NASA SBIR 2006 Solicitation

FORM B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY


PROPOSAL NUMBER: 06-2 X7.01-9703
PHASE 1 CONTRACT NUMBER: NNJ07JB28C
SUBTOPIC TITLE: Supportability Technologies for Long-Duration Space Missions
PROPOSAL TITLE: Vacuum-Compatible Multi-Axis Manipulator/Machining Center for Long-Duration Space Missions

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
BECK ENGINEERING, INC.
1490 Lumsden Road
Port Orchard, WA 98367 - 9179
(360) 876-9710

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Douglas S. Beck
dbeck23@aol.com
1490 Lumsden Road
Port Orchard, WA 98637 - 7992
(360) 876-9710

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
NASA has many needs for maintenance and repair technologies for long-duration human space missions. We propose to continue developing a compact, portable, vacuum-compatible, multi-axis Manipulator/Machining Center (M/MC) to satisfy many of NASA's needs. Our M/MC will provide complex manipulation during: layer-additive manufacturing; collection of geometric data for reverse-engineering; real-time non-destructive evaluation; and non-destructive material property determination. Our M/MC will also finish-machine near-net-shape parts produced using layer-additive manufacturing. Design features of our M/MC will: minimize mass, volume, and power consumption while providing required capabilities; maximize life and reliability; and enable our M/MC to operate in space-based vacuum, microgravity, and partial-gravity environments. In Phase II, we will: generate alternative designs of M/MCs for space-based applications; and design, build, test, and zero-g-flight-test a prototype M/MC. In Phase III, we will design, build, and sell M/MCs to the government and private sector.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
We will adapt our space-based Manipulator/Machining Center (M/MC) to produce an Earth-based M/MC for many military and private-sector manufacturing applications, including: military in-theater fabrication of spare parts, including for the Army and Navy (for example, aboard submarines); and private-sector manufacturing, including die/mold work, prototyping, small production runs, and cases in which raw materials are expensive.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Our Manipulator/Machining Center (M/MC) will satisfy many of NASA's needs for space-based manufacturing applications. Our compact, portable, multi-axis M/MC will perform: (1) reverse-engineering data generation; (2) additive manufacturing; (3) real-time non-destructive evaluation during layer-additive processing; (4) non-destructive material property determination; (5) recycling/generation of feedstock materials for deposition processes; and (6) five-axis subtractive manufacturing.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Ceramics
Composites
Data Input/Output Devices
Earth-Supplied Resource Utilization
Expert Systems
Human-Computer Interfaces
In-situ Resource Utilization
Integrated Robotic Concepts and Systems
Launch and Flight Vehicle
Manipulation
Metallics
Microgravity
Structural Modeling and Tools


Form Generated on 08-02-07 14:39