Smart structures (TOIMIRAKENTEET)

The main objective of the project TOIMIRAKENTEET is to develop know-how for design and implementation of intelligent and adaptive structures for machine and vehicle industry applications. The project is related to international smart materials and structures research (adaptronics, intelligent systems) and there, the application focus has been in aero and space industry products. From Finnish perspective the application focus is rather in conventional machine industry products, where the cost-effectiveness of the technical solutions is very important. TOIMIRAKENTEET is a joint project between three research organizations, i.e., VTT, University of Oulu and Helsinki University of Technology. The project has been conducted in two phases. The first phase (2003-2004) was aimed at developing basic knowledge on appropriate technologies and implementation of multi-technical smart structures. Industrial partners were not involved in this phase. In the second phase (2005-2007), which is still going on, five industrial partners joined the project. The aim was shifted to create and implement innovative prototype solutions, utilizing smart structures technologies, for technology challenges taken from industry. The research is funded by Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, the industrial partners and VTT. The total scope of the project is about 120 man-months at VTT of the overall 226 man-months. The first project phase was divided into three workpackages: 1) Active joint, a workpackage to develop structural joints for controlling stiffness and damping properties, 2) Active shell, a workpackage to develop active composite shell structures with the capability to control the physical shape of structural members, and 3) Active control, a workpackage to study control systems and algorithms for controlling functional material systems. As results of the first research phase, a national network of multidisciplinary experts on smart structures research and implementation was formed and several potential individual technologies, as well as, integrated technology concepts were developed and tested. The second research phase consist of five workpackages: 1) AYLE, a workpackage on selected enabling technologies, 2) AMASSA, an adaptive mass damper workpackage, 3) ASYLI, an adaptive actuator cylinder workpackage, 4) AKUORI, an adaptive shell structure workpackage, and 5) AERISTIN, an adaptive vibration isolator workpackage. The ongoing second research phase has put the capabilities of adaptive functional materials to test. AMASSA has studied applicability of magnetorhelogical elastomer and a novel temperature controlled epoxy material for producing adjustable stiffness components for adaptive mass damper. ASYLI has concentrated on adapting dynamic properties of a hydraulic cylinder using the properties of magnetorhelogical fluid actuator. AKUORI has supported the adaptive shell structure development work of the SULAWIND project by developing and implementing feedback control system for the shape shifting wing structure. The focus in the AERISTIN workpackage has been in studying concepts for adaptive wire rope isolator based on magnetorheological fluid and shape memory metal controlled solutions. Vibration isolators made of the novel epoxy material studied in AMASSA and similar materials are also considered.