Experimental and analytical development of health management for Electro-Mechanical Actuators

Abstract

Expanded deployment of Electro-Mechanical Actuators (EMAs) in critical applications has created much interest in EMA Prognostic Health Management (PHM), a key enabling technology of Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). As such, Impact Technologies, LLC is collaborating with the NASA Ames Research Center to perform a number of research efforts in support of NASA's Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) initiatives. These efforts have combined experimental test stand development, laboratory seeded fault testing, and physical model-based health monitoring in a comprehensive PHM system development strategy. This paper discusses two closely related EMA research programs being conducted by Impact and NASA Ames. The first of these efforts resulted in the creation of an electro-mechanical actuator test stand for the Prognostics Center of Excellence at the NASA Ames Research Center. The second effort is ongoing and is utilizing physics-based modeling techniques to develop an algorithm and software package toolset for PHM of aircraft EMA systems using a hybrid (virtual sensor) approach. 1,2

Prognostic Health-Management System Development for Electromechanical Actuators

“…Fault modes were chosen based on an extensive failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) study and included motor winding shorts, rotor shaft eccentricity, and encoder malfunctions [6]. A fault-detection system was developed and validated using the collected data.…”

EMA remaining useful life prediction with weighted bagging GPR algorithm

“…RUL prediction also ensures that some measures can be taken in case of the whole aircraft running to failures [22,23,24,25]. Furthermore, RUL prediction allows active replacement, planned maintenance procedures, and enhanced decisions of fleet deploy [15,26]. With wide applications of EMAs, EMA RUL prediction becomes more and more important.…”

“…There are over-maintenance and under-maintenance problems in the present maintenance strategies [14]. Prognostic and Health Management (PHM) can provide advantages for the applications of EMAs [15,16,17]. Furthermore, it can also make the adoption of EMAs in vital applications more feasible due to the aspiration of minimizing failures [18,19].…”

Analysis of the Design of a Poppet Valve by Transitory Simulation

“…In recent years model based diagnostics and prevention has been investigated to improve the reliability of Electro-hydraulic, Electro-mechanical and Electro-pneumatic systems [2][3][4][5][6][7]. In typical EHSV's the radial clearance between the spool and the sleeve in the valves is in the order of 5 µm or 0.2 thousand of an inch [8].…”