Claudio Campana

Stand-Alone Surface Roughness Analyzer

This paper details the design and implementation of a noncontact surface roughness probe from a PC-based data-acquisition system to a stand-alone measurement instrument system. A Cadence layout for the fabrication of the printed circuit board (PCB), which interfaces and drives the surface roughness probe, was used to prototype this project.

Optical inspection of holes in jet engine blades

The need for improved thermal efficiency of jet engines has led to changes in the design of combustor turbine blades. Modern turbine stage inlet temperatures now exceed the melting point temperatures of turbine blade materials. Super alloys, based on nickel, have been developed for use as blades, guide vanes, afterburners etc. To combat and avert blade failure caused by excessive operating temperatures, film cooling has been incorporated into blade design. In film cooling, cool air is bled from the compressor stage, ducted into internal chambers of the turbine blades, and discharged through small holes in the blade walls. This provides a thin, cool, insulating blanket along the external surface of the turbine blade, and large numbers of shaped holes have allowed designers to maximize the cooling effect. This paper explores a new design for measuring the presence and depth of blind holes in turbine blade. In the paper, we examine the inspection techniques currently in use and present a novel optical technique as an alternative. To precisely locate and measure the holes on the turbine blade, an XYZ translation stage is employed. Using a small collimating tube, a micro-beam illuminates each hole in a pre-programmed fashion. Depending on the level of reflected intensity and when it occurs, the presence of a hole bottom is determined. The optical inspection system consists of a laser, motorized micro-positioning stage, collimating tube, optical detector/amplifier, data acquisition software and a customized fixture for manipulating the samples.

A new approach to mechatronics system design using hardware in the loop simulation

Presents an approach to a mechatronics system design course, which is primarily based on a combination of mechanical, electrical and software elements along with the design and construction of an intelligent mechatronics technology demonstrator. Topics covered in this course are principles of transducers and sensors and how to interface them with an external process in a computer environment. Methods of system modeling, real time interfacing and rapid prototyping are addressed. Computer interfacing work includes signal conversion, interface components, and real time application of computer systems to problems in manufacturing. The goals of the paper are to describe (1) the University of Hartford mechatronic curriculum, (2) the language-neutral teaching approach for mechatronics, and (3) a low cost technology demonstrator, developed and refined by the authors, which is suitable for studying the key elements of mechatronics including system dynamics, sensors, actuators, and computer interfacing.

Design of Machine Vision Systems for Improving Solder Paste Inspection

The quality of solder joints is a crucial aspect on circuit card assemblies containing fine-pitch, surface mount technology (SMT) components. Modern aerospace equipment manufacturers are therefore implementing machine vision systems for the inspection of their electronic products. These methodologies offer many process improvements including faster cycle times, early defect detection, and the ability to efficiently track statistical data. This paper discusses machine vision systems for dimensional verification of solder paste deposited on printed circuit boards. The intent is to show that by focusing on vision inspection early in the assembly process, defects can be detected prior to component placement and solder reflow. Example vision systems and methodologies will be described for applications involving SMT assembly processing. Specifically, various cost-effective techniques for measuring solder paste height and volume will be presented as a means of maintaining solder joint quality. Verification of the aforementioned dimensional attributes is currently very important in the aerospace electronics industry as smaller SMT package and lead sizes are migrating to production.Copyright

Adaptive Gimbal Control Approach to Account for Power Consumption and Landmark Tracking Quality

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are commonly used for robotics research and industrial purposes. Most of the autonomous applications use visual sensors and inertial measurement units for localization. Design constraints of such systems are defined considering smooth operation requirements such as indoor environments without external forces where input tracking signal is constant during an operation. In this research paper, we simultaneously investigate and compare stability, power consumption and landmark tracking quality of a visual sensor mounted gimbal specifically for rapid UAV motion requirements where input signal continuously varies such as at obstacle rich environments. We not only attempt to find efficient control parameters but also compare these settings with power consumption and landmark tracking quality metric which are vital for mobile robots and localization algorithms. Efficiency of the system response is analyzed with rise and settling time as well as oscillation amplitude and frequencies. These parameters are tested and benchmarked with various voltage and current limitations. In addition to that, different response behaviors were investigated considering landmark tracking quality metrics including feature detection and image blur. We have shown that gimbal stabilization controller under continuously varying input signal requires less responsive behavior to keep landmark tracking accuracy stable. Initial simulation results, system development and experimental setup procedure are explained and behavior plots for each topic are listed and analyzed.Copyright

Strategy for Developing a System for Sustainable Product Design and Manufacture

Research studies confirm that embracing sustainability in product design and manufacturing not only yields environmental improvements, but offers key business benefits. There is an increasing pressure to adopt a more sustainable approach to product design and manufacture. Organizations that are actively engaged in sustainable product design and development cite impressive levels of improvement over their poorer performing peers in product innovation, quality, safety and revenue growth alongside anticipated environmental and energy gains. Sustainability in design and manufacturing has a lot to do with “doing better with less,” and embracing a broader view of product development, and examining full lifecycle of the product and the impact that its design, manufacture, performance and disposal can have across not only on business, but on the environment and society, as well. The process of rethinking a product’s design so that it is more durable contains fewer parts and easily packaged and recycled also drives innovation and quality. The goal of sustainable product design (SPD) is to produce products and/or to provide services, which are sustainable and achieve their required functionality, meet customer requirements and are cost effective. In other words, SPD is about producing superior products and/or services that fulfil traditional criteria as well as sustainability requirements. The requirement to develop sustainable product is one of the key challenges of 21st century.This paper describes a system that identifies sustainability related performance measures for products in terms of:a) Sustainable product design by robust design.b) Sustainable design by quality of service.The first case study is on a laser based measuring instrument which supports the theory of sustainable product by robust design techniques The objective of the robust design study is to find the optimum recommended factor setting for the surface roughness analyser to minimize the variability in the readings. This instrument relies on the spread of the laser light on the work piece to determine surface roughness; therefore, the analyser’s reliability depends primarily on everything involved with the laser and its path. There are a minimum number of parts to achieve this function since the laser can scan over the work piece, substituting functionality in place of additional parts. The use of surface roughness analyser for online measurement of surface finish and continuous online monitoring and control with a feedback provides the robustness in quality and sustainability.The second case study, which is on elevator quality of service, is considered to support the theory of sustainable design by quality of service. This example shows how the design considerations are influenced and closely linked to the quality of service and maintenance. To support the theory of sustainability by quality of service, this case study examines elevator design and maintenance and recommends a new procedure based on Root Couse Analysis resulting in Elevator Condition Index (ECI). ECI is a new procedure and is applied based on original equipment reliability, projected average life cycle of key wear components, number of run cycles since maintenance was last performed on each component, cost of emergency repair vs. cost of maintenance vs. likelihood of failure. It supports service based on prognostics rather than routine service cycles.Sustainable design and manufacturing is possible if we deploy the virtual engineering tools to monitor and service manufacturing machinery so that the sustainable benefits are maintained throughout the product design cycle. The choice of a workplace structure depends on the design of the parts and lot sizes to be manufactured as well as market factors, such as the responsiveness to changes. Designers should be aware of the manufacturing consequences of their decisions because minor design changes during the early stages often prevent major problems later. As a part of product performance evaluation, the use of capability index to maintain process quality can lead to beneficial results.Copyright

Investigation of New Generation of Ceramic and Single Crystalline Piezo Materials for Helicopter Blade and UAV Actuation

A great amount of research is being conducted to incorporate smart material actuators in aerospace applications such as (1) turbo fan engines (2) servo flap actuators for helicopter rotor control. For example, a piezoelectric stack actuator, coupled with mechanical or hydraulic amplification could provide the actuation required for the variable pitch fan system with a potentially higher level of reliability. In addition, piezoelectric actuation system could do so at a lower overall weight. However, there are limitations with existing piezoelectric stack actuators relative to power requirements. Therefore, a new approach has been investigated to improve these characteristics in order for piezoelectric stacks to be a feasible solution for these types of large scale applications. A new configuration involving dielectric, conductor, piezoelectric material in a particular sequence of stack actuation is examined and experimented. A nonlinear lumped parameter model of a piezoelectric stack has been developed to describe the behavior for the purpose of control actuation analysis.Copyright

Modeling and Experimental Evaluation of Monocrystalline Piezoelectric Materials for Electromechanical Actuation

A great amount of research is being conducted to incorporate smart material actuators in aerospace applications such as (1) turbo fan engines (2) servo flap actuators for helicopter rotor control. For example, a piezoelectric stack actuator, coupled with mechanical or hydraulic amplification could provide the actuation required for the variable pitch fan system with a potentially higher level of reliability. In addition, piezoelectric actuation system could do so at a lower overall weight. However, there are limitations with existing piezoelectric stack actuators relative to power requirements in high load applications, resulting heat that is generated due to resistance and internal friction within the piezoelectric materials currently being utilized. Therefore, a new approach has been investigated to improve these characteristics in order for piezoelectric stacks to be a feasible solution for these types of large scale applications. A new configuration involving dielectric, conductor, piezoelectric material in a particular sequence of stack actuation is examined and experimented. This configuration is recommended due to the advantage that the metallic layers will allow creating the equipotential surfaces of the quartz and dielectric layers. This circumstance is very important because, in this case, it will take place instantly changing the electric potential of the surface of the piezoelectric material and the dielectric when the force or voltage applied to the actuator changes instantly. A nonlinear lumped parameter model of a piezoelectric stack has been developed to describe the behavior for the purpose of control actuation analysis.Copyright

A New Precision Non-Contact Laser-Based Hybrid Measurement Methodology

Precise and accurate manufacturing became an obligation in aerospace industry in last decades. Uniformity of turbine blades, nozzle geometries, gaps, diameter changes and misalignment issues in turbine assemblies have to be inspected carefully in terms of quality and exactitude. Like broadly used aluminum and titanium based materials, ceramics and special coated composites are also used in aerospace applications. A wide selection of measurement methods used is based on intensity sensing and range imaging. With the recent development in advanced laser techniques, new methods that involve non contact measurement methodologies are being investigated by many industries. In addition to their accuracy and precision, speed of measurement and compactness of such systems are also of high significance. In this paper, a hybrid approach consisting of laser based triangulation, photogrammetry and edge detection techniques has been investigated to measure inner surfaces of parts that have limited access, especially where human presence is impossible. The system is capable of detecting and measuring misalignments, gaps, inclinations as well as surface variations such as cracks and dents. The system employs the accuracy and speed of measurement of triangulation systems and combines these with the mobility and cost effectiveness of photogrammetry and edge detection techniques. In addition to gap and alignment offset inspections, the methodology and the instrument enables angle measurements, detailed surface texture examinations and other inspections needed to be done inside assemblies with narrow openings, with its compact body. Additionally, a comprehensive experimental study has been conducted to show that two different edge detection methods, namely, the “Simple Edge Tool” and “Straight Edge (Rake) Tool” can be used with great accuracy and precision for such measurement purposes. With this system, any surface, whether they have a reflectance or not, can be scrutinized.Copyright

Virtual Product Design Using Innovative Mechatronic Techniques for Global Supply Chain

Global economic pressures have influenced industries to reduce budgets and look for innovative solutions. New product development procedures, especially in automotive, aerospace, industries today deploy increasingly sophisticated solutions to streamline and speed up product development as well as to improve overall product quality. With new digital factory layout tools and improved 3-D visualizations, manufacturers can digitally design and validate full factories in up to half the time previously required to do the job. Virtual product design procedures involving simulation of complex systems allows designers to develop system without finalizing the hardware. The simulation procedure can be as “what if” scenario when the hardware doesn’t exist. There are two critical issues to consider: speed and complexity. Trade-offs between simulation speed and the level of accuracy is necessary because of system resources available. As the simulation becomes faster with faster processors but the use of multicore systems help simulation. The interactive modeling is crucial to the design process, and it can occur in a mixed environment where real and virtual objects are combined. The key aspect of the virtual environments is that the visual representation of system partitioning and interaction lends itself to mechatronic applications. They also reduce system complexity from a developer’s standpoint, allowing concentration on the application details. Virtual simulations enable everyone to work on development before the first prototype is completed. Engineers can validate the entire operating cycle for the machine by driving the simulation with control system logic and timing. With industries leading all-digital design, validation, and commissioning of factory automation devices, virtual commissioning of factory-floor layout is becoming important. This paper will examine in detail the capability can offer manufacturers the ability to digitally design and layout either new factories or assembly lines much more quickly without putting any physical equipment into place, a method that can cut the time needed for such tasks. The paper discusses a strategy to take that virtual world into the physical world, but also being able to tie it back, so that information that would come from the shop floor could make it back to design.Copyright