A new method to evaluate the performance of sealants, used in rigid pavement joints, was developed. A special fixture was designed to transfer cyclic in-line deflection, applied by a testing machine, to cyclic normal and shear deflections on a sealant sandwiched between two-2 x 2 x 2 in. portland cement mortar cubes. The normal and shear deflections were applied simultaneously at a specific ratio controlled by the developed fixture. The new testing method simulates field conditions, where shear deflection is caused by vehicle loads while normal deflection is caused by slabs contraction or expansion due to temperature variation. The developed fixture was used to evaluate the performance of three commercially available one-component sealant types: (A, B, and C), A is a low modulus sealant, B is a self leveling type, while C is a sealant which is used with primer. The effect of joint width on sealant performance was investigated using two joint widths (0.25 in. and 0.75 in.), while the weathering effect was evaluated by exposing specimens to 50 cycles of rapid freezing and thawing prior to testing. / Master of Science

Examensarbetet har utförts på uppdrag av Kongsberg Automotive AB, en underleverantör inom fordonsindustrin som bland annat tillverkar växelspaksystem till både manuella och automatväxlade fordon. Fordonsbranschen kantas av ständig utveckling med innovativa lösningar, vilket under de senaste åren har resulterat i att elektroniken har fått en större roll i produkterna. Ifall elektroniken skadas kan det få förödande konsekvenser för produktens funktion. Det medför högre krav på säker inkapsling. För att motverka läckage och intrång av skadliga partiklar används ofta någon form av tätning.    Produkten som har studerats i detta examensarbete är en aktuator, vars funktion är att omvandla elektroniska signaler från växelspaken till mekaniska rörelser som interagerar med växellådan. Produkten innehåller tre tätningar som samverkar för att uppfylla inkapslingskraven under fordonets hela livstid. Dessa tre tätningar består av en statisk tätning av typen FIPG, en dynamisk o-ring och en ventil tätning av Gore-Tex membran.  Syftet med examensarbetet är att studera och utvärdera olika tätningskoncept som uppfyller de krav på inkapsling som ställs. Kongsberg önskar att utforska om det finns bättre alternativ till de tätningar som används i nuläget, särskilt vid en framtida ökad produktionsvolym. För att kunna utföra arbetet har en omfattande litteraturstudie genomförts. Den har bestått av faktainsamling, konkurrensanalys, intervjuer och observationer både på och utanför företaget. Detta mynnade ut i en Pughs matris där de olika tätningskoncepten ställdes mot den befintliga lösningen, FIPG och o-ring. Kriterier såsom kostnad, produktionsvänlighet, monteringsvänlighet, arbetsmiljö, processtid, livslängd samt behov av omkonstruktion har tagits fram till matrisen med hjälp av DFX-verktyg och intervjuer. En Pughs matris har utförts för både den statiska och dynamiska tätningen. Samma kriterier användes i båda fallen. Utifrån matrisen utnämndes lasersvetsning som den mest lämpliga metoden för den statiska tätningen. Anledningen till att den rekommenderas är bland annat dess låga kostnad vid höga volymer, den snabba processtiden samt dess långa livslängd. För den dynamiska tätningen rekommenderas Kongsberg Automotive att fortsätta med den befintliga lösningen, o-ringar. Detta på grund av dess låga kostnad för en tillräcklig livslängd. För att implementera den nya statiska tätningen krävs omkonstruktion av produkten. För en lyckad fogning ställs en del krav på flänsarna, bland annat en låg skevningstendens och en viss ytfinhet. Dessutom behöver flänsarna få en ny utformning som möjliggör fogning. Metoden bygger på att en del är lasertransparent och släpper igenom laserstrålen till den undre delen, som är laserabsorbent och smälter materialet vid fogen. Studien leder till ett grundligt underlag för Kongsberg Automotive, som kan underlätta vid beslut gällande tätningskonstruktionen. / This thesis is performed in association with Kongsberg Automotive AB, a subcontractor within the automotive industry who specializes in gear shifters for both manual and automatic transmission vehicles. The automotive industry is highly dynamic and constantly searching for innovative improvements. In recent years, this has led to an increase in the importance of electronics within a product. In case of an electronic failure, this can lead to devastating consequences for the function of a product. This leads to higher demands for safe encapsulation. Some sort of sealing is often used to reduce the risk of leakage and penetration of foreign particles. The product that has been studied in this project is an actuator. The function of an actuator is to convert electronic signals from the gear shifter to mechanical movements that interacts with the gearbox. The product consists of three sealing solutions that works together to meet the requirements for encapsulation during the vehicles lifetime. These solutions include a static gasket in form of a FIPG, a dynamic o-ring seal and a Gore-Tex vent membrane. The purpose of this thesis is to study and evaluate different sealing solutions that fulfills the demands of encapsulation according to the specification. Kongsberg Automotive wishes to explore if there are better sealing alternatives than the ones used today, particularly in regards to a potential increase in volume in the near future. In order to perform the project, an extensive literature study has been conducted. It was based on collection of facts, benchmarking, interviews and observations both within and outside of the company. This resulted in a Pugh matrix where the different sealing concepts where evaluated against the current solution, FIPG and dynamic o-rings. Criteria such as cost, production and assembly friendliness, work environment, processing time, life expectancy and the need of redesign were developed based on DFX-tools and interviews. The Pugh matrix were performed for both the static and the dynamic seal, using the same criteria in both cases. Based on the matrix, laser welding were chosen to be the most suitable seal for the static application. A few of the reasons were its low cost for high volume productions, the fast processing time and high function. For the dynamic seal, Kongsberg is recommended to continue using the current o-ring solution due to its low cost. To implement the recommended static sealing, redesign of the product is required. To achieve a successful joint, there are increased requirements for the flange surfaces, such as warpage and surface finish. In addition to this, the flanges needs a new design that enables joining. Laser welding is based on the material properties of the flanges. One part needs to be laser transparent to let the laser beam through, while the other part has to be laser absorbent to melt the material by the joint. This study results in a foundation for Kongsberg Automotive, to facilitate decision-making in regards to sealing design.

Elastomer seals are used in a variety of industries that require flow isolation. The characterization of the behavior of these seals remains largely unexplored and hence, this study is focused on simulating and validating the axial-compressive behavior of an annular rubber seal constrained concentrically in a pipe. The elastomer material composing the seal, was experimentally characterized for its mechanical, frictional, and viscoelastic properties and modelled using models developed by Yeoh, Thirion, and Prony respectively. A 2D axisymmetric finite-element model was developed using ANSYS 16 and used alongside the material models to simulate an axial load versus displacement curve, a contact pressure distribution, and a pipe hoop strain gradient. The results for quasi-static loading and viscoelastic effects agreed within 7% and 18% of the experimental results, respectively. It was observed that pipe geometry, rubber chemistry, frictional properties, and viscoelastic effects have significant effect on the compressive behavior of the seal. / October 2016

No description available.

No description available.

I denna rapport kommer en processen av hur en glasfiberprodukt kan designas med utgångspunkt av en likvärdig produkt gjord i stål genomföras. Arbetet är gjort från uppdrag utav Roxtec international AB och handlar om designarbetet för en glasfiberram.Arbetet har gjorts med samarbete med Roxtec och utgår ifrån deras idéer om att designa en ny produkt för att hjälpa dem att få in sin produkt i fler marknader. I detta fall handlar det om att ha en glasfiberram gjord med långa fibrer för att kunna installera Roxtecs produkter i glasfiberskepp och båtar utan att bryta vissa certifikationer. Ramen används för att hålla tätningsmoduler på plats. Dessa tätningsmoduler pressas ihop vilket ger ett stort tryck på ramen.En stor del av arbetet handlar också om att ta reda på vilka olika tillverkningsmetoder som finns för glasfiber och hur de funkar med de koncepten som slutligen tas fram.I de första delarna av rapporten finns bakgrundsinformation om Roxtec och sedan information om de olika tillverkningsmetoderna som finns. Sedan går det vidare med information om de olika metoderna som används för att ta fram resultatet. Efter det fortsätter rapporten genom att visa ett antal koncept som sedan dimensioneras mot kraven som sätts på produkten.I den sista delen av rapporten ges sedan en rekommendation utifrån resultaten till Roxtec om vilken tillverkningsmetod som är lämplig och även en slutgiltig design på en glasfiberram. / In this report, a process of how a fiberglass product can be designed on the basis of an equivalent product made of steel be performed. The work is done through an assignment from Roxtec International AB and is about the design work for a fiberglass frame.The work has been done with cooperation with Roxtec and assumes their ideas about designing a new product in order to help them to get their product into more markets. In this case it is about a fiberglass frame made with long fibers in order to install Roxtec's products in fiberglass ships and boats without breaking certain certifications. The frame is used to hold the sealing modules in place. The sealing modules are then compressed which puts a heavy pressure on the frame.A large part of the work is also about finding out what different manufacturing methods there are for fiberglass and how they work with the concepts that will be developed.The first parts of the report provides background information about Roxtec and then information on the different manufacturing methods available. Then it provides information on the various methods used to produce the result. The report continues by displaying a number of concepts which are then designed to the requirements set on the product.In the last part of the report is a recommendation is given based on the results to Roxtec about which manufacturing method is appropriate and also a final design on a fiberglass frame.

Microfluidic systems are being used in more and more areas and the demand for such systems is growing every day. To meet such high volume market needs, a cheap and rapid method for sealing these microfluidic platforms which is viable for mass manufacture is highly desirable. In this work low frequency induction heating (LFIH) is introduced as the potential basis of a cost-effective, rapid production method for polymer microfluidic device sealing. Thin metal layers or structured metal features are introduced between the device s substrates and heated inductively. The surrounding material melts and forms a bond when cooling. During the bonding process it is important to effectively manage the heat dissipation to prevent distortion of the microfluidic platform. The size of the heat affected zone (HAZ), and the area melted, must be controlled to avoid blockage of the microfluidic channels or altering the channels wall characteristics. The effects of susceptor shape and area, bonding pressure, heating time, etc, on the heating rate have been investigated to provide a basis for process optimisation and design rules. It was found that the maximum temperature is proportional to the square of the susceptor area and that round shaped susceptors heat most efficiently. As a result of the investigations higher bonding pressure was identified as increasing bond strength and allowing the reduction of heating time and thus the reduction of melt zone width. The use of heating pulses instead of continuous heating also reduced the dimensions of melt zones while maintaining good bond strength. The size of the HAZ was found to be negligible. An analytical model, which can be used to predict the heating rate, was derived. In validating the model by numeric models and experiments it was found that it cannot be used to calculate exact temperatures but it does correctly describe the effect of different heating parameters. Over the temperature range needed to bond polymer substrates, cooling effects were found not to have a significant impact on the heating rate. The two susceptor concepts using thin metal layers (metal-plastic bonds) or structured metal features (plastic-plastic bonds) were tested and compared. While the metal-plastic bonds turned out to be too weak to be useful, the bonds formed using structured susceptors showed good strength and high leakage pressure. Based on the knowledge gained during the investigations a microfluidic device was designed. Different samples were manufactured and tested. During the tests minor leaks were observed but it was found that this was mainly due to debris which occurred during laser machining of the channels. It was concluded that induction bonding can be used to seal plastic microfluidic devices. The following guidelines can be drawn up for the design of susceptors and process optimisation: Materials with low resistivity perform better; For very thin susceptors the effect of permeability on the heating rate is negligible; The cross-sectional area of the susceptor should be as large as possible to reduce resistance; The thickness of the susceptor should be of similar dimensions to the penetration depth or smaller to increase homogeneity of heat dissipation; The shape of the susceptor should follow the shape of the inductor coil, or vice-versa, to increase homogeneity of heat dissipation; The susceptor should form a closed circuit; Higher bonding pressure leads to stronger bonds and allows reduced heating times; Pulsed heating performs better than continuous heating in terms of limited melt area and good bond strength. The drawbacks of the technique are explained as well: introducing additional materials leads to additional process steps. Also the structuring and placement of the susceptor was identified to be problematic. In this project the structured susceptor was placed manually but that is not feasible for mass manufacture. To be able to use the technique efficiently a concept of manufacturing the susceptor has to be found to allow precise alignment of complex designs.

Beim Siegeln von Verpackungen können nicht-qualitätsgerechte Siegelnähte dadurch entstehen, dass sich Teile des Packguts zwischen den zu fügenden Packmittelbahnen befinden. Im Gegensatz zum konventionellen Wärmekontaktsiegeln besteht beim Ultraschallsiegeln die Möglichkeit, für jeden einzelnen Siegelvorgang Prozessdaten zu erfassen. Aus dem Bereich des Ultraschallschweißens ist bekannt, dass sich anhand dieser Daten der Prozess überwachen und dessen Güte bewerten lässt. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht den Informationsgehalt dieser Prozessdaten hinsichtlich störungsbehafteter Siegelnähte und leistet damit einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Verpackungsqualität und damit im besten Fall auch zu weniger Lebensmittelverlusten. Es wird dazu zunächst eine Systematisierung von möglichen Störprinzipen beim Siegeln hinsichtlich ihrer physikalischen Wirkprinzipe vorgenommen. Darauf aufbauend konnte ein Versuchsstand und eine Methodik zur Untersuchung der Thematik entwickelt werden. Abschließend wurden ausgewählte Störprinzipe untersucht, wobei sich ein sehr starker Packstoff- und Einfluss der Prozessführung herausstellte. Es konnte ein prinzipieller Zusammenhang zwischen Auswirkung einer Störung auf die Nahtqualität und die Prozessdaten gezeigt werden, welcher sich jedoch auf Basis der erarbeiteten Ergebnisse nicht verallgemeinern lässt.

Silicon Carbide (SiC) is increasingly gaining attention as a potential fuel cladding material, on account of its favorable thermo-mechanical and neutronic properties. The major limitations of such a cladding is currently associated with joining and hermetic sealing. The work presented here investigated the use of Al, Cr and Fe metals and a specialized alloy (FeCrAl) to achieve hermetic sealing of SiC tubes as well as a joining technology of SiC. Major part of solving this issue requires addressing joining of ceramic and metallic components, which are largely dissimilar in both thermal and mechanical properties. Preliminary experiments to bond SiC with FeCrAl resulted in adverse separation partially attributed to the differences in thermal expansion mismatch. To alleviate these problems, thin and thick coatings of the metals and alloys were applied to SiC. Qualitative microstructural characterization of the final product indicated satisfactory bonding between the materials.

Built up areas are dynymically evolving component of suburban landscape. Prague periphery is the area, where this evolution is fastest. This can be a problem because the very fertile soils are located in Prague fringe. Their loss is therefore connected with the law protection of agricultural soils. A set of 22 cadasters around the Prague made the area of interest of this master thesis. They were defined to cover the variability of geological substrate, climate, relief and soils and also some socioeconomic parametres (distance form highway and from Prague centre). I used a several data about built up areas to explain the trends in set: Stable cadaster, Third military mapping, aerial photos from 1950s and present orthophoto. The development of built up areas in the final set was assesed by a several parametres which contain the total area, structure, fertility of sealed land and diversity of soils. Problem of determining soil diversity was one of the goals of master thesis. Taxonomical dendrogram of soils with including taxonomical differences is the output of this part. Main trend of development were assesed by using multidimensional statistic method: classical scaling and hierarchical clustering. Results confirmed that more fertile soil are built up nowadays than in the past and also diversity of...