Eaton -- Vacuum Testing For Carbon Face Seals

The objective is to work with our sponsor Eaton in creating or improving the current carbon face seal testing equipment they already have in place. In doing so the idea is to improve the current system, make the system more efficient, and automate the test to eliminate the multiple step processes the operator has to implement. To create an automated vacuum test it is a complex task with many details to consider. Initially the main focus was on the housing fixture and the entirety of the vacuum system could be broken down into various subsystems which work together in achieving the goal of carrying out a successful test. For ease of completion the project was broken down into the air plumbing/fluids system, control system and data acquisition. Within these systems progress has been made through conducting an in depth literature and patent search, conceptual design generation and engineering analysis. Through these efforts a proof of concept prototype CAD model has been designed and verified through an in-depth analysis proving that our current design is capable of meeting all our design requirements as well as satisfying the problem definition and objectives of this project set forth by Eaton. Taking all of this research and implementing it was the final step to create our system using an app created by Python/Kivy and running it on a Raspberry Pi. Testing then pursued at Eaton’s facility and the results came back with satisfaction from Eaton

Pressure Cycle Induced Fatigue Failure of Wrinkled Energy Pipelines

The development of a small wrinkle in a buried pipeline can be a challenging issue for pipeline operators to approach. Although a vast majority of research has been conducted, to evaluate the integrity of a pipeline showing signs of irregularities such as corrosion, pipe wall buckling and/or rippling; there is limited research data or guideline(s) available as to how to assess the severity of a small wrinkle defect. If not dealt with appropriately, these small wrinkle defects can lead to further damage of the pipe wall as a result of fatigue damage caused by internal pressure cycling. This research program was designed to investigate the behaviour and structural integrity of wrinkled pipelines subjected to severe pressure cyclic loading. This research program comprises of both lab-based experimental work, followed by a finite element analysis (FEA) based numerical approach. This study shows that a pipe with a wrinkle defect may lead to fatigue failure resulting in circumferential cracking at the wrinkle apex, due to localized stress concentration. Additionally, it was also found that the magnitude of the stress concentration is highly dependent on the geometry of the wrinkle profile. Analysis based on experimental and numerical results was undertaken to evaluate stress concentration factors, which could be used to establish the remaining fatigue life of a wrinkled pipe subjected to typical pressure fluctuations arising in oil and gas pipelines

Subselenean tunneler melting head design: A preliminary study

The placement of base facilities in subsurface tunnels created as a result of subsurface mining is described as an alternative to the establishing of a base on the lunar surface. Placement of the base facilities and operations in subselenean tunnels will allow personnel to live and work free from the problem of radiation and temperature variations. A conceptual design for a tunneling device applicable to such a lunar base application was performed to assess the feasibility of the concept. A tunneler was designed which would melt through the lunar material leaving behind glass lined tunnels for later development. The tunneler uses a nuclear generator which supplies the energy to thermally melt the regolith about the cone shaped head. Melted regolith is exacavated through intakes in the head and transferred to a truck which hauls it to the surface. The tunnel walls are solidified to provide support lining by using an active cooling system about the mid section of the tunneler. Also addressed is the rationale for a subselenean tunneler and the tunneler configuration and subsystems, as well as the reasoning behind the resulting design

Fabrication of abrasive jet machine

Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM) is the process of material removal from a work piece by the application of a high speed stream of abrasive particles suspended in a gas medium from a nozzle. The material removal process is mainly caused by brittle fracture by impingement and then by erosion. The AJM will chiefly be used to cut shapes, drill holes and de-burr in hard and brittle materials like glass, ceramics etc. In this project, a model of the Abrasive Jet Machine was designed using CAD packages like AutoCAD and CATIA. Care was taken to efficiently use the available material and space. The machine was fabricated in the institute workshop with convectional machine tools like arc welding machine, hand drill, grinding machine using commonly available materials like mild steel sheet and rod, aluminum sheet, glue, polythene sheet ,glass fiber which are commonly available in the local market. Care has been taken to use less fabricated components, because, the lack of accuracy in fabricated components would lead to a reduced performance of the machine. The machine was be automated to have 3 axes travel using microcontroller and driver arrangement along with stepper motor. The different functional components of AJM are the machining chamber, work holding device, abrasive drainage system, compressor, air filter and regulator, abrasive nozzle, and mixing chamber with cam motor arrangement. The different components are selected after appropriate design calculations

Soft Robot Locomotion via Mechanical Metamaterials: Application in Pipe Inspection

Pipe inspections are performed using large robots that utilize wheels or tracks for locomotion. Due to their large size, weight and hard exterior, these robots can occasionally cause damage to the pipe interiors during inspection. In addition, these pipe inspection robots struggle with the ability to move in a congested environment and adapt to obstacles or geometry changes within the pipe. This project investigates the capabilities of auxetic and conventional metamaterials to achieve locomotion in an enclosed channel through the different metamaterials reactions to an axial force. The resulting robot is capable of both horizontal and vertical locomotion. Computer simulation is used to confirm the metamaterials effective Poissons ratio through testing deformation under applied loads at small displacements. Physical testing of the soft-bodied robot is employed to demonstrate the force needed for movement and validate the auxetic and conventional metamaterial behavior. The extensive work serves as a proof of concept of auxetic metamaterials as a viable solution for less invasive movement through enclosed channels. Further work and alterations to the soft-bodied robot body may allow for future applications in realms such as medical device development

A user's guide to the Langley 16- by 24-inch water tunnel

The Langley 16 x 24 inch Water Tunnel is described in detail, along with all the supporting equipment used in its operation as a flow visualization test facility. These include the laser and incandescent lighting systems; and the photographic, video, and laser fluorescence anemometer systems used to make permanent records of the test results. This facility is a closed return water tunnel capable of test section velocities from 0 to 0.75 feet per second with flow through the 16 x 24 inch test section in a downward (vertical) direction. The velocity normally used for testing is 0.25 feet per second where the most uniform flow occurs, and is slow enough to easily observe flow phenomena such as vortex flow with the unaided eye. An overview is given of the operational characteristics, procedures, and capabilities of the water tunnel to potential users of the facility so that they may determine if the facility meets their needs for a planned study

Radiolucent Loading Device for Computed Tomography Imaging

There is a limited availability of portable compressional loading devices, none of which work within a computed tomography (CT) scanner. This is due to the lack of radiolucent materials these devices are made of, which make artifacts that disrupt the final CT image. Combining both testing and imaging can advance understanding of how materials behave at a microstructural level. This paper describes the design and fabrication of a novel device that can be used within a CT scanner to collect images of compressed bone samples. Validation testing showed that specimens could be compressed up to 2000 Newtons of force over 26 millimeters of displacement within 8 Newtons and 0.071 millimeters of accuracy

An investigation into miniature hydraulic actuation techniques for needle control on industrial knitting and sewing machines

The thesis is presented in four main parts: (1) the design and development of a hydraulic circular weft knitting machine; (2) the construction and testing of a hydraulic lockstitch sewing machine; (3) a detailed design study and analysis of pulse-generating rotary valves; (4) the design of a multi-feeder hydraulic circular weft knitting machine. Part 1 deals with the knitting machine aspect of the project consisting of verifying that a multi-actuator rotary valve system would operate with the desired time displacement profile, and in the correct sequence. This was then used as the basis for developing a ninety-six-needle, single feeder hydraulic circular weft knitting machine. This prototype machine was tested to obtain an assessment as to the advantages offered by hydraulic knitting techniques. Part 2 involved replacing the needle and thread take-up mechanisms of a lockstitch sewing machine, by two miniature hydraulic actuators, controlled by a rotary valve. The purpose of this machine was to prove that stitches could be formed successfully, thus demonstrating any beneficial features offered by hydraulic sewing devices. Part 3 deals with the detailed design study for pulse-generating rotary valves resulting from the previous applications. This valve was a new concept in valve technology and having established its definite potential, warranted the formation of a design procedure. The study outlines a method of optimising the torque required to rotate the bobbin by the construction of a mathematical model. Part 4 was concerned with designing a multi-feeder hydraulic circular weft knitting machine. This machine, controlled by an integrated actuator rotary collar valve to generate pulses, demonstrated how a series of twelve knitting time-displacement profiles could be created by ninety-six actuators positioned in a circular configuration. Thus, the research programme has been aimed at demonstrating how high speed motions, normally obtained by mechanical devices (cams, linkages) can be produced by miniature hydraulic actuation techniques. The feasibility of using these techniques has been verified by the building and testing of probably the first ever hydraulic knitting and sewing machines