DesignsPub Date : 2024-07-11DOI: 10.3390/designs8040071
V. Bostan, I. Bostan, M. Vaculenco
{"title":"Mechanical Transmissions with Convex–Concave Multipair Contact of Teeth in Precessional Gearing","authors":"V. Bostan, I. Bostan, M. Vaculenco","doi":"10.3390/designs8040071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8040071","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we propose a new toothed gear for mechanical transmissions built from a satellite wheel with two toothed conical crowns, one of which conjugates with a fixed central conical wheel mounted in the transmission housing and the other with a movable conical wheel installed on the flange of the driven shaft. The satellite wheel is mounted on the inclined portion of the crankshaft and performs spherospatial motion around a fixed point. When the crankshaft rotates, the teeth of the wheels engage with spherospatial interaction in two lateral gearings of the satellite wheel, yielding kinematic ratios dependent on the correlation of the number of teeth. The teeth of the satellite wheel are used with circular arc profiles, and the teeth of the central wheel have flank profiles with variable curvatures increasing continuously from the root to the tip, so that, in meshing, the teeth form multipair contacts with convex–concave geometry with a small difference in flank curvatures. The flank profile geometry and pairs of teeth simultaneously engage depending on the configurational parameters of the gearing and can use up to 100% of pairs of simultaneously conjugated teeth.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"103 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141657360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.3390/designs8040069
Muhammad Noman Shahid, M. Shahid, Shummaila Rasheed, Muhammad Irfan, M. Obeidi
{"title":"Computational Investigation of the Fluidic Properties of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) Structures in Tissue Engineering","authors":"Muhammad Noman Shahid, M. Shahid, Shummaila Rasheed, Muhammad Irfan, M. Obeidi","doi":"10.3390/designs8040069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8040069","url":null,"abstract":"Tissue engineering, a rapidly advancing field in medicine, has made significant strides with the development of artificial tissue substitutes to meet the growing need for organ transplants. Three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds are widely utilized in tissue engineering, especially in orthopedic surgery. This study investigated the fluidic properties of diamond and gyroid structures with varying porosity levels (50–80%) using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. The pressure and velocity distributions were analyzed, and it was observed that the pressure decreased gradually, whereas the velocity increased in the central area of the surface structures. Specifically, the pressure drop ranged from 2.079 to 0.984 Pa for the diamond structure and from 1.669 to 0.943 Pa for the gyroid structure as the porosity increased from 50% to 80%. It was also found that the permeability increased as the porosity level increased, with values ranging from 2.424×10−9 to 5.122×10−9 m2 for the diamond structure and from 2.966×10−9 to 5.344×10−9 m2 for the gyroid structure. The wall shear stress (WSS) was also analyzed, showing a consistent decrease with increased porosity for both types of structures, with WSS values ranging from 9.903×10−2 to 9.840×10−1 Pa for the diamond structure and from 1.150×10−1 to 7.717×10−2 Pa for the gyroid structure. Overall, this study provides insights into the fluidic properties of diamond and gyroid structures, which can be useful in various applications such as tissue engineering.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"22 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141660608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.3390/designs8040070
James Kasch, Mehdi Ahmadian
{"title":"Design and Operational Assessment of a Railroad Track Robot for Railcar Undercarriage Condition Inspection","authors":"James Kasch, Mehdi Ahmadian","doi":"10.3390/designs8040070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8040070","url":null,"abstract":"The operational effectiveness of a railroad track robot that is designed for railcar undercarriage inspection is provided. Beyond describing the robot’s design details and onboard imaging system, the paper analyzes the recorded video images and offers design improvements to increase their clarity. The robot is designed to be deployed trackside, traverse over the rails, and then maneuver in between the rails beneath a stopped train in a siding or a railyard. The under-carriage conditions are documented by onboard video cameras for automated or manual postprocessing. The intent is to inspect the components that are not visible to the conductor or train inspector during a walk-along inspection of a stationary train. An assessment of the existing design, followed by modification and validation, is presented. The results from a prototype unit developed by the Railway Technologies Laboratory at Virginia Tech (RTL) indicate that with proper positioning of off-the-shelf imaging systems such as cameras manufactured by GoPro® in San Mateo, CA, USA and appropriate lighting, it is possible to capture videos that are sufficiently clear for manual (by a railroad engineer), semi-automated, or fully automated (using Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning methods) inspections of rolling stock undercarriages. Additionally, improvements to the control, mobility, and reliability of the system are documented, although reliability throughout operation and the ability to consistently climb out of the track bed remain points of future investigation.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"25 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141659509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-07-04DOI: 10.3390/designs8040068
Angeliki Kitsopoulou, Dimitris Pallantzas, Evangelos Bellos, C. Tzivanidis
{"title":"Mapping the Potential of Zero-Energy Building in Greece Using Roof Photovoltaics","authors":"Angeliki Kitsopoulou, Dimitris Pallantzas, Evangelos Bellos, C. Tzivanidis","doi":"10.3390/designs8040068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8040068","url":null,"abstract":" The present study investigates the incorporation of renewable rooftop photovoltaic systems in fully electrified residential buildings and estimates the zero-energy demand building potential in relation to the climatic data of Greece. Specifically, the aim of the analysis is to calculate the maximum possible number of stories and therefore the total building height for a complete transformation to zero-net-energy building. The energy analysis, which is conducted using the DesignBuilder software, focuses on single-floor up to seven-story buildings. The importance of the present work lies in the acknowledgment of the diversity of the Greek residential sector, the adherence to national energy policies, and the European goal of fully electrified buildings. The examined case studies are equipped with electrically driven air-to-air heat pumps serving the space heating and cooling demands and with an air-to-water heat pump covering the domestic hot water requirements. The investigated locations are the four main cities of Greece, Athens, Thessaloniki, Chania, and Kastoria, which represent the country’s four climatic categories. The conducted analysis allows for the mapping of the zero-energy building potential for the climatic data of Greece, demonstrating the possibility of striking a positive building energy balance through the integration of on-site renewable energy sources and the production of necessary electrical energy. The novelty of the present work lies in the identification of a key factor, namely, the building height, which determines the feasibility of transforming multifamily buildings into zero-energy buildings. According to the analysis results, the critical number of stories is calculated at six for Chania, five for Athens, four for Thessaloniki, and two for Kastoria. Regarding a three-story residential building, the incorporation of a renewable photovoltaic system can result in an annual surplus electricity production of 13,741 kWh (Chania), 10,424 kWh (Athens), and 6931 kWh (Thessaloniki), and a corresponding coverage of 100% (Chania), 69.0% (Athens), 38.9% (Thessaloniki) and 0% (Kastoria). ","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":" 14","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141679677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-07-04DOI: 10.3390/designs8040067
Marina Rezinkina, C. Braxmaier
{"title":"Designs of Miniature Optomechanical Sensors for Measurements of Acceleration with Frequencies of Hundreds of Hertz","authors":"Marina Rezinkina, C. Braxmaier","doi":"10.3390/designs8040067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8040067","url":null,"abstract":"Some applications, such as aerospace testing and monitoring the operating conditions of equipment on space missions, require mechanical sensors capable of measuring accelerations at frequencies of several hundred hertz. For such measurements, optomechanical sensors can be used, providing the ability to measure accelerations without calibration. To enable such measurements, improved designs of drum-type sensors with the assigned performance have been elaborated. Such designs make it possible to provide the necessary levels of natural frequencies for optomechanical sensors and eliminate crosstalk. Using mathematical modeling, the dependencies of the mechanical characteristics of the proposed types of acceleration sensors versus their parameters were obtained. The use of such sensor designs ensures their compactness, making their manufacturing more technologically sound and suitable for use, in particular, in space missions.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":" 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141678713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-06-14DOI: 10.3390/designs8030058
L. Al-Haddad, A. A. Jaber, Wojciech Giernacki, Z. Khan, Khalid Mohsin Ali, Mauwafak Ali Tawafik, A. Humaidi
{"title":"Quadcopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Structural Design Using an Integrated Approach of Topology Optimization and Additive Manufacturing","authors":"L. Al-Haddad, A. A. Jaber, Wojciech Giernacki, Z. Khan, Khalid Mohsin Ali, Mauwafak Ali Tawafik, A. Humaidi","doi":"10.3390/designs8030058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8030058","url":null,"abstract":"The performance of quadcopter frames, particularly in terms of weight and crash resistance, is significantly influenced by their structural design and manufacturing process. In this work, a methodology is proposed that integrates advanced principles of topology optimization (TO) and additive manufacturing (AM) techniques to optimize the frame structure for improved performance. First, an analysis is conducted to evaluate existing quadcopter frame configurations, identifying areas for improvement. Experimental evaluations of thrust and moment of motors are performed to assess the performance of the enhanced quadcopter frame, with a focus on advancing the design through computer-aided simulations of static structural analysis and impact tests. The TO technique is then employed to determine the optimal distribution of material within the frame, governed by constraints such as weight reduction and mechanical strength. The results demonstrate that the overall performance of a quadcopter frame is significantly improved by the proposed methodology, showcasing advancements in stability, weight reduction, and crashworthiness. The resulting optimized frame design is subsequently manufactured using AM methods, which offer advantages such as design flexibility and the ability to produce complex geometries. The findings of this study contribute to the field of quadcopter design and optimization by highlighting the synergies between TO and AM techniques. An avenue is offered for the development of lightweight and robust quadcopter frames, as the capabilities and performance of quadcopter systems are advanced. The insights gained from this research open up opportunities for further advancements in the design and manufacturing of UAVs.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"40 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141340137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-06-14DOI: 10.3390/designs8030059
J. Matschewsky, S. Brambila‐Macias, A. Neramballi, T. Sakao
{"title":"Requirements and Characteristics for the Development and Selection of Design Methods","authors":"J. Matschewsky, S. Brambila‐Macias, A. Neramballi, T. Sakao","doi":"10.3390/designs8030059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8030059","url":null,"abstract":"While many design methods are developed, tested and reported in the literature, their utilization in industry practice remains low. Design methods are receiving substantial scholarly focus and are considered central to efficiently achieving reliable outcomes in the engineering design process. They are particularly vital as industrial companies increasingly transition to integrated offerings of products and services with a lifecycle perspective, leading to additional uncertainty and complexity. Thus, the presented research aims to support method selection and development, focusing on resource-efficient offerings. This is achieved through an in-depth, practice-centric, empirical study of users’ requirements of design methods and the corresponding characteristics of design methods aimed at meeting these requirements in resource-efficient offerings. Highly relevant insight supporting a broad set of stakeholders is reported. Firstly, the user requirements and method characteristics reported support practitioners seeking to identify a design method fitting their needs. Secondly, academics and practitioners aiming to enhance the usefulness and impact of a design method may benefit from considering these requirements and characteristics during method development. Lastly, the systematic approach taken in this research can be applied by both method developers and potential users to identify additional requirements and corresponding characteristics specific to their conditions. Two use cases for the results attained are reported, focusing on applying the research results for method selection and deriving overall guidelines for developing design methods directed toward resource-efficient offerings.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"48 47","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141339485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-06-13DOI: 10.3390/designs8030057
C. Andreucci, Elza M. M. Fonseca, Renato N. Jorge
{"title":"Biomechanics of a Novel 3D Mandibular Osteotomy Design","authors":"C. Andreucci, Elza M. M. Fonseca, Renato N. Jorge","doi":"10.3390/designs8030057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8030057","url":null,"abstract":"Elective mandibular surgical osteotomies are commonly used to correct craniofacial discrepancies. Since the modifications proposed by Obwegeser, Dal Pont, and Hunsuck, no effective variations have been proposed to improve the biomechanical results of these mandibular osteotomies. With technological developments and the use of three-dimensional images from CT scans of patients, much has been done to plan and predict outcomes with greater precision and control. To date, 3D imaging and additive manufacturing technologies have not been used to their full potential to create innovative mandibular osteotomies. The use of 3D digital images obtained from CT scans as DICOM files, which were then converted to STL files, proved to be an efficient method of developing an innovative mandibular ramus beveled osteotomy technique. The new mandibular osteotomy is designed to reduce the likelihood of vasculo-nervous damage to the mandible, reduce the time and ease of surgery, and reduce post-operative complications. The proposed osteotomy does not affect traditional osteotomies. Anatomical structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve and intraoral surgical access were preserved and maintained, respectively. The results obtained from the digital images were validated on an additively manufactured 3D synthetic bone model.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"62 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141347750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-06-06DOI: 10.3390/designs8030056
Alexandru-Antonio Ene, Tudor George Alexandru, Diana Popescu
{"title":"Dimensional Accuracy in 4D-Printed PLA Objects with Holes: Experimental and Numerical Investigations","authors":"Alexandru-Antonio Ene, Tudor George Alexandru, Diana Popescu","doi":"10.3390/designs8030056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8030056","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the impact of material and process parameters—specifically, filament color, infill density, and pattern—on the dimensional accuracy of 4D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) objects featuring holes of varying diameters (6, 8, and 10 mm) that undergo a heat-induced recovery process. The objective was to understand how these factors affect shape retention and the dimensional accuracy of holes through a comparative analysis of the diameters before and after recovery. Increased variability in the hole diameters was noted after recovery, regardless of the values of the independent variables. The objects did not fully return to their original planar shape, and the holes did not completely return to their circular form, resulting in smaller diameters for each sample. No significant differences in the hole diameters could be determined. Additionally, there was no consistent trend in identifying the most influential parameter affecting the accuracy of the recovered holes. However, it was observed that higher infill densities improved shape retention. A quasi-static finite elements analysis model was developed to capture the mechanical behavior of the 4D-printed parts. This model incorporated temperature-dependent material characteristics to predict the strain occurring near the holes. Nodal displacements were defined according to the deformed shape. A correlation was established between the observed strains and the post-recovery dimensional accuracy of the specimens. The importance of this work was demonstrated through a case study involving a two-sieve filtering device for small objects.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"10 22","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141378838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DesignsPub Date : 2024-06-05DOI: 10.3390/designs8030054
D. Krokavec, A. Filasová
{"title":"State Control Design of Ostensible Metzler Linear Systems with Unsigned Input Parameters","authors":"D. Krokavec, A. Filasová","doi":"10.3390/designs8030054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/designs8030054","url":null,"abstract":"This paper deals with the design of a complete state control for input unsigned, rank deficient matrix parameters of a linear system with system dynamics defined by ostensible structures of Metzler matrices. The proposed solution is based on the principle of diagonal stabilization of positive systems and uses a stabilizing additional component over the decomposition of the Metzler matrix in solving the incomplete internal positivity of such linear system structures. The novelty of the proposed approach is the unified representation of the parametric constraints of the Metzler matrix and the structurally constrained system inputs using linear matrix inequalities, which guarantees that the closed-loop system will be asymptotically stable. Despite the complexity of the constraint conditions on this class of linear continuous systems, the design conditions are formulated using sharp linear matrix inequalities only. A detailed design process is presented using a system-linearized mathematical model to verify the superiority and practicality of the proposed method.","PeriodicalId":53150,"journal":{"name":"Designs","volume":"57 27","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141383900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}