Prognostics and Health Monitoring of Electro-Mechanical Actuators

This research is motivated by a drive in the aerospace sector to implement electromechanical actuators for safety critical applications to achieve a More Electric Aircraft.  Concerns in reliability and mitigating the single of point of failure (ballscrew jamming) have resulted in consideration of Prognostics and Health Monitoring techniques to identify the onset of jamming using the easily measured motor current.

Active Suspension Systems

Mechatronic systems have great potential in realising complex and adjustable dynamic behaviour from suspension struts.  Compared to established mechnical solutions the integration of electrical energy conversion elements can be used to realised high-order impedance responses within sensible size and weight constraints.  Through control of the electrical system the suspension performance can be adjusted in real-time to cater for changing load conditions.

Publications

1. Yuan, H, Li, Y, Jiang, JZ & Mellor, P, 2018, ‘Mechatronic Suspension Design for Vehicle Dynamic Performance Enhancement’. in:  2018 11th International Symposium on Mechatronics and its Applications (ISMA 2018);

2. An electromagnetic inerter-based vibration suppression device, Gonzalez-Buelga, A., Clare, L. R., Neild, S. A., Jiang, J. Z. & Inman, D. J. 16 Apr 2015 In : Smart Materials and Structures. 24.