Modelling In Modelica Of A Pneumatic Muscle: Application To Model An Experimental Set-Up (original) (raw)

Numerical Modelling and Experimental Validation of a Pneumatic Muscle Actuator

Proceedings of the JFPS International Symposium on Fluid Power, 1999

In this paper a modification of the McKibben pneumatic muscle, following the idea of a research group from the University of Warsaw, is implemented and manufactured. The muscle consists of asilicon bladder that is attached at either end to fittings; it has the shape of a tube. Inside the silicon bladder longitudinal high resistance cables are inserted with some circular rings. When the internal bladder is pressurised the actuator shorten. A Finite Element Modelling, using the Mooney-Rivlin formulation with two coefficients for the rubber and with truss elements for the longitudinal cables of the muscle, is used to forecast its behaviour. A prototype has been manufactured. A test bed has been developed to measure the mechanical characteristics of the actuator. The results of the comparison between the model and the prototype are presented and discussed. The F.E. model optimised in this way can be used to design every shape of this kind of pneumatic muscle actuator and to define simplified design procedure.

A survey on pneumatic muscle actuators modeling

2011 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics, 2011

The aim of this article is to provide a survey on the most popular modeling approaches for Pneumatic Muscle Actuators (PMAs). PMAs are highly non-linear pneumatic actuators where their elongation is proportional to the interval pressure. During the last decade, there has been an increase in the industrial and scientific utilization of PMAs, due to their advantages such as high strength and small weight, while various types of PMAs with different technical characteristics have been appeared in the literature. This article will: a) analyze the PMA's operation from a mathematical modeling perspective, b) present their merits and drawbacks of the most common PMAs, and c) establish the fundamental basis for developing industrial applications and conducting research in this field.

Numerical modelling and experimental validation of a McKibben pneumatic muscle actuator

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 2017

The McKibben muscle belongs to the type of muscles known as braided muscles. It is made of an inner hyper-elastic tube, surrounded by a braided shell made of inextensible threads; both ends provide for mechanical and pneumatic seal. A finite element model of a McKibben pneumatic muscle was built and experimentally validated. The model is based on characteristic parameters of McKibben muscles. It takes into account the non-linearity of the constitutive material of the inner tube. It does not simulate backslashes between the tube and the shell at rest condition, but it models threads and rubber that are always connected. However, it does not consider friction among threads. In order to build and to validate the proposed numerical model, an experimental prototype of the muscle was designed and built. Both isotonic and isometric tests were carried out. Same tests were simulated in the finite element environment. The model validation was performed by comparison between experimental and numerical results.

New Mathematical Model for Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

2009

There are several types o f pneumatic actuators in industrial environment. The newest and most promising is the pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM). Many researchers have investigated the behaviour of PAM and some o f them have introduced different mathematical models for this actuator. However, we have noticed significant differences between the theoretical and experimental results. This paper presents our new mathematical model o f PAM, comparing with measured and literary data.

Pneumatic Muscle-Based Actuator for Industrial Robotic Applications

Proceedings of 2017 the 7th International Workshop on Computer Science and Engineering, 2017

The outstanding feature of the pneumatic artificial muscle is its high power to weight ratio vastly outperforming both pneumatic cylinder and DC motor. This feature is very important for using of pneumatic muscle-based actuators in industrial robotic systems where high forces and stiffness of mechanism are often required. The most common so far produced and used type of pneumatic artificial muscle is McKibben muscle and it is now made commercially available by different companies (e.g. Festo). In the paper there are described some of its characteristics and principles of control important for using as actuator for industrial robotic applications.

Pneumatic muscle actuators within robotic and mechatronic systems

2015

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) as soft, lightweight and compliant actuators have great potential in applications for the actuations of new types of robots and manipulators. The favourable characteristics of fluidic muscles, such as high power-to-weight ratio and safe interaction with humans are also very suitable during the process of musculoskeletally rehabilitating patients and are often used in making artificial orthoses. This technology, despite the problems of control relatng to nonlinear phenomena, may also have wide future applications within industrial and mechatronic systems. This paper presents several experimental systems actuated by PAMs, which have been designed as test models within the fields of mobile robots, mechatronics, fluid power systems and the feedback control education of mechanical engineering students. This paper first presents the design and construction of a four legged walking robot actuated by pneumatic muscles. The robot has a fully autonomous system with a wireless application platform and can be controlled using a cell phone. Then the paper describes the design and construction of the prototype of an actively-powered ankle foot orthosis. This orthosis device actuated by a single PAM is able to provide the appropriate functions required during the rehabilitations of patients and the loss of mobility. Then the paper focuses on the design and control of a ball and beam system with an antagonistic muscle pair for generating the necessary torque for beam rotation. This mechatronic balancing mechanism falls into the category of unstable, under-actuated, multivariable systems with highly nonlinear dynamics. The final section of the article presents the design and control of a single-joint manipulator arm with pneumatic muscle actuators that enable some new features for the controlled systems.

Simulation and Analysis of Pneumatic Artificial Muscle

Pneumatic muscle driven by compressed air is becoming more and more important in modern industrial systems. Such muscles are used in robotic applications. The aim of this work centers on the dynamic simulation of air muscle. Pneumatic air muscle is made mainly of an inflatable and flexible membrane. In this project, we made a model of Pneumatic air muscle using inner silicon tube and braided sleeve made up of Polyethane terephthalate (PET). Sleeve supports the tube as the tube alone can't bear the higher loads and without sleeve it would rupture due to high pressure. We did the dynamic simulation of PAM in ANSYS and we observed the analytical results and according to the obtained results, we decided the dimension and pressure limits. We also did the practical experiment of the manufactured muscle with a controlled air pressure and observed the actual results. In the end, we compared the analytical and actual results of the same.

Actuator design using biomimicry methods and a pneumatic muscle system

Control Engineering Practice, 2006

An empirical and theoretical study is conducted on a special actuator termed ''pneumatic muscle'' (PM) being used in a force control system framework. Such an actuator has similarities to biological systems and has many advantages (extremely high power/ weight, power/volume and power/energy ratios). However, due to its inherent nonlinearities, this actuator suffers from poor position and force control. The study described here accomplishes three main goals. (1) A force control system is developed within an open and closed loop framework to emulate how biological systems work in an agonist-antagonist framework. (2) The PM used in the study has such strength that it excites the frame dynamics. This undesired dynamic response is then effectively cancelled using an impedance model control scheme. (3) The PM is demonstrated to both change length yet still produce force in a controlled manner.

Applications of Pneumatic Muscles Developed at the Festo Regional Research and Training Centre of Braşov

2013

Compressed air is one of the most important sources of energy in industry, pneumatic actuations tending to hold an increasing share in the conception of modern industrial systems. At present, due to the development of new pneumatic components and systems assemblies of high complexity can be achieved, many of them with applicability in robotics. Such a component is the pneumatic muscle, increasingly deployed in actuation systems, particularly in the field of industrial robots. The paper presents some of the results of research conducted at the Festo Regional Research and Training Centre (FRRTC) at Transilvania University of Braşov.

Efficient Structure-Based Models for the McKibben Contraction Pneumatic Muscle Actuator: The Full Description of the Behaviour of the Contraction PMA

Actuators, 2017

To clarify the advantages of using soft robots in all aspects of life, the effective behaviour of the pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA) must be known. In this work, the performances of the PMA are explained and modelled in three formulas. The first formula describes the pulling force of the actuator based on the structure parameters; furthermore, the formula presented is the generalised contraction force for wholly PMAs. The second important model is the length formula, which is modified to our previous work to fit different actuator structures. Based on these two models, the stiffness of the actuator is formulated to illustrate its variability at different air pressure amounts. In addition, these formulas will make the selection of proper actuators for any robot arm structure easier using the knowledge gained from their performance. On the other hand, the desired behaviour of this type of actuator will be predefined and controlled.