Shape and Size Synthesis of Compliant Mechanisms Using Wide Curve Theory

2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 551-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Zhou ◽  
Kwun-Lon Ting

A wide curve is a curve with width or cross section. This paper introduces a shape and size synthesis method for compliant mechanisms based on free-form wide curve theory. With the proposed method, detailed dimensions synthesis can be performed to further improve the performance after the topology is selected. Every connection in the topology is represented by a parametric wide curve in which variable shape and size are fully described and conveniently controlled by the limited number of parameters. The shape and size synthesis is formulated as the optimization of the control parameters of wide curves corresponding to all connections in the topology. Problem-dependent objectives are optimized and practical constraints are imposed during the optimization process. The optimization problem is solved by the constrained nonlinear programing algorithm in the MATLAB Optimization Toolbox. Two examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed synthesis procedure.

Author(s):  
Hong Zhou ◽  
Kwun-Lon Ting

A wide curve is a curve with width or cross-section. This paper presents a geometric optimization method of compliant mechanisms based on the free form wide curve theory. With the proposed method, geometric optimization can be performed to further improve the performance of a compliant mechanism after its topology is selected. Every connection in the topology is represented as a parametric wide curve in which variable shape and size are fully described and conveniently controlled by the limited number of parameters. The geometric optimization is formulated on the control parameters of the wide curves corresponding to all connections in the topology. Problem-dependent objectives are optimized and practical constraints are imposed during the optimization process. The optimization problem is solved by the constrained nonlinear programming algorithm in Matlab Optimization Toolbox. An example is presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed optimization procedure.


Author(s):  
A. Saxena ◽  
G. K. Ananthasuresh

Abstract Optimal design methods that use continuum mechanics model for the deformation of the elastic body, are capable of generating suitable topology, shape, and dimensions of compliant mechanisms for desired specifications. Elastic analysis with linear finite element models employed in the synthesis procedures to date is not quantitatively accurate for large displacement situations. Also, the design specifications involving nonlinear force-deflection characteristics and generation of a curved path for the output port are difficult to realize with linear models. In this paper, the synthesis of compliant mechanisms is performed using geometrically nonlinear finite element models that appropriately account for large displacements. Frame elements are chosen for developing the synthesis procedure because of ease of implementation of the general approach and their ability to capture bending deformations. A computationally efficient method for computing the nonlinear design sensitivities is described. Examples are included to illustrate the usefulness of the synthesis method.


Author(s):  
Bhavanam Praveen Reddy ◽  
Hong Zhou

The output or resisting torque from a constant torque compliant mechanism keeps invariant in a large range of input rotation. Unlike regular constant torque compliant mechanisms that have only one input rotation direction, the input rotation of a bidirectional constant torque compliant mechanism can be either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Its resisting or output torque reverses its direction with the change of the input rotation direction. The unique feature of bidirectional constant torque compliant mechanisms makes their synthesis challenging. In this paper, a synthesis method is introduced to surmount the synthesis challenges. The constant resisting torque is generated through a set of curved beams that are mounted within an annular design domain. Because of the bidirectional requirement, the two ends of each curved beam are aligned along radial direction before deformation to avoid rotational bias. Spline curves are employed to describe curved beams and defined by their control parameters. The synthesis of a bidirectional constant torque compliant mechanism is systematized as optimizing the control parameters of its curved beams. The presented method is demonstrated by the synthesis of bidirectional constant torque compliant mechanisms that have different arrangements of curved beams in the paper.


Author(s):  
Sajjad Rimaz ◽  
Reza Katal

: In the present study, SAPO-34 particles were synthesized using hydrothermal (HT) and dry gel (DG) conversion methods in the presence of diethyl amine (DEA) as an organic structure directing agent (SDA). Carbon nanotubes (CNT) were used as hard template in the synthesis procedure to introduce transport pores into the structures of the synthesized samples. The synthesized samples were characterized with different methods to reveal effects of synthesis method and using hard template on their structure and catalytic performance in methanol to olefin reaction (MTO). DG conversion method results in smaller particle size in comparison with hydrothermal method, resulting in enhancing catalytic performance. On the other side, using CNT in the synthesis procedure with DG method results in more reduction in particle size and formation of hierarchical structure which drastically improves catalytic performance.


1999 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Saxena ◽  
G. K. Ananthasuresh

Optimal design methods that use continuum mechanics models are capable of generating suitable topology, shape, and dimensions of compliant mechanisms for desired specifications. Synthesis procedures that use linear elastic finite element models are not quantitatively accurate for large displacement situations. Also, design specifications involving nonlinear force-deflection characteristics and generation of a curved path for the output port cannot be realized with linear models. In this paper, the synthesis of compliant mechanisms is performed using geometrically nonlinear finite element models that appropriately account for large displacements. Frame elements are chosen because of ease of implementation of the general approach and their ability to capture bending deformations. A method for nonlinear design sensitivity analysis is described. Examples are included to illustrate the usefulness of the synthesis method.


1999 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Saggere ◽  
S. Kota

Compliant four-bar mechanisms treated in previous works consisted of at least one rigid moving link, and such mechanisms synthesized for motion generation tasks have always comprised a rigid coupler link, bearing with the conventional definition of motion generation for rigid-link mechanisms. This paper introduces a new task called compliant-segment motion generation where the coupler is a flexible segment and requires a prescribed shape change along with a rigid-body motion. The paper presents a systematic procedure for synthesis of single-loop compliant mechanisms with no moving rigid-links for compliant-segment motion generation task. Such compliant mechanisms have potential applications in adaptive structures. The synthesis method presented involves an atypical inverse elastica problem that is not reported in the literature. This inverse problem is solved by extending the loop-closure equation used in the synthesis of rigid-links to the flexible segments, and then combining it with elastic equilibrium equation in an optimization scheme. The method is illustrated by a numerical example.


Author(s):  
Laxminarayana Saggere ◽  
Sridhar Kota

Abstract Compliant mechanisms are a class of mechanisms that achieve desired force and motion transmission tasks by undergoing elastic deformations as opposed to rigid-body displacements in the conventional rigid-link mechanisms. Most of the previously reported synthesis studies in compliant mechanisms related to either partially-compliant mechanisms or fully-compliant mechanisms with joint compliance. Methods developed for fully-compliant mechanisms with link compliance addressed the issue of topology generation for desired deflections at discrete points on the mechanism. This paper presents a new, first-principles based synthesis procedure for fully-compliant mechanisms with link compliance — that is, distributed-compliant mechanisms — for continuous shape change requirements in a particular segment of a mechanism. The general approach presented in this paper for the synthesis of distributed compliant mechanisms is shown to be well suited for application in the design of adaptive structures, an emerging class of high-performance structural systems. The current trend in the design of adaptive structures is to embed structures with force or strain inducing “smart” materials to serve as distributed actuators. Potential advantages of using the distributed compliance scheme over the distributed actuation scheme in the design of adaptive structures include a significant reduction in the number of required actuators and controls.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Peng ◽  
Charles Ross ◽  
Qi Jian Lim ◽  
Gabriele Gradoni

<div><div><div><p>We present a novel and flexible method to optimize the phase response of reflective metasurfaces towards a desired scattering profile. The scattering power is expressed as a spin-chain Hamiltonian using the radar cross section formalism. For metasurfaces reflecting an oblique plane wave, an Ising Hamiltonian is obtained. Thereby, the problem of achieving the scattering profile is recast into finding the ground-state solution of the associated Ising Hamiltonian. To rapidly explore the configuration states, we encode the Ising coefficients with quantum annealing algorithms, taking advantage of the fact that the adiabatic evolution efficiently performs energy minimization in the Ising model. Finally, the optimization problem is solved on the D-Wave 2048-qubit quantum adiabatic optimizer machine for binary phase as well as quadriphase reflective metasurfaces. Even though the work is focused on the phase modulation of metasurfaces, we believe this approach paves the way to fast optimization of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces that are mod- ulated in both amplitude and phase for multi-beam generation in and beyond 5G/6G mobile networks.</p></div></div></div>


2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. F. Wang ◽  
K. Tai

This paper demonstrates the design of compliant grip-and-move manipulators by structural optimization using genetic algorithms. The manipulator is composed of two compliant mechanisms (each with two degrees of freedom) that work like two fingers so that the manipulator can grip an object and convey it from one point to another anywhere within a two-dimensional workspace. The synthesis of such compliant mechanisms is accomplished by formulating the problem as a structural topology and shape optimization problem with multiple objectives and constraints to achieve the desired behavior of the manipulator. A multiobjective genetic algorithm is then applied coupled with an enhanced morphological representation for defining and encoding the structural geometry variables. The solution framework is integrated with a nonlinear finite element code for large-displacement analyses of the compliant structures to compute the paths generated by these mechanisms, with the resulting optimal designs used to realize various manipulator configurations.


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