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Crozet Engineering has experience in numerous bioengineering research and development programs and has lent engineering expertise in the design and independent assessment of novel devices.
Crozet Engineering helped to refine the Prosthesis Force Transducer (PFT) system, a wireless DAQ system featuring a 6DoF transducer mounted inline to the prosthesis that measures axial force as well as A/P and M/L moments. The mobile system enables the study of complex movements in amputees that can't be measured by traditional systems such as force plates. Crozet Engineering developed a LabVIEW virtual instrument with MATLAB back-end to provide data recording capability and near-real-time analysis. CE also developed a rapid-calibration apparatus for the system and oversaw an upgrade to the data transmission hardware that resulted in a significant increase in operating time.
Crozet Engineering assisted in the development of a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) surgical tool used to facilitate laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. CE prototyped the housing such that a pair of the transducers would fit on the jaws of a PEER retractor. Once this envelope was defined, CE fit, fabricated and assembled the rest of the transducer including matching layer, multiple piezoelectric elements, electrical connections and adhesive bonding. CE also developed a test fixture for in vitro testing of the prototype transducers.
Crozet Engineering created and updated 3D models of tooling and fixtures for the DARPA Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation (DBAC) program using Solidworks. These devices were used to develop phantoms for testing advanced image-guided therapeutic technologies. CE fabricated many of the devices in the customer's machine shop (conventional lathe, CNC milling machine, rapid prototyping / 3D printing) and sourced more specialized fabrication through local and national shops.
Crozet Engineering developed a comprehensive mathematical model of the CSF fluid system as a first step toward feedback control development for an active cerebral shunt. Additionally, CE refined a LabVIEW virtual instrument to automate hardware-in-the-loop testing of prototype shunt components.
Crozet Engineering has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of aerospace activities including both ground and vehicle sides of civil and commercial space as well as commercial and military aviation.
CE's engineers have experience in the design and sustaining engineering of Space Shuttle GSE. This equipment includes everything from cranes in the VAB, OPF and RPSF facilities to carts used in the transport of SRB segments to launch pad structure such as hold-down posts or the PGHM fitting and platforms in the RSS PCR.
Our engineers were also heavily involved in the conceptual-through-sixty-percent design of the X-33 SSTO vehicle positioning system. Specifically, we had responsibility for the forward air bearing and strut which, once positioned and mounted, doubled as the strongback forward link.
NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology program encouraged the study of several new launch architectures. One approach, utilized an onboard Air Collection and Enrichment System (ACES) to generate liquid oxygen during flight through a distillation process. Generating necessary propellant during flight allows a low enough takeoff weight to achieve horizontal takeoff and landing. Crozet Engineering's staff assisted in the development of detailed mathematical models of the ACES system using MATLAB.
We also aided in the math modeling, detailed design and flight test design of a ballute experiment funded through the NASA SBIR program. We also co-authored the winning Phase II proposal for the project. The ballute acts as an aerobrake during atmospheric reentry. This particular experiment tested basic trajectory control through active inflation and deflation of the ballute during transonic flight.
Our engineers have performed detailed loads and stress analysis of several new cargo system components for CH-47F Chinook helicopters. The system can be reconfigured on the fly to accommodate passengers or cargo. Components analyzed include roller trays, locks, stops, flippers and ballistic protection system mounts.
FedEx recently upgraded its fleet to include a series of B767-300 freighters. We supported the cargo system vendor by performing detailed stress analysis on several of the system's components such as locks, stops, roller trays, ball mats and guide rails.
The new B787 plant in South Carolina required an entire factory's worth of tooling. We've worked with vendors to Boeing to outfit the new factory with production tooling by performing detailed stress analysis and PE certification of the designs prior to their manufacture.
Crozet Engineering has experience in a wide variety of mechanical engineering subjects including fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, machine design, structural analysis, vibration analysis, machining, rapid prototyping, data acquisition and control systems.
For a small start-up company building and testing a novel condensing turbine engine, Crozet Engineering performed detailed math modeling, conceptual-through-detailed design, fabrication and testing of several engine components and systems including the DAQ and control system. CE assisted in the development of the throttle control valve and supersonic nozzles and also performed troubleshooting on the faulty combustion system, thus vastly improving its performance.
Crozet Engineering staff has experience supporting a privateer endurance racing team to help field their cars for competition in the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona races. We've aided with pre-race car preparation and at-the-track component design and fabrication and have also served on the crew at multiple races.
In response to the tragic loss of life in tsunamis over the past several years, a small Seattle-area aerospace firm designed, built and tested capsules that are intended to give people caught in these or similar situations the option of riding out the event safely. Crozet Engineering assisted in the mathematical modeling of several aspects of pod performance, designed and tested the emergency breathing system and also helped refine the design of the first-generation door hinges to provide more rigidity.
CE designed, fabricated and tested a pressurized system for small-scale sparkling wine production. The system was designed to seal partway through fermentation to allow for natural carbonation and accommodated filtering, additions or refrigeration to stop fermentation with residual sugar present. The system maintained pressure during additions, racking, filtering and bottling processes and used only compressed CO2 for wine movements.
Crozet Engineering also designed, fabricated, tested and implemented a system that provided controlled positive CO2 pressure for whole-cluster carbonic maceration and subsequent conventional yeast fermentation.
Click on an image above for examples of our work in each of these areas.