Pilot Project Implementation Schedule
The three year schedule for the product development is as follows:
Year 1: Prototype design, fabrication, packaging and characterization. Transfer of knowledge to commercial partner.
Year 2: Identification of the best design(s) from the prototypes.
Transfer to pilot-scale production, systems integration and quality control. Marketing of working proto-types to prospective customers (e.g., distribution of “free samples” after execution of appropriate Materials Transfer Agreements).
Year 3: Volume production and quality control.
A panel of experts will be assembled to discuss in further detail a roadmap to product development for the proposed MNT concept. A nominal 3-year development schedule will be drawn up for the system-level demonstration for these novel SPL-based nanoscale technologies. Among the topics of discussion are the key milestones to be achieved for a 3-year product development schedule. Detailed aspects of the design, fabrication, assembly and testing of the product, and the required infrastructure should be covered. Also to be identified are potential technical/management pitfalls that could impact the overall budget and schedule. Key milestones, technological challenges and major risks associated with the system-level demonstration will be identified during the workshop session.
Facilities Description
SPL-based infrastructure is significantly less expensive than a full-fledged semiconductor fabrication facility; however the equipment is very specialized and requires considerable expertise to manage and operate. Associated facilities include computer-aided design, fabrication, packaging and testing equipment for the manufacture of system-level prototypes.
It is envisioned that the laboratory facilities at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and at the Texas A&M University will be used initially for the product development efforts. The knowledge will then be transferred to a commercial entity for volume production, distribution and marketing to customers. The pilot project chair (Banerjee) supervises and manages research in the Multi-Phase Flows and Heat Transfer Laboratory at Texas A&M University where the proposed product development efforts is envisioned for initiation.
The equipments currently available at the Multi-Phase Flows and Heat Transfer Laboratory (managed by PI) include: Data Acquisition Equipment (National Instruments: PCI-MIO-16XE-10 [E series data acquisition board], SCXI-1349 Cable Assembly, SCXI-1000 chasis, SCXI-1303 32 channel terminal block), experimental platforms for multi-phase flows, furnace for growing Carbon Nanotubes (to be located at the Energy Systems Laboratory with a designated research space managed by Dr. Banerjee), chiller apparatus, peltier coolers, thermocouple readers and computer workstations.
In addition, the common access facilities at Mechanical Engineering Department include student machine shop, confocal microscope, wafer spin coater and mask aligner. The Department also has a number of computer workstations available for use at the undergraduate and graduate computation laboratory that is available free to students. Several CAD and simulation (FEM/ CFD) packages are available as common access resources to students (e.g., Ansys, Matlab, etc.).
