Showing papers in "Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering in 2015"

Differences in microstructure and properties between selective laser melting and traditional manufacturing for fabrication of metal parts: A review

Abstract: Selective laser melting (SLM), as one of the additive manufacturing technologies, is widely investigated to fabricate metal parts. In SLM, parts are manufactured directly from powders in a layer-by-layer fashion; SLM also provides several advantages, such as production of complex parts with high three-dimensional accuracy, compared with other additive manufacturing technologies. Therefore, SLM can be applied in aeronautics, astronautics, medicine, and die and mould industry. However, this technique differs from traditional methods, such as casting and forging; for instance, the former greatly differs in terms of microstructure and properties of products. This paper summarizes relevant studies on metal material fabrication through SLM. Based on a work completed in Huazhong Univ. Sci Tech., Rapid Manuf. Center (HUST-RMC) and compared with characteristics described in other reported studies, microstructure, properties, dimensional accuracy, and application of SLM are presented.

An identification method for enclosed voids restriction in manufacturability design for additive manufacturing structures

Abstract: Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, such as selective laser sintering (SLS) and fused deposition modeling (FDM), have become the powerful tools for direct manufacturing of complex parts. This breakthrough in manufacturing technology makes the fabrication of new geometrical features and multiple materials possible. Past researches on designs and design methods often focused on how to obtain desired functional performance of the structures or parts, specific manufacturing capabilities as well as manufacturing constraints of AM were neglected. However, the inherent constraints in AM processes should be taken into account in design process. In this paper, the enclosed voids, one type of manufacturing constraints of AM, are investigated. In mathematics, enclosed voids restriction expressed as the solid structure is simplyconnected. We propose an equivalent description of simply-connected constraint for avoiding enclosed voids in structures, named as virtual temperature method (VTM). In this method, suppose that the voids in structure are filled with a virtual heating material with high heat conductivity and solid areas are filled with another virtual material with low heat conductivity. Once the enclosed voids exist in structure, the maximum temperature value of structure will be very high. Based upon this method, the simplyconnected constraint is equivalent to maximum temperature constraint. And this method can be easily used to formulate the simply-connected constraint in topology optimization. The effectiveness of this description method is illustrated by several examples. Based upon topology optimization, an example of 3D cantilever beam is used to illustrate the trade-off between manufacturability and functionality. Moreover, the three optimized structures are fabricated by FDM technology to indicate further the necessity of considering the simply-connected constraint in design phase for AM.

Additive Manufacturing of Co-Cr-Mo Alloy: Influence of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Tribological, and Electrochemical Properties

Abstract: Co-Cr-Mo alloy samples, fabricated using Laser Engineered Net Shaping – a laser based additive manufacturing technology, have been subjected heat treatment to study its influence on microstructure, wear and corrosion properties. Following L9 Orthogonal array of Taguchi method, the samples were solutionized at 1200oC for 30, 45 and 60 min followed by water quenching. Ageing treatment was done at 815oC and 830oC for 2, 4 and 6 h. Heat treated samples were evaluated for their microstructure, hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The results revealed that highest hardness of 512 ± 58 Hv and wear rate of 0.90 ± 0.14 × 10-4 mm3/N.m can be achieved with appropriate post-fabrication heat treatment. ANOVA and grey relational analysis on the experimental data revealed that the samples subjected to solution treatment for 60 min, without ageing, exhibit best combination of hardness, wear and corrosion resistance.

A systematic review of current and emergent manipulator control approaches

Abstract: Pressing demands of productivity and accuracy in today’s robotic applications have highlighted an urge to replace classical control strategies with their modern control counterparts. This recent trend is further justified by the fact that the robotic manipulators have complex nonlinear dynamic structure with uncertain parameters. Highlighting the authors’ research achievements in the domain of manipulator design and control, this paper presents a systematic and comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art control techniques that find enormous potential in controlling manipulators to execute cuttingedge applications. In particular, three kinds of strategies, i.e., intelligent proportional-integral-derivative (PID) scheme, robust control and adaptation based approaches, are reviewed. Future trend in the subject area is commented. Open-source simulators to facilitate controller design are also tabulated. With a comprehensive list of references, it is anticipated that the review will act as a firsthand reference for researchers, engineers and industrialinterns to realize the control laws for multi-degree of freedom (DOF) manipulators.

Fault diagnosis of spur gearbox based on random forest and wavelet packet decomposition

Abstract: This paper addresses the development of a random forest classifier for the multi-class fault diagnosis in spur gearboxes. The vibration signal’s condition parameters are first extracted by applying the wavelet packet decomposition with multiple mother wavelets, and the coefficients’ energy content for terminal nodes is used as the input feature for the classification problem. Then, a study through the parameters’ space to find the best values for the number of trees and the number of random features is performed. In this way, the best set of mother wavelets for the application is identified and the best features are selected through the internal ranking of the random forest classifier. The results show that the proposed method reached 98.68% in classification accuracy, and high efficiency and robustness in the models.

Application of the Optimized Decoupling Methodology for the Construction of a Skeletal Primary Reference Fuel Mechanism Focusing on Engine-Relevant Conditions

Abstract: For the multi-dimensional simulation of the engines with advanced compression-ignition combustion strategies, a practical and robust chemical kinetic mechanism is highly demanded. Decoupling methodology is effective for the construction of skeletal mechanisms for long-chain alkanes. To improve the performance of the decoupling methodology, further improvements are introduced based on recent theoretical and experimental works. The improvements include: (1) updating the H2/O2 sub-mechanism; (2) refining the rate constants in the HCO/CH3/CH2O sub-mechanism; (3) building a new reduced C2 sub-mechanism; and (4) improving the large-molecule sub-mechanism. With the improved decoupling methodology, a skeletal primary reference fuel (PRF) mechanism is developed. The mechanism is validated against the experimental data in shock tubes, jet-stirred reactors, premixed and counterflow flames for various PRF fuels covering the temperature range of 500–1450 K, the pressure range of 1–55 atm, and the equivalence ratio range of 0.25¬–1.0. Finally, the skeletal mechanism is coupled with a multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model to simulate the combustion and emission characteristics of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines fueled with iso-octane and PRF. Overall, the agreements between the experiment and prediction are satisfactory.

Biomechanics of knee joint – A review

Abstract: The present paper is to know how the work is carried out in the field of biomechanics of knee. Various model formulations are discussed and further classified into mathematical model, two-dimensional model and three-dimensional model. Knee geometry is a crucial part of human body movement, in which how various views of knee is shown in different planes and how the forces act on tibia and femur are studied. It leads to know the forces acting on the knee joint. Experimental studies of knee geometry and forces acting on knee shown by various researchers have been discussed, and comparisons of results are made. In addition, static and dynamic analysis of knee has been also discussed respectively to some extent.

An experimental characterization of human torso motion

Abstract: The torso plays an important role in the human-like operation of humanoids. In this paper, a method is proposed to analyze the behavior of the human torso by using inertial and magnetic sensing tools. Experiments are conducted to characterize the motion performance of the human torso during daily routine operations. Furthermore, the forces acting on the human body during these operations are evaluated to design and validate the performance of a humanoid robot.

Impact of Cylinder Deactivation on Active Diesel Particulate Filter Regeneration at Highway Cruise Conditions

Abstract: —Heavy-duty over-the-road trucks require periodic active diesel particulate filter regeneration to clean the filter of stored particulate matter. These events require sustained temperatures between 500 and 600□C to complete the regeneration process. Engine operation during typical 65 mile/hour highway cruise conditions (1200 rpm/7.6 bar) results in temperatures of approximately 350□C, and can reach approximately 420□C with late fuel injection. This necessitates hydrocarbon fueling of a diesel oxidation catalyst or burner located upstream of the diesel particulate filter to reach the required regeneration temperatures. These strategies require increased fuel consumption, and the presence of a fuel-dosed oxidation catalyst (or burner) between the engine and particulate filter. This paper experimentally demonstrates that, at the highway cruise condition, deactivation of valve motions and fuel injection for two or three (of six) cylinders can instead be used to reach engine outlet temperatures of 520-570□C, a 170-220□C increase compared to normal operation. This is primarily a result of a reduction in the air-to-fuel ratio realized by reducing the displaced cylinder volume through cylinder deactivation.

Tribological bench and engine dynamometer tests of a low viscosity SAE 0W-16 engine oil using a combination of ionic liquid and ZDDP as anti-wear additives

Abstract: We have previously reported an oil-miscible phosphonium-organophosphate ionic liquid (IL) with effective anti-wear functionality when added to a base oil by itself or combined with a conventional zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) for a synergistic effect. In this research, we investigated whether this synergy manifests in formulated engine oils. An experimental SAE 0W-16 engine oil was generated using a combination of IL and ZDDP with equal phosphorus contribution. The prototype engine oil was first evaluated using tribological bench tests: anti-wear performance in boundary lubrication and friction behavior (Stribeck curves) in elastohydrodynamic, mixed, and boundary lubrication. The forthcoming standard Sequence VIE engine dynamometer test was then conducted to demonstrate improved fuel economy. Results were benchmarked against those of another experimental engine oil with almost the same formulation except using ZDDP only without the IL (similar total phosphorus content) and a baseline SAE 20W-30 engine oil. The IL-ZDDP formulation consistently outperformed the ZDDP-only formulation and the results from the bench and engine tests are well correlated.

Dynamics of structural systems with various frequency-dependent damping models

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present the dynamic analyses of the system involving various damping models. The assumed frequency-dependent damping forces depend on the past history of motion via convolution integrals over some damping kernel functions. By choosing suitable damping kernel functions of frequency-dependent damping model, it may be derived from the familiar viscoelastic materials. A brief review of literature on the choice of available damping models is presented. Both the mode superposition method and Fourier transform method are developed for calculating the dynamic response of the structural systems with various damping models. It is shown that in the case of non-deficient systems with various damping models, the modal analysis with repeated eigenvalues are very similar to the traditional modal analysis used in undamped or viscously damped systems. Also, based on the pseudo-force approach, we transform the original equations of motion with nonzero initial conditions into an equivalent one with zero initial conditions and therefore present a Fourier transform method for the dynamics of structural systems with various damping models. Finally, some case studies are used to show the application and effectiveness of the derived formulas.

Mechanical Properties of Thin-Film Parylene–Metal–Parylene Devices

Abstract: Structures and testing methods for measuring the adhesion strength, minimum bending diameter, and bending fatigue performance of thin film polymer electronic architectures were developed and applied to Parylene-metal-Parylene systems with and without the moisture barrier Al2O3 (deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD)). Parylene-metal-Parylene interfaces had the strongest average peel test strength and Parylene-Parylene interfaces had the weakest peel. Layers of ALD Al2O3 deposited within the device increased the average peel strength for Parylene-Parylene interfaces when combined with silane A-174, but did not increase the Parylene-metal-Parylene interface. Metal traces in the middle of 24 µm thick Parylene-metal-Parylene devices had a minimum bending diameter of ~130 µm before breaking and being measured as an open circuit. The addition of one layer of Al2O3 above the traces allowed them to be completely creased when bent away from the Al2O3 layer without producing an open circuit, but increased the minimum bending diameter to ~450 µm when bent away from the Al2O3. Although fatigue testing produced cracks in all devcies after 100k bends, the insulation of the Parylene-metal-Parylene devices without Al2O3 performed well with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showing only small decreases in impedance magnitude and small increases of impedance phase at low frequencies. However, devices with Al2O3 failed during EIS due to Al2O3 being deteriorated by water.

Molecular dynamics modeling of a single diamond abrasive grain in grinding

Abstract: In this paper the nano-metric simulation of grinding of copper with diamond abrasive grains, using the molecular dynamics (MD) method, is considered. An MD model of nano-scale grinding, where a single diamond abrasive grain performs cutting of a copper workpiece, is presented. The Morse potential function is used to simulate the interactions between the atoms involved in the procedure. In the proposed model, the abrasive grain follows a curved path with decreasing depth of cut within the workpiece to simulate the actual material removal process. Three different initial depths of cut, namely 4 A, 8 A and 12 A, are tested, and the influence of the depth of cut on chip formation, cutting forces and workpiece temperatures are thoroughly investigated. The simulation results indicate that with the increase of the initial depth of cut, average cutting forces also increase and therefore the temperatures on the machined surface and within the workpiece increase as well. Furthermore, the effects of the different values of the simulation variables on the chip formation mechanism are studied and discussed. With the appropriate modifications, the proposed model can be used for the simulation of various nano-machining processes and operations, in which continuum mechanics cannot be applied or experimental techniques are subjected to limitations.

Ventilation and Air Distribution Systems in Buildings

Abstract: The need of building occupants for ventilation has been recognized many centuries ago; however, since the early 1970s, ventilation systems for buildings and transport systems have considerably evolved. This was invigorated by researchers who demonstrated the requirements for buildings to provide comfort and good air quality indoors (e.g., Fanger, 1972; Fanger and Christensen, 1986; Fanger, 1988; European Collaborative Action, 1992). Later on, this need evolved to address the additional energy requirement for buildings to achieve the indoor environment quality levels stipulated by those previous researchers (Awbi, 2003, 2007; Karimipanah et al., 2007, 2008). Energy consumption for heating, cooling, and ventilating buildings often accounts for the largest part of a country’s energy usage, which is still mainly based on fossil fuels. There is a great global emphasis on reducing the reliance of buildings on fossil fuel energy and a move toward Nearly Zero Carbon Buildings (NZCB). This requires a major shift in the way buildings and their integrated heating, cooling, and ventilation systems are designed, operated, and maintained. Achieving this goal will require a rethink of the traditional designs of and types of systems currently in use. The proportion of ventilation energy in comparison with the total energy use in a building is expected to increase as the building fabric energy performance improves and ventilation standards recommend higher ventilation rates for improving indoor air quality (IAQ). At the same time, new building regulations (Directive 2010/31/EC, 2010; Building Regulation, 2010) are imposing air-tight construction, which will inevitably impact on IAQ, health (e.g., sick building syndrome), and human productivity in some future buildings (Seppänen, 2012). Despite recent advances in building ventilation (Nielsen, 1993; Etheridge and Sandberg, 1996; Skistad et al., 2004; Awbi, 2011; Müller et al., 2013), it is evident that complaints about poor IAQ have increased in recent years (Gunnarsen and Fanger, 1992; Fisk, 2000, Bakó-Biró, 2004; Fanger, 2006; Boestra and van Dijken, 2010). There is a need therefore for assessing current methods of building ventilation and developing ventilation systems that are capable of providing good IAQ and energy performance to satisfy building occupants and meet new building energy codes. This article gives a brief overview of the various types of mechanical ventilation and air distribution systems that are used for buildings; highlighting those systems that are capable of providing better IAQ and energy efficiency. The aim is to provide some insight to those building professionals whose tasks are selecting ventilation systems for low energy buildings that can provide the necessary levels of IAQ for the occupants; and for the research community to continue research in this area in order to develop new ventilation concepts and deliver the desired performance.

Simulation of abrasive flow machining process for 2D and 3D mixture models

Abstract: Improvement of surface finish and material removal has been quite a challenge in a finishing operation such as abrasive flow machining (AFM). Factors that affect the surface finish and material removal are media viscosity, extrusion pressure, piston velocity, and particle size in abrasive flow machining process. Performing experiments for all the parameters and accurately obtaining an optimized parameter in a short time are difficult to accomplish because the operation requires a precise finish. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was employed to accurately determine optimum parameters. In the current work, a 2D model was designed, and the flow analysis, force calculation, and material removal prediction were performed and compared with the available experimental data. Another 3D model for a swaging die finishing using AFM was simulated at different viscosities of the media to study the effects on the controlling parameters. A CFD simulation was performed by using commercially available ANSYS FLUENT. Two phases were considered for the flow analysis, and multiphase mixture model was taken into account. The fluid was considered to be a

Experimental Analysis on the Influence of Nozzle Geometry Over the Dispersion of Liquid N-Dodecane Sprays

Abstract: Understanding and controlling mixing and combustion processes is fundamental in order to face the challenges set by the ever more demanding pollutant regulations and fuel consumption standards of direct injection diesel engines. The fundamentals of these processes haven been long studied by the diesel spray community from both experimental and numerical perspectives. However, certain topics such as the influence of nozzle geometry over the spray atomization, mixing and combustion process are still not completely well understood and predicted by numerical models. The present study seeks to contribute to the current understanding of this subject, by performing state-of-the-art optical diagnostics to liquid sprays injected through two singe-hole nozzles of different conicity. The experiments were carried out in a nitrogen-filled constant-pressure-flow facility. Back pressures were set to produce the desired engine-like density conditions in the chamber, at room temperature. The experimental setup consists in a diffused back illumination setup with a fast pulsed LED light source and a high-speed camera. The diagnostics focused on detecting the liquid spray contour and evaluating the influence of nozzle geometry over the time-resolved and quasi-steady response of the spray dispersion, at similar injection conditions. Results show a clear influence of nozzle geometry on spray contour fluctuations, where the cylindrical nozzle seems to produce larger dispersion in both time-resolved fluctuations and quasi-steady values, when compared to the conical nozzle. This evidences that the turbulence and radial velocity profiles originated at the cylindrical nozzle geometry are able to affect not only the microscopic scales inside the nozzle, but also macroscopic scales such as the steady spray. Observations from this study indicate that the effects of the flow characteristics within the nozzle are carried on to the first millimeters of the spray, in which the rest of the spray formation downstream is pre-defined.

Compression Ignition Engines – Revolutionary Technology That has Civilized Frontiers all Over the Globe from the Industrial Revolution into the Twenty-First Century

Abstract: The history, present and future of the compression ignition engine is a fascinating story that spans over 100 years, from the time of Rudolf Diesel to the highly regulated and computerized engines of the 21st Century. The development of these engines provided inexpensive, reliable and high power density machines to allow transportation, construction and farming to be more productive with less human effort than in any previous period of human history. The concept that fuels could be consumed efficiently and effectively with only the ignition of pressurized and heated air was a significant departure from the previous coal-burning architecture of the 1800s. Today, the compression ignition engine is undergoing yet another revolution. The equipment that provides transport, builds roads and infrastructure, and harvests the food we eat needs to meet more stringent requirements than ever before. How successfully 21st Century engineers are able to make compression ignition engine technology meet these demands will be of major influence in assisting developing nations (with over 50% of the world’s population) achieve the economic and environmental goals they seek.

Linear quadratic optimal controller for cable-driven parallel robots

Abstract: In recent years, various cable-driven parallel robots have been investigated for their advantages, such as low structural weight, high acceleration, and large work-space, over serial and conventional parallel systems. However, the use of cables lowers the stiffness of these robots, which in turn may decrease motion accuracy. A linear quadratic (LQ) optimal controller can provide all the states of a system for the feedback, such as position and velocity. Thus, the application of such an optimal controller in cable-driven parallel robots can result in more efficient and accurate motion compared to the performance of classical controllers such as the proportional- integral-derivative controller. This paper presents an approach to apply the LQ optimal controller on cable-driven parallel robots. To employ the optimal control theory, the static and dynamic modeling of a 3-DOF planar cable-driven parallel robot (Feriba-3) is developed. The synthesis of the LQ optimal control is described, and the significant experimental results are presented and discussed.

Grand challenges in engine and automotive engineering

Abstract: Oil provides 33% of the world’s energy (Wilcox, 2014) and transportation engines account for over 60% of the 70 million barrels of crude used each day Engines power the world’s roughly one billion passenger vehicles, as well as trucks and heavy-duty vehicles In theUSA, engines consume 14million barrels of oil per day or 25 gal/person Since there are insufficient reserves, 62% is imported, and at current prices (eg, $80 a barrel), the USA spends about 1 billion dollars a day on imported oil is also impacts national security It is unreasonable to think that this vast consumption of fuel is sustainable But prospects for replacing the IC engine with more fuel efficient and cleaner power plants are not hopeful Indeed, a recent report (NRC, 2011) concluded that “ the internal combustion engine (ICE) will be the dominant prime mover for light-duty vehicles for many years, probably decades us, it is clearly important to perform R&D to provide a better understanding of the fundamental processes affecting engine efficiency and the production of undesirable emissions” Also, there is no obvious alternative to the IC engine for mediumand heavy-duty commercial vehicles, which account for a quarter of all fuel used (mostly diesel) e fuel used by IC engines also has a major impact on our global environment Burning one 1 kg of fuel consumes about 15 kg of air, and signi cant energy is required to pump it into and out of the engine In addition, about 3 kg of CO2 is generated, which contributes to the world’s annual production of 37 billion tons of CO2, a major green house gas (GHG) Some fear that GHGs can cause climate change with unpredictable consequences To address this problem, the International Energy Agency’s roadmap is to reduce fuel use by 30–50% in new road vehicles worldwide by 2030, and in all vehicles by 2050 (IEA, 2012) Although 2050 appears distant, the time required to bring new engines to production, together with the years needed for new technology to permeate the vehicle eet, means that major effort (and investment) will be required us, the grand challenge faced by engine and automotive engineering researchers over the next decades will be to devise technological advances thatmaximize engine efficiency, minimize pollutant emissions, and optimize tolerance to a wider variety of fuels in power generation and transportation systems

Reaction Mechanisms and HCCI Combustion Processes of Mixtures of n-Heptane and the Butanols

Abstract: A reduced primary reference fuel (PRF)-Alcohol-Di-tert-butyl Peroxide (DTBP) mechanism with 108 species and 435 reactions, including sub-mechanisms of PRF, methanol, ethanol, DTBP and the four butanol isomers, is proposed for homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine combustion simulations of butanol isomers/n-heptane mixtures. HCCI experiments fuelled with butanol isomer/n-heptane mixtures on two different engines are conducted for the validation of proposed mechanism. The mechanism has been validated against shock tube ignition delays, laminar flame speeds, species profiles in premixed flames and engine HCCI combustion data, and good agreements with experimental results are demonstrated under various validation conditions. It is found that although the reactivity of neat tert-butanol is the lowest, mixtures of tert-butanol/n-heptane exhibit the highest reactivity among the butanol isomer/n-heptane mixtures if the n-heptane blending ratio exceeds 20% (mole). Kinetic analysis shows that the highest C-H bond energy in the tert-butanol molecule is partially responsible for this phenomenon. It is also found that the reaction tC4H9OH+CH3O2 =tC4H9O+CH3O2H plays important role and eventually produces the OH radical to promote the ignition and combustion. The proposed mechanism is able to capture HCCI combustion processes of the butanol/n-heptane mixtures under different operating conditions. In addition, the trend that tert-butanol /n-heptane has the highest reactivity is also captured in HCCI combustion simulations. The results indicate that the current mechanism can be used for HCCI engine predictions of PRF and alcohol fuels.

A rate-dependent Prandtl-Ishlinskii model for piezoelectric actuators using the dynamic envelope function based play operator

Abstract: In this paper, a novel rate-dependent Prandtl-Ishlinskii (P-I) model is proposed to characterize the rate-dependent hysteresis nonlinearity of piezoelectric actuators. The new model is based on a modified rate-dependent play operator, in which a dynamic envelope function is introduced to replace the input function of the classical play operator. Moreover, a dynamic density function is utilized in the proposed P-I model. The parameters of the proposed model are identified by a modified particle swarm optimization algorithm. Finally, experiments are conducted on a piezo-actuated nanopositioning stage to validate the proposed P-I model under the sinusoidal inputs. The experimental results show that the developed rate-dependent P-I model precisely characterize the rate-dependent hysteresis loops up to 1000 Hz.

Reliability-based robust design optimization of vehicle components, Part I: Theory

Abstract: The reliability-based design optimization, the reliability sensitivity analysis and robust design method are employed to present a practical and effective approach for reliability-based robust design optimization of vehicle components. A procedure for reliability-based robust design optimization of vehicle components is proposed. Application of the method is illustrated by reliability-based robust design optimization of axle and spring. Numerical results have shown that the proposed method can be trusted to perform reliability-based robust design optimization of vehicle components.

Development and performance of an advanced ejector cooling system for a sustainable built environment

Abstract: Ejector refrigeration is a promising technology for the integration into solar driven cooling systems because of its relative simplicity and low initial cost. The major drawback of such a system is associated to its relatively low coefficient of performance (COP) under variable operating conditions. In order to overcome this problem, an advanced ejector was developed that changes its geometrical features depending on the upstream and downstream conditions. This paper provides a short overview of the development process and results of a small cooling capacity (1.5 kW) solar driven cooling system using a variable geometry ejector. During the design steps, a number of theoretical works have been carried out, including the selection of the working fluid, the determination of the geometrical requirements and prototype design. Based on the analysis, R600a was selected as working fluid. A prototype was constructed with two independent variable geometrical factors: the area ratio and the nozzle exit position. A test rig was also assembled in order to test the ejector performance under controlled laboratory conditions and to elaborate a control algorithm for the variable geometry. Ejector performance was assessed by calculation of cooling cycle COP, entrainment ratio and critical back pressure. The results show that for a condenser pressure of 3 bar, an 80% increase in the COP was obtained when compared to the performance of a fixed geometry ejector. Experimental COP values varied between 0.4 and 0.8, depending on operating conditions. Currently the cooling cycle is being integrated into a solar driven demonstration site for long term “in situ” assessment.

A Stoneley wave method to detect interlaminar damage of metal layer composite pipe

Abstract: The interlaminar defect is a major form of damage in metal layer composite pipes which are widely used in petroleum and chemical industry. In this paper, a Stoneley wave method is presented to detect interlaminar damage in laminated pipe structure. Stoneley wave possesses some good characteristics, such as high energy and large displacement at the interface and non-dispersive in the high-frequency, so the sensitivity of detecting interlaminar damage can be improved and the higher frequency can be used in damage detection compared with Lamb waves. Additionally, as the frequency increases, the wavelength of the Stoneley wave reduces. Thus, its ability to detect small defects at the interface is enhanced. Finite element model of metal layer composite pipe with interlaminar damage is used to simulate wave propagation of Lamb waves and Stoneley wave, respectively. The damage location is calculated by using the Stoneley wave signal obtained from finite element model, and then the results are compared with the actual damage locations. The simulation examples demonstrate that the Stoneley wave method can better identify the interlaminar damage in laminated pipe structure compared with Lamb waves.

Experimental evaluation and simulation of volumetric shrinkage and warpage on polymeric composite reinforced with short natural fibers

Abstract: A polymeric natural fiber-reinforced composite is developed by extrusion and injection molding process. The shrinkage and warpage of high-density polyethylene reinforced with short natural fibers of Guadua angustifolia Kunth are analyzed by experimental measurements and computer simulations. Autodesk Moldflow® and Solid Works® are employed to simulate both volumetric shrinkage and warpage of injected parts at different configurations: 0 wt.%, 20 wt.%, 30 wt.% and 40 wt.% reinforcing on shrinkage and warpage behavior of polymer composite. Become evident the restrictive effect of reinforcing on the volumetric shrinkage and warpage of injected parts. The results indicate that volumetric shrinkage of natural composite is reduced up to 58% with fiber increasing, whereas the warpage shows a reduction form 79% to 86% with major fiber content. These results suggest that it is a highly beneficial use of natural fibers to improve the assembly properties of polymeric natural fiber-reinforced composites.

Modeling and simulation of normal and hemiparetic gait

Abstract: Gait is the collective term for the two types of bipedal locomotion, walking and running. This paper is focused on walking. The analysis of human gait is of interest to many different disciplines, including biomechanics, human-movement science, rehabilitation and medicine in general. Here we present a new model that is capable of reproducing the properties of walking, normal and pathological. The aim of this paper is to establish the biomechanical principles that underlie human walking by using Lagrange method. The constraint forces of Rayleigh dissipation function, through which to consider the effect on the tissues in the gait, are included. Depending on the value of the factor present in the Rayleigh dissipation function, both normal and pathological gait can be simulated. First of all, we apply it in the normal gait and then in the permanent hemiparetic gait. Anthropometric data of adult person are used by simulation, and it is possible to use anthropometric data for children but is necessary to consider existing table of anthropometric data. Validation of these models includes simulations of passive dynamic gait that walk on level ground. The dynamic walking approach provides a new perspective of gait analysis, focusing on the kinematics and kinetics of gait. There have been studies and simulations to show normal human gait, but few of them have focused on abnormal, especially hemiparetic gait. Quantitative comparisons of the model predictions with gait measurements show that the model can reproduce the significant characteristics of normal gait.

Eddy current measurement of the thickness of top Cu film of the multilayer interconnects in the integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process

Abstract: This paper proposes a new eddy current method, named equivalent unit method (EUM), for the thickness measurement of the top copper film of multilayer interconnects in the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, which is an important step in the integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing. The influence of the underneath circuit layers on the eddy current is modeled and treated as an equivalent film thickness. By subtracting this equivalent film component, the accuracy of the thickness measurement of the top copper layer with an eddy current sensor is improved and the absolute error is 3 nm for sampler measurement.

Vibration analysis of nano-structure multilayered graphene sheets using modified strain gradient theory

Abstract: In this paper, for the first time, the modified strain gradient theory is used as a new size-dependent Kirchhoff micro-plate model to study the effect of interlayer van der Waals (vdW) force for the vibration analysis of multilayered graphene sheets (MLGSs). The model contains three material length scale parameters, which may effectively capture the size effect. The model can also degenerate into the modified couple stress plate model or the classical plate model, if two or all of the material length scale parameters are taken to be zero. After obtaining the governing equations based on modified strain gradient theory via principle of minimum potential energy, as only infinitesimal vibration is considered, the net pressure due to the vdW interaction is assumed to be linearly proportional to the deflection between two layers. To solve the governing equation subjected to the boundary conditions, the Fourier series is assumed for w = w(x, y). To show the accuracy of the formulations, present results in specific cases are compared with available results in literature and a good agreement can be seen. The results indicate that the present model can predict prominent natural frequency with the reduction of structural size, especially when the plate thickness is on the same order of the material length scale parameter.

Preload characteristics identification of the piezoelectric-actuated 1-DOF compliant nanopositioning platform

Abstract: Packaged piezoelectric ceramic actuators (PPCAs) and compliant mechanisms are attractive for nanopositioning and nanomanipulation due to their ultra-high precision. The way to create and keep a proper and steady connection between both ends of the PPCA and the compliant mechanism is an essential step to achieve such a high accuracy. The connection status affects the initial position of the terminal moving plate, the positioning accuracy and the dynamic performance of the nanopositioning platform, especially during a long-time or high-frequency positioning procedure. This paper presents a novel external preload mechanism and tests it in a 1-degree of freedom (1-DOF) compliant nanopositioning platform. The 1-DOF platform utilizes a parallelogram guiding mechanism and a parallelogram load mechanism to provide a more accurate actual input displacement and output displacement. The simulation results verify the proposed stiffness model and dynamic model of the platform. The values of the preload displacement, actual input displacement and output displacement can be measured by three capacitive sensors during the whole positioning procedure. The test results show the preload characteristics vary with different types or control modes of the PPCA. Some fitting formulas are derived to describe the preload displacement, actual input displacement and output displacement using the nominal elongation signal of the PPCA. With the identification of the preload characteristics, the actual and comprehensive output characteristics of the PPCA can be obtained by the strain gauge sensor (SGS) embedded in the PPCA.

Design of active orthoses for a robotic gait rehabilitation system

Abstract: An active orthosis (AO) is a robotic device that assists both human gait and rehabilitation therapy. This work proposes portable AOs, one for the knee joint and another for the ankle joint. Both AOs will be used to complete a robotic system that improves gait rehabilitation. The requirements for actuator selection, the biomechanical considerations during the AO design, the finite element method, and a control approach based on electroencephalographic and surface electromyographic signals are reviewed. This work contributes to the design of AOs for users with foot drop and knee flexion impairment. However, the potential of the proposed AOs to be part of a robotic gait rehabilitation system that improves the quality of life of stroke survivors requires further investigation.