Design Of Components Research Articles

The analysis of scaled mechanical dynamic systems

A new approach to scaled experimentation has appeared in the open literature bringing into existence a countably infinite number of similitude rules connecting multiple scaled experiments. The simplest rule (the zeroth-order rule) captures all what is possible with dimensional analysis but higher-order rules appear to necessitate investigations at multiple scales. The scaling theory finite similitude can however, be repurposed for the analysis of scaled models making it possible to relate models of two different sizes whilst automatically accounting for all scale effects present. The new approach to scaling analysis gives rise to additional systems of equations that are required to be solved and it is this aspect that is the main focus of this paper. It is shown through application of the new scaling-analysis approach to mechanical systems built from discrete elements (e.g., springs, lumped masses, dampers) how scale effects are directly represented. Scaling analysis under the finite-similitude framework is shown to be effective for connecting up scaled models but additionally dovetails with experimental approaches involving scaled experiments. Through application to mechanical systems the new formulation is shown to have practical value but also reveals how system-level scale effects can be handled efficiently. The approach provides a framework for the design and analysis of mechanical components that are required to operate over a range of sizes.

Topography control and component design strategies to enhance electrochemical performance of O3-Type cathode materials for Sodium-ion batteries

Layered transition metal oxides (NaxTMO2, 0 < x ≤ 1) are considered one of the most promising cathodes for Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high theoretical capacity and operability. However, NaxTMO2 still faces significant challenges, including poor kinetic performance and low energy efficiency. Herein, in order to enhance the kinetics of NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 (NaNFMO), topography control and component design were proposed: First, Cu doping (Cu-NaNFMO) was used to expand lattice channels and improve “flat sheet” of layered oxide, which synergistically enhanced transport kinetics of Na+. Second, Co coating (NaNFMO@Co) reacted with surface residue to form a fast-ionic conductor NaxCoO2 (0 < x ≤ 1), which inhibited interfacial side reactions and enhanced transport kinetics of Na+. Furthermore, the presence of strong Cu-O bonds in Cu-NaNFMO and fast-ionic conductor NaxCoO2 in NaNFMO@Co led to better electrochemical redox performance, the initial charge specific capacity of NaNFMO was increased from 141.5 mAh g⁻1 to 145.8 mAh g⁻1 and 144 mAh g⁻1, with capacity retention improving by nearly 10 % after 100 cycles. Furthermore, NaNFMO@Co improves ICE from 90.56 % to 93.57 %. With the improved kinetics, the DCR of pouch cells decreased, and the energy efficiency increased from 93.3 % to 94 % and 95.7 %.

Microstructure and Hardness Properties of Additively Manufactured AISI 316L Welded by Tungsten Inert Gas and Laser Welding Techniques.

In this study, 316L austenitic stainless-steel (ASS) plates fabricated using an additive manufacturing (AM) process were joined using tungsten inert gas (TIG) and laser welding techniques. The 316L ASS plates were manufactured using a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technique, with building orientations (BOs) of 0° and 90°, designated as BO-0 and BO-90, respectively. The study examined the relationship between indentation resistance and microstructure evolution within the fusion zone (FZ) of the welded joints considering the effects of different BOs. Microstructural analysis of the weldments was conducted using optical and laser confocal scanning microscopes, while hardness measurements were obtained using a micro-indentation hardness (HIT) technique via the Berkovich approach. The welded joints produced with the TIG technique exhibited FZs with a greater width than those created by laser welding. The microstructure of the FZs in TIG-welded joints was characterized by dendritic austenite and 1-4 wt.% δ-ferrite phases, while the corresponding microstructure in laser-welded joints consisted of a single austenite phase with cellular structures. Additionally, the grain size values of FZs produced using the laser welding technique were lower than those produced using the TIG technique. Therefore, TIG-welded joints showcased hardness values lower than those welded by laser welding. Furthermore, welded joints with the BO-90 orientation displayed the greatest cooling rates following welding processing, leading to FZs with hardness values greater than BO-0. For instance, the FZs of TIG-welded joints with BO-0 and BO-90 had HIT values of 1.75 ± 0.22 and 2.1 ± 0.09 GPa, whereas the corresponding FZs produced by laser welding had values of 1.9 ± 0.16 and 2.35 ± 0.11 GPa, respectively. The results have practical implications for the design and production of high-performance welded components, providing insights that can be applied to improve the efficiency and quality of additive manufacturing and welding processes.

Wet oxidation behavior of Al-Y synergistic modified liquid phase sintered SiC

The wet oxidation behavior of LPS-SiC ceramics as well as the synergistic modification effect of Al2O3 and Y2O3 as sintering aids are investigated. The results show that SiO2 oxide scale is transformed to aluminosilicate with the addition of Al2O3, which can inhibit the crystallization of oxide layer and formation of cracks. The aluminosilicate oxide layers have low kl value close to zero, which can reduce the consumption of protective oxide layer under water-containing atmosphere. Y2O3 are mainly transformed to Y2Si2O7 to resist the diffusion of oxidative gas. However, with the increase of sintering aids content, the aluminosilicate layer with excessive viscosity limits the emission of gas generated by oxidation and causes many bubbles left in oxide scale which provided rapid channel for oxidative gas. Therefore, LPS-SiC with lower content of sintering aids has better oxidation resistance. This work can provide guidance for the component design of SiC-based ceramics and composites.

Investigating resonance frequency in advanced composite structures as the main part of bridge construction: a multi-physics simulation approach

This paper investigates the nonlinear vibration characteristics and resonance frequencies of a graphene oxide powders (GOP) reinforced beam structure, which is in contact with fluid, serving as a crucial component in bridge construction. Utilizing a multi-physics simulation approach, this study integrates both mathematical modeling and COMSOL simulations to analyze the behavior of the GOP-reinforced beam. The fluid in the analysis is modeled as incompressible, non-viscous, and irrotational, contributing to the interaction with the beam structure. The isogeometric approach, coupled with the harmonic balance method and the arc-length technique, is employed to solve the complex nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). This coupled method ensures the accurate capture of the nonlinear response and resonance frequencies of the beam, which are critical for the safe design and performance of bridge structures. The findings reveal the significant influence of GOP reinforcement on the vibration and stability characteristics of the beam, highlighting its potential to enhance structural performance under dynamic loading conditions. The study also emphasizes the importance of considering fluid-structure interactions in the design process, as the fluid’s presence substantially affects the vibration behavior. This research contributes to the understanding of the dynamic behavior of advanced composite structures in fluid environments, offering valuable insights for the design and analysis of bridge components. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed simulation approach in addressing the complexities of nonlinear vibrations in fluid-structure interaction systems, paving the way for future developments in civil engineering applications.

Evaluating the Plastic Anisotropic Effect on the Forming Limit Curve of 2024-T3 Aluminum Alloy Sheets Using Marciniak Tests and Digital Image Correlation

This study thoroughly investigates the influence of anisotropy on the formability of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy sheets using advanced techniques such as digital image correlation (DIC) and Marciniak tests. A key finding is the relatively small variation in anisotropy values across different strain paths and orientations, contrasting with more significant variations reported in other studies. Tests were conducted on nine samples with various geometries to induce specific strain paths, including uniaxial, plane, and balanced biaxial strains, oriented in different directions relative to the rolling direction. The study also provides a detailed analysis of microstructural and mechanical characteristics, such as precipitate distribution and anisotropy behavior, which are crucial for understanding the relationship between microstructure and material formability. The results show that while anisotropy impacts deformation capacity, the differences in formability among the directions were minimal, with slightly greater formability observed in the diagonal direction. These findings are compared with forming limit curves (FLCs), offering an integrated view of how relatively uniform anisotropic properties influence formability. These insights are essential for optimizing the processing and application of 2024-T3 alloy in industrial contexts, emphasizing the importance of understanding anisotropy in the design of metal components.

Accuracy assessment of the turbomachinery performance maps correction models used in dynamic characteristics of supercritical CO2 Brayton power cycle

The supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle (SCO2BC) has emerged as a promising next-generation power generation technology due to its potential for high thermal efficiency and compact components design. Dynamic modeling of SCO2BC is crucial for understanding and analyzing its performance under design and off-design conditions. Turbomachines are critical components in SCO2BC dynamic models. While turbomachinery components are often modeled using their design-point turbomachinery performance maps (TPM), these maps become less accurate during off-design operations. Despite the existence of various TPM correction methods that ensure model validity, the implementation of the accurate ones within dynamic SCO2BC models remains scarce in the literature. This is crucial as it potentially compromises the accuracy of the obtained results. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the errors in the existing literature TPM correction models (in dynamic SCO2BC simulation) by comparing them against dynamic SCO2BC models employing a highly accurate correction method. Thus, in the current work, the common TPM correction methods from the literature are implemented in SCO2BC dynamic models and compared against a baseline mode, which uses the highly-accurate Pham method (at both the component and cycle levels). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work to address this research gap for the SCO2BC dynamic simulations and on both component and cycle levels. Additionally, another novelty is the usage of Simcenter Amesim software to dynamically model the SCO2BC aided with Pham model. Multible dynamic models for both the turbomachines of SCO2BC and the whole cycle are constructed and equipped with the different TPM correction methods found in literature to compare their dynamic behaviour that of Pham model. The Ideal Gas Compressibility factor (IGZ) method demonstrates a better performance than the other tested methods, as it exhibits the lowest discrepancy compared to the Pham model. Many of the other tested methods show significant errors. Furthermore, a popular hybrid correction combining IGZ and Pham (IGZ-Ph) is also investigated. Surprisingly, while seemingly beneficial, this hybrid approach negatively impacts accuracy, even resulting in predictions as if no correction was applied.

Study on the Characteristics of Residual Film–Soil–Root Stubble Complex in Maize Stubble Fields of the Hexi Corridor and Establishment of a Discrete Element Model

Plastic film mulching is one of the key technologies for improving agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. However, residual plastic film can severely disrupt the structure of the topsoil in farmland, leading to a decrease in crop yield. The Hexi Corridor, as the largest seed maize production base in the arid regions of Northwest China, is facing an increasingly prominent issue of residual plastic film recovery. This study designed experiments based on the typical maize planting model in the Hexi Corridor. A discrete element simulation model of the residual film–soil–root stubble complex was established using the Bonding-V2 model and API rapid filling technology. The reliability of the simulation model was verified through shear and puncture tests. The study revealed that the soil type in the Hexi Corridor is heavy sandy soil. The differences between the average maximum shear forces in the simulated and actual shear tests for root stubble–soil complexes at depths of 30 mm, 50 mm, and 100 mm were 4.8%, 6.4%, and 6.5%, respectively. Additionally, the differences in the average maximum vertical loading forces in the simulated and actual puncture tests for root stubble–soil complexes at depths of 50 mm and 100 mm were 6.4% and 12.37%, respectively. The small discrepancies between the simulated and actual values, along with the consistency of particle movement trends with real-world conditions, confirmed the reliability and accuracy of the simulation model. This indicates that the established discrete element flexible model can effectively represent actual field conditions, providing discrete element model parameters and theoretical support for optimizing the design of key components in China’s mechanized root stubble handling and residual film recovery machinery.

Transfer learning for crash design

When designing the structure of a new vehicle, car manufacturers need to ensure the compliance with strict safety requirements. Aiming to support the engineers in the early phase of this process, we propose a transfer learning framework for crashworthiness. This work explores the possibility to infer knowledge on future situations by exploiting data coming from past development processes. During the early phases of automotive development, assessing the crash safety implies dealing with the challenge of low data availability. Here, the engineers have no hardware test to rely on and can access only few finite element simulations. Under these circumstances, an attractive concept to investigate is the development of a machine learning approach able to learn from the past designs and to transfer the acquired knowledge to the new ones. Transfer learning can serve to this aim. With it, one learns the basic knowledge from a source domain A, and transfers it to a target domain B, characterized by low data availability. Here, we propose a transfer learning framework and apply it to an explicatory industrial crash example. The components produced in the past constitute the source domain; the new component design is the target domain. The proposed methodology can serve as an innovative solution to support car manufacturers in the early phase of vehicle development and thus improve the performance in crashworthiness scenarios.

Chemical engineering perspective of pyrolysis reactor and condenser system for biomass valorisation

The manuscript investigates the design, operating, and economic parameters of components in a biomass pyrolysis system. It covers two key components, the pyrolysis reactor and condenser, with plans to discuss other components in future publications. The study relies on experimental data from a fixed-bed reactor, bio-oil retention experiments using various vials, and computational modeling of the pyrolysis process using a lumped model. The experimental data were thoroughly analysed, considering different types of pyrolysis reactors and heating methods. Dimensionless numbers were employed to predict the impact of changing feed characteristics during pyrolysis. The second part of the study focuses on the operation of conventional condensers and how Bio-oil deposition on their surfaces affects efficiency and cost. Experimental estimation of Bio-oil film thickness on stainless steel and glass surfaces is presented, along with its effects. Finally, a hybrid condenser, combining stainless steel with a glass lining, is proposed to enhance efficiency and reduce costs based on operational requirements.

Survivorship of Primary NexGen Knee Replacement: Comparing Cementless Trabecular Metal to Other Designs of Tibial Component.

The impact of cementless trabecular metal (TM) implants on implant survivorship are not well delineated. This study compares primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) revision rates of cemented knee replacements with two cementless knee replacement designs-cementless TM and a non-TM cementless design. Data from a national registry queried TKA procedures performed for osteoarthritis from 1999 to 2020. The risk of revision of Zimmer NexGen TKA using cementless TM, cementless non-TM, and cemented non-TM were compared. Analyses included Kaplan-Meier estimates of survivorship and Cox hazard ratios (HR), stratified by age and gender. Cementless TM components had higher risks of revision compared with cementless non-TM implants (HR = 1.49; p ≤ 0.001). Cementless TM implants showed higher risks of revision compared with cemented non-TM prostheses for the first 2 years (HR = 1.75, p < 0.001). Non-TM prostheses posed equal risk of revision for cementless and cemented fixations (HR = 0.95, p = 0.522). Patients aged 55 to 64 years and 65 to 74 years had a higher risk of revision for cementless TM compared with cementless non-TM (HR = 1.40, p = 0.033 and HR = 1.79, p < 0.001, respectively) and cemented non-TM implants (HR = 1.51, p < 0.001 and HR = 1.54, p < 0.001, respectively). The study shows there is an increased risk of revision with TM cementless implants for patients aged 55 to 74 years. These results do not support the use of TM tibial implants for patients of this age group for primary TKA.

Design and Experimental Test of a self-sealing component for reciprocal motion of MR fluid based device

This research presents a novel approach to sealing components by proposing an optimized design and experimental evaluation of a magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) sealing component for reciprocal motion, with a specific focus on MR dampers. The traditional O-ring is replaced by a continuously activated MRF seal using an axial permanent magnet. The paper begins with a comprehensive overview of previous research on the application of MR fluid in sealing and presents a proposed configuration for a MRF based seal (MRF seal shortly) for reciprocal motion. Optimal design and modeling of the MRF seal are performed through finite element analysis, and a prototype is manufactured for experimental testing. The performance characteristics of the MRF seal are thoroughly investigated based on both experimental and simulated results. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the MRF seal in terms of its sealing capability and durability. The findings of this research have potential applications across various industries that require sealing components for reciprocating motion, including automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing. By embracing this innovation, these industries can achieve significant energy savings by minimizing friction and enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Role of powder morphology in liquid phase sintering of binder jet additively fabricated WC–Co composite

The present study explored the computational analysis of capillary forces and capillary pressure experienced by the liquid present between particles of various morphologies during liquid phase sintering of a binder jet additively fabricated WC–10 wt% Co composite. An integrated two-particle computational approach was adopted for morphologies gradually transitioning from spherical to cubical. The capillary forces depended on factors such as curvature of liquid meniscus, volume of liquid present between two neighboring particles, and changes in solid–liquid and liquid–vapor contact areas, which were influenced by the particle morphology. The results indicated that capillary forces increased as particle morphology changed from spherical to non-spherical, while increased particle separation led to a reduction in capillary force. Despite increased particle separation, the overall trend in effect of particle morphology on capillary force remained consistent. Additionally, a probability density function based on Rayleigh distribution was used to represent particle separation distances in a real system and variations in coordination number due to different particle morphologies and separation distances were considered. This model allowed estimation of overall effect of particle morphology on capillary force and capillary pressure in realistic systems. The model-based predictions confirmed the experimental observations of severely limited sintering in binder jet additively fabricated WC–10 wt% Co composite containing spherical particles compared to that containing the particles of irregular morphologies. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanics of capillary forces, capillary pressure, and their role in liquid phase sintering, with potential applications in the design and optimization of components of any material system produced using any additive manufacturing process involving liquid phase sintering.

Finite element modelling of continuous fiber–reinforced composites produced by automated manufacturing

Abstract With the advent of automated, continuous filament placement technologies, the possibilities for reinforcement placement in composite manufacturing have been further expanded, as the reinforcement path can be continuously varied within the layer. This allows far more efficient structures to be created, resulting in a further reduction in the weight of the structure compared to conventional composites. At the same time, this manufacturing freedom also poses a major challenge for the structural design of composite components, as simulation methods based on meso-level homogenization are mostly not usable due to the lack of periodicity of the reinforcement structure. In our paper, we have established a structural modelling method using finite element analysis (FEA) for fused filament fabrication-based additive manufacturing of continuous fiber–reinforced composites. For modelling the reinforcement structure properly, we used the base-coordinate sweep (BCS) modelling method and for capturing progressive failure mechanisms we used Ansys LS-Dyna with the MAT54 material card. Based on the simulations and tests performed, we demonstrated that the method we present is suitable for the engineering modelling of continuous fiber–reinforced 3D printed composites.

Structural‐Functional‐Integrated Ultra‐Wideband Microwave‐Absorbing Composites Based on In Situ‐Grown Graphene Meta‐nanointerface

AbstractUltra‐wideband microwave absorbing (MA) materials covering the low‐frequency range (2–6 GHz) are highly desirable in civil and military fields. These materials can be fabricated based on the design of electromagnetic meta‐structure. Herein, a structural‐functional‐integrated ultra‐wideband SiO2 fiber reinforced cyanate ester (CE) MA composite based on an in situ‐grown graphene meta‐nanointerface layer (GrMI) (SiO2f/GrMI/CE) is reported. The relationship between the periodic structure of the graphene nano‐interface layer and the MA performance is discussed through experiments and simulations. The results show that SiO2f/GrMI/CE with a thickness of 8.78 mm exhibits an effective absorption bandwidth of 15.46 GHz (2.54–18 GHz). Remarkably, the reflection loss remains basically unchanged upon increasing the incident angle from 5° to 50°. Additionally, GrMI is an effective load‐bearing constituent, which increases the interfacial shear stress between SiO2f and the CE by ≈210% and contributes to achieving composites with an ultra‐high flexural strength (552.7 MPa). The excellent structural‐functional‐integrated performances ensure that the SiO2f/GrMI/CE composites are suitable for use as the skin materials of microwave stealth aircraft and other civil facilities. The work provides a novel pathway for the design of thinner, wider, lighter, and stronger MA components.

Effective Electromagnetic Properties of Composite Material Computed From Neural Network Approach

ABSTRACTThanks to their lightweight, composite materials have become widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries. The design of components made from these materials is carried out by numerical modeling which can sometimes be tedious because of the need to take into account the internal structure of these materials. Obtaining the effective properties of an equivalent homogeneous material to replace the composite in our numerical models makes modeling easier. Classical homogenization approaches are not always suitable to obtain these effective properties. This article deals with an inverse problem that consists in computing the electromagnetic properties from the knowledge of the magnetic shielding effectiveness values. For different composite samples, an artificial neural network method is used to predict the effective conductivities from the magnetic shielding effectiveness measurements. The magnetic shielding effectiveness values computed from the predicted conductivities are close to those obtained from the measurements.

Component design for stabilizing P phase in NaNbO3-based ceramics and the energy storage performance

Antiferroelectric (AFE) ceramic dielectrics are widely recognized for their high potential in high-power pulse equipment applications. Lead-free NaNbO3 (NN) antiferroelectric ceramics have emerged as a prominent research topic in the field of energy storage due to their abundant phase structure, affordability, and moderate bandgap. The metastable ferroelectric Q phase results in a square hysteresis loop for NN at room temperature. However, 0.96NaNbO3-0.04 CaZrO3 (NNCZ) exhibits a typical double hysteresis loop at room temperature with the main crystalline phase being the antiferroelectric P phase, which has poor energy storage performance. In this study, Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT) is used to optimize the energy storage performance and stabilize the P phase in NNCZ simultaneously. The dielectric constant and temperature-dependence XRD results that from −100 °C to 350 °C, x = 0.05 undergoes a phase transition from AFE P to AFE R and then to PE S. The solid solution of BNT decreased the sintering temperature of NN-based ceramics and decreased average grain size, thereby facilitating domain size reduction and improving the sample's energy storage efficiency from ∼30 % to ∼60 %, with an effective energy storage density reaching 1.51 J/cm3. The above results demonstrate that enhancing energy storage efficiency can be achieved through component design by reducing average grain size.

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SOLAR STILL WITH AND WITHOUT BASIN LINE WITH BLACK POLYTHENE FILM

Since a solar still's optimal performance is crucial, improvements to both its component designs and environmental factors have received attention. Thus, the focus of this study was the solar still basin. First, a black polythene film was used to line the basin of a planned solar still. The yield of this method was assessed, and then the black polythene film was taken out of the basin and another assessment was made. Hourly measurements of the ambient, glass, basin, and solar intensity as well as the distilled water were made in each case. The experiments' results showed that the temperature of the environment, the glass, and the water in the solar still's basin all increased in tandem with the sun's intensity. The solar still's production rose by 9.1 % per day on average when 0.15 mm black polythene film was used to line the basin. The study confirms that using black polythene film into solar still designs provides a workable and effective way to increase potable water production rates.

Overview of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessels, U stamps Certification for Pressure Vessels

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code and Sections are important for the design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems and components. This paper will present importance of ASME U stamp certification which is crucial for ensuring Boiler and Pressure Vessels quality, safety, and compliance with industry standards. ASME U stamp certification which is accepted across the more than 100 nations. This paper also covers ASME U stamp requirements, Certificate duration, Certification processes, and application of U stamp and importance of Single Certification Mark for U stamp

A novel heterogeneous particle addition method based on laser cladding hybrid wire arc additive manufacturing: improvement performance of stainless steel components

ABSTRACT The direct preparation of large components by laser cladding (LC) is not economical, but if it is used as a means of trace element addition and combined with the high efficiency advantages of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), efficient manufacturing and high degree of freedom design of components can be achieved. In this study, high toughness and high plasticity stainless steel components were successfully prepared by combining WAAM and LC. The microstructure in the hybrid deposited specimens evolved into a single austenite, and the proportion of cubic and {001}<100 > textures increased. The mechanical properties obtained were significantly greater than those recommended for use by ASTM A479. The toughness of the hybrid deposited specimens was significantly improved, with a maximum increase in yield strength of 32%, exceeding 350 MPa. The elongation increased by a maximum of 12.7%, reaching 89.2% in the horizontal direction.