Highlights from the Manufacturing
Engineering Laboratory, August 2001

Impact of NIST Research and Services

Technology Transfer

MEL is working together with Paskowitz Associates and NIST Industry Liaison Office on using NICS for an Electronic Dictionary Registry to improve description of characteristics in parts and service in an aid to electronic commerce. The NIST Identifier Collaboration Service (NICS), developed in MEL, provides a way to register one's use of, or interest in, identifiers. By using the service, one can collaborate with others working in related domains. This service lowers integration costs by encouraging collaboration far in advance of when it might ordinarily occur.

Programmatic/Technical Accomplishments

NIST Arenas used for Urban Search and Rescue Robot Competition at International Conference and Adopted as International Standard

The NIST reference arenas for evaluating the performance of search and rescue robots were shipped to Seattle, Washington, in early August for use in the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) mobile robot rescue competition, which was held jointly with RoboCup Rescue. The competition is meant to stimulate progress in robot research by providing concrete, repeatable, measurable challenges in sensing, navigation, planning, human-robot interaction, mobility, and other technologies required for successful mobile robots. Robots are to explore the three different sections that simulate a collapsed building, locate as many victims and hazards as possible, and communicate their findings (preferably with a map) to the human supervisor within 25 minutes. Victims are represented by mannequin parts, clothing, movement, sound (cries for help, banging), and heat signatures. The arenas provide three different levels of difficulty in navigation, traversability, and spatial layout.

Over the course of three days, four teams competed officially and half a dozen different organizations gave demonstrations of their robots going through the arenas. None of the teams accumulated enough points to place, but two qualitative awards were given out. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Award was given to Swarthmore College for demonstrating the most AI functionality. The platform award was given to Sharif University (Iran) for their original tracked vehicle.

The main designer of the arenas, Adam Jacoff (a MEL engineer), was asked to Chair the RoboCup Rescue event next year, which will be held in Japan in June, 2002. The RoboCup organizers plan to recreate the NIST arenas at each country where the competition is held and leave them behind permanently to stimulate progress. RoboCup Rescue is a new event within the overall RoboCup competition framework. RoboCup is an international effort to foster artificial intelligence and robotics research by providing a standard problem where a wide range of technologies can be examined and integrated. The first problem focus area has been robotic soccer. Wildly popular world-wide, there are over 3000 researchers from 35 countries participating in robotic soccer matches currently. Due to the Kobe earthquake, Oklahoma City bombing, and other disasters, the RoboCup community selected the Search and Rescue mission as their second application domain, one with significant potential societal benefits.

Brad Damazo and Crossley Jayewardene of the MEL Manufacturing Metrology Division (MMD) completed development of an updated measurement and control system for the AMRAY scanning electron microscope (SEM) used to calibrate standard reference material (SRM) SEM magnification samples (SRM 484). This work is part of a larger effort with Andras Vladar and William Kerry of the MEL Precision Engineering Division (PED) to implement several upgrades to the AMRAY SEM to gain lower uncertainties, provide greater ease of operation, and handle measurement of additional SRMs in development. The SRM 484 is certified by moving the sample under a fixed electron beam of the SEM and using a traceable heterodyne laser interferometer to measure the movement while recording the output signal of the electron detector. Due to the unique use of the AMRAY SEM in the validation of SRM materials, a specialized measurement and control system is required. Brad and Crossley designed and implemented the new system using LabVIEW and provided the user with a graphical user interface. The system controls the motion, records the signal and interferometer value, calculates the accurate spacing of features, and will ultimately complete the statistical work and generate the NIST certificate. The data analysis and automated documentation remain to be completed by the project team. Crossley presented this work to a NIST audience during the recent Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Student Symposium. A NIST Internal Report that describes the structure and operation of the software to facilitate future extensions is nearing completion.

Kevin Chesnutwood, an MEL engineer, successfully led the efforts to rebuild the 6.1 klbf deadweight machine in the NIST Force Laboratory. In 1998, the 35 year-old hydraulic system of the 25.3 klbf deadweight machine was rebuilt. At that time, a new hydraulic pump was installed along with new tubing and cylinders (that raise and lower the stainless steel weights). The 6.1 klbf deadweight machine was not rebuilt at the time and still suffered from the numerous problems of the old system (e.g., leaks, non-interchangeable cylinders that use an old bolt pattern that varies from the current standard). After the success of the 25.3 klbf rebuild, it was very important to have all the cylinders and tubing replaced in the 6.1 klbf machine as well. The work was completed this year. The 6.1 klbf is now tied into the hydraulic pump unit that was installed as part of the rebuild in 1998. Both machines now operate using the same power unit by incorporating a dual manifold system that allows independent operation of the dead weight machines. This allows for simplified operations, less maintenance, and less noise. Also, valves and flow controls have all been relocated to ground level which has eased adjustments and increased safety. Additionally, tubing has been rerouted to ensure that if leaks occur in the future, it will not drip onto the weights. A low-level shut off to protect the hydraulic pump has been installed in case of a failure while tests are running automated over evenings or weekends. The rebuild has resulted in a safer, neater, quieter, and more efficient system.

Tom Bartel, a MEL scientist, successfully led the efforts to procure, prepare, install, and validate an electromagnetic compatibility testing facility for immunity measurements of digital load cells. This facility has been installed as part of the NIST Force Laboratory in the Engineering Mechanics Building. This facility consists of an electromagnetically anechoic "7-meter" enclosure, together with associated instruments for conducting tests for the immunity of digital load cells to radiated electromagnetic fields in accordance with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 1000-4-3 as required by International Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML) R60 specifications for legal metrology testing. The system was procured during fiscal year 2000, with the procurement process, building preparation, chamber installation, instrumentation, checkout, and staff training becoming complete on August 10 of this year. Features were incorporated into the system to enable the application of force to transducers while maintaining proper radiated field uniformity.
Contact: Tom Bartel, ext. 6461

Interactions

MEL Contributes To CIRP Modeling Workshop and General Assembly

Tony Schmitz and Robert Ivester, MEL engineers, participated in the 4th CIRP (International Center for Production Research) International Workshop on Modeling of Machining Operations in Delft, Netherlands on August 17-18, and the 51st CIRP General Assembly in Nancy, France on August 19-25. The purpose of this trip was to interact with international colleagues conducting research in manufacturing engineering and precision metrology. These meetings included participation from industry, academia, and other National Metrology Institutes. CIRP has a rich history of scientific study in production engineering, including the membership of international leaders in these fields. During the workshop, Tony presented a paper titled "High resolution measurement of the temperature distribution at the tool-chip interface in AISI 1045 steel and comparison to predictions." Rob presented a paper titled "Assessment of Machining Models: Progress Report No. 2." During the General Assembly, Tony presented "Improving high-speed machining material removal rates by rapid dynamic analysis." Highlights of the General Assembly included an overview of the state-of-the-art in microforming methods, a presentation of round robin test results for balancing of cutting tools during high-speed machining, and a lecture on a new acceleration measurement technique using eddy currents for linear motor direct drives.

Historic NBS Clock Working Again

Dick Rhorer, a MEL engineer, provided consultation and assistance to Lisa Greenhouse, the NIST Museum Curator, on the restoration of the historic Riefler Clock located in the NIST Museum. Through Dick's ongoing interactions with the NIST Museum and his connections with Philip Hannah, a certified clock maker from Connecticut, Dick recognized the opportunity to restore this clock. The Riefler Clock is again operational after many years of standing still. This clock served as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) time standard from 1904 through 1929, when the Shortt Clock (also on display in the NIST Museum) replaced it. The Riefler Clock, a beautiful mechanical system, was in storage for a number of years until NBS moved to its current location in Gaithersburg. The clock was then mounted in the new library on the Gaithersburg site. Beverly Payne, a former MEL scientist, helped select the location for the clock at that time by measuring floor vibrations in the library to determine the optimum location. After operating for several years, the clock stopped operation, but was left in place as an example of the fine instruments from the "old" NBS.

On August 1-3, Dick Rhorer hosted Philip Hannah and assisted him in the cleaning and restoration of the Riefler Clock to bring it back to operational condition. Lisa Greenhouse of the NIST Museum contracted Mr. Hannah to restore this clock as part of the NIST Centennial celebration. The restoration required familiarity with this type of clock and much skill to adjust several delicate mechanisms that had likely been improperly adjusted over the years. With instructions from Mr. Hannah, Dick will be responsible for minor adjustments to regulate the clock over the next few months. While the clock may never achieve the level of accuracy it had in the early 1900s, the goal is to maintain a reasonable accuracy and keep the clock running for many more years.

Modern timepieces typically do not rely on the precision mechanical mechanisms that were used 100 years ago. However, the precision mechanisms used in the Riefler Clock, such as thin flexures and knife-edge pivots, are often needed by modern researchers in mechanical metrology. It is important to maintain real examples of these classic mechanisms for reference by modern researchers.

Philip Hannah will be the keynote speaker at the American Society for Precision Engineering (ASPE) Annual Meeting to be held in Alexandria, VA in November 2001. ASPE members will visit NIST as part of this meeting and will be interested to see the Riefler Clock.

Ted Vorburger Succeeds Barry Taylor as Journal of Research Editor

Barry Taylor (PL) recently retired as Chief Editor of the Journal of Research of NIST after 13 years of service with an outstanding reputation for energy in promoting the Journal and devotion to quality in its articles. Ted Vorburger (MEL) was named to succeed him by former NIST Director Ray Kammer and is now serving in that capacity. The Journal is the flagship periodic publication of NIST. It features NIST advances in metrology and related fields of physical science, engineering, applied mathematics, statistics, biotechnology, and information technology. The Journal has been in existence under different titles since 1904 when it was called the Bulletin of the Bureau of Standards. Barry Taylor will continue on the Board of Editors as Chief Editor Emeritus. Other current members of the Board of Editors are Julian Ives (TS), Managing Editor and Technical Production Editor, James Olthoff (EEEL), Cynthia Zeissler (CSTL), Ron Collé (PL), Cynthia Montgomery (MSEL), Nick Martys (BFRL), Alan Goldfine (ITL), Dan Lozier (ITL), and Clifton Carey (Paffenbarger Research Center). The Production Staff in Technology Services are Ilse Putman and Karen Wick. A number of changes in the Journal have taken place recently or are planned. The appearance of the cover was greatly enhanced with a thematic illustration for each issue beginning with Volume 105 in 2000. Color has been used on two occasions in the past and now color as an option for illustration of complex scientific data is planned for one issue in 2002 and in each succeeding year. In addition, at the suggestion of the Laboratory Directors, the Board of Editors is planning to establish an Invited Review Article Feature beginning in the middle of Volume 107 during 2002. Those wishing to contribute ideas for suitable review articles are urged to contact Ted Vorburger or the Board member representing their Laboratory.

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