Product development with sensor integrating machine elements - Managing uncertainty associ-ated to in-situ acquired sensor data in mechatronic systems

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eckhard A. Kirchner
• Subject Area: Engineering Design, Machine Elements, Product Development
• Term: from 2020 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 431606807

The scientific core of the project is a holistic modeling method for structure integrated signal and energy transfer and the management of the resulting uncertainty along the transfer path from a sensor until a hand-over interface at the boundary of the structure integrated transfer path.Hence, the following research topics need to be addressed:1. Identification and quantification of disturbances and their effects of conventional (electric) and structure integrated (mechanic) energy and signal transfer when applying sensor integrating machine elements (SiME) in mechatronic systems.2. Models and methods for analysis of mechatronic systems with SiME for quantitative assessment of disturbance effects.3. Recommendations and guidelines for the embodiment design of SiME to reduce their intrinsic disturbance sensitivity.A mathematical description of disturbance effects is to be developed as a starting point for the deterministic optimization of the system during as a means of the operative embodiment design process. The interactions between the mechanical load of the mechatronic system and the structure integrated electric signal- and energy transfer are experimentally examined and quantitatively described. The ultimate goal of a predictable structure integrated signal transfer is the elimination of ignorance, disregarded uncertainty and ambiguity from the overall transfer path. Dabei wirken einerseits Störgrößen auf den Übertragungspfad der Messgrößen zum SiME und beeinflussen das abgegebene Signal, andererseits wirken Störgrößen auf die Signalübertragungsstrecke. Dabei ist es wichtig, die Störgrößenwirkung auf die Signalerfassung und -übertragung zu klassifizieren und mathematisch zu beschreiben.Im Rahmen des Arbeitsprogramms werden einstufige Getriebe und ihre Komponenten in drei Baugrößen mechanisch beansprucht und dabei elektrisch vermessen, als exemplarische SiME werden Passfedern und Klauenkupplungen verwendet, die teils eine geschlossene mathematische Beschreibung der Störgrößenwirkung ermöglichen. Für die statistische Absicherung werden mehrere Versuchsträger untersucht, die Messungen werden nach detaillierten Messplänen mehrfach durchgeführt, dabei kommen Kreuztauschmethoden zur Anwendung.The electric behavior of the mechanical design and of microinvasively integrated SiME is investigated in unloaded, static and dynamic testing conditions. Different environmental disturbances such as temperature and electromagnetic radiation are applied and their effects recorded providing a basis for the mathematical description of particular effects and their classification with an uncertainty management framework. Comparative studies are exploited to derive design guidelines for SiME and for their integration into mechatronic systems. As a verification example a two-step spur gear transmission with integrated SiME is assessed to provide an estimate of the prognosis quality.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants