Mechanics of Materials Commons^™

Development Of The End-Effector Of A Cable-Driven Parallel Manipulator For Automated Crop Sensing, Iman Salafian

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A four cable-driven parallel manipulator (4CDPM), consisting of sophisticated spectrometers and imagers, is under development for use in acquiring phenotypic and environmental data over an acre-sized maize field. This thesis presents the design, controls, and testing of two sub-systems in a 4CDPM: a Center of Mass Balance System (CMBS) and a Drop-Down System (DDS).

One of the factors that influences stability is the center of mass (COM) position of the end effector. An offset in COM can cause a pendulum effect or an undesired tilt angle. A center of mass balancing system is presented in this thesis to minimize the …

Formation Of Mound-Like Multiscale Surface Structures On Titanium By Femtosecond Laser Processing, Edwin Peng, Alfred Tsubaki, Craig A. Zuhlke, Ryan Bell, Meiyu Wang, Dennis R. Alexander, George Gogos, Jeffrey E. Shield

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Surface Functionalization Technique • Femtosecond Laser Surface Processing (FLSP) • Utilize high power, femtosecond (10-15 s) laser pulses • Produce self-organized, multiscale surface micro/nanostructures • Diverse range of applicable substrates: semiconductors, metals, polymers, & composites

Why? • What are the different types of FLSP structures on Ti? • Physical evidence needed for FLSP formation models • Optimize FLSP of Ti for biomedical & other applications

How? • Obtain evidence of mound growth processes by examining underlying microstructure • Utilize dual beam Scanning Electron Microscope-Focused Ion Beam instrument to cross section surface structures & fabricate transmission electron microscopy samples