bahtiarian Michael
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on various research efforts that are being undertaken to address underwater noise. One of the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s findings is that underwater sound has been doubling every 10 years. Most of this sound is man-made, from the ever expanding fleet of ships that ride our oceans. Researchers believe that intrusive sound is harming sea life. Many organizations around the US shipbuilding industry have seen the need to address underwater noise. Standards organizations such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Acoustical Society of America have been working overtime to develop standards for the measurement of underwater noise from ships, oil and gas exploration, pile driving, and other sources. The ship classification societies are adding underwater noise to their library of regulations. In the United States, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers are planning to add their own regulations or guidelines in the near future.
The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power
Authors: Stelson Kim A. , Li Perry Y.
Published: July 2018

This article discusses major technical goals and working fields of Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP). The CCEFP is an Engineering Research Center (ERC) supported by the National Science Foundation. The CCEFP, headquartered at the University of Minnesota, is a network of seven universities and over 50 companies and non-profit institutions. Research within the CCEFP is motivated and integrated in four major test bed systems: Mobile Heavy Equipment; Highway Vehicles; Mobile Human Scale Equipment; and Human Assist Devices. These test beds encompass current and future applications of fluid power, influence neighboring applications, and solve important societal problems. Recent research initiatives at CCEFP are also addressing new fluid power applications in the larger and smaller scale: wind power and medical micro-devices. Strategic reviews of each test bed identified the technical barriers that must be overcome to achieve success.
Future Mobility
Authors: Filev Dimitar , Lu Jianbo , Hrovat Davor
Published: July 2018

This article presents an automotive control approach for information-rich future mobility. It integrates in-vehicle networked controls with cloud computing accessible through a wireless network to elevate current on-board controls to a new level for additional benefits and performance. Outsourcing computation-intensive tasks to a cloud-computing server is an extension of the current server-based concierge/infotainment type features. While in-vehicle controls remain essential for safety critical and real-time functionality, the cloud-computing paradigm offers another degree of freedom for control system design. In future vehicle controls, the cloud can be used for very demanding computations that otherwise cannot be accomplished by on-board electronic control units (ECUs), especially for information-intensive tasks. The so-called local-simple-remote-complex vehicle control strategies are likely to unlock the potential of implementing methods and tools that are presently used only in an off-line setting. The cloud can also be used as a storage place to record current and historic vehicle data that can be used for predictive diagnosis and prognostics of the vehicle health.
75 Years of Progress
Authors: Marner W.J.
Published: July 2018

This article presents an overview of developments that happened over 75 years since the formation of ASME Heat Transfer Division (HTD). Through the years, the HTD explored and implemented many ways to expand its programs and reach both academic and practicing members of the division. The HTD had an Exhibits Committee, and conference exhibits were held at the National Heat Transfer Conferences (NHTCs) from 1988 to 1992. The HTD has had a long and impressive record of leadership within the Division from its inception. However, the Division has also provided a strong contingent of leadership for the entire Society going back at least to the 1970s. From a single professional group in 1938, the Division has grown significantly; there are currently 13 technical committees and several administrative committees including the Executive Committee. The first International Heat Transfer Conference (IHTC) was held in London, England in 1951.
How Does Germany Do It?
Authors: Wessner Charles W.
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on the economic share of manufacturing industry in Germany and the role of Fraunhofer–Gesellschaft in maintaining the same. A principal factor in the manufacturing success of German small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) is the Fraunhofer–Gesellschaft (Fraunhofer Society), an independent non-governmental organization that provides high-quality, short-term, affordable applied research that small- and medium-sized firms could not otherwise afford. Fraunhofer's model is a classic government–industry partnership. The federal and state governments, private contract research, and publicly funded contract research each provide roughly one-third of its funding. Germany's government has long supported the application of technology to manufacturing. Its ongoing support for large-scale practical industrial research for small and large companies has helped keep factories and jobs in Germany. There is a need to focus more resources on applied research to harvest the benefits of the investments the nation already makes in basic technology.
Big Data
Authors: Noor Ahmed
Published: July 2018

This article reviews the benefits of Big Data in the manufacturing industry as more sophisticated and automated data analytics technologies are being developed. The challenge of Big Data is that it requires management tools to make sense of large sets of heterogeneous information. A new wave of inexpensive electronic sensors, microprocessors, and other components enables more automation in factories, and vast amounts of data to be collected along the way. In automated manufacturing, Big Data can help reduce defects and control costs of products. Smart manufacturing is expected to evolve into the new paradigm of cognitive manufacturing, in which machining and measurements are merged to form more flexible and controlled environments. The article also suggests that the emerging tools being developed to process and manage the Big Data generated by myriads of sensors and other devices can lead to the next scientific, technological, and management revolutions. The revolutions will enable an interconnected, efficient global industrial ecosystem that will fundamentally change how products are invented, manufactured, shipped, and serviced.
From Water Hammer to Ignition
Authors: Leishear Robert A.
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on various aspects of research theory and development work concerning accidental combustion in nuclear facility and oil industry pipelines. The theory has safety implications for any pipeline where explosive gases can form in liquid-filled systems, and is consistent with pipeline accidents in nuclear power plants, such as Three Mile Island. Nuclear reactor accidents deserve further investigation, since reactor fires and explosions were ignited by sources that were reported to be unknown. The NRC documented extensive actions to improve reactor safety after the Three Mile Island accident; however, this new ignition theory has yet to be fully evaluated with respect to off-normal reactor operations in the United States and abroad. Several nuclear reactor fires and explosions warrant consideration. This new theory confirms a source of ignition. Reactor explosions can be stopped to improve nuclear reactor safety, prevent deaths, and avoid environmental disasters.
Measuring Impact of Cybersecurity on the Performance of Industrial Control Systems
Authors: Stouffer Keith , Candell Rick
Published: July 2018

This article examines the impact of cybersecurity on the performance of industrial control systems (ICS). Control systems are embedded in essentially all engineered systems, such as our cars, homes, offices, industrial plants, and in critical infrastructures such as power plants, water treatment plants, and transportation systems. To ensure the security of ICS, particularly for critical infrastructures, standards are being developed to ensure ICS cybersecurity. The NIST ICS cybersecurity testbed will be constructed to facilitate the measurement of industrial process performance for systems instrumented with cybersecurity technologies. This testbed will allow for validation of existing security standards and guidelines and will allow researchers to provide valuable feedback to the community on methods, practices, and pitfalls when applying a cybersecurity program to an ICS. Additional work will be required to identify new use cases and pertinent performance metrics. The testbed will provide an opportunity for collaboration between government, research institutions, and industry partners. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the authors directly to discuss opportunities for collaboration.
Countdown to Launch in Houston
Authors: Testa Bridget Mintz
Published: July 2018

This article presents an overview of the plan of the upcoming spaceport in Houston. The planned spaceport in Houston is designed to support vehicles that lift off and land horizontally, like conventional aircraft. Future expansion could see the construction of a passenger terminal. Instead of rockets, the plan is for the spaceport to be the take-off and landing spot for horizontally launched suborbital vehicles, such as Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo and XCOR’s Lynx. Horizontally launched vehicles have many advantages, according to Sirisha Bandla, assistant director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. The XCOR Lynx is a Concept X vehicle that can take off and land up to four times in one day. The industry wants to reduce that time to 12 to 18 months, including the six months it takes the Federal Aviation Administration to review an application.
Whisper and Roar
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on the use of gas turbines for electrical power, mechanical drive, and marine applications. Marine gas turbines are used to generate electrical power for propulsion and shipboard use. Combined-cycle electric power plants, made possible by the gas turbine, continue to grow in size and unmatched thermal efficiency. These plants combine the use of the gas turbine Brayton cycle with that of the steam turbine Rankine cycle. As future combined cycle plants are introduced, we can expect higher efficiencies to be reached. Since almost all recent and new U.S. electrical power plants are powered by natural gas-burning, high-efficiency gas turbines, one has solid evidence of their contribution to the greenhouse gas reduction. If coal-fired thermal power plants, with a fuel-to-electricity efficiency of around 33%, are swapped out for combined-cycle power plants with efficiencies on the order of 60%, it will lead to a 70% reduction in carbon emissions per unit of electricity produced.
Transient Thermal Systems: Dynamics and Control
Authors: Alleyne Andrew , Jain Neera
Published: July 2018

This is a study focused on the criticality of thermal systems in almost every domain of energy conversion. Thermal systems are critically important to nearly all domains of energy conversion, and controls are vital to extracting maximal efficiency from the overall system. Understanding the dynamics of transient thermal systems is the first step towards effective control design. While a great deal of understanding of steady-state performance of an overall system already exists, the combined performance of coupled and interconnected systems during transients is still not well described or understood. This becomes more important with increased system complexity or increased transient relevance. Continued improvement in control-oriented modeling will be very valuable in terms of accuracy, speed, etc. With energy as a crucial theme for a sustainable future, it is clear that the Mechanical Engineering community must play a key leadership role in achieving this potential, since the thermal energy domain is one with which we are most familiar.
The Code Builders
Authors: Bernsen Sidney , Erler Bryan , Morton Dana K. , Hedden Owen
Published: July 2018

This article elaborates the evolution of code and standards for nuclear power plants. In the 1950s, need was felt for a revised set of design and fabrication rules to facilitate the development of safe, economically competitive water-cooled reactors contained in pressure vessels. These rules were codified in the first edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III, which was completed in 1963 and published in 1964. From the outset, both regulators and industry realized that the best way to develop many of the needed rules for the design, construction, and operation of nuclear facilities was the national standards consensus process. This process, followed by the American National Standards Institute and other recognized standards-issuing bodies such as ASME, brings together the expertise of individuals from government, industry, academia, and other stakeholders. In the years following the first publication of Section III, the coverage of the Code expanded to incorporate piping requirements, pressure-retaining components for pumps and valves, equipment and piping supports, reactor vessel internal structures, and other features of nuclear power plants.
An Ability to Adapt and Change
Authors: Kotb Madiha El Mehelmy
Published: July 2018

This article reviews about the views of Madiha El Mehelmy Hotb, the Head of the Pressure Vessels Technical Services Division for Regie Du Batiment Du Quedec, on how ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code has evolved over the years. Hotb reveals that during the 1980s, ASME’s regulatory approach covered all aspects of the life cycle of a boiler or a pressure vessel from design to being taken out of service. It also confirmed every step in between – fabrication, installation, repair and modification, and in-service inspection. During later years, the institution moved toward accreditation of authorized inspection agencies, changed the publication cycle from three years to two, eliminated addenda, and restructured the Code committees. New Section VIII and division 2 were written, and the Codes were published in digital electronic format. Hotb believes that the Code will continue to be widely used and adopted in future. It will have a bigger and larger input from all over the world and will have further outreach and adoption by far more countries.
Consensus Rules for More Than 100 Years
Authors: Sims Bob
Published: July 2018

In this article, Bob Sims, the President of ASME, discusses how the consensus process in the development of ASME Codes and Standards has ensured that the views of all stakeholders are considered and that that no one stakeholder group can dominate the process. Bob Sims views that one of the great strengths of the ASME Codes and Standards development process is the ability to identify the need for new rules and to assemble the world’s leading experts in the field to develop the rules. ASME Codes have resulted in saving thousands of lives by improving the integrity of not only pressure equipment, but also items as diverse as elevators and cranes. ASME has an excellent and well-deserved reputation worldwide for producing high-quality codes and standards that meet the needs of manufacturers and materials suppliers, equipment users, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Design of a Minimally Actuated Medical Exoskeleton With Mechanical Swing-Phase Gait Generation and Sit-Stand Assistance
Authors: Yi-Wei Tung Wayne , McKinley Michael , V Pillai Minerva , Reid Jason , Kazerooni Homayoon
Published: July 2018

This article describes the design of Austin exoskeleton – a minimally actuated medical exoskeleton with mechanical swing-phase gait generation and sit-stand assistance. The Austin exoskeleton is an accessible lightweight system that enables individuals with paraplegia to walk. The gait generation hardware of the Austin exoskeleton suit consists of three major components: hip actuation, a hip-knee coupler, and a controllable locking knee. Users operate the exoskeleton with a simple wireless user interface consisting of two push buttons that are installed on the handle of the stability aid. Electrical components are located on the back of the exoskeleton. A single actuator per leg and a mechanical hip-knee coupler power the knee during swing phase and provide assistance for sitting and standing. The suit’s design embeds gait generation into hardware, decreasing controller complexity. By using a bio-inspired coupling mechanism, the Austin system is able to power both the hip and knee joints using a single hip actuator.
Engines of the Future
Authors: Wagner Robert M.
Published: July 2018

This article elaborates the advancement in internal combustion engine technology and explains why internal combustion engines will continue to be integral to the transportation of people and goods for the foreseeable future. The internal combustion engine has seen a remarkable evolution over the past century. Before 1970, the evolution of engine design was driven by quest for performance and increase in octane in the fuel supply. Since then, however, the imperative was the need to meet new emissions and fuel economy regulations. Some game-changing advances in automotive sector in recent years are improvements in engine technologies, sensors, and onboard computing power. This combination of technologies will enable unprecedented control of the combustion process, which in turn will enable real-world implementations of low-temperature combustion and other advanced strategies as well as improved robustness and fuel flexibility. In future, new engine concepts will also blend the best characteristics of both engine types to push the boundaries of efficiency while meeting stringent emissions regulations worldwide.
Model Based Calibration
Authors: Wang Yue-Yun
Published: July 2018

This article describes calibration of control systems for downsized boosted engines. Model-based design of powertrain and aftertreatment control systems includes plant modeling and controller synthesis. The article illustrates the typical work flow of the model-based calibration process for an engine. In the process, the first step is the design of experiment. The experiment design should cover a multisurface space. That guides the next step to collect data from an engine or powertrain at critical operating points. Once the data are collected, an engine system model is built along with its designed controller models, then the operation of the control systems and controller parameters are optimized or calibrated based on the plant models. With these initial values of the calibrations handy, one can either download the calibration into the production ECU or use a rapid prototyping controller to conduct a full validation or final fine tuning of the engine powertrain control system in test cells or on vehicles.