This thesis details several modifications to the mechanical design of the Orthotic Lower Limb Exoskeleton (OLL-E) that improve upon the functionality and manufacturability of parts and their assemblies. The changes made to these parts maintain or improve the factor of safety against yield and fatigue failure as compared to the original designs. Design changes are verified by FEA simulations and hand calculations. The changes included in this thesis also allowed parts that were previously difficult or impossible to manufacture using traditional methods to be made in house or outsourced to another machine shop. In addition to the mechanical design changes, this thesis also details the design and implementation of a six axis force-torque sensor built into the foot of OLL-E. The purpose of this sensor is to provide feedback to the central control system and allow OLL-E to be self-balancing. This foot sensor design is calibrated and initial results are discussed and shown to be favorable. / Master of Science / Recent developments in the fields of robotics and exoskeleton design have increased their feasibility for use in medical rehabilitation and mobility enhancement for persons with limited mobility. The Orthotic Lower Limb Exoskeleton (OLL-E) is an exoskeleton specifically designed for enhancing mobility by allowing users with lower limb disabilities such as spinal cord injuries or paraplegia to walk. The research detailed in this thesis explains the design and manufacturing processes used to make OLL-E as well as providing design details for a force sensor built into the exoskeleton foot. Before manufacturing could take place some parts needed to be redesigned and this thesis provides insight into the reasons for these changes. After the manufacturing and design process was completed the OLL-E was assembled and the project can now move forward with physical testing.

This dissertation explores the design, and implementation of articulated robotic tail mechanisms onboard reduced degree-of-freedom (DOF) legged robots to augment performance in terms of stability and maneuverability. Fundamentally, this research is motivated by the question of how to improve the stability and maneuverability of legged robots. The conventional approach to address these challenges is to utilize leg mechanisms that are composed of three or more active DOFs that are controlled simultaneously to provide propulsion, maneuvering, and stabilization. However, animals such as lizards and cheetahs have been observed to utilize their tails to aid in these functionalities. It is hypothesized that by using an articulated tail mechanism to aid in these functionalities onboard a legged robot, the burden on the robot's legs to simultaneously maneuver and stabilize the robot may be reduced. This could allow for simplification of the leg's design and control algorithms. In recent years, significant progress has been accomplished in the field of robotic tail implementation onboard mobile robots. However, the main limitation of this work stems from the proposed tail designs, the majority of which are composed of rigid single-body pendulums that provide a constrained workspace for center-of-mass positioning, an important characteristics for inertial adjustment applications. Inspired by lizards and cheetahs that adjust their body orientation using flexible tail motions, two novel articulated, cable driven, serpentine-like tail mechanisms are proposed. The first is the Roll-Revolute-Revolute Tail which is a 3-DOF mechanism, designed for implementation onboard a quadruped robot, that is capable of forming two mechanically decoupled tail curvatures via an s-shaped cable routing scheme and gear train system. The second is a the Discrete Modular Serpentine Tail, designed for implementation onboard a biped robot, which is a modular two-DOF mechanism that distributes motion amongst links via a multi-diameter pulley. Both tail designs utilize a cable transmission system where cables are routed about circular contoured links that maintain equal antagonistic cable displacements that can produce controlled articulated tail curvatures using a single active-DOF. Furthermore, analysis and experimental results have been presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of an articulated tail's ability to: 1) increase the manifold for center-of-mass positioning, and 2) generate enhanced inertial loading relative to conventionally implemented pendulum-like tails. In order to test the tails ability to augment the performance of legged robots, a novel Robotic Modular Leg (RML) is proposed to construct both a reduced-DOF quadrupedal and bipedal experimental platform. The RML is a modular two-DOF leg mechanism composed of two serially connected four-bar mechanisms that utilizes kinematic constraints to maintain a parallel orientation between it's flat foot and body without the use of an actuated ankle. A passive suspension system integrated into the foot enables the dissipation of impact energy and maintains a stable four point-of-contact support polygon on both flat and uneven terrain. Modeling of the combined legged robotic systems and attached articulated tails has led to the derivation of dynamic formulations that were analyzed to scale articulated tails onboard legged robots to maximize inertial adjustment capabilities resulting from tail motions and design a control scheme for tail-aided maneuvering. The tail prototypes, in conjunction with virtual simulations of the quadruped and biped robot, were used in experiments and simulations to implement and analyze the methods for maneuvering and stabilizing the proposed legged robots. Results successfully demonstrate the tails' ability to augment the performance of reduced-DOF legged robots by enabling comparable walking criteria with respect to conventional legged robots. This research provides a firm foundation for future work involving design and implementation of articulated tails onboard legged robots for enhanced inertial adjustment applications. / Ph. D.

This study has taken place in Mullsjö at Kongsberg Automotive (KA). The purpose of the study was to evaluate how to construct an easy mountable gearknob to the lowest cost based on design and functionality by using the techniques of concept generation and sifting. The knob is intended to be integrated in a Shift-ByWire shifter and generate prototypes through SLS. Researchers followed a concept study methodology following an abductive approach, to generate an appropriate mechanical design for the gearknob. Concepts were formed by a brainstorming process, followed by weighing criteria for the knob and were finalised by evaluating the formed concepts using a Pughs Matrix constructed by the researches. Relevant literature of mechanical designs processes was reviewed to develop the theoretical framework. In addition, data was collected from Kongsberg´s computer system and unstructured interviews with employees within certain specific areas to gain additional understanding. In cooperation with supervisors, pros and cons analysis of cost, functionality and mounting capability were used to enable the researchers to draw recommendations for mechanical designs meeting the requirements of specification. The study resulted in several findings in relation to each research question. In general, a gear knob has been constructed using SLS that can be both used for mounting and demounting purposes. In addition, this construction met the specification of requirements by KA. The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) were constructed using the geometrics in the inherent components of the knob. The study further resulted in a leather gaiter that were constructed as a link between the dashboard and the knob. Results from this study imply that more screws would be used for mounting different components in the prototype phase, which will impact the view on criteria for forthcoming knobs and their mounting methods. In addition, data collection have also shown that snaps in chromium details easily break, which can also further question the use of chromium snaps for dismantling purposes. Finalised recommendations for the gearknob met the requirements of specification since researchers constructed the most simple mounting on the current surface design. Researchers conclude that these concepts are applicable and could be presented in a following prototype phase. However, if the knob is to be produced, researchers do not have enough support regarding the liquid injection moulding, which requires to be further considered. Materials will require the design constructed in this study to be modified. / Arbetet har skett i Mullsjö på Kongsberg Automotive (KA). Syftet med studien var att konstruera en lättmonterad växelspaksknopp till lägsta kostnad utifrån design och funktionalitet. Detta baserat på konceptgenerering och sållningstekniker. Knoppen kommer att integreras i en Shift-by-Wire växelspak och tillverkas i SLS prototyper. Arbetet är en konceptstudie som har följt en abduktiv ansats. Tidigare konstruktionslösningar har studerats för att få kunskap om hur en knopp utformas. Koncepten har genererats via brainstorming och har följts upp av parvis viktning. Koncepten har sedan sållats med hjälp av Pughs matris. Relevant litteratur inom produktutvecklingsprocesser samt intervjuer med anställda har gett grunden till det teoretiska ramverket. Handledare har givit sin input under hela arbetsprocessen för att hjälpa studenterna att välja rätt koncept utifrån monterbarhet, funktionalitet och pris. Studien har svarat på de tre frågeställningarna som utformats. En knopp i SLS har konstruerats utifrån enkel montering och demontering som möter företagets kravspecifikation. Kretskorten inuti knoppen har formats utefter de ingående delarnas geometrier. Vidare har övergången mellan knopp och centerkonsol resulterat i en läderdamask. Studiens resultat kan få konsekvenser i att mer skruv kommer att användas i prototypfasen vid framtida projekt. Detta kan komma att ändra synen på hur viktigt monterbarheten kan vara i kommande knoppar. Informationsinsamling har också visat att snäppen i kromdetaljer lätt går av och detta kan ifrågasätta användningen av dessa. Vid materialval rekommenderas det att se över konstruktionslösningarna då de uppnådda egenskaperna kan avvika. Arbetet har utformat konstruktionen så att det fungerar bra för SLS prototyper men studenterna kan inte garantera att dessa fungerar om komponenterna ska formsprutas.

The shooting sport is one of the most widespread sports in the world and it is being practice in most countries. Based on their own experiences, in competition - and hobby shooting, the client M4Solutions found a demand and need for a shooting target that is manufactured in Sweden. The purpose of the project has been to develop, with the help of Marcus Walldén, two shooting targets from idea to finished product. These two shooting targets, Plate Rack Target and Dueling Tree, would each be equipped with a mechanical resetting system but will in the future have the ability to be provided with an electronic resetting system. The project from the client was divided into two theses. One of these two, written by Marcus Walldén, focused on the tripod parts and the overall design work for both Plate Rack Target and Dueling Tree. The thesis that is presented in this report have focused on resetting systems, the design of protective plates and other peripherals for both shooting targets. This work has primarily been in CAD environment where design, construction and development has been given free rein. Calculations, test shootings and choice of materials has been made in order to reach the best possible solutions. The thesis resulted in two complete 3D models and two full-scale prototypes of steel.

O presente trabalho trata do projeto e da fabricação de uma mini máquina para usinagem de esferas cerâmicas verdes. Esferas de cerâmicas avançadas encontram grande aplicação em componentes de alta precisão como rolamentos híbridos ou como a cabeça de próteses de quadril. A grande demanda pelas esferas de cerâmicas avançadas nesses componentes se deve à combinação única de suas propriedades tais como: alta estabilidade dimensional, alta dureza, baixo coeficiente de expansão térmica, biocompatibilidade (bioinerte) e alta resistência mecânica à compressão. No entanto o alto desempenho só será alcançado se as esferas tiverem tolerâncias estreitas (dimensão e forma) e acabamento superficial ultrafino. Esse trabalho objetiva o projeto e a fabricação de um protótipo de mini máquina para usinagem de esferas cerâmicas prensadas de até 30 mm de diâmetro. O desenvolvimento do projeto foi dirigido por uma metodologia de projeto mecânico e após definição do conceito foi gerado um pré-projeto virtual seguido da fabricação de um protótipo, o conceito é composto por três rebolos, sendo dois de arraste que, tendo velocidades e direções de giro variáveis, promovem a variação do eixo de giro das esferas, parâmetro necessário para atingir baixo desvio de esfericidade. Blanks esféricos em zircônia foram conformados por prensagem isostática e usinados no protótipo construído. As esferas passaram pela caracterização metrológica através da medição de esfericidade, circularidade e acabamento superficial. / This work deals with the design and manufacturing of a mini machine for grinding of green ceramic balls. Balls of advanced ceramics find wide application in high-precision components such as hybrid bearings or as bearings of hip prostheses. The large demand for advanced ceramic balls in these components is due to their unique combination of properties such as high dimensional stability, high hardness, low coefficient of thermal expansion, biocompatibility (bio inert) and high compressive strength. However the high performance can only be achieved if the balls have narrow tolerances (size and shape) and ultra-fine surface finish. This work aims to design and manufacture a mini prototype machine to obtain a green ceramic balls up to 30 mm in diameter. The project development was driven by a mechanical design methodology and after the concept generation a virtual pre-design has been generated followed by manufacturing a prototype, the initial concept is composed of three wheels, two of drag that having variables turning speeds and directions, promote a random orbital effect in the balls necessary to reduce the sphericity error. Spherical zirconia blanks were shaped by isostatic pressing and machined in the built prototype. The balls were characterized by measuring sphericity error and surface roughness.

La situation industrielle actuelle, hautement concurrentielle, impose aux entreprises d’innover afin de pérenniser leur activité. Cette innovation peut se faire par le développement de produits intégrant de nouvelles disciplines, telles que l’ergonomie ou le design industriel, dans le cadre d’une conception multidisciplinaire.Cependant, les métiers associés à ces nouvelles disciplines sont régulièrement confrontés à des coopérations complexes avec d’autres faisant partie des métiers de la conception mécanique. Dans ce contexte, la problématique de recherche traitée concerne la définition et le développement d’une approche méthodologique multidisciplinaire du processus de conception de produits. Sont étudiées en particulier les articulations entre les métiers que sont l’ergonomie, le design industriel et la conception mécanique.Une méthodologie globale de conception multidisciplinaire, intégrant les spécificités de chacun des métiers ainsi que leurs interactions, est proposée. Elle est mise à l’épreuve dans le cadre d’expérimentations conduites sur des projets de conception de mobilier urbain. Une étude plus poussée des formalisations utilisées par chaque métier, ainsi que des interactions observées durant les projets, ont mis en évidence des problèmes liés aux phases de convergence.Sur ce constat, de nouveaux outils d’aide à la convergence basés en particulier sur les technologies de Réalité Virtuelle (RV) sont proposés pour une meilleure gestion de ces phases qui mettent en jeu des métiers différents. Deux expérimentations, conduites sur un projet de conception d’un véhicule urbain, et sur un poste de travail, ont permis de mettre en situation concrète les outils développés et de démontrer leur pertinence en phase de convergence multidisciplinaire. Cependant, les résultats ont aussi montré la nécessité de structurer les phases de convergences dans le cadre d’une méthodologie spécifique.Une formalisation de méthodologie de convergence multidisciplinaire est finalement proposée. Elle se traduit par une procédure générique de convergence, adaptée aux disciplines d’ergonomie, design industriel et conception mécanique. Elle permet de travailler selon les différentes phases du processus, les différents métiers concernés et les différents contextes de conception. Nous introduisons enfin une cartographie des outils d’aide à la convergence, classée selon une typologie adaptée. Ainsi, notre contribution permet aux équipes de conception de disposer de nouvelles solutions appropriées dans le but de favoriser les phases de convergences multidisciplinaires. / The current industrial situation, highly competitive, requires companies to innovate in order to sustain their business. This innovation can be achieved through the development of products incorporating new disciplines such as ergonomics and industrial design, as part of a multidisciplinaire.Cependant design trades associated with these new disciplines are regularly faced with complex cooperation with other part of the business of mechanical design. In this context, the research problem addressed concerns the definition and development of an interdisciplinary methodological approach in the design process of products. Are studied in particular the links between trades that are ergonomics, industrial design and design mécanique.Une global multidisciplinary design methodology, including the specifics of each business and their interactions is proposed. It is tested in the context of experiments conducted on design projects of urban furniture. Further formalizations used by each business study, as well as interactions observed during projects have highlighted issues stages convergence.Sur this, new tools to help convergence based in particular on Virtual Reality technology (VR) are provided for a better management of these phases involve different professions. Two experiments, conducted on a project to design a city car and a job, helped set concrete situation developed tools and demonstrate their relevance in the process of multidisciplinary convergence. However, the results also showed the need to structure the phases of convergence in the framework of a methodology spécifique.Une formalized multidisciplinary methodology convergence is finally proposed. It results in a generic convergence procedure, adapted to the disciplines ergonomics, industrial design and mechanical design. It can work in the different phases of the process, the various trades involved and the different design contexts. We introduce a mapping aids to convergence, classified according to an appropriate type. Thus, our contribution allows design teams have appropriate new solutions in order to promote the phases of multidisciplinary convergence.

<p>Windy Scandinavia is the manufacturer of the luxury yacht Windy 52 Xanthos. There is a storage application in the aft sofa on the boat that doesn’t live up to the standard and functionality level that Windy represents. This report describes the mechanical design process of this storage application, which currently has bad functionality and is expensive for Windy in production.</p><p>The aim of the project was to develop the existing storage application to a low cost application. Simple and effective for Windy to produce and assemble, with the directives of access to the front or from above to the sofa.</p><p>A feasibility study of the existing application was made to get a picture of disadvantages and advantages to keep for further concepts.</p><p>The concept development included three steps; each step implied further development in level of detail. Starting with a range of concepts covering all different possibilities of access to the storage space, and ending up with a couple of concepts developed in detail with costs and knowledge of productions methods.</p><p>The result became a standard application; a hatch with gas dampers. The reasons why this became the result was because of the low cost, simplicity and functionality. Small modifications of existing moulds and no new components or production methods needed.</p><p>Conclusion of the result is that it fulfils the requirement specification and thereby is a proper result. The conceptual design phase generated many different concepts, from these concepts a result satisfying the requirements emerged.</p>

Windy Scandinavia is the manufacturer of the luxury yacht Windy 52 Xanthos. There is a storage application in the aft sofa on the boat that doesn’t live up to the standard and functionality level that Windy represents. This report describes the mechanical design process of this storage application, which currently has bad functionality and is expensive for Windy in production. The aim of the project was to develop the existing storage application to a low cost application. Simple and effective for Windy to produce and assemble, with the directives of access to the front or from above to the sofa. A feasibility study of the existing application was made to get a picture of disadvantages and advantages to keep for further concepts. The concept development included three steps; each step implied further development in level of detail. Starting with a range of concepts covering all different possibilities of access to the storage space, and ending up with a couple of concepts developed in detail with costs and knowledge of productions methods. The result became a standard application; a hatch with gas dampers. The reasons why this became the result was because of the low cost, simplicity and functionality. Small modifications of existing moulds and no new components or production methods needed. Conclusion of the result is that it fulfils the requirement specification and thereby is a proper result. The conceptual design phase generated many different concepts, from these concepts a result satisfying the requirements emerged.

Dental implant is an artificial dental root that is used to construct dental restorations, similar to the original teeth, in order to regain the function of missing teeth of patients experiencing tooth loss. At the interface between the jawbone and the roots of natural teeth, a thin, elastic, shock absorbing tissue, called the periodontal ligament (PDL), forms a cushion which provides certain mobility to the natural teeth. The restorations supported by dental implants, however, involve completely rigid structures. This causes overloading of the implant while bearing functional loading together with neighboring natural teeth, which leads to high local stresses within the implant system and in the jawbone. The aim of this thesis study was to develop a novel dental implant model involving resilient components in the upper structure (abutment) in order to mimic the mechanical behavior of the PDL. Within the scope of the study, a complete mechanical design of a new dental implant model was made. The proposed model was optimized based on the design objectives by using Finite Element Method. The optimal design was verified to overcome the problem of loosening of the abutment screw (a common complication in previous designs), yield very similar axial mobility behavior as that of a natural tooth and withstand biomechanical loads without failure. In addition, as a support of a dental bridge in combination with a natural tooth, the proposed design was demonstrated to provide uniform load sharing with the natural tooth and substantially reduced magnitude of peak stresses within the construction, compared to a rigid counterpart.

This thesis is the result of the investigation and solution of a mechanicalproblem regarding flywheel malfunctions. A flywheel is, in short, a devicethat relies on a rotating object’s moment of inertia to store energy overshort time spans. This project is part of the development of a fourthflywheel prototype at the division for electricity at Uppsala university,which uses magnetic levitation to keep a hollow cylinder rotating at veryhigh speeds inside a vacuum chamber. Should the magnets fail however, orsome other error occur that leads to an uncontrolled state of rotation, thecylinder needs to be stabilized mechanically by a device usually referredto as ‘back-up bearing’. This contraption might, like an airbag of a car,never be used but needs to be included if an emergency occurs to protectother parts of the flywheel which would otherwise be destroyed by theunrestrained rotor. A theoretical pre-study was conducted to determine what challenges andrespective solutions the design of such a device would encounter, forexample the amount of energy in the rotor and possible ways to dissipate itin the event of a malfunction. The benefits and downsides of materials andmachine elements such as bearings were investigated in order to design aset of backup bearings. The modelling was done using SolidWorks, which wasalso used to conduct thermal and mechanical simulations on differentconcepts. MatLab was used for calculations, using formulae from themanufacturers and from different websites. The project concluded that the sheer energy of the flywheel at top speedpresents considerable thermodynamic difficulties. A solution capable ofhandling this was however achieved, albeit barely. Unfortunately onlysimulations and calculations confirm this result as no practicalexperiments could be conducted, therefore caution is advised in futureexperiments where the flywheel speed approaches maximum levels.