10060949Resonance investigation for SILA: novel linear actuation with non-contact magnetic transmissionClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKActuators convert energy into force/movement, a key enabling technology for advanced engineering and manufacturing. Sustainability, lifetime-cost and convenience are driving a global move to efficient electric actuation. Demand for safer automated environments, wearable bionics, service robots and off-grid/mobile devices is accelerating. These trends generate huge demand for new types of electric actuation to overcome the limitations of existing technologies. Typical problems are inefficiency, complexity, bulk and cost introduced by gearing, and peak efficiency over a very narrow range. WaveDrives' patented electric actuation technology, **SILA**, responds to this demand, drawing on WaveDrives' deep experience building commercial prosthetics and robots. A unique non-contact transmission means **SILA** actuators are ultra-efficient, quiet, compact, non-jamming, non-wearing and provide haptic feedback. These and other novel characteristics offer step-change motion-control for developers of market-leading actuated products. Also, **SILA**'s ultra-efficiency, long life and lower embodied carbon offers improved sustainability and cost-benefits to Aerospace and other sectors pushing for low-carbon electrification. **SILA** is currently being evaluated by early adopters and this brings a new technical challenge: managing resonance risks. Every physical object reacts to vibrational loading, and uncontrolled resonant responses to such loads can lead to damage to the object. Understanding **SILA** resonance is essential, particularly now WaveDrives is building powerful **SILA** units for use in aeroplanes and **SILA** actuated bionic-prosthetics are being trialled 'in situ' by people. Resonance would cause unacceptable noise and discomfort to a prosthetic wearer or disrupt aeroplane operations. The ability to address potential resonance problems early is key to avoiding the costs and loss of confidence should resonance occur once a **SILA** actuated device is in trial or on the market. The challenge is to make sure that a **SILA** actuator does not resonate at any frequency experienced during its operation. However, existing approaches for modelling resonance are not applicable to **SILA** due to its novel and non-linear magnetic action. In this project WaveDrives will collaborate with international experts from the National Physical Laboratory to develop an analytically derived and experimentally validated model of **SILA** resonance that Wavedrives can use to manage resonance risk through design for any **SILA** unit, avoiding risk of customer disruption. This is important because Industry decisions to invest in disruptive new actuation technology represent significant commitment. This project will help secure these decisions, accelerating **SILA** benefits realisation. Knowledge gained by NPL through this project will be used to predict resonant behaviours in other dynamic non-linear systems, benefiting wider industry.