Drive System Sizing of a 6-DOF Parallel Robotic Platform

In this work, it is considered a 6-DoF robotic device intended to be applied for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) motion simulation with wind tunnel models. The requirements have led to a 6-PUS parallel robot whose linkages consist of six closed-loop kinematic chains, connecting the fixed base to the mobile platform with the same sequence of joints: actuated Prism (P), Universal (U), and Spherical (S). As is common for parallel kinematic manipulators (PKMs), the actual performances of the robot depend greatly on its dimensions. Therefore, a kinematic synthesis has been performed and several Pareto-optimal solutions have been obtained through a multi-objective optimization of the machine geometric parameters, using a genetic algorithm. In this paper, the inverse dynamic analysis of the robot is presented. Then, the results are used for the mechanical sizing of the drive system, comparing belt- to screw-driven units and selecting the motor-reducer groups. Finally, the best compromise Pareto-optimal solution is definitely chosen.

Preliminary Study on Automated Concrete Bridge Inspection

This work focuses on the development of a methodology for the complete reconstruction of the 3D geometry of a concrete bridge. 3D scanning technology was selected as the most apt to the task as it provides very detailed geometrical informations. A dedicated carriage system for a compact and lightweight laser scanner has been designed and built as a first prototype to be used on laboratory as well as future on-field tests. A first assessment of the design constraints has been carried out, based on the general goal of implementing a system able to be used with existing inspection vehicles with minimal modifications. The specific electronic system for management and control of the carriage system and the management of the associated tracking system has been also designed and realized. Some preliminary tests have been performed at Politecnico di Milano University campus to assess the viability and analyze the performance of the early design choices.

Automobile Driving Control for a Dual Power Electric Vehicle With a Hydrogen Fuel Cell

In this study, we adopt a dual power system for extension (DPES) operation by combining the existing power system of an electric vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell. This was to enhance the durability of the electric vehicle and reduce the inconvenience of battery charging. The lithium battery acts as the primary power source and has real-time monitoring of its state of charge (SOC), while the hydrogen fuel cells act as the auxiliary power supply. The auxiliary power can be used either directly or for charging the lithium battery while the vehicle is in its idle state. The dual power system is coupled with a dual-mode motor controller and energy management system. This study aims to apply the dual power system on the electric vehicle using hydrogen fuel cells. We designed a simulation platform for real driving conditions using Labview to send and receive control commands. In this study, we simulated the road cycles of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE-40), Japanese legislative cycle (JP10) and the World-wide Motorcycle Emissions Test Cycle (WMTC), using Proportional-integral Control (PI) for automatic tracking and employing engineering error analysis to determine the most suitable PI parameter values for the simulated system. The results showed that using a fixed 100 W fuel cell could enhance the operation time up to 21 %, 21 %, and 14 % for the road cycles of the ECE-40, JP10, and WMTC, respectively. Due to the required features of an actual vehicle, we also designed an energy limiting system to manage the driver-controlled electronic throttle by controlling the instantaneous and maximum power output of the motor in order to achieve savings in energy consumption, increase its operation time, protect the system, and enhance its durability.

Static Balancing of a Parallel Kinematics Machine With Linear-Delta Architecture

The study deals with the compensation of gravity loads in closed-loop mechanisms as a possible strategy for enhancing their working performance. This work focuses on the Orthoglide 5-axis, a prototypal parallel robot for milling operation, characterized by linear-delta architecture with two further serial DOFs. Starting from a general theory formerly proposed by the authors, gravity compensation of the mechanism is analytically carried out. The statically balanced Orthoglide 5-axis can be obtained by installing on one leg a proper set of extension springs and a simple additional linkage. A feasible design solution for developing the device in practice is presented. The proposed balancing device can be implemented with minor modifications of the original robot design, thus appearing a profitable solution to be possibly extended to other machinery with similar architecture.

CFD Aided Design of Heat Transfer Plates for Gasketed Plate Heat Exchangers

In this study, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses are performed to assess the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of a commercial Gasketed Plate Heat Exchangers (GPHEx) with 30 degrees of chevron angle (Plate1). The results of CFD analyses are compared with a computer program (ETU HEX) previously developed based on experimental results. Heat transfer plate is scanned using photogrammetric scan method to model GPHEx. CFD model is created as two separate flow zones, one for each of hot and cold domains with a virtual plate. Mass flow inlet and pressure outlet boundary conditions are applied. The working fluid is water. Temperature and pressure distributions are obtained for a Reynolds number range of 700–3400 and total temperature difference and pressure drop values are compared with ETU HEX. A new plate (Plate2) with corrugation pattern using smaller amplitude is designed and analyzed. The thermal properties are in good agreement with experimental data for the commercial plate. For the new plate, the decrease of the amplitude leads to a smaller enlargement factor which causes a low heat transfer rate while the pressure drop remains almost constant.

Image-Based Versus Signal-Based Sensors for Machine Fault Detection and Isolation

This paper presents the results of a comparative study that investigated the use of image-based and signal-based sensors for fault detection and fault isolation of visually-cued faults on an automated assembly machine. The machine assembles 8 mm circular parts, from a bulk-supply, onto continuously moving carriers at a rate of over 100 assemblies per minute. Common faults on the machine include part jams and ejected parts that occur at different locations on the machine. Two sensor systems are installed on the machine for detecting and isolating these faults: an image-based system consisting of a single camera and a signal-based sensor system consisting of multiple greyscale sensors and limit switches. The requirements and performance of both systems are compared for detecting six faults on the assembly machine. It is found that both methods are able to effectively detect the faults but they differ greatly in terms of cost, ease of implementation, detection time and fault isolation capability. The conventional signal-based sensors are low in cost, simple to implement and require little computing power, but the installation is intrusive to the machine and readings from multiple sensors are required for faster fault detection and isolation. The more sophisticated image-based system requires an expensive, high-resolution, high-speed camera and significantly more processing power to detect the same faults; however, the system is not intrusive to the machine, fault isolation becomes a simpler problem with video data, and the single camera is able to detect multiple faults in its field of view.

Kinematics and Stiffness Modeling of a 4-DOF Parallel Robot for Schönflies Motion Generation

This work deals with the design of parallel robots for the generation of pick-and-place operation, or Schönflies motion. The aim is to develop a robot with workspace optimized for fast pick-and-place operations, namely, a robot with a superellipsoidal reachable volume, which suits best for the pick-and-place operations on conveyers, where robots’ working areas are nearly rectangular. In this paper, the kinematics and stiffness modeling of the new robot are presented. A method of stiffness modeling by means of Castigliano’s Theorem is developed. Using the new method, the stiffness of the robot is analyzed. The results are compared with FEA simulation, which shows a good agreement between the results. The method is finally applied to the engineering design of the new robot for enhanced static and dynamic performance.

Motion Simulation of a Hybrid Parallel Robot for Ankle Rehabilitation

This paper addresses the path planning of a hybrid parallel robot for ankle rehabilitation. The robot contains 3-DOF parallel mechanism that is attached on top of the 6-DOF hexapod. The 6-UPU-3-UPR parallel robot is developed to simulate ankle motions for the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients with an affected ankle. The inverse kinematic of hybrid parallel robot is developed in order to track the end-effector’s position through Matlab software. The calculated stroke size of each actuator is imported to apply the forward kinematic for determining the position of end-effector. The experimental and simulation values of the hexapod are compared with those of the hybrid structure through a number of exercise motion paths. The results reveal that, in general, the simulation values follow well the experimental values, although with different degrees of variation for each of the structures considered.

Influence of Drying Conditions and Mathematical Models on the Thin-Layer Drying of Mushrooms

In the present research, experimental data from several studies about drying behavior of mushrooms have been selected and used to compare different drying methods and different mathematical thin layer drying models to simulate mushroom drying rates. The white button (Agaricus Bisporus), the oyster (Pleurotus Ostreatus) and the milky mushroom slices have been considered for drying in different dryers such as hot air cabinet dryer and fluidized bed dryer with different slice thicknesses, drying air temperatures (45 °C to 90 °C) and drying air velocities (0.2 m/s to 5 m/s). The entire drying process has taken place in the falling rate period, assuming that internal mass transfer occurred by diffusion in mushroom slices. The study shows that the drying air temperature and the drying air velocity have an effect on the moisture removal from mushrooms and also on the drying time. Mathematical models have been proved to be useful for design and analysis of heat and mass transfer during drying processes. All the drying models considered in this study could adequately represent the thin layer drying behavior of mushrooms. Furthermore, as it is obvious, any type of mushrooms has its own most suitable model.

Exact Solutions of a Class of Two-Phase Stefan Problems in Heterogeneous Cylinders and Spheres

The classical Stefan problem proffers a suitable model for determining the temperature regimes as well as conjugate interfacial positions for multiphase problems. Obtaining the solutions to these problems exactly, especially in systems with cylindrical or spherical symmetry, is often an arduous task. This is largely due to inherent nonlinearities in the mathematical statements of Stefan problems. In this paper, a tractable and effective approach is proposed. Subsequent to a recast as a system of differential-difference equations, and a methodical reduction to constant coefficient difference equations, exact similarity solutions are derived for a class of heterogeneous two-phase Stefan problems with cylindrical or spherical symmetry in one spatial dimension, under either Gaussian or hypergeometric perturbations.