INTRINSICALLY FAULT TOLERANT ACTUATION THROUGH HIGH REDUNDANCY
Lead Research Organisation:
Loughborough University
Department Name: Electronic, Electrical & Systems Enginee
Abstract
This proposal is based upon a novel idea in which actuators for high-integrity and/or safety-critical applications are provided by a system comprising a number of actuation elements. These elements are configured and controlled in such a way that faults in individual elements are inherently accommodated without resulting in a failure of the complete actuation system in contrast to current technology in which a relatively low level of functional redundancy is used. The research proposal is scientifically challenging and highly original, as well as being timely from an industrial viewpoint because of the burgeoning interest in high-integrity mechatronic applications.
Publications
Davies J
(2015)
Multi-agent Control of High Redundancy Actuation
in International Journal of Automation and Computing
Du X
(2010)
Modelling and control of a high redundancy actuator
in Mechatronics
Shen YI
(2022)
Virtual reality intervention effects on future self-continuity and delayed reward preference in substance use disorder recovery: pilot study results.
in Discover mental health
Steffen T
(2013)
Analysing the reliability of actuation elements in series and parallel configurations for high-redundancy actuation
in International Journal of Systems Science
Steffen T.
(2009)
Increasing reliability by means of efficient configurations for high redundancy actuators
in IFAC Proceedings Volumes (IFAC-PapersOnline)
Description | We have demonstrated the feasibility of the high redundancy approach for actuation, which can either to replace or to complement established methods. Specifically we have analysed a number of actuator configurations in a formal manner in order to determine how they might be applied, and assessed both their ability to tolerate faults and their reliability. This has been extended to develop control strategies that will tolerate faults in individual actuation elements while maintaining overall robust performance. Software and hardware concept demonstrators have been created, and some outline studies undertaken for associated health monitoring of the actuation elements. |
Exploitation Route | The concept is ahead of current industrial thinking and so immediate applications are limited. We submitted a second EPSRC grant proposal "Technologies For High Integrity Actuation Using High Redundancy" in order to specifically identify innovative technologies for the actuation elements, but this was not funded. Hence we are developing technologies via PhD student studies. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Energy Transport |
URL | http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/eese/research/systems/control-systems/projects/seese-high-redundancy-actuation-tab-content.html |
Description | One of the project partners wrote an exploitation report and the following is a quote: "The idea of actuators that do not fail, just degrade, is potentially extremely interesting to the company because assuring continued operation of a variety of systems, specially flight control, in the presence of actuator failures is a major task. Clearly the work has been focused upon proving the concept, and this has been done very effectively, but of course there is still much work to do to raise the Technology Readiness Level of this research above what has already been achieved." |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
Description | BAE Systems Eng Innovation Centre |
Organisation | BAE Systems |
Department | Systems Engineering Innovation Centre (SEIC) BAE Systems |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The idea of actuators that do not fail, just degrade, is potentially extremely interesting to the company because assuring continued operation of a variety of systems, especially flight control, in the presence of actuator failures is a major task. Clearly the work has been focused upon proving the concept, and this has been done very effectively, but of course there is still much work to do to raise the Technology Readiness Level of this research above what has already been achieved. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partner's expertise was sought at a variety of points in the project. Also they were always invited to join in the various technical and steering meetings, and these have been an important means of both feeding in the partner's perspectives and keeping them up to date with progress. |
Impact | (Awaiting developing of technological solutions for high redundancy actuator configurations) |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | SMAC Europe Limited |
Organisation | SMAC Europe Limited |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Insights into advanced actuation concepts |
Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge of actuation technology in general and electro-magnetic technology in particular |
Impact | Demonstration of HRA concept using electro-magnetic actuation elements |
Start Year | 2006 |