• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2012

This paper proposes a biomimetic finger module to be used in a lightweight hand prosthesis. The finger module consists of finger skeleton and an actuator module driven by SMA (Shape Memory Alloy). The prototype finger module can perform flexion and extension motions; finger flexion is driven by a contraction force of SMA, but it is extended by an elastic force of an extension spring inserted into the finger skeleton. The finger motions are controlled by feedback of electric resistance of SMA because the finger module has no sensors to measure length and angle. Total weight of a prototype finger module is 30g. In experiments the finger motions and finger grip force are tested and compared with simulation results when a constant contraction force of SMA is given. The experimental results show that the proposed SMA-driven finger module is feasible to the lightweight hand prosthesis.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.46-58
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• 2018

A two-axis gimbal-type X-band antenna is widely used to transmit bulk image data from high-resolution observation satellites. However, undesirable microvibrations induced by driving the antenna should be attenuated, because they are a main cause of image-quality degradation of the observation satellite. In this study, a pseudoelastic memory alloy (SMA) gear was proposed to attenuate the microvibrations by driving the antenna in an azimuth angle. In addition, the proposed gear can overcome the limitations of the conventional titanium blade gear, which is not still enough and is vulnerable to plastic deformations under excessive torque. To investigate the basic characteristics of the proposed SMA mesh washer gear, a static load test was performed on the thickness of the SMA mesh washer and the rotation of the gear. Moreover, The microvibration measurement test demonstrated that the SMA mesh washer gear proposed in this study is effective for microvibration attenuation.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.23-32
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• 2007

The goal of this study is to perform several bending tests on a shape memory alloy bar and to analyze the characteristics of the bending behavior. The other goal is to verify the seismic performance of an SMA bar bending application. Single and double bending tests were conducted with varying loading speeds and maximum displacement. The loading and the unloading stiffness were estimated from the force-displacement curves and the equivalent damping ratio of each test was also assessed. In single bending, the SMA bar showed the stiffness hardening after the displacement of 32 mm. It is assumed that this phenomenon is due to the stress-induced-martensite hardening. The increasing loading speed did not influence on the stiffness of the single bending SMA bar. The stiffness of the double bending bar is about 5 times of that of the single bending. This study introduced a seismic application of SMA bending bars as seismic restrainers for bridges and showed its practicality. SMA bars in bending are used for seismic restrainers in a three-span-simply-supported bridge. They showed the effectiveness to reduce the responses of the bridge and the applicability for a seismic restrainer. The significance of this study is to provide basic knowledge of SMA bending and its seismic applications.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.168-174
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• 2012

This paper presents a bending propagating actuation using SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) spring for an effective shape transition of a flytrap-inspired soft morphing structure. The flytrap-inspired soft morphing structure is made from unsymmetric CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Prepreg) structure which shows bi-stability and snap-through phenomenon. For a thin and large curved bistable CFRP structure, SMA spring is more acceptable than SMA wire and piezoelectric actuator which used in previous investigations. A bending propagating actuation is proposed which can induce snap-through of the bi-stable CFRP structure effectively. From this research, effective shape transition of soft morphing structure is possible.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.391-395
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• 1996

This paper presents a robust force tracking control of a small-sized SMA gripper with two fingers using shape memory alloy(SMA) actuators. The mathematical governing equation of the proposed system is derived by Hamilton's principle and Lagrangian equation and then, the control system model is integrated with the first-order actuator dynamics. Uncertain system parameters such as time constant of the actuators are also included in the control model. A robust two degree of freedom(TDF) controller using H$_{\infty}$ control theory, which has inherent robustness to model uncertainties and external disturbances, is adopted to achieve end-point force tracking control of the two-finger gripper. Force tracking control performances for desired trajectories represented by sinusoidal and step functions are evaluated by undertaking both simulation and experimental works.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.44-52
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• 2003

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are often used in smart structures as active components. Their ability to provide large recovery forces and displacements has been useful in many applications, including devices for artificial muscles, active structural acoustic control, and shape control. Based on the 3-dimensional SMA constitutive equation in this paper, the radial displacement control of externally pressurized circular and semicircular composite cylinders under external pressure with a thin SMA layer bonded on its inner surface or inserted between composite layers in investigated using 3-dimensional finite element analysis. Upon actuation through resistive heating, SMAs start to transform from martensitic into austenitic state, simultaneously recover the prestrain, and thus cause the composite cylinders to go back to their original shapes of the cylinder cross-sections.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.423-434
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• 2017

In this paper a systematic numerical analysis is performed to obtain the hysteresis behavior of partially restrained top and seat angle connections subjected to cyclic loading. This connection includes superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) angles and rods in order to secure the recentering capacities as well as proper energy dissipation effects of a CFT composite frame. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models are constructed to investigate the rotational stiffness, bending moment capacity and failure modes. A wide scope of additional structural behaviors explain the different influences of the connection's parameters, such as the various thickness of connection angles and the gage distance of steel and SMA rods.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.988-995
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• 2014

Two axis gimbal type X-band antenna system has been widely used to effectively transmit the real time image data from the observation satellite to the ground station. The micro-vibration generated by stepping motor actuation and imperfect intermeshed gear configuration of the antenna is one of the sources to degrade the image quality. To guarantee a high quality image of high resolution observation satellite, micro-vibration isolation of X-band antenna is required. In this paper, the X-band antenna vibration isolation system using pseudoelastic SMA(Shape Memory Alloy) mesh washer has been newly suggested. The basic characteristics of the SMA mesh washer isolator proposed in this study has been measured through static load tests and its effectiveness has been demonstrated by the micro-vibration isolation test of the X-band antenna.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.347-354
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• 2012

The recovery force and displacement occur due to the phase transformation from the martensite phase to the austenite phase induced by the mechanical loading or thermal loading. These recovery force and displacement depend on an initial geometrical configuration of SMAs and loading conditions. Although the SMAs generally generates large recovery forces, the sufficient recovery displacement cannot be expected without a proper design strategy. The functionality of SMAs is limited due to the unbalance between the large recovery force and the small recovery displacement. This study suggests the double coil SMA spring in order to amplifying the recovery displacement induced by the phase transformation. By predicting the recovery displacement of doble coil SMA springs and one coil SMA springs induced by thermal loading, we show that the double coil SMA spring not only mitigate the unbalance of performance but also have a large recovery displacement for its recovery force than one coil SMA spring.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.675-676
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• 2007