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.

Bioinspired Multifunctional Self-Sensing Actuated Gradient Hydrogel for Soft-Hard Robot Remote Interaction

The development of bioinspired gradient hydrogels with self-sensing actuated capabilities for remote interaction with soft-hard robots remains a challenging endeavor. Here, we propose a novel multifunctional self-sensing actuated gradient hydrogel that combines ultrafast actuation and high sensitivity for remote interaction with robotic hand. The gradient network structure, achieved through a wettability difference method involving the rapid precipitation of MoO_(2) nanosheets, introduces hydrophilic disparities between two sides within hydrogel. This distinctive approach bestows the hydrogel with ultrafast thermo-responsive actuation(21° s^(-1)) and enhanced photothermal efficiency(increase by 3.7 ℃ s^(-1) under 808 nm near-infrared). Moreover, the local cross-linking of sodium alginate with Ca^(2+) endows the hydrogel with programmable deformability and information display capabilities. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits high sensitivity(gauge factor 3.94 within a wide strain range of 600%), fast response times(140 ms) and good cycling stability. Leveraging these exceptional properties, we incorporate the hydrogel into various soft actuators, including soft gripper, artificial iris, and bioinspired jellyfish, as well as wearable electronics capable of precise human motion and physiological signal detection. Furthermore, through the synergistic combination of remarkable actuation and sensitivity, we realize a self-sensing touch bioinspired tongue. Notably, by employing quantitative analysis of actuation-sensing, we realize remote interaction between soft-hard robot via the Internet of Things. The multifunctional self-sensing actuated gradient hydrogel presented in this study provides a new insight for advanced somatosensory materials, self-feedback intelligent soft robots and human–machine interactions.

Airfoil friction drag reduction based on grid-type and super-dense array plasma actuators

To improve the cruise flight performance of aircraft, two new configurations of plasma actuators(grid-type and super-dense array) were investigated to reduce the turbulent skin friction drag of a low-speed airfoil. The induced jet characteristics of the two actuators in quiescent air were diagnosed with high-speed particle image velocimetry(PIV), and their drag reduction efficiencies were examined under different operating conditions in a wind tunnel. The results showed that the grid-type plasma actuator was capable of producing a wall-normal jet array(peak magnitude: 1.07 m/s) similar to that generated in a micro-blowing technique, while the superdense array plasma actuator created a wavy wall-parallel jet(magnitude: 0.94 m/s) due to the discrete spanwise electrostatic forces. Under a comparable electrical power consumption level,the super-dense array plasma actuator array significantly outperformed the grid-type configuration,reducing the total airfoil friction drag by approximately 22% at a free-stream velocity of 20 m/s.The magnitude of drag reduction was proportional to the dimensionless jet velocity ratio(r), and a threshold r = 0.014 existed under which little impact on airfoil drag could be discerned.

Observer-based dynamic event-triggered control for distributed parameter systems over mobile sensor-plus-actuator networks

We develop a policy of observer-based dynamic event-triggered state feedback control for distributed parameter systems over a mobile sensor-plus-actuator network.It is assumed that the mobile sensing devices that provide spatially averaged state measurements can be used to improve state estimation in the network.For the purpose of decreasing the update frequency of controller and unnecessary sampled data transmission, an efficient dynamic event-triggered control policy is constructed.In an event-triggered system, when an error signal exceeds a specified time-varying threshold, it indicates the occurrence of a typical event.The global asymptotic stability of the event-triggered closed-loop system and the boundedness of the minimum inter-event time can be guaranteed.Based on the linear quadratic optimal regulator, the actuator selects the optimal displacement only when an event occurs.A simulation example is finally used to verify that the effectiveness of such a control strategy can enhance the system performance.

A framework for dynamic modelling of railway track switches considering the switch blades,actuators and control systems

The main contribution of this paper is the development and demonstration of a novel methodology that can be followed to develop a simulation twin of a railway track switch system to test the functionality in a digital environment.This is important because,globally,railway track switches are used to allow trains to change routes;they are a key part of all railway networks.However,because track switches are single points of failure and safety-critical,their inability to operate correctly can cause significant delays and concomitant costs.In order to better understand the dynamic behaviour of switches during operation,this paper has developed a full simulation twin of a complete track switch system.The approach fuses finite element for the rail bending and motion,with physics-based models of the electromechanical actuator system and the control system.Hence,it provides researchers and engineers the opportunity to explore and understand the design space around the dynamic operation of new switches and switch machines before they are built.This is useful for looking at the modification or monitoring of existing switches,and it becomes even more important when new switch concepts are being considered and evaluated.The simulation is capable of running in real time or faster meaning designs can be iterated and checked interactively.The paper describes the modelling approach,demonstrates the methodology by developing the system model for a novel“REPOINT”switch system,and evaluates the system level performance against the dynamic performance requirements for the switch.In the context of that case study,it is found that the proposed new actuation system as designed can meet(and exceed)the system performance requirements,and that the fault tolerance built into the actuation ensures continued operation after a single actuator failure.

Optimal Cooperative Secondary Control for Islanded DC Microgrids via a Fully Actuated Approach

DC-DC converter-based multi-bus DC microgrids(MGs) in series have received much attention, where the conflict between voltage recovery and current balancing has been a hot topic. The lack of models that accurately portray the electrical characteristics of actual MGs while is controller design-friendly has kept the issue active. To this end, this paper establishes a large-signal model containing the comprehensive dynamical behavior of the DC MGs based on the theory of high-order fully actuated systems, and proposes distributed optimal control based on this. The proposed secondary control method can achieve the two goals of voltage recovery and current sharing for multi-bus DC MGs. Additionally, the simple structure of the proposed approach is similar to one based on droop control, which allows this control technique to be easily implemented in a variety of modern microgrids with different configurations. In contrast to existing studies, the process of controller design in this paper is closely tied to the actual dynamics of the MGs. It is a prominent feature that enables engineers to customize the performance metrics of the system. In addition, the analysis of the stability of the closed-loop DC microgrid system, as well as the optimality and consensus of current sharing are given. Finally, a scaled-down solar and battery-based microgrid prototype with maximum power point tracking controller is developed in the laboratory to experimentally test the efficacy of the proposed control method.

Observer-based robust high-order fully actuated attitude autopilot design for spinning glide-guided projectiles

This paper investigates the design of an attitude autopilot for a dual-channel controlled spinning glideguided projectile(SGGP),addressing model uncertainties and external disturbances.Based on fixed-time stable theory,a disturbance observer with integral sliding mode and adaptive techniques is proposed to mitigate total disturbance effects,irrespective of initial conditions.By introducing an error integral signal,the dynamics of the SGGP are transformed into two separate second-order fully actuated systems.Subsequently,employing the high-order fully actuated approach and a parametric approach,the nonlinear dynamics of the SGGP are recast into a constant linear closed-loop system,ensuring that the projectile's attitude asymptotically tracks the given goal with the desired eigenstructure.Under the proposed composite control framework,the ultimately uniformly bounded stability of the closed-loop system is rigorously demonstrated via the Lyapunov method.Validation of the effectiveness of the proposed attitude autopilot design is provided through extensive numerical simulations.

Path-Following Control With Obstacle Avoidance of Autonomous Surface Vehicles Subject to Actuator Faults

This paper investigates the path-following control problem with obstacle avoidance of autonomous surface vehicles in the presence of actuator faults,uncertainty and external disturbances.Autonomous surface vehicles inevitably suffer from actuator faults in complex sea environments,which may cause existing obstacle avoidance strategies to fail.To reduce the influence of actuator faults,an improved artificial potential function is constructed by introducing the lower bound of actuator efficiency factors.The nonlinear state observer,which only depends on measurable position information of the autonomous surface vehicle,is used to address uncertainties and external disturbances.By using a backstepping technique and adaptive mechanism,a path-following control strategy with obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance is designed which can ensure that the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of zero.Compared with existing results,the proposed control strategy has the capability of obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance simultaneously.Finally,the comparison results through simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control for uncertain nonlinear systems with time-varying actuators faults

The paper investigates the practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control problem for a category of nonlinear system subject to time-varying actuator faults.The presence of unknown nonlinear dynamics and actuator faults makes achieving tracking control within a prescribed-time challenging.To tackle this issue,we propose a novel practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control strategy,which is independent of the initial state of the system and does not rely on precise modeling of the system and actuators.We apply the approximation capabilities of fuzzy logic systems to handle the unknown nonlinear functions and unidentified actuator faults in the system.The piecewise controller and adaptive law constructed based on piecewise prescribed time-varying function and backstepping technique method establish the theoretical framework of practical prescribed-time tracking control,and extend the range of prescribed-time tracking control to infinity.Regardless of the initial conditions,the proposed control strategy can guarantee that all signals remain uniformly bounded within the practical prescribed time in the presence of unknown nonlinear item and time-varying actuator faults.Simulation example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Study on Sealing Characteristics of Sliding Seal Assembly of Aircraft Hydraulic Actuator

The hydraulic actuator,known as the"muscle"of military aircraft,is responsible for flight attitude adjustment,trajectory control,braking turn,landing gear retracting and other actions,which directly affect its flight efficiency and safety.However,the sealing assembly often has the situation of over-aberrant aperture fit clearance or critical over-aberrant clearance,which increases the failure probability and degree of movable seal failure,and directly affects the flight efficiency and safety of military aircraft.In this paper,the simulation model of hydraulic actuator seal combination is established by ANSYS software,and the sealing principle is described.The change curve of contact width and contact pressure of combination seal under the action of high-pressure fluid is drawn.The effects of different oil pressure,fit clearance and other parameters on the sealing performance are analyzed.Finally,the accelerated life test of sliding seal components is carried out on the hydraulic actuator accelerated life test rig,and the surface morphology is compared and analyzed.The research shows that the O-ring is the main sealing element and the role of the check ring is to protect and support the O-ring to prevent damage caused by squeezing into the fit clearance,so the check ring bears a large load and is prone to shear failure.Excessive fit clearance is the main factor affecting the damage of the check ring,and the damage parts are mainly concentrated at the edge of the sealing surface.This paper provides a theoretical basis for the design of hydraulic actuator and the improvement of sealing performance.

Design of a Servo Mechanical Press with Redundant Actuation

A servo press is a new type of mechanical press that is driven by programmable motors and offers superior performance such as low noise, excellent efficiency and high precision for metal forming operations. Similar to multi-link mechanical presses, a servo mechanical press tends to grow in size as the tonnage increases that calls for larger, heavy duty servo motors, which could be expensive and may not even be available. In this paper, a new concept of servo mechanical press with redundant actuation is proposed firstly using two servo motors driving one input shaft, i.e. one-point-two-motor mode that makes it possible to produce a larger press with available servomotors. Then the punching mechanism design is detailed. The performance indices are set up including mechanical advantage reciprocal and link force ratios. A bounded feasible solution space is constructed for dimensional synthesis based on non-dimensional link lengths and assembly conditions. The performance atlases are depicted over the bounded feasible solution space that lead to a visual solution of the punching mechanism with global optimization. Finally, case studies are given to illustrate the design method with visual global optimization, and a prototype with 200 t punching force is being developed in our laboratory to demonstrate efficacy of the new concept for servo mechanical press. The presented research provides a feasible solution to the development of heavy-duty servo mechanical presses and finds potential applications in the development of other types of heavy equipments with electric drive.

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.

Flow Control over a Conical Forebody by Duty-Cycle Actuations

Duty-cycle modulation alternately blowing from two opposite-facing plasma actu- ators on the leeward surface near the apex of a cone with a 10° semi-apex angle is adopted to control mean lateral force and moment, and the flow control mechanisms are presented. Pressure distributions over the forebody of the cone are measured by steady pressure tappings. The experiments are performed in a 3.0×1.6 m open-circuit wind tunnel at a wind speed of 20 m/s, a 45° angle of attack and a Reynolds number of 2×10^5, based on the diameter of the base of the cone. Almost linearly proportional control of the lateral forces and moments over a slender conical forebody at a high angle of attack has been demonstrated by employing a pair of single dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators near the apex of the cone, combined with a duty-cycle tech- nique. The pressure distribution measurements indicate that the hi-stable vortex pattern appears to be shifted in the opposite direction when the port or starboard actuator is activated, while the other is kept off during the test. It is shown that the reduced pulse-repetition frequency based on the local diameter at the plasma actuator equal to one yields the highest effectiveness among the cases considered.

Electromechanical actuation of CNT/PVDF composite films based on a bridge configuration

Bridged strips consisting of carbon nanotubes and poly（vinylidene fluoride） are developed, which exhibit notable deflection in response to very low driven voltages（ 1 V）, because of both the excellent conductivity of the unique carbon nanotube film and the powerful thermal expansion capability of the polymer. The actuators demonstrate periodic vibrations motivated by the alternating signals. The amplitude of displacement is dependent not only on the driven voltage but also on the applied frequency. The mechanism of actuation is confirmed to be the thermal power induced by the electrical heating. By accelerating the dissipation of heat, the vibration response at higher frequencies can be significantly enhanced.The useful locomotion shows great promise in potential applications such as miniature smart devices and micro power generators.

Flow Control over a Conical Forebody by Periodic Pulsed Plasma Actuation

The flow control mechanism of plasma actuators with periodic pulsed discharge to control the bi-stable vortices over a cone-cylinder is investigated. The actuators are installed on the leeward surface near the apex of a cone which has a semi-apex angle of 10°. The effectiveness of the plasma actuation under different free-stream velocities and angles of attack is analyzed. The pressure distributions over the conical forebody are measured by both steady and dynamic pressure transducers. The transient dynamic pressure distribution tends to gradually become steady as the free-stream velocity increases, that is, the pulsed actuation approximates a continuous one. Furthermore, the flow control effectiveness becomes less noticeable as the free-stream velocity or the angle of attack increases under certain controlling electrical parameters.

Synthesis of Branched Chains with Actuation Redundancy for Eliminating Interior Singularities of 3T1R Parallel Mechanisms

Although it is common to eliminate the singularity of parallel mechanism by adding the branched chain with actuation redundancy, there is no theory and method for the configuration synthesis of the branched chain with actuation redundancy in parallel mechanism. Branched chains with actuation redundancy are synthesized for eliminating interior singularity of 3-translational and 1-rotational（3T1R） parallel mechanisms. Guided by the discriminance method of hybrid screw group according to Grassmann line geometry, all the possibilities are listed for the occurrence of interior singularities in 3T1R parallel mechanism. Based on the linear relevance of screw system and the principles of eliminating parallel mechanism singularity with actuation redundancy, different types of branched chains with actuation redundancy are synthesized systematically to indicate the layout and the number of the branched chainsinterior with actuation redundancy. A general method is proposed for the configuration synthesis of the branched chains with actuation redundancy of the redundant parallel mechanism, and it builds a solid foundation for the subsequent performance optimization of the redundant actuation parallel mechanism.

Experimental Investigation on the Characteristics of Sliding Discharge Plasma Aerodynamic Actuation

A new electrical discharge called sliding discharge was developed to generate plasma aerodynamic actuation for flow control. A microsecond-pulse high voltage with a DC component was used to energize a three-electrode actuator to generate sliding discharge. The characteristics of plasma aerodynamic actuation by sliding discharge were experimentally investigated. Discharge morphology shows that sliding discharge is formed when energized by properly adjusting microsecond-pulse and DC voltage. Compared to dielectric barrier discharge （DBD）, the plasma extension of sliding discharge is quasi-diffusive and stable but longer and more intensive. Results from particle image velocimetry （PIV） test indicate that plasma aerodynamic actuation by sliding discharge can induce a ＇starting vortex＇ and a quasi-steady ＇near-wall jet＇. Body force induced by plasma aerodynamic actuation is about the order of mN, which is stronger than that induced by single DBD. It is inferred that microsecond-pulse sliding discharge may be more effective to generate large-scale plasma aerodynamic actuation, which is very promising for improving aircraft aerodynamic characteristics and propulsion efficiency.

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.