Proto-Flight Manipulator Arm (P-FMA)

The technical development of the Proto-Flight Manipulator Arm (P-FMA) which is a seven-degree-of-freedom general-purpose arm capable of being remotely operated in an earth orbital environment is discussed. The P-FMA is a unique manipulator, combining the capabilities of significant dexterity, high tip forces, precise motion control, gear backdriveability, high end effector grip forces and torques, and the quality of flightworthiness. The 2.4-meter (8-foot) arm weighs 52.2 kilograms (115 pounds)

Design of the Annular Suspension and Pointing System (ASPS) (including design addendum)

The Annular Suspension and Pointing System is an experiment pointing mount designed for extremely precise 3 axis orientation of shuttle experiments. It utilizes actively controlled magnetic bearing to provide noncontacting vernier pointing and translational isolation of the experiment. The design of the system is presented and analyzed

Contribuciones en el área de sondas y algoritmos aplicadas a la detección de discontinuidades, metrología de distancia y clasificación de materiales con técnicas no destructivas basadas en corrientes inducidas

Se presenta esta tesis doctoral sobre sondas y algoritmos de procesado de datos de técnicas de ensayos no destructivas basadas en corrientes inducidas. El objetivo ha sido proponer (i) sondas para la detección de discontinuidades, y la metrología de espesor de recubrimiento no conductor, y (ii) redes neuronales para tratar los datos base mono y multifrecuencia para la clasificación de piezas con diferente temple. Del Ensayo 1, la Sonda 1 inductiva ha proporcionado mejores resultados que la Sonda 2 con sensor Hall en (i) respuesta frecuencial, (ii) detección de agujeros y (iii) predicción de espesor. Del Ensayo 2, la Sonda 3 inductiva y las redes neuronales han proporcionado mejores resultados con el procesado multifrecuencia en cuanto a (iv) tasa de acierto, (v) carga computacional; y (vi) tiempo de ejecución. Los resultados sugieren utilizar las sondas inductivas puras y redes con procesado multifrecuencia para la resolución de los problemas inversos presentados.Departamento de Teoría de la Señal, Comunicaciones e Ingeniería TelemáticaDoctorado en Tecnologías de la Información y las Telecomunicacione

Apollo guidance, navigation and control - Design survey of the Apollo inertial subsystem

Design, development, and testing of inertial guidance and navigation systems for Apollo projec

ISWEC: a Gyroscopic Wave Energy Converter

ISWEC (Inertial Sea Wave Energy Converter) is a Wave Energy Converter transforming the wave-induced rocking motion of a buoy into electrical power by means of the gyroscopic effects produced from a spinning flywheel carried inside the buoy. A unique feature of ISWEC with respect to most of the existing converters is that externally it is composed only of a floating body without moving parts working into sea water or spray, thus achieving a high reliability and reduced maintenance costs. In this Thesis the analysis of the ISWEC both on the numerical and the experimental levels is performed. The converter dynamics is analyzed in order to obtain a mathematical model and experimental tests are carried out in the wave tank of the University of Edinburgh on a 1:45 model to validate such mathematical model. The validated models are used to design a larger scale prototype (1:8) and to make considerations on the design of a full scale ISWEC system

Position estimation and performance prediction for permanent-magnet motor drives

PhD ThesisThis thesis presents a theoretical and experimental development of a novel position estimator, a simulation model, and an analytical solution for brushless PM motor drive. The operation of the drive, the position estimation model of the test motor, development of hardware, and basic operation of inverter are discussed. Starting with the well-known continuous-time model of brushless PM motor, a sampled-data model is developed that is suitable for th6, application of real-time position estimator. An analytical methodo f calculating the steady-stateb ehaviouro f the brushlessP M motor for 1200in verter operation is presentedT. he analysisa ssumesth at the machinea ir gap is free of saliency effects, and has sinusoidal back EMF. The analytical solution is derived for 60" electrical of the whole period. By experimental results, it is shown that the method of analysis is adequate to predict Ihe motor's performance for typical operating points including phase advance and phase delay operation. C) I A computer simulation model for prediction of the performance of brushless PM moto rs is presented. The model is formulated entirely in the natural abc frame of reference, which allows direct comparison of the simulation and corresponding experimental results. The equations and diagrams are put into a convenient form for the simulation and future developments and library modules. The simulation model and corresponding experimental data of the brushless PM motor drive is given. The thesis describes a modem solution to real-time rotor position estimation, which has been subject to intense research activity for the last 15 years. The implemented new algorithm for shaft position sensorless operation of PM motors is based on the flux linkage and line current estimation. The position estimation algorithm has also been verified by both off-line and on-line experiments (accomplished by a DSP, TMS320C30), and a wide range of steady-statea nd transient results have been 0gi0v en including starting from rest. The position estimation method effectively moves the position measurement point in the drive from the mechanical side to the motor's terminals. As well as eliminating the mechanical shaft position sensor, the investigated method can be used for high performance torque control of brushless PM motors. The thesis demonstrates that, in contrast to many other "sensorless" schemes, the new position estimation method is able to work effectively over the full operating range of the drive, and is applicable to a wide range of motor/converter types. Since the hardware is straightforward, only the new position estimation algorithm differentiates a system. Therefore, if a DSP control system is already implemented in the drive, the position estimator can be implemented at low cost.Istanbul Technical University and Higher Education Counci