Modeling and Experiments of an Annular Multi-Channel Magnetorheological Valve

With the increasing number of cars, the demand for vehicle maintenance lifts is also increasing. The hydraulic valve is one of its core components, but there are problems with it such as inaccurate positioning and failure. In order to improve the service performance of vehicle maintenance elevators, a novel annular multi-channel magnetorheological (MR) valve structure was creatively proposed based on intelligent material MR fluid (MRF), and its magnetic circuit was designed. The influence of current, damping gap and coil turns on the pressure drop performance of the annular multi-channel MR valve was numerically studied and compared with ordinary type magnetorheological valve pressure drop performance through contrast and analysis. The influence of different loads and currents on the pressure drop performance of annular multi-channel magnetorheological valve was verified by experiments, and the reliability of numerical analysis results was verified. The results show that the single winding excitation coil is 321 to meet the demand. The pressure drop performance of the annular multi-channel magnetorheological valve is 5.6 times that of the ordinary magnetorheological valve. The load has little influence on the regulating range and performance of pressure drop of the MR valve. Compared with the common type, the pressure drop performance of the annular multi-channel MR Valve is improved by 3.7 times, which is basically consistent with the simulation results.

Investigation of a Digital Hydraulic Valve Operated by Servo Motors

This paper describes a new type of digital hydraulic valve run by two servo motors. Digital hydraulics is a cutting-edge technology, which saves more exhausted energy than conventional hydraulic valves. It includes conventional valves, but its working principle is different. Similar or different size valves constitute a digital hydraulic valve assembly. When the assigned valves are opened, a certain amount of flow is obtained from the output of the valve assembly. To control a digital hydraulic valve, Pulse Number Modulation (PNM) Control technique is used for equal valve flow rates, while Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) is used for different valve flow rates. Valves are exerted by independently launched electric coils. Previous studies used controller board and external power booster circuits for coils. In this study, a new type of digital hydraulic valve is designed, manufactured, and tested with the PNM method. The studied valve body has two different valve groups. Every group includes 16 equal valves and 1 camshaft rotated by 1 servo motor. The servo motors are controlled by a PLC. The calculated performance index is found to be 5.1ms which is similar to the results of previous studies. The experimental results showed that the cam and servo motor controlled digital hydraulics is applicable to variable speed control hydraulic systems.

Innovation Strategy of 3D Printing in Industrial Design Based on Vision Sensor

3D printing is becoming increasingly integrated across all disciplines affecting traditional manufacturing. Traditional subtractive and isomaterial processing techniques make it difficult to process and manufacture complex structures such as spatial surfaces and complex cavities. Traditional processing and manufacturing processes are complex. Cumbersome clamps are also a drawback of traditional machining. Compared to traditional processing and manufacturing, 3D printing has significant advantages in manufacturing processes and manufacturing complex structures. Based on this, this paper studies the application of visual sensor 3D printing technology in industrial design and further studies the innovative free design methods under the implementation of 3D printing to provide a design basis for solving industrial product processing troubles and complex structures. This paper first provides a theoretical analysis of the combination of 3D printing of vision sensors and innovative design of industrial products. Next, take two classic industrial parts, a mechanical hydraulic valve block, and a crankshaft, as an example, and adopt an innovative and free design method to get an optimized pipeline of hydraulic valve blocks. The crankshaft molding structure integrated with the structure of the lightweight block demonstrates the superiority of 3D printing technology over the innovative design and manufacture of industrial products. Experiments have proved that the molding direction 1 consumes the least time and consumables (5 h 3 min, 24.44 m), but the inner channel is a blind hole, and it is difficult to remove the support after processing. The molding direction 2 consumes a little more consumable but not too much, but the channel supports are all easy to remove, and molding direction 3 has no advantage in all aspects. Research on industrial design innovation strategy of vision sensor 3D printing technology not only leads to the realization of vision sensor 3D printing technology and its equipment. It also provides a specific reference for the green and intelligent development of the future high-end equipment manufacturing industry.

Microfluidic-based imaging of complete C. elegans larval development

Several microfluidic-based methods for C. elegans imaging have recently been introduced. Existing methods either permit imaging across multiple larval stages without maintaining a stable worm orientation, or allow for very good immobilization but are only suitable for shorter experiments. Here, we present a novel microfluidic imaging method, which allows parallel live-imaging across multiple larval stages, while maintaining worm orientation and identity over time. This is achieved through an array of microfluidic trap channels carefully tuned to maintain worms in a stable orientation, while allowing growth and molting to occur. Immobilization is supported by an active hydraulic valve, which presses worms onto the cover glass during image acquisition only. In this way, excellent quality images can be acquired with minimal impact on worm viability or developmental timing. The capabilities of the devices are demonstrated by observing the hypodermal seam and P cell divisions and, for the first time, the entire process of vulval development from induction to the end of morphogenesis. Moreover, we demonstrate feasibility of on-chip RNAi by perturbing basement membrane breaching during anchor cell invasion.

An Algorithm for the Broad Evaluation of Potential Matches between Actuator Concepts and Heavy-Duty Mobile Applications

In recent years, a variety of novel actuator concepts for the implements of heavy-duty mobile machines (HDMMs) has been proposed by industry and academia. Mostly, novel concepts aim at improving the typically low energy efficiency of state-of-the-art hydraulic valve-controlled actuators. However, besides energy-efficiency, many aspects that are crucial for a successful concept integration are often neglected in studies. Furthermore, most of the time, a specific HDMM is focused as an application while other HDMM types can show very different properties that might make a novel concept less suitable. In order to take more aspects and HDMM types into account when evaluating actuator concepts, this paper proposes a novel evaluation algorithm, which calculates so-called mismatch values for each potential actuator-application match, based on different problem aspects that can indicate a potential mismatch between a certain actuator concept and an HDMM. The lower the mismatch value, which depends on actuator characteristics as well as HDMM attributes, the more potential is the match. At the same time, the modular nature of the algorithm allows to evaluate a large number of possible matches at once, with low effort. For the performance demonstration of the algorithm, 36 potential matches formed out of six actuator concepts and six HDMM types are exemplarily evaluated. The resulting actuator concept ratings for the six different HDMMs are in line with general reasoning and confirm that the evaluation algorithm is a powerful tool to get a first, quick overview of a large solution space of actuator-HDMM matches. However, analyzing the limitations of the algorithm also shows that it cannot replace conventional requirements engineering and simulation studies if detailed and reliable results are required.

Mechanism Operation for Changing the Rear Axle Clearance of a Universal Row-crop Tractor

The authors noted the disadvantages of the 3-wheel universal row-crop tractor. To eliminate them, LLC Design and Technological Center for Agricultural Engineering developed a 4-wheel universal row-crop tractor with variable ground clearance.(Research purpose) To determine the pressure change in the hydraulic system and the transfer time of the rear axle from one type of clearance to another.(Materials and methods) The authors showed that the rear axle clearance could be changed using a special mechanism - with minimal labor costs, without the use of lifting equipment and assembly and dismantling works. They explained that the mechanism was driven by a working hydraulic cylinder. The experiments were carried out on a prototype tractor with adjustable ground clearance, equipped with a separate-aggregate hinged system at an engine speed of 1200-2000 rpm (revolutions per minute). M10G2K oil was used in the hydraulic system, heating it to 65 degrees Celsius (at an ambient temperature of 33-35 degrees Celsius).(Results and discussion) The hydraulic system consisted of an NSh-32 hydraulic pump, a P80 hydraulic valve, two Ts50-200 working hydraulic cylinders, a double-acting hydraulic lock, a hydraulic tank, filters, hoses and high pressure pipes. At the inlet and outlet channels of the working hydraulic cylinders, which activated the mechanism for changing the rear axle clearance, hydraulic locks were installed, and diaphragm pressure sensors model SS302 from Sendor Sensor with a measurement range from 0 to 40 megapascals were placed along the hydraulic line connecting the hydraulic locks with the hydraulic valve.(Conclusions) The authors determined that the time for transferring the rear axle from low clearance to high was 2.2-4.4 seconds, and the pressure in the hydraulic system was 3.8-16.4 megapascals at an engine speed of 1300-2000 rpm. It was found that when transferring from high to low ground clearance, these indicators amounted to 1.0-1.4 seconds and 0.99-9.90 megapascals.