Robotic Virtual Prototyping Design

Course at a Glance
The aim of the Robotic Virtual Prototyping Design course is to give the basic knowledge about the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Multi-Body Simulations (MBS) applied to the robotics. These computational techniques predict the behaviour of physical systems: joined together permit to study the dynamics taking in account the body flexibility, the control and optimisation. It will be introduced mainly applied to the mechanical field, in particular to the robotic anthropomorphic arm. The student gets 5 credits if he/she attends the entire course and accomplishes the final project.

Instructors
Ferdinando Cannella ferdinando.cannella@iit.it
Mariapaola D’Imperio mariapaola.dimperio@iit.it

Credits: 5
Synopsis
Virtual Prototyping Design is the basic part of the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) that in the last decades involved more and more the R&D of the industries and the Research Centres. The reason is that the physical models need more time and energies for being improved than virtual ones. Moreover, running numerous simulations, these models permit to be optimized depending on several parameters.Thus the course will give an overview on the virtual prototyping design building the models with the main software (MSC.Nastran, Ansys/Workbench and MSC.Adams). In the second part of the course, Multibody and Finite Element Analysis will be integrated in order to take
the best advantage from the virtual prototyping technique and applied to some mechanisms and robot arms. Then the control (Matlab/Simulink) and the optimization (ModeFRONTIER) will be applied to the simulations.
Even if the training solutions concern the mechanical and robotic problems, it is designed to provide to attendants with both the comprehensive and subject-specific knowledge; the students need to effectively apply software tools to solve general problems: static, dynamic, linear, non-linear and motion or multi-physics analysis. So the aim of the course is not only knowing the performances of the software used to build the basic models, but it is also to be able to improve their skill by themselves.


Tools used:

Software
- MatLab, SimuLink
- MSC.ADAMS, WorkBench,

Syllabus
- class 1 (C1)
- Overview on Virtual Prototyping: Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Multibody
Simulation (MBS)
- FEA (Ansys/Workbanch)
- class 2 (C2)
- Anthropomorphic Arm Modelling (FEA+MBS: Ansys/Workbanch)
- class 3 (C3)
- MBS + FEA (MSC.ADAMS + MSC.Nastran)
- class 4 (C4)
PhD Program in Bioengineering and Robotics – 2016-2017
- Anthropomorphic Arm Modelling: MBS+ FEM + Control (MSC.ADAMS +
MSC.NASTRAN + MatLab)
- class 5 (C5)
- Anthropomorphic Arm Modelling: MBS + FEM + Control + Optimisation
(MSC.ADAMS + MSC.NASTRAN + MatLab + ModeFRONTIER)
- class 6 (C6)
- Final Project Assignment

Final exam
1. the minimum mark to pass the Project Assignment is 75%;
2. the Project Assignment is due 4 weeks after they are assigned and should be done in a neat and orderly fashion on PowerPoint presentation following the template (provided with the Project Theme). Late submission will not be accepted;
3. during whole course and assignment the lectures will be available anytime.
Prerequisites Basic knowledge of classical physics and programming.

Reading List
- Klaus-Jurgen Bathe, Finite Element Procedures, Prentice-Hall of India, 2009
- Robert D. Cook, David S. Malkus, Michael E. Plecha & Robert J. Witt, "Concepts and Applications of Finite Element Analysis", 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 (ISBN: 0 471 35605 0)
- Rajiv Rampalli, Gabriele Ferrarotti & Michael Hoffmann, Why Do Multi-Body System Simulation?, NAFEMS Limited, 2011
- R.J.Del Vecchio, Design of Experiments, Hanser Understanding Books, 19971


Venue
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30 (Bolzaneto), Genova


Course dates
May-June

Remarks
Weekly homework will be assigned at the end of each lecture with an estimated average workload of 1 hours per week. Nevertheless the Project Assignment has an estimated average workload of 1-2 days.
1. the minimum attendance is 4 out 5 classrooms (the Project Assignment is not
mandatory);
2. the Project Assignment should be pass according to the policy.