Volumen 8 (2014): Heft 3 (September 2014)

The investigated autonomous control system for a squeeze mode magnetorheological (MR) vibration isolator is based on an ultra-low power microcontroller MSP430F5529. The design structure of the control system and the dedicated real-time system are briefly presented and the laboratory testing data are summarised.

Present work deals with modeling of failure criteria for transversely isotropic materials. Analysis comprises two classes of symmetry: Tsai-Wu tetragonal and new Tsai-Wu based hexagonal. Detail analysis of both classes of symmetry with respect to their advantages as well as limitations is presented. Finally, simple comparison of differences between limit curves corresponding to cross sections by planes of transverse isotropy, orthotropy and shear plane is done.

Insects are among nature’s most nimble flyers. In this paper we present the functional and structural analysis of wing joint mechanism. Detailed action of the axillary plates and their mutual interaction was also described. Because of the small dimensions of the wing joint elements and the limited resolution of the light microscope, the authors used a scanning electron microscope. Based upon the knowledge of working principles of beetle flight apparatus a wing joint mechanism kinematics model has been developed.

In this work, a macroscopic material model for simulation two distinct dissipative phenomena taking place in FCC metals and alloys at low temperatures: plasticity and phase transformation, is presented. Plastic yielding is the main phenomenon occurring when the yield stress is reached, resulting in nonlinear response of the material during loading. The phase transformation process leads to creation of two-phase continuum, where the parent phase coexists with the inclusions of secondary phase. An identification of the model parameters, based on uniaxial tension test at very low temperature, is also proposed.

The goal of the paper was to assess the strength of the fertilizer granules obtained by non-pressure granulation method. The granulation process was carried out in plate granulator, according to the three-level experiment plan. A mixture of raw materials prepared in a Polish factory of agrochemicals for agriculture and horticulture was used as a study material and water was used as a wetting liquid. Granulator design parameters and process parameters were treated as entrance sizes of the experiment. Three different angles of granulation blade were used in experiments. This paper presents: the results of study of equivalent diameter size and the impact of changes in the angle of granulating blade on the strength of obtained granulate. Pfost apparatus and a set of sieves used in granulometric sieve were utilized in this study. A relation was suggested P∞ = f(α, ϰ, n, w_w, t). The results were presented in the form of graphs and tables. Conclusions were presented.

This paper describes a case study summarising the failure analysis of a stainless steel femoral stem, which failed prematurely within 36 months of exploitation in human body. In order to determine the mechanism of failure, a broken stem component were analyzed by means of macroscopic and microscopic obserwations and hardness measurements. Metallurgical obserwations revealed that the tested material does fulfill ASTM requirements. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of stress-induced cracking. The results of the hardness revealed significant nonuniformity from the surface towards the inner part of the stem. It is assumed that any discontinuity or defect on the fracture surface of the stem acted as preferential site for a crack nucleation and propagation by fatigue until the cross section of stem was not able to sustain a load generated by a patient.

Automatic gearbox gains increasing popularity in Europe. Little interest in diagnosis of such type of transmission in Poland results from the fact of small share in the whole market of operated cars, so there is a lack of availability of special diagnostic devices. These factors cause issues of expensive repairs, often involving a replacement of subassembly to new or aftermarket one. To a small extent some prophylactic diagnostic tests are conducted, which can eliminate future gearbox system failures. In the paper, the proposition of diagnostic system of popular A - 604 gearbox was presented. The authors are seeking for the possibility of using such type of devices to functional elaboration of gearboxes after renovation. The built system pursues the drive of the researched object, connected with simulated load, where special controller, replacing the original one, is responsible for controlling gearbox operation. This way is used to evaluate the mechanic and hydraulic parts' state. Analysis of signal runs, registered during measurements lets conclude about operation correctness, where as comparison with stock data verifies the technical state of an automatic gearbox.

Martensitic stainless steels are used in a large number of various industrial applications, e.g. molds for plastic injections and glass moldings, automotive components, cutting tools, surgical and dental instruments. The improvement of their tribological and corrosion properties is a problem of high interest especially in medical applications, where patient safety becomes a priority. The paper covers findings from plasma nitrided AISI 440B (PN-EN or DIN X90CrMoV18) stainless steel corrosion resistance studies. Conventionally heat treated and plasma nitrided in N₂:H₂ reaction gas mixture (50:50, 65:35 and 80:20, respectively) in two different temperature ranges (380 or 450°C) specimens groups were examined. Microscopic observations and electrochemical corrosion tests were performed using a variety of analytical techniques. As obtained findings show, plasma nitriding of AISI 440B stainless steel, regardless of the process temperature, results in reduction of corrosion current density. Nevertheless, applying thermo-chemical process which requires exceeding temperature of about 400°C is not recommended due to increased risk of steel sensitization to intergranular and stress corrosion. According to the results, material ion nitrided in 450°C underwent leaching corrosion processes, which led to significant disproportion in chemical composition of the corroded and corrosion-free areas. The authors suggest further research into corrosion process of plasma nitrided materials and its degradation products.

The paper presents complex variable integral formulae and singular boundary integral equations for doubly periodic cracks in anisotropic elastic medium. It utilizes the numerical solution procedure, which accounts for the contact of crack faces and produce accurate results for SIF evaluation. It is shown that the account of contact effects significantly influence the SIF of doubly periodic curvilinear cracks both for isotropic and anisotropic materials.

The minimum energy control problem for the 2D positive continuous-discrete linear systems is formulated and solved. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the reachability at the point of the systems are given. Sufficient conditions for the existence of solution to the problem are established. It is shown that if the system is reachable then there exists an optimal input that steers the state from zero boundary conditions to given final state and minimizing the performance index for only one step (q = 1). A procedure for solving of the problem is proposed and illustrated by a numerical example.