Showing papers in "Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Automation in 2017"

Experimental Piezoelectric System Identification

Abstract: In this research article, you will learn about experimental system identification of natural frequencies of vibration of a piezoelectric film element including a detailed introduction to several factors that often confound application of theories to the real world: 1) additional response data induced by signal measurement, 2) signal harmonics, and 3) signals induced by the power supply. Signals are read and processed from a piezoelectric element configured as a cantilever, which is bent by a motor and cam assembly. Due to the piezoelectric effect, the strain created by the mechanical displacement generates charges in the piezoelectric material, which is translated to a voltage reading with a charge amplifier circuit. The effects of reference resistance and capacitance and the time constant of the circuit were investigated using a National Instruments myDAQ. The myDAQ oscilloscope effectively displayed time response, but spectral data was suspect. Especially since system identification (ID) largely comprises identification of the natural frequency, it is preferred to not modify the signal being measured (as is the case with the oscilloscope). Furthermore, improved spectral plots were seen with increased supply voltage (not always a good thing); therefore buffers were investigated next. The buffer provided improved spectral data, but the buffer output did whatever was necessary to the signal to make the voltages at the inputs be equal (again, modifying the signal). Using op-amps in the buffer configuration resulted in pretty spectral plots, but contained “ghost” resonances, while using the op-amps in a two-stage charge amplifier configuration suppressed the “ghost resonances”. In all cases, taking measurements at the output of the charge amplifier was superior to taking measurements at the voltage amplifier. A two-stage amplification configuration provided on-the-order-of triple voltage signal (peak minus offset) amplification. Several of the cases investigated provided good signal amplification with very legible spectral data plots.

Experimental Investigation of Frictional Force in a Hydrodynamic Journal Bearing Lubricated with Magnetorheological Fluid

Abstract: Variations in frictional force developed in the journal bearing lubricated with Magnetorheological (MR) fluid was investigated. Also, a comparative study was conducted between MR fluids and SAE15W40 grade engine oil on the performance characteristics. A test bearing set-up was developed to accommodate MR fluid film with provision for varying magnetic field. MR Fluid was formulated by dispersing electrolytic grade micron sized iron particles in silicon oil base fluid in 0.3 volume fraction. The results of the experimental testing indicated an increase in frictional force with increasing excitation current in the electromagnetic cores of journal bearing for similar loads and speeds in comparison to plain engine oil; the presence of MR fluid causes an increase in viscosity in comparison to plain engine oil and thus holds a great potential to increase the load carrying capacity of the journal bearing.

Design and Fabrication of Coconut Dehusker

Abstract: Coconut is a main crop of konkan region and dehusking of coconut is very necessary step in making the coconut ready for further utilization. Coconut dehusking involves removing of the husk from the coconut. Traditional dehusking is time consuming and difficult process. To overcome these limitations, to improve the automation and to provide safety for the operator, a new design of dehusking machine is introduced and fabricated. This dehusker comprises usage of two horizontal rollers with series of sharp tools which would shear the husk from coconut when rolling against each other. Shear force is required for dehusking of mature green coconut and dry brown coconut. Shear force required is more for mature green coconut than dry coconut. Torque and speed reduction required for dehusking is calculated by using the force required for shearing coconut. Optimum number of spikes is arranged on the rollers to dehusk the coconut with minimum force.

Effects of Surface Tension on Liquid Film Behavior and Interfacial Shear Stress of Two-Phase Annular Flow in a Vertical Pipe

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to clarify experimentally the effects of surface tension on liquid film in upward annular flows in a vertical pipe of 19.2 mm i.d. and 5.4 m long. In the experiment, air was the test gas, while water and/or a dilute water solution of Polyoxyethylene-Lauryl-Ether (PLE for short) the test liquid. The surface tension of water was 72 dyne/cm and that of PLE 45 dyne/cm, but the viscosity and the density were nearly the same between these liquids. The liquid film behavior was studied using both the photograph and the time and spatial characteristics of peripheral-mean liquid holdup, which was detected with a series of 63 liquid holdup sensors each axially 15 mm apart in a constant current method. The data showed that the liquid film behavior strongly depends on the surface tension, i.e., the passing frequency of the large waves for PLE decreased remarkably; the wave height of the large waves for PLE became lower like small waves; the passing frequency of the small waves for PLE increased; and the small wave velocity for PLE became faster. Furthermore, the experimental data on the mean liquid film thickness and the gas-liquid interfacial shear stress were analyzed and discussed based on the result of the liquid film behavior.

Multi Functional Android Controlled Robotic Arm for Drilling, Cutting and Cleaning Application

Abstract: Robotics has become very useful in medicine, education, military, research and mostly, in the world of manufacturing It has become popular, useful, and has achieved great success in several fields of humanity In this project, work is carried out on the robotic arm which is controlled using an Arduino ATMEGA-328 micro-controller via android app Servomotors are used for the link movements and DC motors are used for the base movement The benefits of this work are visual movement of the device, text-to-speech recognition, compact in size and economical The prototype developed is more user friendly and less costlier It will perform the desired operation very smoothly The system can be controlled within a range of 15 meters using any android smart phone, which will be more applicable in applications such as bomb defusing, remote pick and place, cleaning applications

A Study on Mechanical and Vibration Characteristics of Mother of Pearl Filled Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composite

Abstract: The present work aimed to determine the mechanical and vibration characteristics of Glass/Epoxy composite with Mother of Pearl as secondary reinforcing material (filler material) The secondary material percentage was varied for three different compositions ie, for composite with 5%, 10% and 15% weight percentage of filler material The results showed that the Composite reinforced with 5% filler material yielded better results for Tension, whereas the composite reinforced with 15% filler material gave better results for Flexural and Vibration tests The Experimental results were further verified by Analytical method using Nastran Software The Experimental and Analytical results showed agreement with each other

Design and Fabrication of Wall Plastering Machine

Abstract: The construction industry has a long Turn Around Time (TAT) due to human- based work environment. Further, lack of skilled labour, increase in labour cost, and technological advances are forcing rapid changes in building construction, which mainly consists of commercial infrastructure and residential building, where plastering work is must. The introduction of a new automated plastering machine can help to reduce the TAT in the construction field. The present work developed a model of a wall plastering machine. The proposed machine consists of an AC motor, gear box, wire rope mechanism, pulley, hopper-tray, guide ways, etc. The model has been fabricated considering a normal constructed brick wall, and further validated through testing in real-time environment.

Fabrication of a Washing and Shredding Machine for Processing of Commingled Waste Plastics

Abstract: The fabrication and working details of a machine capable of washing and shredding Commingled waste plastics is presented in this paper. The developed machine performs washing and cleaning, along with shredding of waste plastics using an arrangement of rotary and fixed blades to provide fine shredded form of waste plastics as output. The cleaned and shredded waste plastics form the input raw material for subsequent extrusion-injection moulding machine used to manufacture plastic lumber. The developed machine performs the cleaning and shredding operation within a single chamber; thereby reducing the need for two separate units. This Commingled Waste Plastic Washing and Shredding Machine developed is used in combination with Extrusion-Injection Moulding Machine in a waste processing facility for the manufacture of Plastic lumber.

Static Characteristics of Two-Axial Groove Journal Bearing Operating on TiO 2 Nanolubricant Using a Temperature Dependent Viscosity Model

Abstract: An empirical temperature dependent viscosity model for TiO2 nanolubricant is used in conjunction with Reynolds equation to obtain the theoretical static performance characteristics of a Two-Axial groove journal bearing operating on TiO2 nanolubricant. The modified Reynolds equation is non-dimensionalised and solved numerically by finite difference method satisfying the Reynolds boundary condition. The obtained performance characteristics for different lubricant temperatures and nanoparticle additive concentrations are compared with plain engine oil. It is observed that, the usual reduction in load carrying capacity and friction force with increasing temperature of the oil film is lower for nanolubricant in comparison to plain engine oil. The presence of nanoparticle additives therefore arrests the decrease in viscosity with increasing temperature and hence improves the static performance of journal bearings.

Effect of Heater System on Heating Efficiency and Interfacial Properties between Prepreg and Injected Part in Hybrid Molding

Abstract: Hybrid molding is the combining molding process of stamping and injection moldings for Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics (FRTP), therefore composite structural materials with many members or rib structure behind molding products can be fabricated at one time by using this process. However, molding conditions effects on the interfacial properties between pre-heated part and injected resin have not been investigated before. In this study, three types of heating system such as far-infrared heater with ceramic heating element, middle-infrared heater with metal heating element, and middle-infrared heater with carbon heating element were used to examine heating time, temperature distribution, and amount of electric power for the efficiency of prepreg heating by hybrid molding. Also, prepreg was preheated by using these heating systems. By including the fact from mechanical properties of hybrid products, the most efficient heating method for hybrid molding was investigated. From these results show that most efficient heater system was metal heater with middle infrared ray for preheating of CF/PA6 thermoplastics composite in hybrid molding.

Design and Fabrication of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for Water Pump Application

Abstract: Over the past few decades, due to extensive use of fossil energy sources, world is facing global warming and increasing greenhouse effect. Higher need of energy and less accessibility to power supplies requires the use of renewable sources of energy like wind-energy, which is most prominent for suitable applications. In the present work, design and construction of a wind pump that can provide water to rural and remote areas facing electricity scarcity is attempted. Small wind turbines need to be cost effective, affordable, and incur minimum maintenance cost. Perfectly designed wind mill which can be used in optimal working climate could be a dependable energy source and produce socio-economically valuable energy not only in developing countries but also in local applications. The overall design goals of the present work focused on affordability and simplicity of design rather than efficiency.

Six-degree-of-freedom Control by Posture Control and Walking Directional Control for Six-legged Robot

Abstract: We describe a six-degree-of-freedom control method for the posture (body height, and pitch and roll angles), body position (x, y), and yaw angle of a six-legged robot. First, we describe our posture control method using an impedance model while considering actuator dynamics, after which we describe a walking directional control method that utilizes the torque of rotating links and reaction forces of thigh and shank links as control inputs. For the posture control and walking directional control models, we built a Type-1 servo system and designed a linear-quadratic-integral control system that allowed the robot to follow the targeted body posture, body position (x, y), and yaw angle trajectories. Additionally, in response to an observed problem in which the feedback (FB) input for thigh and shank links generated by walking directional control interferes with the FB input for a thigh link generated by posture control, we will explain how the FB control input produced by posture control in our model generates a control input that eliminates the walking directional control interference. The effectiveness of our proposed control method is then examined through simulations using a three-dimensional model of the robot during straight walking and obstacle climbing behavior.

Design and Fabrication of Paddy Cleaning Machine

Abstract: Agriculture is the largest single industry in the world, and seed production is an important segment of this industry Seed, as it comes from the field, contains various contaminants like weed seeds, other crop seeds, and such inert material as stems, leaves, broken seed, and dirt Therefore, cleaning of paddy is required Additionally, non-availability of appropriate paddy cleaning machine at reasonable price is one of the major constraints for initiating small/medium scale manufacture of paddy cleaning machine Therefore, this working is undertaken to develop an efficient low cost paddy cleaner in view of improving the quality paddy cleaning using conventional methods To check the performance of the paddy cleaner, a total volume of 115kg of uncleaned paddy consisting of 1kg of paddy, 005kg of dust and 01kg of sand was fed into the hopper After the cleaning process, the output obtained was 1022kg of cleaned paddy with 0994kg of paddy, 0021kg of dust and 0006kg of sand Hence the performance of this machine is very efficient where most of the paddy produced is cleaned

Sled Damping Seat to Decrease Neck Injury in Rear-end Accident Experimental and Modelling

Abstract: Neck injuries caused by rear end collisions have become a major problem in traffic safety over the last two decades. This situation calls for more research in the field. One area of interest is a damping seat slide to reduce neck injury. To reduce neck injury (Whiplash), based upon new biomechanical research, the motion between head and torso should be reduced. In case of a rear end impact new seat will slide backwards during the impact which allows the motion to damp. Working Model software was used first to simulate and analyse the behaviour of the new system, also a test rig was developed for experimental purposes. The results show occupant protection increases with the new damping seat slide by reducing the NIC 35%.

Development of Conceptual Framework for Ship Maintenance Performance Measurements

Abstract: In the marine shipping industry, maintenance planning is very significant due to its complexity and the obligations on shipping organizations to comply with certain international regulations and requirements. Decision makers some time need a tool to guide them in taking effective and informed decisions on maintenance planning. In this Paper new methodology was developed to measure the maintenance performance for marine shipping organization, which is the ship maintenance performance measurement (SMPM) framework. The framework is developed based on ten thematic criteria that can influence the decision making of ship maintenance schemes such as: maintenance strategy, customers’ satisfaction, employees’ satisfaction, budget and profit margins, health, safety and environment. The research methodology is based on: (a) review of relevant literature to develop the conceptual framework; and (b) interviews survey of three leading marine shipping organizations. The SMPM framework is developed based upon multiple criteria under four organizational hierarchical levels: (1) top management; (2) middle management; (3) ship senior staff; and (4) ship crew. The developed framework is validated by conducting another set of interviews with marine experts. The interviewees reveal that the framework is practically viable; and could be adopted and implemented in industry.

On the Study of Wellhead Fatigue due to Vortex Induced Vibration in the Gulf of Guinea

Abstract: Wellhead systems experience varying types of fatigue loads from drilling to abandonment. Incidents of wellhead failure in the past has raised concerns about wellhead fatigue issues among operators. Different UWD-15 wellhead models have been studied for VIV fatigue in the Gulf of Guinea. MetOcean data from a typical offshore field in the Gulf of Guinea were obtained. Details of materials used for the wellhead models (Standard and RLSD system) were obtained from their design documents. The analysis was done using Strouhal numbers (St) 0.2 and 0.5, water depths ranged from 500 m to 1,200 m and return periods ranging from 1-year to 100-years. The natural frequencies for the RLSD system were observed to be higher than that for the Standard, with the fundamental frequency being 84.6 Hz and 69.3 Hz, respectively. The highest vortex shedding frequency which the RLSD and Standard systems will experience were found to be 0.151 Hz and 0.190 Hz, respectively at St = 0.5, 500 m water depth and 100-years return period. For both wellhead models, the natural frequencies were found to be greater than their respective vortex shedding frequencies, hence, VIV “Lock-in” phenomenon is unlikely. Since the given metOcean conditions are same from drilling to abandonment, it is unlikely that neither Standard nor RLSD wellhead systems will be affected by VIV fatigue phenomenon in the Gulf of Guinea, rather, other sources of fatigue loading may be relevant.

Design and Fabrication of a Pneumatically Powered Human Exoskeleton Arm

Abstract: The future of technology lies significantly in the field of R&D. With extensive research and the desire to obtain abilities beyond the human capability, the concept of anthropomorphic equipment came into being. The thirst for indomitable power was quenched by the development of the “Human Exoskeleton.” A Human Exoskeleton also known as Powered Armour, Exoframe, Hardsuit, or Exosuit, is a wearable mobile machine that can be powered by a system of motors, pneumatics, levers, or hydraulics that amplifies the force of the operator and enables them to possess superhuman strength. This concept has a wide scope for improvement and is a tantalizing topic for research. With the dawn of this advanced technology, the term ‘weakness’ can be eliminated from the human perception. This project aims to empower the physically weak individuals by helping them harness the power of pneumatics to amplify the strength of their arm. By incorporating a pneumatic cylinder in the system, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of muscle effort required, by an individual, while lifting loads up to twenty-five kilograms. The design has been realised for one arm but can be extended to the other arm as well. The exoskeleton arm is a subassembly of an entire portable suit, and it permits the transfer of external loads to the stronger sections of the body by means of accurately placed linkages and joints. The arm is intended to be an auxiliary source of strength for any person willing to exercise themselves back to fitness or just perform arduous domestic tasks.

Modelling, Fabrication and Automation of Areca Nut Sorting Machine

Abstract: Areca farming is a type of business which farmers do alongside with their crop cultivation Indian farmers face immense pressure when it comes to the segregation of processed areca nuts When it comes to paying wages to the labourers for their manual effort of segregating areca nuts based on their quality, the farmers suffer a loss of money and time which are trying to prevent by designing a machine This machine is designed in such a way so as to be efficient compared to the normal scenario of utilizing manual labour for sorting the Areca nuts This machine not only saves money but it also saves time for the farmers to focus on other aspects of cultivation Since both money and time of every farmer is saved, the farmers not only will be encouraged to cultivate other crops but their lifestyle will be improved too The machine is designed with two phases of separation, mainly based on size and color The first type of larger Arecanut is separated by passing it through the sieves, where the rest of the types of Areca nuts will be separated based on their color by using a microcontroller The input to the microcontroller is given by the camera and output using a servomotor Further, the machine is designed to be robust and highly durable

Development of a Two-stage Extruder-Injection Molding Machine for Manufacturing of Plastic Lumber Using Commingled Waste Plastics

Abstract: The prime objective of this work is to develop an efficient method to convert low value plastic wastes i.e. Commingled Waste Plastics into useable plastic lumber as a product, and to realize the concept of Upcycling, where the transformation of old mixed waste plastic materials into a useable plastic lumber product of higher quality or value greater than the original raw material is achieved. A big percentage of waste plastic comes in the form of soft plastics, which are the neglected section of waste plastics in general. Plastic packaging such as food wrappers, packets, carry bags and other packaging made from PE, PP, PS, multilayered plastics and laminates etc. are not being regularly recycled due to its low market value. The processing method selected for manufacturing the plastic lumber is “Two-stage extrusion–injection molding”. In this method, the cleaned and shredded low value commingled waste plastics is first melted using a plastic extruder and transferred into a separate accumulation chamber for injection into rectangular shaped moulds and the plastic lumber is obtained. The properties of plastic lumber are close to that of wood in terms of mechanical properties. The plastic lumber produced using this machine can be used for outdoor furniture, walkways, decking application etc. The Extrusion – Injection Molding Machine developed is used to manufacture plastic lumber along with the Waste Plastic Washing and Shredding Machine in a waste processing facility.

Improvement of Wide-Field-Integration of Optic Flow Considering Practical Sensor Restrictions

Abstract: This study discusses motion estimation processes for vehicles by Wide-Field-Integration (WFI) of optic flow. Optic flow is a vector field of relative motion between the vehicle and environment, and WFI of optic flow is a bioinspired estimation method to make it robust even for unknown environments. This paper re-examines the form of sensitivity functions used in the WFI of optic flow, which plays a key role in the robust estimation process. Furthermore, since optic flow is obtained from real image sensors, the effects of several restrictions of practical sensors are investigated in numerical simulations. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed form of sensitivity functions is experimentally verified by using real sensors boarded on a flying vehicle.

Design and Fabrication of Air Driven Vehicle

Abstract: The rate depletion of conventional sources of energy are much faster than the new ones are made, which puts us in place to consider and identify the other sources of energy to drive the needs of the world. Compressed air as the energy source has shown promising results in the field of automobile. Efforts are being made by many organizations to design and develop compressed air-driven vehicle which definitely going to reduce the uses of fossil fuels and its share in the environment. This study presents the methodology towards design and fabrication of an Air-Driven vehicle equipped with pneumatic power generating concept. Performance test was conducted at different valve opening position to find the optimum rate of compressed air inlet to the engine. The result of the performance test revealed that out of three different valve conditions, the optimum power generated and transmitted by the engine took place at full open valve condition and the time taken to reach 10 meters distance for the full open valve is lesser in comparison with the 3/4th and half open valve. The estimated cost of the machine is Rupees Twenty Eight Thousand approximately.

Design and Fabrication of Arecanut Processiong Unit

Abstract: Design and fabrication of arecanut processing unit is presented in this paper. The processing unit consists of four major sub-units i.e. arecanut dehusker, boiler, dryer and sorter, which are designed and fabricated separately and then assembled in one frame. A 3-D printed dehusker peels the arecanut husk and sends peeled nut to the boiler through transfer pipes. The boiled nuts are then sent to dryer equipped with temperature and humidity sensors through rubber conveyers where steam from the boiler is used to dry the nut using a heat exchanger. Then the dried nuts are sorted according to their grades using colour detection camera. The whole unit is designed for 18 kg of raw arecanut, powered by 24 V DC battery and controlled by LabVIEW software. The whole processing unit was tested for its performance and found safe, reliable, and efficient and also reduces the processing time.

Productivity Improvement of 170 Series Connecting Rod Using MAG HMC 1000 CNC Machine

Abstract: Productivity improvement is a continuous process and an important technique to achieve both individual as well as organizational growth. Connecting rod manufacturing done in BEML machine shop engine division, Mysuru consists of 28 operations in different work centres. In some of the work centres, the components have to be passed 2 to 3 times, thereby increasing the waiting time of the components in the production line. This reduces the flexibility of line leading to line imbalance thereby less output from the line. In this project, an attempt was made to avoid machine waiting and line imbalance; the operations were combined using MAG HMC 1000 using suitable fixture design and program in order to increase the productivity of the connecting rod with reduction in set-up and labour time. Twelve components were accommodated in a single set-up, which would increase productivity by 18.54%.

Design and Fabrication of Universal Power Cart

Abstract: Agriculture plays a vital role in the overall growth of the country. Over 60% population of the country depend on the country depend on the agriculture. These people will face different variety of problems from the beginning of cropping till the stage of cultivation. Out of these the transportation is also a type, either to carry the pesticides to the cropland or to take back the cultivated crop. The present work involved the design and fabrication of a universal power cart. It can be used to handle the agricultural product and goods. It is desired to carry up to 250kgs of load. Details of a simple, study and efficient power cart, financially beneficial, are given here. Safety aspects are incorporated. The problem of handling, moving and operating is simpler and it finds huge applications. Power drive saves time and thus increases the overall productivity.

Design Optimization of OCXO to Fulfil the Phase Noise Requirement under Dynamic Load Condition

Abstract: OCXO’s (Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators) are used to control the stringent frequency stability requirements which is not possible in basic crystal oscillators or TCXO’s When these OCXO’s are used under dynamic load condition, the electrical parameter - phase noise shall get disturb/degrade and ending up with deviation in the required precision frequency for which it is designed Mechanical design of such OCXO has the limitation in terms of amount of vibration being transferred to the crystal To minimize the amount of vibration transfer to the crystal, one needs to use the isolators/dampers having good damping co-efficient This paper explains the design, development, testing and qualification of OCXO to meet the precise frequency requirements under dynamic condition, also the details about the selection of isolators/dampers and mounting conditions to arrive at the better and acceptable results under dynamic load condition

Determination of Inrush Current to High Power Transformers using the LabVIEW Environment

Abstract: The values of the current which occurs when connecting the transformer at the mains can result in electrical and mechanical stress in transformer, which in turn can lead to failures, jeopardizing the reliability of the power system, and implicitly of the power transformer. In order to avoid major failures in the power system, we developed a mathematical model in this paper in order to detect the size and time of occurrence of the transient current from the design stage. The mathematical model of the transformer was validated through tests (simulations, measurements) for the purpose of assessing the electrical stress in power transformers. The transformer on which the test was carried out is a 15 MVA, 10.5/6.3 kV transformer, the modeling of the phenomenon which occurs when connecting the transformer at the mains was achieved using the LabVIEW software, and the results obtained are consistent with the results achieved through the experimental tests carried out.

Design and Fabrication of Magnetic Braking System

Abstract: The conventional brake system depends on the principle of friction for operation. The braking system is one of the most important safety systems in a vehicle. The ability of the braking system is to bring the vehicle to the safe controlled stop. It is absolutely essential in preventing accidental vehicle damage, personal injury and loss of life. This study deals with the concept and design of a magnetic braking system used in small and medium vehicles. In the present work one such attempt is made by using magnetic field as a braking system.