NASA JPL PROJECTS
Project details about the missions during my internship at Jet Propulsion Laboratory
WHATSUP-2
The WhatsUp WS-2 is a hand-launch payload that
carries a passive 600 GHz sensor examining water vapor in the upper stratosphere. Payload systems are
similar to previous instruments (WS-1 Flight 712 and
ReckTangle Flight 705) with small performance and
accommodation changes.It has no rotor or moving
mechanisms.
UCLA PROJECTS
A collection of diverse projects completed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Force Control for Soft Grippers
Used a neural network to model the force output of the strain gauge, using a calibrated load cell as the ground truth measurement
output that we desire to match.
Formulated a Discrete Elastic Beam (DEB) simulation incorporating stretching energies and viscous energy losses following approaches
from prior literature
Tetherball Robot
TetherBot is a simulated 2R planar robot in MATLAB whose purpose is to intercept a tetherball as it swings around a pole, demonstrating a crisp controller design with minimal error.
5 Degree Of Freedom Robotic Arm
Computed the position and orientation of the end effector using forward and inverse kinematics.Simulated the trajectory of the robotic arm using MATLAB.
Performed the strength analysis using Ansys workbench. Fabricated and assembled the entire assembly primarily using Fused Deposition
Modeling.
SORELL: Shipboard Operations Robot with Enhanced Legged Locomotion
Performed strength analysis, topological optimizations and drop tests using Solidworks for the newest version of Alphred four legged
robot.
Shorter Gastrocnemius Fascicle Lengths in Older Adults
Analyzed how shorter gastrocnemius fascicle lengths in older adults affect their ankle push-off force and is responsible for a decrease
in their walking speed and stride length.
Modeled a hip-knee-ankle exoskeleton to compensate for the gastrocnemius along with other weak muscles in older adults using
OpenSim and MATLAB.
UNDERGRAD PROJECTS
Projects completed at VIT Vellore, India
Effect of varying tool parameters on chip formation and reaction forces
Simulated orthogonal cutting of Ti6Al4V and Inconel 718 using Abaqus modeling software to study the variation in chip formation
with varying rake angles and cutting speeds.
Incorporated Johnson-Cook constitutive model, failure parameters, and meshing parameters to ensure and validate the computational
analysis in comparison with the actual orthogonal cutting of these materials.
Modelling and finite element analysis of an aircraft wing using composite laminates
Designed an aircraft wing with spars, ribs, and skin components using SOLIDWORKS.
Generated two different kinds of models with different materials to find the optimum strength-to-weight ratio using Ansys.
A weight reduction of 2.37 percent was observed in favor of the model which used Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer with resin epoxy
as the skin material, the deformation was reduced by 51 percent, and the von Mises stress was reduced by 85 percent.
Medico: Hospital robot
Incorporated infrared sensors to detect hand gestures using Arduino Uno ATmega 328P microcontroller to build a completely non-contact robot for hospitals.
Fabricated the working prototype using Aluminium and Polystyrene sheets.
Design and Analysis of 3D printed UAV wheel
Nov, 2020
Authors: Yash Vashi, Raunika Anand, Jayakrishna K, Rajyalakshmi G
Manuscript accepted for ICMMM 2021
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Project Title: Design and Analysis of Lightweight 3D-Printed Wheels for Group I UAVs
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Project Overview: This project aimed to address the challenge of weight reduction in group I UAVs by designing and analyzing lightweight 3D-printed wheels for these vehicles. The use of heavy rubber tires on UAVs can add significant dead weight during flight and increase drag, which can impact performance.
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Methodology: The project used 3D printing technology to produce wheels with a 50% weight reduction compared to traditional rubber tires. The team used various 3D printing materials such as ABS, PLA, Nylon, and Carbon fiber mix to design the wheels. An iterative design approach was used to optimize the design for maximum performance.
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Analysis: Solidworks was used to model the wheel designs and Ansys was used for Finite Element Analysis to study the static and dynamic strength of the wheels. The analysis focused on the radial direction of the wheels and ignored the bending and torsion of the wheels during landing. A Charpy impact test was conducted on the specimen to study the crack propagation on impact.
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Results: The study showed that the use of 3D-printed wheels reduced the weight of the UAVs, which improved their performance and reduced drag. The optimized design of the wheels ensured that they could withstand high-impact forces and remained stable during landing.
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Conclusion: This project successfully demonstrated the potential of 3D printing technology in producing high-strength, lightweight parts for UAVs. The use of 3D-printed wheels can significantly reduce the weight of UAVs and improve their performance.
Effect of varying tool parameters on chip formation and reaction forces
Nov, 2020
Authors: Raunika Anand, Rajyalakshmi G
Manuscript accepted for ICoFT 2020
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Project Title: Abaqus Simulation Analysis of Machining Ti6Al4V and Inconel 718 Materials
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Project Overview: This project focused on analyzing the machining of two widely used materials in the manufacturing industry, Ti6Al4V and Inconel 718. These materials have tremendous applications in fields such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and other key industries. However, machining these materials can be challenging.
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Methodology: The project used Abaqus simulation modeling software to perform orthogonal cutting finite element analysis with variation in rake angle and cutting speed. The analysis used the Johnson-Cook constitutive model, failure parameters, and meshing parameters to validate the computational analysis in comparison to actual orthogonal cutting of these materials.
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Analysis: The results showed trends in the variation of tool parameters such as rake angle and cutting speed. Increasing the rake angle led to a decrease in shear banding, an increase in smooth chip flow, a decrease in chip curl diameter, and an increase in stress. Increasing the cutting speed led to an increase in stress and an increase in surface finish.
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Conclusion: This project successfully demonstrated the use of Abaqus simulation software to analyze the machining of challenging materials such as Ti6Al4V and Inconel 718. The results showed that variations in tool parameters can have significant effects on the machining process, which can be useful in optimizing machining processes for these materials in the manufacturing industry.
Aircraft Wing using Composite Laminates
Sept, 2020
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Title: Comparison of Materials for Aircraft Wing Design using Finite Element Analysis
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Overview: The use of finite element analysis in aircraft structural design and analysis is gaining popularity. Composite materials are becoming more prevalent in aircraft design due to their high stiffness-to-weight ratio. This study focuses on the three main parts of an aircraft wing: spars, ribs, and skin. Two different wing models are designed and analyzed using different materials for the skin: titanium alloy and CFRP. The goal of the study is to find the optimum strength-to-weight ratio between the materials analyzed.
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Approach: The spars are made of aluminum alloy and the ribs are made of structural steel for both models. Model 1 has a skin made of titanium alloy, and Model 2 has a skin made of CFRP with resin epoxy. Finite element analysis using Ansys simulation modeling software is used to analyze the two models.
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Results: For a given uniform load on the bottom of the aircraft skin, Model 2 with CFRP skin had a weight reduction of 2.37% compared to Model 1 with titanium alloy skin. Deformation was reduced by 51% and von Mises stress was reduced by ≈85% in Model 2. The study's results can be applied to manufacturing UAV structural components, particularly wings, due to the lighter weight, flexibility, and durability of CFRP compared to standard titanium alloys. The orientation of the plies in deciding the strength of the composite was also found to play a significant role.
