Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2017. / Thesis: S.M. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2017. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-213). / This thesis presents results from operational testing of Nonintrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) systems aboard active US Coast Guard units. Monitoring the ships' electrical system from centralized power distribution points, data collected by the NILMs provide information for: 1) human activity monitoring, 2) energy score keeping, and 3) condition-based monitoring. This thesis shows results from data gathered over two years from both conventional contact current and voltage sensors and novel "noncontact" sensors. This thesis presents the current state of automation available from NILM systems in marine environment applications. / by Gregory V. Bredariol. / S.M. / S.M. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2017. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (page 63). / Waters Corporation is a world leading analytical instrument manufacturing company, with an overarching goal of achieving and maintaining high product robustness. Analysis of the challenge identifies the problem of lack of root cause analysis. This is further attributed to the inefficient process flow of information and parts: there is a lack of tracking mechanism for parts which is induced from lack of ownership and value at each stage of the root cause analysis phase. A new process flow is designed around the current process to address gaps and inefficiencies. This process flow redesign is done for both information flow for hot parts list and the movement of parts; this will streamline the overall root cause process and secondarily help save cost and eliminate redundancies. A layout improvement solution is developed, and a plan for implementation recommended. The new process flow is designed to increase visual control of the process and to effectively move the material. Each phase of the project has been reviewed and discussed to encourage stakeholder involvement in order to develop a continuous improvement culture. / by Muhammad Humas Shabbir. / M. Eng.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1990. / Title as it appears in the Sept. 1990 M.I.T. Graduate List: Characterization of powder/binder interaction in the three dimensional printing process. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-132). / by Marcos Esterman, Jr. / M.S.

Thesis (B.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 30). / by Vittal Krishnamurthy Vasista. / B.S.

Thesis (B.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1891. / MIT copy bound with: An experimental study of the deflection of parallel rods transmitting power / J. H. M. Birks, Frederick W. Fűger -- Tests on a Linde refrigerating plant / H. L. Brand, W. E. Hopton -- Tests on a Sturtevant steam hot blast apparatus / George W. Bryden and George K. Hooper. / by Charles W. Aiken, Robert S. Ball. / B.S.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-88). / Nanostructured Origami is a manufacturing process that folds nanopatterned thin films into a desired 3D shape. This process extends the properties of 3D design and connectivity found in origami artwork to the bulk fabrication of 3D nanostructures. Our technique is a two-step procedure that first patterns the devices in 2D and then folds the membranes to the final 3D shape along pre-defined creases. This thesis describes theoretical methods that have been developed to model the actuation of origami devices. The background of origami mathematics and advances in robotics are presented in the context of modeling Nanostructured Origami. Unfolding of single-vertex origami is discussed, and an algorithm is implemented to calculate the unfolding trajectories of several devices. Another contribution of this thesis is the presentation of a methodology for modeling the dynamics of two classes of origami: accordion origamis and single-vertex origamis. The forward dynamics and equilibrium analysis of a useful bridge structure and the corner cube origami are simulated. The response of a model of an experimental actuation technique is well-behaved, and it is shown that the final folded state of these devices is at a stable equilibrium. / by Paul Steven Stellman. / S.M.

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-36). / Despite major improvements in technology and safety regulations, coal mining continues to be a hazardous industry. Catastrophic accidents, related largely to underground explosions and generation of toxic gases, commonly result in the trapping of miners without oxygen for an extended period of time. As an example, in January 2006, an accident at the Sago Mine in West Virginia trapped 12 coal miners underground for 41 hours and resulted in the deaths of all but one. According to the account of the sole survivor, four of the emergency oxygen sources, or "air packs," failed. While devices capable of supplying oxygen to miners trapped underground exist, these systems are limited by the need for an exogenous gas supply, the large size of the devices, and unreliability. We propose here the design of an enclosed life support system functional for up to 12 hours, which employs photocatalytic mechanisms to generate oxygen from water and provides chemical reduction, or "fixation", of carbon dioxide. Oxygen is generated through a photolytic reaction involving the interaction of UV light and a titanium dioxide thin film, resulting in the generation of oxygen gas at a rate of 0.0507 L 02 / min per m2 of photolytic surface. / (cont.) Exhaled carbon dioxide is mechanically segregated from the oxygen and then fixed to a 5 carbon sugar molecule, ribulose, through a mechanism that includes the addition of carbon dioxide and water, the cleavage of the C2-C3 bond, and the ultimate generation of glyceric acid and its unlit. We contend that the system proposed here has the ability to significantly exceed the capacity of current emergency life support systems employed underground, and thereby improve the safety of coal miners and the overall productivity of the coal mining industry. / by Meghna S. Trivedi. / S.B.

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2006. / In the MIT ci ss Introduction to Robotics, a two link robotic arm is used to learn about robots however, the arm is limited since its only function is movement. In order to create a more meaningful and useful experience for students in the class, an end effecter with position feedback is going to be design and created as a third link for the current arm. Once complete, it will add functionality to the robot, namely picking up objects, by providing students with hands-on experience accomplishing a fundamental human task with a robot. The end effecter is comprised of a gravity link with two finger grippers each having rotating compliant tips which will compress around the object selected for lifting. The gravity link will insure that the two fingers are always vertical and the rotation on the tips will allow the fingers to be in the correct orientation so they can grasp around an object and pick it up. This solution creates a more practical experience and provides increased learning tasks for students in Introduction to Robotics. / by Rebecca R. Romatoski. / S.B.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 113-117 [i.e. p. [86]-[88]). / A high precision profilometry system was developed primarily for the inspection of two-sided sample specimens. Based upon system specifications and requirements, it was found that the most suitable profilometry technique was atomic force microscopy (AFM). The major components of the profilometer were: 1) a commercial atomic force microscope, 2) customized sample positioning hardware, 3) image processing and control software, and 4) system calibration procedures. The primary focus of this thesis is on the design and implementation of the customized blade positioning hardware, consisting of two linear stages stacked to form an X-Y table and a novel 'flip' stage which allows both sides of the sample to be measured by the AFM. The flip stage uses a kinematic coupling design to achieve the necessary positioning precision and stability. A homogeneous transformation matrix (HTM) method was developed for calculating the profiling errors due to stage positioning errors. The actual performance and calibration of the profilometer system was investigated through various tests, including: 1) measurement / positioning repeatibility tests of individual components, 2) measurement accuracy tests (documented in a separate report), and 3) other tests, such as determination of measurement sensitivity, drift rates, and system natural frequency. / by Tarzen Kwok. / S.M.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1996. / by Robert Ryan Vallance. / M.S.