Electrical and Electronics Commons^™

Cyber-Physical Production Systems And Their Practical Integration And Application With Simio Software, Jose Carlos Garcia Marquez Basaldua

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Industry 4.0 comprises a diverse array of technologies and components that are revolutionizing the manufacturing industry, from Digital Twins, Cyber-Physical Systems and Augmented Reality. The elements that englobe Industry 4.0 vary from framework to framework. Nevertheless, there are similarities in the available literature on what constitutes Industry 4.0. Some of the most critical components specified by the available literature include Digital Twins and Cyber-Physical Systems. A Factory Digital Twin is a virtual representation of a production system that can mimic the behavior of the physical asset. Moreover, a digital twin must have synchronization with its physical twin (i.e., production floor), …

Design And Fabrication Of A Force-Displacement Control Mechanism For Bone-Surgical Tool Testing, Kenneth Nwagu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project focuses on the design and fabrication of an experimental setup for orthopedic-tool testing, tailored for a surgical instrumentation company. The multifaceted project encompasses a literature review, conceptual design, prototyping, and rigorous testing, resulting in a versatile control system capable of assessing various orthopedic tools, including bone drills, saws, burrs, and power handpieces.

Orthopedic surgical procedures (which include cutting and/or drilling into bone) often need to be performed on bones for faster recovery. The drilling and cutting process can cause an increase in temperature at the cutting site which can cause bone necrosis. The tools also need to be …

Study Of Stochastic Market Clearing Problems In Power Systems With High Renewable Integration, Saumya Sakitha Sashrika Ariyarathne

Operations Research and Engineering Management Theses and Dissertations

Integrating large-scale renewable energy resources into the power grid poses several operational and economic problems due to their inherently stochastic nature. The lack of predictability of renewable outputs deteriorates the power grid’s reliability. The power system operators have recognized this need to account for uncertainty in making operational decisions and forming electricity pricing. In this regard, this dissertation studies three aspects that aid large-scale renewable integration into power systems. 1. We develop a nonparametric change point-based statistical model to generate scenarios that accurately capture the renewable generation stochastic processes; 2. We design new pricing mechanisms derived from alternative stochastic programming …

Smartphone Control Of Rc Cars, Weston R. Fitzgerald

Electrical Engineering

The smartphone-controlled RC (remote-controlled) car is an inexpensive remote-controlled car designed to be fast and portable. Instead of manufacturing, packaging, and shipping a separate controller, the remote control is implemented in a phone application, which saves time and money in both the design process and the manufacturing process. Utilizing the user’s smartphone is more cost-effective since mobile devices are a common recurrence, and packaging fewer devices results in overall better portability of the product.

This smartphone-controlled car is speedy and intuitive to learn for typical smartphone users. The user can change the car’s speed and direction wirelessly using their phone; …

Experimental Comparison Of Load Sharing Techniques For Fast Motion In Industrial Machines, Eike Marten Hillrichs

Theses and Dissertations

Load sharing and synchronization techniques are essential for modern automation applications where single motor systems cannot meet the application requirements. Evenly sharing the load between multiple motors can increase the output of processes and reduce maintenance efforts due to uneven wear and tear. Rockwell Automation has developed two load sharing techniques for fast motion control applications. In this Thesis, the two load sharing techniques are experimentally compared regarding their ability to evenly share loads and control synchronized motions in a multi motor setup for fast motion. The techniques are compared using a setup with two motors coupled by a timing …

Design, Development, And Calibration Of An Electric Field Probe For Use On Sounding Rockets, Anthony Oreo, Anthony Oreo

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Earth’s ionosphere is a dynamic environment that has yet to be fully understood. Interactions of high-energy particles from space with atmospheric plasma and the Earth’s natural magnetic field create many interesting interactions, many of which have direct impacts on the planet and human life. Understanding the dynamics of the upper atmosphere is a compelling endeavor, with much of the research being conducted through high-altitude sounding rockets. These rockets allow for in-situ measurements of the physical parameters of the upper atmosphere which in turn helps in the answering of important questions in space science. In order to quantify the force a …

Chemical Clean Automated Loader, Jordyn Bryner

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

TTM Technologies (TTM) is a global printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer. The work described in this report was completed in the TTM North Jackson, Ohio location. This plant focuses primarily on the manufacturing of rigid and rigid-flex PCBs for the aerospace and defense industry. TTM North Jackson has an ongoing labor dependency issue due to the shortage of workers the nation is facing. To solve this problem, TTM has focused the efforts of their new engineers and interns on automating processes that are labor dependent. The goal is to provide design guidance to be used later by TTM to automate …

Advanced Analytics In Smart Manufacturing: Anomaly Detection Using Machine Learning Algorithms And Parallel Machine Scheduling Using A Genetic Algorithm, Meiling He

Theses and Dissertations

Industry 4.0 offers great opportunities to utilize advanced data processing tools by generating Big Data from a more connected and efficient data collection system. Making good use of data processing technologies, such as machine learning and optimization algorithms, will significantly contribute to better quality control, automation, and job scheduling in Smart Manufacturing. This research aims to develop a new machine learning algorithm for solving highly imbalanced data processing problems, implement both supervised and unsupervised machine learning auto-selection frameworks for detecting anomalies in smart manufacturing, and develop a genetic algorithm for optimizing job schedules on unrelated parallel machines. This research also …

Development Of Metaheuristic Algorithms For The Efficient Allocation Of Power Flow Control Devices, Eduardo Jose Castillo Fatule

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Modern energy grids have become extremely complex systems, requiring more variable and active flow control. As a remedy to this, Distributed Flexible AC Transmission Systems (D-FACTS) are cost-efficient devices used to mitigate power flow congestion and integrate renewable energies. The objective of this research is then to propose an efficient multiple objective evolutionary algorithm to solve a stochastic model for D-FACTS allocation, which aims to optimize various objectives related to cost, grid health, and environmental impacts. The model was implemented on a modified RTS-96 test system, and the results show that optimally allocating D-FACTS modules using the proposed model can …

Algebraic, Computational, And Data-Driven Methods For Control-Theoretic Analysis And Learning Of Ensemble Systems, Wei Miao

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis, we study a class of problems involving a population of dynamical systems under a common control signal, namely, ensemble systems, through both control-theoretic and data-driven perspectives. These problems are stemmed from the growing need to understand and manipulate large collections of dynamical systems in emerging scientific areas such as quantum control, neuroscience, and magnetic resonance imaging. We examine fundamental control-theoretic properties such as ensemble controllability of ensemble systems and ensemble reachability of ensemble states, and propose ensemble control design approaches to devise control signals that steer ensemble systems to desired profiles. We show that these control-theoretic properties …

Elucidating And Leveraging Dynamics-Function Relationships In Neural Circuits Through Modeling And Optimal Control, Sruti Mallik

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A fundamental research question in neuroscience pertains to understanding how neural networks through their activity encode and decode information. In this research, we build on methods from theoretical domains such as control theory, dynamical systems analysis and reinforcement learning to investigate such questions. Our objective is two-fold: first, to use methods from engineering to identify specific objectives that neural circuits might be optimizing through their spatiotemporal activity patterns, and second, to draw motivation from neuroscience to formulate new engineering principles such as synthesis of dynamical networks for decentralized control applications. We specifically take a top-down, optimization driven approach in our …

Efficiently Estimating Survival Signature And Two-Terminal Reliability Of Heterogeneous Networks Through Multi-Objective Optimization, Daniel Bruno Lopes Da Silva

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The two-terminal reliability problem is a classical reliability problem with applications in wired and wireless communication networks, electronic circuit design, computer networks, and electrical power distribution, among other systems. However, the two-terminal reliability problem is among the hardest combinatorial problems and is intractable for large, complex networks. Several exact methods to solve the two-terminal reliability problem have been proposed since the 1960s, but they have exponential time complexity in general. Hence, practical studies involving large network-type systems resort to approximation methods to estimate the system's reliability. One attractive approach for quantifying the reliability of complex systems is to use signatures, …

Asset Management Framework For The United States Army Corps Of Engineers Lock And Dam Electrical Equipment, Megan Elizabeth Bates

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The focus of this thesis is to design an efficient and effective preventative maintenance program for the electrical equipment that the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) operates at the locks and dams. This thesis presents the concept of asset management and designs a framework to manage the electrical assets at USACE. The methodology was tested, and the results validated the framework proposed in this thesis. The framework was tested on two separate projects and the results were the same optimized strategies, which shows that the framework is robust and can be implemented into each project and can give …

Quality Assurance Of Lightweight Structures Via Phase-Based Motion Estimation, Ikenna E. Ifekaonwu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, lightweight structures have become mature and adopted in various applications. The importance of quality assurance cannot be overemphasized hence extensive research has been conducted to assess the quality of lightweight structures. This study investigates a novel process that exploits motion magnification to investigate the damage characteristics of lightweight mission-critical parts. The goal is to assure the structural integrity of 3D printed structures and composite structures by determining the inherent defects present in the part by exploiting their vibration characteristics. The minuscule vibration of the structure was recorded with the aid of a high-speed digital camera, and the …

Reference Governors For Time-Varying Systems And Constraints, Collin Freiheit

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Control systems are often subject to constraints imposed by physical limitations or safety considerations, and require means of constraint management to ensure the stability and safety of the system. For real-time implementation, constraint management schemes must not carry a heavy computational burden; however many of the current solutions are computationally unattractive, especially those with robust formulations. Thus, the design of constraint management schemes with low computational loads is an important and practical problem for control engineers. Reference Governor (RG) is an efficient constraint management scheme that is attractive for real-time implementation due to its low computational complexity and ease of …

Dual-Axis Solar Tracker, Bryan Kennedy

All Undergraduate Projects

Renewable energies, and fuels that are not fossil fuel-based, are one of the prolific topics of debate in modern society. With climate change now becoming a primary focus for scientists and innovators of today, one of the areas for the largest amount of potential and growth is that of the capturing and utilization of Solar Energy. This method involves using a mechanical system to track the progression of the sun as it traverses the sky throughout the day. A dual-axis solar tracker such as the one designed and built for this project, can follow the sun both azimuthally and in …

Mathematical Modeling, Optimal Control And Stability Analysis For Dynamic Supply Chains, Yasser Alberto Davizon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Dynamic supply chains (SC) are important to reduce inventory, to enable the flow of materials, and maximize profits. By this, dynamic SC require proper decision-making with effective performance and synchronization. In operations and production planning processes, decision-makers develop convenient and suitable decisions, to validate their hypoThesis about which decisions incorporate more profit while reducing costs on enterprise operations. Based on this, inventory management plays a crucial point in the supply chain analysis. In general, SC processes raw material, cash, and information flows, taking into account the demand profile of the system. This research work presents the mathematical modeling, optimal control, …

Development Of A Myoelectric Detection Circuit Platform For Computer Interface Applications, Nickolas Andrew Butler

Master's Theses

Personal computers and portable electronics continue to rapidly advance and integrate into our lives as tools that facilitate efficient communication and interaction with the outside world. Now with a multitude of different devices available, personal computers are accessible to a wider audience than ever before. To continue to expand and reach new users, novel user interface technologies have been developed, such as touch input and gyroscopic motion, in which enhanced control fidelity can be achieved. For users with limited-to-no use of their hands, or for those who seek additional means to intuitively use and command a computer, novel sensory systems …

Curricular Optimization: Solving For The Optimal Student Success Pathway, William G. Thompson-Arjona

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Considering the significant investment of higher education made by students and their families, graduating in a timely manner is of the utmost importance. Delay attributed to drop out or the retaking of a course adds cost and negatively affects a student’s academic progression. Considering this, it becomes paramount for institutions to focus on student success in relation to term scheduling.

Often overlooked, complexity of a course schedule may be one of the most important factors in whether or not a student successfully completes his or her degree. More often than not students entering an institution as a first time full …

Robust Engineering Of Dynamic Structures In Complex Networks, Walter Botongo Bomela

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Populations of nearly identical dynamical systems are ubiquitous in natural and engineered systems, in which each unit plays a crucial role in determining the functioning of the ensemble. Robust and optimal control of such large collections of dynamical units remains a grand challenge, especially, when these units interact and form a complex network. Motivated by compelling practical problems in power systems, neural engineering and quantum control, where individual units often have to work in tandem to achieve a desired dynamic behavior, e.g., maintaining synchronization of generators in a power grid or conveying information in a neuronal network; in this dissertation, …

Farmbot Trackless Redesign, Cole Thomas, Cailey Kamm, Clayton Alderson, Otto Akerstrom

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

For this project the team PLANT3D worked along with Rory Aronson and FarmBot to generate a cheaper more user-friendly design for the FarmBot Genesis 1.3. Working with Rory and FarmBot, we as a team generated a list of design requirements and engineering specifications for the project. These requirements centered around creating a more accessible FarmBot model for the average person to be able to purchase and set up with ease. Much of this required taking the existing system and eliminating the most common problem areas. These were the track system, built using 1.5 meter aluminum extrusions and the complex interchangeable …

Extrinsic And Intrinsic Control Of Integrative Processes In Neural Systems, Anirban Nandi

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

At the simplest dynamical level, neurons can be understood as integrators. That is, neurons accumulate excitation from afferent neurons until, eventually, a threshold is reached and they produce a spike. Here, we consider the control of integrative processes in neural circuits in two contexts. First, we consider the problem of extrinsic neurocontrol, or modulating the spiking activity of neural circuits using stimulation, as is desired in a wide range of neural engineering applications. From a control-theoretic standpoint, such a problem presents several interesting nuances, including discontinuity in the dynamics due to the spiking process, and the technological limitations associated with …

Numerical Methods For Nonlinear Optimal Control Problems And Their Applications In Indoor Climate Control, Runxin He

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Efficiency, comfort, and convenience are three major aspects in the design of control systems for residential Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units. In this dissertation, we study optimization-based algorithms for HVAC control that minimizes energy consumption while maintaining a desired temperature, or even human comfort in a room. Our algorithm uses a Computer Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, mathematically formulated using Partial Differential Equations (PDEs), to describe the interactions between temperature, pressure, and air flow. Our model allows us to naturally formulate problems such as controlling the temperature of a small region of interest within a room, or to control …

An Exact Analysis For Four-Order Acousto-Optic Bragg Diffraction Which Incorporates Both Incident Light Angle And Sound Frequency Dependencies, Adeyinka Sunday Ademola

Electrical Engineering Theses

This thesis extends the prior work which produced an exact solution to the four-order acousto-optic (AO) Bragg cell with assumed fixed center frequency and with exact Bragg angle incident light. The extension predicts the model that incorporates the dependencies of both the input angle of light and the sound frequency. Specifically, a generalized 4^th order linear differential equation (DE), is developed from a simultaneous analysis of four coupled AO system of DEs. Through standard methods, the characteristic roots, which requires solving a quartic equation, is produced. Subsequently, a derived system of homogeneous solutions, which absorbs the roots obtained using …

Image Data Mining For Quality Control Of Nanofiber Reinforced Piezoelectric Nanocomposites Based On Sem Images, Zhonghua Hu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Recently, portable and wireless nano-scaled devices have been widely used in environmental monitoring, medical implants, defense technology, industrial safety, and personal electronics, such as the nanowire-based gas and chemical sensors and programmable nanowire circuit for nano-processors. There has been an increasing demand for high energy density capacitors that can be engineered for various applications in advanced devices. In it, piezoelectric nanofiber materials play critical role in producing new products. A piezo-ceramic polymer composite contains a polymer of high dielectric strength and high permittivity ceramic inclusions, making it well suited as a high energy density capacitor. Furthermore, the research shows that …

Phased Helical Antenna Array For Cubesat Application, Kameron Lacalli

Undergraduate Honors Theses

CubeSats communication links are typically slow due to their power and size restrictions. However, a low power, high speed down link connection can allow for greater data collection and relaying, pushing the capability of 1U CubeSats beyond what is traditionally thought possible. Investigated here is the feasibility of a 11 Mb/s down link connection on a 1U CubeSat, accomplished via 2x2 helical antenna phased array operating on the 802.11 standard. Using a phased array also allows for beam steering to secure connection with the ground station when the on board ADCS may not provide precise pointing capability of the CubeSat, …

Development Of An Autonomous Robotic Mushroom Harvester, Nikita Alexeevich Kuchinskiy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The process of development of a new robot is one of the modern technological arts. This process involves multiple complex steps and recursive approach. In this project, a solution for automatic harvesting of mushrooms is developed. In order to design an effective solution, it is necessary to explore and take into consideration the limitations of grasping very soft and fragile objects (particularly mushrooms). We will elaborate several strategies of picking and analyze each strategy to formulate the design requirements, develop a solution, and finally, evaluate the efficiency of the proposed solution in actual farm conditions for real mushrooms. The mushroom …

Electromechanics Of An Ocean Current Turbine, Vasileios Tzelepis

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The development of a numeric simulation for predicting the performance of an Ocean Current Energy Conversion System is presented in this thesis along with a control system development using a PID controller for the achievement of specified rotational velocity set-points. In the beginning, this numeric model is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink® and it is used to predict the performance of a three phase squirrel single-cage type induction motor/generator in two different cases. The first case is a small 3 meter rotor diameter, 20 kW ocean current turbine with fixed pitch blades, and the second case a 20 …

An Economical Model Development For A Hybrid System Of Grid Connected Solar Pv And Electrical Storage System, Mohammad Hasan Balali

Theses and Dissertations

Energy sources management is one of the most important concern in the recent decades. There are finite amount of non-renewable energy sources and one day they will run out if they have been used as primary sources of energy. Renewable energy sources have been significantly reduced the environmental effects. For most of them the source of energy is non-depletable.

One of the concerns associated with renewable resources is uncertainty or unavailability. Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) can help to have more reliable and more efficient systems by adjusting the charge and discharge time and rate. In this study, an economic model …

Water Withdrawal And Consumption Reduction Analysis For Electrical Energy Generation System, Narjes Nouri

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing concern over shrinking water resources. Water use in the energy sector primarily occurs in electricity generation. Anticipating scarcer supplies, the value of water is undoubtedly on the rise and design, implementation, and utilization of water saving mechanisms in energy generation systems are becoming inevitable. Most power plants generate power by boiling water to produce steam to spin electricity-generating turbines. Large quantities of water are often used to cool the steam in these plants. As a consequence, most fossil-based power plants in addition to consuming water, impact the water resources by raising the temperature of water withdrawn …