Print Email Facebook Twitter Design of a statically balanced mechanism using magnets and springs Title Design of a statically balanced mechanism using magnets and springs Author Westerman, S.C.H. Contributor Plettenburg, D.H. (mentor) Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering Department BioMechanical Engineering Programme BioMechanical Design Date 2015-11-09 Abstract The current work presents a statically balanced system with novel design, which incorporates compression springs as a positive stiffness and magnets as a negative stiffness. The mechanism varies the force in the positive stiffness elements from zero to maximum. In this way, the balancing system can be used as a force amplifier. The goal of the current design is to be used in a friction brake. A specific magnet configuration is used to achieve a relatively linear force-distance relationship. The configuration consist of three block-magnets, from which one magnet translates and two magnets are placed in a stationary steel U-shape. This force-distance relationship is balanced by a piecewise linear characteristic achieved by using multiple compression springs with different action-initiation points. The proof-of-concept build consists of a lever mechanism with a lever arm of 100 mm, one set of magnets and three compression springs. By varying the position of the lever from to 5.04, the force in the springs is varied between 0N and 872 N. Experimental evaluation of the prototype reveals a minimum of 97% force reduction in the prototype compared to the unbalanced prototype. Subject staticallybalancedmechanismmagnetssprings To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ec1986f1-d28e-47cc-a22b-caeb6fb3003b Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights (c) 2015 Westerman, S.C.H. Files PDF Thesis_public.pdf 8.21 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:ec1986f1-d28e-47cc-a22b-caeb6fb3003b/datastream/OBJ/view