Overview
A magnetic gearbox for use in the aerospace industry will be designed, built and tested (to obtain a TRL6) as requested in topic SFWA-01-048. The process of optimizing the magnetic gear will include considering different available configurations for magnetic gear types, i.e. planetary, direct and “harmonic drive”. As requested, it will also consider torque, weight, cost, working temperature and reliability. In addition, it will consider both mechanical and magnetic tolerancing –and the required quality thereof.
The coordinator of this project started work in magnetomechanics as part of the magnet group at the AT division of CERN some 20 years ago. UC3M, since the project coordinator –joined 14 years ago, has been at the frontier of research and development in magnetomechanisms; developing and using the latest techniques in order to improve and optimize them. In fact, UC3M has developed a unique method and software in order to simulate precisely the dynamics of any real mechanism incorporating rare-earth magnets, composite magnetic materials, superconductors, soft magnetic materials or any kind of magnetic element.
UC3M is currently leading the FP7-Space project MAGDRIVE in which a completely non-contact, magnetic drive for use in space under cryogenic conditions is being demonstrated up to a TRL5. The test bench built in that project will, with minor adaptations, be perfectly suited to testing this MAGBOX.
UC3M also has highly exclusive expertise in designing, building and testing mechanical devices based on real commercial magnetic pieces. This includes both the facilities and technical expertise necessary not only to control the quality of them, but also the mechanical and magnetic tolerancing, which is essential to the success of this project. This, together with the considerable expertise in qualification and certification procedures in aeronautics, proven by the years of cooperation in the ""Centro mixto UC3M-EADS"", makes this project the best solution.
Funding
Results
Final Report Summary - MAGBOX (Aeronautical Magnetic Gear Box)
Executive Summary:
The main objective of MAGBOX project is to develop an aeronautic oriented magnetic gear box to be integrated in an electromechanical actuator. The aim of the project is to design, develop, and manufacture a full functional prototype for testing and qualifying according to DO-160E standard. This MAGBOX provides an overload protection. The final product "MAGBOX" is a magnetic gear stage useful for any kind of mechanism in which an antijamming device is required or recommended. It includes aeronautic actuators but also other mechanical systems in automotive, machinery, well drillers and others. The prototype of the FP7 MAGBOX project has been successfully tested in a relevant environment. It has shown a full functionality (24 Nm and 2250 rpm nominal operation rates) in all the temperature range (-55 to +90 C), good accuracy (< 0.5 degrees) and high efficiency (> 99 %) with a high reliability in the parts at all the temperature range even after survival temperature exposure (-74 and 110 C). The prototype has successfully borne 300 jamming (overload protection) events. Therefore, the prototype has been fully qualified for aerospace applications up to a Technology Readiness Level 6.
Project Context and Objectives:
There are two main objectives for this project:
- The first objective is to provide a Material Review Board of theoretical estimates of the weight, cost and reliability of a magnetic gearbox (MAGBOX) sampled over a wide range of reduction ratios, torques and diameters; and afterwards to design an optimised magnetic gearbox MAGBOX valued in terms of weight/cost for a specific reduction ratio and its associated torque capability.
- The second main objective is to manufacture and test an optimised demonstrator prototype of magnetic gearbox suitable to be integrated in an electromechanical actuator for use in aircrafts.
Project Results:
An automatic material review board software provides estimation of the length, total weight and total cost of magnetic gearboxes according to the requirements specified as input parameters for three different magnetic gear architectures. Computer simulations have been carried out for tenths of magnetic gears providing a solid knowledge of the effect of different design parameters on critical characteristics as weight, maximum transmitted torque, size, magnetic pollution, damping, heat released and reliability.
The prototype of the FP7 MAGBOX project has been designed, build and successfully tested in dedicated test bench. It has shown a full functionality (24 Nm and 2250 rpm nominal operation rates) in all the temperature range (-55 to +90 C), good accuracy (< 0.5 degrees) and high efficiency (> 99 %) with a high reliability in the parts at all the temperature range even after survival temperature exposure (-74 and 110 C). The prototype has successfully borne 300 jamming (overload protection) events. Therefore, the prototype has been fully qualified for aerospace applications up to a Technology Readiness Level 6.
Potential Impact:
The main impact of the results is that the MAGBOX prototype provides a unique new element for protection against overloads in aircraft actuation systems. With an appropriate design of the kinematic chain the MAGBOX prevents the most catastrophic effects in case of jamming.
The market for this kind of new device is wide. According to the topic manager the TL could be mounted in the new A30X, successor of A320 (released forecasted 2020), with a commercial forecast of 400 A/C per year. Therefore, 400 x 2 equipments per plane give 800 eqpt/year and if the A30X commercial life time is 40 years, the total expected number of TL is 32 000 units.
Besides the immediate application of the TL to the A30X plane, the strategy for exploitation will therefore be directed to a selected dissemination among the stakeholders of mechanisms for aerospace. The exploitation will be probably agreed with MAG SOAR SL which has shown interest in the product.
As part of the dissemination activities (articles and conferences contributions), a number of private demonstrations with the prototype and visits with video projections have been done. These include ESA, Airbus Military, Astrium, Airbus, SKF, Bombardier, SCNF, RENFE, SUMA and other.
List of Websites:
José Luis Pérez Díaz – Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Av de la universidad 30, 28911, Leganés, Spain.
Email: jlperez@ing.uc3m.es / jlpd68@gmail.com