• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.241-262
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• 2006

NiTi-wire shape memory alloy (SMA) dampers, that utilize NiTi SMA wires to simultaneously damp tension, compression and torsion, was developed for structural control implementation in this study. First, eight reduced-scale NiTi-wire SMA dampers were constructed. Then tension, compression and torsion experiments using the eight reduced-scale NiTi-wire SMA dampers of different specification were done. The experimental results revealed all of the eight reduced-scale NiTi-wire SMA dampers had the ability to simultaneously supply tension-compression damping and torsion damping. Finally, mechanics analysis of the NiTi-wire SMA dampers was done based on a model of the SMA-wire restoring force and on tension-compression and torsion damping analysis. The damping analytical results were found to be similar to the damping experimental results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.295-296
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• 2006

We developed wire frame drive unit based on SMA for the 3D Shape display. Our basic concept is wire frame combination connected with a chain form which can create various shapes and it compared with pin array mechanism which is not able to display mushroom shape. It imitates antagonist mechanism of human musculoskeletal system. we create similar motion using repair-relaxation mechanism and locking mechanism by SMA. Therefore, in this paper, we propose SMA control solution for actuating repair-relaxation mechanism and locking mechanism. In our control system. we use optical sensor and quantitative angle between wire frames for closed loop control. And we supply amplified current for SMA by circuit composed of transistor and apply PWM signal to circuit for efficient control. So, wire frame drive unit enable diversity angle control based on sensor data. And then combination of wire frame drive units will create various objects.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.470-476
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• 2013

The aim of the current study was to predict shape recovery behavior of Ni-Ti shape memory alloy (SMA) wire after loading-unloading and after wire drawing. The superelasticity of SMA was analyzed by a hyper-elastic model for the Mullins effect using ABAQUS. Firstly, tensile tests and loading-unloading tests of the Ni-Ti SMA wire with a diameter 1.0 mm were performed using an MTS servo-hydraulic tester. The parameters for the Mullins effect were computed by ABAQUS based on curve-fitting of the loading-unloading test data. The proposed FE-model predicted the shape recovery of Ni-Ti SMA after wire drawing. Finally, the effectiveness of the model was verified by drawing experiments. The wire drawing experiments using the Ni-Ti SMA were conducted on a drawing machine(1ton, 50mm/s). In order to evaluate the shape recovery of Ni-Ti SMA, the drawn wires are annealed for 30min at $450^{\circ}C$.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 2007

As a functional material, shape memory alloy (SMA) has attracted much attention and research effort to explore its unique properties and its applications in the past few decades. Some of its properties, in particular the electrical resistance (ER) based self-sensing property of SMA, have not been fully studied. Electrical resistance of an SMA wire varies during its phase transformation. This variation is an inherent property of the SMA wire, although it is highly nonlinear with hysteresis. The relationship between the displacement and the electrical resistance of an SMA wire is deterministic and repeatable to some degree, therefore enabling the self-sensing ability of the SMA. The potential of this self-sensing ability has not received sufficient exploration so far, and even the previous studies in literature lack generality. This paper concerns the utilization of the self-sensing property of a spring-biased Nickel-Titanium (Nitinol) SMA actuator for two applications: ER feedback position control of an SMA actuator without a position sensor, and estimation of the opening of a SMA actuated valve. The use of the self-sensing property eliminates the need for a position sensor, therefore reducing the cost and size of an SMA actuator assembly. Two experimental apparatuses are fabricated to facilitate the two proposed applications, respectively. Based on open-loop testing results, the curve fitting technique is used to represent the nonlinear relationships between the displacement and the electrical resistance of the two SMA wire actuators. Using the mathematical models of the two SMA actuators, respectively, a proportional plus derivative controller is designed for control of the SMA wire actuator using only electrical resistance feedback. Consequently, the opening of the SMA actuated valve can be estimated without using an extra sensor.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2011

It has been shown in the literature that active adjustment of the intake area of a jet engine has potential to improve its fuel efficiency. This paper presents the design and control of a novel proof-of-concept active jet engine intake using Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti or Nitinol) shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuators. The Nitinol SMA material is used in this research due to its advantages of high power-to-weight ratio and electrical resistive actuation. The Nitinol SMA material can be fabricated into a variety of shapes, such as strips, foils, rods and wires. In this paper, SMA wires are used due to its ability to generate a large strain: up to 6% for repeated operations. The proposed proof-of-concept engine intake employs overlapping leaves in a concentric configuration. Each leaf is mounted on a supporting bar than can rotate. The supporting bars are actuated by an SMA wire actuator in a ring configuration. Electrical resistive heating is used to actuate the SMA wire actuator and rotate the supporting bars. To enable feedback control, a laser range sensor is used to detect the movement of a leaf and therefore the radius of the intake area. Due to the hysteresis, an inherent nonlinear phenomenon associated with SMAs, a nonlinear robust controller is used to control the SMA actuators. The control design uses the sliding-mode approach and can compensate the nonlinearities associated with the SMA actuator. A proof-of-concept model is fabricated and its feedback control experiments show that the intake area can be precisely controlled using the SMA wire actuator and has the ability to reduce the area up to 25%. The experiments demonstrate the feasibility of engine intake area control using an SMA wire actuator under the proposed design.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.210-215
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• 2008

This paper presents an experimental study on a bending actuator with a shape memory alloy wire. In this study, we introduced design process and experimental result of the bending actuator. The bending actuator consists of a SMA wire, springs, and a glass/epoxy strip. In the bending actuator, springs were used to restore the SMA wire to its initial shape right after actuation. To obtain properties of the SMA wire, DSC test was performed and the behavior of the SMA wire under different loadings was observed. Finally, the proposed bending actuator shows reasonable actuation behavior with relatively lower power consumption, fast response and effective efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.439-440
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• 2006

This research proposes a novel method of shape display to present 3-dimensional objects. Shape displays allow us to feel the actual volume of the object, unlike conventional 2D visual displays of 3D objects. The proposed method employs a wire frame structure to present 3D objects. The wire frame is composed of small units driven by shape memory alloy(SMA) actuators. The drive unit is analogous to the agonist-antagonist system of animal musculoskeletal systems, where the SMA actuators serve as agonist and antagonist muscles. The force in the SMA actuator is controlled by electrical current. The drive unit is equipped with the locking mechanism so that it can sustain the external force exerted by the user as well as the own weight of the wire frame structure. By controlling the current into the SMA actuator and locking mechanism, we call control the angle of the drive unit. A chain of drive units enables presentation of 2 dimensional objects. 3 dimensional presentations are possible by collecting the chains of drive units.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.541-558
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• 2014

This paper proposes a new design of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuated gripper for open mode operation. SMA can generate smooth muscle movements during actuation which make them potentially good contenders in designing grippers. The principle of the shape memory alloy gripper is to convert the linear displacement of the SMA wire actuator into the angular displacement of the gripping jaw. Steady state analysis is performed to design the wire diameter of the bias spring for a known SMA wire. The gripper is designed to open about an angle of $22.5^{\circ}$ when actuated using pulsating electric current from a constant current source. The safe operating power range of the gripper is determined and verified theoretically. Experimental evaluation for the uncontrolled gripper showed a rotation of $19.97^{\circ}$. Forced cooling techniques were employed to speed up the cooling process. The gripper is simple and robust in design (single movable jaw), easy to fabricate, low cost, and exhibits wide handling capabilities like longer object handling time and handling wide sizes of objects with minimum utilization of power since power is required only to grasp and release operations.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.700-705
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• 2007

In this study, we observe the application of shape memory alloy(SMA) into smart structures for repeatable actuation, because SMA changes its material properties and characteristics progressively under cyclic loading conditions and finally reaches stable path(state) after a certain number of stress/temperature loading-unloading cycles, so called 'training'. In this paper, SMA wires that have been in a stable state through the training are used. Stress-strain curve of the SMA wire at different temperature levels are measured. In addition, we observe other important effects such as the rate effect according to strain rates for rapid actuation response. The current work presents the experimental test using SMA wire after training completion by mechanical cycling. Through these tests, we measure the characteristics of SMA. With the estimated SMA properties and effects, we compare the experimental results with the simulation results based on the SMA constitutive equations.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.3 s.258
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• pp.373-379
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• 2007

In this study, we observe the application of shape memory alloy(SMA) into smart structures for repeatable actuation, because SMA changes its material properties and characteristics progressively under cyclic loading conditions and finally reaches stable path(state) after a certain number of stress/temperature loading-unloading cycles, so called 'training'. In this paper, SMA wires that have been in a stable state through the training are used. Stress-strain curve of the SMA wire at different temperature levels are measured. In addition, we observe other important effects such as the rate effect according to strain rates for rapid actuation response. The current work presents the experimental test using SMA wire after training completion by mechanical cycling. Through these tests, we measure the characteristics of SMA. With the estimated SMA properties and effects, we compare the experimental results with the simulation results based on the SMA constitutive equations.