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Procedia Computer Science 00 (2018) 000–000
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Procedia Computer Science 133 (2018) 134–140

International Conference on Robotics and Smart Manufacturing (RoSMa2018)

International Conference on Robotics and Smart Manufacturing (RoSMa2018)
Active Control of Smart Shape Memory Alloy Composite Flapper
Active Control of Smart Shape Memory Alloy Composite Flapper
for Aerodynamic Applications
for Aerodynamic Applications
Suhel Khana, Yeswanth Saib , Mani Prabu S Sb, Palani I Ab, Amod C Umarikara,
a b b b a
Suhel Khan , Yeswanth Sai , Mani Prabu SSingh
Pushpendra S , Palani
c I A , Amod C Umarikar ,
a
Pushpendra Singh c
Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Indore, Indore,452020, INDIA
ba
Department
Departmentof
ofMetallurgical Engineering
Electrical Engineering, IITand Materials
Indore, Science, IIT
Indore,452020, Indore,
INDIA Indore,452020, INDIA
cb
Research Center
Department Imarat, Hyderabad,
of Metallurgical 500069,
Engineering and INDIA
Materials Science, IIT Indore, Indore,452020, INDIA
c
Research Center Imarat, Hyderabad, 500069, INDIA

Abstract
Abstract
E-glass woven composite structures embedded with shape memory alloys are developed using hand layup
E-glass woven
technique. In thecomposite structures
current work, embedded
actuation analysiswith shape composites
of smart memory alloys are developed
was performed using ahand
to develop layup
controlled
technique.using
actuation In the
thecurrent work, actuation
programmable analysis
logic device. of control
Active smart composites was performed
of the composite to develop
structure was achieveda with
controlled
a Lab
actuation
view usinginterfaced
program the programmable logic device.
to data acquisition Active
system control
(DAQ). Theofactive
the composite structure
smart structure wasdeflection
has the achieved with a Lab
of 4.29mm
view
in theprogram
time spaninterfaced
of 60 s atto17V
dataand
acquisition
2A. system (DAQ). The active smart structure has the deflection of 4.29mm
in 2018
© the time
The span of 60
Authors. s at 17V
Published byand 2A. Ltd.
Elsevier
© 2018
© 2018
This The
is an Authors. Published
open-access
The Authors. Published by Elsevier
article under
by Elsevier Ltd.
the CC BY-NC-ND
Ltd. license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Robotics and Smart Materials.
Keywords: Smart composite; Shape memory alloy; Actuation; control;
Keywords: Smart composite; Shape memory alloy; Actuation; control;

1. Introduction
1. Introduction
The smart material based composite structures (smart structures) are a better alternative to the static structures
The smart
powered material
by heavy based composite
machinery structures
such as hydraulic, (smart structures)
pneumatic and servo are a better
motors. alternative structural
Conventional to the static structures
materials can
powered by heavy machinery such as hydraulic, pneumatic and servo motors. Conventional structural
no longer fulfill the industrial need by enhancing the properties of the material but requires developing an adaptive materials can
no longer fulfill the industrial need by enhancing the properties of the material but requires developing
or smart structure whose properties may be varied in response to environmental fluctuations (external stimuli). an adaptive
or smartallstructure
Among whose smart
the available properties may be
materials, SMAvaried in response
is preferred due to environmental fluctuations
high strain recovery, ability(external stimuli).
to withstand the
Among all the available smart materials, SMA is preferred due to high strain recovery, ability
higher load, high damping capacity, large reversible changes of mechanical and physical characteristics and most to withstand the
higher load, high damping capacity, large reversible changes of mechanical
importantly, the ability to generate extremely high recovery stresses [1], [2]. and physical characteristics and most
importantly, the ability
Many researchers to generate
have extremely
studied the high recovery
performance parametersstresses
of SMA [1], composites
[2]. and optimized them to maximize
Many researchers have studied the performance parameters of SMA
the deflection rate. S karmakae et.al worked on optimum placement of shape memory composites and optimized
alloys [2]them
and to maximize
S Barbarino
the deflection rate. S karmakae et.al worked on optimum placement of shape memory alloys
et.al worked on shape memory alloys with applications to morphing of aircraft [3]. Gang Zhou et.al worked on [2] and S Barbarino
et.al worked
bending on shape
behavior memory alloys
of composite beamswith applications
embedded to morphing
with SMA wires [4] of aircraft
whereas[3].E.JGang Zhouet.al
Abdullah et.al analyze
worked the
on
bending behavior of composite beams embedded with SMA wires [4] whereas E.J Abdullah et.al analyze the

1877-0509© 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

This is an open
1877-0509© access
2018 Thearticle under
Authors. the CC by
Published BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Elsevier Ltd.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1877-0509 © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Robotics and Smart Materials.
10.1016/j.procs.2018.07.017
 Suhel Khan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 133 (2018) 134–140 135
2 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2018) 000–000

performance of smart composite [5]. Sung-Hoon Ahn research group have utilized the SMA composites for soft
robotic applications [3]–[5]. Interestingly, O.Bilegn et.al studied the actuators for flow control of the variable camber
flow [6]. Although many researchers have studied the actuation of SMA composite, but few people have studied the
active control of SMA composites using PID controller. This paper mainly focusses on the active control of the
SMA composite structure using LabView Software. Here we controlled the actuation of the smart composite
structure through logic code developed in Lab view. The logic code in lab view will get the actuation of the smart
composite structure through DAQ data logger. The actuation of the composite will compare and controlled within
setpoint given by the user. This logic code will control the power supply to control actuation of the smart composite
structure.

2. Structure Fabrication

The SMA smart composite flappers are fabricated using hand lay-up method. NiTi (Nitinol) wire of diameter 0.5
mm is used as an actuator element. Initially, these NiTi wires are subjected to pre-strained to the maximum strain
level of 5% using mechanical loads. The pre-strained SMA wires are embedded between the E-glass fiber epoxy
members to form a smart composite structure. Bisphenol A based epoxy resin is mixed with the corresponding
hardener in the ratio of 100:30. The structural members together with glass fiber, epoxy resin and SMA are cured for
24 hours in the ambient atmosphere under high-pressure conditions

3. Experimental Setup

The experimental setup consists of SMA embedded composite flapper, a programmable power supply for
supplying electricity, an infrared laser sensor to detect the beam tips displacement and a real-time data acquisition
(DAQ) system.

3.1 System Operation

In the passive control system, the smart composite structure will be actuated via Joule heating and the flow of
current will be operated manually. Whereas in active control system power supply was controlled with the help of a
programming code developed in Lab view. In this programming part, we will interface power supply and DAQ
displacement sensor (LDS) and proceeds further to the DAQ. A series of analysis will be performed by the program
developed, and the output will be fed to PID controller to control the power supply.

Lab-view
Supply voltage
to
flapper

PID Composite
Set point Controller Flapper
Deflection
(mm)

Process
variable

LDS Sensor
DAQ
system

Fig. 1 Block diagram Design with the controller for Data acquisition
136 Suhel Khan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 133 (2018) 134–140
Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2018) 000–000 3

Fig. 2 Front Panel Design with the controller for Data acquisition in lab view

3.2Actuation of the Smart composite structure

Smart SMA composite structures will be actuated via diffusion-less phase transformation. In these SMA
Composites, high-temperature austenite and a low-temperature martensite will present. When there is an Austenite
transformation (~ 60oC) of the SMA wire, the phase transformation takes place and in turn, the composite structure
deflects as shown in figure (b). On removing the power supply, the SMA wire cools down below to Martensitic
temperature and the inherent elasticity of the composite structure acts as a bias force to revert to the original position
as shown in figure (a).

a b

Fig.3 (a) Initial stage of Smart structure (b) After actuation of smart structure

3.3 Mathematical description of the design of Smart composite structure

In order to control the smart composite structure using PID controller, a transfer function has to be developed. The
following transfer function has been developed and the smart structure was controlled using it

Nomenclature

M mass of
F force of
X displacement of
B viscous damping of
K stiffness constant of
4 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2018) 000–000
Suhel Khan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 133 (2018) 134–140 137

(1)
(2)
State Space Equation

(3)
(4)

Transfer Function

(5)

Transfer Function Parameters

B=0
M = 35.60 gram
K = 48.2165 g/mm

(6)

4. Results and Discussion

4.1 Simulation studies on the system behavior

Here we draw the transfer function of smart structure and get the step response of this second order system. The
response was oscillatory in nature as shown in figure 4.

Fig.4 Flapper system Design and Step Response in Lab-view

 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2018) 000–000 5

138 Suhel Khan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 133 (2018) 134–140

4.2 Simulation studies of the flapper with PID controller

To convert above response into a control response here we used p-i-d mode controller. In figure 4, the design was
developed in block diagram panel for getting the p-i-d values. Block diagram will first convert the transfer function
into the discrete form using zero order hold sampling method. This discrete transfer function used to get the
controller parameter. We used Ziegler Nichols p-i-d tuning method in Lab view. Here we cascaded the p-i-d
controller with flapper transfer function and made a unity feedback closed-loop system. In the simulation, we got
complete system response as a controlled response with a set point as shown in figure 5.

Fig. 5 System response with p-i-d controller in Lab View

4.3 Displacement VS Time

Power supply with Lab view was interfaced. The maximum deflection was set to 4.5mm and it was compared
with continuous current flapper position. The error was collected to the P-I-D controller and then P-I-D will give the
command to the programmable power supply to actively control the deflection of the flapper. the following figure 5,
was calculated for three cycles of heating and cooling. Here for controller tuning Ziegler Nichols p-i-d tuning
method used here using Lab view block diagram panel. In Lab view program channel configuration for acquiring the
data of actuation and configuration for programmable power supply has done as shown in figure 2. In figure 2,
design was divided in two part that is input panel and output panel. In input panel, in the block diagram comparator
compared the set point with scan value that came from data acquisition after each triggering of the soft relay. In this
way the Lab view block diagram design to scan the actuation of the smart composite structure.
 Suhel Khan et al. / Procedia Computer Science 133 (2018) 134–140 139
6 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2018) 000–000

Fig. 6 Displacement v/s Time graph with the controller

5. Conclusion
In this paper, the fabrication of SMA composite structure has been discussed. A PID controller was designed in
Lab view to control the actuation during Joule heating. SMA composite structures actuated via Joule heating shown
actuation with respect to supply current. In the Lab view programming, process value will be compared with
setpoint given by the user. The smart composite structure is a nonlinear system, but the system behavior showed
linear for a small range of actuation. After joule heating material properties changed, phase transformation occurs
and the sample can lose its sensitivity. To conquer these problems p-i-d controller design has developed. The smart
structure was actively controlled within 4.5mm displacement. Moreover, the elastic rigidity of the structure has not
been lost.

6. Acknowledgment
The project was funded by Defense research and development organization (DRDO) India and we gratefully
acknowledge their support and collaboration.

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