Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are gaining popularity in the fields of automotive and aerospace engineering due to their unique thermomechanical properties. This paper proposes a numerical implementation of a comprehensive constitutive model for simulating the thermomechanical behavior of shape memory alloys, with temperature and strain as control variables to adjust the shape memory effect and super elasticity effect of the material. By implementing this model as a user subroutine in the FE code Abaqus/Standard, it becomes possible to account for variations in material properties in complex components made of shape memory alloys. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed model, a skid plate system design is presented. The system uses bistable actuators with shape memory alloy springs to trigger plate movement. The kinematics and dynamics of the system are simulated, and effective loads are generated by the shape memory alloy state change due to the real temperature distribution in the material, which depends on the springs’ geometrical parameters. Finally, the performance of the actuator in switching between different configurations and maintaining stability in a specific configuration is assessed. The study highlights the promising potential of shape memory alloys in engineering applications and demonstrates the ability to use them in complex systems with accurate simulations.
Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the production of customised and sophisticated components; Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a widely used and cost-effective AM technique. Nevertheless, the use of FFF for aerospace and aeronautical applications is often impeded by the inadequate surface finish it imparts to the produced components. This work aims to demonstrate that, with careful calibration of process parameters and build orientation, FFF can produce aerospace components with low surface roughness. This could enable FFF to be used in aeronautics, allowing the benefits of lightweighting structures using metal replacement thermoplastics and variable infill to be exploited. In this study, rudder sections of a UAV tailplane were produced using FFF and lightened through variable internal infills, thin thicknesses, and a polymer for metal replacement. By setting different printing processes, a configuration was identified that exhibits suitable surface roughness for aerospace applications and a weight saving of approximately 50% compared to an equivalent metal volume.
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