Reliability aspects of microsensors and micromechatronic actuators for automotive applications

In modern cars microsensors and micromechatronic actuators play an essential and still increasingly important role as the interface between the vehicle with its complex functions of motor management, chassis systems, safety as well as comfort and convenience on the one hand and the respective electronic control units on the other hand. They have to fulfill their task in a harsh environment over the entire lifetime of an automobile. Therefore reliability aspects have moved more and more into the focus of engineering and research activities in microsystem technology. A methodical procedure is described that allows reliability issues to be approached efficiently. The implementation of the methodology is illustrated with real-life examples of reliability aspects of hot film mass air flow sensors, inertial sensors as well as piezoelectric actuators.     

A new ‘tailor-made’ methodology for the mechanical behaviour analysis of rubber-like materials: I. Kinematics measurements using a digital speckle extensometry

This paper is the first part of a work devoted to the setting-up of a methodology for the mechanical behaviour characterization of rubber-like materials, using a digital speckle extensometer. We present here the experimental approach, specific to large strain measurements. The proposed method is based on in-plane kinematics measurements using an optical extensometer. The whole two-dimensional field of in-plane displacements is obtained by a digital image processing. We discuss then the correlation calculations and how to achieve the optimal subset matching. Next, we specify how to derive the principal stretch ratios, and the accuracy on these components, issued from a subsequent numerical calibration.Finally, we present experimental data dealing with a carbon black, filled natural rubber, issued from uniaxial traction tests, pure shear tests, and tensile tests performed on double-edge notched tensile specimens.     

High accuracy path tracking for vehicles in presence of sliding: Application to farm vehicle automatic guidance for agricultural tasks

When designing an accurate automated guidance system for vehicles, a major problem is sliding and pseudo-sliding effects. This is especially the case in agricultural applications, where five-centimetre accuracy with respect to the desired trajectory is required, although the vehicles are moving on slippery ground. It has been established that RTK GPS was a very suitable sensor to achieve automated guidance with such high precision: several control laws have been designed for vehicles equipped with this sensor, and provide the expected guidance accuracy as long as the vehicles do not slide. In previous work, further control developments have been proposed to take sliding into account: guidance accuracy in slippery environments has been shown to be preserved, except transiently at the beginning/end of curves. In this paper, the design of this control law is first recalled and discussed. A Model Predictive Control method is then applied in order to preserve accuracy of guidance even during these curvature transitions. Finally, the overall control scheme is implemented, and improvements with respect to previous guidance laws are demonstrated through full-scale experiments.     

Multiresolution Representation of 2D CSG Models

Multiresolution is currently one of the main schemes used in CAD modeling for representing objects, particularly when large-scale geometric data must be transferred interactively over a network, as in the case of collaborative design. Increasingly complex products and growing competition have turned design into a collaborative team effort. Furthermore, the widespread development of Internet viewers has also necessitated the transfer and display of large-scale CAD models over networks. In order to reduce the volume of transferred data, efforts have been made to transfer CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry) models rather than those based on B_rep (Boundary Representation). This paper presents an original new method for speeding up data transfer by using multiresolution CSG models at different levels of details (LOD). The multiresolution CSG algorithm generates a hierarchy of multiresolution CSG trees; at each level, the shape is further approximated and represented by a smaller number of CSG primitives. The paper analyzes the proposed algorithm, and demonstrates its feasibility.     

Laboratory simulated slipstream testing of novel sulfur removal processes for gasification application

The Wabash River Integrated Methanol and Power Production from Clean Coal Technologies (IMPPCCT) project is investigating an Early Entrance Coproduction Plant (EECP) concept to evaluate integrated electrical power generation and methanol production from coal and other carbonaceous feedstocks. Research, development and testing (RD&T) that is currently being conducted under the project is evaluating cost effective process systems for removing contaminants, particularly sulfur species, from the generated gas which contains mainly synthesis gas (syngas), CO₂ and steam at concentrations acceptable for the methanol synthesis catalyst. The RD&T includes laboratory testing followed by bench-scale and field testing at the SG Solutions Gasification Plant located in West Terre Haute, Indiana. Actual synthesis gas produced by the plant was utilized at system pressure and temperature for bench-scale field testing.     

Temporal and spatial aspects of an environmental stimulus influence the dynamics of behavioral regulation of the Aplysia siphon-withdrawal response.

Exposure to turbulence, an environmental stimulus, produces behavioral adaptation in the Aplysia siphon-withdrawal response (SWR). The authors show that the duration and spatial extent of turbulence influence adaptation recovery. In terms of duration, recovery in whole animals and reduced preparations (tail, siphon, and CNS) was more rapid after longer exposures to turbulence (10 min) than after briefer exposures (10 s-5 min). In terms of spatial extent, recovery in reduced preparations was more rapid after diffuse turbulence (tail and siphon together) compared with focal turbulence (siphon alone). Furthermore, spatial extent and duration interact: Duration regulates recovery only when turbulence is diffuse. Results suggest that SWR adaptation reflects a composite of cellular processes, including short-term synaptic enhancement in L30 inhibitory interneurons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tissue fixation security in transosseous rotator cuff repairs: a mechanical comparison of simple versus mattress sutures

The primary purpose of this investigation was to compare tissue fixation security by simple sutures versus mattress sutures in transosseous rotator cuff repair. These two repair techniques were each performed in 17 human cadaver shoulders, with two bone tunnels being used for the repair by two simple sutures and two other bone tunnels being used for the repair by one mattress suture. The repairs were loaded to failure in a servohydraulic materials test system. Rotator cuff repair by simple sutures was found to be significantly stronger than repair by mattress sutures (P = .0007). The average ultimate load to failure for the simple suture construct (189.62 N) was 39.72% greater than that for the mattress suture construct (135.71 N). Most of the failures occurred by suture breakage at the knot. Load-sharing by multiple suture tails and multiple knots in the simple suture configuration likely contributed to its superior strength characteristics compared with the mattress suture configuration.     

Microphase structure and calculations of the interphase in poly (styrene-b-methylphenylsiloxane) diblock copolymers: a comparative study from small-angle X-ray scattering,electron spectroscopic imaging and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance

The microphase structure of a series of poly (styrene-b-methylphenylsiloxane) (PS-b-PMPS)-diblock copolymers with various compositions and molecular weights has been studied by small-angle X-ray scattering, electron spectroscopic imaging and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This diblock copolymer system is miscible within a distinct range of temperature and molecular weight exhibiting an upper critical solution temperature. The three chosen methods which complement each other can be applied to the chemically unmodified model system. The results of the various measurements correlate to describe the microphase structure, the domain size and the interphase.     

Influence of Threshold Stress on the Estimation of the Weibull Statistics

The influence of threshold stress on the estimation of the Weibull statistics is discussed in terms of the Akaike information criterion. Numerical simulations show that, if sample data are limited in number and threshold stress is not too large, the two-parameter Weibull distribution is still a preferred choice. For example, the fit of strength data of glass and ceramics to the two- and three-parameter Weibull distributions is compared.