NASA Challenge Entry - Tommy Mueller

Last crawled date: 1 year, 10 months ago

Here’s my first entry for the NASA Challenge: Human-Rated Spacecraft 3D Printing Process Animation and that challenge can be found here: https://grabcad.com/challenges/nasa-challenge-human-rated-spacecraft-3d-printing-process-animation

Also, check out the winning entry in this challenge here:
https://grabcad.com/library/nasa-challenge-entry-2-tommy-mueller-1

August 12th - Final Update! - https://youtu.be/UlznHv7mns8

Animation is complete and uploaded here on GrabCAD and on YouTube; about a 5 minute runtime. Had an amazing time bringing my SolidWorks CAD concept into the Unreal Engine using Unreal Studio, and the cool opportunity to conceptualize a solution for the Orion craft production.

My solution is to have two robot arms work in tandem using a rotating table, and the parts are lowered and raised into a production rooms using a lift system. If it matters, the elevator action is to promote vertical building construction instead of sprawling out horizontally in the environment; could go either way though. The concept came to me using an instance from when I worked as a TIG welder using machine controlled turntables to weld cryogenic hoses and fittings. My thought was the orion craft is just a really big pressurized fitting needing similar automation to make production life easier.

About the animation:
The animation was produced using the Unreal Engine and using the Sequencer where I layered in several hundred keyframe animations of the SolidWorks CAD parts and other components. I used materials, instanced materials, and material collection parameters to control the animation of the print, machining, and thermal layer effects, and I used particle effects to include in each of these processes for extra effect. I have 5 live-action cameras placed in the scene which feed to the control room monitors, thermal scan monitor, blinking process signage, NASA logos and patchwork, and even crudely launched a rocket into space.

Oh it’s not without flaws, the lights flicker here and there, and the reveal is a little out of sync, but only during recording, not in editor or gameplay. Yup, those particle effects are for show and I had fun with them. Realistic no, entertaining yes! I had to put a balance on time, accuracy, enjoyment, and aesthetics. I’ve done projects like these in the past for clients, so I knowingly could spend the next couple weeks making a polished and packaged project. The animation also ran really long since I covered the building of the heat shield (both sides), aft bulkhead, barrel, forward bulkhead, and tunnel, then a final quick assembly to the crew module parts.

Overall I’m happy with the outcome and I hope you are too.
Good luck to everybody, and thanks for reading and watching!

UPDATED: August 10th, 2018 - 8:48pm

The project is finished. Waiting to upload the video. Uploaded new renderings of the facility and the parts getting built. Had a great time creating the future of craft production using SolidWorks and the Unreal Engine.

July 23rd Update:
Animation is coming and it's looking fantastic using the Unreal Engine!!
I've spent the last week bring my SolidWorks model to life by animating the robot arms and facility functions. I've completed all the "virtual processes" such as printing, machining, and thermal layering using a lot of custom shaders, materials, and particle effects. Looking forward to share it all soon!

I’ve uploaded my ~100% finished SolidWorks 3D with my animation in progress. I’ve put up a few renderings for show (quickly rendered in KeyShot), but they’ll be archived once I get my entry into a final production environment.

Here’s what's modeled so far and available in the current download of SolidWorks 2018 Parts and Assemblies:

◘ ORION SPACECRAFT WITH PRESSURE VESSEL! Yup, that’s right. I 3D modeled that whole thing for representation in my animation to be produced. The pressure vessel is a bit more detailed than the craft, but I did both in about 10-12 hours and everything is built to scale using reference materials found online.

◘ ROBOTIC ARM DESIGN AND TOOLING! In my assembly, I placed three robotic arms, because there are three operations (3D print, surface machining, and thermal layer application), and because I wanted to visually see each arm with a different tool in its chuck. Of course, I get that identical tools will be used during the same operation and that’ll be represented in the final animation. I've got to put some casings on the substructure there, but its look kinda cool!

◘ COMPOSITE STRUCTURES FOR 3D PRINT AND THERMAL APPLICATION! I have form-fit composites for each of the crew module parts (3 of them) and for each of the pressure vessel bodies (5 of them).

◘ ENVIRONMENT 3D! Got to have a place to put everything! Floors, columns, floor hatches, elevator lift, 3D print hopper, compressor, plumbing, and the rotating gantry floor. More to be added.

◘ If you can’t use native SolidWorks files, I’ve uploaded a STEP FILE of the Orion craft and pressure vessel if you want to use it in your own entry. Go for it!

◘ USING THE SOLIDWORKS ASSEMBLY! There are currently 2 assemblies, about 59 different parts (some with configurations), and a couple of which are Master-Models which use the SolidWorks Save Bodies command. The assembly name “Orion Spacecraft Print” is the one you want to open up as it’s the main assembly. With it open, you can slide up and down the elevator, rotate the gantry, and move the robotic arms. IF YOU MOVE THE ARMS, click rebuild so that the flex hoses recalculate their position. This main assembly is in a bit of anarchy until I lock down the rest of the 3D, but really, it’s all about the FBX animation in the end, right? YOU WILL NEED TO HIDE/SHOW items in the feature tree for each operation!! Everything is currently set to "Show", so there are parts overlapping. I'll make the assembly configurations later, and if need be.

◘ CREATING MY ANIMATION: I did a few tests importing my SolidWorks 3D into Modo and then exporting to the Unreal Engine. I’m still on the fence of whether I’ll animate the 3D in Modo and export FBX’s from there, or animate it in the Unreal Engine using Blueprints then export FBX’s. Either way, my visuals will be done using the Unreal Engine and I can’t wait to get going on it. More later!!