This book presents a unique approach for studying mechanisms and machines with drawings that were depicted unclearly in ancient Chinese books. The historical, cultural and technical backgrounds of the mechanisms are explained, and various mechanisms described and illustrated in ancient books are introduced. By utilizing the idea for the conceptual design of modern mechanisms, all feasible designs of ancient mechanisms with uncertain members and joints that meet the technical standards of the subjects’ time periods are synthesized systematically. Ancient Chinese crossbows (the original crossbow and repeating crossbows), textile mechanisms (silk-reeling mechanism, spinning mechanisms, and looms), and many other artisan's tool mechanisms are used as illustrated examples. Such an approach provides a logical method for the reconstruction designs of ancient mechanisms with uncertain structures. It also provides an innovative direction for researchers to further identify the original structures of mechanisms and machines with drawings in ancient literature. This book can be used as a textbook and/or supplemental reading material for courses related to history of ancient (Chinese) machinery and creative mechanism design for senior and graduate students.

The general topic of the symposium follows mechanisms development through all stages of conception, modeling, analysis, synthesis and control to advanced product design.  This volume brings together the latest results in the field and celebrates a series of conferences that has been running for 40 years. The contributors and the editor are world leaders in their field.   

This monograph is a first-of-its-kind compilation on high deposition pulse current GMAW process. The nine chapters of this monograph may serve as a comprehensive knowledge tool to use advanced welding engineering in prospective applications. The contents of this book will prove useful to the shop floor welding engineer in handling this otherwise critical welding process with confidence. It will also serve to inspire researchers to think critically on more versatile applications of the unique nature of pulse current in GMAW process to develop cutting edge welding technology.

Robotics is undergoing a major transformation in scope and dimension. From a largely dominant industrial focus, robotics is rapidly expanding into human en- ronments and vigorously engaged in its new challenges. Interacting with, assi- ing, serving, and exploring with humans, the emerging robots will increasingly touch people and their lives. Beyond its impact on physical robots, the body of knowledge robotics has p- duced is revealing a much wider range of applications reaching across diverse research areas and scientific disciplines, such as: biomechanics, haptics, neuros- ences, virtual simulation, animation, surgery, and sensor networks among others. In return, the challenges of the new emerging areas are proving an abundant source of stimulation and insights for the field of robotics. It is indeed at the int- section of disciplines that the most striking advances happen. The Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR) is devoted to bringing to the research community the latest advances in the robotics field on the basis of their significance and quality. Through a wide and timely dissemination of critical - search developments in robotics, our objective with this series is to promote more exchanges and collaborations among the researchers in the community and c- tribute to further advancements in this rapidly growing field.

Real-time simulations of the behaviour of a rail vehicle require realistic solutions of the wheel-rail contact problem which can work in a real-time mode. Examples of such solutions for the online mode have been well known and are implemented within standard and commercial tools for the simulation codes for rail vehicle dynamics. This book is the result of the research activities carried out by the Railway Technology Lab of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Politecnico di Torino. This book presents work on the project for the development of a real-time wheel-rail contact model and provides the simulation results obtained with dSpace real-time hardware. Besides this, the implementation of the contact model for the development of a real-time model for the complex mechatronic system of a scaled test rig is presented in this book and may be useful for the further validation of the real-time contact model with experiments on a full scale test rig.

Condition monitoring of machines in non-stationary operations (CMMNO) can be seen as the major challenge for research in the field of machinery diagnostics. Condition monitoring of machines in non-stationary operations is the title of the presented book and the title of the Conference held in Hammamet - Tunisia March 26 - 28, 2012. It is the second conference under this title, first took place in Wroclaw - Poland , March 2011. The subject CMMNO comes directly from industry needs and observation of real objects. Most monitored and diagnosed objects used in industry works in non-stationary operations condition. The non-stationary operations come from fulfillment of machinery tasks, for which they are designed for. All machinery used in different kind of mines, transport systems, vehicles like: cars, buses etc, helicopters, ships and battleships and so on work in non-stationary operations. The papers included in the book are shaped by the organizing board of the conference and authors of the papers. The papers are divided into five sections, namely: Condition monitoring of machines in non-stationary operationsModeling of dynamics and fault in systems Signal processing and Pattern recognition Monitoring and diagnostic systems Noise and vibration of machinesThe presented book gives the back ground to the main objective of the CMMNO 2012 conference that is to bring together scientific community to discuss the major advances in the field of machinery condition monitoring in non-stationary conditions.

Part I introduces the basic "Principles and Methods of Force Measurement" according to a classification into a dozen of force transducers types: resistive, inductive, capacitive, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, electrodynamic, magnetoelastic, galvanomagnetic (Hall-effect), vibrating wires, (micro)resonators, acoustic and gyroscopic. Two special chapters refer to force balance techniques and to combined methods in force measurement. Part II discusses the "(Strain Gauge) Force Transducers Components", evolving from the classical force transducer to the digital / intelligent one, with the incorporation of three subsystems (sensors, electromechanics and informatics). The elastic element (EE) is the "heart" of the force transducer and basically determines its performance. A 12-type elastic element classification is proposed (stretched / compressed column or tube, bending beam, bending and/or torsion shaft, middle bent bar with fixed ends, shear beam, bending ring, yoke or frame, diaphragm, axial-stressed torus, axisymmetrical and voluminous EE), with emphasis on the optimum location of the strain gauges. The main properties of the associated Wheatstone bridge, best suited for the parametrical transducers, are examined, together with the appropriate electronic circuits for SGFTs. The handbook fills a gap in the field of Force Measurement, both experts and newcomers, no matter of their particular interest, finding a lot of useful and valuable subjects in the area of Force Transducers; in fact, it is the first specialized monograph in this inter- and multidisciplinary field.

This volume contains the Proceedings of MUSME 2014, held at Huatulco in Oaxaca, Mexico, October 2014. Topics include analysis and synthesis of mechanisms; dynamics of multibody systems; design algorithms for mechatronic systems; simulation procedures and results; prototypes and their performance; robots and micromachines; experimental validations; theory of mechatronic simulation; mechatronic systems; and control of mechatronic systems. The MUSME symposium on Multibody Systems and Mechatronics was held under the auspices of IFToMM, the International Federation for Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science, and FeIbIM, the Iberoamerican Federation of Mechanical Engineering. Since the first symposium in 2002, MUSME events have been characterised by the way they stimulate the integration between the various mechatronics and multibody systems dynamics disciplines, present a forum for facilitating contacts among researchers and students mainly in South American countries, and serve as a joint conference for the IFToMM and FeIbIM communities.

This book presents the most recent advances in the research and applications of reconfigurable mechanisms and robots. It collects 93 independently reviewed papers presented at the Third ASME/IFToMM International Conference on Reconfigurable Mechanisms and Robots (ReMAR 2015) held in Beijing, China, 20-22 July 2015. The conference papers are organized into seven parts to cover the reconfiguration theory, topology, kinematics and design of reconfigurable mechanisms including reconfigurable parallel mechanisms. The most recent results on reconfigurable robots are presented including their analysis, design, simulation and control. Bio-inspired mechanisms are also explored in the challenging fields of rehabilitation and minimally invasive surgery. This book further addresses deployable mechanisms and origami-inspired mechanisms and showcases a wide range of successful applications of reconfigurable mechanisms and robots. Advances in Reconfigurable Mechanisms and Robots II should be of interest for researchers, engineers and postgraduate students in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics.

The VETOMAC-X Conference covered a holistic plethora of relevant topics in vibration and engineering technology including condition monitoring, machinery and structural dynamics, rotor dynamics, experimental techniques, finite element model updating, industrial case studies, vibration control and energy harvesting, and signal processing. These proceedings contain not only all of the nearly one-hundred peer-reviewed presentations from authors representing more than twenty countries, but also include six invited lectures from renowned experts: Professor K. Gupta, Mr W. Hahn, Professor A.W. Lees, Professor John Mottershead, Professor J.S. Rao, and Dr P. Russhard. This work is of interest to researchers and practitioners alike, and is an essential book for most of libraries of higher academic institutes.

Computational Optimization of Internal Combustion Engines presents the state of the art of computational models and optimization methods for internal combustion engine development using multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools and genetic algorithms. Strategies to reduce computational cost and mesh dependency are discussed, as well as regression analysis methods. Several case studies are presented in a section devoted to applications, including assessments of: spark-ignition engines, dual-fuel engines, heavy duty and light duty diesel engines. Through regression analysis, optimization results are used to explain complex interactions between engine design parameters, such as nozzle design, injection timing, swirl, exhaust gas recirculation, bore size, and piston bowl shape. Computational Optimization of Internal Combustion Engines demonstrates that the current multi-dimensional CFD tools are mature enough for practical development of internal combustion engines. It is written for researchers and designers in mechanical engineering and the automotive industry.

This is the first part of a series of books whose aim is to collect contributed papers describing the work of famous persons in MMS (Mechanism and Machine Science). The current work treats mainly technical developments in the historical evolution of the fields that today are grouped in MMS. The emphasis is on biographical notes describing the efforts and experiences of people who have contributed to technical achievements.

This fascinating book will be of as much interest to engineers as to art historians, examining as it does the evolution of machine design methodology from the Renaissance to the Age of Machines in the 19th century. It provides detailed analysis, comparing design concepts of engineers of the 15th century Renaissance and the 19th century age of machines from a workshop tradition to the rational scientific discipline used today.

The book analyzes the basic problems of oscillation processes and theoretical aspects of noise and vibration in friction systems. It presents generalized information available in literature data and results of the authors in vibroacoustics of friction joints, including car brakes and transmissions. The authors consider the main approaches to abatement of noise and vibration in non-stationary friction processes. Special attention is paid to materials science aspects, in particular to advanced composite materials used to improve the vibroacoustic characteristics of tribopairs The book is intended for researchers and technicians, students and post-graduates specializing in mechanical engineering, maintenance of machines and transport means, production certification, problems of friction and vibroacoustics.

This unique volume imparts practical information on the operation, maintenance, and modernization of heavy performance machines such as lignite mine machines, bucket wheel excavators, and spreaders. Problems of large scale machines (mega machines) are highly specific and not well recognized in the common mechanical engineering environment. Prof. Rusinski and his co-authors identify solutions that increase the durability of these machines as well as discuss methods of failure analysis and technical condition assessment procedures. "Surface Mining Machines: Problems in Maintenance and Modernization" stands as a much-needed guidebook for engineers facing the particular challenges of heavy performance machines and offers a distinct and interesting demonstration of scale-up issues for researchers and scientists from across the fields of machine design and mechanical engineering.

This text is an advancement of the theory of vibration protection of mechanical systems with lumped and distributed parameters. The book offers various concepts and methods of solving vibration protection problems, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different methods, and the fields of their effective applications. Fundamental approaches of vibration protection, which are considered in this book, are the passive, parametric and optimal active vibration protection. The passive vibration protection is based on vibration isolation, vibration damping and dynamic absorbers. Parametric vibration protection theory is based on the Shchipanov-Luzin invariance principle. Optimal active vibration protection theory is based on the Pontryagin principle and the Krein moment method. The book also contains special topics such as suppression of vibrations at the source of their occurrence and the harmful influence of vibrations on humans.< Numerous examples, which illustrate the theoretical ideas of each chapter, are included. This book is intended for graduate students and engineers. It is assumed that a reader has working knowledge of theory of vibrations, differential equations, andcomplex analysis. About the Authors. Igor A Karnovsky, Ph.D., Dr. Sci., is a specialist in structural analysis, theory of vibration and optimal control of vibration. He has 40 years of experience in research, teaching and consulting in this field, and is the author of more than 70 published scientific papers, including two books in Structural Analysis (published with Springer in 2010-2012) and three handbooks in Structural Dynamics (published with McGraw Hill in 2001-2004). He also holds a number of vibration-control-related patents. Evgeniy Lebed, Ph.D., is a specialist in applied mathematics and engineering. He has 10 years of experience in research, teaching and consulting in this field. The main sphere of his research interests are qualitative theory of differential equations, integral transforms and frequency-domain analysis with application to image and signal processing. He is the author of 15 published scientific papers and a US patent (2015).

A unified methodology for categorizing various complex objects is presented in this book. Through probability theory, novel asymptotically minimax criteria suitable for practical applications in imaging and data analysis are examined including the special cases such as the Jensen-Shannon divergence and the probabilistic neural network. An optimal approximate nearest neighbor search algorithm, which allows faster classification of databases is featured. Rough set theory, sequential analysis and granular computing are used to improve performance of the hierarchical classifiers. Practical examples in face identification (including deep neural networks), isolated commands recognition in voice control system and classification of visemes captured by the Kinect depth camera are included. This approach creates fast and accurate search procedures by using exact probability densities of applied dissimilarity measures. This book can be used as a guide for independent study and as supplementary material for a technically oriented graduate course in intelligent systems and data mining. Students and researchers interested in the theoretical and practical aspects of intelligent classification systems will find answers to: - Why conventional implementation of the naive Bayesian approach does not work well in image classification? - How to deal with insufficient performance of hierarchical classification systems? - Is it possible to prevent an exhaustive search of the nearest neighbor in a database?

This book highlights procedures utilized by the design departments of leading global manufacturers, offering readers essential insights into the electromagnetic and thermal design of rotating field (induction and synchronous) electric machines. Further, it details the physics of the key phenomena involved in the machines' operation, conducts a thorough analysis and synthesis of polyphase windings, and presents the tools and methods used in the evaluation of winding performance. The book develops and solves the machines' magnetic circuits, and determines their electromagnetic forces and torques. Special attention is paid to thermal problems in electrical machines, along with fluid flow computations. With a clear emphasis on the practical aspects of electric machine design and synthesis, the author applies his nearly 40 years of professional experience with electric machine manufacturers - both as an employee and consultant - to provide readers with the tools they need to determine fluid flow parameters and compute temperature distributions.

This book presents various computationally efficient component- and system-level design optimization methods for advanced electrical machines and drive systems. Readers will discover novel design optimization concepts developed by the authors and other researchers in the last decade, including application-oriented, multi-disciplinary, multi-objective, multi-level, deterministic, and robust design optimization methods. A multi-disciplinary analysis includes various aspects of materials, electromagnetics, thermotics, mechanics, power electronics, applied mathematics, manufacturing technology, and quality control and management. This book will benefit both researchers and engineers in the field of motor and drive design and manufacturing, thus enabling the effective development of the high-quality production of innovative, high-performance drive systems for challenging applications, such as green energy systems and electric vehicles.

The definitive guide for steam power plant systems and operation fully updated For more than 80 years, this book has been a trusted source of information on steam power plants, including the design, operation, and maintenance of major systems. Steam Plant Operation, Tenth Edition, emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive energy plan utilizing all economical sources of energy, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy sources. The book continues to describe the important role that steam plays in our power production and it identifies the associated risks and potential problems for each source of energy. This practical guide provides common power plant calculations such as plant heat rate, boiler efficiency, pump performance, combustion processes, and the systems necessary to control plant emissions. Numerous illustrations and clear presentation of the material will assist in preparing for an operator's license exam. Throughout, real-world examples demonstrate each topic. Engineering students will find a detailed introduction to steam power plant technology. * Offers concise explanations of concepts, from fundamentals through advanced design and operation * Recommended by several states as a key reference for their steam plant licensing exams

This book analyzes the main problems in the real-time control of parallel hybrid electric powertrains in non-road applications that work in continuous high dynamic operation. It also provides practical insights into maximizing the energy efficiency and drivability of such powertrains. It introduces an energy-management control structure, which considers all the physical powertrain constraints and uses novel methodologies to predict the future load requirements to optimize the controller output in terms of the entire work cycle of a non-road vehicle. The load prediction includes a methodology for short-term loads as well as cycle detection methodology for an entire load cycle. In this way, the energy efficiency can be maximized, and fuel consumption and exhaust emissions simultaneously reduced. Readers gain deep insights into the topics that need to be considered in designing an energy and battery management system for non-road vehicles. It also becomes clear that only a combination of management systems can significantly increase the performance of a controller.

This book extends the conventional two-dimensional (2D) magnet arrangement into 3D pattern for permanent magnet linear machines for the first time, and proposes a novel dual Halbach array. It can not only effectively increase the radial component of magnetic flux density and output force of tubular linear machines, but also significantly reduce the axial flux density, radial force and thus system vibrations and noises. The book is also the first to address the fundamentals and provide a summary of conventional arrays, as well as novel concepts for PM pole design in electric linear machines. It covers theoretical study, numerical simulation, design optimization and experimental works systematically. The design concept and analytical approaches can be implemented to other linear and rotary machines with similar structures. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers, R&D engineers and graduate students in electronic engineering and mechanical engineering who wish to learn the core principles, methods, and applications of linear and rotary machines.

The increasing demands for internal combustion engines with regard to fuel consumption, emissions and driveability lead to more actuators, sensors and complex control functions. A systematic implementation of the electronic control systems requires mathematical models from basic design through simulation to calibration. The book treats physically-based as well as models based experimentally on test benches for gasoline (spark ignition) and diesel (compression ignition) engines and uses them for the design of the different control functions. The main topics are: - Development steps for engine control - Stationary and dynamic experimental modeling - Physical models of intake, combustion, mechanical system, turbocharger, exhaust, cooling, lubrication, drive train - Engine control structures, hardware, software, actuators, sensors, fuel supply, injection system, camshaft - Engine control methods, static and dynamic feedforward and feedback control, calibration and optimization, HiL, RCP, control software development - Control of gasoline engines, control of air/fuel, ignition, knock, idle, coolant, adaptive control functions - Control of diesel engines, combustion models, air flow and exhaust recirculation control, combustion-pressure-based control (HCCI), optimization of feedforward and feedback control, smoke limitation and emission control This book is an introduction to electronic engine management with many practical examples, measurements and research results. It is aimed at advanced students of electrical, mechanical, mechatronic and control engineering and at practicing engineers in the field of combustion engine and automotive engineering.

This monograph focuses on the dynamical research work on crank-piston mechanisms considering basic and additional motions. In order to have full dynamical analyses of piston machines and their mechanisms, the book studies the crank-piston mechanisms with clearances in kinematic pairs. The tasks are carried out by focusing on friction, wear and impacts in mechanisms, as well as cracks formation in links and elasticity of details, with distributed and concentrated masses. Then, the reliability and durability of the mechanisms of piston machines is applied on oil and gas transportation. The monograph is meant for design specialists. It is also useful for specialists-manufacturers and designers of piston machines, scientists and lecturers, doctoral students.

This book is for researchers, engineers, and students who are willing to understand how humanoid robots move and be controlled. The book starts with an overview of the humanoid robotics research history and state of the art. Then it explains the required mathematics and physics such as kinematics of multi-body system, Zero-Moment Point (ZMP) and its relationship with body motion. Biped walking control is discussed in depth, since it is one of the main interests of humanoid robotics. Various topics of the whole body motion generation are also discussed. Finally multi-body dynamics is presented to simulate the complete dynamic behavior of a humanoid robot. Throughout the book, Matlab codes are shown to test the algorithms and to help the reader´s understanding.