This book has been created on the basis of contributions to the 54th International Conference of Machine Design Departments that was held for the 60th anniversary of Technical University of Liberec. This international conference which follows a tradition going back more than 50 years is one of the longest-running series of conferences held in central Europe, dealing with methods and applications in machine design. The main aim of the conference was to provide an international forum where experts, researchers, engineers and industrial practitioners, managers and Ph.D. students could meet, share their experiences and present the results of their efforts in the broad field of machine design and related fields. The book has seven chapters which focus on new knowledge of machine design, optimization, tribology, experimental methods and measuring, engineering analyses and product innovation. Authors presented new design methods of machine parts and more complex assemblies with the help of numerical methods such as FEM. Research, measurements and studies of new materials, including composites for energy-efficient constructions are also described. The book also includes solutions and results useful for optimization and innovation of complex design problems in various industries.

This book summarizes the main methods of experimental stress analysis and examines their application to various states of stress of major technical interest, highlighting aspects not always covered in the classic literature. It is explained how experimental stress analysis assists in the verification and completion of analytical and numerical models, the development of phenomenological theories, the measurement and control of system parameters under operating conditions, and identification of causes of failure or malfunction. Cases addressed include measurement of the state of stress in models, measurement of actual loads on structures, verification of stress states in circumstances of complex numerical modeling, assessment of stress-related material damage, and reliability analysis of artifacts (e.g. prostheses) that interact with biological systems. The book will serve graduate students and professionals as a valuable tool for finding solutions when analytical solutions do not exist.

This book reports on the state of the art in the field of multiphysics systems. It consists of accurately reviewed contributions to the MMSSD'2014 conference, which was held from December 17 to 19, 2004 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The different chapters, covering new theories, methods and a number of case studies, provide readers with an up-to-date picture of multiphysics modeling and simulation. They highlight the role played by high-performance computing and newly available software in promoting the study of multiphysics coupling effects, and show how these technologies can be practically implemented to bring about significant improvements in the field of design, control and monitoring of machines. In addition to providing a detailed description of the methods and their applications, the book also identifies new research issues, challenges and opportunities, thus providing researchers and practitioners with both technical information to support their daily work and a new source of inspiration for their future research.

This book includes an in-depth analysis of the environmental and energy security impacts of replacing the internal combustion engine vehicle with various forms of electric vehicles and replacing gasoline and diesel fuel with alternative fuels including electricity, hydrogen and biofuels. In addition to a detailed “well-to-wheels� analysis of local air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and oil consumption for each alternative vehicle, the book estimates the market penetration potential of each fuel/vehicle combination to determine the most likely societal impact of each alternative vehicle pathway. To support the market penetration estimates, the book analyses the likely cost of each alternative vehicle in mass production and the cost of installing the necessary fuel infrastructure to support each option. The book provides sufficient detail to allow decision makers in governments and industry to choose among the alternative vehicle/fuel combinations that will lead to a truly sustainable transportation system.

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.   

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.

This book presents a systematic design methodology for decoding the interior structure of the Antikythera mechanism, an astronomical device from ancient Greece. The historical background, surviving evidence and reconstructions of the mechanism are introduced, and the historical development of astronomical achievements and various astronomical instruments are investigated. Pursuing an approach based on the conceptual design of modern mechanisms and bearing in mind the standards of science and technology at the time, all feasible designs of the six lost/incomplete/unclear subsystems are synthesized as illustrated examples, and 48 feasible designs of the complete interior structure are presented. This approach provides not only a logical tool for applying modern mechanical engineering knowledge to the reconstruction of the Antikythera mechanism, but also an innovative research direction for identifying the original structures of the mechanism in the future. In short, the book offers valuable new insights for all readers who are interested in the Antikythera mechanism.

The fuel consumption of a modern combustion engine is one of the most important purchase criteria in contemporary society. Increasing oil prices and exhaust emissions taxes force the automotive industry to continuously improve the vehicle engines. The fuel consumption is closely related to the frictional losses of an engine. New material pairings or constructive modifications of the piston group can reduce such losses. Another innovative concept to lower the frictional forces is the micro-structuring of thermo-mechanically highly stressed surfaces. Within an interdisciplinary research group sponsored by the German Research Foundation, scientists at the Leibniz Universität Hannover and Universität Kassel have been working together to investigate this research topic. This final report presents their findings and offers scope for further discussion.

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 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.

'Proceedings of the FISITA 2012 World Automotive Congress' are selected from nearly 2,000 papers submitted to the 34th FISITA World Automotive Congress, which is held by Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE-China ) and the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies (FISITA). This proceedings focus on solutions for sustainable mobility in all areas of passenger car, truck and bus transportation. Volume 1: Advanced Internal Combustion Engines (I) focuses on: *New Gasoline Direct Injection(GDI), Spark Ignition(SI)&Compression Ignition(CI) Engines and Components *Fuel Injection and Sprays *Fuel and Lubricants *After-Treatment and Emission Control Above all researchers, professional engineers and graduates in fields of automotive engineering, mechanical engineering and electronic engineering will benefit from this book. SAE-China is a national academic organization composed of enterprises and professionals who focus on research, design and education in the fields of automotive and related industries. FISITA is the umbrella organization for the national automotive societies in 37 countries around the world. It was founded in Paris in 1948 with the purpose of bringing engineers from around the world together in a spirit of cooperation to share ideas and advance the technological development of the automobile.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 book originates from 35 years of teaching Steam Generators to graduate students at the Politecnico of Milan, and from 45 years of professional activity in this area. This book has been written for practicing designers, users, and engineers of steam generators in order to guide them through practical problems and help avoiding technical mistakes. Technical studies and solutions for various applications are presented, and the author presents some of his original studies.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With this second revised and extended edition, the readers have a solid source of information for designing state-of-the art turbomachinery components and systems at hand. Based on fundamental principles of turbomachinery thermo-fluid mechanics, numerous CFD based calculation methods are being developed to simulate the complex 3-dimensional, highly unsteady turbulent flow within turbine or compressor stages. The objective of this book is to present the fundamental principles of turbomachinery fluid-thermodynamic design process of turbine and compressor components, power generation and aircraft gas turbines in a unified and compact manner. The book provides senior undergraduate students, graduate students and engineers in the turbomachinery industry with a solid background of turbomachinery flow physics and performance fundamentals that are essential for understanding turbomachinery performance and flow complexes. While maintaining the unifying character of the book structure in this second revised and extended edition all chapters have undergone a rigorous update and enhancement. Accounting for the need of the turbomachinery community, three chapters have been added, that deal with computationally relevant aspects of turbomachinery design such as boundary layer transition, turbulence and boundary layer.

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.

This book develops a coherent and quite general theoretical approach to algorithm design for iterative learning control based on the use of operator representations and quadratic optimization concepts including the related ideas of inverse model control and gradient-based design. Using detailed examples taken from linear, discrete and continuous-time systems, the author gives the reader access to theories based on either signal or parameter optimization. Although the two approaches are shown to be related in a formal mathematical sense, the text presents them separately as their relevant algorithm design issues are distinct and give rise to different performance capabilities. Together with algorithm design, the text demonstrates the underlying robustness of the paradigm and also includes new control laws that are capable of incorporating input and output constraints, enable the algorithm to reconfigure systematically in order to meet the requirements of different reference and auxiliary signals and also to support new properties such as spectral annihilation. Iterative Learning Control will interest academics and graduate students working in control who will find it a useful reference to the current status of a powerful and increasingly popular method of control. The depth of background theory and links to practical systems will be of use to engineers responsible for precision repetitive processes.

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?