2011 Annual Report - MIT Lincoln Laboratory

■ Two new cleanroom facilities were
constructed to support a growing
number of satellite payload system
developments. Both cleanrooms are in
heavy use for the assembly of spacebased
optical systems.
■ To further modernize the Laboratory’s
fabrication and assembly equipment, a
custom-designed system for washing
and cleaning printed circuit board
assemblies, thermal cycling ovens, new
thermal vacuum chambers, and a Nikon
desktop scanning electron microscope
were purchased.
LEADERSHIP
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Dr. Eliahu H. Niewood
Dr. William R. Davis
Dr. Michael T. Languirand
Cutting-edge high-speed
five-axis machining
technology enables rapid
fabrication of complex
mechanical components
with extreme precision
with a single setup
process. This technology
has many benefits,
including simultaneous
five-axis milling of
complex surfaces, laser
tool and part inspection,
and reduction of errors
in fabricating multiple
copies of a single part
type. Edison Arana is
shown operating the
Laboratory’s recently
purchased five-axis mill.
■ A number of new space payload efforts are under way or recently begun. The
Laboratory has significantly expanded its ability to develop these systems, with multiple
teams working in parallel on different programs. Increasingly efficient execution of these
efforts is attributed to the rapid dissemination of lessons learned from each program.
■ A variety of efforts to further the underlying technology for mechanical and materials
engineering are under way at the Laboratory. These include efforts to better understand
the structural analysis and properties of bolted connections, to model solder and
adhesive materials, and to develop a catalog of materials for electronics components,
boards, and chassis with different coefficients of thermal expansion.
■ The Laboratory is expanding the modernization of its fabrication and assembly
equipment to include new infrastructure for environmental testing of mechanical
systems as well as for assembly and testing of complex optical systems.
■ Construction of a new rapid prototyping facility was completed. The co-location of
engineering personnel, fabrication equipment, and integration and test areas enables
the rapid development of new systems. The facility includes conventional machining
equipment, an electronic assembly area, and a rapid fabrication equipment laboratory.
The facility will support multiple Laboratory programs simultaneously.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory 45