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Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2023) | Viewed by 13850

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Prof. Guido La Rosa

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Guest Editor

University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: machine design; experimental mechanics; thermography; biomechanics; life cycle design

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

New challenges for mechanical design require the use of increasingly integrated and innovative approaches that make use of numerical and experimental methods for the analysis of materials and mechanical components, capable of providing performance response quickly and with good reliability, and for the development of increasingly performing materials (innovative composites, nanomaterials, MEMS, etc.).

In this context, some tools emerge towards which research is directed, also under the pressure of demands from the mechanical systems design and production industries.

In particular, we intend to point out some specific topics:

Methods for development, mechanical and metallurgical characterization, choice and control of materials, reliability and functionality, and the interaction with the environment.

Integrated design tools based on the simulation of the performance stability of the components and systems in service condition.

Industrial sectors that are of possible interest are mechanical, metallurgical, automotive, aerospace, plant engineering, biomedical, and energy devices.

Prof. Guido La Rosa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

mechanics of materials
integrated simulation methods
experimental mechanics
failure analysis
design for x

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1896 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Electron Beam Melting Process Parameters’ Influence on the Tensile Behavior of 3D Printed Ti6Al4V ELI Alloy in Static and Dynamic Conditions

by Raffaele Barbagallo, Simone Di Bella, Giuseppe Mirone and Guido La Rosa

Materials 2022, 15(12), 4217; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15124217 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1566

Abstract

The Ti6Al4V alloy is widely adopted in many high-end applications in different fields, including the aerospace, biomechanics, and automotive sectors. Additive manufacturing extends its range of possible applications but also introduces variations in its mechanical performance, depending on the whole manufacturing process and the related control parameters. This work focuses on the detailed tensile stress–strain characterization at low and high strain rates of a Grade 23 Ti alloy manufactured by electron beam melting (EBM). In particular, the main aim is to study the effect of the variation of the EBM process parameters on the performance of the material and their consequent optimization in order to obtain the best printed material in terms of ductility and strength. The adopted optical experimental setups allow the semi-local scale analysis of the neck section which makes possible the accurate estimation of stress, strain, and strain rate, all over the post-necking range and up to the very incipient specimen failure. Among the EBM printing process parameters, the speed function was previously identified as the one mainly affecting the material performance at static rates. Therefore, two different parameter sets, corresponding to the standard value and to an optimized value of the speed function parameter, respectively, are tested here at dynamic rates of 1, 15, and 700 s⁻¹, for assessing the effect of the speed function on the dynamic material response. The results show that the optimized parameter set has a better performance compared to the standard one in terms of strength and ductility. In particular, in both static and dynamic conditions, it presents an increase of the true stress–strain curve (about 5% on average) and an increase of the failure strain (about 11% on average). Moreover, in respect to the standard parameter set, the optimized one is also characterized by a huge increase of the amplification due to the strain rate (about 49% on average for the considered strain rates). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices)

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23 pages, 7050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Global Sensitivity Analysis of Chosen Harmonic Drive Parameters Affecting Its Lost Motion

by Slavomir Hrcek, Frantisek Brumercik, Lukas Smetanka, Michal Lukac, Branislav Patin and Adam Glowacz

Materials 2021, 14(17), 5057; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14175057 - 03 Sep 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2110

Abstract

The aim of the presented study was to perform a global sensitivity analysis of various design parameters affecting the lost motion of the harmonic drive. A detailed virtual model of a harmonic drive was developed, including the wave generator, the flexible ball bearing, the flexible spline and the circular spline. Finite element analyses were performed to observe which parameter from the harmonic drive geometry parameter group affects the lost motion value most. The analyses were carried out using 4% of the rated harmonic drive output torque by the locked wave generator and fixed circular spline according the requirements for the high accuracy harmonic drive units. The described approach was applied to two harmonic drive units with the same ratio, but various dimensions and rated power were used to generalize and interpret the global sensitivity analysis results properly. The most important variable was for both harmonic drives the offset from the nominal tooth shape. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices)

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18 pages, 5316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Pre-Stress on Laser-Induced Thermoplastic Deformation of Inconel 718 Beams

by Jacek Widłaszewski, Zdzisław Nowak and Piotr Kurp

Materials 2021, 14(8), 1847; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14081847 - 08 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1599

Abstract

Laser thermal forming is an application of laser heating without any intentional use of external forces. Force-assisted laser bending and laser-assisted bending are hybrid techniques, which combine the use of external forces and local heating to increase the effectiveness of forming. A quantitative description of bending deformation induced by concurrent laser heating and mechanical loading is proposed in this study. Mechanical loading is expressed by the bending moment while the curvature is used to describe the resulting deformation. The contribution of a relatively less known mechanism of laser thermal bending in the hybrid process is identified. The mechanism is able to produce the so-called convex deformation, i.e., bending away from the incident laser beam. Experimental and numerical analysis is performed with thin-walled beams made of Inconel 718 nickel-based superalloy in the factory-annealed state. The Johnson–Cook constitutive material model is used in numerical simulations validated by experimental results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices)

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22 pages, 11734 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Reinforcement by Cemented-Carbide Plates in Two Design Variants of the Chisels Intended for Cultivation–Sowing Aggregates

by Piotr Kostencki, Tomasz Stawicki and Aleksandra Królicka

Materials 2021, 14(4), 1020; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14041020 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1798

Abstract

Field tribological tests of two design variants of chisels used in the teeth of a cultivation-sowing unit were carried out in this research. A characteristic feature of the first variant of chisels was the reinforcement of their contact surface and almost the entire rake surface by plates made of cemented carbides. On the other hand, the second variant of chisels was reinforced only in the area of the blade by two plates made of cemented carbides, soldered on the rake face of the elements. The use of the first variant of chisels contributed to a significant reduction in the wear rate of elements, especially in terms of thickness and width loss. Effective reinforcement of the rake face, with relatively lower resistance to length reduction in the elements, raises doubts as to the validity of the use of cemented-carbide plates on almost the entire length of their rake face, because the applied variant of chisels contributed to a significantly higher price. However, the second variant of chisels effectively limited the intensity of the loss of the length of the elements, and the cause of the loss of their usefulness as part of the base material wear. It was found that the main wear mechanism of the cemented-carbide plates consisted of matrix removal under the influence of the finest fraction of the soil, which weakened the embedding of carbides, and then crushing or chipping of carbide grains from the matrix, whereas the dominant wear mechanisms of martensitic steel were grooving and micro-cutting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices)

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14 pages, 4747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation on the Curvature Correction Factor of Extension Spring

by P. S. Tan, Ali Akhavan Farid, Atefeh Karimzadeh, Seyed Saeid Rahimian Koloor and Michal Petrů

Materials 2020, 13(18), 4199; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma13184199 - 21 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2962

Abstract

The curvature correction factor is an important parameter in the stress calculation formulation of a helical extension spring, which describes the effect of spring wire curvature on the stress increase towards its inner radius. In this study, the parameters affecting the curvature correction factor were investigated through theoretical and numerical methods. Several finite element (FE) models of an extension spring were generated to obtain the distribution of the tensile stress in the spring. In this investigation, the hook orientation and the number of coils of the extension spring showed significant effects on the curvature correction factor. These parameters were not considered in the theoretical model for the calculation of the curvature correction factor, causing a deviation between the results of the FE model and the theoretical approach. A set of equations is proposed for the curvature correction factor, which relates both the spring index and the number of coils. These equations can be applied directly to the design of extension springs with a higher safety factor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices)

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12 pages, 5224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Assessment of Time-Limited Operation and Rectification of a Bridge Crane

by Peter Frankovský, Ingrid Delyová, Peter Sivák, Piotr Kurylo, Elena Pivarčiová and Vojtech Neumann

Materials 2020, 13(12), 2708; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma13122708 - 14 Jun 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2662

Abstract

This paper describes a problem related to a casting bridge crane with a combined load of 200/50/12.5 t and a span of 18.6 m, working in a heavy metallurgical operation. Due to the specific stress of the structure after its long-term operation, longitudinal fillet welds between the upper flange and the web of the main box beam on the rail side of the 200 t trolley were irreparably damaged. As a result, the cross-section of the main beam had opened, thereby substantially reducing its strength and stiffness. This resulted in a disproportionate increase and undesirable redistribution of stresses in the beam and, at the same time, an increase in the probability of acute fatigue or the loss of stability of the elastic beam shape. Therefore, the rectification of the damaged load-bearing structure was carried out by specific structural modifications. Critical load-bearing elements were subjected to complicated strength and fatigue life analyses before and after rectification. These analyses were supported by experimental measurements. The applied modifications resulted in a partial strengthening of the lifting device with the possibility of its further operation, but only in a limited mode, with a limited period of operation with a time limit of 2 years and a reduced total load capacity of 150 t. The applied methods are also applicable for the fatigue analysis of load-bearing elements and equipment for bridge, gantry and tower cranes, crane tracks, road and railway bridges and support structures under machinery and other devices with a dominant transverse and rotating effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Design: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests of Engineering Materials and Devices)

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