Determination of the coefficient of restitution upon contact of a steel ball with aluminum and steel surfaces

In this work, experimental studies on the rebound of a steel ball from aluminum and steel surfaces have been carried out. Using the ideology of the method of discrete elements, a three-dimensional model of the process was built. By carrying out multivariate calculations with varying the restitution coefficient and subsequent comparison of experimental and calculated data on the ball rebound height, the actual restitution coefficient for contact pairs “steel - steel” and “steel - aluminum” was determined. The results of the work will be used in the development of a complex model of high-energy ball milling.

LQR state feedback controller with precompensator for magnetic levitation system

Magnetic levitation system (MLS) is a nonlinear system that attracts the attention of many researchers, especially control engineers. It has wide range of application such as robotics, high-speed transportation, and many more. Unfortunately, it is not a simple task to control it. Here, we utilize state feedback controller with Linear-Quadratic Regulator (LQR) to regulate the position of a steel-ball in MLS. In addition, we also introduce the precompensator to nullify the steady-state errors. The linearized model, controller, and precompensator are simulated using Matlab. The results and simulation verify that the state feedback controller and precompensator succeed to stabilize the position of steel-ball at the equilibrium for 0.1766 seconds and no steady-state errors.

Classification of steel balls by resonant eddy current sensor

The quality and work-life of ball bearings depending on the material properties of the steel ball, hence it is necessary to carefully classify their properties for bearings and related applications. Classification of steel balls based on the subtle difference in their electromagnetic properties is presented in this paper. The conductivity and magnetic susceptibility for the steel balls of the same kind are measured to investigate the correlation with eddy-current signals. The developed eddy-current sensor works at the resonant frequency of 117 kHz with an optimal readout resistance of 15 kΩ, which helps to boost the signal level without a high-gain preamplifier. To detect the eddy-current signal, the steel ball under test moves through the pickup coil, and the recorded data are used to build the voltage probability map for the classification of the steel ball properties. Experimental results show that the steel balls with and without the hardening process can be identified by the change in the amplitude and phase of the eddy current signal, which is consistent with the observed change in the electromagnetic properties of steel balls. The built system can be applied to the related industries to check the quality of steel balls before use.

Frictional Performance of an Ionic Liquid/Graphene Composite Additive in Lubricating Oil

In this study, we used a four-ball friction and wear testing machine to test the tribological properties of [HPy]BF4 ionic liquids (ILs), low-layer graphene (G), and IL and G compounds (IL/G) as lubricant additives at variousconcentrations, loads, and speeds. The morphology of the wear scar was characterized by a white-light interferometer and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that the optimal concentrations of IL and G were 0.10[Formula: see text]wt.% and 0.05[Formula: see text]wt.%, respectively. When the IL concentration was 0.10[Formula: see text]wt.%, the friction coefficient and the wear scar diameter (WSD) reduced by approximately 18% and 8%, respectively, compared to the base oil. When the concentration of G was 0.05[Formula: see text]wt.%, the friction coefficient and WSD reduced by approximately 23% and 12%, respectively, compared to the base oil. After adding the optimal concentration of the IL/G composite additive under the same test conditions, the average friction coefficient of the steel ball reduced by approximately 30%, and the average WSD reduced by approximately 18%. IL/G nanoadditives could be easily attached to the pit area on the friction surface of the steel ball, which made the contact surface of the friction pair smoother and the area of the oil film bearing the load larger, compared to those using the base oil. These two combined phenomena promoted synergistic antifriction and antiwear effects, which significantly improved the frictional performance of the base oil.