Master of Engineering

<p>Today's real estate market provides excellent opportunities for the low-level investor to obtain sound properties at below-market values. Through this vehicle, investors can increase their net worth and thereby gain financial freedom. In order to make informed decisions on which properties to buy and how to buy them, the inexperienced investor needs the appropriate knowledge and tools. FREEDOM, the Flexible Real Estate investor's Evaluation and Decision support system with Optimal Methodology, will fill this need.</p> <p> FREEDOM will perform various financial analysis' of properties and will provide numerical evaluations to aid in decision making. From the information produced by these different evaluation options, FREEDOM will output a variety of reports and graphics. Inputs, in the form of current and historical, sale and rental, property listings will be placed into FREEDOM via input panels. FREEDOM will also keep track of the investor's portfolio and will perform various current and prediction net worth analysis.</p> <p> FREEDOM will be a relatively unstructured decision support system designed using conventional system engineering concepts, to include the seven step system development life cycle, modular design. logical subsystems and data flow diagrams. It will be designed for future expandability and flexibility. FREEDOM will encompass all aspects of a traditional system: the human, hardware, software and data. The results of this system will be to provide the low-level investor with a set of tools to increase his knowledge and aid in his decision making.</p> <p> / Master of Science

Master of Engineering

Master of Science

Master of Science

Quality daily physical education is a necessary ingredient in the lives of elementary school children. Daily physical education has been supported by Secretary of Education, William T. Bennett, the U.S. Congress, the American Medical Association, successful programs in France, Canada, and Australia, and extensive educational research. Its inclusion in elementary curricula is commonplace. In fact, in the state of California, the teaching of physical education at the elementary level is mandated by law. / Master of Science

<p>During the early stages of the acquisition cycle for a military equipment, the question arises as to how the system will be maintained at an operationally capable level. The desired level of readiness must be balanced against the cost of system maintenance. The primary question to be answered is what is the optimum (i.e., least cost) maintenance concept which will allow the system to meet its specified performance goals. In order to answer this question, one must compare the costs associated with the possible choices in maintenance alternatives.</p> <p> Level of Repair Analysis, or LORA for short, is an optimization technique used to determine the optimum level of repair for each component in the system. Premised on accurately addressing selected system life-cycle maintenance costs, the methodology, data requirements, and algorithms used to conduct a LORA are found in Military Standard 1390C, Level of Repair Analysis.</p> <p> LORA examines the feasibility of repair from both technical (non-economic) and economic standpoints. The optimization process will determine whether it is feasible to repair an item, and if so, where and how. While LORA is an excellent and necessary tool, like many analyses of its type, it has limitations. Like any analytical tool, one must understand both the strengths and weaknesses of the process to properly apply its techniques and interpret its results. Data collection and entry into a computer model can be made relatively easily. Paramount however to properly applying the techniques and results is a thorough understanding of the LORA process. Therefore, the primary focus of this project and report is to illustrate the strengths and limitations of the WRA process by its application to a specific example. It is not intended to pass judgement on the LORA process as implemented and utilized by DOD. Rather, it is intended that this report present an overview of the LORA process and detail some of the nuances one could expect to encounter when performing a LORA.</p> <p> This report contains a description of the Level of Repair Analysis process and how this process was applied to a specific United States Department of Defense electronics system. This report documents the analysis (data and calculations used) to reach the repair and discard decisions for the NIXIE Signal Generator Engineering Change Kit for the AN/SLQ-25, a US Navy electronics equipment. This report differs from the one submitted under the contract in that it contains more theoretical detail on the overall LORA process and does not include any classified or proprietary data.</p> / Master of Engineering

<p>Computer-Aided Concurrent Engineering Design (CACED) is an emerging field which stems from the realization that a holistic design approach, simultaneously considering all requirements, will result in systems that can be fielded quickly, and at the lowest practical lifetime cost. The philosophy inherent to CACED is that in a multi-faceted design arena, requirements such as cost, performance, reliability, produceability, size and supportability will conflict. Traditionally, designs are established then "audited" for compliance with various requirements. Subsequent "corrections" might then create new problems, but they certainly would slow the process and probably result in a less than optimum solution from the overall, long-term view.</p> <p> To concurrently (or simultaneously) consider numerous interdependent design issues, in order to optimize within constraints, requires an application-specific model and considerable computing power. The thrust of CACED is to develop appropriate models that allow designers to quickly establish and judge alternatives, simultaneously evaluating the compromises between often conflicting requirements.</p> <p>Computer hardware is readily available to perform design evaluation tasks--the challenge lies in establishing appropriate equations and a framework in which they are to be effectively used. This report explains CACED structure, illustrates a practical application to refrigeration system design, and suggests areas of further study.</p> / Master of Science

Master of Engineering

Master of Science