NASA Langley Research Center, Bid Distribution Office, MS 126, Hampton, Virginia 23681-0001

D -- STRUCTURAL ACOUSTIC OPTIMIZATION SOFTWARE POC NASA Langley Research Center, Industry Assistance Office, MS 144, 757- 864-2461, Hampton, VA 23681-0001. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks to transfer into commercial application software entitled "Structural Acoustics Optimization (SAOpt)" for minimizing noise transmission in structural acoustics problems. Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Co. has assigned the copyright for SAOpt to NASA and it is therefore available for copyright licensing. A Technical Briefing will be held at Langley Research Center on January 6, 1997 to provide interested companies the opportunity to learn about this technology and the process that will be followed to establish licenses for commercialization. THE SAOpt SOFTWARE -- The SAOpt software is designed to work with today's structural and acoustic codes for noise prediction optimizing a process to integrate acoustic considerations into the vehicle design process. The result gives designers of aircraft and land vehicles the ability to define the design relationships between structural design and low frequency noise reduction. Research using this software has shown that noise reduction can be achieved with little or no impact on weight and structural integrity. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL USES -- The algorithm and modeling codes within the SAOpt software are not restricted to interior problems. Therefore, the potential application of the technology is significantly greater than transportation vehicles, and includes the full range of consumer and commercial products where noise control or noise tailoring is a concern. BENEFITS -- This software automatically seeks optimal solutions for complex designs. Previous techniques have relied on iterative and separate analyses of structural and acoustic effects. While the technology developed to date has been principally focused on reducing interior noise in aircraft, in fact, the technology is applicable to any noise reduction problem -- for both interior and exterior spaces. THE TECHNOLOGY -- SAOpt consists of a suite of optimization algorithms integrated with computational tools such as finite elementand boundary element methods for the acoustic solution. Existing technology has been integrated to produce the computational algorithm using commercially available code including: MSC/NASTRAN (developed by MacNeal-Schwendler Corp.) as the Finite Element Method (FEM) structural tool, COMET/Acoustics (developed by Automated Analysis Corp.) as the Boundary Element Method (BEM) acoustics tool, and CONMIN as the nonlinear optimization tool. Several other optimization algorithms are currently under development to be integrated into the software, providing the ability to optimize problems when sensitivity derivatives are not available. A UNIX shell script is used to control and coordinate the iterative design process, integrating these programs. The script has been designed to allow for easy plug-in of other FEM or BEM structural or acoustic solutions, increasing the versatility of the software. This integrated design tool may represent a unique capability within the aerospace industry. General capabilities of SAOpt include optimization for minimum noise, weight, or combined noise and weight objectives. Constraints can be included as bounds on design variables, or on weight, noise or structural integrity/stress. Optimization can be performed at a single frequency or within a prescribed frequency bandwidth (called multi-frequency). OPTIONS FOR COMMERCIALIZATION -- This technology opportunity is part of the NASA Technology Transfer Program. The program seeks to stimulate development of commercial applications from NASA-developed technology. The program goal is to assure that the NASA-developed software is deployed in the private sector to the benefit of U.S. industry. In addition, NASA seeks to directly benefit from the commercial versions of the code that is currently offered. There are a variety of licensing options available that will be fully explored at the briefing. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY United States copyright in the Structural Acoustics Optimization (SAOpt) Software. COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (COOPPR)—The Langley Research Center's Commercial Opportunity Program is designed to present government-developed technology to the private sector. It does so by integrating the combined interests and talents of Langley management, technical staff, Patent Counsel, and the Technology Applications Group to match potential firms with identified NASA proprietary technologies which are available for licensing and commercialization. 1. HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS -- NASA identifies companies with experience and competence in related technologies, and a track record in commercializing similar products. Candidate companies should also be financially sound and have effective marketing organizations. After attending a technical briefing, those companies interested in joining with NASA in a Joint Space Act development Agreement, and the accompanying license agreement, will be invited to submit detailed plans for commercializing the proposed technology. Thus, Langley's Commercial Opportunity Program leads to a working partnershipbetween industry and NASA to transfer advanced and commercially valuable technology to the private sector for commercial product applications. 2.WHAT YOU NEED TO DO -- Companies interested in attending a technical briefing on January 6, 1997 to learn more about the Structural Acoustics Optimization Software should contact: NASA Technology Applications Team, Research Triangle Institute, Attn: C. Gary Hughes, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, TEL: (919) 541-7205, FAX: (919) 541-6221, email: hughes@rti.org. The briefing will be held at Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon on January 6, 1997. Afternoon appointments will be available for private discussion. 3. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW -- NASA intends to commercialize this technology by copyright license and/or Joint Space Act Development Agreement. Following the briefing, companies will be invited to submit a commercialization plan for joint development and a copyright license agreement to Robin W. Edwards, Mail Stop 212, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681-0001. Commercialization plans will be reviewed by an in-house evaluation team of civil service NASA employees composed of representatives from the following: Technology Applications Group, Patent Counsel, and the Structural Acoustics Branch. The evaluation team may consult with outside advisors as required. Following selection, a Federal Register notice of intent to grant license will be published. (0345)

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