Experimental Proof of Concept of Contact Pressure Distribution Control in Frictional Interfaces with Piezoelectric Actuators

Complex machinery holding several components in assembled structures requires a multitude of joints which inevitably develop frictional contacts under different dynamics conditions. Those conditions have been studied from a passive control point of view, predesigning the shape of the contact that will face later frictional circumstances. That passive approach can be extended into an active form of control. This paper proposes a novel concept of active manipulation of the contact shape and consequently the contact pressure distribution developed in frictional interfaces. This concept is initially tested with computational simulations that show sufficient confidence in the concept as to allow its continuation with the development of a physical prototype and experiments. The proposed system has been manufactured as a proof of concept, and here we present the setup along with the experimental measurements that will be carried out with it.

Automated summary

This paper proposes a novel concept of active manipulation of contact shape and contact pressure distribution in frictional interfaces. The concept is initially tested through computational simulations and has shown promising results. A physical prototype of the proposed system has been manufactured for further experiments.