abstract: In nearly all commercially successful internal combustion engine applications, the slider crank mechanism is used to convert the reciprocating motion of the piston into rotary motion. The hypocycloid mechanism, wherein the crankshaft is replaced with a novel gearing arrangement, is a viable alternative to the slider crank mechanism. The geared hypocycloid mechanism allows for linear motion of the connecting rod and provides a method for perfect balance with any number of cylinders including single cylinder applications. A variety of hypocycloid engine designs and research efforts have been undertaken and produced successful running prototypes. Wiseman Technologies, Inc provided one of these prototypes to this research effort. This two-cycle 30cc half crank hypocycloid engine has shown promise in several performance categories including balance and efficiency. To further investigate its potential a more thorough and scientific analysis was necessary and completed in this research effort. The major objective of the research effort was to critically evaluate and optimize the Wiseman prototype for maximum performance in balance, efficiency, and power output. A nearly identical slider crank engine was used extensively to establish baseline performance data and make comparisons. Specialized equipment and methods were designed and built to collect experimental data on both engines. Simulation and mathematical models validated by experimental data collection were used to better quantify performance improvements. Modifications to the Wiseman prototype engine improved balance by 20 to 50% (depending on direction) and increased peak power output by 24%. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Mechanical Engineering 2011

abstract: The slider-crank mechanism is popularly used in internal combustion engines to convert the reciprocating motion of the piston into a rotary motion. This research discusses an alternate mechanism proposed by the Wiseman Technology Inc. which involves replacing the crankshaft with a hypocycloid gear assembly. The unique hypocycloid gear arrangement allows the piston and the connecting rod to move in a straight line, creating a perfect sinusoidal motion. To analyze the performance advantages of the Wiseman mechanism, engine simulation software was used. The Wiseman engine with the hypocycloid piston motion was modeled in the software and the engine's simulated output results were compared to those with a conventional engine of the same size. The software was also used to analyze the multi-fuel capabilities of the Wiseman engine using a contra piston. The engine's performance was studied while operating on diesel, ethanol and gasoline fuel. Further, a scaling analysis on the future Wiseman engine prototypes was carried out to understand how the performance of the engine is affected by increasing the output power and cylinder displacement. It was found that the existing Wiseman engine produced about 7% less power at peak speeds compared to the slider-crank engine of the same size. It also produced lower torque and was about 6% less fuel efficient than the slider-crank engine. These results were concurrent with the dynamometer tests performed in the past. The 4 stroke diesel variant of the same Wiseman engine performed better than the 2 stroke gasoline version as well as the slider-crank engine in all aspects. The Wiseman engine using contra piston showed poor fuel efficiency while operating on E85 fuel. But it produced higher torque and about 1.4% more power than while running on gasoline. While analyzing the effects of the engine size on the Wiseman prototypes, it was found that the engines performed better in terms of power, torque, fuel efficiency and cylinder BMEP as their displacements increased. The 30 horsepower (HP) prototype, while operating on E85, produced the most optimum results in all aspects and the diesel variant of the same engine proved to be the most fuel efficient. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Mechanical Engineering 2014

The industrial world is in constant demand for faster, cheaper and higher quality manufacturing. Robot utilisation and automation has evolved to become a necessary asset to master in order to stay competitive in the global market. With the growing dependency on robots, unexpected downtime and brakedowns can cause devastating loss of revenue. Consequently, this has lead to an increased importance for an accurate condition based way of performing robotic maintenance. As of writing, robots are predominantly maintained through time dependent maintenance. Part replacement is based on statistical models where maintenance is performed without taking the actual robot condition into consideration. As a result an overall level of uncertainty is ensued, where lacking the ability to properly diagnose the robot, also leads to superfluous repairs. Because of the costly impact this has on production, a condition based maintenance approach to robots would yield increased reliability at a lower cost of maintenance. This research focuses on trying to monitor vibrations in a robot, so as to infer about wear and to provide a first step in vibration based Robot Condition Monitoring. This research has been of multidisciplinary nature where robotics, tribology, mechanical component, signal analysis and diagnosis theory have overlapped in several areas throughout the project. The research has provided a vibration baseline and trends of the theoretical bearing defect frequencies for a hypocycloid gearbox installed on an ABB IRB6600 robot. The gearbox was not worn to a level that a severe gearbox degradation was irrefutably detectable and analysable. Accelerometers normally used on wind turbines were used for the project, and are believed to be sufficiently successful in capturing bearing related signals to accredit it for continued use at the preliminary stages of Robot Condition Monitoring development. A worn RV410F hypocycloid gearbox, was dismantled and analysed. Bearings found inside indicate high degrees of moisture corrosion and extensive surface wear. These findings had decisive roles in what future work recommendations where presented. Areas with great potential are condition monitoring through the use of Acoustic Emission and lubrication analysis. Further recommendations include investigating signal analysis techniques such as cepstrum pre-whitening and discrete wavelet transforms.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work aims at presenting methodological referrals able to make mathematics teaching more enjoyable and interactive. In this sense, the work that will be developed here will address the study of some special curves like the Agnesi Curve, the Epicycloid, the Hypocycloid and will focus in greater depth the study of Cycloid addressing its main properties with an emphasis on Tautochrone and Brachistochrone. All work performed in this study shows that mathematics can play an important role in the classroom, helping to develop the learning of other disciplines thanks to allied experimental practices to the development of interdisciplinary content. In the literature there is much talk on interdisciplinarity, but most texts do not show how it can be done, that is, little is done really. This paper describes the content and shows how to perform integrative activities that will improve the teaching of other sciences and allows students to develop other skills (in addition to mathematical reasoning). This work does not end here, it is the rst step to other studies that improve the teaching of mathematics, especially geometry. Introduce the content so that the curiosity of the student is instigated is a big step in the teaching of this discipline. This is the objective of this work, arouse the curiosity of those involved through experimental practices without so little put aside theoretical part. / Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar encaminhamentos metodológicos capazes de tornar o ensino da matemática mais prazeroso e interativo. Neste sentido o trabalho que será desenvolvido aqui abordará o estudo de algumas curvas especiais como a Curva de Agnesi, a Epiciclóide, a Hipociclóide e destacará com maior profundidade o estudo da Ciclóide abordando a suas principais propriedades com ênfase na Tautócrona e Braquistócrona. Todo trabalho realizado neste estudo mostra que a matemática pode assumir um papel importante na sala de aula, ajudando a desenvolver a aprendizagem de outras disciplinas graças às práticas experimentais aliadas ao desenvolvimento de conteúdos interdisciplinares. Na literatura fala-se muito em interdisciplinaridade, más na maioria dos textos não se mostra como é possível fazê-la, ou seja, pouco se faz realmente. Este trabalho descreve o conteúdo e mostra como realizar atividades integradoras que venham a melhorar o ensino de outras ciências e permite desenvolver outras habilidades (além do raciocínio matemático) no aluno. Este trabalho não se encerra aqui, ele é o primeiro passo para outros estudos que melhorem o ensino da matemática, em particular da geometria. Introduzir o conteúdo de forma que a curiosidade do aluno seja instigada já é um grande passo no ensino dessa disciplina. É este o objetivo deste trabalho, despertar a curiosidade dos envolvidos através das práticas experimentais sem tão pouco deixar de lado a parte teórica.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The purpose of this thesis is to perform modeling from different perspectives for an airgapless motor. The airgapless motor is a proposed type of electric machine whose purpose is to replace hydraulic machines in low speed high torque applications. Because of the nature of the movement for this device, modeling of this device is atypical to the modeling done with other electric machines. This thesis will present the operating principle of the airgapless motor and take an analytical approach to modeling the torque and total energy in the device. In addition, this thesis will present the power electronics necessary to drive this device and offer recommendations to maximize the torque and minimize the torque ripple. MATLAB simulations are used to verify that the conclusion of this thesis are consistent with observations made by previous publications and prototypes.