This Ph.D. thesis presents the design, modeling, optimization, prototyping, and experimental methodologies for a novel actuation system for the synchronized segmentally interchanging pulley transmission system (SSIPTS). The SSIPTS is an improved transmission which offers the combined benefits of existing transmission systems for the automotive, the power generation, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industries. As a major subsystem of the SSIPTS, the Pulley Segment Actuation System (PSAS) plays a critical role in the SSIPTS operation and success. However, the overall design of the SSIPTS and its operation principle introduce very challenging and conflicting design requirements for PSASs that the existing actuation technologies cannot meet. To address the lack of actuation technologies for the PSAS application, this research proposes a unique actuation system that meets all the challenging design requirements of the PSAS. This new actuation system is based on the electromagnetic moving coil actuator (MCA) technology. The proposed system is conceptualized and modeled. The key parameters of the actuation system are defined following the conceptual design and modeling. Further, the geometry mapping optimization and the FEM analysis are conducted to determine the optimized values for the key design parameters. From the simulation results, the optimized actuator is shaped. Moreover, a proper control strategy is proposed for the motion of the actuator. Experiments are performed to find the empirical parameters of the actuator, to validate the proposed design, and to test the performance of the actuator. Experimental results show that the prototype of the actuation system meets the design requirements and is feasible for implementation in the SSIPTS. The main contribution of this thesis is to develop a highly efficient and reliable ultra fast bi-stable actuation system for the PSAS for the SSIPTS. As an ultra fast bistable actuation system, the designed actuation system has many advantages over other types of actuation systems: higher load capacity, smaller dimensions, and good controllability. These performance characteristics make the designed actuation system an excellent candidate in applications requiring fast transient response, high precision, and high load capacity such as electromagnetic valve actuators for engines, high speed pick and place, and precise positioning.

This Ph.D. thesis presents the design, modeling, optimization, prototyping, and experimental methodologies for a novel actuation system for the synchronized segmentally interchanging pulley transmission system (SSIPTS). The SSIPTS is an improved transmission which offers the combined benefits of existing transmission systems for the automotive, the power generation, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industries. As a major subsystem of the SSIPTS, the Pulley Segment Actuation System (PSAS) plays a critical role in the SSIPTS operation and success. However, the overall design of the SSIPTS and its operation principle introduce very challenging and conflicting design requirements for PSASs that the existing actuation technologies cannot meet. To address the lack of actuation technologies for the PSAS application, this research proposes a unique actuation system that meets all the challenging design requirements of the PSAS. This new actuation system is based on the electromagnetic moving coil actuator (MCA) technology. The proposed system is conceptualized and modeled. The key parameters of the actuation system are defined following the conceptual design and modeling. Further, the geometry mapping optimization and the FEM analysis are conducted to determine the optimized values for the key design parameters. From the simulation results, the optimized actuator is shaped. Moreover, a proper control strategy is proposed for the motion of the actuator. Experiments are performed to find the empirical parameters of the actuator, to validate the proposed design, and to test the performance of the actuator. Experimental results show that the prototype of the actuation system meets the design requirements and is feasible for implementation in the SSIPTS. The main contribution of this thesis is to develop a highly efficient and reliable ultra fast bi-stable actuation system for the PSAS for the SSIPTS. As an ultra fast bistable actuation system, the designed actuation system has many advantages over other types of actuation systems: higher load capacity, smaller dimensions, and good controllability. These performance characteristics make the designed actuation system an excellent candidate in applications requiring fast transient response, high precision, and high load capacity such as electromagnetic valve actuators for engines, high speed pick and place, and precise positioning.

Dans le contexte environnemental actuel, l’amélioration des performances énergétiques des transmissions mécaniques par engrenage est un réel challenge. De part, leur compacité et leur arrangement axisymétrique, les transmissions mécaniques de type réducteur à trains épicycloïdaux sont de plus en plus répandues dans divers applications (éolien, aéronautique,…). Il est généralement admis que les principales sources de dissipation de puissance dans de telles transmissions sont dues au frottement aux dentures, au mode de lubrification (barbotage ou injection de lubrifiant), au piégeage d’huile entre les dents lors de l’engrènement et à la ventilation des mobiles. Il est également à noter que les pertes de puissance générées par une transmission ne peuvent être découplées de son comportement thermique. En effet, les échauffements locaux dans la transmission ont un impact sur les propriétés du lubrifiant, qui ont elles-mêmes une influence sur les pertes de puissance. A partir de ce postulat, le travail présenté dans ce manuscrit propose un modèle numérique permettant de quantifier les différents postes de pertes de puissance générées dans un réducteur épicycloïdal, lubrifié par injection d’huile, pour une application aéronautique. / In the current environmental context, gearbox efficiency has become a major issue. Because of their compactness and axi-symmetric arrangement, planetary gearboxes are widely used in several applications (such as wind, aerospace…). It is generally accepted that total power losses in such gear transmissions can be decomposed into the contributions of the friction between teeth, the lubrication process (oil splash or jet), the oil trapping during meshing and tooth windage. It is noticed that power losses produced by a mechanical transmission cannot be dissociated from its thermal behavior. Indeed, the local warmings impact lubricant physical properties and these last have influence on power losses in return. Based on this postulate, the purpose of this work is to develop a numerical model in order to estimate the power losses generated into a jet lubricated planetary gear train, for an aeronautical application.

Dans la continuité des travaux de recherches sur les systèmes de transmission mécanique embarqués, l’objectif de cette thèse est double : approfondir les modèles d’estimations des pièces d’un Actionneur Electromécanique (EMA) et étendre la vision transversale de la conception préliminaire aux aspects dynamiques. En effet, cette recherche permet, lors de la conception préliminaire basée sur les modèles, d’adapter les choix d’architectures et de technologies vis-à-vis des performances statiques et dynamiques à atteindre. Les modèles développés à partir des lois d’échelles sont étendus et exploités afin de modéliser les pièces élémentaires de l’EMA et de faire ressortir les règles de « bonnes pratiques » en conception préliminaire. On s’intéresse en particulier au dimensionnement des EMAs dans le domaine aéronautique. Dans un premier temps, nous avons donc créé des modèles d’estimation et des métamodèles des pièces de l’EMA. A cet effet, il est décomposé en carter et pièces élémentaires qu’il intègre.Dans un second temps, nous avons établis des règles de bonne conception et des pistes de dimensionnement de l’actionneur asservi en position. Contrairement aux recherches antérieures, qui se centraient sur le dimensionnement en puissance, nous avons pris en compte la synthèse de la commande pour établir ces règles. A partir de modèles de simulations, nous qualifions et quantifions l’influence des défauts (inertie et saturations, élasticité/jeu, frottement) sur les performances limites de l’EMA. En effet, les structures de commande usuelles et le choix des éléments de contrôle-commande sont intimement liés aux performances dynamiques et à ces défauts. Enfin, afin de se doter de moyens d’essais pour identifier finement un modèle de frottement dans des conditions aéronautiques de température, un banc d'essai sur le réducteur Harmonic Drive a été conçu et mis en œuvre. Il permet également d’amorcer la validation des règles de bonne conception / In the continuity of work of research on embedded systems of mechanical transmission, this these has two objectives: to improve estimation models of Electromechanical Actuator (EMA) pieces and to extend the cross-cutting vision of preliminary design to the dynamic aspects. Indeed, in the preliminary design based on models, this research should allow to adapt the choice of architectures and technologies to static and dynamic performance to achieve. The models developed from the scaling laws will be extended and exploited to modelize elementary pieces of the EMA and to highlight rules of "good practices" in preliminary design. We focus in particular on the design of EMA in aeronautic field. In the first time, we developed estimations models and métamodèles of elementary components of EMA which was decomposed in housing and elementary pieces.In a second time, we established rules of good practices for actuator sizing in control position loop. Contrary to older researches, we take into account control synthesis to create these rules. From simulations models, we quantified the influence of technological defects of components (inertia and saturations, elasticity (backlash), friction) on EMA performances. Indeed, the usual command structures and the choice of the elements of control are intimately linked to the dynamic performance and these defects.Finally, to give test way to identify with accuracy a friction model in aeronautical conditions of temperature, a test bench of Harmonic Drive was create, integrated and implemented. It allows booting the validation of rules of good practices in preliminary design.

The combination of hydrostatics and mechanical gearboxes cannot only improve system efficiency but also the usability of mobile machines. A possible solution could be a synchronized gearbox with two gears. Compared to the pure hydrostatic drivetrain, mobile machines with such a combination can have a larger drive torque with the first gear and higher efficiency at high speed. However, the calibration effort of this traditional drivetrain system is enormous; moreover, with a flow-based control, the degrees of freedom to achieve optimum shift performance in all conditions are limited. By adopting the primary torque control concept, we propose a novel hydrostatic-mechanical drivetrain control algorithm so that the holistic shift performance is better whilst the calibration effort is dramatically reduced by systematically adjusting only one hyper-parameter. Experienced engineers and machine operators validated the advantages mentioned here by a series of field experiments. Besides synchronized gearboxes, the controller proposed in this paper is also generalized to other kinds of mechanical transmissions.

Les actionneurs électromécaniques supplantent les solutions d’actionnement hydrauliques concurrentes dans un nombre croissant d’applications industrielles, particulièrement en aéronautique. Ils le doivent à leurs rendements élevés et à une relative simplicité de commande. Fort de ces avantages, cette technologie a été mise en place dans le cadre du projet ELEXC, en vue de remplacer les vérins hydrauliques sur une mini-excavatrice tout-électrique et s’attaquant pour la première fois au secteur du bâtiment et des travaux publics. Cependant, cette intégration s’accompagne de doutes sur la performance et la durabilité de ces actionneurs dans ce cas précis d’utilisation. Pour répondre à ces interrogations, ce manuscrit se focalisera dans un premier volet sur la caractérisation des performances d’une structure spécifique, permise par la mise en place d’un banc de test multi-énergies instrumenté. Cette étude aboutira à la mise en place d’un modèle par lois physiques dont les paramètres auront été identifiés expérimentalement.Deux solutions innovantes vont ensuite être proposées, visant respectivement à réduire les répercussions, notamment énergétiques, de la caractéristique discrète du convertisseur à découpage, et à parer au manque de compliance de l’actionneur tout en conservant ses capacités de creusage. Elles seront toutes deux associées au concept de commande prédictive, mais offriront chacune une spécificité par rapport à l’implémentation standard de ce type de commande tout en conservant ses avantages. La première prendra la forme d’un modulateur fondé sur le principe d’une modulation de largeur d’impulsion vectorielle, dont la séquence sera sélectionnée par un contrôleur prédictif en rapport avec une fonction de coût alliant les ondulations de courant, les pertes par commutation et la tension de mode commun spécifiques aux séquences. La seconde consistera en un contrôleur d’impédance à boucle de position interne, dont les paramètres d’impédance seront variables et définis par un contrôleur prédictif afin de permettre une bonne pénétration dans l’environnement tout en limitant la dynamique et la valeur maximale de l’effort de compression sur la transmission. / Nowadays, the electro-mechanical actuators (EMA) are seen as an alternative to the conventional hydraulic cylinders in a growing number of industrial applications, including the aeronautic sector, thanks to their high efficiency and relatively simple commandability. According to this features, this actuator technology was selected to replace the hydraulic cylinders of the actuation system of a full-electric compact excavator in the ELEXC project. However, some concerns arose from the lack of existing examples with EMA functioning in relatively severe working conditions implying collisions of the actuators with stiff environments. Therefore, this manuscript will first focus on the characterization of the electro-mechanical actuator and of its performances in this specific case of application, enabled by the development of a multi-energy test-rig. Beside the validation of the EMA capacities, a physic law model will be developed, and its parameters tuned according to the experimental results. In a second part of this manuscript, two novel control laws will be proposed, aiming respectively to reduce the negative repercussions of the discrete characteristic of the electrical converter, and to counterpart the lack of natural compliance of the mechanical actuator. They will be both based on the concept of predictive control, but will differ from the conventional implementation of this type of controller. The first proposed topology is a modulator based on a vector Pulse Width Modulation, in which the PWM sequence to be used is defined online by a predictive controller according to a cost function that takes into account the current ripples, the switching losses and the common mode voltages specific to the sequences. Next, a position-based impedance controller, whose impedance parameters are defined online by a predictive controller, is introduced, in order to enable the EMA to penetrate a stiff environment with a relatively low dynamic increase of compression force on the mechanical transmission.