Mini/master thesis or HIWI job on Experimental investigations on ...

INSTITUT FÜR ALLGEMEINE MECHANIKProf. Dr.-Ing. R. SchmidtDate:Phone:Fax:20.03.2012++49-241-8094602++49-241-8092231Institut für Allgemeine Mechanik, RWTH Aachen E-mail: schmidt@iam.rwth-aachen.deTemplergraben 64, D-52056 Aachen, GermanyZeichen:Introduction<strong>Mini</strong>/<strong>master</strong> <strong>thesis</strong> <strong>or</strong> <strong>HIWI</strong> <strong>job</strong> onExperimental investigations on smart structures integrated withpiezoelectric/magnetostrictive sens<strong>or</strong>s and actuat<strong>or</strong>sThe subject area of smart/intelligent materials and structures has experienced tremendousgrowth in terms of research and development. This is due to the immense technologicalimplications of these novel materials and systems that make smart/intelligent structurestechnology one of the most imp<strong>or</strong>tant emerging technologies of the future. A smart structureconsists of a passive, load bearing <strong>master</strong> structure with surface mounted <strong>or</strong> embeddedsens<strong>or</strong>s and actuat<strong>or</strong>s made out of smart materials (e.g. piezoelectrics, electrostrictives,magnetostrictives, shape mem<strong>or</strong>y alloys), that have the capability to sense and take c<strong>or</strong>rectiveaction. If sensing and actuating is linked by feedback control, the system is often called anintelligent structure. This type of system can automatically adapt itself to changes in operatingconditions in such a way that e.g. the def<strong>or</strong>mation <strong>or</strong> vibration <strong>or</strong> buckling tendency isattenuated to acceptable limits, <strong>or</strong> it can monit<strong>or</strong> its own health. Due to these capabilitiessmart/intelligent structures are increasingly used e.g. in automotive and aerospace engineering,robotics, medical applications etc. Typical applications are shape control, high-precisionpositioning, vibration control, noise control, health monit<strong>or</strong>ing etc.Research areas1. Static and dynamic analysis on piezoelectric/magnetostrictive bonded smart beam/plateexperimentally based on the software Labview. From the static/dynamic responses of thesmart beam, geometrically and material nonlinearity can be detected.2. Active control of smart beam/plate f<strong>or</strong> vibration suppression, various control alg<strong>or</strong>ithmshave been simulated on computer, and these control alg<strong>or</strong>ithms are going to beimplemented into the real system.RequirementsInterested in mechanics, control engineering and programmingBasic knowledge of Labview would be helpful

ContactProf. Dr.-Ing. Rüdiger SchmidtEmail: schmidt@iam.rwth-aachen.deIntitut für Allgemeine MechanikTemplergraben 6452062 AachenRaum 107aTel: 0241 80-94602M.Sc. Shunqi ZhangEmail: shunqi@iam.rwth-aachen.deIntitut für Allgemeine MechanikTel: 0241 80-98286