Modeling Large Spatial Deflections of Slender Bisymmetric Beams in Compliant Mechanisms Using Chained Spatial-Beam-Constraint-Model (CSBCM)

Author(s):  
Guimin Chen ◽  
Ruiyu Bai

Modeling large spatial deflections of flexible beams has been one of the most challenging problems in the research community of compliant mechanisms. This work presents a method called chained spatial-beam-constraint-model (CSBCM) for modeling large spatial deflections of flexible bisymmetric beams in compliant mechanisms. CSBCM is based on the spatial beam constraint model (SBCM), which was developed for the purpose of accurately predicting the nonlinear constraint characteristics of bisymmetric spatial beams in their intermediate deflection range. CSBCM deals with large spatial deflections by dividing a spatial beam into several elements, modeling each element with SBCM, and then assembling the deflected elements using the transformation defined by Tait-Bryan angles to form the whole deflection. It is demonstrated that CSBCM is capable of solving various large spatial deflection problems whether the tip loads are known or the tip deflections are known. The examples show that CSBCM can accurately predict the large spatial deflections of flexible beams, as compared to the available nonlinear FEA results obtained by ANSYS. The results also demonstrated the unique capabilities of CSBCM to solve large spatial deflection problems that are outside the range of ANSYS.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guimin Chen ◽  
Ruiyu Bai

Modeling large spatial deflections of flexible beams has been one of the most challenging problems in the research community of compliant mechanisms. This work presents a method called chained spatial-beam constraint model (CSBCM) for modeling large spatial deflections of flexible bisymmetric beams in compliant mechanisms. CSBCM is based on the spatial-beam constraint model (SBCM), which was developed for the purpose of accurately predicting the nonlinear constraint characteristics of bisymmetric spatial beams in their intermediate deflection range. CSBCM deals with large spatial deflections by dividing a spatial beam into several elements, modeling each element with SBCM, and then assembling the deflected elements using the transformation defined by Tait–Bryan angles to form the whole deflection. It is demonstrated that CSBCM is capable of solving various large spatial deflection problems either the tip loads are known or the tip deflections are known. The examples show that CSBCM can accurately predict large spatial deflections of flexible beams, as compared to the available nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) results obtained by ansys. The results also demonstrated the unique capabilities of CSBCM to solve large spatial deflection problems that are outside the range of ansys.


Author(s):  
Fulei Ma ◽  
Guimin Chen

Modeling large deflections has been one of the most fundamental problems in the research community of compliant mechanisms. Although many methods are available, there still exists a need for a method that is simple, accurate, and can be applied to a vast variety of large deflection problems. Based on the beam constraint model (BCM), we propose a new method for modeling large deflections called chained BCM (CBCM), which divides a flexible beam into a few elements and models each element by BCM. It is demonstrated that CBCM is capable of modeling various large and complicated deflections of flexible beams in compliant mechanisms. In general, CBCM obtains accurate results with no more than 6 BCM elements, thus is more efficient than most of the other discretization-based methods.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fulei Ma ◽  
Guimin Chen

Modeling large deflections has been one of the most fundamental problems in the research community of compliant mechanisms. Although many methods are available, there still exists a need for a method that is simple, accurate, and can be applied to a vast variety of large deflection problems. Based on the beam-constraint model (BCM), we propose a new method for modeling large deflections called chained BCM (CBCM), which divides a flexible beam into a few elements and models each element by BCM. The approaches for determining the strain energy stored in a deflected beam and the stress distributed on it are also presented within the framework of CBCM. Several typical examples were analyzed and the results show CBCMs capabilities of modeling various large deflections of flexible beams in compliant mechanisms. Generally, CBCM can serve as an efficient and versatile tool for solving large deflection problems in a variety of compliant mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Shiladitya Sen ◽  
Shorya Awtar

The constraint-based design of flexure mechanisms requires a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the constraint characteristics of flexure elements that serve as constraints. This paper presents the constraint characterization of a slender, uniform and symmetric cross-section, spatial beam, which is one of the most basic flexure elements used in three-dimensional flexure mechanisms. The constraint characteristics of interest, namely stiffness and error motions, are determined from the non-linear load-displacement relations of the beam. Appropriate simplifying assumptions are made in deriving these relations so that relevant non-linear effects (load-stiffening, kinematic, and elastokinematic) are captured in a compact, closed-form, and parametric manner. The resulting spatial beam constraint model is shown to be accurate, using non-linear finite element analysis, within a load and displacement range of practical interest. The utility of this model lies in the physical and analytical insight that it offers into the constraint behavior of a spatial beam flexure, its use in 3D flexure mechanism geometries, and fundamental performance tradeoffs in flexure mechanism design.


2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiladitya Sen ◽  
Shorya Awtar

The constraint-based design of flexure mechanisms requires a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the constraint characteristics of flexure elements that serve as constraints. This paper presents the constraint characterization of a uniform and symmetric cross-section, slender, spatial beam—a basic flexure element commonly used in three-dimensional flexure mechanisms. The constraint characteristics of interest, namely stiffness and error motions, are determined from the nonlinear load–displacement relations at the beam end. Appropriate assumptions are made while formulating the strain and strain energy expressions for the spatial beam to retain relevant geometric nonlinearities. Using the principle of virtual work, nonlinear beam governing equations are derived and subsequently solved for general end loads. The resulting nonlinear load–displacement relations capture the constraint characteristics of the spatial beam in a compact, closed-form, and parametric manner. This constraint model is shown to be accurate using nonlinear finite element analysis, within a load and displacement range of practical interest. The utility of this model lies in the physical and analytical insight that it offers into the constraint behavior of a spatial beam flexure, its use in design and optimization of 3D flexure mechanism geometries, and its elucidation of fundamental performance tradeoffs in flexure mechanism design.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
I-Ting Chi ◽  
Pei-Lun Chang ◽  
Ngoc Dang Khoa Tran ◽  
Dung-An Wang

Abstract This paper presents kinetostatic models of planar compliant mechanisms with multinary rigid links, multinary joints, sliders and multiple loops based on the chained beam constraint model. The focus is on modelling of several building blocks of the beam type compliant mechanisms to aid in their design. The modelling approaches are based on the loop closure equations and the static equilibrium conditions. Models of the multinary rigid links, multinary joints, sliders are presented. As a result, the kinetostatic models of the compliant mechanisms can be systematically formulated by using these building blocks. Several mechanisms constructed by the building blocks are modelled and verified by finite element analyses. A case study is provided to demonstrate the application of the developed models. These models pave the way for versatile applications of the chained beam constraint model for the design and analysis of beam type planar compliant mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Kai Zhao ◽  
James P. Schmiedeler ◽  
Andrew P. Murray

This paper presents a procedure using Pseudo-Rigid-Body Models (PRBMs) to synthesize partially compliant mechanisms capable of approximating a shape change defined by a set of morphing curves in different positions. To generate a single-piece compliant mechanism, flexural pivots and flexible beams are both utilized in the mechanism. New topologies defined by compliant mechanism matrices are enumerated by modifying the components that make up a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) rigid-body mechanism. Because of the introduction of the PRBM for flexural pivots and the simplified PRBM for flexible beams, torsional springs are attached at the characteristic pivots of the 1-DOF rigid-body mechanism in order to generate a corresponding pseudo-rigid-body mechanism. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is employed to find a group of viable compliant mechanisms in the form of candidate pseudo-rigid-body mechanisms that tradeoff minimizing shape matching error with minimizing actuator energy. Since the simplified beam model is not accurate, an optimization loop is established to find the position and shape of the flexible beam using a finite link beam model. The optimal flexible beams together with the pseudo-rigid-body mechanism define the solution mechanism. The procedure is demonstrated with an example in which a partially compliant mechanism approximating two closed-curve profiles is synthesized.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Xiaobing Kong ◽  
Xiangjie Liu ◽  
Xiuming Yao

Constituting reliable optimal solution is a key issue for the nonlinear constrained model predictive control. Input-output feedback linearization is a popular method in nonlinear control. By using an input-output feedback linearizing controller, the original linear input constraints will change to nonlinear constraints and sometimes the constraints are state dependent. This paper presents an iterative quadratic program (IQP) routine on the continuous-time system. To guarantee its convergence, another iterative approach is incorporated. The proposed algorithm can reach a feasible solution over the entire prediction horizon. Simulation results on both a numerical example and the continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Author(s):  
Hai-Jun Su

Modeling flexible beams that undergo large deflection is one of the key steps in analyzing and synthesizing compliant mechanisms. Geometric nonlinearities introduced by large deflections often complicate the analysis of mechanism systems comprising such members. Several pseudo-rigid-body (PRB) or multi segment models in the literature have been proposed to approximate the tip deflection and slope. However these models are either dependent on external loads or too complicated to analyze. They are neither appropriate for analyzing mechanisms in which loads change significantly as they move, nor for synthesizing mechanisms where a parametric model is preferred. In this paper, a load independent PRB 3R model which comprises of four rigid links joined by three revolute joints and three torsion springs is proposed. The traditional PRB 1R models are first studied for both small deflection beams and large deflection beams. These studies provide fundamental insights to the geometric nonlinearity of large deflection beams. Numerical integration is applied to compute tip deflections for various loads. A three-dimensional search routine has been developed to find the optimal set of characteristic radius factors for the proposed PRB 3R model. Detailed error analysis and comparison against the result by the numerical integration and the PRB 1R model are accomplished for different load modes. The benefits of the PRB 3R model include (a) high accuracy for large deflection beams, (b) load independence which is critical for applications where loads vary significantly and (c) explicit kinematic and static constraint equations derived from the model. To demonstrate the use of the PRB 3R model, a compliant 4-bar linkage is studied and verified by a numerical example. The result shows a maximum tip deflection error of 1.2% compared with the FEA model.


Author(s):  
Guimin Chen ◽  
Fulei Ma ◽  
Ruiyu Bai ◽  
Spencer P. Magleby ◽  
Larry L. Howell

Although energy-based methods have advantages over the Newtonian methods for kinetostatic modeling, the geometric nonlinearities inherent in deflections of compliant mechanisms preclude most of the energy-based theorems. Castigliano’s first theorem and the Crotti-Engesser theorem, which don’t require the problem being solved to be linear, are selected to construct the energy-based kinetostatic modeling framework for compliant mechanisms in this work. Utilization of these two theorems requires explicitly formulating the strain energy in terms of deflections and the complementary strain energy in terms of loads, which are derived based on the beam constraint model. The kinetostatic modeling of two compliant mechanisms are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of using Castigliano’s first theorem and the Crotti-Engesser theorem with the explicit formulations in this framework. Future work will be focused on incorporating use of the principle of minimum strain energy and the principle of minimum complementary strain energy.


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