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Abstract Soft actuators with pneumatic network have innovative potential applications in medical and rehabilitation areas. The performance of this kind of actuators is determined by the design of chambers and the properties of the active extensible layer and the passive inextensible layer. In this article, actuator with isosceles trapezoidal chambers is proposed. Orthogonal experiment design and finite element method are used to optimize the structure of actuators. Results indicate that adding constrain-limiting paper in the passive layer can significantly reduce the bending radius. Position of the paper in the passive layer also affects the bending radius. Actuators with trapezoidal chambers can have a smaller bending radius compared with that with rectangle chambers. The bending radius decreases as the ratio of short base to long base of trapezoid decreases. Increasing the number density of chambers can further reduce the bending radius.

To improve the biofidelity of the currently available Hybrid III 10-year-old (HIII-10C) Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has developed the Large Omnidirectional Child (LODC) ATD. The LODC head is a redesigned HIII-10C head with mass properties and modified skin material required to match pediatric biomechanical impact response targets from the literature. A dynamic, nonlinear finite element (FE) model of the LODC head has been developed using the mesh generating tool Hypermesh based on the three-dimensional CAD model. The material data, contact definitions, and initial conditions are defined in LS-PrePost and converted to LS-Dyna solver input format. The aluminum head skull is stiff relative to head flesh material and was thus modeled as a rigid material. For the actual LODC, the head flesh is form fit onto the skull and held in place through contact friction.

Under body blast (UBB) loading to military transport vehicles is known to cause foot-ankle fractures to occupants due to energy transfer from the vehicle floor to the feet of the soldier. The soldier posture, the proximity of the event with respect to the soldier, the personal protective equipment (PPE) and age/sex of the soldier are some variables that can influence injury severity and injury patterns. Recently conducted experiments to simulate the loading environment to the human foot/ankle in UBB events (~5ms rise time) with variables such as posture, age and PPE were used for the current study. The objective of this study was to determine statistically if these variables affected the primary injury predictors, and develop injury risk curves. Fifty below-knee post mortem human surrogate (PMHS) legs were used for statistical analysis. Injuries to specimens involved isolated and multiple fractures of varying severity.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a powerful and well recognized tool used in the analysis of heat transfer problems. However, FEA can only analyze solid bodies and, by necessity thermal analysis with FEA is limited to conductive heat transfer. The other two types of heat transfer: convection and radiation must by approximated by boundary conditions. Modeling all three mechanisms of heat transfer without arbitrary assumption requires a combined use of FEA and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has been an indispensable tool for design simulation for several decades but this wide spread use has been limited to simple types of analyses. Relatively recently, more advanced analyses have given easy-to-use interfaces enabling design engineers to simulate problems formerly reserved for analysts. FEA Beyond Basics targets the FEA users who wish to explore those advanced analysis capabilities. It will demonstrate how to move past the ubiquitous linear structural analysis and solve structural nonlinear problems characterized by nonlinear material, large displacements, buckling or nonlinear connectors.

This self paced course reviews the important facets of ISO 9001:2015, the most widely accepted quality management standard.  The standard can be applied to any organization that, regardless of its type or size, needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that enhance customer satisfaction and provide assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

ISO 14001:2015 is an environmental management standard (EMS) developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It’s a generic standard that can be used for any organization that provides physical products or services. ISO 14001 is the most widely used EMS because it’s both business and management oriented. However, the requirements must be carefully interpreted to make sense within a particular organization. For example, the environmental impact of developing automotive products is not the same as producing food products or offering consulting services, yet this standard can be applied to any of these activities.

ISO 14001:2015 is an environmental management standard (EMS) developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The ISO 14001 standard is generic and can be used for any organization, whether it provides physical products or services. The requirements must be carefully interpreted to make sense within a particular organization. Developing automotive products and the environmental impact of this activity is not like producing food products or offering consulting services; yet the ISO 14001 standard, because it is business and management oriented can be applied to any activity.

Using tolerance stacks ensures that parts fit together properly, reducing scrap and rework, thereby increasing value. This 3-day advanced-level course includes everything covered in the 2-day foundational-level course. It explains how to use tolerance stacks to analyze product designs and how to use geometric tolerances in stacks.

Using tolerance stacks ensures that parts fit together properly, reducing scrap and rework, thereby increasing value. This 2-day foundational-level course explains how to use tolerance stacks to analyze product designs and how to use geometric tolerances in stacks.

Fatigue is a structural failure mode that must be recognized and understood to develop products that meet life cycle durability requirements. In the age of lightweighting, fatigue strength is an important vehicle design requirement as engineers struggle to meet stringent weight constraints without adversely impacting durability. This technical concept course introduces the fatigue failure mode and analysis methods. It explains the physics of material fatigue, including damage accumulation that may progress to product failure over time, and it provides the needed foundation to develop effective fatigue prediction capabilities.

This interactive eLearning GD&T training course now utilizes HTML5 for better browser and device compatibility. It contains 29 robust, self-paced learning modules that explain the terms, symbols, modifiers, rules, and basic concepts of geometric tolerancing as prescribed in the ASME Y14.5-2009 Standard. Progress is easily measured with instant feedback throughout each lesson that reinforces and aids in concept retention, allowing the learner to determine where further review may be needed. Full color detailed animations that help particpants clearly visualize concepts, along with audio narration and 3D solid part examples.

This interactive eLearning GD&T training course now utilizes HTML5 for better browser and device compatibility. It contains 23 robust, self-paced learning modules that explain the terms, symbols, modifiers, rules, and basic concepts of geometric tolerancing as prescribed in the ASME Y14.5-2018 Standard. Progress is easily measured with instant feedback throughout each lesson that reinforces and aids in concept retention, allowing the learner to determine where further review may be needed. Full color detailed animations that help participants clearly visualize concepts, along with audio narration and 3D solid part examples.