Timothy D. Kostar, Ph.D.
________________________________________________________________________
Education:
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, December 1997. Thesis title: Analysis, Design,
Fabrication, and Performance of 3-D Braided Composites
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, August 1992. Thesis title: Design
and Automated Fabrication of 3-D Braided Preforms for Structural Composites
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, June 1989.
Relevant Experience:
Assistant Professor and Mechanical Engineering Program Coordinator: School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Daniel Webster College, Nashua, NH, (08/10-present). Teaching of undergraduate
courses within the Mechanical Engineering curriculum and administrative activities for the Mechanical
Engineering program.
Courses Taught:
Engineering Design I
Statics
Mechanics of Materials I
Dynamics
Materials Science
Mechanics of Materials II
Design of Machine Components
Vibrations
Experiment Design and Analysis (developed course)
Composite Materials I (developed new lab component of course)
Composite Materials II (developed course)
Heat Transfer
Design of Thermo-Fluid Systems
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra and Numerical Methods
Current Research:
In-process development of Automated Course Assessment Tool (ACAT software)
Support Activities:
Chair Mechanical Engineering Faculty Search Committee (Spring 2014)
Member of Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee (Spring 2012 – present)
Chair of Faculty Senate Committee for Eval. Form Revision (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012)
Chair of NEASC Self-Study Standard 6 Sub-Committee (Spring 2012)
ASME Student Chapter faculty advisor (Spring 2011 – present)
Outdoors Activity Club faculty advisor (Fall 2013 – present)
Member of Teaching and Learning Assessment Committee (Summer 2013 – present)
Member of the IRB (Spring 2014 – present)
Adjunct Faculty: School of Engineering and Computer Science, Daniel Webster College, Nashua, NH,
(09/09-05/10). Teaching of undergraduate courses within the Mechanical Engineering curriculum.
Courses Taught:
Dynamics
Composite Materials I
Heat Transfer
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Thermal Design (developed course)
Materials Science Laboratory (development and support of lab component of course)
Private Consultant: Tactical Operations Technologies, Inc., Limington, ME, (04/09-09/09). Consultation
on material systems for ballistics applications, engineering support on developmental Unmanned
Autonomous Vehicles (UAV), and support of business development.
Senior Composite Aerospace Engineer and Program Manager: Fiber Materials, Inc., Biddeford, ME,
(06/07–04/09). Mechanical and composites engineering lead, program management, and business
development.
Program manager and engineering lead on Phase II SBIR contract focusing on impact
resistance of refractory composite leading edges on reentry vehicles. (~$750k/2 years)
Program manager and engineering lead on Navy RSAP contract entailing the
development of Quartz/Silica composite antenna windows for hypersonic vehicles.
(~$150k/1 year)
Program manager and engineering lead on Phase I SBIR contract addressing the
development of a GPS antenna window for guided munitions launched from EM rail
guns. (~$70k/6 months)
Engineering analysis and manufacturing support on contract entailing the development
and manufacture of components for the Attitude Control Motor (ACM) on the Launch
Abort System (LAS) for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV).
Textile design support involving development of C/C-SiC DACS motor components.
Engineering support on the development of an in-house pultrusion facility.
Commercial and government business development.
Senior Engineer and Program Manager: Mentis Science, Inc., Manchester, NH, (09/05–10/06).
Composites engineering lead, program management, and business development.
Active part in securing contracted development work (composite cannon components)
with the ARL via teaming with Benet Labs. Performed thermo-structural design and
analysis of composite hybrid exhaust nozzle for the RAVEN experimental cannon system.
Engineering lead and oversight on material characterization, testing, and prototype
fabrication. (~$750k/1 year)
Contract procurement and engineer/science lead for SBIR Phase I contract (Missile
Defense Agency). Work focused on modeling, analysis, testing, and material solution for
PAC3 weather encounter issues (rain/particle impact at super-sonic velocities).
(~$100k/6 months)
Research and development of a unique 3D Weaving process for integrated fiber structures
of a near-net-shape (ie. composite radomes with 3D fiber architecture).
General engineering support on work involving 3D Braiding of EM rail gun components,
textile body armor, and composite material property prediction.
Commercial and government business development.
Private Consultant: Goodrich Corporation, Santa Fe Springs, CA, (02/05-09/05). Expert consultation on
textile processing, manufacture, and properties of ceramic matrix composites.
Visiting Assistant Professor: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts –
Lowell, Lowell, MA, (01/03-09/04). Teaching of undergraduate and graduate level courses, academic
advisement of students, graduate research advisement, and funded research.
Courses Taught:
Engineering Statics
Strength of Materials
Applied Strength of Materials
Process Modeling for Composite Materials (developed graduate level course)
Research:
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“Enhancement of a 3D Cartesian Braiding Process Simulation : Unit Cell ID and Data
Formatting”, Foster-Miller, Inc., $6,945.85 (07/03 – 09/03)
“Loom Augmentation for Sound Response”, American Textile History Museum,
$1,432.00 (05/04 – 07/04)
Research Advisement:
Master’s of Mechanical Engineering student. Research effort focused on 3D Cartesian
braiding process simulation and methodologies for braiding of complex shape preforms.
Support Activities:
Member of faculty committee addressing safety in the workplace. Committee review of
workplace accident reports and suggestions for improvements.
Organization of an engineering student “Open Microphone Night” where students would
perform group musical arrangements on stage.
Design and Advanced Materials Engineer: Advanced Mechanical Design Section, G.E. Aircraft Engines,
General Electric Corp., Cincinnati, OH, (11/00-11/02). Engineering design, materials development,
analysis/modeling, and program management.
Design and materials engineering under IHPTET development program. Worked with
internal team on CMC materials design and development with application to experimental
technology engines.
Technical Program Manager on Air Force PRDA VI contract titled “CMC Airfoil
Processing and Cooling”. Lead the design and fabrication of prototype 3D preformed,
SiC/SiC composite nozzle components. (~$4 million/2 years)
Team member of Navy “Duel Use Science and Technology” (DUST) support program for
CMC materials development and application to high pressure/temperature turbine engine
technology.
Advanced 3D performing and material analysis lead on GEAE Internal Research and
Development team. Effort focused on 3D textile process development and methodologies
for CMC property prediction. Developed innovative perform processing approach,
evaluated commercial code for CMC property prediction, and developed GEAE specific
CMC material property prediction scheme. (~$1.5 million/1 year)
Project Engineer and Program Manager: Composites Technology Division, Foster-Miller, Inc., Waltham,
MA, (3/98-7/00). Engineering design, program management, and business development.
Managed numerous Phase I and Phase II SBIR programs related to composite material
design and low-cost manufacturing. Programs focused on the application of textile
composites in the aerospace industry.
Headed the textile preforming Internal Research and Development effort. Primary result
was development of a unique 3-D Cartesian braider and establishment of advanced
preform processing. In addition, worked with internal team to establish analysis and
design methodology utilizing textile composites.
Technical lead on commercial contracts with aerospace industry. Initiated development
of 3-D braided CMC next generation turbine components.
Wide range of composites engineering and design experience. Involved in projects
relating to the preforming, RTM, and testing of textile composite components and the
consolidation of ceramic matrix composites. Additionally, the application of braided
composites to deployable space structures, stiffener networks, and rocket motor
components, are areas of experience. Engineering and manufacturing experience with
automated tow placement and fabrication of isogrid structures.
Extensive cost projection and writing experience on both government and commercial
proposals. Proposal topics focused on structural, bio-medical, and “smart material”
applications of textile composites.
Graduate Research Fellow: Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware (6/89-12/97).
Research focused on the following:
Design and development of automated braiding equipment for the fabrication of advanced
three-dimensional preforms.
Development of fabrication process simulation software to supply architectural
characteristics of simulated preforms.
Formulation of process-structure models to relate desired preform size and microstructure
to machine operating conditions.
Development of iterative code to allow for design of hybrid composites and a
methodology to determine braiding plans for the fabrication of complex shapes.
Experimental program for the verification of all model predictions by design, fabrication,
RTM consolidation, and mechanical testing of a variety of 3-D braided composites.
Computer Skills:
COMSOL multi-physics (Finite Element Analysis), SolidWorks (Solid Modeling and CAD), MatLab,
MathCad, MS Project, FORTRAN programming language, MS Visual Basic.
Honors and Awards:
1991-92 Director’s Award, Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware
1993-94 Scholars Award, Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware
Excellence in Engineering and Polymer Science Award, Center for Composite Materials, Univ. of Delaware
Alice and Joseph J. Young Memorial Award, Dept. of Mech. Engineering, University of Delaware
George and Mary Nowinski Senior Research Achievement Award, Dept. of Mech. Eng., Univ. of Delaware
Society and Organization Membership:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
Publications, Patents, and Conferences:
Journal Papers :
“A Methodology for Cartesian Braiding of Three-Dimensional Shapes and Special Structures”, Journal of
Materials Science, Vol. 37, No. 13, June 2002, pp. 2811-2824, with T-W. Chou.
“Characterization and Comparative Study of Three-dimensional Braided Hybrid Composites”, Journal of
Materials Science, Vol. 35, May 2000, pp. 2175-2183, with T-W. Chou and P. Popper.
“Mechanics of 3D Textile Structural Composites : Processing”, Mechanics of Composite Materials and
Structures, Eds. C.A.M. Soares, C.M.M. Soares, and M.J.M. Freitas, NATO Science Series E : Applied
Sciences, Vol. 361, 151 (1999), Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, with T-W. Chou.
“Mechanics of 3D Textile Structural Composites : Analysis”, Mechanics of Composite Materials and
Structures, Eds. C.A.M. Soares, C.M.M. Soares, and M.J.M. Freitas, NATO Science Series E : Applied
Sciences, Vol. 361, 163 (1999), Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, with T-W. Chou.
“Microstructural Design of Advanced Three-Dimensional Braided Preforms,” Journal of Composite
Materials, Vol. 28, No. 13, 1994, pp. 1180-1201, with T-W. Chou.
“Process Simulation and Fabrication of Advanced Multi-Step Three-Dimensional Braided Preforms,”
Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 29, 1994, pp. 2159-2167, with T-W. Chou.
Book Contributions :
“3-D Textile Reinforcement in Composite Materials,” Chapter 7 on Braided Structures, contributing author,
Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge, England, 1999, with T-W. Chou.
Patents :
“Braiding Machine Having Self-Propelled Bobbin Carriers”, U.S. Patent 4,972,756, issued Nov. 27th, 1990,
with G-W. Du.
“Orthogonal Weaving for Complex Shape Preforms”, U.S. Patent 7,247,212, issued July 24th, 2007, with S.
Subramanian and D. Carper, G.E. Aircraft Engines.
“Method and Apparatus for Ultrasonic Machining”, U.S. Patent 6,932,682 (issued August 23rd, 2005) and
7,497,764 B2 (issued March 3rd, 2009), with T. Rentz, G.E. Aircraft Engines.
“Thermo-Mechanical Property Enhancement Plies for CVI/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Laminates”,
U.S. Patent 20050186878 A1, issued August 25th, 2005, with T. Darkins and D. Carper, G.E. Aircraft
Engines.
“Process of Producing a Composite Component and Intermediate Product Thereof”, U.S. Patent 7837914
B2, issued Nov. 23rd, 2010, with S. Subramanian, D. Carper, and J. Steibel, G.E. Aircraft Engines.
Select Conference Papers :
“Design Issues for Turbine Airfoils Fabricated from SiC/SiC CMC Materials”, Proceedings of the 26th
Annual Conference on Composites, Materials, and Structures (U.S. Only/ITAR-Restricted Sessions), Cocoa
Beach/Cape Canaveral, Florida, January 28-31, 2002, with M. Noe and D. Bulman.
“The Design of 3-D Braided Preforms for High Temperature Structural Applications”, Proceedings of the
Seventh International Conference on Composites Engineering, ICCE/7, Denver, Colorado, pp. 479-482,
Ed. David Hui, July 2-8, 2000, with T-W. Chou.
“Design of Three-Dimensional Multi-Step Braided Hybrid Composites of Complex Shapes,” Proceedings
of ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Nov. 17-22, 1996, Atlanta,
Georgia, with T-W. Chou.
“Computer Synthesis of Fiber Architecture and Properties of Textile Structural Composites,” Proceedings
of US-Russian Workshop on Computer Synthesis of Structures and Properties of Fiber Composites, Russian
Academy of Sciences, Moscow, p. 86, May, 1995, with T-W. Chou.
“Process-Microstructure-Property Relationship of Textile Structural Composites,” Proceedings of the 8th
CIMTEC-World Ceramics Congress and Forum on New Materials, 1994, Florence, Italy, with T-W. Chou.
“Design-Fabrication-Performance Relationship of Advanced Textile Structural Composites”, Proceedings
of the International Symposium on Advanced Technology of Design and Fabrication of Composite
Materials and Structures, Torino, Italy, May 24-28, 1993, with J-H. Byun and T-W. Chou.