Enhancing Stress Intensity Factor Reduction in Cracks Originating from a Circular Hole in a Rectangular Plate under Uniaxial Stress through Piezoelectric Actuation

Circular holes are commonly employed in engineering designs;however, they often serve as locations where cracks initiate and propagate. This paper explores a novel approach to structural repair by utilizing piezoelectric actuators. The primary focus of this study is to investigate the influence of an adhesively bonded piezoelectric actuator patch placed above a circular hole on the stress intensity factor (SIF) in an aluminium plate. The plate is subjected to uniaxial tensile stress, while the piezoelectric actuator is excited with varying voltage levels. The analysis is conducted using the finite element method (FEM), a powerful numerical technique for simulating complex structures. The study assesses the stress distribution and employs the SIF as an adequate criterion for evaluating the impact of different patch configurations. The results indicate a strong correlation between the applied voltage and the SIF. Whether the SIF increases or decreases depends on the polarization of the piezoelectric actuator. Particularly noteworthy is the finding that rectangular patches in a horizontal orientation significantly reduce the SIF compared to other patch geometries. Moreover, double-sided patches exhibit a pronounced decrease in the SIF compared to single-sided patches. In summary, this research underscores the potential of piezoelectric actuators in mitigating stress intensity in structures with circular hole with crack initiation. It offers valuable insights into the influence of applied voltage, patch geometry, and patch placement on the SIF, thereby contributing to developing effective strategies for enhancing structural integrity.

Rotor performance enhancement by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuation

An experimental system was established to explore the plasma flow control effect for helicopter rotors in hover mode.With the plasma actuator applied at the leading edge of the rotor blades,alternating current dielectric barrier discharge(AC-DBD) plasma actuation was generated by a sinusoidal AC high-voltage generator.By direct force measurement,the influence of actuation parameters on the aerodynamic performance of the rotor was investigated at a tip Reynolds number of 1.7 × 105.AC-DBD actuation can delay the blade stall to more than 3° with a 20%increase of about in the thrust coefficient at the post-stall pitch.At a constant motor power driving the rotor,AC-DBD actuation could reduce the rotor’s torque at the stalled pitch and increase the rotational speed of the rotor.Also,AC-DBD actuation could maintain a relatively high hover efficiency of the rotor at large collective pitches.In a wide range of actuation parameters,AC-DBD plasma actuation could improve the rotor’s aerodynamic performance at large blade pitches.High-speed photography of the tuft motion on the blade’s upper surface showed that AC-DBD plasma actuation could promote the reattachment of the blade’s separation flow.

Model Identification and Control of Electromagnetic Actuation in Continuous Casting Process With Improved Quality

This paper presents an original theoretical framework to model steel material properties in continuous casting line process. Specific properties arising from non-Newtonian dynamics are herein used to indicate the natural convergence of distributed parameter systems to fractional order transfer function models. Data driven identification from a real continuous casting line is used to identify model of the electromagnetic actuator device to control flow velocity of liquid steel. To ensure product specifications, a fractional order control is designed and validated on the system. A projection of the closed loop performance onto the quality assessment at end production line is also given in this paper.

Mechanism,Actuation,Perception,and Control of Highly Dynamic Multilegged Robots:A Review

Multilegged robots have the potential to serve as assistants for humans,replacing them in performing dangerous,dull,or unclean tasks.However,they are still far from being sufficiently versatile and robust for many applications.This paper addresses key points that might yield breakthroughs for highly dynamic multilegged robots with the abilities of running(or jumping and hopping)and self-balancing.First,21 typical multilegged robots from the last five years are surveyed,and the most impressive performances of these robots are presented.Second,current developments regarding key technologies of highly dynamic multilegged robots are reviewed in detail.The latest leg mechanisms with serial-parallel hybrid topologies and rigid–flexible coupling configurations are analyzed.Then,the development trends of three typical actuators,namely hydraulic,quasi-direct drive,and serial elastic actuators,are discussed.After that,the sensors and modeling methods used for perception are surveyed.Furthermore,this paper pays special attention to the review of control approaches since control is a great challenge for highly dynamic multilegged robots.Four dynamics-based control methods and two model-free control methods are described in detail.Third,key open topics of future research concerning the mechanism,actuation,perception,and control of highly dynamic multilegged robots are proposed.This paper reviews the state of the art development for multilegged robots,and discusses the future trend of multilegged robots.

Large Eddy Simulation of the Effects of Plasma Actuation Strength on Film Cooling Efficiency

In this article, numerical investigation of the effects of different plasma actuation strengths on the film cooling flow characteristics has been conducted using large eddy simulation(LES). For this numerical research, the plasma actuator is placed downstream of the trailing edge of the film cooling hole and a phenomenological model is employed to provide the electric field generated by it, resulting in the body forces. Our results show that as the plasma actuation strength grows larger, under the downward effect of the plasma actuation, the jet trajectory near the cooling hole stays closer to the wall and the recirculation region observably reduces in size. Meanwhile, the momentum injection effect of the plasma actuation also actively alters the distributions of the velocity components downstream of the cooling hole. Consequently, the influence of the plasma actuation strength on the Reynolds stress downstream of the cooling hole is remarkable. Furthermore, the plasma actuation weakens the strength of the kidney shaped vortex and prevents the jet from lifting off the wall. Therefore, with the increase of the strength of the plasma actuation, the coolant core stays closer to the wall and tends to split into two distinct regions. So the centerline film cooling efficiency is enhanced, and it is increased by 55% at most when the plasma actuation strength is 10.

Modeling and Configuration Design of Electromagnetic Actuation Coil for a Magnetically Controlled Microrobot

Non-contact actuated microbeads have attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of its enormous potential in medical, biological, and industrial applications. Researchers have proposed a multitude of electromagnetic actuation(EMA) systems consisting of a variety of coil pairs. However, a unified method to design and optimize a coil pair according to technical specifications still does not exist. Initially, this paper presented the modeling of an untethered ferromagnetic particle actuated by externally applied magnetic field. Based on the models, a simple method of designing and optimizing the EMA coil pair according to technical specifications, was proposed. A loop-shaped coil pair generating uniform magnetic and gradient fields was chosen to demonstrate this method clearly and practically. The results of the optimization showed that the best distance to radius ratio of a loop-shaped coil pair is 1.02 for a uniform magnetic field and 1.75 for a uniform gradient field. The applicability of the method to other shapes of coil configuration was also illustrated. The best width to distance ratio for a square-shaped coil pair is 0.558 and 0.958 for uniform magnetic and gradient fields, respectively. The best height to width ratio and distance to width ratio for a rectangle-shaped coil pair is h/w =[0.9,1.1], d/w =[0.5,0.6] for uniform magnetic field and h/w =[1.0,1.2], d/w =[0.9,1.1] for uniform gradient field. Furthermore, simulations of a microparticle tracking the targeted trajectory were conducted to analyze the performance of the newly designed coils. The simulations suggested the ability of manipulating microparticles via the coils designed by our proposed method. The research mainly proposed a unified design and optimization method for a coil pair, which can support researchers while designing a specific coil pair according to the technical requirements. This study is aimed at researchers who are interested in EMA system and microrobots.

Actuation Spaces Synthesis of Lower-Mobility Parallel Mechanisms Based on Screw Theory

The lower-mobility parallel mechanism has been widely used in the engineering field due to its numerous excellent characteristics.However,little work has been devoted to the actuator selection and placement that best satisfy the system's functional requirements during concept design.In this study,a unified approach for synthesizing the actuation spaces of both rigid and flexure parallel mechanisms has been presented,and all possible combinations of inputs could be obtained,laying a theoretical foundation for the subsequent optimization of inputs.According to the linear independence of actuation space and constraint space of the lower-mobility parallel mechanism,a general expression of actuation spaces in the format of screw systems is deduced,a unified synthesis process for the lower-mobility parallel mechanism is derived,and the efficiency of the method is validated with two selective examples based on screw theory.This study presents a theoretical framework for the input selection problems of parallel mechanisms,aiming to help designers select and place actuators in a correct and even optimal way after the configuration design.

Experimental study on plasma actuation characteristics of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge

Combining high-speed schlieren technology and infrared imaging technology,related research has been carried out on the influence of parameters such as actuation voltage,repetition frequency,and electrode size of an actuator on the discharge characteristics,induced flow field characteristics,and thermal characteristics of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge.The results show that increasing the value of the actuation voltage can significantly increase the actuation intensity,and the plasma discharge area is significantly extended.Increasing the repetition frequency can increase the number of discharges per unit time.Both will cause more energy input and induce more changes in the flow field.The effect of temperature rise is more significant.The width of the covered electrode will affect the potential distribution during the discharge process,which in turn will affect the extension process of the plasma discharge filament.Under the same actuation intensity,the wider the covered electrode,the larger range the induced flow field and temperature rise is.Preliminary experimental analyses of high-frequency actuation characteristics,temperature field characteristics,flow field characteristics and actuation parameter settings provide support for the parameter selection and partial mechanism analysis of plasma anti-icing.

RTV silicone rubber composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes,titanium-di-oxide and their hybrid:Mechanical and piezoelectric actuation performance

The use of nanofillers with high surface area and extreme purity in polymer composite is an effective strategy to obtain high performance polymeric nanocomposites.Therefore,the effect of nanofillers such as carbon nanotubes(CNT),titanium dioxide(TiO_(2)),and their hybrid on rubber-based composites was studied.In this study,rubber nanocomposites were fabricated by using room temperature vulcanized(RTV)silicone rubber matrix and nanofillers(i.e.CNT,TiO_(2),and CNT-TiO_(2))through solution casting method.Here,the purity and surface area of CNT(purity:>96%and BET surface area:300 m2/g)and TiO_(2)(purity:>98%and BET surface area:165 m2/g)were estimated by field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray(FESEM-EDX)and adsorption isotherms.The mechanical properties of the rubber nanocomposites were enhanced by incorporating nanofillers.The compressive modulus was 2.18 MPa for unfilled composites and increased to 6.8 MPa(CNT),3.95 MPa(CNT-TiO_(2)),and 2.44 MPa(TiO_(2))at 5 phr,respectively.Similarly,the tensile strength was 0.54 MPa for unfilled composites and increased to 1.37 MPa(CNT),1.33 MPa(CNT-TiO_(2))and 0.61 MPa(TiO_(2))at 5 phr,respectively.Further,the actuation displacement was improved with increasing input voltage and it was 2 mm for CNT,1.6 mm for CNT-TiO_(2) hybrid and 0.5 mm for TiO_(2) at 10 kV.Moreover,a series of experiments show the potential application in piezoelectric actuation.

Study on the Electric Actuation of Liquid Metal Column in Confining System

Research on micro-machines is becoming popular.In this paper,the electric driving behavior of liquid metal columns in confining channel was studied.When the electric field was applied,the liquid metal near the negative electrode became flat,longer.The NaOH electrolyte(1.0 mol/L)could flow from the positive electrode to the negative electrode from a small space above the liquid metal column.Besides,the length and volume of the liquid metal would affect its motion and deformation behavior.Both cylindrical liquid column(R=5 mm,L=5 cm)and linear liquid column(R=5 mm,L=40 cm)exhibit deformable movements,which are similar to the bionic movements of earthworms.The electrically driven liquid metal in closed systems could provide a theoretical basis for droplet actuation in microtubes.It has a very wide application prospect in the field of micro-drive machines.

Aerodynamic actuation characteristics of radio-frequency discharge plasma and control of supersonic flow

In this paper, aerodynamic actuation characteristics of radio-frequency(RF) discharge plasma are studied and a method is proposed for shock wave control based on RF discharge. Under the static condition, a RF diffuse glow discharge can be observed; under the supersonic inflow, the plasma is blown downstream but remains continuous and stable.Time-resolved schlieren is used for flow field visualization. It is found that RF discharge not only leads to continuous energy deposition on the electrode surface but also induces a compression wave. Under the supersonic inflow condition, a weak oblique shock wave is induced by discharge. Experimental results of the shock wave control indicate that the applied actuation can disperse the bottom structure of the ramp-induced oblique shock wave, which is also observed in the extracted shock wave structure after image processing. More importantly, this control effect can be maintained steadily due to the continuous high-frequency(MHz) discharge. Finally, correlations for schlieren images and numerical simulations are employed to further explore the flow control mechanism. It is observed that the vortex in the boundary layer increases after the application of actuation, meaning that the boundary layer in the downstream of the actuation position is thickened. This is equivalent to covering a layer of low-density smooth wall around the compression corner and on the ramp surface, thereby weakening the compressibility at the compression corner. Our results demonstrate the ability of RF plasma aerodynamic actuation to control the supersonic airflow.

Experimental study on surface arc plasma actuation-based hypersonic boundary layer transition flow control

Effective control of hypersonic transition is essential.In order to avoid affecting the structural proflle of the aircraft,as well as reducing power consumption and electromagnetic interference,a low-frequency surface arc plasma disturbance experiment to promote hypersonic transition was carried out in theΦ0.25 m double-throat Ludwieg tube wind tunnel at Huazhong University of Science and Technology.Contacting printed circuit board sensors and non-contact focused laser differential interferometry testing technology were used in combination.Experimental results showed that the low-frequency surface arc plasma actuation had obvious stimulation effects on the second-mode unstable wave and could promote boundary layer transition by changing the spectral characteristics of the second-mode unstable wave.At the same time,the plasma actuation could promote energy exchange between the second-mode unstable wave and other unstable waves.Finally,the corresponding control mechanism is discussed.

Actuation Delay-Time Estimation with Imaging Fuze

Generally,Doppler fuze can only estimate actuation delay-time with a limited precision. As an improvement,imaging fuze can estimate actuation delay-time more precisely with the available two-dimensional image of the target. In this paper,imprecision of actuation delay-time estimation with Doppler fuze is first analyzed theoretically in brief. Secondly,feasibility analysis and theoretical model of imaging fuze are described,in which a criterion is established for the actuation delay-time based on the image,and then an image based gray-value weighted least square( GWLS) algorithm is presented to calculate actuation delay-time of the imaging fuze. Finally,a simulation model of missiletarget near-field encounter is established. Simulation results indicate that actuation delay-time of the imaging fuze is estimated more precisely than by the Doppler fuze.

Solvent-Induced Phase-Inversion and Electrical Actuation of Dielectric Copolymer Films

Block copolymers posses inherently the ability of form a variety of phase-separated microdomain structures. The lengths of block segments and the selectivity of the solvent are primary factors affecting the resultant morphology. This paper investigated the effect of casting solvents on the morphologies and electrical actuation of poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(n-butyl acrylate)-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-PnBA-PMMA) triblock copolymer films comprising PMMA hard segment and PnBA soft segment. Transmission electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy observation revealed that PMMA and PnBA segments were assembled into various micro- and nano-sized phase structures where either of them formed continuous phase. This implies that continous phase could be inversed by used casting solvents. Solvent-dependent phase morphologies had a significant effect on the electrical actuation results. Increase of the PnBA contents and the continuous phases of PnBA soft segments improved both of electrical actuation and dielectric constant, indicating that solvent-induced phase separation modulates the electrical actuation of dielectric films. The significance of the role of solvent selectivity and the major continuous phase of the polymer in defining the morphology and electrical actuation of the self-assembled block copolymer structure are discussed.

Research of Maintenance Task Interval Optimization of Elevator Hydraulic Actuation System

In order to solve the best maintenance interval problem of the elevator hydraulic actuation systems on civil aircraft, a method based on reliability and cost minimum is introduced in this paper. The estimation of system reliability is presented by using two-parameter Weibull distributions. The parameters are estimated by using Weibull probability statistical analysis and the practical operational data. Then, the maintenance optimization model isformulated where the objective function is to minimize the expected schedule maintenance cost in a time unit. The results of numerical example show that the proposed model could scheme the optimal maintenance intervals for the considered system when the parameters are given. This research has certain significance in theoryand engineering practice.

An Experimental Determination of the Supply and Exhaust Pressures in an Electro-Pneumatic Clutch Actuation System

Inlet and outlet orifices in an actuation chamber are sources through which the supply and exhaust pressures pass during the actuation process in clutch systems. They are key ingredients in an actuation chamber and are very phenomenal in heavy-duty vehicle operation. It is these pressures that initiate linear or rotary motions in drive systems. The pressure actions are processed in an enclosure termed an actuation chamber. Oftentimes, the forces or pressures produced in an actuation chamber are unknown and immeasurable owing to a lack of precise instruments to accomplish them. This challenge can only be approached via an improvised technique that requires experimentation. This is precisely what this presentation is all about. The knowledge of these parameters is important in the study of the actuation process in electro-pneumatic clutch systems of heavy-duty vehicles. The study was done with a Mercedes Benz Actros Truck Model MP 2, 2031 Actuator chamber. An empirical and analytical approach was adopted. Meter rule, Venire Callipers and Mass Spring Balance were deployed for the experiments. Piston coil or spring, clutch distance in the actuator, the cross-sectional diameter of the actuator, and displacement in the free lengths of the coils among others were measured. The results of the experiments were analysed and used to determine the values of the supply (inlet) and exhaust (outlet) pressures which results stood at 9.61 bars and 11.299 bars, respectively.

Reduction of turbulent boundary layer drag through dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma actuation based on the Spalding formula

It is a very difficult task to develop a method of reducing turbulent boundary layer drag.However,in recent years,plasma flow control technology has demonstrated huge potential in friction drag reduction.To further investigate this issue,a smooth plate model was designed as a testing object arranged with a bidirectional dielectric-barrier-discharge(DBD)plasma actuator.In addition,measurement of skin friction drag was achieved by applying hot wire anemometry to obtain the velocity distribution of the turbulent boundary layer.A method of quantifying the friction drag effect was adopted based on the Spalding formula fitted with the experiment data.When plasma actuation was conducted,a velocity defect occurred at the two measuring positions,compared with the no plasma control condition;this means that the DBD plasma actuation could reduce the drag successfully in the downstream of the actuator.Moreover,drag reduction caused by backward actuation was slightly more efficient than that caused by forward actuation.With an increasing distance from plasma actuation,the drag-reduction effect could become weaker.Experimental results also show that the improvement of drag-reduction efficiency using a DBD plasma actuator can achieve about 8.78%in the local region of the experimental flat model.

Eutectic-derived synthesis of hierarchically nanoporous copper for electrochemical actuation and solar steam generation

The utilization of nanoporous copper(np-Cu)as a metallic actuator has gained attention in recent years due to its cost-effectiveness in comparison to other precious metals.Despite this,the enhancement of np-Cu’s actuation performance remains a challenge due to limitations in its strain amplitude and actuation rate.Additionally,np-Cu has been deemed as a promising material for solar absorption due to its localized surface plasmon resonance effect.However,practical applications such as solar steam generators(SSGs)utilizing np-Cu have yet to be documented.In this study,we present the development of hierarchically nanoporous copper(HNC)through the dealloying of a eutectic Al-Cu alloy.The hierarchical structure of the HNC features a combination of ordered flat channels and randomly distributed continuous nanopores,which work in synergy to improve actuation performance.The ordered flat channels,with a sub-micron scale,facilitate rapid mass transport of electrolyte ions,while the nano-sized continuous pores,due to their large specific surface area,enhance the induced strain.Our results indicate that the HNC exhibits improved actuation performance,with a two times increase in both strain amplitude and rate in comparison to other reported np-Cu.Additionally,the HNC,for the first time,showcases excellent solar steam generation capabilities,with an evaporation rate of 1.47 kg·m^(-2)·h^(-1) and a photothermal conversion efficiency of 92%under a light intensity of 1 kW·m^(-2),which rivals that of nanoporous gold and silver film.The enhanced actuation performance and newly discovered solar steam generation properties of the HNC are attributed to its hierarchically porous structure.

Observer-based motion axis control for hydraulic actuation systems

Unknown dynamics including mismatched mechanical dynamics(i.e.,parametric uncertainties,unmodeled friction and external disturbances)and matched actuator dynamics(i.e.,pressure and flow characteristic uncertainties)broadly exist in hydraulic actuation systems(HASs),which can hinder the achievement of high-precision motion axis control.To surmount the practical issue,an observer-based control framework with a simple structure and low computation is developed for HASs.First,a simple observer is utilized to estimate mismatched and matched unknown dynamics for feedforward compensation.Then combining the backstepping design and adaptive control,an appropriate observer-based composite controller is provided,in which nonlinear feedback terms with updated gains are adopted to further improve the tracking accuracy.Moreover,a smooth nonlinear filter is introduced to shun the“explosion of complexity”and attenuate the impact of sensor noise on control performance.As a result,this synthesized controller is more suitable for practical use.Stability analysis uncovers that the developed controller assures the asymptotic convergence of the tracking error.The merits of the proposed approach are validated via comparative experiment results applied in an HAS with an inertial load as well.

Advances in 4D printed shape memory composites and structures:Actuation and application

Shape memory polymer composites(SMPCs)are a type of smart material that can change shapes under the stimulation of the external environment,and they have great potential in aerospace,biomedical,robotics,and electronic devices due to their advantages of high strength and toughness,lightweight,impact resistance,corrosion resistance,and aging resistance.4D printing technology has provided new opportunities for the further development of smart materials.The addition of various fillers enriches the variety of printable materials and provides composites with different properties and functions.The combination of SMPCs and printing technologies realizes the structure-function integration.This paper introduces the emergence and development of 4D printing technologies,the preparation methods and properties of SMPCs for 4D printing;as well as the research progress and potential application of 4D printable SMPCs in recent years in terms of thermal,electrical,magnetic,and optical driving.Finally,the existing problems and future development of 4D printable SMPCs are discussed.