CAPABILITIES
WE'VE GOT IT COVERED
Dominca provides technically and economically sound solutions to mechanical, structural, and biomedical problems. We use theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches to satisfy the client's unique goals.
SERVICES

ANALYSIS & TESTING

  • Dynamic behavior of materials.
  • Dynamic material characterization at high strain-rate.
  • Wave propagation in solid media.
  • Blast/shock mitigation.
  • Shock and impact (dynamic) testing.
  • Shock tube testing.
  • Biomechanics.

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

  • Sensor's mechanical filter, especially for shock accelerometers (U.S. Patent 7,706,213).
  • Protection of devices or structures from blast and mechanical shock.
  • Protective body gear for mitigating blast and blunt trauma.
  • Design and fabrication of testing machines and mechanical devices.
LABORATORY TOOLS
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SPLIT HOPKINSON PRESSURE BAR
Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) characterizes soft or hard materials at high strain-rate.
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IMPACT GUN
The impact gun excites mechanical devices with extremely high resonance frequencies.
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SHOCK TUBE

Shock tube (6 inch diameter) exposes objects to explosive events, or supersonic fluid flows.  This machine can be used to study supersonic fluid behaviors, as may be experienced by aircrafts, spacecrafts and high-speed weapons.
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ANECHOIC CHAMBER

Anechoic chamber (6 feet x 6 feet x 8 feet) is used in conjunction with a shock tube to test large devices subjected to supersonic blast waves.
COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS

HYPERWORKS
ALTAIR ENGINEERING
An engineering software simulation platform that includes Eulerian, Lagrangian, and Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element solvers for analyzing large deformation static and dynamic response of structures

OPTILAYER ELASTIC
Moscow State University
An optimization algorithm developed with Moscow State University (https://www.optilayer.com) to select multi-layered media to attenuate harmful frequencies of shock or blast waves.

SOLIDWORKS
Dassault Systèmes
3D CAD system used to create three-dimensional solid models and perform finite element analysis (FEA) and simulation.

MATLAB TOOLBOX
Dominca
Dominca's custom MATLAB toolbox used to analyze wave propagation through any number of layers of elastic media. This program can be applied to the transmission of waves through devices.
MACHINE SHOP
Dominca has a machine shop to fabricate testing machines and prototypes.

PRODUCTS
We have the expertise to design and develop various products, including:
MECHANICAL FILTERS FOR SENSORS
Dominca has a patented mechanical filter for protecting high-shock accelerometers (U.S. Patent 7,706,213). The filter protects accelerometers by blocking frequencies that would excite the accelerometer's resonance and thereby corrupt data or even destroy it. The filter furthermore transmits—without attenuation—the frequencies which the accelerometer was designed to record. End-users in U.S. Air Force and Navy laboratories funded development of the filter.

Examples of high-shock accelerometers which the filter protects:
  • Meggitt (Endevco) 71, 72, 727, 2262A, 7264 series, 7270A, 7280A, 7280AM4
  • PCB Piezotronics 3501A series, 3991A series
The figure shows output of protected (using Dominca's external filter) and unprotected Endevco 7270A accelerometers. The frequency plot clearly illustrates the filter's attenuation of resonance.
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MILITARY HUMAN BODY PROTECTIVE GEAR
  • Helmets against ballistics and blunt impact (combat foot soldiers, vehicle occupants)
  • Helmets against explosives (EOD, combat soldiers)
  • Behind armor blunt trauma body armor
  • Blast mitigation body armor

ATHLETIC PROTECTIVE GEAR

Helmets & impact pads for
  • Contact sports
  • High-speed crashes
  • Commotio cortis prevention gear

IMPACT-RESISTANT HOUSING FOR DELICATE ELECTRONICS
  • Military electronics
  • Field electronics (e.g., field oscilloscope, multi-meter)
  • Cell phones
  • Mobile computers