Ramin Masoudi

High-Fidelity Modeling of a Power-Split Plug-In Hybrid Electric Powertrain for Control Performance Evaluation

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) development seems to be essential for a sustainable transportation system along with electric vehicles. An appropriate power management strategy for a PHEV determines how to blend the engine and the battery power in such a way that leads to significant fuel economy improvement and environmental footprint reduction. To evaluate and validate the controls design, software and hardware-in-the-loop (SIL/HIL) simulations are useful approaches, especially at the early stages of controls design. To conduct SIL/HIL tests, an accurate and relatively fast mathematical model of the real powertrain is required which solely contains the essential dynamics of the plant. In this paper, a physics-based model of a power-split plug-in powertrain is developed and implemented using MapleSim software. This model contains a chemistry-based lithium-ion battery pack, which can distinguish it from other models used in the literature, since the performance of a PHEV greatly depends on its battery. The symbolic computation power of MapleSim makes the model very suitable for real-time SIL/HIL tests.Copyright

Experimental Validation of a Mechanistic Multibody Model of a Vertical Piano Action

The validity and accuracy of a high-fidelity mechanistic multibody model of a vertical piano action mechanism is examined experimentally and through simulation. An overview of the theoretical and computational framework of this previously presented model is given first. A dynamically realistic benchtop prototype mechanism was constructed and driven by a mechanical actuator pressing the key. For simulations, a parameterization based on geometric and dynamic component properties and configuration is used; initial conditions are established by a virtual regulation that mimics a piano technicians procedure. The motion of each component is obtained experimentally by high-speed imaging and automated tracking. Simulated response is shown to accurately represent that of the real action for two different (pressed) key inputs using a single fixed parameterization. Various specialized model features are separately evaluated. Proper simulated dynamic behavior supports the accuracy of the friction representation; this is especially so for softer key inputs which demand a more actively controlled playing technique. The accuracy of the contact model is confirmed by the proper timing and function of the mechanism, as the relationship between components is strongly dependent on the state of compression of the interface between them. The value of including three flexible components is weighed against their significant computational cost. Compared to a rigid fixed ground point target, hammer impact on a compliant string reduces impact force, contact duration, and postimpact hammer velocity to improve accuracy. Flexibility of the backcheck wire and hammer shank also strongly affects postimpact behavior of the mechanism. The sophisticated balance pivot model is seen to be valuable in creating a realistic key response, with compression of felt balance punching and lift-off of the key, very important for achieving the proper key–hammer relationship. Finally, two components unique to the vertical mechanism—the bridle strap and butt spring—are shown to be essential in controlling the hammer for detached key inputs, where the key is released before it has reached the front punching. Accurate postimpact response is important for proper simulation of repeated notes, as well as the “feel” of the action. In general, the results reported can be considered as a validation of the method for constructing and parameterizing a dynamically accurate multibody model of a specific prototype mechanism or system including compliant contacts and flexibility of some components, as well as ad hoc components to cover unusual dynamic behavior.

Reduction of Multibody Dynamic Models in Automotive Systems Using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is employed to reduce the order of small-scale automotive multibody systems. The reduction procedure is demonstrated using three models of increasing complexity: a simplified dynamic vehicle model with a fully independent suspension, a kinematic model of a single double-wishbone suspension, and a high-fidelity dynamic vehicle model with double-wishbone and trailing-arm suspensions. These three models were chosen to evaluate the effectiveness of the POD given systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), algebraic equations (AEs), and differential-algebraic equations (DAEs), respectively. These models are also components of more complicated full vehicle models used for design, control, and optimization purposes, which often involve real-time simulation. The governing kinematic and dynamic equations are generated symbolically and solved numerically. Snapshot data to construct the reduced subspace are obtained from simulations of the original nonlinear systems. The performance of the reduction scheme is evaluated based on both accuracy and computational efficiency. Good agreement is observed between the simulation results from the original models and reduced-order models, but the latter simulate substantially faster. Finally, a robustness study is conducted to explore the behavior of a reduced-order system as its input signal deviates from the reference input that was used to construct the reduced subspace.

Dynamic Model of a Vertical Piano Action Mechanism

The dynamic behavior of a vertical piano action mechanism is studied using a simulation model and compared qualitatively to observations obtained by high-speed imaging of a real action. The simulated response of all components is obtained for two different prescribed input force profiles applied at the key front. These inputs represent in simplified form the general shape of a typical force input by a pianist measured at the key surface for a strong (forte) strike, or two key strikes in rapid succession. The graph-theoretic multibody model constructed represents the components and their interactions. Explicit contact edges provide forces generated between two bodies as a function of their kinematic states, using a special contact model to represent the compression of felt lined interfaces that can separate during the key stroke. Masses and geometrical parameters of the action were measured by importing scanned images from a real action into CAD software. The highly nonlinear system of five ordinary differential equations of motion was derived symbolically and solved by a numerical stiff solver in Maple. The effects of two components not present in the horizontal grand piano action, the bridle strap and hammer butt spring, were examined using simulations. The butt spring is seen to serve an important function in assisting the return of the hammer to its rest position on key release. The model will be useful in future studies to compare vertical actions to horizontal grand piano actions, as these are known to exhibit quite different playing characteristics.Copyright

Dynamic Simulation and Vibration Analysis of a Mechanical Piano Key Actuator

Dynamic modeling of a flexible hub-beam system with an eccentric tip mass including nonlinear hysteretic contact is studied in this paper. In reality, the model is intended to represent the mechanical finger of an actuator for a piano key. Developing a device to achieve a desired finger-key contact force profile that realistically replicates that of a real pianist’s finger is the main objective of this research. The proposed actuation system consists of a flexible arm which is attached to a DC brushless rotary motor thorough a hub. The compliant arm behaves as a cantilever beam to which an eccentric tip mass has been attached at its free end. During the piano key stroke, the contact force input from the tip causes the key to rotate and impact the ground through an interface lined with stiff felt to suppress vibrations and noise. Euler-Bernoulli beam theory in conjunction with Lagrange’s method is utilized to obtain the governing equations of motion for the system. The finite element method is used as the discretization procedure for the flexible cantilever beam, which can be considered a distributed parameter system. To include contact dynamics at the stop, the nonlinear hysteretic behavior of felt under compression is modeled in such a way that smooth transitions between loading and unloading stages are produced, thus ensuring accurate response under dynamic conditions, and particularly with partial loading and unloading states that occur during the contact period. Simulation results show excessive vibration is produced due to the arm flexibility and also the rigid-body oscillations of the arm, especially during the period of key-felt contact. To eliminate these vibrations, the system was supplemented with various dashpot models, including a simple grounded rotational dashpot, and a grounded rotational dashpot with a one-sided relation. The results of simulations are presented showing the effect on vibration behavior attributed to these additional components.Copyright