CASI 2006 Summer and 2006-7 Research Program

In the CASI 2006-7 Research program anticipates receipt of funds provided by Congress in time for commencement of its 2006-7 Research Program on or about June 1, 2006.  Project start dates are subject to receipt of funds and contracting.  The 2006-7 Program includes three types of projects:

Due to the nature of the funding and rules regarding their expenditure, traditional project proposals (to be conducted in the summer and during the academic year) are encouraged to schedule activity levels that expend between 25% and 50% of the requested funds prior to August 31, 2006.

The Request for Pre-Proposals (RFI) and  a Proposal Template (to be used for all proposal submissions) are available on line.  Faculty should notify their respective Research Offices of their intent to propose by February 24, 2006 and work with them in narrative and budget preparation and submittal.  the Research Offices of the CASI Institutions request that all proposals be completed and submitted AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE FINAL SUBMISSION DATE TO THE REGENTS, that is, by March 3, 2006.  See the RFI  for details on eligibility, funding limits, dates, contacts, etc.

Project for which proposals are being sought are provided below.  For full Project Descriptions, use the links provided to the WORD versions of the full documents.

 

CASI 2006 Summer Research Program Projects

 

Title

Brief Description

Link to More Detailed Description in WORD®

Enhancing The Tracking Capability Of WiFi Networks

The engineering group at Tinker AFB has installed wireless asset tracking system based on WiFi technologies (IEEE 802.11b). The system utilizes the already setup Tinker’s wireless data network access points to track assets. RF power measurement triangulation methodology is used to locate wireless units attached to assets. The system initialized by carrying out an RF survey to the site within which assets will be tracked. Then, RF power measurements are made to track assets in real-time. The accuracy of the current system is deficient and sometimes inaccurate due to the poor RF environment in the ramp where the bombers are worked on. The engineering group is seeking assistance in identifying and costing ways to augment the current system with other available wireless technologies or to modify it to enhance its tracking accuracy and resolution.

Tracking WiFi Networks Project Description in WORD

Environmental Forensics To Determine Individual Process Sources And Source Locations Of Co-Mingled Groundwater Plumes

Many contaminated groundwater sites on Tinker Air Force Base contain co-mingled contaminant plumes.  Determining the processes involved in producing the contaminant (i.e.,-plating, stripping aircraft, parts stripping) can help point toward the surface source (or underground waste lines in some cases) of the spill.  This, in turn, can help optimize remedial system design.  Environmental forensics techniques can be used to determine the historical processes associated with certain contaminants based on their ‘chemical fingerprint’.  With this information, it is hoped that we can determine the source(s) location of a plume that has co-mingled contaminants from multiple sources.

Project seeks assistance to investigate, assess and apply environmental forensics techniques to better characterize co-mingled plumes.

Environmental Forensics Project Description in WORD

Perform Tracer Tests To Determine Accurate Groundwater Flow Patterns

The majority of DoD facilities have groundwater that is contaminated with chlorinated solvents such as TCE and PCE.  As a result of USEPA rules and regulations, these facilities are tasked with cleaning up the contamination.  In order to successfully remediate these sites, is essential to have adequate information on groundwater flow direction and velocities.  Not only is groundwater flow information critical to designing an appropriate remediation system, it is also critical for obtaining accurate results from groundwater models. Groundwater models are used as an aid in designing a remediation system that will effectively clean up the site.  Often, remediation systems are designed and implemented based on inadequate or incorrect groundwater models.  The current technique is to periodically measure the water levels in the monitor wells, and map these water levels in order to obtain groundwater flow information.  Monitor well water level data can give an inferred flow direction and velocity, but quite often, this is not accurate.  Unfortunately, if the correct groundwater flow information is not obtained, this will result in an incorrect fate and transport model which, in turn result in an ineffective remedial design.  Millions of remediation dollars are often lost due to the inaccurate groundwater flow information.

The OC-ALC seeks an investigation into models and/or methods to
increase accuracy of the underground water contamination models.

Groundwater Flow Patterns Project Description in WORD

Technology  For Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI)

Future technology to improve the current Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI) Process by the automation of crack detection has the potential to reduce in the number of technicians required in part inspection and  make the inspection process more reliable due to the effects of operator fatigue and visual perception on the current FPI process.  The OC-ALC seeks proposals to improve the automation and verify the new/already derived automation.

Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection Project Description in WORD

Use Of Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) To Detect Leaking Underground Jet-Fuel Lines

 Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) has been used to delineate past jet fuel leaks of the fiberglass transfer line that extends all across base.  This line has had 3 documented leaks since 1997 and the only remedial action done was repair of the pipeline. Some of the leaks are under concrete, but one occurred on the south side of base near the NAVY tarmac area in somewhat of an open area. The extent of contamination is unknown so the OC-ALC seeks assistance in the identification and use of a non-intrusive technique to determine the extent of the contamination.  Factors to be considered are that the line is always under pressure, the nearby NAVY tarmac also has what may be shallow groundwater,  and seepage out of the area and at the nearby fuel yard has been observed.  Should the technology provide give good results, then its applicability to  other areas where the leaks occurred is desired.

Proposals should be developed for a phase one investigation and identification and a phase two study of applicability to other areas.

Electrical Resistance Tomography Project Description in WORD

Use Of Nanotechnologies To Remediate Hexavalent Chromium

Nanotechnologies using zero-valent iron is one technology that has emerged lately as being successful for remediating hexavalent chromium.  One plume with high chromium levels is located on the southwest side of base.  This plume has migrated to extraction well A-6 of the Southwest Treatment System.  This well is located at the Base boundary and therefore it is critical to capture the chromium before is migrates off-Base.

Project is to provide identification and assistance in implementing successful treatment of the source area to ensure that the chromium does not migrate off-Base.

Nanotechnology Hexavalent Chromium Remediation Project Description in WORD

Wireless Tech For Tracking Assets On Ramps

The rapid changing technology base of asset tracking requires an aggressive pursuit of developing technologies in the sense of cost, accuracy, and reliability. While Tinker has already made certain technology choices it is the objective of this research effort to identify new and emerging technology trends what will make asset tracking better in the future. Deliverables are a Final Report with recommendations, cost and benefits as well as a pilot application.

Many wireless technologies exist in the market. Examples of such technologies are WiFi, UWB, active and passive RF IDs, Bluetooth, wireless sensor networks and others. The engineering group at Tinker AFB is seeking assistance in investigation of wireless technologies and/or a combination of technologies that are best suitable to wirelessly track assets (tools) located at the Tinker ramp where the bombers are worked on. The RF environment on the ramp is very poor. It is cluttered with reflective fuselages, moving people and carts, tool boxes, etc. The selected technology should operate in such an environment and should provide sufficient tracking accuracy and resolution. 

Wireless Asset Tracking Project Description in WORD

Xenophobic Materials

Assistance in determining the effects of Injecting Xenophobic Materials (ie - nano-scale iron, vegetable oil, surfactants, chemical oxidation compounds, citric acid), is sought to determine whether the injection of materials used to remediate contaminated groundwater has any long-term affect or influence on the chemistry (e.g. well corrosion, contaminants, contaminant concentrations, etc) in the surrounding wells/environment.

Xenophobic Materials Project Description in WORD

 

 

CASI 2006-7 Research Program Projects (Anticipated Execution in Academic Year)

 

Title

Brief Description

Link to More Detailed Description in WORD®

Collaboration for Sustainment Initiative

The USAF operates three major air logistics centers (Warner-Robins Georgia, Ogden, Utah and Oklahoma City) and Air Force Research Laboratories.  The logistics centers seek applied research to address more immediate solutions to current maintenance problems while the labs tend to focus on more basic, longer-term research issues, although both help define, direct, and execute applied and basic research efforts.  It is in the best interest of the Air Force to better coordinate and identify common research needs, develop and execute research programs that address the range of research needed, and to collaborate and communicate research results and successful models.  It is also desirable to investigate ways to monitor and participate in commercial research and development activities.

Collaboration for Sustainment Project Description in Word

Engine Data Acquisition, Forecasting, Functionality, and Analysis Module The object of this project is to determine location of applicable engine data, evaluate the data to determine the most pragmatic approach to forecast Inherent Design Reliability of engine and analysis new data acquisition, providing end-users with decision support reports.  Plus, technologies for processing new data acquisition and forecasting functionality for engine sustainment needs to be researched and evaluated to ensure that report generation is accurate and is provided in a timely manner.  These additions will provide engine managers a consolidated view of the parts availability data and some visibility into engine activities by gathering data from selected legacy systems (Supply and Maintenance), allowing the manager to gain a total picture of the item demand on supply, forecasting failure, future demands and Non-Mission Capable Rate (Non-MC).  Data consolidation will be accomplished by extracting data through normal system interfaces (i.e. downloads from on-line queries) – new interfaces will be programmed under the system as needed. Deliverables are a final report with recommendations, cost and benefits as well as a pilot module for G050 or MARSS. Engine Data Project Description in WORD
EN Technology Hot Line A CASI research project will design and develop web based application for any Tinker customer to 1) Search for a current or developing solution to their technical problem; 2) Identify subject technical matter expert from Center, AFRL, and/or CASI 3)Submit the need which will be saved to a central repository; 4) The application must then assign a technical evaluator to look at the need and see if it the problem has been defined properly and to decide if it is a technology need. All steps with this process must be tracked and all metrics gathered for reporting purposes.  The resulting application would provide a means for capturing each action into a data base for metric reporting of number asked, areas of technology, timelines in answers, and results, in turn creating a knowledge repository of technological needs and solutions.
Project completion by December 2006 desired.
EN Hotline Project Description in WORD
3-D Assembly Tool Concepts and workflows from the MPAD project will be used as a starting point for defining requirements in the UGS assembly/disassembly software tools, since they already reviewed and tested to some extent by the end users. The solution must be Teamcenter based (UGS software backbone), and utilize some of the core functionalities of TC Manufacturing, such as occurrence groups, advanced searches, and also some of GE specific development like the RDV project (advanced search capabilities). The solution will rely on the TC Technical Publish as the tool for generating the reports / work instructions and for distribution to viewers/consumers. 3-D Assembly Tool Project Description in WORD
3-Dimensional Contaminant Plume Information With Down-Hole Geophysical Techniques Many contaminated groundwater sites on Tinker Air Force Base contain chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene (TCE) and perchloroethene (PCE).  Accurate plume delineation both vertically and horizontally is critical for designing the optimal remedial system.   The nature of contamination is to migrate in the subsurface soils that possess the greatest porosity values.  At Tinker, as well as many DoD facilities, delineation is very difficult and costly due to the heterogeneous nature of the subsurface geology.  Currently, there are many monitor wells already existing on Base. 

The intent of this project would be to obtain 3- dimensional delineation of porosity zones using these existing wells.
Contaminant Plume Project Description in WORD
Corrosion Analysis And Forecasting System There exists a need to develop a systems which, through its processes, will have the ability to predict, identify, and assess corrosion, and fatigue damage for effective maintenance of  aging aircraft. The developed system must also provide the ability to track in more detail the aircraft information (“by tail number”) and gather details on executed repair actions. Corrosion Analysis Project Description in WORD
Digital Engineering Process This project requests local support of two separate but NCMS related efforts. Both rely on integration through EDS’ Teamcenter Product Lifecycle Data Management System.

The Opticam Project addresses Depot needs for robust reverse engineering technology integrated with manufacturing applications. The project team will develop a system that uses precision video cameras to scan objects and produce range data using a parallax scheme. Multiple views are captured which are then registered automatically by the system to produce a 3-D image. The 3-D image is then imported into Unigraphics for use by design and manufacturing engineering applications.

The I-POMX (Integrated Point of Maintenance Execution) project will demonstrate the use of wireless tablet PCs to interact with maintenance technicians and engineers in real time in an environment that demands mobility. Users may interact with an electronic system using voice, normal handwriting, or typed text. Information such as work instructions, part drawings, or 3-D animated visualizations can be to the point of maintenance in real time, without using a wired connection. Technicians or engineers can in turn record findings without the need to return to a wired workstation. (see related project at http://ctma.ncms.org/activeprojects/opticam_ipomx.htm 
Digital Engineering Process Project Description in WORD
E-Learning Support To DPT
For Install Of SBIR Tool
An E-Learning authoring tool that allows Subject Matter Experts to build web-based training using AFMC standards is now available from the SBIR program. OC-ALC desires an assessment, via prototype development, of the tool's incorporation of Industry best practices, templates,  insertion of video and text, as well as  Import/Export of existing class material.  Additional tests to be suggested by proposing party, as appropriate. E-Learning Support Project Description in WORD
Fleet Management Tools For Improved Decision Making Identification and develop effective tools for fleet management, sustainment and retirement planning.  Some desired capabilities include: 1) Develop a single, integrated, easy to use tool that will effectively organize all maintenance, engineering, and management support information and allow for streamlining of operations. 2) Develop analysis methods to permit better decision making on whether to repair, replace, or defer action on damaged parts. 3) Develop an effective methodology to determine if the weapon system should be retired.  Proposals should address all three areas and may propose additional tools. Fleet Management Tools Project Description in WORD
Life Cycle Data Management For Six
Sigma Product Quality
Develop method/capability for shop downstream operations and applications to have up-to-date engineering technical data/requirements for any given part. Identification of methods/systems to associate parts with all characteristic information obtained from drawings and tech data packages, TOs, Work Control Documents, and specifications is sought.  Life Cycle Data Management Project Description in WORD
Quick Business Case Analysis The objective of the Quick Business Case Analysis Engineering Tool (QBCET) is the ability to take a small amount of information and return an Intelligent Business Case (IBC), which is a well formatted web based report that assists and documents the suggested rankings of the needs. Information submitted in order to create the IBC can potentially be National Stock Number (NSN), Next Higher Assembly, or a brief process description. A complete analysis approach should be utilized in the processing of the mapped data, including what fields are required, and how this information is used in making determination of rankings. Quick Business Case Project Description in WORD
Structural Fatigue Analysis

 The impact of fatigue cracking on structural integrity is not fully known.  Current structural analysis methods do not adequately account for aging aircraft phenomena. 

Assistance is sought to identify and develop analysis capability to more fully predict, identify, and assess

the effects of fatigue on structural integrity in aging aircraft.

Structural Fatigue Analysis Project Description in WORD
Technology Insertion Lifecycle Execution A research effort is requested to perform an investigation into the best methods to adapt the best examples, templates and tools in the ALE and incorporate them into the Technology Insertion Process as began at OC-ALC.  A review of ALE needs to be performed and methods that will best to incorporate ALE tools into the TIP is requested.  The project should result in the development of a small scale/prototype Technology Insertion Lifecycle Execution (TILE) process that can be utilized by the ENET technology program managers to better manage the TIP process. Technology Insertion Project Description in WORD
Titanium Aft Deck Assemblies An integrated remanufacturing cell, built upon common utilities, including 1) universal machine controller, 2) multi-axis robotics, 3) agile fixturing, 4) finite element modeling/physical features mapping, 5) integrated product/process workflow planning and 6) equipment prognostics, compose the required foundation that must be put must deployed to ensure the identified restoration processes can be affordably hosted and/or accessed to support a diverse array of workloads. The challenge at hand is to transform the established sustainment industrial base into an agile cell operation, possessing seamless enterprise functionality across a broad array of tightly coupled processes. Deliverable is Final Report with recommendations, cost and benefits. Titanium Aft Deck Assembly Project Description in WORD

 

 

CASI 2006-7 Continuation of Previous Research Program Projects (Anticipated Completion over Summer and Academic Year) - Proposals for Continuation will be Evaluated As Part of All Proposals Received

 

Title

Brief Description

Software Based Image Processing for Radome Characterization The Government objective is to extend the effort to locate and insert the most effective technological means by which radar signals can be processed and transformed to form imaged “maps” of the radomes through which the radar signals pass.  While OC-ALC has engineers who are able to implement a simplistic spatial frequency transform techniques, initial research has indicated that there are likely means available to provide much more effective characterization of radome signatures.
   

 

If you have problems with this page, please contact

 John Nazemetz, OSU CASI Director, jnazeme@okstate.edu , or by phone at (405) 744-9137.