Friction Coefficient of Load-Bearing Elements of Building Technical Facilities

The engineering activities in construction are a set of a wide range of activities that are performed, for example, for the purpose of the installation or mandatory replacement or modernisation of lifts. On the territory of the Czech Republic, there are standards that strictly prescribe what is required to repair and replace on an existing lift in order to ensure the greatest possible safety when riding the lift, but also the high reliability and dependability of the lift. Polyurethane lift belts were developed and used for the vertical movement of lifts at the turn of the millennium. Due to patent rights, they were reserved solely for selected manufacturers of lifts. The classic ropes with a circular cross-section are currently being replaced more and more frequently in construction engineering by flat ropes or belts due to their undisputed advantages. This paper describes the construction design and implemented equipment on which it is possible to determine, in the laboratory, the value of the rope friction coefficient in the given type of traction disc grooves. To be specific, this paper describes the friction coefficient determined in a laboratory, in dry and clean conditions, of a flat rope with a polyurethane sheath on the circumference of the traction disc. The friction coefficient values were acquired indirectly, i.e. by measuring the tractive forces in the approaching and receding rope branches on the rotating traction disc powered by an electric drive. The friction coefficient was determined from the measured values of both tractive forces during the course of a single experimental measuring through a calculation from Euler’s relation. The value of the receding force was obtained using two methods that differ from each other in the manner of attachment (by a screw or compression springs) of the end of the rope to the load-bearing construction of the measuring device. The information obtained from the experimental measurements made it possible to compare the measured values of the rope friction coefficients with the values given by the manufacturers and to make the conclusion that the method used to determine the friction coefficients and the set of laboratory activities and procedures for determining the friction coefficients on the testing equipment is suitable and usable in practice.

A Novel Ring Spring Vibration Isolator for Metro Superstructure

Due to the serious impact of metro vibration on people’s lives, it is important to design vibration isolators. In this study, the dynamic characteristics of a thick-walled ring spring are studied first. Through theoretical derivation, a new formula suitable for thick-walled ring springs is proposed. Finite element numerical analysis was performed to study the load–displacement curve and stress of the ring spring and verified the correctness of the formula. According to the studied mechanic characteristics, a novel ring spring isolator is proposed for vibration isolation of the metro superstructure. With the help of a ring spring, the proposed isolator has good energy absorption and self-reset function. The dynamic simulations were conducted in a multi-story building with the ring spring isolator as the isolator to study the vibration performance. It is common knowledge that the vertical natural frequency of the superstructure that is isolated by compression springs is given by the mass of the superstructure and the spring stiffness. In order to obtain vibration attenuation and control the vertical deformation, the spring stiffness needs to be 500–1000 kN/mm. Hence, it is clear that the vibration isolator does reduce the vertical eigenfrequency. By comparing the isolated structure with the non-isolated structure, it is proved that the new isolator can effectively improve a building’s serviceability.

Analysis and Synthesis of Conical Coil Springs

Springs are mechanical devices that are employed to resist forces, store energy, absorb shocks, mitigate vibrations, or maintain parts contacting each other. Spring wires are commonly coiled in the forms of helixes for either extension or compression. Helical springs usually have cylindrical shapes that have constant coil diameter, constant pitch and constant spring rate. Unlike conventional cylindrical coil springs, the coil diameter of conically coiled springs is variable. They have conical or tapered shapes that have a large coil diameter at the base and a small coil diameter at the top. The variable coil diameter enables conical coil springs generate desired load deflection relationships, have high lateral stability and low buckling liability. In addition, conical compression springs can have significantly larger compression or shorter compressed height than conventional helical compression springs. The compressed height of a conical compression spring can reach its limit that is the diameter of the spring wire if it is properly synthesized. The height of an undeformed conical coil spring can have its height of its spring wire if the spring pitch is chosen to be zero. The variable coil diameter of conical coil springs provides them with unique feature, but also raises their synthesis difficulties. Synthesizing conical coil springs that require large spring compression or small deformed spring height or constant spring rate is challenging. This research is motivated by surmounting the current challenges facing conical coil springs. In this research, independent parameters are introduced to control the diameter and pitch of a conical coil spring. Different conical coil springs are modeled. Their performances are simulated using the created models. The deflection-force relationships of conical coil springs are analyzed. The results from this research provide useful guidelines for developing conical coil springs.

Investigation of Post-Processing of Additively Manufactured Nitinol Smart Springs with Plasma-Electrolytic Polishing

Additive manufacturing of Nitinol is a promising field, as it can circumvent the challenges associated with its conventional production processes and unlock unique advantages. However, the accompanying surface features such as powder adhesions, spatters, ballings, or oxide discolorations are undesirable in engineering applications and therefore must be removed. Plasma electrolytic polishing (PeP) might prove to be a suitable finishing process for this purpose, but the effects of post-processing on the mechanical and functional material properties of additively manufactured Nitinol are still largely unresearched. This study seeks to address this issue. The changes on and in the part caused by PeP with processing times between 2 and 20 min are investigated using Nitinol compression springs manufactured by Laser Beam Melting. As a benchmark for the scanning electron microscope images, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, and the mechanical load test cycles, conventionally fabricated Nitinol springs of identical geometry with a medical grade polished surface are used. After 5 min of PeP, a glossy surface free of powder adhesion is achieved, which is increasingly levelled by further polishing. The shape memory properties of the material are retained without a shift in the transformation temperatures being detectable. The decreasing spring rate is primarily attributable to a reduction in the effective wire diameter. Consequently, PeP has proven to be an applicable and effective post-processing method for additively manufactured Nitinol.

Improvement of Method and Mechanism for Conical and Paraboloid Springs Hardening

The disadvantage of the known methods of hardening springs is the impossibility of their use when hardening springs of a conical shape or of a shape of a paraboloid of rotation, since they are intended only for cylindrical shape springs and are not suitable for conical shape springs or those of a shape of a paraboloid of rotation specifically because of the difference in the shape of the springs. One of the disadvantages of the known springs hardening mechanisms is the impossibility of hardening the inner surface of the conical compression springs. A new method of hardening springs is proposed, the unmatched advantage of which is the ability to create plastic deformations on the inner and outer surfaces of the spring coils compressed to contact and on the surfaces along the line of contact between the coils. A new advantageous mechanism for hardening springs is proposed, which makes it possible to harden the inner surface of compression springs having a conical shape or a paraboloid shape of rotation, in a compressed state.

Effect of the galvanization process on the fatigue life of high strength steel compression springs

In this study, a compression spring fatigue problem arising from the galvanization process was investigated. Fatigue, crack initiation and growth of galvanized and non-galvanized springs manufactured from fully pearlitic high strength steel wires were investigated. According to the results, the galvanized compression springs exhibited a low fatigue life due to hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen embrittlement induced crack initiations formed under the galvanizing layer and adversely affect fatigue life. It was observed that local embrittlement on the outer surface of the spring wire causes crack initiations and disperses through the pearlitic interlamellar microstructure. Compared to non-galvanized and shot-peened specimens with the same surface roughness, compression springs, galvanized compression springs exhibited a 25 % reaction force loss at 50 000 cycles.

Improved analytical model for cylindrical compression springs not ground considering end behavior of end coils

In a context of increased competition, companies are looking to optimize all the components of their systems. They use compression springs with constant pitch for their linear force/length relationship. However, it appears that the classic formula determining the global load-length of the spring is not always accurate enough. It does not consider the effects of the spring's ends, which can induce non-linear behaviour at the beginning of compression and thus propagate an error over the full load-length estimated. The paper investigates the entire behaviour of a cylindrical compression spring, not ground, using analytical, simulation and experimental approaches in order to help engineers design compression springs with greater accuracy. It is built with an analytical finite element method, considering all the geometry and force components of the spring. As a result, the global load-length of compression springs can be calculated with more accuracy. Moreover, it is now possible to determine the effective tri-linear load-length relation of compression springs not ground and thus to enlarge the operating range commonly defined by standards. This study is the first that enables the behaviour to be calculated quickly, by saving time on dimensioning optimisation and on the manufacturing process of compression springs not ground.